Have That! - The official Blog of FirstPersonView.co.uk

Servo Slow/ Servo Rate Reducer

2010-07-15T22:21:00.005+01:00

I went through a few different Servo Extenders/ Servo Slows for my Escale P-47 and found that the Dionysus Design one was by far the best, and its so tiny and incredibly lightweight too.

We’ve now bought a box of them and become the UK distributor for Dionysus - they’re here on our website: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/accessories/servo-slow-retract-slow. Give one a try, I think you’ll be really impressed with it.

Simon

180 Degree Servo Extender Demo

2010-07-15T22:08:00.003+01:00

Here's a quick demonstration video of our Servo Extender/ Servo Stretcher designed for FPV Pan servos so that you can look shoulder to shoulder (or as near as possible, depending on your servo).

Vodafone iPhone Tarriffs - European Data Included

2010-06-18T15:32:00.003+01:00

Vodafone have now announced their tariffs and there are a couple of interesting differences to the o2 offering. Vodafone have included 1gb of data on all tariffs and they include 5mb per day of European data on tariffs over £40. For those people who travel this is definately a significant new development and it will be very tempting. On the current o2 iPhone tariff 5mb would cost £15.

It may, however, be somewhat problematic to measure and stay within the 5mb per day limit. It is not currently clear what Vodafone will charge you per MB when you go over this limit.

O2 iPhone v4 Tariffs - 18 month or 24 month?

2010-06-17T14:20:00.004+01:00

O2 have just announced their iPhone v4 handset pricing and released that alongside their tariffs here: http://shop.o2.co.uk/new-iphone/tariffs.html

Tariff
Interestingly the price of the handset doesn’t alter on the 1200 minutes per month tariff whether you sign up for 18 or 24 months but the price per month for the tariff does. So which is better - 18 months at £50, or 24 months at £45?

Well to answer that we need to think about what will happen after 18 months. There won’t be a new iPhone 18 months from now so presumably after 18 months, if you're on an 18 month tariff, you'll switch to Simplicity 30 and get the same 1200 tariff for £35 (£15 cheaper than you'd have paid for months 1-18).

How do the numbers compare?
• If you were on the iPhone 1200 tariff for 24 months at £45 you’d save £120 (£5 per month * 24 months) compared to staying on the 18 month version for 24 months.
• If you were on the iPhone 1200 tariff for 18 months at £50, and then switched to simplicity 30 for the remaining 6 months you’d pay £90 more initially and then save £15 per month for the last 6 months. £90 – (£15 * 6)= £0

So the cost is exactly the same. There’s an advantage to being on an 18 month contract in that you’re out of the lock-in sooner, but the downside is that you’ve got to pay £5 more per month for months 1-18 and you’ve got to remember to change tariff on the correct date (if you’re a month late you’d have been better signing up for 24 months). Of course if you change tariffs down to something much cheaper on month 18 then all bets are off, I'm just looking at the different ways o2 are charging for the identical 1200mins, 750mb, unlimited texts deal.

Capacity - 16 or 32GB?
When I bought the original iPhone and the 3G I got the highest capacity available, but this time I'll be happy with the smallest 16gb unit. Clearly your mileage will vary depending on how much music you like to carry around, but for me personally experience with my previous 2 iPhones shows me that I don't need more than 16gb. In fact 8gb, or even 4gb, would most likely be fine for me!

So these are the reasons why I'll be ordering a 16gb on a 24 month tariff. Now I just need to decide whether I want white or black...

Propeller Price Reduced

2010-03-31T21:39:00.002+01:00

It seems that XAircraft completely overcharged us when we bought our batch of propellers and as such they came out very expensive. After a little argy bargy they have now agreed to send us some more free of (further) charge. This enables me to reduce the propeller price to £3.99 each (down from £6.50 previously).

They've arrived!

2010-03-23T18:44:00.002Z

Hi guys,

Just a quick one because we are absolutely run off our feet here. We received the recall sets and the pre-ordered V2s this afternoon.

The recall sets have all been sent out to customers. We are currently sorting through every single set of the new quads and checking that every unit has enough of every item. So far I've found no two bags to have the same number of any component :-(
(Of course it doesn't help that everything is in Chinese and XAircraft are closed now due to the time difference).

We will prepare everything tonight, send photos to confirm with XAircraft tonight and then ship the new units tomorrow and supply tracking number to all of our faithful and patient customers!!

Thanks for your patience everyone.

All the best

Simon
(From FirstPersonView.co.uk)

X600D v2 recall parts have apparently shipped...

