FPV Diversity Module Shootout:
LaForge v4
VS
TrueD v3.6
VS
Pro58 with AchilleΣ Plus firmware
VS
RX5808 with AchilleΣ v2 firmware
"THE BEST" diversity receiver module for your FPV Goggles is a term that is very difficult to quantify and to objectively award to a product.
In this series of FPV VRx module testing, I decided to reduce the variables to a minimum and analyze DVR footage like it has not been done before - you can find below a more detailed description of the test rig and methodology.
TEST RIG:
The test rig is hand-made, using mostly wooden and plastic surfaces, mounts and screws. All the wires are the exact same type and length, with the power wires routed separately from the twisted pairs of video wires. The modules are equally spaced and held firmly into place. The omni antennas are all Lumenier AXII, attached via 90 degree adapters and mounted vertically, upright. The patch antennas are all Menace Invader, attached via 45 degree adapters and facing the same way. Also, the exact same DVR units, BECs and L/C filters have been used and the whole rig is powered from a single 4S LiPo battery.
All the modules are on stock settings and were calibrated properly, using a TBS Unify at 25mW, on 5800MHz.
METHODOLOGY:
This test series is split in 3 parts.
- The 1st part is the "Antenna Swap" test, where each set of omni/patch antennas was moved to the next VRx module, after each test run. The test was conducted in an outdoor area, with a quad using a TBS Unify VTx at 25mW, on F4 (5800MHz) frequency.
This 1st part is not only meant to identify the performance of each module, but to also confirm that none of the antenna sets used for these tests have any kind of tendency, advantage or disadvantage, compared to the other sets. For this reason the same configuration was used in Parts 2 and 3. - The 2nd part is the "Outdoor Track" test. The test was conducted in an outdoor area, with various quads, using a TBS Unify or ImmersionRC Tramp v2 VTx at 200mW, with whip antennas most of the time.
- The 3rd part is the "Indoor Track" test. The test was conducted in an indoor area, an underground parking lot, using quads with CP antennas, flying at 200mW.
Thousands of frames have been analyzed and compared via software and then cross-checked manually. Noise and blur data have been collected, organized and "translated" into an easier-to-understand format, in the graphs at the end of the test runs.
PART 1 - Antenna Swap test
NOTES FOR TEST RUN #3:
I was wondering why the Pro58 was struggling in some parts of this flight. After reviewing the footage over and over again, it turns out that the quad was on the far right of the test rig, out of sight of the patch antenna and with the omni of the Pro58 being obscured by all the omni antennas of the other 3 modules and the DVR units. Next to the Pro58 was the True-D, then the RX5808 and last, unobscured, the LaForge.
Number of frames per "quality range" for each module and test run:
(the number next to each module is the antenna set used, from 1 to 4, swapped around from one test to the other)
Average allocation of noise (overall results of all test runs):
PART 2 - Outdoor Track test
NOTES FOR PART 2:
The interference shown in the Bonus Footage was not planned. The test quad was landed and I kept recording in order to compare how much each module could "resist" to the video signal that was transmitted from further away, on the same frequency. The footage cannot be analyzed the same way because the software can only provide sufficient data to measure video quality / breakup - not change of scene.
For those wondering why the Pro58 performed badly in almost every situation, during Part 2 of this test series:
What the data from all the tests "tells" me is that the Pro58’s strong suit is tricky situations with a lot of break-up. This is evident in the results of Part 1 and in the data from Part 3 (indoor track with CP antennas on the quads).
There were very few instances of this kind during the test runs of Part 2 and with such a small sample I cannot bring you conclusions based on data. This is why the noise levels in the comparison charts are much lower than Part 1, essentially nit-picking even the smallest of breakups, discolorations and other artifacts in the video feed (which are already exaggerated due to the DVR recording and would often be unnoticeable in the goggles). In this scenario the Pro58 performed worst of all the modules and this is clearly evident just by watching the footage.
Part 3 was conducted in an "RF mayhem" environment: an indoor parking lot full of cement columns and reflective surfaces.
