HDMI Board... Desperate for Help

[mmckillen]

I'm in dire need of help.

I have a P4 and bought the DJI goggles about 6 weeks ago. At the same time I bought the HDMI board upgrade for my P4 remote.

I successfully removed the default USB board and installed the new HDMI board. Once I had the HDMI circuit board in and secured (but before placing the plastic backing on), I plugged in the USB and confirmed I could transmit video to my iPhone. Everything was great via USB before the plastic backing was placed back on the RC.

I then un-plugged the USB... lightly put the plastic backing on... plugged the USB back in and confirmed successful signal transmission via iPhone.

Here's where it get's weird. As I'm looking at the image transmission, I apply pressure on the plastic backing and transmission cuts on my iPhone and it says my drone is disconnected.

This happened about 4 weeks ago. This HDMI issue, along with the fact that my remote was not taking a full change, and then the charge it took drained way to fast, led me to send my RC in for repair under the manufacture warranty. So, today I get back my new remote from DJI (battery issue fixed), install a brand new HDMI board and THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENS!

I'm baffled. And yes, all of my firmware is completely update dated.

PLEASE HELP.

UPDATE: Even prior to snapping on the back and losing transmission, I do not have the option to switch to an HDMI output via the HD menu. This leads me to believe that the board is bad... but it seems too unlikely that I've had three faulty boards.

 

[jeffames226]

my guess would be that you didn't put the ribbon cable back in and locked properly. Are you also sure nothing like a loose screw or piece of trash is under there putting pressure on board and shorting something out when you push it in?

 

[GMack]

Could be that rubber spongy connector on the back cover board and its mate on the RC side has some pin issues when you push them together. I think that same connector is used in the gimbal of the Inspire 2 and causes image issues. Get a strong magnifier out and see if something in that connector pair is bent. Mine was a bit temperamental as well going back together.

Hopefully they fixed the RC part. If you revert to the old board and it works, I'd say the HDMI module is at fault.

 

[tevek]

As suggested above, the new module needs to be seated and the three ribbon connections secured with the little clips. If it is working without the cover, it seems that there may be some kind of mechanical inteference from the cover coming into contact with the board. From memory, I had to be careful putting the cover back on and evenly installing the screws so that they were firm but not overly tight. I read a thread regarding this some time ago and have tried to dig it up with no success as yet. Did you do the controller update with the new module with the rear cover removed?

 

[mmckillen]

my guess would be that you didn't put the ribbon cable back in and locked properly. Are you also sure nothing like a loose screw or piece of trash is under there putting pressure on board and shorting something out when you push it in?

Completely confident that the screws are okay (I've tried them tight, loose, and just right in the middle) and there's most definitely no trash behind the board .

I just re-adjusted the ribbons, same result.

I also should have mentioned, that before sending the RC in, I had someone from my local DJI retail store install a brand new board. He had the same issue. So I'm also pretty sure it's not my ribbon placement.

 

[Technical Bob]

Could you try the board on another rc(a local member maybe), is there any none dji boards about ?

 

[mmckillen]

...Hopefully they fixed the RC part. If you revert to the old board and it works, I'd say the HDMI module is at fault.

Old USB board works. This is the third HDMI board that has been installed. Two in the RC before the repair and now this one in the RC post DJI repair.

 

[mmckillen]

Could you try the board on another rc(a local member maybe), is there any none dji boards about ?

That's a good call. I don't know anyone locally with a P4, but the guys at the DJI retail store have been helpful and might be able to give it a shot.

 

[GMack]

If you assemble the thing fully, does the iPad/phone say "Disconnected?" I have the HDMI installed on my P4 also and there is some quirk with GO 4 (current) where I need to unplug the USB cable and plug it back in to get "Connected" back in GO. The HDMI part has always worked to my Goggles, but the USB now is wonky on first connecting to the iPad Air 2 tablet, but okay on subsequent plug-ins while turned on. My screen is dark gray like yours until I unplug it (USB Lightning plug), and re-plug it back in. Could be GO related.

