I'm thinking I may be able to use the DJI Goggles and and the ipad at the same time

rcdancer · Dec 22, 2018

I'm getting the DJI Goggles RE on Christmas. I'm thinking it may in fact be possible to use them simultaneously with an ipad on my Mavic Air. Here's a video of someone showing how to do it with an HDMI cable on a different tablet. Has anyone tried this yet? I'm going to try it with a mini ipad next week by using Apple's Digital AV Adapter which connects to a standard HDMI cable (i.e., see here). I really need both when I let someone else wear the goggles and I'm flying.

If successful, this same setup should work for the Spark (as in the video above.) I'll let you know.

Andre Levite · Dec 25, 2018

It looks like that setup should work (in theory) for the Spark using Apple Digital AV Lightning Cable to connect iPad to DJI Goggles.

Lag could still be an problem considering video signal must travel from Spark to controller to iPad and finally to goggles. The more I think about all that signal processing the laggier it sounds - especially with 3 year old iPad Mini.

Please prove me wrong with video for Xmas

rcdancer · Dec 26, 2018

Andre Levite said:
It looks like that setup should work (in theory) for the Spark using Apple Digital AV Lightning Cable to connect iPad to DJI Goggles.

Lag could still be an problem considering video signal must travel from Spark to controller to iPad and finally to goggles. The more I think about all that signal processing the laggier it sounds - especially with 3 year old iPad Mini.

Please prove me wrong with video for Xmas

Got the goggles and tested them extensively. Unfortunately, I can find no way to get the Apple Digital AV connector to pass a video signal - I suspect it has to do with the way DJI codes the signal output from the controller. I tried every manner of combination and connector I could think of with both the Spark and new Mavic Air (that I gleefully picked up at Target just before Christmas for 20% off their already sale price.)

After scanning the net and several DJI forums, I conclude the only way to do it it a use a monitor like the DJI CrystalSky monitor with an HDMI output (see here.) [I'm hoping I see a sale on CrystalSky monitors in the new few months .....]

The goggles are quite nice and I flew them with the Mavic Air. However, they were slightly out of focus, a common problem for people that need reading glasses or are farsighted. Testing them with my minimal strength readers solved the problem, so I ordered some inserts from focus fixers (https://www.focus-fixers.com).

Andre Levite · Dec 27, 2018

Did you test the Lightning HDMI cable by playing a video from your iPad's Camera Roll to a TV? If so did Camera Roll video also play on DJI Goggles?

rcdancer · Dec 27, 2018

Andre Levite said:
Did you test the Lightning HDMI cable by playing a video from your iPad's Camera Roll to a TV? If so did Camera Roll video also play on DJI Goggles?

No, I didn't test that. I don't believe the AV adapter supports video going "in" one channel (the USB port) and video "out" at the same time in another channel (the HDMI port.) I believe it's only video out as the Apple web site indicates. If I get ambitious, I'll try testing that.

BTW, I had noticed the screens in the goggles appeared slightly cloudy .... and then I realized that transparent protective film was installed on the screens. Peeled them off and presto - crystal clear vision. I mention this because on a youtube video where someone was demonstrating how to connect the RE goggles to the Mavic Air, it was obvious he had not removed the protective film from the goggle screens..

Andre Levite · Dec 27, 2018

rcdancer said:
No, I didn't test that. I don't believe the AV adapter supports video going "in" one channel (the USB port) and video "out" at the same time in another channel (the HDMI port.) I believe it's only video out. If I get ambitious, I'll try testing that.

BTW, I had noticed the screens in the goggles appeared slightly cloudy .... and then I realized that transparent protective film was installed on the screens. Peeled them off and presto - crystal clear vision. I mention this because on a youtube video where someone was demonstrating how to connect the RE goggles to the Mavic Air, it was obvious he had not removed the protective film from the goggle screens..

Yes. I never expected that adapter cable to handle video in two directions at once. I thought you'd have remote send video to iPad via WiFi (not OTG). And then adapter cable would output to goggles.

As part of troubleshooting it would be good to know if cable functions as advertised by playing an iPad Camera Roll video to TV. If you got a brand other than genuine Apple product it could be the cable its self that's the issue.

rcdancer · Dec 27, 2018

It's a genuine (expensive) Apple adapter.

Andre Levite · Dec 27, 2018

rcdancer said:
It's a genuine (expensive) Apple adapter.

Excellent. I'd still test iPad output to TV thru that adapter. Could even be a faulty HDMI cable

rcdancer · Dec 27, 2018

Andre Levite said:
I thought you'd have remote send video to iPad via WiFi (not OTG). And then adapter cable would output to goggles

Not interested in even trying that, as aircraft range would be severely limited by flying wifi from the ipad instead of the RC. I'm thinking the best option is a cheap Android tablet with HDMI output ..... or a CrystalSky monitor.

Andre Levite · Dec 27, 2018

You misunderstood. I did not suggest that you connect drone to iPad to control flight.

I had suggested you connect RC to iPad via WiFi (instead of OTG) so adapter cable only had to handle video in one direction. When connected in that way you still use RC to control the Spark.

That's how others have gotten video output to both iPad and Goggles. It will work if you do it that way.

rcdancer · Dec 27, 2018

Andre Levite said:
You misunderstood. I did not suggest that you connect drone to iPad to control flight.

I had suggested you connect RC to iPad via WiFi (instead of OTG) so adapter cable only had to handle video in one direction. When connected in that way you still use RC to control the Spark.

That's how others have gotten video output to both iPad and Goggles. It will work if you do it that way.

hmmm. .... how do I connect the ipad via wifi to the controller? I don't see it available in the ipad wifi settings and can't find anything on the web that addresses it. If I connect wifi to the controller, how can it connect to the drone?

Andre Levite · Dec 27, 2018

The factory default/standard way to connect iPad and RC is via WiFi - that's probably how you did it very first time. You should be able to see the video feed from Spark on the iPad without using OTG cable. If not you can reset and re-link them easily.

The OTG cable isn't formally supported by DJI. It didn't work reliably until recently update

rcdancer · Dec 27, 2018

Andre Levite said:
The factory default/standard way to connect iPad and RC is via WiFi - that's probably how you did it very first time. You should be able to see the video feed from Spark on the iPad without using OTG cable. If not you can reset and re-link them easily.

The OTG cable isn't formally supported by DJI. It didn't work reliably until recently update

Holy Cow! I think this is gonna work. RC is connected wifi to the ipad. Turned on the S;park and opened DJI Go 4 on the ipad and I can see the video from the a/c. I need to go back and get the lightning HDMI connector which I had returned, thinking it wasn't going to work. I'll test it tomorrow with the goggles, but I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work.

rcdancer · Dec 27, 2018

It works! I ran to Walmart and picked up another HDMI connector. I have real-time video on BOTH the ipad and goggles. I can tell there is some latency in the goggles, but that doesn't really matter since it's only intended to let others experience flight. If it stops raining tomorrow, I will try flying it. In the meantime, I hovered it in the house with my wife trying the goggles and me using the controller and ipad and everything worked seamlessly. Thanks for helping me figure it out! My wife was blown away just from hovering and moving it around a little and seeing it through the goggles.