What arrived today?

[Epicurus1]

I think 4:3 is a better shape for FPV than 16:9.  Widescreen is only really a thing because of cinema screens.  But VR setups for example typically use an aspect ratio that is nearer to being a square as this provides a greater sense of immersion.

Another point is that lenses are round so you'll always be able to leverage the greatest light gathering capability of that lens by using a sensor that is closer to being square.

Bare in mind VR is displaying two different images, one apart from the other. The perfect setup would want two 1:1 screens, two cameras, two vtxs and so on. For a monitor or box goggles you want 16:9, (or a lovely 21:9) but i'm getting off topic.

[Loopdreams]

VR is displaying two images, one over the top of the other.  When you put on a VR headset it's not a widescreen image but pretty much a big square.  I just don't see any logic behind adopting widescreen for our application *except* perhaps for when the main purpose for your FPV view is just to serve as a viewfinder for some footage you are shooting which will be presented widescreen.

[Epicurus1]

VR is displaying two images, one over the top of the other.  When you put on a VR headset it's not a widescreen image but pretty much a big square.  I just don't see any logic behind adopting widescreen for our application *except* perhaps for when the main purpose for your FPV view is just to serve as a viewfinder for some footage you are shooting which will be presented widescreen.

VR dosent need to be widescreen as each eye sees a horizontally separated perspective anyway. Providing that vertical fov is equal, looking at a single screen with two eyes, it's best to make use of the extra horizontal peripheral vision. For fatshark style goggles the point is moot as each eye is seeing the same 4:3 image. 

[DS123]

Got a red card through the letterbox a few days ago and went and collected it today...

HTRC H4AC DUO 20W 2A 2CH 2S-4S Lipo Battery Charger: (I paid £18.94)
https://www.banggood.com/HTRC-H4AC-DUO-20W-2A-2CH-2S-4S-Lipo-Battery-Charger-p-1184274.html

Bought this on a whim as I thought it would be good to charge up batteries in work as I sometimes go for a lunchtime fly.


 

First impressions was that this charger is quite small (smaller than I expected) 9cm x 9cm. Came with two cables to convert to t-plug style connectors. Also came with power euro lead and adaptor. Unfortunately the adaptor came with bent pins so I can't use that.

Not charged a battery yet but managed to power it up with another cable and the fans spin up even with no load so not a silent charger. Be looking forward to trying it out soon.

[CurryKitten]

I've been on holiday for a week, but came back to a little bonanza of stuff.  First up was this -



This is a Fly Egg 130 quad, and was sent from Gearbest (who appear to be talking to me again) for a review.  Yodel dumped this in my garden whilst I was on holiday, and I was so lucky that it came inside this little lunch box, as the actual cardboard packaging around this was just a mush of sodden cardboard which fell to bits when I went to pick it up.



The nice people at AKK Tech sent me some bits - a camera and VTX that I already looked at to go in the SkyHook, a replacement to the skew that fell off my quad when I was trying to test the RunCam Split, and a little 25mw VTX/Camera combo.  I was interested in this they come separated with a loop of wire from video in to video out making it easy to add in an OSD if you like.  I have a plan to build a standalone little MWOSD based pod.



Quite a few people have mentioned getting Gemfan 2035's on the micro quads, so I have bought some.  I'm looking to improve the smoothness of the Aurora100 and the Lizard 95 with these.



I thought I might try a few of these skews.  If you've used the TX03 (and similar little VTX's) they come with a little linear dipole attached with an IPX connector, so these skews also have IPX connectors.  I thought I'd see if these look better, and if I crush them I can change them out without any soldering.

[FPVSteve]

Yet another mini talon .... sure there's some kind of disease going around.

[Loopdreams]

A Realacc 5808 module for my FatSharks.  Just updated the firmware to the AchilleΣ firmware:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2890595-Achille%CE%A3-Firmware-for-Realacc-Other-Fatshark-Modules-and-Ground-Stations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc5aDOhzQeU

Seems like a pretty brilliant upgrade for the money.  I'll have a quick fly at lunchtime and see how it goes.

[DS123]

Another frame!

Looking to do a light build in the future and this frame was going cheap. (I paid only £13.98). A bit of a pain to put together as it was quite tight and I had to drill a new hole where one was missing (see photo). However when put together it's only 78 grams and really solid. It also came with two different carbon pieces for the FPV camera mounting but it doesn't fit the runcam swift.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/VX210-210mm-Carbon-Fiber-Frame-Quadcopter-Mini-Four-Axis-Multi-FPV-Racing-Drone-with-4mm-thickness/32822195728.html

[Loopdreams]

A Realacc 5808 module for my FatSharks.  Just updated the firmware to the AchilleΣ firmware:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2890595-Achille%CE%A3-Firmware-for-Realacc-Other-Fatshark-Modules-and-Ground-Stations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc5aDOhzQeU

Seems like a pretty brilliant upgrade for the money.  I'll have a quick fly at lunchtime and see how it goes.

It went really well!  I just took my mini quad as it was blowing a hooley but I definitely seemed to have better video than usual, this was with a skew and a patch.  Can't wait to try some fixed wing.

[Njoro]

Something new to me, I'll be 3D printing bits and bobs.

[bignose13]

I got a plan

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

Axial Wraith. I'll be dropping UHF and 1.2vtx in it.

[CurryKitten]

Just a day after I get my RunCam Swift Micro flying well on my Firer 110 frame, the RunCam Sparrow drops through the door.  Essentially like a Micro, but it's a 16:9 camera, and CMOS.  I'm presuming that 16:9 CCD sensors don't exist in this size ?

It should just be a 5 minute swap on the Firer frame, so should be able to make a reasonable comparison.  I can happily report that RunCam ship all the necessary accessories with the Sparrow now (so the OSD cable and mounting bracket are included)

[DS123]

After looking at lots and lots of action cameras and trying ever so hard to get a second hand GoPro session on ebay I took the plunge and bought myself the Runcam3 from BangGood.

Managed to pickup a £11 customs fee on this too but the way I see it I've ordered a lot of stuff from China and this is my first one so I can't argue too much.







I'll be placing this on my new lightweight build "The Stick" (a cheap frame I posted on here recently). This is my second build ever and fly's really nice I'm very happy with it. Not flown it with the camera yet but it'll add another 100 grams which might be a little heavy. We will wait and see...

[Coyote]

I was asked on Youtube if I would be up for doing some reviewing, so I have accepted this AKK X2 Vtx.



Obviously review coming soon :)