FPV stopped working - what could be wrong?

[pilsburypie]

I have been using my Phantom 2 with generic FPV monitor and transmitter with no problem until yesterday. The monitor now just shows no signal.

Not really got any idea how to trouble shoot as this was a pre-assembled package. The light is lit up on the transmitter, the monitor powers on - this is about my limit!

No crashes or bangs, nothing that would have caused an obvious fault.

Does anyone have any trouble shooting suggestions for me to fix the issue?

 

[csivet]

hi,
is red light turning 'on' on the go pro when you starts p2 ? mean is your p2 charging gopro ? i'm asking this cause your black ribbon cable which feeds fpv from the gopro may be broken.

 

[pilsburypie]

Yes, charging gopro fine. Also having done some research I too came across lots of ribbon cable stories. My ribbon cable looked fine but I have replaced this ribbon cable anyway. This unfortunately hasn't cured the problem.

 

[pilsburypie]

Some more investigation and info:

I've opened up the Phantom 2 top, checked the connections, checked the solder of the wires and they all look OK.

As mentioned, the ribbon cable has been replaced and the red light comes both on the Gopro and on the transmitter showing power.

What is the possibility that the built in receiver in the monitor is kaput?

 

[OI Photography]

Do you have an iOSD mini installed?

 

[CaptMike]

Funny thing... Mine also just stopped working. (Shot a Lighthouse yesterday without any problem.) I've treated my GoPro usb connector (cable) extremely careful. Was going out before the Moon got to high and No Freakin FPVideo. (I had isod.) I reseated my flat cable on both ends and mine started working again.

I guess I need to dig in the cable thread.

Keep us posted.

 

[pilsburypie]

OI Photography: No iOSD - just FPV

CaptMike: Glad your re-seating the ribbon cable worked. Although I changed mine, I have just reseated the new one just to make double sure - no joy.

Just thinking through the system - what are the chances of the following:

1. Gopro output being faulty?
2. Wiring in Phantom faulty? (visual check completed)
3. Transmitter being faulty? (receiving power, light on)
4. Receiver in monitor? (built in)

 

[QYV]

Funny thing... Mine also just stopped working. (Shot a Lighthouse yesterday without any problem.) I've treated my GoPro usb connector (cable) extremely careful. Was going out before the Moon got to high and No Freakin FPVideo. (I had isod.) I reseated my flat cable on both ends and mine started working again.

I guess I need to dig in the cable thread.

Keep us posted.

I'm having the same problem actually. I tested one night everything was fine... packed up my Phantom like I've done dozens of times before, took it to a location and went to fly... zero FPV signal, just static. switched transmitter channels, just seeing static on all of them on my receiver.

If it were the gopro, zenmuse, or cable (prior to iOSD mini) I think we would still get a blank FPV feed, much like if you turn everything on except the GoPro. you should still get a blank feed from the transmitter with iOSD data since the iOSD is actually outputting a signal to the transmitter whether there's an input video signal or not.

Naturally I checked my cabling and everything was fine... I even switched from my own manually patched cable to the new DPCAV pre-made cable and there was no change.

I've purchased replacement transmitter and receiver and will hopefully test this weekend or early next week... it didn't occur to me that the problem could be the iOSD Mini I'm not sure exactly what I would see if only the iOSD mini was bad.

Keeping an eye on this thread as well

 

[OI Photography]

As mentioned, the ribbon cable has been replaced

Just to be clear, are you referring to the cable that connects the back of the gimbal to the Phantom, or the smaller one that plugs into the USB port on the gopro?

 

[pilsburypie]

OI Photography - The cable that connects the Gopro usb to the gimbal - the tiny small one that comes as a spare with the gimbal.

QYV - My monitor has no static like when the gopro is off. Just a clean black screen with "No signal" message displayed. Does this suggest something?

I'm desperate to fix this, can't be doing with over £200 for a new FPV setup, this one is only a few months old and is invaluable for framing my shots.

Cheers for your help though - it is appreciated.

 

[QYV]

QYV - My monitor has no static like when the gopro is off. Just a clean black screen with "No signal" message displayed. Does this suggest something?

I wish I had more for you but it just means that your receiver and mine react differently to "no signal". yours gives a blank screen, mine shows snow. That's part of why I prefer the RX-LCD5802 because as signal gets low, instead of cutting to black it will just get fuzzy but still kind of work.

think of it kind of like the difference between analog and digital.. at a certain threshold yours just gives up and shows a blank screen, but mine will show whatever it can get even if it's like 5% signal

 

[pilsburypie]

That's not true of my monitor - It too doesn't drop off instantly and give what is known as blue screen. The picture just degrades as it gets too far away the same as yours.