Number of frames per "quality range" for each module and test run:
Average allocation of noise (overall results of all test runs):
PART 3 - Indoor Track test
NOTES FOR PART 3:
The test was conducted in an indoor, underground parking lot, full of cement surfaces, with various quads. Most of the time there were at least 2 quads powered on. In this scenario, multipathing and reflection of signals definitely had a party - and that was the whole purpose of this test. The distances are fairly short but the signals are bouncing all over the place until they land on the antennas of the modules.
The settings on all the modules are stock settings. I am aware that lowering the "switching speed" would probably produce different results but for the sake of consistency everything remained exactly the same in all the 3 parts of this test. Changing the settings of the modules can introduce variables that have unlimited combinations, all of which cannot be tested. It is something I am considering doing, though, in the upcoming tests, following advice from the manufacturers specifically for each scenario.
Keep in mind that the results of one run are not meant to be directly compared to another run. Using different quads with different setups creates different "baselines" for the analysis of each test run. This is why in order to summarize I do not simply add all the noisy frames of each module but calculate how the noise is allocated (%) among the modules.
Number of frames per "quality range" for each module and test run:
Average allocation of noise (overall results of all test runs):
RELATED LINKS:
How to do the OSD mod and flash AchilleΣ Plus on the Pro58 receiver module
How to flash AchilleΣ v2 on the RX5808 Pro and the RX5808 Pro Plus receiver modules
Fatshark HD3 Core FPV goggles power button and fan mods (feat. FuriousFPV True-D v3.6)
How to install UBAD LaForge V4 on Fatshark HD3 Core FPV goggles:
CREDITS: Huge thanks to
KokoblokoFPV for his mad piloting and his patience: https://goo.gl/gxK4Z9
Hoonigan for his LaForge v4: https://goo.gl/No5Szz
TonyFPV for his True-D v3.6 and Menace Invader: https://goo.gl/zXNBYv
Hobbytrip.gr for the AXII antennas: https://goo.gl/KxzUJ4
TsirosFPV for his Menace Invaders: https://goo.gl/rjLM3q
Lee13 for his Menace Invaders: https://goo.gl/b6PQsF
PRODUCT LINKS:
If you like my content and want to support the channel, you can use the affiliate links below. I get a small kickback from some of these stores if you decide to buy something and it costs nothing extra to you.
Thank you in advance!
UBAD LaForge v4:
https://goo.gl/WsG2Li (UBAD)
https://goo.gl/ofDA6S (Ebay)
https://goo.gl/86vttb (Drone-FPV-Racer)
https://goo.gl/tGGoA9 (GetFPV)
Eachine Pro58:
https://goo.gl/fFKU2n (Banggood)
https://goo.gl/YUDPzc (Ebay)
https://goo.gl/3WFNQ7 (Banggood)
FuriousFPV True-D v3.6:
https://goo.gl/fNNeXA (FuriousFPV)
https://goo.gl/Dy1rge (Banggood)
https://goo.gl/NfywvJ (Banggood)
https://goo.gl/JwWgCw (Ebay)
https://goo.gl/WRUrpo (HobbyKing)
Realacc RX5808 Pro Plus:
https://goo.gl/YDSFQm (Banggood)
https://goo.gl/xB4YzB (Ebay)
https://goo.gl/xRo27X (Banggood)
AchilleΣ firmware website:
You can also tip my 'piggy bank' via PAYPAL, here: https://goo.gl/gqrYuh
or click / save these convenient BOOKMARKS in your browser and use them to visit the websites, before purchasing new goodies:
- BANGGOOD (opens the RC Toys & Hobbies category, showing the Newest products): https://goo.gl/R4TceG
- GEARBEST (opens the Toys & Hobbies R/C category, showing the Newest products): https://goo.gl/wwTJwt
- EBAY (the shortlink has to be bookmarked): https://goo.gl/gFRdy5
- FPVMODEL (newest products): https://goo.gl/zmPxbf
- HORUSRC (main page): https://goo.gl/n2fJDq
A huge THANK YOU in advance for your support!
Enjoy !
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