Phantom 4 - Video downlink issue after 1.8.0 remote update

[ricky971]

Thanks Remyheli.
I've updated all batteries and now I've got exactly the firmware situation that you've listed but in Auto mode video downlink doesn't work nor on iPad, nor on Galaxy S5.
If I switch to Manual or if I use Litchi everything's fine.
Moreover, the 32 channel mod worked perfectly on iPad (after Regional settings adjustment...) but doesn't work on Galaxy S5: I put the system file inside the right folder but it doesn't work and, when I reconnect mobile to PC, the system file isn't there anymore.

 

[SoCalDude]

Hi Ricky, great news. Note last craft firmware update 1.2.602 released 2016.11.08 should have resolved this video feed issue in auto mode. Also note if you have several batteries please upgrade them all, as battery management improvement also included in this new firmware.

You should have now following combination:
RC: 1.8.0 - iOS GO app: 3.0.2 - P4: 1.2.602
(and current iOS 10.1.1)

So, with these exact versions, you have a stable system? Do you no longer experience weak transmission signals, etc? Are you using auto or manual mode?

What is your iOS device? Which iPhone or witch iPad?

Thank you!

 

[ricky971]

So, with these exact versions, you have a stable system? Do you no longer experience weak transmission signals, etc? Are you using auto or manual mode?

What is your iOS device? Which iPhone or witch iPad?

Thank you!

For me, it didn't work.
I still having weak video transmission signal on both, iPad Air 2 and Galaxy S5.
On iPad, after 32 ch mod and Regional setting switched to "USA", if I switch on "manual" I've got a perfect video link but, as soon as I switch "auto", video link becomes unusable.
On Galaxy S5 is always bad because I'm not able to do the 32 ch mode and there isn't any mode to activate the manual mode.

 

[SoCalDude]

For me, it didn't work.
I still having weak video transmission signal on both, iPad Air 2 and Galaxy S5.
On iPad, after 32 ch mod and Regional setting switched to "USA", if I switch on "manual" I've got a perfect video link but, as soon as I switch "auto", video link becomes unusable.
On Galaxy S5 is always bad because I'm not able to do the 32 ch mode and there isn't any mode to activate the manual mode.

Okay, thank you for the information.

Would it be accurate to say that the issue can be narrowed down to either the AC's firmware update or the RC's firmware update?

 

[RémyHeli]

Suggestions:

Craft:
- Replace SD Card with another, I have read a bad SD card can cause live feed problems. Would be interesting to understand why such impact, if true. See below link in topic "Poor Live Feed, Brake Up, Live Feed Dropouts".

RC:
- After 5 min. there should be no abnormal heating from the back of the controller right at HDMI port.
- RC firmware refresh or downgrade to 1.6

DJI Phantom 4 FW Update Information -Known Issues - Troubleshooting - Updated - RC Groups

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[blusnapper]

Hi everybody!
Few days ago I've updated the remote controller firmware from 1.6.0 to 1.8.0.
At the same time I've updated also DJIGO on my IOS device iPad air 2 (from 3.0.1 to 3.0.2) and on my Android device Galaxy S5 (from 3.0.0 to 3.0.1).
After these updates the video downlink became unusable on both devices: black and green screens, frozen image, pixellation, etc.
I needed to use my Phantom 4, so I made a test with Litchi (on the iPad; I don't have got Litchi for Android too) and the video downlink was perfect.
The same with the HDMI output: no problem at all on both devices.
Then, I've downgraded the firmware to 1.6.0 again and this solved the problem on Galaxy S5 but, strangely, not on the iPad.
After some tests I've discovered that with Litchi you can set the video bitrate manually, where on DJIGO the manual setting is deactivated.
If I set each one of the bitrate values with Litchi, then I go with DJIGO, the "manual" setting is activated and video downlink is perfect but if I click again on "auto" the videolink becomes unusable again and I cannot switch back to "manual" settings; I'm obliged to use Litchi to set the manual bitrate again.
I've tried to refresh firmware on both, the controller and the craft, but this didn't solve anything.
Has anybody else the same or some similar problem?
Is there a solution or I have to wait for DJI to fix it with next firmwares?
Many thanks in advance!

I've been tearing my hair out trying to solve this problem for two days. Your post and Litchi saved the day. Thanks for taking time to share your findings Ricky. Top man!

 

[WingsThree]

I rolled the DJI Go app (IOS) to 3.01 and that took care of the weak video transmission issue. Works fine in radio channel in Auto now.

