Using a dedicated FPV camera in place of GoPro Hero 3+ ?

[TXhillcountryphantom]

Sorry for the double post--I accidentally put this in the VISION forum:

Hello all. I am NOT using the Zenmuse Gimbal or GoPro Hero 3+ on this specific P2. For now I just want to wire in a FatShark or similar FPV camera. Later I plan to swap that camera out with a 10x or better optical zoom FPV camera, night vision, or IR camera combo.

I have the FirstPersonView.com P2 to iOSD mini to ImmersionRC/Fatshark video transmitter plug and play cable and it works fine for a pure iOSD signal on my monitor or goggles.

But when I try to wire in the video signal from one of my FatsShark 600TVL FPV cameras things get wonky. I can still see the iOSD but the camera picture is not correct--almost a NTSC vs. PAL kind of thing but nothing I can quite figure out. I am bringing the camera video signal right into the video transmitter tying into the yellow wire (iOSD video signal) on the FirstPerson view yellow wire that has the iOSD video signal on it and taking that directly into the video out pin on the ImmersionRC/FatShark video TX. I am also grounding the black wire from the FirstPersonView iOSD yellow/black pair to the black ground pin on the 5 wire connector to the video TX and using the red pin on the five pin side to power the camera. FYI, the separate red/black FirstPersonView wires power the video TX as normal for the 2 pin red/black connector side.

In essence I am doing the reverse of the normal--putting the video/camera signal right "on top" of the iOSD signal . I assumed it would work the same but so far not. Could anyone provide ideas on how to wire this or why my approach is currently not working?

Finally, I have another approach I would prefer but that has proven even more complicated thus far and I have not been able to find anyone (including an email from DJI, ha!) who knows the wiring diagram for the 8 wire DJI Zenmuse cable on the P2. I was hoping to actually try to tie the FPV camera directly into the Zenmuse cable and power the camera and feed the video signal from there into the P2 board as if were a GoPro. And then the FirstPersonView.com cable would overlay the iOSD signal on it and that would be a cleaner implementation as intended originally for this cable. And in the future, if possible, I am hoping to use the Zenmuse gimbal lever on the controller to control the optical zoom on the FPV camera by tying into the Zenmuse gimbal cable on the P2 for the gimbal tilt signal. Does anyone have any ideas on how to tie into the Zemmuse cable to get the video signal from my FPV camera and to power and ground it? And further, does anyone know how take like signal meant to tilt the Zenmuse up/down to toggle the optical zoom on an FPV camera?

Thanks!
David

 

[OI Photography]

I am bringing the camera video signal right into the video transmitter tying into the yellow wire (iOSD video signal) on the FirstPerson view yellow wire that has the iOSD video signal on it and taking that directly into the video out pin on the ImmersionRC/FatShark video TX.

The video signal has to be passed through the iOSD mini, you can't just splice both leads (iOSD and FPV camera) together at the video Transmitter

 

[TXhillcountryphantom]

I am bringing the camera video signal right into the video transmitter tying into the yellow wire (iOSD video signal) on the FirstPerson view yellow wire that has the iOSD video signal on it and taking that directly into the video out pin on the ImmersionRC/FatShark video TX.

The video signal has to be passed through the iOSD mini, you can't just splice both leads (iOSD and FPV camera) together at the video Transmitter

Thanks for your frequent and informative posts out there all the time and for your help with me here on this one. I thought about this and was about to splice on the other side of the iOSD. Can you tell me any technical reason why I need to be putting it on the other side of the iOSD (input to iOSD vs. output from iOSD). Just curious.

I am also noticing that my Black Pearl needs to be in PAL mode for the screen not to roll with the iOSD signal coming from this P2 and the FatShark or ImmersionRC video TXs. My other P2 with AVL58 works with the Black Pearl in NTSC mode without the rolling screen. Not sure what other testing environment: Fatshark Goggles and other generic monitor using ImmersionDuo receiver are set to as I am at work. Their screens do not roll with the Fatshark or ImmersionRC transmitter attached. Any ideas here? I do not see any PAL vs. NTSC setting mentioned in AVL58 or FatShark/Immersion RC video TX docs...

THANKS!

