Getting started in FPV. Need help with gear

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
Hi guys, Things are looking up, a new career path is allowing me to update my copter with FPV. I could really use your opinions, this post is kinda all over the place but thats how my brain is going the last few weeks, SPINNING:p

I was going to get these for my goggles. http://www.banggood.com/Eachine-Goggles-Two-5-Inches-5_8G-40CH-Raceband-HD-1080p-HDMI-FPV-Goggles-Video-Glasses-p-1094862.html?rmmds=home-right-preorder

Im assuming two antennas is better than one when choosing goggles.
I did alot of research on the web, Oscar Liang, Bardwell etc, (still confused) and cant figure out what vtx will be compatible with this goggle headset. By the way I have a Versacopter and been having a blast los flying.
I dont know what mw vtx to buy for my copter. 25, 200, 600mw vtx. What I gather is the goggles have a rx in them but is the rx a certain mw, ex 25,200,600 and the goggles do not spec. not sure on this? Thats why I mentioned adjustable mw vtx's below.

I was thinking this one since its adjustable, http://www.banggood.com/Aomway-TX00...1074772.html?rmmds=detail-bottom-viewalsoview
or this one, http://www.banggood.com/FX795T-2-5_...V-Multicopter-p-1033653.html?rmmds=mywishlist

Does this gear look ok quality. Im open to help on the parts list if someone has better options even if the price is more or less. Im not going "best" of gear as this is a learning curve but will upgrade in the future if i enjoy doing it which i think will happen. know one around me flys fpv so it'll be me going at it alone with help from the community.

One question, is there a better way to go, I dont mind the wait from banggood, but watching Youtube vids especially UAVfutures ( he really liked the eachine goggles two and recommend these goggles and they compared better than the Kylin and any of the rest he reviewed. But open to suggestion on another in the 150ish$ price range.
One thing I saw on a YouTube vid (RCSchim) Cyclops V2 vs Eachine Goggles was the antenna jacks are reverse polarity he showed a diagram. I dont know if this limits me to upgrade antennas or if there is an adapter. He showed a picture of an american goggle and these and the jacks were different.

The camera I'm not sure of because there all close in price but I heard good things about the owl plus,http://www.banggood.com/RunCam-OWL-...-IR-Blocked-5-22V-p-1057924.html?rmmds=search
but maybe cheapest is best since I will be crashing and dont want to smash it up first flight. Any other options? The versa does not have good protection for a camera like other frames, i guess i would just mount it on the top plate?

I also know I'll need a pigtail wire to go from the vtx to the back of the versa with a 90* connector for the antenna. Thats why i like the first choice of vtx on my list, all i would need is the 90* connector.http://www.banggood.com/SMA-Male-To-Female-Adapter-Right-Angle-90-Degree-p-920115.html?rmmds=search
Would this be the rite 90* connector?

Also i am upgrading my radio from my dx6I to the Tarranis QX7, I need 3 pos switches and the dx6i is only 2 position and very limited. I may order that tonight if I can find one in stock, it sucks because all my RX's are spektrum/clones, ill keep the dx6i just for my fixed wing stuff and the tarranis for both. I'm using a clone sat rx on my copter now for ease. Other things in the future are a new board, currently CC3D running librepilot, to something better running cleanflight. Those things are for another day.
Thank you to anyone who inputs. Im really confused, if someone has had good luck with a different setup let me know im not picky at the moment I just want to get my eyes in the air. I most likely left some parts out since im rushed to finish up supper for the kids but the conversation will continue, Thank You all so much.
Dustin
 

kdobson83

Well-known member
Those are diversity goggles that do HD video. Very nice, I wanted them myself but went with the vr d2 instead to save a little cash. Couldn't tell you what vTX to use. I'd assume something HD comparable. But good luck, I'm just starting fpv myself. It's a lot to take in I can tell you that.

But your camera choice, I don't think it's HD. While the owl is a good camera, you might want something that will give you what your paying for with the goggles. If you don't wana do HD as it is quite a bit more expensive, go with the eachine vr d2 goggles. Half the price but still diversity.

But yeah, those goggles are for sure a good starting point!
 
Last edited:

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
Thank You.
Those are my second choice but i didnt know which ones had the issue with the black screen. I want standard basic goggles. So ill probably get them also. How do you like the goggles.
 

