Fpv systems

I set about dismantling one of the camera cabooses, but it’s bit of a wiring mess. So I put it back together minus the blurry window. A tiny cam self contained unit would be the thing…maybe mounted as you say or on a truck.

T.B.,

This topic has come up many times on the forum in the past.

Try these links as a start:

  WIFI Camera Using Apple TV | PHIL KLOPP

  FPV Project: Almost like driving a real train! | STONE RHINO

  Onboard camera systems | TUGBOAT15

Good luck and keep us up to date as you move forward.

Mike

Thanks.

Last one was mine.. I couldn't find it.  I'll check out the others you posted.

I do have a Dji Cosmo... just like a go pro... but its bulky, and I want something perm.

I'll keep yall posted.

This site, getfpv.com has the small cameras for fpv racing drones. Im still learning how to fly them on the sim.

But I have mounted one to my aircraft, and fly around like a bird.

Hopefully I get a reply back from someone there, on what works with what.

It is, isn't it?  Sorry about that.  I've should have seen that you launched that thread originally.

Mike

Well, all the digital fpv stuff, facing the same thing as rest of industry... need chips to make products.  So for now, just to try it out, got 2 analog setups. Always wanted to try a live feed on my rc car, rc mower... Now I can.

One is a micro all in one unit that runs off a 1s 3.3v lipo. Its the camera, Rx, and antenna all in one board.  Then I got a bigger camera lens unit, that runs off of a higher voltage range along with the Rx. The Tx unit is composite cables. Luckily I have an older but big screen tv I can hook it to.

These rely on airflow for cooling. Wont be much up on the track. Luckily i have some small cooling fans i can use. Wish i had a dummy engine. For first few setups going to use one of my freight cars. But in one of the links you sent, guy used the pivot point of trucks  to mount camera to. Good option to try.

They also make boards that allow you to switch between cameras. But they need a PWM signal to switch. Dont want to run my aircraft radio all day. Has to be a way to make something simple, or find something out there. So I continue to search for that.

Now I sit and wait. Amazon said I would get stuff today, but look this am, and shows delivery tomorrow.

Got 2 camera systems in. One is a 600 tvl, with the camera, tx combo, runs of a 3.3v lipo, or up to 5v.

2nd one is a 1200 tvl, that requires a seperate tx. Higher voltage op range.

Little time I had them working on the bench, they got pretty warm.

Going to try and mount camera on nose with a little fan to help move some air across the board, and run wire feed to rear car. Will run off a 3s lipo I use for rock crawler.

Wish I could get my hands on a dummy or non working loco for cheap.

Play with this setup until chip shortage catches back up and the digital stuff becomes available.

I'll post what I come up with.

Little update. I haven't installed in a rail car just yet, but I mounted the system to my rock crawler and drove around the outside of the house while I sat inside, looking at a 32" tv I have in hobby room. Worked better than I expected. I had some static as expected, but overall, a good picture. Now to get a longer HDMI cable so I can put the Rx outside and see the results.

Going to try and mount on front guardrail of engine. Like to put inside of the body, but gets a bit toasty and needs some air movement to help keep cool. I hope it will get enough just from the train movement at smph 20, and house temp of 73-75. If not, have to add a small fan for additional air movement. At that point, for the looks, might be better putting the system into a boxcar and having engine push it, or mount camera on top of car overlooking engine.

Setup with battery power 1st. If all goes well, maybe pick Stan or GunRunner's brain on a little capacitor bank so I can borrow little juice from rails and keep system online full time. Only other thing im hunting for is a electrical switch I can change between cameras. There is some stuff out there, but I would have to use my car or plane Tx / Rx to switch the pwm signal board to view another camera or 2.

But first, build the railcar with one camera on battery power, then will move on to the next step.

Here is an HD live view system I mounted in the front of a dummy locomotive:

https://ogrforum.com/...5#154307984004363555
Here is video (be sure to set the video resolution to 1080 for best results)

https://ogrforum.com/...35#72805549098596735

So I did put a camera on front of my diesel engine, then ran the wires along the inside of the hand rail, made a little half loop to the next car. The 2nd car had a battery pack and the TX. I thought being in a cool house with a ceiling fan moving air would move enough air to remove the heat. Nope. It got hot. So ive got to add a fan and maybe mount to a small alum heat sink to help it out. Or install in a boxcar to force the air across the TX and exhaust the heat out the back / top.

Didnt want to push a car, or have camera on engine in a fixed position. Like the pivot method on a truck. Until I find something better, I just hot glued the camera base to the front engine knuckle, taking time and making sure nothing got into the pivot pin mechanism.

Ill have to post some pics tomorrow, but it does work. Have the feed ran to living room tv. Tried a few different antennas... they all seem to have the same results for me.

What are RX and TX?

Rx and Tx are sometimes used as abbreviations for radio Receiver and Transmitter

I have thought about doing a camera car. Haven't done it, I was going to use an aftermarket automotive back up camera. Was going to use track power and change it to DC with a buck converter. Just my idea.....

@Tugboat15 posted:

So I did put a camera on front of my diesel engine, then ran the wires along the inside of the hand rail, made a little half loop to the next car. The 2nd car had a battery pack and the TX. I thought being in a cool house with a ceiling fan moving air would move enough air to remove the heat. Nope. It got hot. So ive got to add a fan and maybe mount to a small alum heat sink to help it out. Or install in a boxcar to force the air across the TX and exhaust the heat out the back / top.

Didnt want to push a car, or have camera on engine in a fixed position. Like the pivot method on a truck. Until I find something better, I just hot glued the camera base to the front engine knuckle, taking time and making sure nothing got into the pivot pin mechanism.

Ill have to post some pics tomorrow, but it does work. Have the feed ran to living room tv. Tried a few different antennas... they all seem to have the same results for me.

What is the output power of your Transmitter?  My first FPV camera car has a FOXEER TM25 transmitter, it is user select-able between 25 / 200 / 600 milliwatts. I always left it at 25 to reduce power consumption, lower heat output and increase the battery life. Even at 200 milliwatts it was barely warm.

Unfortunately, my experimentation with different antennas really didn't improve signal quality much on the analog system. The best results were using a good omni antenna on the transmitter and a directional antenna on the receiver that was pointed in the general direction of where the camera car would operate.

What is the best app to view a FPV video on a android tablet?  So far I have not been successful.  The tablet does have the UVC driver