Why analogue FPV is good enough for me - DVR flight footage

Unless you have money to burn, it's a good idea to start out with much less expensive analogue FPV gear. Here's what I use. This was a good example of DVR quality in difficult lighting conditions, including flying into the sun, and moving from shade to sunlight. Flew early morning before high of 40c (104f) for the day.
Broadcast from an Eachine VTX02 200mW to a Rapidfire Diversity receiver and recorded on a Skyzone SKY04X V1 FPV DVR on the ground. Gives me a good record to review if the quadcopter hosting a GoPro 7 Black fails to make it back to base. Ground tests confirm that range without severe image snow exceeds line of sight by a considerable margin. The camera was an Eachine White Snake, but I get similar quality with any FPV camera.

[@xjet]

Analog for the win! I have all the video systems (DJI, Walksnail, HDZero, analog) and half my flying is done with analog. There's something visceral about analog that makes digital seem too "clinical" some of the time. I also really prefer analog when flying at the limits of range or in areas where there might be obstructions because it is far more reliable in the way it handles signal fade. Great video, thanks for reminding people about the benefits of analog!

[@skybug3]

Apart from equipment fail or massive interference, I like getting a warning with a bit of snow when the signal is getting weak. Not a fan of having numbers all over the screen when I fly, but quite like the simplicity of bars from the RapidFire module. Having GoPro footage to look forward to after the flight is also fun.

[@divingfalconfpv4602]

Yea and the fake it comes back instantly. Not a 15 second wait

[@axemanarbor]

That kind of flying could be done with an $250 second hand mavic with the white goggles and even the 4k footage off the screen recording is great . You know its like being out in the surf . As long a your out there and not at home o n the lounge . Its all good 👍

[@skywalkerallan1877]

Good enough for FPV for sure, remarkable really its distance holding together without brake up.

[@skybug3]

Often get a brief image breakup, but not this time. Main suspect for interference is flying through a microwave beam, or a power surge from a cell tower.

[@PERTHWESTOZRC]

Yes analog fpv is good enough for me also, I have so many cameras, receivers and antennas I've purchased over the years to have a decent fpv system, plus they have lower latency than digital fpv. Nice flight David

[@skybug3]

Thanks Dave! It is so easy to spend a lot of money and have a house full of junk with this hobby! However, I've learnt so much over the years tweaking drones - got to be good for an aging brain ... 🤣😂🤣

[@divingfalconfpv4602]

Yea i have DJI, walksnail, HDZero , and analog. I was thinking going to analog again for my long range cause the 5w and 10w vtx. I have been thinking slowly switching other DJI quads to walksnail though

[@henrirotthier5710]

I fly all my drones (15+) on analog. They all give me really great video feed without much interference. On some I've added small capacitors on the voltage input to get the image super clean. If one fails or I lose a drone. No problem, they are so cheap

[@skybug3]

I agree. One reason I put this video up was to demonstrate the quality possible after seeing too many grainy, flickering examples from other flyers. I suspect putting the video feed through a flight controller to add a text overlay on the image contributes to the poor quality in some cases. I'm happy getting audio prompts for low battery and weak control signal conditions.

[@andrewut7ya511]

Yup, i still fly all analog fpv. It looks fine and its fast and cheap

[@skybug3]

And reliable - usually get a bit of snow as things are going wrong 😅

[@kurtzFPV]

I still prefer digital but get plenty of analog flights in my quads that I attempt to race and my whoops. Probably fly 60% analog at least because of this. The race quads because I am not very good yet and crash a lot. Analog is cheaper to replace, plus it plays nice with multiple people flying at once. And I prefer the better performance of whoops with analog. Once I take off, I seldom think about which system I am using.

[@skybug3]

Find that simple fpv cams last longer. Problems with pin connectors and cables with more complex gear. Split systems with lots of fine wires didn't last long for me.

[@CloneTechDrones-619]

I think analog is great for the snowy signal fade as a warning versus the DJI digital freeze image, BUT ever since DJI FPV went out in the market, it blocks analog channels, even when on a different 5GHZ frequency. It seems on analog, you have to be on the very opposite side of the spectrum to avoid getting blocked out by DJI FPV digital.

[@skybug3]

When I used to fly with a Phantom or Mavic drone up at the same time, I would fire up my drone first. The dji drones seem to have the "smarts" to seek out frequencies away from the fixed 2.4 and 5.8 channels and frequencies I use with my drones. These days I fly with only one other dji phantom user, and we take it in turns to operate our drones.

