Video Needed: Your Android tablet displaying "good" video

Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Messages
73
Reaction score
29
Age
54
Location
Houston, Texas
I'm new to these forums but have been involved in multirotors and LR video/FPV for several years, and was using EzUHF for control and 1.3 for video, which of course is almost as good as it can get.

I had friends get interested who got Phantoms, etc...and I scoffed at the WiFi aspect of those products. Now I've got a Solo (and I flew Pixhawk before) and am having a really hard time understanding what is "typical" video performance on a tablet.

I've made some posts elsewhere that sound a bit fussy, but it is just because I'm not sure if my system is working correctly or my expectations are just too high.

I'm using a brand new solo on the latest firmware, etc. GoPro Hero 3+.I've used stock antennas and FPVLR, and have a brand new Galaxy Tab 4 with only 3DR Services and Solo App installed. hostpad.conf mod NOT done.

I have these issues:
- latency. I now understand that there is latency in digital video. That part I can get over.
- Choppy/ jerky/stuttering video. This is killing my experience. Whether I'm watching cars go by while still on the ground or in the air, flying by watching the screen is really difficult and I'm flying slow. This is not FPV racing. Just basic flight. And I'm a very experienced FPV pilot, so it's not at all a weird or new experience. In other words, it's not smooth. If it were just latency, the video would be smooth but always 200 ms behind. This is not what I'm seeing. I'm seeing very regular, very short but consistent stuttering.

In other forums, I've been told basically "this is just how it is" but surely it is not this way, and I think I wasn't totally explaining the choppy/jerky part as well.

So -- what would really help me would be for somebody who feels their video is great to post a video of their tablet video, as in use an iPhone or whatever to video an Android tablet, so I can see if it's the same as the video I've gotten consistently for every flight I've made.

The only other thought, which would be a real bummer, is that a new Galaxy Tab 4 just isn't fast enough to do the work. But I can't believe this would be the case, as the device compatibility lists don't ever mention "works, but poor video performance" as it would seem that this would be mentioned.

Thoughts / comments?
 
Last edited:
I'm having issues with mine too, been dealing with support for 3 weeks now I was told it is normal but I don't believe it. I installed my gimbal yesterday and the lag/choppy video is more noticeable. I'm going to send a video to support today and see what they say.
 
I'm having issues with mine too, been dealing with support for 3 weeks now I was told it is normal but I don't believe it. I installed my gimbal yesterday and the lag/choppy video is more noticeable. I'm going to send a video to support today and see what they say.
Thanks -- please let me know, surely we're not crazy. :)
 
Thanks, Rich. As this issue has existed in literally every place I've tested it (home, park #1 and park#2 and work), I don't think this is a localized issue. It's sytematic...
 
I can say that when close to the Solo, like a few feet from it, I'm impressed with the video latency and quality. This is using my Galaxy Tab S2.

When using a much slower Android tablet, I was NOT very impressed, but it was good enough to line up photo shots, which is what Solo was designed for.

The next time I fly with my Tab S2, I'll try to notice if there is significant break up, etc. Unfortunately I don't have an easy way to record the S2 video, or what it sees on the screen. Also I don't have an HDMI recorder, so I can't record the HDMI output of the controller.

My guess is that the data flow to the Solo takes precedence over video downlink. but I could be wrong. Video is only used to setup and frame shots. The video is always recorded directly on the GoPro, so some break up in the downlink is ok, as long as we can setup shots IMHO.

In general, I think digital video links show dropouts and problems more easily than analog links. Analog links generally get snowy, and noisy, but we (as humans) can look through the analog noise easier. Perhaps the digital frame drops and breakups are more disruptive to our brains than the normal analog noise?
 
Brief update: The HDMI out is fine. It's the tablet that's the problem. Made a video and will upload it or a link soon. Considering nVidia shield or Tab S2. I'm tired of fussing with this so I'm gonna use a hammer. Hopefully it'll be better.
 
I am willing to bet most of these issues are phones and tablets loaded up with apps running in the background
I have two devices, a note 4 that is my daily phone and therefore has the usual apps, facebook news email, etc etc, and a Brand new G4 with as much disabled as I can get no apps installed except solo, 3dr services, tower, wifi analyzer and hover
The note 4 occasionally has video feed problems where I have to reboot the app, the G4 never has video issues, its perfect.
BTW I do NOT record to camera roll on either device, seems useless to me since I am recording UHD to my sd card. Unless you have some reason to rush video to the internet I just dont get it
 
So far, I've tried factory new Asus MemoPad 7, Galaxy Tab 4, Tab A 8", and soon will try an S2.

Short version is each step gets BOTH less latency AND smoother. The Tab A is pretty good but I'm spoiled as far as aerial video is concerned, so my next test will be S2 and maybe a Shield.
 
Might try an Asus Zentab as well. Its not as bright as my Samsung Tab S but it is smoother/faster.
 
^^ Thanks. Just picked up a Shield from eBay and will test next week. I'm learning a lot about displays. Also what's good is that while my Fatshark Dominator V2s will not work with the HDMI out of the controller (diff resolution, tested), the HDMI out is really nice and what I'll use (when I sell the V2 and get the compatible V3) to at least get to the shots.
 
^^ Thanks. Just picked up a Shield from eBay and will test next week. I'm learning a lot about displays. Also what's good is that while my Fatshark Dominator V2s will not work with the HDMI out of the controller (diff resolution, tested), the HDMI out is really nice and what I'll use (when I sell the V2 and get the compatible V3) to at least get to the shots.
Yea I'd like to see more experiences with the shield I almost bought one last week. My s6 ends up pretty choppy and it's got pretty decent specs, strange enough my pos iPhone 5s gets smoother feed so maybe it the android app causing some of it. Been debating whether an iPad mini or the shield would provide better results.
 
To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.
 
^^ Thanks, but I'm looking for video of the screen, not the GoPro SD card file. I know what that looks like. :)
 
Im using a Asus Transformer prime, its a little bulky but has a super bright outdoor mode and the ability to Overclock not only the CPU and GPU, but the Network hardware too. I have a "Drone Mode" profile that I use, it reduces the battery from about 19 hours down to 5 hours but I get literally lossless performance even at max stock range.
 
That's awesome. So it's possible to get really good video with the right hardware/mods. I'll post later this week once I've been able to test the nVidia Shield.

So I just looked it up and it's using the Tegra processor as well. Very interesting....
 
Its a powerful little tablet, it also has USB host mode so you can attach a more powerful WIFI adapter too it if you want to be thorough. Of course you still get a slight degradation in quality due to it being on the second bridge but its fine. I have flown it between trees while completely out of sight, purely down to the onscreen feedback without fault
 
Its a powerful little tablet, it also has USB host mode so you can attach a more powerful WIFI adapter too it if you want to be thorough. Of course you still get a slight degradation in quality due to it being on the second bridge but its fine. I have flown it between trees while completely out of sight, purely down to the onscreen feedback without fault
Are you using any other mods (wifi card, hostapd.conf, amps, antennas, etc.)?
 
Nothing at all, stock Solo, right out of the box. other than the bracket for the tablet on the controller nothing has been changed yet
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
13,093
Messages
147,741
Members
16,048
Latest member
ihatethatihavetomakeanacc