Black Pearl NOT A Good Match For ImmersionRC Tx?

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dollerprod

Member
I am trying to put the pieces together to purchase FPV setup for my new Phantom on the way. I was doing a bit of reading up on antennas (which is where I really need help), when I started to come across some posts that the ImmsersionRC Tx and Black Pearl Diversity Monitor do not operate well together... But- It seems like I have seen them being mentioned being used together quite frequently on the forum.


Something about the 32 channels of the Black Pearl not being optimal for the channels the ImmersionRC Tx uses? Something about only being compatible on "airwave frequencies." ...I won't pretend I understand.




ImmersionRC Frequencies: 5740, 5760, 5780, 5800, 5820, 5840, 5860MHz


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Here's some of the posts I came across:
And although it has frequency channels in common, i think i've read somewhere that IRC stuff only works optimum with IRC or Fatshark and not so well with those multi-purpose receivers..
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Ding ding ding, Hans you get 1 point. Black Pearl, 99.9% this doesn't work with an Immersion transmitter.
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immersion vtx are only compatible with airwave based vrx like uno, duo, fatshark goggles and mondo stinger. i've never seen a monitor with a built in rx that is compatible with immersion.
what they told you is correct
the immersion works alot better than the rc305 stuff you need for that monitor, i'd ditch that monitor for a 8: readymaderc monitor and an uno or a set of goggles. get a nice ULTRA BlueBeam set as well....
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For some reason I am partial to the Black Pearl and ImmersionRC Tx (even though I have 0 experience with them), so hopefully someone debunks this concern.
 


baker2055

baker2055

Member
bad reception

I too have the pearl and this is my set up. Image is great at about 100' past that its quit fuzzy and coming towards me I almost lose it completly.
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this is my setup
 

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cootertwo

Member
My Black Pearl works with everything I've thrown at it, from Immersion, to the little mini TX's that are made by who knows? Baker 2055, it looks like you have a Black Mamba video TX on that Phantom. You might want to try different antennas. The way you have the one mounted on the TX might be why you have a problem when it's flying towards you. It's totally blocked by the TX and the gimbal, and needs to point straight down for best reception. The way it is, you're transmitting a signal at about a 45 degree angle behind the Phantom. Just my opinion, I ain't no expert by any means.:tennis:
 


Benjamin Kenobi

Benjamin Kenobi

Easy? You call that easy?
I would lose those 'rubber duckie' straight antennas you have on the black pearl. Few people use them as they have such bad reception. Try little patch antennas instead.

Also, check the connections on the monitor for the antennas as the Black Pearl has RP-SMA whereas many antennas have just SMA connectors on them.
 

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cootertwo

Member
Here's one, of many, many styles/types of antennas. These hold a bend pretty good. http://www.getfpv.com/5-8-ghz-spironet-antenna-set-sma.html
There is a whole chit load of learning to be had with this video stuff. VERY confusing for sure. Why they came up with so many versions is beyond me. I guess that's why we have so many choices of cars etc. Everybody has what they see as a better idea. If you look at the brass end (the part that screws on your TX (transmitter), if it has a little brass pin in the center, it's what's called a "SMA" style. So the part it screws onto, must have a small hole in the center, for that pin to fit into. If you reverse that, no little pin in the center of the antenna connector, it's called a "RPSMA" (reverse polarity SMA) and the part it screws onto will have the pin. Some are one way, some are the other, and you can't mix them up, unless you use an adapter. My Black pearl monitor (receiver) has "SMA" connectors, where my Black Mamba transmitter has "RPSMA" connectors. Both come from Flysight company. You can't screw a SMA antenna onto a RPSMA transmitter, as there will be 2 center pins trying to occupy the same space. BUT, you can screw a RPSMA antenna onto a SMA transmitter, (no pin on either end), and you will burn out your transmitter, cause it will be like it has no antenna connected. Could perhaps be why they make it so confusing, so that we have to buy more stuff when we screw up. Do lot's of reading and searching on this forum, it's loaded with information, and I like to check in with RC model Reviews on you tube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUqNjkBbP8s&list=UUahqHsTaADV8MMmj2D5i1Vw Bruce has a lot of good stuff there, and has a video explaining all this antenna stuff. Please, I'm not trying to sound like a know it all, cause I certainly ain't, and I've screwed up my fair share of stuff, "learning". But it is fun and rewarding when you "WIN":tennis:
 
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baker2055

baker2055

Member
I watched a video on youtube and of course now I can't find it but a guy with the same setup as I have showed his flight very clear on his video screen up to almost 2kms. Id be happy with 500ft...Shaun
 

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min0nim

Member
The antenna and orientation can made huge difference. I'd look to an upgrade for those. I've had good results with the Immersion antenna, others swear by Bluebeam.

The only downside with the Immersion / Blackpearl combo is the Blackpearl has a slightly different antenna connection - RPSMA - while the Immersion is SMA. You'll need to buy two antenna sets, or find an adaptor.

Now Cootertwo says that his Blackpearl has SMA - I think the early Blackpearls came in two versions, and one of those didn't use Band F (which is what Immersion uses).

All newer Blackpearls have bands A to F, Pal and NTSC, and work fine with the Immersion.
 


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min0nim

Member
The quick way to tell for sure is to use the menu to navigate to the Band selection line, and make sure Band F is an option. Let me know if you need a walkthrough for it.
 


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min0nim

Member
Well, I have an Immersion Tx and Blackpearl Rx ;)

I do remember being really confused when I started looking at FPV. And although you can read all you want, the only path to enlightenment is to jump in and do it. Sometimes that means things don't quite work out!
 

baker2055

baker2055

Member
So I switched div to F did not work, switched back and went to RX1 channel 8 and seem to work much better. Out 200m today nice and clear.
 

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kk6ou

New Member
I just started using FPV and now heard that I don't have an ideal combination. So far I am using a Black Pearl 32ch with an ImmersionRC. For antennas I'm using a FatShark Circular on both Rx and Tx. I have a patch antenna but waiting for an adapter cable to go from RPSMA to SMA. I tried it today and got reasonable video at around 150M away at 200M it starts to get noisy. I'll have to see how good it works with the Hi Gain antenna. If I still get noise I may sell either the ImmersionRC or the Black Pearl. I wish I had seen this before ordering :( I would like to get a clean signal at 500M which is about as far away as I would want to fly for now. I would like to see someone come up with the exact freq that ImmersionRC and Black Pearl 32 channel uses. I'm using Band F Channel 1 currently.
 

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kk6ou

New Member
OK I'm a little relieved. For those of you who heard these aren't compatible, this is not true. I just looked up the manuals in both. The Black Pearl 32ch RC801 with RPSMA connectors channel one in F band is 5740Mhz. In the ImmersionRC with all switches on it transmits on 5740Mhz. Somewhere I read that the bandwidth is not matched. I'll keep updating as I try some new things. I may try another Tx to see what happens.
 


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cootertwo

Member
Much confusion..... My Black Pearl Monitor has SMA connectors (requires antennas with a male pin in the center), and I have it set to "F" "4", which is 5800, according to all I can understand. I also set all my TX's to 5800, and everything works. I read somewhere, that all 5.8 antennas are tuned to 5800, and the further away you go from there, the more "out of tune" your antenna will be. So I set everything to 5800. Now I have also read that some frequencies work better than others, and it also depends on your flying area/location/country, etc. etc. I tried playing around with the different frequencies, but could not see enough difference to justify all the changes, so I'm sticking to 5800 for now. I fly by myself, so no worry about others walking on me, etc. etc.
 

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