A good phone/tablet for longer range flight w/ FC40?

notsojazzyjeff · Feb 26, 2015

I have an iPhone 6 and anytime I get slightly high up the thing disconnects. I heard that this is a common problem with IOS so I considered a repeater, but I heard that some tablets can get the same range a repeater without the extra hardware. I found threads on other forums that recommend a Lenovo Thinkpad or Kindle Fire. The lenovo was a little older and harder to find and the kindle can be difficult to get the app on since it doesn't run traditional andriod. Can anyone suggest some other options a good tablet or phone solution that can get really long range with the FC40 camera? I am looking to buy something ASAP.

THANKS!

jamwatn · Feb 26, 2015

After flying with my Samsung Tab 4, I can confirm it wanted to keep going and going after at least 500M. Mind you I had about the same with my Samsung S3 phone.

Tab 4: - Didn't start cutting out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-rYQomgfGg

Samsung S3: - Video began freezing when copter suddenly stops.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzM13Ki48nc

Not lost controller yet!

dtitus6297 · Feb 26, 2015

Pretty much any wifi only tablet will get you better distance cause they have a stronger wifi chip. Kindle fire has been very popular

J.James · Feb 26, 2015

Ive gotten the best range with a kindle fire and I also have moded it to take an external antenna and got even more range still. But even with moding it I got a heck of alot better range then on any phone.

They also are not all that hard to install the fc40 app on. You just have to use a 3rd party app market like 1moble to download and install the app.

notsojazzyjeff · Feb 27, 2015

Thanks! I think I may go with the kindle fire if its not hard. Is this the kindle fire HD/HDX or just the standard?

Also, can you recommend a good mounting solution to the phantom controller

J.James · Feb 28, 2015

The one i used is just an old regular non hd kindle fire.

Mounting was a bit of a pain and I had to use a combination of one of the normal fpv monitor mounts and then the top half of a mount that was meant to hold various size tablets to the back of a car head rest. I could of also just used some good velcro tape on the back of the kindle to be able to attach it the fpv mount.

notsojazzyjeff · Mar 1, 2015

Thanks. I found used 1st gen Kindle Fire on eBay for $35 and as for my mount I think I'm going to use the GripPro universal mount as seen in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22B943gYGaw

I honestly haven't flown my FC40 in some time because the short range was so annoying that it kept disconnecting and then I would have to land and spend a bunch of time trying to reconnect. A real pain in the butt. Cant wait to get in the air again.

dtitus6297 · Mar 3, 2015

For mounting I use a square jellyfish mount off Amazon to clip the tablet on and whatever carbon fiber or aluminum mount kit u prefer to attach that mount to the transmitter. Cost me 25 bucks total and we'll worth jt