ElectriSean

Eternal Student
Mentor
It's a steep learning curve, to be sure :)

The VTx you linked will work fine with the goggles. Pretty much anything you buy these days for 5.8g will be compatible. I've heard only good things about the owl camera, but you can go cheaper if you want. Just don't go too cheap, look into a HS1177. They were pretty much the standard for a long time, and work very well. There is a variety of adapters for SMA -> RP-SMA antenna connectors, though I'd advise against using them on the copter, they can become a weak point and damage the VTx in certain cases. No problem to use on the goggles though.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
You could actually start out with this and get actual goggles, the TX, filter camera and antennas for a little over what you will pay for the eachines. They wont be the highest resolution but its a matched set up that you could still use for ride alongs later after you upgrade should you like it. Being a matched set up it will also be easier to resell should you not.

If you are set on the TX you listed then the FT store sells those same goggles for the same price as BG.

http://www.banggood.com/Fatshark-Fat-Shark-Teleporter-V5-5_8G-FPV-Goggles-with-Camera-Transmitter-CE-FCC-Headset-Combo-p-1051442.html?rmmds=search

Just another option to consider.
 

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
Thanks psyborg I was waiting for you to join in lol. I'm definitely not stuck on anything. I like that option alot. I didnt know how those goggles were being there coming out with better and better all the time. I like the fact that it looks almost pnp. Would I need anything else? I didn't realize FT sold that. I was gonna get my tarranis from them but there currently out of stock.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
As far as I know that's a complete kit. Goggles WITH receiver (unlike higher grade Fatsharks). Respectable antennas. A power filter and distribution block and the matching TX and the wiring harness and battery as well. And of course a camera. All of which can be upgraded one piece at a time when you are ready. The TX is only 25 mw but should be more then enough to get you thru that learning curve before you will be wanting better and better gear. I fly 25 mw atm even though my VTX can do 25, 200, and 600 mw. I hopefully will be taking the HAM test in April so I can use the higher settings if I desire but I have no issues with only 25 mw for now.
 

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
Sweet. Made my day. Sorry i just got up. One drawback of the new job is its 3rd shift. Im going that route then. I need some other stuff from FT anywhoo. Thank you bud. Will report back
 

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
I dont see them in the store just the goggles. Getfpv has them for 185$ i just gotta make sure its the exact same as you linked. Thanks again
 

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
This seems to be the same same package.
http://www.getfpv.com/fpv/video-gog...h-headset-camera-transmitter-fcc-for-usa.html

My question is would the vtx work well with the versacopter? the antenna won't come up where it should on the back of the versa. The antenna looks fixed and cant add no extension or a better antenna later. is this an issue?
Also should the vtx go inside or outside the body/shell if you will of the versa.
If you were to buy this how would you go about mounting it.

will the CE for europe vs the FCC for america give me better range? I read a review on banggood, it was in spanish but i think it said poor range (poro rango) and the other part i think said 10 meters (10 metros), I dont read spanish but that dont sound good if hes loosing view after a little over 10 meters. I dont want to go far but in open field I have about 50x50 yards in my backyard i can set up makeshift gates and such if it'll go that far.
Sorry for all the questions i just wanna be sure im making the right choices but thank you all.
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
US is the one you want.

As far as mounting everything you can get creative as to how you wish to do it.Zip ties, hot glue, double sided tape pretty much covers any possibility. In my first version of the Versa I zip tied my VTX on the outer side at mid frame and ran an extension out to a plastic mount I made out of Walmart computer desk wire organizers. You are a bit limited with the shorter antenna lead and the fact that it is soldered. If you find it is too much trouble order two 20 -50 mm antenna extensions and un solder the antenna from the VTX then re-solder the extension on after removing the end that does not mate to and antenna you happen to have. There is lots of room fro creativity which is the best part about building. Its all about solving the puzzle.

I also added 200 size helicopter landing gear on mine which opened up even more possibilities. here I relocated a new battery buzzer where the first vtx was mounted as well as the plastic mount I made from the cable dressers all cut and modded to fit.
Another piece was used to mount my flight camera at an angle and had a srew in the center under the Velcro that could change the angle if I needed.

firstfpv.jpg
 

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
Awesome man. Sometimes i get one track minded and think it has to go "here" when really its like you said solving the puzzle. Great advice man thank you I'm gonna grab that setup today then.
Thank You Psyborg.
 

