FPV is dead, long live FPV. That’s the mantra that digital video demands of us, and nothing screams it louder than DJI’s transmission system. Their headset may turn you into a robotic cockroach, but it’s taken the company to market leader status in the FPV world.
The price is right – more so than you might think. The starter set of goggles, camera and VTX will set you back around £650. Yes, that's a wad, but put it into perspective. It's only a little more than the sum of a Fatshark HDO plus Rapidfire module, which combine to give you a picture that’s arguably nowhere near as good. So what appeal remains for a technology that works its socks off to resemble a late 70’s television?
Answer: A lot.
Firstly, the accessibility. The most basic box goggles come in at about £30 - the cost of a single beer-ridden curry night. The EV800D, possibly the best boxies out there, are only £70. And if having a plastic cuboid hanging off your head is starting to get you funny looks at the field, then analogue goggles start at about £200. Even Skyzones, a (generally) decent brand, are only £300. Then, and only then, do you need to start looking at the HDO’s. By contrast, asking for low-end digitals is like asking for an entry-level Bugatti. You either go big or get lost.
Then there’s the latency. DJI’s 27 millisecond delay between camera and headset translates into about two feet at 60mph. If you’re not fifteen, this probably won’t matter. But if most of your racing is broadcast live by ESPN and the track has the margin of error of a large atom, two feet feels like most of Yorkshire. And we’re not talking consistent latency, either. It may be as low as 10ms or as high as 50. With a delay that mimics the stock market, it’s not hard to see why DJI hasn’t yet cornered the pro-racing one.
At this point, you’re probably shouting at the screen about a certain other contender. Wipe away the spit flecks. The Sharkbyte is indeed a lower latency solution and, at £250 for the starter package, a darned sight more affordable for non-squillionaires. And the (consistent!) 15ms latency is a lot more compatible with racing. But its breakup handling is more than a few M1 junctions behind DJI. It’s also aimed squarely at existing Fatshark users, so kit-devoid beginners are likely to give it a wide berth. With this in mind, will it lure DJI haters? Probably not, in the main. Let’s be honest: only racing pros will truly appreciate the latency boost, and for the rest of us fickle types, DJI’s beyond-beautiful imagery just doesn’t compare.
If the analogue scene can be compared to an ageing athlete, then the digital market is only just emerging from toilet training. Indeed, we have only recently been convinced that it’s even viable. The market reflects this. The choice of cameras and VTX’s resembles a Soviet Union supermarket shelf. Choosing a provider ties you to their receiver modules and (generally) cameras. Analogue may look turd by comparison, but it offers inherent cross-compatibility, near-zero latency, and endless choice. Need a camera that'll handle starlight? Want to switch your Chaos VTX to a Rush Tank? Analogue’s got you covered. Your chosen digital provider probably doesn’t.
Let me be clear: there’s much to hate about analogue. It has the pixel count of a vintage console and more breakup than an Eastenders relationship. And of course, you have the whole channel-tuning faff. But like a rusty AK assault rifle, it generally works. Digital, on the other hand, offers a picture that’s out of this galaxy, but the current options are just too limited for many to make the move. Market forces will make greater choice and lower prices almost inevitable, just like they did when RC control switched to digital in the late noughties. But judging by the current state of things, we’re in for a very long goodbye.
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