I'm pretty sure it used to be a snowy screen befor the phantom was turned on. Now its just black with "no signal" message

 

[pilsburypie]

A bit of research has led me to the following:

Looks like I have a SkyZone TS353 transmitter - http://www.skyzonehobby.com/video-tx-rx ... DWonn_pyhw
On looking at this I have 8 channels to select from which I can designate from the 4 tiny switches (detailed in the link)

I also have HIEE RM5832 monitor - http://www.goodluckbuy.com/32ch-5-8g-7- ... creen.html
This has the option of 32 channels.


Now, to my untrained mind, the channel frequency of transmitter and receiver should match up right? On looking at the switches, the transmitter didn't seem to have the correct position for the set 5945M on the monitor, so I moved the switches on the transmitter to match them up. Still no joy "no signal". The switches were hard to move so I don't see how they would have moved accidently in the first place. So I then try another channel - 7. 5925M - still "no signal"

Will someone be so kind as to look at the link for the transmitter and also my pic of the monitor/reveiver instructions and tell me if I'm a fool?

 

[QYV]

you're absolutely right that the frequency of the transmitter should match the frequency your receiver is tuned to.
I just did a google search for "ts353" (I don't know how much difference there is between the Skyzone TS353 and the Boscam TS353) and I got this image for channels:

so let's say the TS353 on channel 1, which is 5705
you'd want to have the receiver tuned to FR3(E) and then channel 1.

basically Frequency bank 3 (E) matches up to the channels on the TS353.

You're going through the same thing I did when mine crapped out inexplicably. I changed channels and still the behavior was the same... no signal on any channel.

I wish I could help you more but I just wanted to say you're not a fool and you're right about frequencies. Do you have any friends or possibly a hobby shop in the area you could visit? like, I don't have anybody close with a Phantom/FPV so I just freaking bought a new receiver and transmitter so I have both onhand, I have no idea if my problem is the Tx or Rx, and this thread made me think maybe it's the iOSD although I hope not!
anyway god luck, I'll let you know how mine turns out

 

[pilsburypie]

Cheers for the supportive words QYV - Such a bummer when things just go wrong for no reason. If I'd have crashed then I'd know what to blame.

The Boscam frequencies above are identical to the skyzone ones. In my link to the skyzone transmitter it shows the switch positions.

Anyhow, I'm getting very close to having to spunk a good few hundred quid to get a new monitor (as the receiver is built in) and transmitter. I suppose I could be careful and just try them out to see which part is defective and then return.

I have no iOSD although I was thinking of getting one - have to hold out for the minute.

Hope you get yours sorted.

 

[QYV]

ah ok. Man I KNOW there are a lot of Phantom pilots on this forum from the UK. I suggest you maybe go post in the local / meetup forum or start a new topic here with like "need help from a UK pilot" or something and maybe you can find someone else nearby who can bring their receiver over and test. or you could test your receiver with their transmitter (tune to their channel frequency). that may help you determine exactly which part of yours is bad instead of just re-buying everything like I did.

wouldn't be the first time I've heard of a receiver/display just crapping out for no (apparent) reason

 

[pilsburypie]

That maybe an idea QYV - I've emailed the online shop I bought my kit from and am awaiting their reply - they're not the fastest to get back!

Just wondering what the warranty is on this gear - must be 1 year for just a failure with no signs of misuse.

 

[peterk814]

I'm having the same problem actually. I tested one night everything was fine... packed up my Phantom like I've done dozens of times before, took it to a location and went to fly... zero FPV signal, just static. switched transmitter channels, just seeing static on all of them on my receiver.

If it were the gopro, zenmuse, or cable (prior to iOSD mini) I think we would still get a blank FPV feed, much like if you turn everything on except the GoPro. you should still get a blank feed from the transmitter with iOSD data since the iOSD is actually outputting a signal to the transmitter whether there's an input video signal or not.

Naturally I checked my cabling and everything was fine... I even switched from my own manually patched cable to the new DPCAV pre-made cable and there was no change.

I've purchased replacement transmitter and receiver and will hopefully test this weekend or early next week... it didn't occur to me that the problem could be the iOSD Mini I'm not sure exactly what I would see if only the iOSD mini was bad.

Keeping an eye on this thread as well

Hi,

I am currently running the same equipment you are and facing similar issues. When i tune to the correct channel on my black pearl monitor, its just black with a readout of the iosd data. Did replacing the transmitter solve your issues?

Thanks

 

[ussvertigo]

If you don't get the iosd data on the screen, I would first suspect the tx. Splice a rca male plug onto the video leads going to tx and plug into monitor, tv, etc with a rca plug input. If still no pic, check on other side of iosd unit. If no iosd, splice at tx video in should still isolate tx problem or not.