HDZero Freestyle 1W VTX head to head with 1W analog | Will this VTX kill analog FPV?

[@subsonikfreq]

Nice video man. When you told me about this. I was waiting for the upload. And you were right in every way.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Thanks man! This was by no means a scientific test...lol, but i believe it was as practical as I could get it for the amount of time I have had the system in hand.

[@KolibriFPV]

Really great comparison! I've been waiting for someone to do this comparison, a head to head 1W test. Thanks!

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

I know that I had personally been looking for a comparison against analog 1W for a while before the Freestyle officially released, and since I couldn't find much on it I figured I had better help get it out there!

[@plumpitiful5856]

This was a good assessment of the situation, IMHO.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Thank you! I have been itching to get back to flying HD. My SB VRX was broken by my children shortly after this video and I have been waiting for almost 2 months for either my repair to come back or my new HDZ VRX to ship. I can't wait to get back to it and try more things!

[@plumpitiful5856]

@@BaconNinjaFPV Dang. Your kids probably tested your patience. But, now, there is a great confusion entering with FatShark Dominator / Walksnail Avatar / DJI, all fighting for the digital path. I am going to stick with analog for a while longer before deciding on HD. Good luck to you.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

@@plumpitiful5856 They did, but I love em' so its all good, lol. It is an interesting time to be an FPV pilot for sure with all of these new developments!

[@RyanQuellet]

Nice review and comparison to analog. You are right about the penetration of analog being more flexible if you are willing to fly through really mangled and black and white break up at the extremes. I don't like to fly analog when it gets that bad though. For HDZero we learn where the limit is and fly a little bit different to avoid the rainbows (like you said). Looking forward to more of your content!

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Absolutely a learning curve to get used to feeling out potential break up, but nothing an FPV pilot hasn't had to get a feel for before. Now that i can get close to the same output power from HDZero as analog, I'm gonna run it in everything i can! Lol. Really looking forward to the 1S board soon, and even more so for the goggles. Can't wait to try them out and talk about them!

[@doncunningham3124]

New subscriber. Thanks for sticking to facts and quickly getting to the point. Please make your video regarding how to unlock the full potential of the new Freestyle vtx. Thx!

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Thank you, and I really appreciate the subscription! I made the unlock video a couple of days after this one released, so feel free to check that one out and let me know how the unlock process goes for you.

[@mfrfpv9079]

does the peanut have insurance? and do the mounts power connector work on 360go2?

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

no, unfortunately there is no insurance on the Peanut currently :( Also, none of the connectors works on the go2...sorry about the double bummer, lol.

[@h2o40fpv]

Men thank u for this video 😊

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Thank you for checking it out buddy!

[@johncgibson4720]

The rainbow screen of death at 2:20 is what scares me away from digital. I do city diving that has lots of tree leaves. I can't switch to digital.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

yeah the break up is real with the rainbow screens on this system unfortunately :( Other digital systems may be up your ally though that don't have the same breakup characteristics! Although, personally, I would run analog all day long and be happy keeping it for building dives.

[@jmillerfpv]

Nice video! Subscribed!!!

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Thank you, I really appreciate it!

[@jmillerfpv]

@@BaconNinjaFPV your welcome, glad I can help support your channel!

[@davdaya]

hi.. nice comparison there.. what would happen.. if we use racing drone frame instead.. thus the lipo will be on the bottom all the time.. would hd zero perform better..?

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

I can't say definitively without some further testing, but I would suspect that not having the battery in the way when facing towards yourself would absolutely give you a cleaner signal. At the end of the day it is really all about what you are building the drone to accomplish. Some people go with an antenna which has a longer mast to get up above the drone and keep the battery/frame from interfering, but for me I just need enough to freestyle with object proximity and would prefer an antenna which doesn't rip off in crashes. An underslung battery would for sure make a difference, as long as doing that works for what you are trying to accomplish.

[@RCDUDEFPV]

Cool

[@HalfwayAerial]

I had the freestyle lite vtx on a quad a while ago and on 500 mw I could get 3 miles out before I could no longer see. With the same antennas on analog 500 mw I could only make it out to 2.5. The main issue I had with the HD zero vtx was with trees. Flying behind an oak tree would end my video feed like you found, and I had to punch out above the tree to get it back, with the analog I could hold onto my video well enough to fly. It looked like a wet newspaper but do able. I still prefer HD zero though because it looks just so much better.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Yeah it hates trees for sure! Lol. Can't wait to see how much more it hates them in the summer when they are full of leaves. I also agree that i would rather fly HDZero than analog any day, even if it means learning how to handle the rainbow screens. Now to wait on their supply chain to keep things in stock and we will be set!

