The HDZero Goggle review: Why are they so versatile? I'll show you

[@ReggieRailSystems]

WOW! I am speechless, excellent overview beyond words. However, the whole system is just absolutely unbelievable, I would love to have one but time will tell to see what the first is going on here in the US

[@CurryKitten]

Thanks Bob - still hoping the RID debacle gets put in the trash

[@echobeefpv8530]

First rate review and conclusions, I was waiting for this ! I would love to see how you feel about them in 6 months or so of use. Thanks, great video !!

[@CurryKitten]

Well, I'll try and post an update as the plan is to replace my current analog goggles with these (as well as using them for HDZero and Open.HD)

[@Nspecthergadget2010]

Very helpful. I've been looking that the goggle for sometime now. It's nice to see everything it can do. Thanks

[@CurryKitten]

No problem 👍

[@GhostRyderFPV]

I agree with you 100%, in calling these goggles the most versatile HD goggle available, (simply because they support HDMI input). I find it mind-boggling that this feature was left out of the Walksnail/FatShark goggles; if they want pilots to cross over from analog (which they obviously do with the Walksnail External Receiver) you'd think their goggles would support an external analog VRx? So frustrating, as I think WS would be the best protocol for my fleet of quads, planes, and cars. Thanks for the in-depth dive into the HDZero goggles, if I only had a fleet of quads I'd definitely be onboard with these, as it stands the WS goggle is on Banggood for $480, vs $599 for the HDZ's... so conflicted!

[@CurryKitten]

I do feel it's a massive oversight as well. I love the picture I get from Walksnail, but Ive a lot of analog stuff as well and multiple pairs of goggles are a pain. Presumably that USB-C port is a general purpose IO port, could HDMI in be added at some point? I don't know

[@miquelmarti6537]

There is no more place in that case to mount a module. Take into account that WS/DJI protocols need to send/recieve, thus the bigger guts.

[@aadharsh1094]

It's because it can support 1080p and take a analog module

[@solongbattlestar]

Get the Walksnail VRX. I have both and I love flying the HDZero on whoops and back yard 3.5in or less. Then the Walksnail is on the 5in park flyer and a 75 whoop. I am not a latency snob but I do recover crashes or bumps more with HDZero than Walksnail. I've noticed this on my whoops in the house.

[@CurryKitten]

That tallies with what I'm thinking. That really close tight spaces is where that difference in latency can make a difference with you crashing... or not.

[@andrebullitt7212]

"MXK FPV Goggles Faceplate Fabric Sponge Pad Replacement for Skyzone Sky04/SKY03 (Blue)" is a great upgrade.

[@unofficialfuture3120]

Great review thanks!

[@SmoHuffmister]

I am sure you know by now but, but you can turn the audio off in the analog vrx and dont worry about the noise anymore.

[@CurryKitten]

Yes indeed - I've got into the habit of using a mic with the goggles to do live commentary as well - which is also much nicer than the VTX noise :)

[@Robert-ug8uu]

Will you be having a video using WSnail VRX on HDZero goggles? I almost bought some HDZero goggles but WS has an AIO goggle coming next month.

[@CurryKitten]

No - I don't have the VRX, just the main WS goggles. Typical they bring new ones out just as I get mine :D I think it's worth holding on any buying until we know what features they might have

[@RookieRay]

Picked up HDZERO during Black Friday for 495 to get into racing. Seems like there’s no a lot of info on yt for which antennas to get. Any advice?

[@CurryKitten]

The good news there is that unlike WalkSnail and DJI that tend to use left hand polarized antennas with some also transmitting, the HDZero's aren't fussy about it. It kind of makes sense to stick 2 nice long omnis on the top and to patches on the front. My normal goto's here are the MenaceRC antennas, but I don't have any spare for this one, which is why I ended up with 2 RushFPV Cherry antennas (which are very good) and some random FOxeer patches, which seem ok. Generally go for you fave FPV antennas that you'd use on regular analog goggles, and do the same on your models

[@dcdk1525]

Many thanks Mr. Your viD was very insightful 4 me. I am the guy U mentioned, the newcomer 2 the hobby who chose this goggle. I have subscribed U, warm greets from Denmark. Casper

[@CurryKitten]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jamesmason7124]

Hello from New Mexico USA. I'm new to the hobby, I've been told that it's a great treatment for PTSD, witch is good because the pills don't work for me. I have no investment in FPV gear yet and have been thinking about getting the HDzero goggles, the only thing holding me back is the price because I am on a very fixed income of 300 dollars US a month so it will take a long time for me to save up enough money for them unless I can find them used. I'm disabled and can't work anymore ( which sucks). I think my first purchase is going to be the red Radiomaster Boxer Max, the battery and a Sim so I can practice. What is your recommendation?