2010-03-15T12:35:00.004Z

Dear all,

I am being told that new v2 parts for all of our recalled X600D customers have been shipped today, along with 5 new v2 units. XAircraft assure me that they have been sent today and they will provide the tracking number tomorrow morning (their time). We also have a quantity of propellers in the delivery.

Further v2 stock to satisfy the rest of our pre-orders and to go in to stock will ship on Saturday and we expect to have that 3 or 4 days later. We'll have some L4500 Pro Pan and Tilt camera mounts in that delivery as well.

Thank you all so much for your patience! Hopefully this will all be resolved very soon now.

Sincerely

Simon

X600D recall parts shipping delayed to 15th March

2010-03-03T09:15:00.004Z

Dear all,

I'm sorry to report that I have now been told that the new v2 items will not ship until 15th March. This is despite being told that everything was ready to ship on 1st March 2010 by XAircraft!

Here is my Skype history:
1.55am on 1st March 2010: we are ready to ship you the new V2s/ V2 parts
4.55am on 3rd March 2010: sorry - we cannot ship until 15th March due to some problem with the motor supplier.

I'm very sorry to hear this and to report this news to you all, not least because I drove up to our Yorkshire base from Brighton last night in readiness to receive the new quads and to be able to do some flying up here and record videos, etc. Seems like I've made a wasted trip!

I will, as always, let you all know as soon as I know anything further. At this point I won't believe anything until I have a tracking number...or even better the correct parts in my hands!

Sincerely

Simon Dale

X600D to ship form China (to us) 1st March

2010-02-24T14:51:00.005Z

I just received the following reply from XAircraft:

Simon

Good morning,I have back from holiday .it is sure that you will receive the V2 replacement parts ,don't worry ,it will be shipped out on March 1st

Regards
XAircraft

Fingers crossed we will have the v2 boards and motors 3 or 4 days after March 1st.

I'll keep you all posted

Best regards

Simon

RCMW FPV Article

2010-02-22T20:26:00.005Z

RCMW (Radio Control Model World) has a great 5 page article about FPV flying this month (this issue hit newstands on 18th February). Apparently this is the 1st of 3 parts of the article and there's a free plan of an FPV plane to build in one issue also.

Its worth a read. Here's their website about the latest issue (March 2010): http://www.rcmodelworld.com/issue.aspx?i=4169

X600D owners to receive free upgrade to new model

2010-02-03T00:56:00.007Z

Over the last week or so I have been working very closely with XAircraft and together we've managed to turn the X600D recall into a positive by giving all affected customers not just replacement parts but far superior next-generation upgrades.

The next-gen upgraded flight board includes several enhancements such as GPS functionality - a hugely sought after feature for a quadrocopter.

We have been working closely with XAircraft to get the new boards (that is flight controller, ESC and a new board for USB connection (they have moved the USB connection to a daughter board to make room for the GPS functionality)) and 4 new motors for all of our customers as soon as possible.

As soon as we have the new next-gen parts we will issue them to our customers.

We will also be stocking the next-gen X600Ds but stock will be very limited initially and this will be exacerbated by the Chinese New Year close down in February. Pre-order yours on our website now if you'd like one: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/aircraft/x600D-quadrocopter

X600D product recall

2010-01-19T21:08:00.004Z

Unfortunately a batch of X600D Quadrocopters have been found to have potential defects (as per this post on RCG http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1175755). In that post XAircraft have published a list of serial numbers and unfortunately several of our units were on the list.

We have now contacted all of our customers and got the serial numbers from each of them. Those that require new parts will be shipped new parts to rectify those potentially defective X600Ds as soon as possible.

We have never actually had any complaints from X600D customers or failures of our own X600Ds (which were on the list) and everyone has been very happy with them. That and the fact that XAircraft are dealing with the recall very professionally and properly will hopefully mean that it won't be too much of an inconvenience to our customers and XAircraft's reputation won't be badly affected.

All the best

Simon

X600D manual and step by step install video now available

2010-01-06T21:11:00.004Z

I have now produced a translated manual and packaged it up along with the software, and Windows 7 drivers on our website www.firstpersonview.co.uk/aircraft/x600D-quadrocopter

In addition to that I've done a step by step howto video and uploaded it to YouTube! I had to split it into 3 parts for YouTube - the three parts are:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4g3oC02kik
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-3y_XEu_vg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHR33oyKkgc

X600Ds now in stock and pre-orders have been shipped out.

2010-01-02T17:44:00.001Z

The X600Ds have arrived and the pre-orders have now been shipped out. You should receive them on Monday.

I've built mine but I'm waiting for a LiPo and receiver to arrive (hopefully on Monday) so I can't comment on flying it yet. The materials and quality of the components is excellent and the quickly translated manual was actually fairly easy to follow. I guess that shows how straightforward the X600D is to put together. There's nothing difficult about it, its just a case of putting it together step by step...and doing everything 4 times!

