Windows CE in Futaba 14mz corruptible?

[rcflyer]

Can the windows CE program in the Futaba 14mz get corrupted e.g. by improper shutdown procedure, low battery, etc? If it gets corrupted, can windows CE be reinstalled? Thanks !

[bax]

You cannot corrupt the files in the Futaba 14MZ transmitter by "improper" shutdown. You can, sometimes, not have a recently-input setting get saved because you shut down before you exited the menu, but not the operating system. If the battery is low, it just shuts down.

If, by some chance, the operating system is corrupted, then you would just reload the latest system files via the update procedure.

[rcflyer]

Can the Windows CE version be updated, or is it hardcoded into the radio?

[jmiracle]

WinCE as used in the 14mz is not the 'Windows' that many people think of. It's not the OS used in handheld devices like smartphones or PDA...it's a modular OS designed for embedded devices that need a rich GUI.

The only way to update the version of WinCE on the 14mz is by downloading the latest update from Futaba.

[pepatrick]

Sorry...but I gotta rag Windows...I just cant trust my several thousand dollar plane with something with Windows on it...where is the ctrl alt del keys on this thing...j/k.. I just cant believe any IT guys that are into RC would feel comfortable flying the 14mz...Blue Screen of Death during a torque roll just doesnt sound all that good.

[jmiracle]

I'm an IT guy and don't give a second thought to having WinCE on my TX....mostly because it's NOT Windows. It's an embedded OS used in industrial applications that is extremely customized for a specific task.

The guys who have a problem with Futaba using WinCE generally are NOT IT guys who just don't know the difference between whats on the TX and what's on their PC......apples and oranges...

[d_wheel]

	Quote: Originally Posted by pepatrick
	Sorry...but I gotta rag Windows...I just cant trust my several thousand dollar plane with something with Windows on it...where is the ctrl alt del keys on this thing...j/k.. I just cant believe any IT guys that are into RC would feel comfortable flying the 14mz...Blue Screen of Death during a torque roll just doesnt sound all that good.

WinCE ONLY runs the GUI and has nothing to do with the actual flying of the airplane. That is controlled by a conventional Futaba processor that takes the stored information and stick/switch inputs and does it's thing separately. You have nothing to worry about regarding the "blue screen of death".


Later;

D.W.

[Mithrandir]

I sure wish there was a little Red "Reset" button on my Tx like RealFlight G3.5 has!!! lol

[pepatrick]

Guys...appearantly you are getting flustered by me picking on the OS that runs the front end of the 14mz. I know it is not the same thing as Windows...I figured the j/k and was notably a friendly jab at the 14mz fliers. I have been in IT for over 20 years and just poking at the Windows OS...Lets just take it for the joke it was meant to be.

[Wojcigitty]

Yeah, I did some testing with another high-end transmitter manufacturer and a few other OS's. The iFly was great, very sexy and easy, but expensive, didn't work with other receivers, and it was time consuming to program using only one button. Also it gave me a strange desire to drive a Jetta. Ktransmit was OK, free, slick, and usually stable, but there were no drivers for Hitec servos, and it took forever to program from terminal.

[pepatrick]

To even use an words such as iFly and sexy...and what about the JR to Futaba terminal emulation utilities. I wonder if the wireless connection falls under 802.x wireless standards. The worse would be a man in the middle attack on the transmitted packets to the reciever...and I sure hope this connection is not UDP...that would be bad..

[Wojcigitty]

Don't worry, it supports WPA.

[JAS]

OK you IT guys... how do I restore my emails on Outlook? Not quite the same, but thought I'd give it a shot.

[MalaysianFlyer]

I was also very skeptical about having windows on a TX initially. However, I believe that what bax said is correct, you cannot corrupt the files easily. I have done the update on mine to the latest version, then updated "backwards" to an older version. with no problems whatsoever. I did this about 4 times all together. Though I would not advise anyone else to do it, I have not had any problems crop up from doing so. My radio is the FX-40, which esentially runs the same software as the 14MZ, so I don't think we have anything to worry about.