[@CurryKitten]

Hi there. Yes, lots of people fly a drone to assist with their mental health. I don't know if it works for everyone, but hey it's worth a try. If you are starting on a budget, I'd go for something like the RadioMaster Pocket and a Sim for starters. If you are going to do analog you might find used Fatshark goggles for pretty cheap prices, or even cheaper if you look at box-type goggles. Whoops are a great thing to start off on - as they are fairly cheap and you can fly them indoors

[@MCsCreations]

Fantastic flying and review, Wayne! 😃 I was thinking about getting the HDZero goggles and the Walksnail VRX, but the latency gets a bit worse... I was hoping they could fix it, but nothing until now. But I can't buy anything right now either way, so I can wait I guess. 😬 Who knows if Walksnail makes a v2 goggles with all the inputs... Right? We can dream. 😬 Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@CurryKitten]

Shame there's no one set of goggles that does everything you want. I knew the frame rate was less when using the Walksnail VRX, but I didn't know latency was worse. How much worse is it?

[@MCsCreations]

@@CurryKitten I think the frame rate isn't a problem, but the latency is basically the same with any other analog goggle. Around 50 milliseconds, if I'm not mistaken.

[@serval_fpv]

Fantastic flying lol he hit nearly every obstacle in the house 🤣

[@renatomarciano15]

Wayne, sorry if my poor english dont let me understand if the answer is already in your video, but the HDZero Goggle can make simultaneously HDMI In and Out? thanks for the video!

[@CurryKitten]

No it can't. HDMI is a one way thing on these goggles, so although there is an HDMI in and Out port, you can't use it a a passthrough

[@RyanQuellet]

Nice review - so many features it is hard to cover it all. For analog dvr, turn off audio output on the rapidfire itself and you wont hear static

[@sarahdaviscc]

Any news on firmware to reduce latency from HDMI in from WS Avatar VRX?

[@CurryKitten]

Thanks for this - I didn't know that was an option, I'll check it out!

[@CurryKitten]

I wasn't aware of a latency issue from the WS VRX - but a number of people have pointed it out, so I'll look out for any updates

[@sarahdaviscc]

Thanks and thanks for the awesome review!

[@RyanQuellet]

@@sarahdaviscc flash the 1080p30 hdmi fix firmware I posted on discord and facebook

[@dirtydogfpv6905]

i run walksnail on my hdzero goggels screens and fans work better i have been trying to get wireless tracking working but no joy if you can get it working that video would be grate

[@CurryKitten]

I did notice wireless tracking was being played with when I tried the wired version, I'll have to give it a test and see if I can get it working!

[@dirtydogfpv6905]

@@CurryKitten i dont thik it has been dun yet as can only find 1 video but ist a short and in forren lol

[@winder6]

Most excellent review.

[@CurryKitten]

Thanks muchly :)

[@OnelastgoTV]

I've got a meteor75pro analog, will these goggles work out the box? or do i need some sort of module?

[@CurryKitten]

No - you'll need the HDZero expansion module which will allow you to connect up an analog module... along with an analog module to put in it

[@OnelastgoTV]

@@CurryKitten ahh ok gotcha thanks for the help!

[@AsaFPV]

what are the goggles you used that had 1080p

[@CurryKitten]

These will do 1080p, but you are probably thinking about the WalkSnail goggles, although I generally run them in 720p for a higher frame rate

[@AsaFPV]

@@CurryKitten weren't there ones u mentioned that did 1080 for like openhd and that

[@TakeItToTheGround]

I'd like to thank you for your review but I can't. I am now stuck and unable to make a decision on which path to go. DJI, Walksnail or HDZero. All have advantages & dis-advantages. HDzero - Analog, 1s VTX's. 3rd best HD. Low latency, poor range. DJI - well just stellar HD. No 1S vtx. Analog via av input. Walksnail - 2nd best HD. 1S vtx's no analog. Bloody annoying that they all make competing products by not competing. 😩

[@CurryKitten]

Yes, annoying isn't it. There is no 1 goggle to rule them all. I do see the Walksnail has revealed a silhouette of something that looks like new goggles. The rumour mill is saying "they have included a way to get analog" - so perhaps if that's there and it's HDZero levels of latency, then that will be something

[@3nertia]

Welcome to capitalism; Profits over People! :/

[@EnglishTurbines]

Versatile yes...I was more impressed by that very expensive Rapidfire VRX if Im honest though...Since going digital, Ive had very little desire to go fly analougue again though..Its why I opted for Walksnail.. I couldn't live with the constant breakup from HDZero...😳😳🤔🤔🇬🇧

[@CurryKitten]

It is interesting what your brain learns to filter. Yep, HDZero foes absolutely break up a lot, but it was hard to notice after a few packs. As I said I do prefer the picture from Walksnail, but I've got to be impressed by the HDZero goggles, they do a lot!