[@FPVisnotacrime]

I keep flying analog, can't be bothered to carry 2 goggles with me, when I'm out flying. In addition, digital is VERY expensive here, and hard to find locally. Plus, I like my stuff light, therefore less noisy, I try to avoid too much attention

[@skybug3]

Big fan of quiet drones - I've seen some strong reactions to sound of a dji Phantom. 🥴

[@FPVisnotacrime]

@@skybug3Tiny and quiet is great, many people look at something like that, think "toy", and ignore it.

[@JPspinFPV]

Digital looks far better through the goggles, this is well known. After struggling with constant Avatar hardware failures and less than stellar range performance I simply can't justify spending any more money on the system. Every single VTX and VRX has let me down within 20 flights, simply unacceptable.

[@MrBornenjap]

So the key here is the rapidfire and the decent goggles. No matter what your VTX ? I'm new in this hobby, already have TBS Unify Pro 32 HV and Caddx ratel 2, but is not as good as yours.. (I'm using DJI goggles V2 with Speedybee adapter module).

[@skybug3]

That has been my experience. Another important thing I've found is to mount antennas vertically on drones and receivers on the ground. Just setting up my first RadioMaster ELRS system with T style antennas. Interested to see how it goes.

[@BrainDeadEngineering]

I cut my teeth on analog , I'm happy , not sure I will ever afford the HD stuff . But one thing l have learned , thrashing to get best quality was by accident. I learned the video quality is at the mercy of the FC . I have just done 2 builds with a couple matek systems FC, the video quality is quite stunning . I think runcam cams are the ticket also .

[@skybug3]

Interesting. With my Bugs3 FCBs, there is no interaction with the FPV video, apart from taking a 5v feed. Now I'm building using a SpeedyBee F405 V3 FCB, my first build will just take the 5v feed, without overlaying text on the display. That may come later.

[@thirtythreeeyes8624]

@@skybug3 NO please hook up OSD it's not complicated at all one wire in from camera one wire out to VTX.

[@fpvcruzer]

Really stunning analog video. I will have to look up what a ground station is.

[@skybug3]

@@fpvcruzer A ground station is any receiver on the ground that picks up the video broadcast from the drone. It can be displayed on a screen like the dji system, or on goggles . In some places, controlling the drone while wearing goggles is against a local law.

[@MrBornenjap]

@@skybug3 if you have any time maybe you could make more videos about how to setup your ground station currently used. Thanks in advance 🤝

[@vs123]

Very goods

[@skybug3]

Thanks!

[@ror-ys3qp]

No way DJI for me. Used analog for many years

[@ror-ys3qp]

So are we seeing the gopro video?

[@skybug3]

Put up the next day! kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4S4pYKGrZKmptU 😃

[@ror-ys3qp]

​@skybug3 sorry do not like riddles. Would rather see equip used than flying pretty pictures.

[@plop386]

yeah DJI is kinda like apple once you are in it you have to buy dji.. luckily there is a open source HD over ip who's started not so long ago. we will be free of dji copyrighted shit :)

[@skybug3]

I have a long history of preferring open systems. I run Linux on our PCs, use an Android phone and appreciate mixing and matching gear to build drones that suit me. I have drones I fly after years sitting on display. they just work - no requirement to update software or parts unless I decide to upgrade them. However, dji has allowed a lot of people to get into drones, and helps hold back the worst of government control that would like to ban personal use, so they can sell the air space to commercial operators.

[@plop386]

@@skybug3 open source project will allways be faster then compagnies one. because you have the whole world who can work on it. and there is no secret files. wherehas with dji shit you have to rely on R&D and his cost. i feel you man :) everyone laught at me in france when i use my analog and tell dji is a shity closed ecosystem :) and also let's not forget DJI = china. so who know what they put in the software :) it's not like china is spying on the world :D sorry for the broken english.

[@RalphSkyView]

Nowadays you van buy third party VTX's if you have a DJi goggle. You can use original DJI airunit, but also CADDX Vista, Runcam link, Runcam link wasp etc.

[@skywalkerallan1877]

1.6k views!

[@ChaddyFPV]

Analog has low latency.

[@skybug3]

A big advantage if flying fast and/or in tight spaces.