 

[pairofspades]

Hi everybody!
Few days ago I've updated the remote controller firmware from 1.6.0 to 1.8.0.
At the same time I've updated also DJIGO on my IOS device iPad air 2 (from 3.0.1 to 3.0.2) and on my Android device Galaxy S5 (from 3.0.0 to 3.0.1).
After these updates the video downlink became unusable on both devices: black and green screens, frozen image, pixellation, etc.
I needed to use my Phantom 4, so I made a test with Litchi (on the iPad; I don't have got Litchi for Android too) and the video downlink was perfect.
The same with the HDMI output: no problem at all on both devices.
Then, I've downgraded the firmware to 1.6.0 again and this solved the problem on Galaxy S5 but, strangely, not on the iPad.
After some tests I've discovered that with Litchi you can set the video bitrate manually, where on DJIGO the manual setting is deactivated.
If I set each one of the bitrate values with Litchi, then I go with DJIGO, the "manual" setting is activated and video downlink is perfect but if I click again on "auto" the videolink becomes unusable again and I cannot switch back to "manual" settings; I'm obliged to use Litchi to set the manual bitrate again.
I've tried to refresh firmware on both, the controller and the craft, but this didn't solve anything.
Has anybody else the same or some similar problem?
Is there a solution or I have to wait for DJI to fix it with next firmwares?
Many thanks in advance!

YES!!! I have had the exact same problems! After I updated the firmware in the RC my drone has become unusable. (I fly it almost every day to shoot farm and ranch real estate in texas). Nothing is more frustrating than being on a job and not being able to do your job. I have tried everything also, including resetting the IMU, trying new cables, new SD cards (advice from DJI which was ridiculous). I switched to an iPad that didn't have the new iOS update and it worked very inconsistently. I finally had to ship it back to DJI yesterday to see if something else is wrong. I'm very very curious what they will say. I've had communication problems from day one with my Phantom 3 Pro. I love the way it flies, but am so frustrated with the downlink.

 

[chiupolini]

Same problem with me here. Upgraded to RC 1.8 from 1.6. and video transmission became garbled. Video recording remains perfect. So not a SD card problem. Downgraded RC to v. 1.6. Did not work. Further downgraded to v. 1.5.8 and I lost not only video transmission but radio transmission altogether. Again upgraded it to v. 1.8 and regained the radio transmission, but not the video transmission, which remains garbled.

Waited for new AC firmware and today upgraded to v. 1.2.602. Did not fix the video transmission issue. So downgraded the RC firmware to v. 1.5.8 again and this time the transmission problem fixed. DJI Go app 3.0.1. I will stay with this configuration until the problem of the RC firmware 1.8 is fixed. Wrote to DJI about that already.

The solution by using Itchi is instructive although I have not tried it out. But we should not be required to fix a problem like this. DJI should fix it.

I brought the Phantom 4 to Taiwan and upgraded the RC firmware right before I set out. The problem screwed up my filming plan. Sxxt!

 

[SoCalDude]

Same problem with me here. Upgraded to RC 1.8 from 1.6. and video transmission became garbled. Video recording remains perfect. So not a SD card problem. Downgraded RC to v. 1.6. Did not work. Further downgraded to v. 1.5.8 and I lost not only video transmission but radio transmission altogether. Again upgraded it to v. 1.8 and regained the radio transmission, but not the video transmission, which remains garbled.

Waited for new AC firmware and today upgraded to v. 1.2.602. Did not fix the video transmission issue. So downgraded the RC firmware to v. 1.5.8 again and this time the transmission problem fixed. DJI Go app 3.0.1. I will stay with this configuration until the problem of the RC firmware 1.8 is fixed. Wrote to DJI about that already.

You're missing important variable in your permutations.

You need to include the DJI Go app version 3.0.2, with all the other latest firmware versions (and possibly combinations of older versions).

 

[RémyHeli]

No video feed issues with my configuration of firmwares, softwares and hardware, as already mention using dedicated mini 4. SINCE last craft firmware of Tuesday. And Auto mode!
In my case craft firmware was installed after all the others when became available on Tuesday. A bit contradictory with usual recommendation to update the craft first.. Well I must be really lucky, at least for now...

I think having 4,5,6 firmwares/softwares all working together with lot of comms and interfaces is really challenging for both DJI and customers. What a complex design.

RC: firmware
Craft: firmware
Battery: firmware (well less determinant)
GO App: software
IOS/Android: firmware and software (in some extend)






Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[Caballete007]

I upgrade from 1.6.0 to 1.8.0 and almost lost my Phantom. Lost connection at very close range for 3 times and thanks to RTH I got it back. Downgraded immediately.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

 

[ricky971]

Okay, thank you for the information.

Would it be accurate to say that the issue can be narrowed down to either the AC's firmware update or the RC's firmware update?

I had these problems immediately after the RC firmware upgrade but I still have the same problem also now that I've downgraded the RC firmware to 1.6.0 and uploaded craft to last firmware.

