Super cheap FPV ground Station with PC monitor

I'm very new to FPV but it was the reason I got into RC fixed wing.  As many of us already know, RC, though dramatically less expensive than a decade ago can still be very pricey, especially if you want to get into FPV.  One of the greatest costs for someone new to FPV is the ground station monitor or goggles.  New FPV pilots often buy a TINY and expensive monitor designed specifically for FPV or vehicle backup camera systems.  A monitor designed specifically for FPV can easily cost more than $150 USD, which for me, was 3 times the cost of the rest of my FPV gear combined. This doesnt have to be the case though, there are other options and I'm going to show you the very cheap option I stumbled upon that not only cuts the cost of a FPV monitor but can also reduce the amount of time and money it takes to make your first FPV ground station.

The parts required for this project go as follows.

• 1x 3 cell LiPo battery 20C (30C bursts) or higher C rating
• 1x car cigarette port/DC power extenter or splitter
• 1x XT60 male connector
• 1x 100w -150w power inverter (too low wont provide enough power and too high you'll puff your battery)
• 1x 6 outlet AC power strip (only 3 outlets are needed but 6 outlets provides space to plug in big adapters)
• 1x RCA to VGA converter
• 1x PC monitor (with AC power and VGA cable)
• 1x LiPo low voltage alarm

Optional (but recommended) parts:

• Foam to cut to shape and make everything fit nicely
• 1x Briefcase (make sure it is big enough to house your monitor)
• 1x power cord 5' long 1" diameter wire loom split tube (makes cable management easier)

The great thing about this particular setup is that you most likely already have all but 1 of the parts.

Parts you are likely to have:

• PC monitor - I have 5 working spare monitors so this was free for me.  If you dont have one available you can usually find an old one at a thrift store or a garage sale for super cheap (I once bought a 26in monitor for $1). Obviously you will also need a power cable and a VGA cable as well.
• Power strip - I suggest one with a power switch built in so that you can power up your inverter before drawing power from it.  I have tons of these lying around but you can get one for about $5 from Staples or Office Depot.
• DC splitter or extender -  I had a splitter for my car and that is what I used but any device that has a female cigarette port will work. These can be found in the electronics bin at any thrift store for nearly $1
• XT60 male connector  - You can use any type of connector you like but I use XT60s and if you need to buy them your best bet is on eBay, I got a pair of 5 for $5 on eBay.
• 3cell Lipo battery -  3cells = 12v so any high capactiy 3cell battery with a C rating higher than 20C will work. Use a battery you trust.
• Power inverter - If you choose to drive to a vacation destination in the USA you most likely have one but if you don't then make sure you get one that is rated for 100w to 150w and DOES NOT have a low voltage cut off.
• LiPo low voltage alarm - You SHOULD be using these on your planes as it is. Buy them on eBay for less than $4.

Parts you are likely to need:

• RCA to VGA converter -  You probably don't have this but luckily it can be bought on eBay for less than $20 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/190596379150) Make sure you get a Video to VGA converter and NOT a VGA to Video converter, there are many more for sale of the kind that you DO NOT want so read carefully.

How to set it up:

First, you need to be able to connect the battery to the rest of the setup so all you need to do it cut off the end of the DC splitter or extender that connects to the car. Identify the Positive and Ground wires (usually the solid black is the ground wire and the wire with the white strip is the Positive wire) then solder the XT60 (or connector of your choosing) to the DC splitter or extender. This is probably the only soldering you will have to do for this setup if your receiver comes with a power adapter.

Now you need to connect everything up:

1. Plug your Inverter into the DC splitter or extender
2. Plug in the power strip to the Inverter
3. Plug in your Monitor, video to VGA converter and Receiver into the power strip.
4. Connect the Receiver to the RCA to VGA converter
5. Connect the monitor's VGA cable to the RCA to VGA converter
6. Make sure the power strip is switched to OFF
7. Connect the LiPo low voltage alarm to the battery
8. Connect the battery to the DC splitter or extender
9. Turn the power strip on and adjust the setting of your devices if needed

Adding audio (Optional)

Parts you will need:

1. RCA male to male Red and white cables 
2. Female RCA to male 3.5mm converter
3. 3.5mm female to female coupler
4. Your choise of headphone or a speaker that uses a 3.5mm jack.

How to set it up:

1. Plug the RCA cable into the RCA red and white output coming from the receiver
2. Plug the RCA to 3.5mm adapter into the RCA cable
3. Plug the 3.5mm coupler into the RCA to 3.5mm adaptor
4. Connect your speaker of headphones to the coupler.

Final thoughts

Pros:

• The monitor is likely much larger than the 4.1", 7" or 10" FPV monitor you would normally have to buy.
• Very little soldering has to be done, usually just the connector on the DC power source.
• Comprised of parts you likely already have.
• Low cost
• Requires very little electrical knowledge

Cons:

• Inefficient, the power comes from a DC source, is inverted to an AC source then each adapter converts back to the DC source.  This process wastes energy and cuts down on total possible running time.
• An inverter without a low voltage cut off is better for this application but is more likely to be of cheaper quality and be less reliable.

Ultimately you can make a better setup than what I have produced for this article but this is the cheapest and easiest place I can think of to start.

Follow the forum post here : http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?10367-Super-cheap-and-simple-FPV-ground-station