[@EnglishTurbines]

@@CurryKitten Agreed, they are feature rich. I think they made too much emphasis on ultra low latency during marketing this product. Rather than showing its versatility...What's the maximum IPD of these goggles?...🤔🤔😳

[@meffyfpv]

Nice review 🔥 🔥

[@CurryKitten]

Thanks 💯

[@JDDupuy]

I have all the systems. I rate them in order best to worst. DJI, Walksnail then HD Zero. I have a batch 1 and batch 2 HD Zero goggles. HD Zero releasing the new more compact Freestyle VTX is great news. I don't grab the HD zero fleet as often as I do the others. Maybe this is the downside of flying all 3 HD systems.

[@CurryKitten]

Trying to imagine the logistical nightmare of taking 3 quads out and needing 3 pairs of goggles :) Do you think you might consolidate onto a single system at some point?

[@KOrnhOliO1]

Sheesh! 🙄

[@JDDupuy]

I turned 62 this year and the spice of life is variety. I have 3 separate Torvol bags set-up and just grab and go. Have a fleet of 45 drones and several planes. Running a large company cuts into my free time but I still manage to fly at least 3 times a week. Been flying since 1976 and technology and flying is still in my blood flowing. @@CurryKitten

[@jbengineering2681]

The latency on dji is good even better with the new googles

[@CurryKitten]

It's good yes, but at it's best it's twice the latency of HDZero or analog. It depends what you want to do - for racers, latency is everything, for freestyle flying it's less of a concern (unless you are going through very tight trees/bandos - where a variable latecy rate can be a challenge)

[@keithcarpenter5254]

Open source, and open wallet too! More than hdo2s, orcas, and very nearly, by the time you've put a module for analogue, and some antennas on the in dji 03 territory! 😮 Impressively low latency though, i have to say, but you're at nearly a grand for a full set up with a couple of vtxs!😢😢

[@CurryKitten]

Well, Open Source in some bits, but not all. Yes - these goggles are very expensive, but that said, it's the same if you buy DJI or WalkSnail and add in a few VTX's. It's kind of why I think analog will still be around even when digital is widely available

[@KOrnhOliO1]

But is it really about how versatile they are, or it's it about how good the performance is, and the VALUE for our dollars? Try flying the HDZero goggles around the corner of a solid building. They'll get about 20 feet and you'll get the infamous rainbow 🌈 screen of death ☠️💀! Complete loss of picture! Twenty feet. Then, try Walksnail. You'll get around that corner, and probably the next corner, and you may get all the way around the entire building. It depends on the building and other conditions, but it'll do damn good. Lastly, fly with DJI. Use either the Vista or 03, it doesn't matter. You'll fly past that first corner and have no distortion to the crystal clear image at all. Go past the second corner, and all the way around, and again, depending on all of the condition of that location and building, you'll probably be able to fly completely around the building. Often, without any distortion to the image at all, or possibly a little pixelation for a few seconds and then right back to crystal clear. 03 will most likely fly completely around with no distortion at all. Next, fly around a big grove of trees. A forest. With HDZero you'll get a little ways around or through and bam 💥 rainbow 🌈 screen of ☠️💀 ! It won't be very far that you'll get, it depends on how thick the forest is. But you certainly can't fly through the forest, or around. Walksnail will do like it did with the building. Damn good! DJI will most likely fly completely around OR through the forest and depending on how thick it is, probably won't have any degradation of image quality at all. Now, if you race, HDZero is great! Because it has the least latency, it's great for racing in that completely open field racers race in. Besides that, it performs almost exactly like analog, except much sharper. Not as sharp as Walksnail or DJI, but sharper than analog. They'll be lots of snow just like analog. That's why it has the nickname of Analog2. So, do you want to pay $600 for essentially A sharper analog? Go for it. Many would rather pay HALF THAT and get a like new set of DJI V2 goggles, typically under $300, and have analog as a great option, plus the very best of everything FPV has to offer, but racing. Best reliability by far, durability by far, and penetration of objects so you can fly where you've never dreamed of flying before! Like right through a dense forest, very slowly navigating past every little scraggle and ghost branch out through the other side! Same with a tree, fly right into a huge tree and out the other side. HDZero can't even enter either the forest or the tree. Not enough detail. You decide how you want to spend your money. But be very careful buying HDZero as it's expensive and a prominent reviewer has given up on HDZero because every single one of their VTX's that he purchased, and there were many, died and he got sick of buying more! So, durability isn't good. And, worst of all, the difference between what analog gives you and what HDZero gives you is close. With the other two digital systems, IT'S VASTLY BETTER. What you get for your dollars spent is gigantic with those other two. Not much difference for all that money between HDZero (Analog2) and analog. 🤏 Best of luck.

