Basic purchase advice.

[Jeffro]

I'm new to Quads and just jumped in to the entry level.(Phantom 1) I see now it'll be very advantageous to have FPV. I have done some shopping and read some articles but I'm just not sure how my best money would be spent. Since my Quad is "an old model" I wondered if I should save money and go the same route with an old model of FPV equipment.

I have a Gopro 3+ black already, and a gimble so I'm unsure of just what else I would need and the best place to get it.

Any suggesting helping we wade through this jungle of adds and out of date information would be greatly appreciated.Thank you.


Jeff from Illinois

 

[CityZen]

There are lots of different paths you can take depending upon how much you can spend and how much you can tinker and assemble yourself.
You can buy ready-made kits that require minimal tinkering, or you can put stuff together yourself and save a lot of money (though possibly have to deal with some frustration).
At a minimum, you need a video transmitter, receiver, monitor, and the video cable for the GoPro.
Adding as OSD is a good idea, though with a P1 there are extra complications, since it doesn't have a built-in CAN bus for the DJI OSD.
You might investigate this option: http://www.ebay.com/itm/281489918226
Otherwise, you'd need to upgrade to get a CAN bus. One way is to change the main board to a P2 main board.

 

[Jeffro]

City Zen thanks for the advise and link!! I guess I should have said in the "request for help" tinkering skills with boards and such are not that good. I have toasted many electrical devises over the years. So plug and play is probably my best bet. I can solder and heat shrink but my skills, especially trouble shooting skills with small electronic devises equal that of a "Ferguson Missouri looter!" Thanks again.

 

[Jeffro]

Chinese Gimbal board fried tonight by me. I haven't lost my touch!!

 

[Great Pumpkin]

I guess from what little I know about my P2V and what others say about their experiences with the P1 and the P2v+, I would start all over again if I were you. You get what you pay for, and if you, like me, are electronically challenged, then just spend the bucks, get the P2V+ and spend your time flying and having fun like so many others on this forum are without the frustrations of sitting on the ground soldering wires, switching out boards, and wondering why things don't work. In any case, welcome to the forum and keep all of us informed of what you end up doing.
I should add: I'm completely happy with my P2V and how it does just what I want it to do.

 

[Jeffro]

Thanks GP. Yes that's what I really should have done. Originally I thought I could only justify the entry level. But now I can hardly justify getting the PH1 in the beginning! LoL I have a Preditor FS coming, and understand what went wrong. A video I watched hooked up all three wires to the NAZA F2 plug. I see now the safe way is to hook up only one wire. I'll get it!! Thanks!

 

[QYV]

if you already have a gopro, my advice is go for the non-Vision P2 and H3-3D gimbal. ultimately adding FPV to a P2-non-Vision winds up being a few hundred (like 2 or 3 max) more dollars than a Vision, but the videos you get are WAY better (gopro vs Vision camera) and your FPV has much better range with no "modifications", just good antennas.

There's a plug and play cable now regardless of what transmitter you get making an iOSD Mini + FPV install on the P2 super easy.

check the "lowest prices" stickythread in FPV forum

 

[Jeffro]

Thanks QYV for the help. Not sure if you realized I already have a P1. So I'm stuck with that for the time being. So now tonight I just received my 2nd and last Chinese Gimbal. It won't level out without tons of noise and jerking. So I'm done with those. Also I got my Preditor V2 tonight. So at dusk I got it installed and took flight. Not good for me at all. I have much trouble seeing exactly where I am. Found my self closing one eye to see. It was cool and all but not good for me as my first impression.

Since I bought the P1 through Amazon I can still send it back so I will.

Going with QYV's advise and get a P2 with a H33D Gimbal.

Also because of my personal vision issues with the Predator v2 I'm going with:
Black Peral 7" monitor
immersion 600 mw trans. with spiro antennas
and an !OSD mini?

Should that be a fair set up?
Thanks!!

 

[QYV]

ah my bad I didn't realize you were on a P1, but you'll be happier with a P2 it's much more refined product.
What you're describing is a fairly common setup, here are some pointers:
Check the stickythread for lowest prices . In it you'll find a link to the plug and play cable you need. Also down at the bottom some links to things like a 3d printed display mount for your RC, gimbal locks, good antennas, etc.
If you go with the BP display (the RX-LCD5802 works fine also), lots of people report issues with the 32ch version so make sure you get the 7ch version

 

[Jeffro]

THANKS QYV for the follow up advise. I did order the 7 channel on your recommendation! I now have the P&P cable ordered also.

 

[QYV]

THANKS QYV for the follow up advise. I did order the 7 channel on your recommendation! I now have the P&P cable ordered also.

right on you're welcome. Do you have a tripod or RC mount for the display? it can get awkward without one and the $5 one that bolts to the little silver tab on the front is prone to interference

 

[Jeffro]

QYV Sorry I didn't know we went to page 2!! The Black Pearl comes with some carbon fiber bracket that secures to the display to the round silver prop bar in the back. Think that will work? If do you know the brand of display holder I would need?

Also one other question. On the BP display can I mix a F.Shark spironet antenna with a HELIAXIAL58 directional antenna?

Thanks again for your direction.

 

[QYV]

generally speaking, antennas are not that "specific" - any antenna built for that frequency range (5.8Ghz) and with the right connector for your equipment (SMa Male/Female, RP-SMA Male/Female) should work.

I'm not sure about that BP's silver bar connector if it works then great. The RX-LCD5802 doesn't come with one so I got the 3d-printed one linked in the stickythread and it works great

 

[Jeffro]

Thanks for making it simple fort me QYV that's nice to know. I have everything working and flew it out over 1 mile yesterday so I'm happy with the set up!

 

[QYV]

very nice! with a gopro? Hero3 or Hero4?

 

[Jeffro]

Hero 3+

 

[QYV]

nice. let us know if you post some cool videos. I finally got my Hero4 working properly so I'm having fun with 1080p 120fps, currently trying to get the hang of taking cool videos at night

 

[Jeffro]

At night?? Really? Sound like quite of a challenge. I wouldn't know where to start!! Wow 120 fps, It has to be amazing video. On the 3+ I see there is a "low light" setting I use that seems to help but it still gets grainy. I'd like to see some night video if you get it to work.