stevennh

The cost for the tx/rx and camera is $240.00 (core-5, 200mw, kx121 camera) from BlackWidowAV. All you have to do is is twist a couple of wires together.
It is fairly easy to blow $240.00 screwing around with cheap systems trying to get the same quality you can get from a BlackWidow system. What is the return policy for the e-bay stuff? You don't have to spend $350.00 to get a good system from BlackWidowAV. Most BlackWidow customers messed around with the cheap stuff before moving up. I wish I had just started with the BW system, I could have saved a few bucks in the long run.

Steve

Nik

My Feedback: (12)

What you do is try a system and then sell it..

Most people played with the Honk Kong stuff because the camera quailty was pretty bad and sold it later on, now that they started to make ccd cameras quality is up like a skyrocket, for only $70 total cost including shipping...

-Nik

stevennh

Cool. I did not notice the CCD ones turning up. I used one of the all-in one units to get started but was unhappy with the power output and image quality. The power output on mine was less than 50mw so coverage was not so good even with a home-made patch antenna. The BW system gives me almost no drop outs and the KX121 camera has very good quality. Are there more "legal" systems on EBay these days? It seems that most of the EBay systems were 1.1-1.2GHz systems the operated on the Aircraft Navigation Aid band (not so good if you live near an airport, I am only a couple of miles from one). I see you mentioned 2.4GHz, I assume these have frequencies in the HAM portion of the spectrum?

Steve

Nik

My Feedback: (12)

Ok, I use 800mw transmitters, the range is much better and there are no dropout even a 1000 feet a way.
The new 800mw systems come with selectable frequencies, you can select any frquency from 900MHZ to 1300MHZ which means that they are legal now, also receiver come with PPLock system which means you don't have to tune it. I agree that those 50mw systems are bad (You gotta do research before you buy ) Again the KX 121 is pretty good but for half the price you get !almost! the same quality...

I think you are just trying to sell Black widows cameras here....

-Nik

stevennh

I really don't care what folks buy. I can only speak from my experience. Is one of the "selectable" frequencies on the 800MHz system you have within the HAM 1.2GHz band allocation? I am not sure what the HAM range is (I don't have my book handy) but the 1.2GHz space is kind of limited. Only two of the four available frequencies on the BW systems are really legal on 2.4GHz (fall within the HAM band). Even with lower cost stuff out there, I would probalby stick with the 5V stuff from BW since it is easy to leverage my flight battery (8.4v) with a switched mode converter to power the video system without having to use a separate power supply. Most of the other systems are 9-12v. 12v opens up many more cameras and transmitters! I would like to find a high resolution 5v CCD like the CX171, but they don't seem to exist. Anything over 330 lines is 12v from what I can find. I like only having to deal with one battery and also like using the X-Port connector on my Aerobird Extreme to power the camera/tx (it just velcros on).

Steve

closetflyer

I think Nik does good work by trying out so many systems and posting results. Like a lot of people I think he just wants best systems for best money and is willing to tinker with many cheap systems to figure it out.

Even Black Widow AV owner AKA yb2normal started this way, see http://xcamflying.tripod.com/ a lot of links don't work I think he doesn't update anymore, but you see the point.

Nik, I think you can take your experiments to next level with a frequency counter check out this unit which costs $99:

http://www.cs-sales.com/cgi-bin/w3-m....html?mn=F2800

Then you can answer many nagging questions of "is it legal", which I am guilty of asking in past but now I am more quiet

Cheers,
David

Nik

My Feedback: (12)

With the new systems you've got eight choices on the band you choose:

1x 900MHZ
6x 1200MHZ to 1300MHZ (Goes up by 20 MHZ each time)
1x 1300 MHZ

It is on the ham band, so it's legal...

-Nik

stevennh

I am glad they set up the frequencies so they can be legal if folks care. I figured it was only a matter of time before the HK guys figured this out. I look forward to hearing more about your new camera (and checking out videos!).

Steve