Need help setting up Fasthark FPV! Please!

[jgerlitz]

Hey everyone -

I recently purchased the Fatshark Attitude SD goggle set. It came with the 250mw transmitter. I am planning to use my Hero3 for the camera. I purchased an FPV Hero3 cable off ebay. However, I am having trouble figuring out where all the plugs go. Many don't fit anywhere. I would love to make this whole thing plug and play and not do any soldering or cutting. Is this a lost hope?

I've heard I can use the phantom battery pack to supply power to the transmitter. Someone said I need to buy and solder a JST male wire onto the phantom power lead. Is this correct? Will this then plug into the "2S" port on the transmitter as shown in the photo below?

I took a few pictures to help show you...

 

[Spork]

I have the same setup. The only extra thing I had to buy was a battery for the headset, and this cable to connect the gopro to the video TX:

http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index. ... ts_id=1295

For power, there is an included cable that goes from the video TX to their power converter board (the thing in your first picture with the 3s/2s plugs.)

The phantom uses 3S battery packs and the batter pack has 2 plugs coming out of it. The big yellow plug goes into your phantom, and the small white one goes into the 3S plug in the video TX.

I just used some double-sided velcro to hook the video TX to the bottom of the phrantom, and would cram the video tx power converter inside the battery compartment, but BE CAREFUL, if your battery door opens during flight and the battery falls out your phantom will very likely crash from being off balance, so make sure you have a solid fit.

I recently bought the over-sized battery door from shapeways just so I'd have enough room inside to fit all the cables.

 

[Spork]

Also important: Don't plug in your video TX without the antenna connected, that's very bad and can fry the board.

 

[jgerlitz]

I have the same setup. The only extra thing I had to buy was a battery for the headset, and this cable to connect the gopro to the video TX:

http://www.readymaderc.com/store/index. ... ts_id=1295

For power, there is an included cable that goes from the video TX to their power converter board (the thing in your first picture with the 3s/2s plugs.)

The phantom uses 3S battery packs and the batter pack has 2 plugs coming out of it. The big yellow plug goes into your phantom, and the small white one goes into the 3S plug in the video TX.

I just used some double-sided velcro to hook the video TX to the bottom of the phrantom, and would cram the video tx power converter inside the battery compartment, but BE CAREFUL, if your battery door opens during flight and the battery falls out your phantom will very likely crash from being off balance, so make sure you have a solid fit.

I recently bought the over-sized battery door from shapeways just so I'd have enough room inside to fit all the cables.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Your detailed explanation was exactly what I was looking for. I watched lots of YouTube videos showing setup but they were either using a Hero or Hero2 or different transmitters so the videos didn't tell me much.

I just now ordered that Hero3 cable you mentioned from ReadymadeRC. Looks like my little black and yellow cable I ordered from eBay was not the right one. I'll have to send it back.

I also looked up that bigger battery door you mentioned. Please let me know how it goes.

Once again thanks for the help. Time to get this thing up and running!

 

[jgerlitz]

Also important: Don't plug in your video TX without the antenna connected, that's very bad and can fry the board.

Couple more questions if I can. Are you happy with the quality and performance of the antennas for the transmitter and goggles which came with the kit? Or did you upgrade to the Spironet ones?

I see there are two battery door upgrades. One with 12mm of space and one with 18mm of space. Which one did you get?

Thanks!

Jeff

 

[Spork]

I bought the Spironet antennas when I ordered the goggles since they are so cheap and everyone raves about them. I've never even tried using them without the upgraded antennas, so can't speak to the performance boost.

I will say that the farthest I've gone is only about 250m away in a *very* crowded city setting and still had a great signal. Occasionally I'll have some static when the antenna goes behind the camera (I'm thinking that those 90 degree angle antenna adapters might fix this by putting the antenna lower so the camera doesn't block the signal...) but it's totally manageable.

Here's the battery door I got, I dind't notice the larger version when I ordered:
https://www.shapeways.com/model/1060041 ... li=ostatus

It fits the fatshark power adapter circuit ok - better than the stock one for sure, but it's still a little tight, so I'd go for the larger door if you have yet to order.

 

[jgerlitz]

I bought the Spironet antennas when I ordered the goggles since they are so cheap and everyone raves about them. I've never even tried using them without the upgraded antennas, so can't speak to the performance boost.

I will say that the farthest I've gone is only about 250m away in a *very* crowded city setting and still had a great signal. Occasionally I'll have some static when the antenna goes behind the camera (I'm thinking that those 90 degree angle antenna adapters might fix this by putting the antenna lower so the camera doesn't block the signal...) but it's totally manageable.

Here's the battery door I got, I dind't notice the larger version when I ordered:
https://www.shapeways.com/model/1060041 ... li=ostatus

It fits the fatshark power adapter circuit ok - better than the stock one for sure, but it's still a little tight, so I'd go for the larger door if you have yet to order.