 

[ricky971]

Suggestions:

Craft:
- Replace SD Card with another, I have read a bad SD card can cause live feed problems. Would be interesting to understand why such impact, if true. See below link in topic "Poor Live Feed, Brake Up, Live Feed Dropouts".

RC:
- After 5 min. there should be no abnormal heating from the back of the controller right at HDMI port.
- RC firmware refresh or downgrade to 1.6

DJI Phantom 4 FW Update Information -Known Issues - Troubleshooting - Updated - RC Groups

Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Thanks RèmyHeli.
I'm using the same SD card also with Litchi and in Manual mode but I don't have any problem with that; I'll try anyway to change it.
I've checked and I haven't any heating from the back of the RC controller; already tried downgrade and refresh but Auto mode doesn't want to work anymore.

 

[ricky971]

I've been tearing my hair out trying to solve this problem for two days. Your post and Litchi saved the day. Thanks for taking time to share your findings Ricky. Top man!

Thanks.
This is the reason why Forums are here on the net.
Me too I'm following other user's suggestions.

 

[ricky971]

I rolled the DJI Go app (IOS) to 3.01 and that took care of the weak video transmission issue. Works fine in radio channel in Auto now.

I must try this on iPad (on Android - Galaxy S5 it doesn't work, even if the version is 3.0.1).
How did you roll back to older version?

 

[ricky971]

YES!!! I have had the exact same problems! After I updated the firmware in the RC my drone has become unusable. (I fly it almost every day to shoot farm and ranch real estate in texas). Nothing is more frustrating than being on a job and not being able to do your job. I have tried everything also, including resetting the IMU, trying new cables, new SD cards (advice from DJI which was ridiculous). I switched to an iPad that didn't have the new iOS update and it worked very inconsistently. I finally had to ship it back to DJI yesterday to see if something else is wrong. I'm very very curious what they will say. I've had communication problems from day one with my Phantom 3 Pro. I love the way it flies, but am so frustrated with the downlink.

I'm almost sure it's a software/firmware problem, not an hardware issue, because the problem appeared immediately after RC firmware upgrade but I can get perfect video link with other software (Litchi) or in manual mode.
I really don't understand why, in my situation, even rolling back to older firmware versions the problem stills there.

 

[ricky971]

Same problem with me here. Upgraded to RC 1.8 from 1.6. and video transmission became garbled. Video recording remains perfect. So not a SD card problem. Downgraded RC to v. 1.6. Did not work. Further downgraded to v. 1.5.8 and I lost not only video transmission but radio transmission altogether. Again upgraded it to v. 1.8 and regained the radio transmission, but not the video transmission, which remains garbled.

Waited for new AC firmware and today upgraded to v. 1.2.602. Did not fix the video transmission issue. So downgraded the RC firmware to v. 1.5.8 again and this time the transmission problem fixed. DJI Go app 3.0.1. I will stay with this configuration until the problem of the RC firmware 1.8 is fixed. Wrote to DJI about that already.

The solution by using Itchi is instructive although I have not tried it out. But we should not be required to fix a problem like this. DJI should fix it.

I brought the Phantom 4 to Taiwan and upgraded the RC firmware right before I set out. The problem screwed up my filming plan. Sxxt!

This is exactly a photocopy of my video downlink issue and firmwares "history"!
Me too I'm waiting for another upgrade that will fix the problem but I've temporarly solved not only using Litchi, but also switching to "manual" mode the channel setting and choosing a good channel.
This was a suggestion from RèmyHeli: if you have the "manual" mode locked and you're using IOS, switch your regional settings to "USA" in the settings menu and the "auto" mode will be unlocked.
I've also made the 32 ch mod but I think it's unnecessary to get a stable video link.
Unfortunately, I'm not able to activate manual mode on Galaxy S5 and P4 still unusable with it.

 

[ricky971]

No video feed issues with my configuration of firmwares, softwares and hardware, as already mention using dedicated mini 4. SINCE last craft firmware of Tuesday. And Auto mode!
In my case craft firmware was installed after all the others when became available on Tuesday. A bit contradictory with usual recommendation to update the craft first.. Well I must be really lucky, at least for now...

I think having 4,5,6 firmwares/softwares all working together with lot of comms and interfaces is really challenging for both DJI and customers. What a complex design.

RC: firmware
Craft: firmware
Battery: firmware (well less determinant)
GO App: software
IOS/Android: firmware and software (in some extend)






Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

Yes, Lady Luck kissed you! Deeeeeply, deeply, deeply...

 

[ricky971]

I upgrade from 1.6.0 to 1.8.0 and almost lost my Phantom. Lost connection at very close range for 3 times and thanks to RTH I got it back. Downgraded immediately.


Sent from my iPad using PhantomPilots

Did you solve the problem after downgrade?