Newbie Questions!

Joined
Apr 26, 2014
Messages
166
Reaction score
73
Age
56
Location
Holden, Massachusetts
Am I correct to understand there is a new version of the Phantom 2? If so, what are the differences between Phantom 2 V1 & V2?

In connecting all the "stuff" to me due-to-arrive-any-day-now Phantom 2, Will I need anything else? Here is the list of goodies I have so far:

Phantom 2
Zenmuse H3-3D
GoPro Hero 3+ Black
KumbaCam Advanced FPV
Zenmuse MPV Plug & Play adapter
DJI iOSD Mini
DJI Ground Station (I'll be using PC version)

Will I need to cut/solder any wires, or will I need any additional ports, like the Can Hub?

Thanks in advance!
Jimmy
 
There's a newer version of the Phantom 2 (not the P2V or P2V+), but the only difference is a larger opening in the bottom of the shell to better accommodate the mounting arrangement of the Zenmuse H3-3D.

That kit you listed has everything you need to install the FPV with no soldering or splicing wires, you'll just need to connect everything in the correct place (which is pretty easy to do). However...the price on that kit seems excessive. As in, maybe twice what you'd pay to just order the included parts yourself. That fancy case may jack the price up some, but even that doesn't seem to justify the listed price.
 
yea in terms of total cost, the kits at B&H Photo are actually not too far off from what you'd spend on all the parts individually. That KumbaCam kit looks nice but it's almost double the cost of the components
 
I have almost the same. Mine came with a 2 axis Zenmuse. I purchased the advanced Kumacam kit also because of being a newbie, I didn't want to chance getting a tx & rx that didn't work well together.

I think some of the additional cost might be that it came with antennas that retail for about $40, but if I had to do it again, I think I could have saved a couple hundred bucks. I had to figure out the integration completely on my own as no pictures or tutorials came with the isod mini or the Kumbacam. I had to solder four wires. The un-terminated 4 line cable coming out of the quad carries the video & power. Video needs to connect to the mini and than from the mini to the TX. The same for the power. I have since found out that Kumbacam is just an integrator company. It turns out the diversity RX/monitor is a Black Pearl RC801. I haven't figured out what the TX is but I think it may be an immersion 600mw since the advanced Kumbacam FPV package says the TX is a 600mw.

I also purchased the $13 hub but for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to use it. I do know that if you have all the right cabling & maybe the use of the hub, you might be able to get by without soldering but you would need to take the top off the quad and pull that 4 line cable up and unplug and replace it with some other cable that may plug into the hub. Not sure. You might also run into some confusing implementation that uses a cable from the TX directly to the USB port on the GoPro. Don't pay any attention to that if you read about it. The GoPro video is fed from the backplane of the GoPro though gimbal circuitry & than through the gray cable that is hanging out of the quad when you get it. That gray cable caries the video from the GoPro into the quad and back out the 4 line un-terminated cable to use to connect to the TX or the in our case the isod mini & than to the tx.

I guarantee you that this stuff is not for the light hearted. I've been servicing computers for over 40 years and I pulled my hair trying to figure out the integration of all this stuff on my own. I also spent about 30 hours watching YouTube videos before I even got my quad and FPV equipment. Good luck. I'll be glad to help you all I can if you start pulling hairs. Sorry to be so long winded but this is not straight forward conventional material that is obvious to the most casual observer.
 
Awesome! Thank you everyone.

Bluegrass, any pictures of how you have this all attached to your P2?

Jimmy
 
this video makes it look really easy... there's a little bit of soldering involved because he re-uses certain cables it seems really smart and I intend to follow it when my FPV setup finally gets here. The iOSD part is universal but after that as long as you're smart enough to understand your video TX and what cables are going where (don't just follow like colors, know where power, video, etc are) it seems straightforward and clean.

I think KumbaCam might have it own hub too? depends how comfortable you are with 4 or 6 simple solders... watch the vid :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL8pqtEDuos
 
JamesD said:
Awesome! Thank you everyone.

Bluegrass, any pictures of how you have this all attached to your P2?

Jimmy

I'll take some pictures and make a simple drawing. I mounted my TX & isod mini to the belly next to the gimbal mount.

I guess I purchased Phantom for both fun in flying and to do some aerial video. I purchased my GoPro 3 + Black last fall and later started reading about the Phantom and just had to save up and get one. I think it's going to be fun and give me the ability to capture some pretty cool video as I learn more. About 50-50 between fun and video capture. Off topic - I'm also an old free flight - gliders, rubber, & 1/2A model flyer from the early 50's. Got 2nd place rubber at the International Model Airplane contest in Detroit in 1953 as a 13 year old kid.
 
+1 on the great video above. Makes for a nice neat installation.

I too had never soldered anything in my life before this but I manager to get it done with no casualties :).
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
143,066
Messages
1,467,358
Members
104,936
Latest member
hirehackers