RC Model Reviews

I'm just about to finalize the PCB design for the FPV backpack and I want to know how many folk want to be able to hook up a microphone to the backpack (given that most cheap board-cameras don't have an inbuilt mic)?

The Microphone circuitry will only add a few cents in cost and I can squeeze it into the existing board-space. It would allow you to simply hook up an Electret condenser microphone to deliver the sounds of your model via the video link.

Also, if anyone has any other suggestions, make them now -- before it's too late.

So far, the backpack has:

- a 200mW 5.8GHz transmitter module
- a 9V regulator for most popular video cameras (5V cameras can run from the UBEC)
- a clover-leaf antenna
- a board-type camera (anything from the $17 HK 1/3" CCD to the $52 Sony Super HAD or others

Any other features you need/want?

I am far from entering the FPV arena, but yes sound please. Planning for my future endeavours )

Yes add sound if only adds few cents then its there if you want it.

Yes, you might as well add the electret mic on the board. I suppose a useful OSD is out of the question.

Regards

Christian

kaptain_zero wrote:Yes, you might as well add the electret mic on the board. I suppose a useful OSD is out of the question.

yeah, an OSD pushes the price and complexity up significantly.

If you want an OSD, just mount a voltspy/lipo-monitor on your model -- in front of the camera. For heading, put a small ball-compass there too. I've seen this done by others and it's a really low-tech but effective way to provide an "onscreen display".

Hi Bruce,

I'll be wanting pan/tilt with headtracking for my intended FPV usage (cattle farm recon missons ), but i don't think that will impact on your backpack design plans - i'm assuming that'll be an optional extension left to the user!

Audio would be preferrred in my book too.

Love your work!

I'm in for a mic!
/Håkan

Definitely inc on-board audio, and being the sort of person that likes to have his cake and eat it 2 ... how do you feel about stereo! (Or actually prefer 2 x mono... nothing like the separation of individual sound channels)
By all means shoot me down if you don't agree with my reasoning. I'll explain...

Having an 'ear in the air' can help a lot (I believe anyway) for diagnostic purposes, especially for me being an absolute noob. I really don't want to go thru years of learning that others have had to come by the hard way... experimenting with this, that and the other... then test it again. What the motor sounds like under changing loads, especially I.C. engines... all new to me. When a motor/drive train is playing up, I want to hear it.

Maybe even helpful to have a mic switched on wherever the model is when it's time for that walk of shame! eg. can you hear traffic noise, or wind in the trees, or water...

When I deploy on-board camera for aerial photos it would be nice to hear that sound produced by some cameras that mimic the click of a mechanical shutter... feedback that a photo has been taken is what I'm getting at.

From time to time it could be advantages to listen to the sounds around the model, possibly needing some active noise cancellation but I think it could be done. Sounds of nature, automobile traffic etc. It may be advantageous to NOT go get your model if you can hear somebody yelling obscenities at it! - like an angry farmer?
Anyway, enough of the case to have an on-board mic...

Stereo?
I like the MyFlyDream tracker as the basis for a base station. Especially the 12 slip-ring version... room for expansion! As I understand it, it has to get it's GPS data down-linked over an audio channel. I can't see anyway around this. If I'm missing something, please put me right.
With 1 audio channel already taken for the tracker, none of what I wrote above can be put into effect without a second channel.

Finally Bruce, I see that more powerful tx's are available now, such as "600mw 5.8G video Tx" at BEVRC. Can your backpack supply enough power to cover that, as it's only a matter of time before somebody will want to do it?

So there... my 2c's worth. -

Don't really give a flip about sound, but can't wait for this backpack to become a reality. I've been holding off buying any FPV equipment as I'd like to use the backpack as the heart of my system. When you get the project finalized, will we be able to buy them directly from you, or what is the plan?

Keep up the great work!