Help! FPV No Video to FatShark Goggles

[WildParsnip]

I recently was able to rebuild my quad and it flies great. The problem is that I can't get video to my goggles and I'm not sure why. I've checked my wiring, solder joins are good, and all of the wires are going where they need to be. I'm using a RunCam Swift 2, Lumenier TX5G2R 200mW vTX, and a pair of FatShark Attitude v3 goggles with the stock FatShark vRX. When I power up the system, I get nothing but a grey screen. The vTX seems to be working as the LEDs are turning on and I can switch through all bands and channels without any issues. I am getting the typical beeping noises from the goggles, and yes, the RX switch is on. All I get is a grey screen. I have no one around me that flies RC, much less anyone with a system I can use to isolate the issue. All I get is a grey screen, and I have no cables to test the camera with a television. I'm really at a loss for where to turn as nothing I've found online seems to line up with my circumstances. Really don't know what to do or where to turn. On a college student budget, I really don't want to have to buy a new vTX, vRX, or camera for the sole purpose of seeing if it is the problem. I want to find the problem before I buy replacements! Any input would be great as I literally have no one locally to turn to. I am literally the local expert by default and have no idea how to solve this problem.

Hardware
-RunCam Swift 2 FT Edition
-Lumenier TX5G2R 200mW vTX
-FatShark Attitude v3
-Fat Shark 5.8GHZ 5G8RX vRX

Problems
-No video, grey screen
-No static whatsoever
-No means to test the system
-Low Budget

Anything helps, thanks guys.

 

[ElectriSean]

Generally a solid gray or black screen means that the VTx is transmitting, but isn't getting a signal from the camera. Did you remove the lens cap from tha camera? I've forgotten that detail more than once Double check the wiring is correct and you are on the correct band/channel - those receivers with dip switches can be confusing. If everything checks out it is more than likely the camera. The cheapest way to confirm would be to find/buy an old composite video cable and connect to your TV to test.

 

[WildParsnip]

Can't I just solder the video lead to a connector and shove it in a TV and the +/- into a battery? Like I said, I don't have much to work with, but that's the level of jank I'm prepared for.

 

[WildParsnip]

Generally a solid gray or black screen means that the VTx is transmitting, but isn't getting a signal from the camera. Did you remove the lens cap from tha camera? I've forgotten that detail more than once Double check the wiring is correct and you are on the correct band/channel - those receivers with dip switches can be confusing. If everything checks out it is more than likely the camera. The cheapest way to confirm would be to find/buy an old composite video cable and connect to your TV to test.

Could I solder these up and use that on a TV

UPDATE: I soldered up that janky connector and it actually worked. Bad news is, it worked. Doesn't that mean the camera isn't the problem?
PS, yes the camera lens cap is off

Also I might mention when I was doing some experimenting with it last night, I was noticing a very high pitch hum coming from the vTX, and the LEDs were rather sporadic. This was after I made the initial post. I thought maybe it was because my battery was low, and a fully charged battery seemed to fix that problem and the LEDs acted as they normally do, switching between bands and channels as it should. I would like to confirm that the vTX is the problem before shelling out another $30-40 on a new one, but I really don't know of a way to test it since I'm the only RC and FPV guy in the area. Thanks again, anything helps.

 

[sprzout]

Could I solder these up and use that on a TV

UPDATE: I soldered up that janky connector and it actually worked. Bad news is, it worked. Doesn't that mean the camera isn't the problem?
PS, yes the camera lens cap is off

Per the Fatshark Attitude V3 Manual:


No image, display is glowing dark grey:

- If using wireless module, turn on RX power on bottom of headset.
- If using AV in cable, check video source.
- Ensure TX is on and camera connections solid
- Ensure lens cap is removed from camera
- Trying to power a 12V camera with the 5V TX supply (need to connect 12V camera direct to RC pack.)

 

[WildParsnip]

Per the Fatshark Attitude V3 Manual:


No image, display is glowing dark grey:

- If using wireless module, turn on RX power on bottom of headset.
- If using AV in cable, check video source.
- Ensure TX is on and camera connections solid
- Ensure lens cap is removed from camera
- Trying to power a 12V camera with the 5V TX supply (need to connect 12V camera direct to RC pack.)

I've done extensive searching on both the internet and the manual before posting. Camera voltage rang is 5-36, lens cap removed, vTX is on and camera connections are indeed solid, not using AV cable, the RX switch is on. All of that was stated in the initial post except about the lens cap, which was stated in the post you replied to.

 

[ElectriSean]

Could I solder these up and use that on a TV

UPDATE: I soldered up that janky connector and it actually worked. Bad news is, it worked. Doesn't that mean the camera isn't the problem?
PS, yes the camera lens cap is off

Also I might mention when I was doing some experimenting with it last night, I was noticing a very high pitch hum coming from the vTX, and the LEDs were rather sporadic. This was after I made the initial post. I thought maybe it was because my battery was low, and a fully charged battery seemed to fix that problem and the LEDs acted as they normally do, switching between bands and channels as it should. I would like to confirm that the vTX is the problem before shelling out another $30-40 on a new one, but I really don't know of a way to test it since I'm the only RC and FPV guy in the area. Thanks again, anything helps.

If the camera works with your TV it's fine, the most likely culprit is the VTx. Did you buy everything from the FT store? If so, you should definitely contact their support, they are very good about replacing defective items.

One thing you didn't mention is what antenna you are using. If you fired up that VTx without an antenna connected it's possible that you cooked it. It's also very possible that it was DOA... I had a similar VTx fail in exactly the same way as yours - the FT guys sent out a replacement very quickly.

 

[PsyBorg]

Singing vtx is a sign of overheating or previously overheated.

Did you by chance mismatch antenna connectors?

If you have two connectors with the holes they wont make contact thus not transmit and worse yet burn up the vtx with no load on the amplifier.

If you did get two female connectors you can get by with making your own pin by either tinning some twisted wire or use one of the spare pins that come with flight controllers.

 

[WildParsnip]

Wasn't DOA as the system was working at one point before I disassembled my old quad. I have a feeling it's the vTX, although I'm not sure what killed it. I also may have bought it from the FT store but nothing I have ever bought from FT shows up in my order history, probably due to the new store (new since I last made a purchase). I have paypal receipts but none of them actually say what was bought in the description box, just a blank space. Even if I did have sufficient proof, there are two problems: I am only 80% sure I bought it from FT and even if I did, that was maybe a year and a half ago. I may try to rig up another janky connector and try to test my actual FatSharks with direct video feed just to rule it out. From there, I'll be 99% certain it's the vTX as most say they have never seen a vRX fail randomly. I did take care not to ever plug in the battery without an antenna, but chances are, that may have happened while testing motors when I built my last quad and I could have just never noticed. I may just go ahead and buy a new vTX and give it a shot. If that doesn't work, I guess I'll just buy a whole new setup one part at a time until it's either fixed or I just have a 100% new setup. Thanks for all the help guys.