Live video quality?

[dklassen]

I have a Phantom 2, Zenmuse H3-2D, GoPro 3+ Silver, ImmersionRC 600mW transmitter and Black Pearl monitor. Question, does the Zenmuse or DJI bus degrade the quality of the live video?

I noticed right from the start that the live video looked kind of crappy both through the monitor and my new Fatshark Attitude V2 goggles. The quality was "doable" but still crappy IMHO. I was a bit disappointed, kind of like watching HD TV all night and the switching back to regular channels.

My Attitudes came with a 250mW transmitter and the little FPV camera (I don't know much about it). On my bench I powered up the 250mW transmitter w/ the included camera and I couldn't believe my eyes! The quality was at least twice as good. It was like night and day! I took the 650mW transmitter off the Phantom and powered it up on the bench and it too looked fantastic through both the goggles and monitor.

So what's going on with the Phantom? I'm assuming the GoPro should output pretty nice video, so is the Zenmuse wrecking the quality or somewhere inside the DJI bus before it gets to the transmitter?

 

[DesertFlyer53]

Subscribing to this thread. I'd like to know the answer too. I currently have the Black Pearl monitor for my P2 but am thinking about getting the fatshark goggles that come with a camera. Thinking about mounting that camera on the P2 and using it to fly instead of the GoPro on the gimbal. Would leave the GoPro on just to record video. I hear it's easier to fly when on goggles with a fix camera and not one mounted on a stabilized gimbal.

 

[mcmax20]

Its just the resolution the video tx is able to transmit, if you want 1080p on your screen you'll need the Lightbridge and a better screen. BP is only 1024x600. Same goes for the goggle, not sure if they are available in 1080p just yet.

 

[DesertFlyer53]

Its just the resolution the video tx is able to transmit, if you want 1080p on your screen you'll need the Lightbridge and a better screen. BP is only 1024x600. Same goes for the goggle, not sure if they are available in 1080p just yet.

You might want to re-read the OP's post. He said that he had good video quality on the bench when using the goggles camera.

 

[dklassen]

You might want to re-read the OP's post. He said that he had good video quality on the bench when using the goggles camera.

Correct, I realize it's not HD. I was just trying to make a general comparison (maybe a bad one) to looking at a standard channel vs. a high-def channel.

The video off the Phantom look clean and sharp, run it through the Zenmuse and Phantom and it looks a lot worse.

 

[DesertFlyer53]

Do you have the DJI iosd mini installed on your P2? I know the video from the GoPro comes off the camera, goes through the iosd and then straight to the video transmitter. The P2 itself should not be affecting the video in any way. I'm not familiar with the fatshark camera but maybe it works better for this application?

 

[dklassen]

No iOSD installed. The video comes out of the GoPro, through the Zenmuse, into the Phantom bus and back out to the transmitter.

 

[DesertFlyer53]

No iOSD installed. The video comes out of the GoPro, through the Zenmuse, into the Phantom bus and back out to the transmitter.

Got it. I have the iosd mini. My video on the Black Pearl looks pretty good. Of course, I knew before getting this set-up that it would never produce anything near HD quality. What interests me about your original post is that you're getting better video on the bench with the FS camera. I wonder if it's the camera or something else that's making the difference. You have several variables in your test between the P2 and the bench so it's hard to tell what's causing the loss of video quality.

Is there a way to use the GoPro on the bench?

 

[dklassen]

You're absolutely correct. I'm going to pull the GoPro tomorrow and run more tests.

 

[DesertFlyer53]

You're absolutely correct. I'm going to pull the GoPro tomorrow and run more tests.

Cool. I'll be awaiting the results...

 

[dklassen]

Looks like it's going to be a few days. Don't have a GoPro to ImmersionRC cable. Ordered one this morning.

 

[dklassen]

Here's an example. I captured these with my iPhone camera, these are direct shots of the Black Pearl screen.

This shot is the GoPro running through the Zenmuse and Phantom. Notice the cardboard tubes on the left or the edge of the shelves on the wall.

This image captured the same way using the Fatshark Attitude FPV camera (same transmitter, no Phantom in the loop). Again, notice the cardboard tubes.