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Video interference and blackout

Discussion in 'Cinestar 8' started by Chris Babiana, Apr 2, 2013.

  1. Gary Haynes

    Gary Haynes Administrator
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    Foxtech monitor is working well. Nice brightness level. Check price with shipping and then ReadyMadeRC who has the same monitor. Some of the new ones also have HDMI input so you chech cameras directly.
     
  2. Chris Babiana

    Chris Babiana Member

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    Brad...if you don't mind, exactly what IKan model do you have?
    Gary...I was looking at the Foxtech line last night. They claim no blue screen, just a bit fuzzy on low signal strength. Have you experienced any video loss/degradation/drop while flying line of sight?
    I'm concluding that the interference/degradation/loss of signal is between the receiver and the display. I have a "Color QUAD System" sold to me by QC which is intended to be used as a 4-way video splitter, but they use it as an amplifier between the receiver and monitor. So, I assume they are aware of this issue. But I can't seem to get this darn thing working! Seems like a simple setup...power on, video in, video out to monitor...nothing.
    I really hate to spend another penny on this (almost) $1,000.00 investment.
    Is anyone else using an amplifier of sorts?
     

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  3. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Hi Chris:
    I didn't realize that QC sold those Color Quads.

    The concern with amplifiers is whether or not they are truly amplifying only the signal, or are they amplifying the noise as well -- in which case they're not really helping.

    But I'm really surprised that the "amplifier" is not working -- as you say, feed the input into the gerzinta socket, and you expect signal to come out of the gerzouta socket.....

    I'm not using any kind of distribution/video amp, just straight from the Passport into the monitor (Small HD DP6).

    How frustrating for you....
    Andy.
     
  4. Michael McVay

    Michael McVay Active Member

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    HI Chris...bummer on the video problems. I also use the Marshall CT7 - in fact I use 3 of them simultaneously on 5.8 from my Mondo Stinger. I use 2 yellow jackets and one passport on the receiving end of the signals. I hold a very strong signal until I get a pretty good distance away. I am still using the stock whip antennas and have been meaning to install my Mondo Extreme that has been sitting on my table for the past 6 months and get some cloverleaf antennas as well. Because I have had so little trouble with it I have kept my stock system this long.

    I also have a Pyle ground station from QC. They sent me something to keep a steady signal as well but since buying the Marshalls I have not even turned on the Pelican ground station with the Pyle in it. That station blue screened on me all the time - terrible.

    You have probably thought of this and tried it, but have you changed the channel that you transmit and receive on to eliminate other interference where you are flying? I think you have up to 7 choices to pick from and I have heard that the 5.8 range can get interference from many other wireless devices. Maybe you can try a few others and pick up a cleaner signal.

    I also use a dedicated QC 1200 battery to power the video transmitter. On the ground, 2 of the 3 Marshalls each share a QC 1200 battery with the receiver they are connected to and the other (on my radio) is using the Canon battery plate with a regular LP E6 battery.

    Hope this helps - The Marshalls have been good performers for me.
     
  5. Chris Babiana

    Chris Babiana Member

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    Hi Andy. They used to sell them back when the ground stations were available. It worked once...on a bench test...about 4 months back.
    What part of the problem might be is that I'm sort of a perfectionist. I like things working at 100%...and well, I'm learning that in the world of multirotors, achieving 100% is like finding a needle in the Atlantic! I might have to settle for 85-90% in this case.
    The dropout has gotten better since installing the Blue Beams and plagiarizing Gary's Tx mounting design and placement, but was trying to dial in zero drops. After reading Michael's statement above, there's other interference in that "space" I'm not even thinking about.

    Michael, thanks for chiming in! I too had the same problem with the Pyle, and like you, it's in a pile in the corner of the basement (for sale if anyone's interested). Reception is better with the Marshall but I still get a few static lines here and there and the occasional blue screen.
    And embarrassingly enough, NOOOO...I never even thought of changing channels. :confused: Thanks for that suggestion!
    Do you get the occasional static and Blue? Just trying to figure the norm of acceptability.
    Here's the ground station I threw together today...much more versatile than the big Pyle.
     

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  6. Michael McVay

    Michael McVay Active Member

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    My static shows up as a function of distance mostly. When flying close by I don't get much of anything at all. In the 150-250 height range and 500-1000 feet away I get a drop off in signal. I do think that would be corrected with my stronger transmitter (I am using the 500mw but have the 1.5w extreme sitting waiting on me. Also, ditching the stock whip antennas would probably be a good move for me too.

    I had read earlier that you have a Marshall attached to your MX-20. I do as well, and was wondering if you have a good solution to how you attached the receiver. Do you fly from the one on your MX 20 or the ground station?
     
  7. Chris Babiana

    Chris Babiana Member

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    I Velcro it to the back of the Marshall along with a 1200mHa battery and home made wiring harness powering everything.
     
