RC801 vs. RX-LCD5802 vs. RC732-DVR

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So I ended up with all three monitors somehow, lol. :) Figured I'd offer some feedback based on some (brief) first hand experience.

RC801 7ch (aka Black Pearl) - paid $230; SMA
The build quality of the BP surpasses both other monitors. The buttons have a solid tactile click and there's never a question of whether I fully depressed one or not. Buttons are responsive to the clicks as well (this is important and you'll read why later). I like the matte black finishing on the case. The removable battery is a big plus for me. In terms of picture quality, I find it to be the best of the three. Saturation and contrast are good, brightness at 50% is usable even in broad daylight (which is contrary to reports I've read), especially with the large hood. Speaking of the hood, that's probably my most and least favorite part. It's a good size to be effective, but it's a pain to attach. Yet leaving it on makes storing and transporting it difficult. I will be looking into a soft, foldable hood soon. The LCD can be viewed from all angles (though it's best from on axis, obviously). User interface is nice and easy to navigate.

RX-LCD5802 - paid $150; SMA
Build quality of the 5802 leaves a little bit to be desired, IMO. I dislike that the tripod thread is just machined into the mount. The metal seems weak and like it could strip easily, though I haven't read any reports of it doing so. The finish is a semigloss, almost gunmetal gray I'd say, with a slight metallic finish (it sort of sparkles..). I don't love it, but I don't hate it. I like the idea of an integrated hood, but I find it to be too small to be very useful when the sun is bright. Though something is better than nothing, I guess. Despite reports and YouTube videos claiming the 5802 to be brighter than the BP, my roommates and I found the BP to be the brighter of the two (both were at 50%). I tried increasing the brightness on both monitors, but found them unusable as the entire picture just became washed out (looked faded). Colors were similar to the BP, although a tad more contrasty (I left all the settings on default). Still very usable. I find it annoying that a power supply was not included. I understand it's only $5 or so, but I'd rather pay $8 more for the monitor and have it come with a power supply. Viewing angle is poor, IMO. User interface is nice and easy to navigate.

RC732-DVR - paid...nothing :); RP-SMA
I got this monitor on the notion that it would be the same as the highly acclaimed 5802, but with DVR built in. Sounds good, right? Not so much. So the housing that it comes in is 98% the same as the 5802. The finish is gloss black, which I hate. It looks cheap and collects finger prints like no other. Can't stand it. The buttons have a solid click, but they don't always respond. Hmm, that's annoying. Especially the center button, which is used to start and stop the DVR. Colors are over saturated and contrasty, just as others have reported. But honestly, I've found it completely usable (for my purposes thus far) for FPVing. I get a "god enough" idea of what I'm capturing. I'm generally not looking for fine detail, just the overall composition. And I've been able to do that fine so far. The DVR function seems to be hit or miss. I can't seem to record two videos on the same power cycle. That is, I start and stop one, then it freezes. I have to restart the monitor to record a new clip. On the plus side, it did come with a power supply. Viewing angles is poor like the 5802. User interface...let's just say it's obvious that it came from China. It just has that look and feel. If you've ever dealt with Chinese electronics and their UI, then you know what I'm talking about. Speaking of which, this monitor has the slowest startup time of the bunch. It has a greeting picture at startup for a couple seconds that I can't seem to get rid of.

Overall, I'm between the RC801 and LCD5802. I like the RC801 better, but I'm not sure if it's $80 better. I'm leaning towards yes, but I'm going to give the LCD5802 some more time.

From left to right: RC801, RC732, LCD5802
***all monitors are set to default settings (50% brightness, etc.)

qd3CtIU.jpg


Note the poor viewing angles of the RC732 and LCD5802 (and no, it's not because they have a hood installed).

udIsaCA.jpg


Hope this helps some people out.
 
Dang ... where was this a week or so ago when I posted my thread asking questions on this exact topic. I ended up ordering the 5802 as it was recommended by so many and many reported the BP just wasn't bright enough. It has not arrived yet. I might buy the BP also and just keep the one that I like better.
 
newdayoutdoors said:
Dang ... where was this a week or so ago when I posted my thread asking questions on this exact topic. I ended up ordering the 5802 as it was recommended by so many and many reported the BP just wasn't bright enough. It has not arrived yet. I might buy the BP also and just keep the one that I like better.
Your mileage may vary. I've seen a YouTube video comparing the Black Pearl and 5802 that demonstrated the 5802 being brighter. In terms of reported specs by each manufacturer, the 5802 should be brighter. That was not the case for me. I went in thinking the 5802 would be brighter, yet found the Black Pearl brighter. My roommates, whom had no influence from me, forums, or YouTube, also said the Black Pear was brighter.

This is just my experience, though. Manufacturing tolerances of these could vary.
 
Hey Calvin, thanks a lot for this comparison. I have the BP in my FPV wish list at Amazon and have been looking for days to find something comparable but much cheaper. I guess it's the old "get what you pay for" deal here.

I'm really glad you did this comparison because it helps me with my decision. My camera is coming on a slow boat from China this week and the wish list will be filled probably by next week, so thanks again for posting your results.
 
Glad you found this useful.
 
newdayoutdoors said:
Dang ... where was this a week or so ago when I posted my thread asking questions on this exact topic. I ended up ordering the 5802 as it was recommended by so many and many reported the BP just wasn't bright enough. It has not arrived yet. I might buy the BP also and just keep the one that I like better.


don't sweat it man I really think you'll be just as happy. I personally have a 5802 and I've compared it to another BP and mine was brighter. I use my 5802 in direct sunlight all the time

great thread though, stopped me from getting that DVR

dptcalvin said:
Overall, I'm between the RC801 and LCD5802. I like the RC801 better, but I'm not sure if it's $80 better. I'm leaning towards yes, but I'm going to give the LCD5802 some more time.

exactly. this has been my point pretty much since I got mine :)
 

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