[@captaindronieversefpv]

Is HDZero can be use for Eachine EV Dm 800 ?

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

I have a set of EV800DM's and those are some great little box goggles! Unfortunately they do not have an HDMI in port to support running an HDZero VRX or the resolution it would require even if it could :(

[@captaindronieversefpv]

@@BaconNinjaFPV okay.. Thanks for the answer. So unfortunately for me. 😞

[@captaindronieversefpv]

@@BaconNinjaFPV by the way, what goggle can support this Vtx ?

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

@@captaindronieversefpv So you really just need any goggle that has an HDMI input and a resolution of 720p or greater. Most people go with a FatShark HDO2, Skyzone O4X, or Skyzone 04L. There are also some box goggle options like the Skyzone Cobra X that has the correct specs I believe. One other option is the FatShark Scout HD which is a box goggle made just for HDZero, but I wouldn't go that route because it doesn't have the ability to add an analog module or change much about the antenna setup.

[@ShermanKenB]

This is real helpful. Still flying analog and have been sitting on the fence. I do like the clarity and am a bit concerned about the hd breakup where the feed goes rainbow. For now analog isn't holding me back so I think some more iterations and other manufacturers producing hdzero will ultimately be useful l.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

The break up is absolutely different than analog, but now that I am running decent antennas and HDZ is capable of high output powers with the freestyle VTX, it is pretty rare that I get it. The fuzzy sparkle break up that comes before a rainbow screen is usually flyable and comes in pretty predictably so you don't put yourself in a situation to get one of those rainbow screens. I think that as the HDZ goggles come out, and they start open sourcing the firmware, we will see the real appeal of HDZ over other systems...besides the low latency of course, lol. For now, the smart move is absolutely to sit on the fence and watch the market unfold until sometime in quarter 4 of this year unless you have some absolute reasons for wanting to go one way or the other. For me the low latency is really important as my flight style would be a wreck fest without it, but that won't be true in all cases.

[@eatmykwad]

That's rainbow screen out is a deal breaker along with the cost. Let's hope it improves in the future. Also I think it might be an antenna issue where perhaps it need a slightly different design to work with HD zero

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

The rainbow screen is rough for sure...no lie there. I'm sure the cost will come down as stock goes up and other manufacturers adopt the chipset, but i do think that is a long way off at this point. As for antennas designed for HDZero, i am not really sure what can happen there to help it. I do know that the new VRX is supposed to have more RF sensitivity so it should provide a bit more range, but i suspect the rainbow screen will still be a thing regardless. With digital the packet riding on the RF carrier is either a 0 or a 1 and there isn't any gray area for values around that like there is with analog. The ability to do the whole loss of color lock and go to gray snow with some vague since of a picture just doesn't exist in digital. If the packet is corrupt or doesn't reach the VRX that part of the video is just going to be missing :(

[@creationlabsinc.189]

Nice vid man! Keep the content coming. My hdzero system definitely didn’t make the cut to be in my freestyle quads. I fly through way too much concrete/metal ect being in the city. Still looking for a good candidate to use this system in my lineup. Dji I suppose will still remain my goto but holding on to hdzero for future improvements.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Thank you! I know it sounds crazy....but i could feel the variable latency on DJI. Probably because i fly like a cat whacked out on nip, lol.

[@creationlabsinc.189]

@@BaconNinjaFPV some claim that. Was it a 120fps camera? On the 60 fps you definitely feel latency. 120fps for the win! For me it just works. After a few packs or a few sessions you’d adapt but damn the clarity and image quality justifies the subjective latency few profess to feel

[@snap1entertainment]

Have you tryed dji yet?

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

I don't own it, but i have tried it and it for sure wins on image quality. I have a few reasons for not going that route when it comes to my fleet, but image quality and range sure aren't weak when it comes to the DJI system.

[@andreisopon4615]

@@BaconNinjaFPV hi, what would you say the drawbacks are? I'm looking into potentially buying the DJI googles. Thanks.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Honestly comparing the HDZero system with DJI is night and day due to them operating on completely different principals, but here is my quick version of the differences. DJI wins hands down on image quality and penetration, all day. It loses to HDZero on glass to glass latency, RF channel efficiency, weight, and actually making use of MSP OSD to get the BF OSD into your goggles.

