the BHS is cool if you want to save money in the beginning. but you get what you pay for:
1. a coax that's similar to the lama v4. not bad to start with.
2. honey bee . not the v2, still it's quite ok. a little more fragile than the v2 though.
3. HBCP. like all CP with a tail motor, this won't really be that good in 3D flight.

it's on of those things that can grow with you, if you're on a budget.

on that note, what are the differences in align's naming scheme anyway?

better get use to it. the further you progress, the more money it'll cost for every crash.

crashing a 100 size FP is causes no real dmg compared to crashing a bigger heli. the cost just multiplies if it's a CP.

are you using the "ehem" version of phoenix RC? if i'm not mistaken, phoenix RC uses a usb dongle(i think it came with the software package) to work with your transmitter. it won't work with cables.

i'd go with belt CPv2 any day. reason:

v400d02 uses:
6).Main Motor: 380PF
7).Tail Motor: 1627PF

it's like comparing the honey bee CP3 with belt CPv2, in which case, belt CP wins, hands down. plus, belt CPv2 parts can be found nearly in every RC shops. downside, the BCP is a little more complex.

ah..ok, so that's the problem. you need the usb dongle. there are some china made clones that can work, but i dunno where to get them.

the usb cable for your tx would work for most other sims, like realflight(may need an emulator) and aerofly.

well, you get what you pay for. thing is, most people that bought the BCP are using it as their 1st CP heli, so it make sense their time are spend more on repairing. i'm sure if a beginner bought a trex as their 1st CP heli, they will have the same perception.

esky, like most china company, uses cheap electronics. but in time, you can replace those. spare/upgrade parts for BCP are everywhere. i can't say the same for walkera.


yup that's the same cable i use on my esky tx to hook with aerofly and realflight. had to use an emulator for realflight though. remember you have to map the channels correctly. some simple steps:
1. make sure the tx is detected by your OS as a joystick
2. configure the sim software to map the channels you'll be using.
3. test until you're satisfied.

well...always get the one that you can get spare parts easily. that way you spend less time grounded/repairing.

yup. i'm using both on winXP and win7, plugged and play. check your game controller menu to see if you OS detects it. in my case, when i turn the tx on, and plugged the cable, my OS will detect a game controller with 4 axis.

with +/- actual physics vs simulated physics.

how much voltage per cell is that? are you sure you go the readings correctly? why not just go back to the shop for a replacement?
i don't think lipos sold in shops here(or anywhere) comes with warranty, in fact i haven't come across any rechargeable batteries that come with warranty. lipos are fragile(and unstable), it's not plausible for a retailer to provide warranty for it(unless it's really expensive).

hmm....do you have those LED lipo batt checker(very useful) to check voltage per cell? or you could at least check with the shop to confirm what's wrong with the batt. any reputable shop would assist you on this.

if the shop tested it before selling to you, it's unlikely that the batt is faulty to begin with, and lipos - although unstable, doesn't really go faulty on the 1st few charge cycle. something else must be wrong in-between. how does the batt look(physically), is it bloated?

well it could be under/over charged at some point. i'm guessing a cell has failed (4.2v+4.2v+0.4v(failed cell)=8.8v). might wanna check that you charger is working correctly though. for the batt, bloated lipos are dead lipos. better throw away before it dies a flaming death.

well, it's the same thing as everything else. what makes a b.u.m jeans cheaper than a levi's? what makes camel shoes more expensive than a bata? what makes a gibson more expensive than an epiphone?

brand names. and of course there's the build quality. named brand usually have better QC on assembly and parts.