I'll be updating the manual to include an extra couple of photos and some slightly more clear translations today also.

I'm really looking forward to flying it on Monday, even if it is indoors.

FirstPersonView.co.uk featured in the Financial Times How To Spend It Magazine Christmas Gift Guide

2009-12-19T00:53:00.004Z

I'm very pleased to say that our Advanced Flight Kit is featured very prominently in the Financial Times How To Spend It Christmas Gift Guide here: http://www.howtospendit.com/#/articles/763-gift-guide-first-person-view-flight-simulator

This follows our previous mention in the June issue of How To Spend It magazine's Technopolis column which can be seen here: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/myfiles/file/FTJune09.pdf

The Advanced Flight Kit is available from our website here: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/flight-kit-boxes/advanced-flight-box-cam45-vr1400-goggles-rx

XAircraft X600D Quadrocopter

2009-12-18T23:08:00.004Z

I'm very pleased to be able to announce that we will very soon have stock of the excellent new X600D Quadrocopter from XAircraft. XAircraft have taken feedback from its customers to make the followup to the fantastically well received X500D even better than its older sibling.

Unlike a traditional model helicopter the XAircraft X600D has no complex mechanical transmission system - it uses four high-performance direct-drive brushless motors and propellers and a sophisticated electronic brain controls them using inputs from three-axis gyroscopes, three accelerometers and your control movements.

This incredible design makes for a very efficient and very stable platform which translates into long flights which are easy to control. The XAircraft X600D also has excellent load carrying capacity - 500grams is easily achievable and 1200grams is the maximum tested load capacity.

The Police, Fire service, and TV/ Film production companies have taken advantage of the stable platform offered by quad rotor systems such at the Microdrone and DraganFlyer - both with price tags far in excess of £10,000! The XAircraft X600D brings quadrocopters within the grasp of the rest of us at under £300.

The XAircraft X600D does not require special helicopter radio equipment and is compatible with standard 4 channel Tx and Rx systems (Futaba, JR, Sanwa, etc).

For more details check it out on our FirstPersonView.co.uk here: http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/aircraft/x600D-quadrocopter

New PIXIM based camera DX201 excellent in contrasting lighting conditions

2009-12-13T17:57:00.006Z

The DX201 uses the latest Pixim DPS (Digital Pixel System) wide dynamic range image sensor and image processing technology. The DPS system uses individual ADCs in each pixel to achieve a wider dynamic range than CCD and CMOS cameras and provides a better image when there is a sharp contrast in lighting conditions.

The DX201 is a highly sophisticated camera and is supplied with a plug in remote control to allow you to configure everything to your personal preference without the added bulk of built in controls.

The product is supplied with an optional metal case which adds approximately 14g to the weight. Many customers prefer to use the unit uncased for this reason.

The DX201 is available now at http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=186

Specifications
Video Standard User selectable NTSC or PAL
Image Sensor 1/3" DPS (Digital Pixel System)
Signal System PAL/NTSC
Effective Pixels 720 x 540
Resolution 540 TV Lines
Minimum illumination 0.5Lux/ F1.2;0.08Lux(Slow Shutter)
S/N Ratio >48dB
White Balance AUTO 2000K to 11000K
Dynamic Range 102dB Typical MAX 120dB
Auto Iris Lens DC
Video Output 1.0Vp-p,75 Typical 0.8~1.5Vp-p adjustable
Power Supply DC 12V
Power Consumption <2w

New 3D FPV camera literally adds a new dimension to FPV flying!

2009-12-13T16:51:00.002Z

FirstPersonView.co.uk is very excited to announce the 3D-Cam FPV which uses two tiny high quality cameras 65mm apart to generate field-sequential 3D video just the same way that your eyes do. Together with our VR1400 video goggles the pilot is now able to see his flight in 3D allowing better depth perception - particularly handy when landing, or flying close to trees, etc.

Not only does the 3D-Cam FPV bring this revolutionary 3D technology to FPV flying but it also brings another much wanted feature: in flight exposure control. Simply let the camera automatically adjust to your desired level and then flick the switch on your Tx to lock the exposure. You can also turn the camera from 3D to 2D mode and change the convergence point - all from your Tx!

Available now at http://www.firstpersonview.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=173

Specifications:
Image Sensors: 1/4" CMOS
Resolution per camera: 480 lines per camera
Sensitivity: 3.0V/Lux-sec @ 5600K
S/N Ratio: 48dB
Weight: 30gr
Size: 30x90mm
Lens: Standard 3.6mm CCD lenses
Voltage: 5-12V
Current Consumption: 105mA
Video Output: NTSC (2D mode) / Field sequential NTSC (3D mode)

The BFPVMFA formed with £5m public liability insurance.