[@andreisopon4615]

@@BaconNinjaFPV thank you!

[@RebelGoatFPV]

Thank You! I have been waiting for a good comparison! I wonder how the HDZero would do with the TrueRC patch antenna upgrades on the Shark Byte goggle module? I don't suspect it would make a substantial difference. I also wonder if HDZero could tune their software so that it will drop really dirty frames before sending across the airwaves, at the expense of latency of course.. They know a heck of a lot more than I do on the topic though :D I am really excited to see competition move into the digital market. I know DJI is good, but I just can't seem to buy into that locked "ecosystem".

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

I think a better patch set up would be beneficial for sure! I don't know that it would have helped in test two since I was completely out of their range, but the omni's that come with that TrueRC kit may have helped a bit in that situation as well. I was really just pushing the system to see how bad the breakup could be under sub-optimal conditions since I didn't have tons of space in which to test, lol. I think that any ability for HDZero to do much in the way of frame validation, buffering, or packet replays is pretty much off the table as far as the current generation of the Divimath chipset. They really geared it toward real time ingestion and transmission and it doesn't leave any room for the kinds of processes and storage those methods require. We shall see what happens in the next gen of their chipset though!

[@nerdCopter]

+1👍 crosshairs, pew pew pew saw another persons video had tons of break-up and even rainbow behind building as compared to analog. hope this tech doubles down on quality in the future. i'll keep fling analog for quite awhile. maybe hdzero should review need to double antennae forcing pilots to mount in such a way that there is redundancy.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

lol, im always locked and loaded!

[@andrewut7ya511]

Looks nice but im keeping my rush vtx. Maybe one day ill go digital, but this will be a summer of rush for me. Gonna try a tbs 69 in my cinewhoop but im staying with analog this summer. Looking for some good sales on nice analog goggles.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Nothing wrong with the Rush! If you are going to stick with analog it is absolutely one of the best options on the market. I went with the Skyzone 04L on goggles since they were an economic option to get as many features as possible. Cant beat a dominator style goggle with good DVR, nice optics, focal and IPD adjustment, great button layout, interchangeable face plates, and a mixing module for the $400 mark. I know im probably missing out on OLED, but when HDZero shows off their planned goggle I will be looking at it closely for sure.

[@andrewut7ya511]

@@BaconNinjaFPV ive been using fatshark scouts for a year, and they are actually pretty good but are limited with penetration.sad to see my scouts go but im ready for an upgrade.im gonna look for hdos used, or maybe those skyzones. I think its a good time for me to get some used goggles as everyone is upgrading.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

@@andrewut7ya511 time to hit up FPV exchange and catch a deal!

[@elbedouirayen7938]

The question is it digital killer?

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Do you mean, is this VTX going to take on DJI or do you mean will analog still win out long term? As far as taking on DJI, they are just two completely different systems and there isn't a great way to really compare them and be fair to each system for what it is. I think there is a market for each of them in the digital FPV world, and just two different use cases. If you meant to ask if analog will still beat this out, I think that there is still absolutely a long term market for analog. Eventually capability, quality, and availability will start to push analog out but I think it is going to hold in there for quite some time.

[@elbedouirayen7938]

@@BaconNinjaFPV thank u, u know thinking about a mod to turn my analog goggles to work with digital system as we can do for analog with dji goggles cuz to have both is the solution for me

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

I'd love to hear what you come up with when you get it figured out! If you get something like that working I guarantee people would be after getting their own.

[@scotthendrrix]

I need this in my life....and some bacon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Brownsy67]

Until digital becomes more financially accessible, analog will be here to stay.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

I agree. It has a ways to go in that department until it pushes out cheap ol' analog. I think as manufacturers pick up the chipset and do their own things with it, the supply will go up and competition will drive down prices...or at least I hope it does.

[@FlyingBuzzard]

Vid came across feed and reading the title and a quick answer, NO, non of these HD systems will end analog anytime soon . Analog will be around for decades to come as these HD systems improve or implode depending on the company creating them as we see the shaky questionable methods and products they handle . my 2 cents worth for what it's worth

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

I totally agree with you!! If we don't ever see the analog ADC's become available to make cameras, transmitters, and receivers with, it will keep on kicking as long as people are flying!

[@FlyingBuzzard]

@@BaconNinjaFPV True

666th sub. funny thing is i also have 665 subs right now.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Well now you have 666 man!

