Considering FXT Viper goggles, any input. First goggles.

evranch

Well-known member
Edit: Here's the link https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07DGTLP4R and this looks like a pretty good price in Canuck Bucks for these goggles.

They are on a little bit of sale on Amazon.ca right now and I have a gift card to spend. I saw the FT guys using them in videos and they look a lot more comfortable than the box goggles, and have neat features like being able to peek under the goggle. Removable screen is kind of neat so I could put it on a tripod for my daughter or friends to watch.

Also for the price, they have diversity and a builtin DVR, and the only thing in that price range that has similar features is the Cyclops v2. However the Cyclops has issues and is also a seriously overhung clunky looking box goggle.

There is only one post about the Vipers here so if anyone who has a pair wants to share their experience and help me decide, it would be great.

One caveat is that I eventually would like to use the goggles with a long range setup. I live on the prairies and have a lot of space to fly around in. I would like to eventually get a couple miles range. I doubt any built in RX will perform to that distance, but how well have these worked out for moderate distances? These have a video input that can be hooked up to a dedicated RX, right?
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
I have tried a few goggles, I don’t wear glasses, but I cannot see the screen. My eyes just can’t focus that close. For me goggles, are just something you have to try first hand.
 

evranch

Well-known member
That's pretty much why I'm asking for unbiased opinions but it looks like nobody has them here. (Nobody has them locally either)

I tried some mid-priced goggles at a hobby shop awhile ago, and while I had no problem seeing the image, there was a slight flicker in the backlight that I could not stand. That's a deal breaker for me, I can't look at a CRT with 60Hz refresh and I can't stand mag ballast fluorescents either.

Hard to get an idea of what the actual experience is like from a video of the goggle screen or a random guy saying "Yep I love them"
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
I have briefly tried the ones you are looking at, I could see with them just fine. I’ve got a cheap box stile head set that I’m thinking about using mirrors and hacking into something similar.
 

Fyathyrio

Member
I have Vipers, the picture is great, clear & bright even when open to the outside. The design allows for immersive viewing even with the black rubber surround removed . . . which allows for peripheral vision to be used around you instead of being completely blocked off from the outside world. They are comfortable enough for hour+ long flights, and aren't power hungry, I use a home-built 2S 3500mah Li- Ion pack that should give at least 3 hours. I have a ground station that rebroadcasts the video feed on 5.8GHz, so I haven't really used them for true long-range beyond maybe a mile. The DVR seems to work fine, I don't use it much other than as backup to catch my GPS coordinates in case the plane goes down. I only fly in NTSC 16:9 aspect ratio, but 4:3 seems to work based on lack of online whining.

I am getting some interference from my Taranis when flying on 2.4GHz, which is quite annoying, but when using Taranis & 915MHz Crossfire, I get no issues. If I stand and hold the radio down, it's OK, so maybe some tinfoil somehow underneath to better shield the goggle will help. The receiver seems to have some hysteresis issues at times, fluttering between the A & B receiver. The tripod mount doesn't come with the Vipers, but can be purchased separately. A 5" monitor is a little small for tripod use though, I'd recommend at least a 7" one. Some online have complained about the quality & durability of the mirror coatings, so take care with them.
 

evranch

Well-known member
Awesome! Thanks for a good review. I have a Frsky R9M 900MHz setup that I use for longer range flying, so hopefully it will perform similar to the TBS Crossfire when it comes to interference. As far as park flying/ripping around the yard goes, I guess I'll have to try it and see on 2.4GHz. A FrSky 900MHz receiver is only worth about $30 anyways though, so not really a big deal.

If they can work within a mile on their own, that's still good enough for where I'm planning to be in FPV for quite awhile. Would you mind sharing what VTX and camera you are using?

Being able to watch with the surround removed was a big selling point for me so it's good to know that the screen is clear and bright even when exposed.

I also plan to build a ground station someday, I didn't consider rebroadcasting rather than using the HDMI input. It probably has less lag than going via digital, good idea.
 

Fyathyrio

Member
My friend with Vipers & Taranis doesn't get the interference, and I've not seen many comments about it elsewhere, so seems either I'm just lucky in that respect. I have over a half dozen FPV planes with a variety of equipment used. VTx is mostly an eachine variable power (25/200/600mW) 40ch of some kind, camera is usually a Runcam Eagle. Goggle antennas for the mile-ish flights are a cheap clover leaf or pagoda and a 3-turn VAS IBCrazy 3 turn helical.

The ground station uses a no-name 15 or 20 mW VTx to rebroadcast on 5.8GHz while flying with other frequencies, or even on 5.8 using a pair of 7-turn helical directional antennas. I use an EagleEyes unit to give input diversity and split out the signal to the transmitter, a DVR, and it has a spare 3rd output I can plug into my separate monitor if needed for backup viewing.

Oh, and this review by Andrew Newton just appeared.
 

Bricks

Master member
I have the FatShark Transformer V2 SE`s as I cannot use regular goggles these have worked out great versus by bigger box goggles. With the binocular set up the field of view is wider then just about anything out there and much more immersive versus looking at just a flat screen.
 

evranch

Well-known member
@Fyathyrio this is one of the better reviews I've seen where he flies with them configured different ways, and has the DVR overlaid over the video. Looks really sharp and with no breakups, and you can tell from how he is talking that he didn't plan on being quite as impressed as he is by them! And he was able to fly LOS while wearing them which is something I want to be able to do in case the signal gets messed up among my hills and valleys.

Having the shields off also makes it officially legal by Canadian rules - because you have to keep line of sight to your aircraft while flying FPV. This is the only set of goggles that allows that.

Think I'm going to pull the trigger on these as the Wolfwhoop WT03 is back in stock to combine shipping, and people have been having good results with them both here and on Amazon reviews.

Should I pick up a RHCP and patch for these as shown in many FPV videos? (WT03 vtx has RHCP factory mounted). Is using one factory rubber duck any use? What about the pagodas?
 

Headbang

Master member
I too was looking at these. I tried others, but my prescription just does not allow it to work without a major headache. Meaning I would have to get the lenses which ups the cost even more for something I am not sure I will get into. On the other hand, if i get into it, then i will go all out if i think it will be better. The viper goggles work as a second screen for a spotter or could be given away to a newbie later if I upgrade to fat shark.