P4 Power Output for Video is only .598 Watts v. .746 Watts on Original P3P

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

P4 Power Output for Video is only 0.598 Watts v. 0.746 Watts on Original P3P

FCC ID SS3-WM3301512 by SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD for Phantom 4

The P4 feature set includes enhanced Lightbridge for greater video stabilty, but the video power output from the aircraft is still 20% less than the original W323 P3P. The P4 is, however, is still better than the last W323B version of the P3P, which at .520 Watts is a full 30% less than the original W323 P3P. Whether the "enhanced Lightbridge" can over come the 20% less power, and still maintain video stability at the same distance as the original P3P remains to be seen, but I am now less optimistic than I was before seeing the actual P4 video power output specs. The FCC site has been down since before March 1, and just came back online within the last 48 hours, finally revealing the P4 video power output. Currently, without a birdside video mod, the only P3P which supports stable video at low altitude from 3-5 miles is the original W323 P3P with the .746 watt power output.

Sinisalo · Mar 9, 2016

finally the fcc filings page is up again.

Sinisalo · Mar 9, 2016

maybe this is one way that they increased the flight times. I think additional power output would only increase penetration through objects so I don't think this will affect the range in direct line of sight. I always lost video on my P3P before I lost control signal (never lost control signal) so I am a little worried about this as well but I guess we will see what the effects are soon enough.

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

Sinisalo said:
finally the fcc filings page is up again.

It's about time!!! I kept calling my ISP complaining about the problem, saying it's been down for over a week! It's a federal government website! They can't be that incompetent!

Finally, my ISP confirmed they couldn't get to the site either. Go figure!

Sinisalo · Mar 9, 2016

GadgetGuy said:
It's about time!!! I kept calling my ISP complaining about the problem, saying it's been down for over a week! It's a federal government website! They can't be that incompetent! Finally, my ISP confirmed they couldn't get to the site either. Go figure!

It seems the whole site was down just to cover the P4 details from being released early. I guess DJI has some cash to throw around, or it is just an incredible "coincidence".

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

Sinisalo said:
maybe this is one way that they increased the flight times. I think additional power output would only increase penetration through objects so I don't think this will affect the range in direct line of sight. I always lost video on my P3P before I lost control signal (never lost control signal) so I am a little worried about this as well but I guess we will see what the effects are soon enough.

VLOS has never been a problem. It's the 3-5 mile range at low altitude where the transmitter mods extend the control signal, but can only add a hearing aid to the video reception, without a separate birdside amplifier. The reduced power output on the bird has severely degraded the video performance in the 3-5 mile range, forcing me to acquire two of the original W323's with original motors to regain the video stability, after my original bird caught the battery "virus" and shut off in midair at 220 feet 16 seconds into a flight and crashed onto concrete 15 feet from me!

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

Sinisalo said:
It seems the whole site was down just to cover the P4 details from being released early. I guess DJI has some cash to throw around, or it is just an incredible "coincidence".

That certainly crossed my mind, too!

Sinisalo · Mar 9, 2016

this is the FCC page for the P3 I had, the W323A: FCC ID SS3-WM3231507 by SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD for Phantom 3 Professional I don't know if my math checks out this early in the a.m. (mst here) but I think the P4 has only a 2.3 percent weaker video signal than my W323A version P3P (the first one to have new motors)
W323A Phantom 3 power output: 0.612
WM330A Phantom 4 power output: 0.598

N017RW · Mar 9, 2016

14 microwatts difference!

This is negligible.