  8. Michael McVay

    Michael McVay Active Member

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    Here is what I do...I velcro my other handheld ones to the back like you described, but on the radio, I worried about the receiver being a little close or in the way of the Graupner antenna. I power my Marshall on the radio with the Canon battery plate and have a small lipo in the side pocket of the contest tray to power the receiver. The attachment method could use a little cosmetic improvement, but it swings freely and stays straight up and down which keeps the whip antenna straight. I would love to come up with something better but have not had a great idea that is not large in size or tough to attach.

    Do you worry at all about the power or signal interferring with your Graupner - or vice versa?

    photo.JPG
     
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  9. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Hi Chris:

    Do you rotate those two Bluebeam antenna into the vertical plane when you're using them?
    The polar diagram of those antennae suggest that the cable leading to the antenna should be vertical.
    If you do not do that, could you test with the cable vertical so that the cloverleaf is pointing at the sky?

    Thanks
    Andy.
     
  10. Chris Babiana

    Chris Babiana Member

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    Andy...yes, straight up...and Velcro the receiver to the outside of the box. The way it appears in the picture is in storage/transport mode. Blue beam on the tx is pointing down on boom 5.
     
  11. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Well, another elegant theory of mine craters big time! :)

    Andy.
     
  12. MIke Magee

    MIke Magee Active Member

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    Andy, I love to hear your elegant theories. Someday, maybe I'll have a theory with enough substance to create a crater. Mine tend to just loft and bounce some.

    Anyway, while working with Iftron regarding OUR 5.8 issues some time back, they shared a link to a great overview of how these 5.8 things work. http://vimeo.com/8826952

    I had shared it with Chris earlier, but it's worth a look for review.

    Hey Mike. I've always been a fan of you video prowess. Is that a tray under your Graupner? Could you show that a bit better?

    -m


     
  13. Michael McVay

    Michael McVay Active Member

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    Mike: Yes, its called the Graupner Contest Tray. http://www.quadrocopter.com/Graupner-Contest-Tray_p_623.html

    I like it. It gives a nice place for the sides of your hands to rest on while keeping finger tip control on the sticks. I would imagine that it provides a similar to feel to the side wings of an MC-32. I keep a thunder power 3s battery in one of the side pockets that feeds the passport receiver and I keep the LP E6 battery in the other one while not in use. I also keep my ear buds in there between flights if I unplug them from the MX 20. With the tray, you can also use a harness instead of the neck strap if you prefer.

    tray 4.JPG tray 3.JPG tray 2.JPG tray 1.JPG
     
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  14. Chris Babiana

    Chris Babiana Member

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    Very nice clean setup Mike...now you have me thinking (well...here goes another few hundred on the QC website).
     
  15. Dave King

    Dave King Well-Known Member

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    Chris I run the 5.8 system Yellow jacket and the 500mw mondo and get excellent results from it. I power the mondo from my power distribution board. I come off the board and go into one of these filters. http://www.dpcav.com/xcart/Power-Supply-Filter-L-C-Type.html
    I don't have the drop out issues you do. In fact I have the 1.3 system for my camera operator and the 5.8 is much clearer. I have a blue beam antenna on the mondo and these antennas for the receiver https://www.quadrocopter.com/58GHz-Patch-Vitenna-Gravity_p_54.html that i use with the 7" mikrokopter monitor.
     
  16. MIke Magee

    MIke Magee Active Member

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    Dave, what channel are you using?
    -m
     
  17. Dave King

    Dave King Well-Known Member

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    I"ll have to check, it normally finds it automatically and I rarely have to manually switch. I think its 4 or 5.
     
  18. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    I'm pretty sure it's 4 as the default. The are three LEDs on the RX and they count out the channel in binary.

    Has anyone tried using two 5.8 Ghz on different channels? I was wondering whether there would be enough separation to permit them to work OK -- the Tx would have to be some distance apart on the copter to avoid them shouting in each other's ears... :)

    Andy.
     
  19. Michael McVay

    Michael McVay Active Member

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    Andy: Someone on this forum has posted about using 2 different 5.8 systems with success. I do not recall the post, but I remember reading it and being interested in the idea of 2 transmitters sending on different channels and easy channel switching on 1 receiver (going between FPV camera and camera view). This would work well for the 3 axis gimbals. And with the Yellow Jackets there are LEDs next to the channel numbers on the front so it is really easy to see which channel you are on (as opposed to the passport without a quick visual indicator) and you could switch between them with confidence knowing you are on the right channel while you wait for the video sync and an image on your monitor. Of course that only works if you can see the front of your Yellow Jacket while flying - which I can not.
     
  20. Andy Johnson-Laird

    Andy Johnson-Laird Administrator
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    Yeah...I searched any postings -- I could have sworn I'd seen that too, but couldn't find it. Must have fat-fingered the keyboard (again).

    Andy.
     

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