[@buddyadkins2432]

You know, I don't monetize my video or do anything with it besides watching it myself. In my opinion, the analog feed is plenty good. Does it have super crisp detail...well NO. Plus, my eyes are not perfect...even when looking at "REAL" with my glasses. But I don't need that to fly. Now, my big issue is the cost of HD...any HD. I just can't justify it. Now, if was doing something with the video, well that would be a different story, but I'm not.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

i totally agree with you. I don't monetize or have any plans to do so, I just really enjoy making all of the videos and like to go back and watch myself fail a bunch of times, lol. I still fly a mix of analog, but find myself going digital with freestyle quads just so I can have more resolution to fly with more proximity. It is absolutely more expensive, but compared to the higher end analog gear I usually use for builds it is only around a $50 difference to go HDZero. I will continue to fly both though, because analog is still great for FPV!

[@Vousie]

So you're comparing 1W HDZero with 1.6W analog... Doesn't matter if the company is evasive about their power output for legal reasons. For the purposes of a comparison test like this - comparing the two systems at the same output power, that doesn't work if *they're not actually the same output power.* So you need to pick an analog VTX that actually *does* only do 1W.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

It has been a while since I did this testing, so I may be a little fuzzy on the details, but I am very sure I used the 1000mw output setting on the Rush to get the playing field equal. It does have a max output mode, but I used the 1W mode for the testing. Now I may have also done some additional testing at max output for each to show how a common analog VTX could output more than HDZ and what that means for range, but it would have been looking at it from a different perspective at that point :)

[@Vousie]

@@BaconNinjaFPV Well, analog making it easier to break the law is not exactly a good thing... So the VTX does actually have a 1 W setting? According to the listing on my nearby store, it's just 800 mW and then "MAX" which for legality they say it's "1W(30dbm) or more power" depending on cooling but it seems it is actually more like 1.6 W?

[@Nerdygeekrcfpv]

HD cool but when it come to whoops , I’m sticking to analog, hd whoops can’t compete with a analog Whoop , to heavy & my analog set up to nice to even worry about HD , now maybe on bigger quads yea I agree HD is much better but when it comes to Whoops , I’m staying analog 😂

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

HD does for sure weigh a bit more, but it all depends on the trade offs I suppose. I still run plenty of analog whoops and really do still love them, but with the HDZ whoop lite stuff you can basically stuff HD in a small quad for an incredibly minimal weight increase. Walksnail is getting close to being in the "light enough" category, but hoping we will see a slightly lighter v2 of that 1S board on their system with a different camera design that can cut it down to analog weight as well. The ultimate in weight savings though is still analog since you can get a happymodel board with everything on it, including the VTX, and shave quite a bit off. Maybe some day we will see something like that in digital, but I imagine that is a loooong ways off.

[@ifeetz7612]

I cannot get video from my hd zero freestyle vtx. The rx and tx wires should only be for OSD correct? I should be getting video as long as vtx is powered up. When I scan for channel, nothing is found. I have carefully followed updating procedures, but I am getting nothing. Do I have a faulty vtx maybe? Any suggestions would help, thanks.

[@BaconNinjaFPV]

Hey!! So usually if you aren't getting anything on the channel scan it is one of three things. First, check the camera cable. If the camera is not connected (or not properly detected because of a bad connection or damaged mipi) the VTX wont output any RF. That one is the usual culprit and may even be worth trying another mipi cable just to be sure of. Outside of that, it could also be the antenna connector although typically that one would still show something on the RF scan it would just be very weak. The last one is having the VTX in 0mw mode by accident. That is pretty easy to do as a simple stick command puts it at 0mw and takes it out of it. You can find the stick command (i believe it is both sticks down and in at the same time for a few seconds) and try that if nothing else seems to be the problem.

[@ifeetz7612]

@@BaconNinjaFPV Thanks for your reply, you are awesome! Listen, I did not have this unit in an actual build yet. I have it powered through a speedybee f405 stack with only a 4s battery. I couldn't have given the freestyle vtx any stick command, since there isn't even a receiver on the FC yet. I did the unlock freestyle zip and got the 3 blue led flashes indicating unlocked. I then updated the freestyle vtx latest regular firmware. The FC is even talking to Betaflight(DEVICE READY:YES), and when I test putting it in pit mode, the vtx begins flashing blue like it should. I have tried 3 different mipi, with 2 different cameras.......and still no channel found in scan! Do you suppose it could have been at 0mw when I received the vtx?