 

[OI Photography]

I am bringing the camera video signal right into the video transmitter tying into the yellow wire (iOSD video signal) on the FirstPerson view yellow wire that has the iOSD video signal on it and taking that directly into the video out pin on the ImmersionRC/FatShark video TX.

The video signal has to be passed through the iOSD mini, you can't just splice both leads (iOSD and FPV camera) together at the video Transmitter

Thanks for your frequent and informative posts out there all the time and for your help with me here on this one. I thought about this and was about to splice on the other side of the iOSD. Can you tell me any technical reason why I need to be putting it on the other side of the iOSD (input to iOSD vs. output from iOSD). Just curious.

I am also noticing that my Black Pearl needs to be in PAL mode for the screen not to roll with the iOSD signal coming from this P2 and the FatShark or ImmersionRC video TXs. My other P2 with AVL58 works with the Black Pearl in NTSC mode without the rolling screen. Not sure what other testing environment: Fatshark Goggles and other generic monitor using ImmersionDuo receiver are set to as I am at work. Their screens do not roll with the Fatshark or ImmersionRC transmitter attached. Any ideas here? I do not see any PAL vs. NTSC setting mentioned in AVL58 or FatShark/Immersion RC video TX docs...

THANKS!

No problem! The iOSD mini takes the video feed connected to the input pins, adds the data, and creates an new video signal with that included going to the output pins...which should then be connected directly to the vTx. Once the signal feed leaves the iOSD mini, you can't really do anything with it but transmit it. The splicing wires logic doesn't work the same with video feeds as it might with power leads.

As for the other issue, I believe that the only components in your chain that are NTSC/PAL switchable are the monitor and the camera itself...sounds like maybe the FPV camera you added is PAL-only or at least in PAL mode (I don't know if any FPV cameras exist that will do both modes).

 

[OI Photography]

Although it's out of stock right now, this is the cable you could use to connect the FPV camera to the iOSD mini and then on to the transmitter: http://www.firstpersonview.com/cables/iosd-mini-cable

 

[TXhillcountryphantom]

Although it's out of stock right now, this is the cable you could use to connect the FPV camera to the iOSD mini and then on to the transmitter: http://www.firstpersonview.com/cables/iosd-mini-cable

Thanks for all bro. I will try to connect in before the iOSD with my camera feed. The Fatshark 600 does have a jumper for NTSC/PAL, but I was getting the rolling bars on my Black Pearl with only the P2, connected to iOSD, FPV.com cable and 600mW ImmersionRC Video TX--in other words, the camera is disconnected and I only have a black screen with white iOSD info. So not sure why the black pearl wants to be in PAL mode with this setup vs. my other P2 with AVL58...

Any new thoughts based on this?

 

[OI Photography]

Interesting. I don't know if the ALV58 has an NTSC/PAL setting, but I would check that on every component to verify the current setting...ALV58, Fatshark/Immersion TX, and Blackpearl. Maybe the gopro, AVL58 and Blackpearl were set to PAL all along..?

 

[TXhillcountryphantom]

No problem! The iOSD mini takes the video feed connected to the input pins, adds the data, and creates an new video signal with that included going to the output pins...which should then be connected directly to the vTx. Once the signal feed leaves the iOSD mini, you can't really do anything with it but transmit it. The splicing wires logic doesn't work the same with video feeds as it might with power leads.

As for the other issue, I believe that the only components in your chain that are NTSC/PAL switchable are the monitor and the camera itself...sounds like maybe the FPV camera you added is PAL-only or at least in PAL mode (I don't know if any FPV cameras exist that will do both modes).

OI--Of course you were correct and tying into the video in wire going to the iOSD did the trick. Thank you. Give a guy some wire cutters and a soldering gun and we can really tear up a pre-made "PLUG and PLAY" cable! If you buy the right cables you are set!

I have test flown several of my P2s without the gimbal and GoPro, but just quickly as simple test flights. This P2 is being built for range (ImmersionRC UHF receiver) and autonomous BVR flight (the someday to be released update for Ground Station) and optical zoom cameras (or IR or NV) and I cannot tell you not only how FAST but how PRECISELY a P2 flies with very little weight hanging from its belly. I will range test over the coming days, but a quick flight out to 1600m and back twice and just testing video and I still had over 70% battery. Great to see a P2 perform in GPS and ATTI to its fullest with only a little bit attached!

Thanks OI!