iOSD Mini working on P2V+

[dbooty]

Wanting some better and larger telemetry I've now got a iOSD Mini running on my vision+.

I had to install an CAN module (part #2) so I had a compatible socket for the iOSD Mini.

To keep it neat and tidy the CAN module is mounted on the inside rear of the battery bay opposite the battery terminals and the iOSD Mini is mounted as the far end of the battery bay next to the USB port.

So based on this thread http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=29161&start=20 I've cut the video feed on the ribbon cable cable running to the wi-fi TX and soldered in dupont connectors so I can remove the iOSD mini if needed and rejoin the ribbon cable without having to resolder.
I then soldered dupont connectors on the video in/out lead supplied with the iOSD making everything totally modular.

Now I've go the best of both worlds as I have the data from the app plus the iOSD data on screen.

I've not finished yet as I have an extremely small vision splitter which will fit in the battery bay between the battery connector and the existing wi-fi antenna.
This vision splitter will feed the video to both the current wi-fi TX and a 2.4Ghz FPV TX I have on order which should give me high quality lag free preview on a 7" screen.

Heres the pics to show where I'm at to this point...
* Note some data on the left is obscured by the radar and camera tilt control is only an issue on IOS. I normally use the Android app which doesn't have this problem at all.

 

[shawny]

Hi Dbooty,
I really like what you did. The app's telemetry is not good enough for FPV. I would like to add the iOSD mini telemetry on vision+. Could you write more details how do you connect iOSD mini? Thanks you so much!!!
Shawny

 

[dbooty]

Hey mate,

I fixed the link in my original post so that should help, but basically just do this...

* Purchase a DJI CAN bus module and iOSD Mini
* Install the CAN where ever you can stuff it. Mine's on the right side of the battery bay. I used a hot glue gun.
* Install the iOSD Mini. Again hot glue gun used.
* Find the 6 pin connector going to the gimbal (it's the one on the right)
* Inside the Phantom cut the two right wires numbers 5 & 6 in the image on the above link
* Now the wires you cut coming from the gimbal go to the video in of the iOSD & the other end of the cut wires which are heading to the Wi-Fi module go to the video out of the iOSD
* Make sure you get your polarities correct (gimbal wire 5 is ground and wire 6 is your video wire) see here http://www.phantompilots.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=29161#p267366
* I used dupont connectors for this, but you can solder the wires directly to each other. If you're going to solder them together just make sure you have a good solder joint and heat shrink then so they don't short on anything or each other.

Something else to keep in mind is that if you notice video lag you will also have the same amount of OSD lag as it's the Wi-Fi setup, the app on your phone & the processing speed of your phone creating this lag.
I get less lag on my iPhone 5s than I do on my Samsung.
I proved this by putting on an additional 2.4ghz TX and the vision splitter and watching the simultaneous feed on both the phone (feed from phantom Wi-Fi) and the 7" monitor (feed from additional 2.4ghz TX).
The additional 2.4ghz TX was bang on in sync with what ever was happening in front of the camera & the phantom's own feed was behind a little.

To keep weight down I've since removed the additional 2.4ghx TX and video splitter and am just using the original Wi-Fi. The iOSD Mini is also still in place for a better OSD look and I was so happy with the results I've done the same mod to my second P2V+

 

[shawny]

Hi Dave,
Thank you for the detail descriptions! I think I got it. My P2V+ is out for repair, so I have to wait it come back for the modification. Just recap here:
1. Get CAN Module for Phantom 2 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... odule.html )
2. Get iOSD mini (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... m/alsVwDtl )
3. Connect the two modules in the attached diagram

Regarding the lag, I just bought EPSON Moverio BT-200, but have not gotten a chance to test it with P2V+ yet. But I believe BT-200 CPU is very slow. I don’t know if I should return it.

Just Curiosity about the additional weight of 2.4 ghz TX, have you measured the flight time impact? And also is that possible interference between 2.4 ghz TX and Phantom Wifi?

 

[dbooty]

Hey mate, yep,the setup you photoshoped is exactly how I've got mine configured

Those glasses look cool but not sure how you'll go with setting them up.
I've been tempted to get some sort of glasses or goggles but I don't need to be tempted to spend the money!

No matter how you do it, if using the internal wifi and DJI app you're going to have lag but I can live with the little bit that I have.

The weight of the extra 2.4ghz TX would probably be barely noticeable on flight time in reality.
I have a headlight, extra wide and longer landing gear both adding weight to my setup so I just didn't feel I needed more hanging off my bird. But that's just me.

There may be some interference between the inbuilt wifi and external 2.4ghz TX but I didn't notice any on the few flights I did.
That might have just been luck that the channels both of the 2.4ghz didn't upset each other!

What you could do is wire the output of the iOSD mini to the external TX so the camera feed goes directly to your FPV monitor, goggles or what ever you desire which of course will also have the iOSD mini telemetry overlaid.
In this configuration the image won't go to the DJI app on ur phone but you'll still get the original telemetry and camera/video capture ability from your phone screen.

 

[shawny]

Hi Dave,
The EPSON BT-200 glasses is a Android 4.0 device. DJI make their apps in EPSON store, so I have downloaded the app in the glasses, but no bird to test at the moment.

I am still not quite clear about your "vision splitter". Is the "vision splitter" just a "Y" cable? or a device?
The second "iOSD mini to the external TX" configuration is desire to have a goggles. the price tag: goggles + TX = BT-200 glasses. I have to pick one.
But most goggles are in 5.8 Ghz. I hardly see 2.4Ghz goggles.

 

[dbooty]

Nah the video splitter isn't a Y cable, it's a small electronic circuit running on 9 volts.
I had that jammed in the battery bay on the left side between the battery power connectors and the wi-fi module antenna.
Small ones are hard to come by. I had mine floating around my drawer of electronic bits and pieces for a couple of years.
If you can't find one just forget about the splitter and just have ur phone screen for the camera controls and radar (no live video) and have the iOSD telemetry coming down ur other video feed to ur glasses or FPV screen.
You end up with a slightly cleaner image that way anyway

 

[shawny]

Thank you for sharing your experience! While waiting for my P2V+ repairing, I am going to continue explore the options of mounting third party gimbal and gopro 4 on P2V+.