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

Sinisalo said:
this is the FCC page for the P3 I had, the W323A: FCC ID SS3-WM3231507 by SZ DJI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD for Phantom 3 Professional I don't know if my math checks out this early in the a.m. (mst here) but I think the P4 has only a 2.3 percent weaker video signal than my W323A version P3P (the first one to have new motors)
W323A Phantom 3 power output: 0.612
WM330A Phantom 4 power output: 0.598

W323 (P3P) and W322 (P3 Advanced) (both without the A after the 323) were both .749 Watts

Sinisalo · Mar 9, 2016

GadgetGuy said:
W323 (P3P) and W322 (P3 Advanced) (both without the A after the 323) were both .729 Watts

I realize that is what your post is about but I just wanted to point out the difference between the P3P I was used to vs the power output of the P4. WM330A is the model number DJI is using for the P4

ianwood · Mar 9, 2016

Oh gawd! Not this again!

Head on over to the Inspire forum to see all the people who went absolutely bonkers over two different FCC filings for the Inspire. It was as if the world was ending and DJI was responsible. All because one version had a higher power level than the other.

Meanwhile, back in reality, no one can show any real world difference between the different versions.

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

ianwood said:
All because one version had a higher power level than the other.

Meanwhile, back in reality, no one can show any real world difference between the different versions.

Were that the case, I wouldn't have even mentioned it. I have two W323 birds and have tried two W323A birds. The difference for my use is night and day. Both W323 birds have stable video at low elevations out to over 5 miles, using the FPVLR v2 transmitter mod. Both W323A's video becomes unstable at 3 miles, even at higher elevations, with the same mod. Could be another cause, but the reduction in power is 18% in the specs, which corresponds to the loss in video range for me. Frankly, I don't know what else to attribute the change to. However, the motors and the boards were also changed at the same time. Not sure how either of those might reduce video transmission range. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears!

The W323A and W323B versions with new motors definitely are more efficient and generate flight times of up to 3 minutes more, but if I lose FPV at long range, the extra time isn't of much use to me. I don't like flying blind! Extra flight time is otherwise a welcome change, and is great for anything within 2-3 miles, which is what I continue to use the W323A bird for.

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

Sinisalo said:
I realize that is what your post is about but I just wanted to point out the difference between the P3P I was used to vs the power output of the P4. WM330A is the model number DJI is using for the P4

Indeed. The WM330A P4 is very similar to the W323A version of the P3, but I need it closer to the W323 original for my use, and it is 20% less than that version.

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

GadgetGuy said:
Indeed. It is identical to the last version of the 323B, but I need closer to the 323 original.

Yes the same filing document has multiple model numbers reserved under it, with various letter permutations, as I recall when I last looked at it.

dwcola · Mar 9, 2016

What is the easiest way to find out which version of the P3P you have?

dwcola · Mar 9, 2016

Found it on the CE 1313 label. It's a 323. This is a question I've always had. If you lock in on a high channel like 28, 30, 32 with low traffic, is it generally better than letting it auto select? Seems like the lower the traffic the better?

GadgetGuy · Mar 9, 2016

dwcola said:
Found it on the CE 1313 label. It's a 323. This is a question I've always had. If you lock in on a high channel like 28, 30, 32 with low traffic, is it generally better than letting it auto select? Seems like the lower the traffic the better?

Definitely! Auto cannot use the channel hack channels. They must be manually selected. Don't use 30. It's mine!

ringolong · Mar 9, 2016

ianwood said:
Oh gawd! Not this again!

Head on over to the Inspire forum to see all the people who went absolutely bonkers over two different FCC filings for the Inspire. It was as if the world was ending and DJI was responsible. All because one version had a higher power level than the other.

Meanwhile, back in reality, no one can show any real world difference between the different versions.

I guess we should not be discussing the p4 here since a staff member is making this kind of derogatory remarks to what members want to discuss ¿

ianwood · Mar 9, 2016

ringolong said:
I guess we should not be discussing the p4 here since a staff member is making this kind of derogatory remarks to what members want to discuss ¿

Not at all. My point was about people comparing the power levels in FCC documents and thinking they know what the real world difference will be. It is far more complicated than power levels. This is not ham radio. And with SDR, DJI can and has changed power levels via firmware updates. This is a tempest in a tea cup.