It also did do an update that had a + at then end of the version (1.80+) that went away after it connected to the DJI server and it went to 1.80. I rolled back to 1.60 when I encountered other issues as some said with the HDMI (back when you could do rollbacks), but it since has been working on the 1.80 one, aside from the unplug and re-plug matter.

 

[mmckillen]

my guess would be that you didn't put the ribbon cable back in and locked properly. Are you also sure nothing like a loose screw or piece of trash is under there putting pressure on board and shorting something out when you push it in?

How does my ribbon placement look...

 

[mmckillen]

If you assemble the thing fully, does the iPad/phone say "Disconnected?" I have the HDMI installed on my P4 also and there is some quirk with GO 4 (current) where I need to unplug the USB cable and plug it back in to get "Connected" back in GO. The HDMI part has always worked to my Goggles, but the USB now is wonky on first connecting to the iPad Air 2 tablet, but okay on subsequent plug-ins while turned on. My screen is dark gray like yours until I unplug it (USB Lightning plug), and re-plug it back in. Could be GO related.

It also did do an update that had a + at then end of the version (1.80+) that went away after it connected to the DJI server and it went to 1.80. I rolled back to 1.60 when I encountered other issues as some said with the HDMI (back when you could do rollbacks), but it since has been working on the 1.80 one, aside from the unplug and re-plug matter.

No luck with the unplug / re-plug approach. I'm slowly dying inside.

 

[tevek]

How does my ribbon placement look...

In the third picture the ribbon doesn't look exactly parallel with the input chip. I've been doing some more reading and apart from a faulty or non genuine module, the only other common issues that I can find are:
Faulty USB cable
Device not compatible
Faulty HDMI cable - although at this stage you can't get past the device issue.
RC not updated following installation of the new module.
Have you tried backing off the screws on the module slightly and then refitting the module cover. There may be some flexing slightly due to it not being perfectly level.
Just throwing it out there.

 

[jeffames226]

Looks like a couple of the contacts on con board cable may have shorted out. They 2nd and third from left either look black or maybe just the way the picture came out. Maybe get some Deoxit and spray the connection. That stuff is like magic for electrical contacts.

 

[GMack]

In your photos the black latches are up. You did lower them later I assume? Deoxit is a good idea and stuff to keep around too.

How do the connections within the rubber connector between the cover's PC board and the one on the RC look? That's what caused me some issues pressing it back together. Wish they would have had pins instead of the spongy rubber thing. I think there were two versions of that connector piece with the earlier being pins and the later being the rubber one - not that it helps now.

 

[jeffames226]

I think Gmack just nailed your problem! That black latch is def not secured on the con plug. Its still flipped up in that pick unless you already caught that AFTER you took the pick. Prob why there is some black on the contacts too as its wiggling when you try to put the board back together since its not secured and shorting out or arcing when it moves even slightly.

 

[Erised]

Like Gmack said your lock tabs are up. The white line on the ribbon cables have to be parallel to the socket, the first one looks like it could go in a bit further and the white line is always visible, don't try to push the cable up to the line as it's not made to go that far. Once installed you may have to reinstall the firmware for it to see the new hdmi, I had to reinstall my RC firmware when I put mine in for the card to work. Be gentle.

 

[RémyHeli]

One of the ribbon is not aligned indeed so can't believe this was not noticed during whole attempts. There also an extra connector not mention, if I'm correct, and no picture provided. For me makes investigation incomplete. I would carefully inspect including the connectors of back plate and all soldering of it's board.

Usage of magnifier is indeed recommended as were talking about very tiny contacts and possible oxydation, especially when manipulating without gloves.

Finally the levers for locking must have correctly operated before and after removing all three ribbons.

 

[Ronny]

Sir I thought everything must be powered down before installing electronics.
When I installed mine I had no issues what so ever.