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
I ordered a heli landing gear like you have Psyborg, I think that is pretty slick. lightweight aluminum. Should work good and open up some possibilities mounting things on the outside like we talked about earlier.
I keep fighting in my head on the goggles. I wanted to order today. the used set I linked has better resolution and 10 degrees more FOV. If that is a good thing which I think it is? not sure
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
yeah the nice part about the landing skids is it gets the quad out of the wet grass as well as making it less of a weed whacker in taller grass. I am not sure how well the metal ones will hold up as I only had the plastic ones. You WILL land hard and you will bend them so not sure how well that will get reshaped over and over. Mine are broken but they get put bacl together with a zip tie and the packing tape with the string in it. It almost acts as a shock absorber.

I finally found the FT video review for Fat Sharks where they compare four versions with the teleporters you are looking at. Its does seem the Predators are better of the two but both are budget level goggles and as usual per interwebz must have mixed reviews.

As far as field of view I like the 4:3 view better as for racing it is less distracting as well as perceptually looks slower when you fly so that make me anyways seem to be able to fly faster with less of a panic from the going to fast psychosomatic "I'm gonna crash" feeling. Again that will be a personal thing.

Anywway see if this helps explain things better. There is also a link to the fat shark website for the comparison page of all their goggles.
 

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
Thank you Psyborg. The guy offered them to me for 130$ shipped. I think im gonna pull the trigger. Anbody have any lasy thoughts before i may make a final decision.
Psyborg, when I was talking about better resolution I meant the teleporterv5 is 320x240 and the predatov2 is 640x480 from what I gather from the pictures is that the predator v2 will have a clearer picture. They both are 4:3.
IDK for sure what to do but im tired of looking. Lol
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
Oh yes. That's what I meant by the predators being the better ones. The LCD resolution in the goggles themselves is important as to how the video is displayed. You can have an HD camera at a high resolution that will translate to total crap if the screens it is viewed on is too low. Same as having higher resolution LCD screen when using a low resolution camera. This is kind of why I pointed you to a matched set rather then mixed parts as there is less chance of running into that problem. You see that a lot when people claim X goggles suck or X camera is junk.. its not the gear is bad it is just not matched correctly to the rest of the system.

Id say go a head and snatch it up. Like you said these will not be your end goggles and will surely be able to be used later as ride alongs if and when you decide that FPV is a good thing for you. I am sure you will be amazed the first time you put it in the air as we all have been.

Oh yeah as far as FOV is concerned. That is totally different from aspect ratio. Aspect ratios.. 4:3 or 16:9 are the shapes of the viewed images. FOV is the viewed angle. You can get some really funky combinations going there. Take a wide FOV and display it on a 4:3 screen and it will look like a vertical cell phone video. Take a narrower FOV and put it on a 16:9 and it will look like letter box video without the bars on top or bottom..

For me my best combination to fly with is an HS117 camera with the replacement 2.5 mm go pro lens viewed on 4:3 lcd in the goggles. The camera has incredible control features to customize the image, the 2.5 mm lens in 4:3 lcds give minimal fish eye or stretching and has made extreme low altitude flight much easier (I tend to smack my camera with grass blades a lot at times) and seeing it all on 4:3 lcds is easier to keep focus at higher speeds to me as there is far less distraction wizzing past in your "Peripherals" which you do not pay attention to any way unless you are flying an ap ship. Not to mention it has less a tendancy to fake you out that you are flying faster then you actually are.

Look up some of the "I went so fast in freerider" videos and see they are flying with 90 degree fov with a 30 degree camera tilt and seem like they are going super fast. Then look at my last one with 60 degree fov and 50 degree camera tilt. They look very similar but I guarantee I am moving much faster then they are flying full throttle with 82 speed setting then they are at a 30 - 50 speed.
 
Last edited:

RCman50

family, faith, foam, fun!
Thanks Psyborg. I do remember that video. Thats a bad a$$ sim. I just rewatched it. I have a good understanding of resolution and ratio now. I PM'd the guy selling the predators and the guy first interested in them is wanting them now paying full price. Guy said he would give him till tomorrow to pay and if not there mine. O well if I knew what I do know I wouldn't of hesitated and they'd be coming my way, maybe they still will but theres new ones popping up all the time and I can always go with the teleporters (plan A).