2009-07-22T01:15:00.005+01:00

I'm pleased to be able to announce the formation of the BFPVMFA (The British First Person View Model Flying Association) which covers members with £5m public liability insurance.

Check out the website at www.bfpvmfa.org and join today!

Archos 5 now available at FirstPersonView.co.uk

2009-03-20T23:18:00.004Z

I've been a fan of Archos products since I first used the AV500 to record FPV flights. The build quality is amazing and the functionality of the AV500 is superb (record in DiVx, USB host, play any movie format, etc).

Unfortunately the AV500 was discontinued a few years ago so I've recently been testing the new Archos 5 product from the latest Archos range. The Archos 5 is billed as an 'Internet Tablet' and has WiFi and the Opera Internet browser built in as well as Flash 9.

You need to buy the 'DVR Snap On' to record analogue video which is a bit of a shame but once you've got that its an excellent choice for recording your FPV adventures in a digital format. You can then easily transfer them to your PC, add a bit of music and stick them on YouTube!

I've found the Archos 5 60gb to be an excellent device with a fabulous screen, excellent touch screen element, brilliant internet browser, flawless movie playback (although Archos charge about £12 more for a downloadable codec to allow you to play all formats), superb recording from a composite video source and very good battery life.

The onscreen keyboard implementation is even pretty decent too - I am writing this blog post on the Archos and I wrote the last one the same way as well.

All in all I am extremely impressed with the Archos 5 60gb.

Website improvement: we now accept Paypal

2009-03-20T23:13:00.003Z

By implementing Paypal we have given our customers the ability to choose their preferred payment platform and also got around the annoying £500 limit per day per card on NoChex.

If you get to the checkout with over £500 of items in your cart the website will automatically grey out NoChex and direct you to Paypal. You dont need to have a Paypal account to checkout with Paypal either.

Cameras now available in NTSC

2009-03-08T00:51:00.003Z

I'm pleased to announce that we now stock cameras in both NTSC and PAL versions.

All of the other gear (Goggles, Diversity, etc) work just as well with either NTSC or PAL so there's no need to worry there.

Check it out: www.firstpersonview.co.uk

Website Improvement: Now includes shipping estimator

2009-03-08T00:41:00.003Z

I'm frequently asked how much shipping will be to a particular country.

The FirstPersonView.co.uk website calculates the shipping cost based on the weight of the item, the destination country and the Royal Mail service chosen but until today it only revealed this information once you'd got to the checkout and entered in quite a few of your details.

Now you can see the shipping price by simply adding the item to the cart and then pressing "Estimate Shipping".

FirstPersonView.co.uk are proud to sponsor the FPV board on rcmf.co.uk

2009-03-07T00:43:00.006Z

If you frequent the Radio Control Model Flyers forum (RCMF.co.uk) then you may have recently seen a new FPV board and these two graphics appearing on your screens from time to time:

We're proud to sponsor the new board and I hope it will prove to be a popular and useful resource for FPV pilots everywhere. I'll be lurking in there ready to answer any questions that come up about our gear.

First Person View simulator - Found it!

2009-03-07T00:16:00.005Z

I wrote a few posts ago about my fruitless search for an RC simulator with an FPV mode. RC simulators are doubtless very popular these days and with good reason. I have been searching for an FPV simulator for those same good reasons and I've finally found one!

The simulator is called AeroSIM RC and its fantastic. It offers full FPV mode with an OSD and even head tracking. Of course it also works with your RC Tx through the buddy port like all of the other simulators out there.

I've ordered some SVideo to composite video adaptors to allow me to plug my goggles into my PC and fly FPV from my desk (with my real RC Tx, my head tracker and an OSD on screen)! I can't wait to try this out!

The graphics are based on Google Earth images and AeroSIM comes with a system to create your own scenarios based on your favourite locations, although the process is quite complicated and so far I've been unable to get this to work on Windows Vista.

The graphics aren't at the photo-realistic level that you might have come to expect from programs like Phoenix RC but they're not bad and the physics are just as important in a simulator - for my money the AeroSIM RC simulator is spot on in that respect.

There's a two minute playable demo on the AeroSIM RC website so you can give it a try and make up your own mind.

AeroSIM RC comes with plenty of different aircraft to fly and there are a few game modes to play (fly threw hoops, score points by hitting birds, etc) if you get bored of practising your circuits.

You can also fly the plane from the old fashioned line of sight view or from a chase plane, etc. as well.

The guys behind AeroSIM RC promise to keep building the software and adding new features and updates will be free for life. Sounds great!