Awesome! Thanks!

I couldn't find any online retailers at the moment which had the ImmersionRC antennas in stock. So I just ordered some of the IBcrazy 5.8 bluebeam antennas which I read are pretty much the same in performance as the ImmersionRC...and their in stock!

Just placed an order for the 18mm bigger door too.

Can't hardly wait for all the components to get here so I can give this new found hobby a whirl! I feel like a kid counting the days till Christmas.

Thanks for all your help! You sure lessened the headache with it all.

Jeff

 

[jgerlitz]

Last question...I promise!!

Are you concerned about the total weight of all this stuff on the Phantom? I see people are putting gimbals are theirs which I'm sure weigh a hefty amount and they don't seem to be having an issue. Besides the decreased battery life/flight time is there any other possible damage we could be doing to our toys? In regards to the shell, motors etc...

I ordered some new 9" carbon props from DJIPros which I read increase efficiency. Will they help? What kind of flight times are you getting when flying FPV?

I bought some prop guards (for training reasons) and can't get myself to put them on with everything else. I just keep adding and adding things to it....I feel bad! LOL

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Spork]

I haven't done any comparisons of flight time. I usually keep it around 6-8 minutes a flight if I'm over water or some other place that would be hard to get the quad back. 10 minutes sounds short, but when you are flying around it feels much longer.

The video TX is really light, the main weight is the camera and gimbal, and that's kind of the whole reason to fly a thing in the first place, but there's also nothing stopping you from leaving it all off and just flying around... which I recommend as you learn to fly anyway so you get used to the controls.

 

[socman]

Last question...I promise!!

Are you concerned about the total weight of all this stuff on the Phantom? I see people are putting gimbals are theirs which I'm sure weigh a hefty amount and they don't seem to be having an issue. Besides the decreased battery life/flight time is there any other possible damage we could be doing to our toys? In regards to the shell, motors etc...

I ordered some new 9" carbon props from DJIPros which I read increase efficiency. Will they help? What kind of flight times are you getting when flying FPV?

I bought some prop guards (for training reasons) and can't get myself to put them on with everything else. I just keep adding and adding things to it....I feel bad! LOL

Thanks,

Jeff

i get about 6-7 minutes withe the fat shark stuff attached, roughly 9 min without.
but that is also me landing as soon as I see the first red flash.

but it also can vary how hard to you fly. If you are gunning it constantly you are going to run out of battery sooner. Soft easy flying you will probably extend the time a little.

 

[jgerlitz]

7 minutes is enough time I guess

Thanks again for the help. I'm just waiting on my attitude battery to arrive from GravesRC. According to Fedex it should be here on Saturday. Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!!!

Thanks for your help. You've made this ordeal a breeze!

 

[windrockwater]

Hi There,
I just got a phantom and a new GoPro Hero3. I also want to get the Fatshark and whatever accessories I need to wire it all together. Did you get everything working? Any tips/tricks comments? Are you happy with that choice?

Specifically, what should i order? Just this:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... h=fatshark

Plus that GoPro cable?

Thanks for any help.

 

[jumanoc]

You need Gopro FPV cable and 1-2 batterie for goggles with adapter for charging with stock charger with XT60 or bannana connector. The battery is 7.4v 1000mAh

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fat-Shark-F...Control_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c36539b96

 

[Gnapoleon]

I have a silly additional question. Doesn't fatshark FPV transmit sound? Could we transmit a battery alert from the phantom to the ground station, small LCD, goggles?

 

[jumanoc]

Yes, you have Audio and Video. You can hack a simple wire from back red leds circuit into audio input in VTX, so when red flash blinks VTX transmit a "pulse sound" through the Audio channel and you can hear it on goggles or LCD Audio speaker when battery is low or when GPS loose satellites lock :geek:

In addition, if you have a GoPro (Mic included), you could use a small Buzzer Low Alarm device and when it begin to louder sound, GoPro can hear and transmit that alert to goggles / LCD. Bad thing is that all the flight time you'll hear motors buzzing ....

Here you have how it performs:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsmSgd0Exh0[/youtube]

 

[jumanoc]

With an Optic Fiber, you can watch the led status in your FPV goggles or Monitor:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLRfIZet0uU[/youtube]

 

[Gnapoleon]

With an Optic Fiber, you can watch the led status in your FPV goggles or Monitor:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLRfIZet0uU[/youtube]

Doesn't that completely take over the FPV image? Seems very bright/intense?

 

[jumanoc]

Not so brigther and you can set the fiber for focusing near or far as you like it.

Check how this is seen in FPV video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dcFRnzupE4[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tj4mGAzDhUY[/youtube]