Black Pearl - 8 Channels?

dptcalvin · Jan 10, 2015

I ordered the 7 channel version from Amazon and it arrived today. While familiarizing myself with it, I noticed that it has 8 channels - I'm confused. Please see the video below.

http://youtu.be/F0nW7AiPv7o

I'm not sure if this is helpful in determining which version I have, but for what it's worth, I believe it has female RP-SMA connectors.

EDIT: confirmed that this is the 32 channel version (4 bands x 8 channels).

dptcalvin · Jan 10, 2015

Upon further research, it appears that I received the 32 channel version. 4 bands x 8 channels - can anyone confirm that?

MrC · Jan 10, 2015

Can you change bands in the settings? The 7ch version (with sma usually) wont let you change bands but looks just the same in settings.

Also, did the box it comes in have an "F" on a yellow round sticker on it somewhere?

I don't have mine handy to check how many channels it flicks through but will only let me use band F.

dptcalvin · Jan 10, 2015

Yes, I can. I just boxed it up and it's now ready to go back to Amazon. Thanks for your feedback!

MrC · Jan 10, 2015

If you can change to another band apart from F then yep def sounds like the 32ch version.
My F band only black pearl still says 32channels on side of the box but also has the "F" sticker and when i tried to change bands it wouldn't. Also is SMA.

jason · Jan 12, 2015

dptcalvin said:
I ordered the 7 channel version from Amazon and it arrived today. While familiarizing myself with it, I noticed that it has 8 channels - I'm confused. Please see the video below.

http://youtu.be/F0nW7AiPv7o

I'm not sure if this is helpful in determining which version I have, but for what it's worth, I believe it has female RP-SMA connectors.

EDIT: confirmed that this is the 32 channel version (4 bands x 8 channels).

Does the box say Black Pearl rc801? If it does it has 32 channels and cost the same as a 7 channel version. In fact it a better unit.

MrC · Jan 12, 2015

The 7ch one also has rc801 on the box...

dptcalvin · Jan 12, 2015

Both the 7 channel and 32 channel say rc801 on the box.

The 32 channel one is not necessarily "better." It depends on the use. For use with ImmersionRC transmitters, the 7 channel is "better." It seems for other transmitters, the 32 channel is the way to go.

Ohary · Jan 12, 2015

I'm hearing various reports of the 32 ch being incompatible with the Immersion 600mw 5.8GHz transmitter, yet others say it works fine, yet others say there is a lot of interference from the 2.4 GHz Phantom transmitter/Receiver.

Can anyone straighten this out?

Thank,

Mark O

PhantomFanatic · Jan 12, 2015

dptcalvin said:
Both the 7 channel and 32 channel say rc801 on the box.

The 32 channel one is not necessarily "better." It depends on the use. For use with ImmersionRC transmitters, the 7 channel is "better." It seems for other transmitters, the 32 channel is the way to go.

I don't have FPV, but I have heard that there are less problems with the 7 channel unit. I didn't realize that Amazon sells it. I may be purchasing one soon. Buying one piece at a time is the only way I can afford a system!

dptcalvin · Jan 13, 2015

Ohary said:
I'm hearing various reports of the 32 ch being incompatible with the Immersion 600mw 5.8GHz transmitter, yet others say it works fine, yet others say there is a lot of interference from the 2.4 GHz Phantom transmitter/Receiver.

Can anyone straighten this out?

Thank,

Mark O

No one really knows why the 7 channel seems to work better than the 32 channel. I had the 32 channel and I indeed was able to get FPV on it, though I didn't test range. I believe range is the issue, though. There does appear to be some people using the IRC 600 and BP 32 ch just fine, but there are too many reports of them not working well together to be ignored. If you're going IRC 600, just go with the 7 ch. they are both the same price.