[@CurryKitten]

... which is why there's no One-goggle-to-rule-them-all. As mentioned I personally prefer the picture on Walksnail, but there's plenty of aspects there I don't like (lack of analog, stupid 5-way joystick) and DJI... well, I just don't trust them and their ability to keep making VTXs for their older goggles. The HDZero goggles are versatile, which was the point of this video. In terms of how they cope with trees and things, I'll be taking that whoop out into the woods and seeing how it does

[@KOrnhOliO1]

@@CurryKitten If you ask around, virtually no one has ever had a defective Vista or 03 VTX. At least not a factory, non naked one. So, let's say you own a pair of V2 goggles. All you have to do is buy as many Vistas/03's as you think you want quads equipped with, and you're pretty much done. Defects are rare. Failares are rare. So, you still want to be sure, buy a couple of spares to keep around just in case. With a 120FPS Runcam Link starting at $140 USD, it's not like they are much more than GOOD QUALITY analog VTX's with good cameras. Sure, a little. So, you now have enough VTx's for as many quads as you feel you'll need....plus, you played it safe and got two spares. Why do you care one bit If they stop making VTX's for your model of goggles. They been described as near bullet proof by several prominent reviewers! You have all of your quads covered and spares just sitting there. You can probably fly for the NEXT DECADE and not have a single one fail, but you have those spares if they do. I don't see your concern. All products have an end of life. Smartphones only last a year and they're discontinued and they cost a TON more than a DJI VTX. Same with all other products and most of those other products aren't described as bullet proof by many who use them all the time, and hear from many who do the same. DJI makes BY FAR the best quality gear that also lasts the longest and has BY FAR the least defects. They also perform BY FAR the best. I know you're not a hater, but your concern is not too valid, and they've already supported every digital goggle they've made since they came out with digital! The V1 goggles still work great with the Vista and the Runcam link, and they came out July 31st, 2019 !!! In the rapid, fast pace of new gear in FPV, what more would you want or expect? 🤔🤷‍♂

[@M-H433]

Thanks for those Novels,greatly appreciated 😂

[@KOrnhOliO1]

@@M-H433 I get so tired of seeing and hearing soooo much hype about HDZero when the performance and reliability of the product doesn't hold a candle to Walksnail and DJI, it's actually not even close, except specifically for racing in an open field, which HDZero is the best at.

[@M-H433]

@@KOrnhOliO1 yes that's the impression I get as well.

[@noisy_boi_fpv_3920]

Really though the latency isn’t an issue with dji 03 I fly at pretty high speeds and get myself into some scrapes often. The latency drum we all keep banging really isn’t an issue. I really can’t help thinking they look like a 3d printing project some one knocked up. Great review though

[@CurryKitten]

I get you - we all get used to what we fly... and I haven't really noticed the latency in Walksnail... unless I get into a situation where it suddenly jumps to 100ms+ for a few frames (hopefully that won't happen now I've got focus mode on). I think for normal flying it's more akin to how I felt when I flew a quad on SBUS, and then flew that same quad 2 minutes later on Crossfire. I didn't feel there was any latency before, but then I felt what it could be like. As I said, each of the goggles has their own pro's and con's. Unless we could literally pick and choose features of all 3 HD goggles, there will never be a best one for all occasions

[@ernieschatz3783]

Is there a geographic line you cross where "aich" becomes "haich" and vice versa😅

[@CurryKitten]

I think there are probably multiple geographic lines where you'll get variations on the haich :)

[@brightontilifly]

I watched this

[@CurryKitten]

Well done you!

[@Birbal2001]

I owned 6 diferent FPV goggles so far and these are the most overpriced I have seen. I am sure they are nice when you get them for free but certainly is not worth the price

[@CurryKitten]

Goggles are the most expensive single piece of equipment that an FPV pilot has to buy, and right now the biggest pain is that in HD you have to make a choice: HDZero, DJI or WalkSnail. Each pair of goggles is expensive, but that's what you have to pay to get the best experience in HD. So yes, these are expensive and whilst I use them 90% of the time for analog, if you want to fly HDZero, this is about it for standalone goggles.

[@Birbal2001]

@@CurryKitten I am not saying that are bad, just overpriced for what they are. The are more expensive than DJI goggles and those are some premium quality. Is true that DJI doesn't have HDMI or supports analog modules but can't really see why HDZero are so expensive.

[@jbengineering2681]

Analog is better looking then the hdzero

[@CurryKitten]

Whilst I would sometimes call HDZero "Analog+" It's better looking - if you fly them back to back you would easily see the difference. I think the noise is more disruptive that the more subtle effect you get on analog - but you do tend to tune things out like this very easily.