I have the production Lightbridge and have been testing the beta units since January. I trust this unit for flight control and it has solid video downlink. The issue right now is the HDMI connection to existing Zen cameras. No 360 gimbal control with the exception of the Zen for BMPCC. It has HDMI output from the GCU. Not sure how many spare parts you will need. There has been some concerns on the HDMI cables. That is all I am aware of. I am working on a edit of the manual right now. It should be out soon.
DJI has released its 2.4G Full HD digital video downlink, the DJI Lightbridge
- Thread starter DJI Innovations
- Start date
econfly
Member
Thanks for the tips. My pre-order Lightbridge shipped today. Which manual are you working with -- Lightbridge or BMPCC Zen?
kloner
Aerial DP
lemme try this again, if it is a 2 man op and the gimbal is seperate from the main rig, there is no linking it to a flight controller, my question is can i just get it to send pwm signals to an alexmos gimbal like a futaba rc rx does? or is it sbus out only and looking for a flight controller?
is ronin the same deal, can it be ran through lightbridge vi
is ronin the same deal, can it be ran through lightbridge vi
Kloner,
It depends on your FC. With the A2 you have 3 channels that you can map for the gimbal. With the WKM and Naza you only have F1 and F2 for pitch and roll and no assignable channels. The LB has DBus to the FC and no other output. I don't think it will give you what you want.
It depends on your FC. With the A2 you have 3 channels that you can map for the gimbal. With the WKM and Naza you only have F1 and F2 for pitch and roll and no assignable channels. The LB has DBus to the FC and no other output. I don't think it will give you what you want.
flitelab
Member
Ed - Can you ask DJI to put together some notes on the suggested configuration with the Zenmuse for GH3 and older?
Their demo video was based on the GH3 so would be nice if they can explain how this can be used and get around the startup movement and lack of 360 pan and tilt once the HDMI is used. Right now the manual makes reference to only the GoPro and Blackmagic Zenmuse. I'd like to think it is at least usable with the others albeit limited functionality. Also if there any potential for an upgrade to these older gimbals to allow it to be used properly via the slip rings.
Their demo video was based on the GH3 so would be nice if they can explain how this can be used and get around the startup movement and lack of 360 pan and tilt once the HDMI is used. Right now the manual makes reference to only the GoPro and Blackmagic Zenmuse. I'd like to think it is at least usable with the others albeit limited functionality. Also if there any potential for an upgrade to these older gimbals to allow it to be used properly via the slip rings.
econfly
Member
If you happen to be using DJI's A2 controller then it will itself decode the S.Bus input (coming from the Lightbridge), use channels you assign for flight control, and pass a few channels (4 max on the A2) to PWM ports on the controller. But -- based just on the manual/specs -- you do not need to do it this way.
From the specs the control output is just an S.Bus signal, and no different than what you might get out of a Futaba receiver. You can get PWM for individual channels using an S.Bus decoder. Whether this actually works or not, I don't know. But the basic control output of the Lightbridge that feeds into a Naza/WKM/A2 seems to be no different than if you were using a Futaba or some other S.Bus capable receiver.
My Lightbridge is on the way. I will post here to confirm this is correct once I get it. The upshot for a two-man setup is that you should be able to take the S.Bus output from the Lightbridge, decode it to individual PWM signals, and then feed those channels as needed to a flight controller, gear, or gimbal. Maybe this won't work, but I can't see anything in the specs that would get in the way.
flitelab
Member
I'm starting to think that is the case. The original video was shown with a GH3, everything since seems focused on the Phantom, as if they are moving to the high end hobby market and away from the low end professional side with LB.
DJI Innovations
Member
DJI Lightbridge Notice
Dear DJI users,
Light Bridge has been released and we got feedback from some of our end users that they need a solution to use with WKM/A2 + Zenmuse platform other than Phantom 2. Considering this, DJI will ship GIMBAL Port To CAN cables and AV cables to dealers shortly. Users who already bought Light Bridge please contact your dealer to get these 2 cables for free.
Solution for WKM/A2 with Zenmuse gimbal.
Parts needed: (Available at your dealers)
1.GIMBAL Port To CAN cable
2.AV Cable
3.DJI 5.8G Radio
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Use your own 2.4G radio to control your multi-rotor via Light Bridge, and DJI 5.8G radio to control directly the Zenmuse gimbal. Never use 2.4G radio for gimbal control since it will interfere Light Bridge.
Please click here for more information.
Dear DJI users,
Light Bridge has been released and we got feedback from some of our end users that they need a solution to use with WKM/A2 + Zenmuse platform other than Phantom 2. Considering this, DJI will ship GIMBAL Port To CAN cables and AV cables to dealers shortly. Users who already bought Light Bridge please contact your dealer to get these 2 cables for free.
Solution for WKM/A2 with Zenmuse gimbal.
Parts needed: (Available at your dealers)
1.GIMBAL Port To CAN cable
2.AV Cable
3.DJI 5.8G Radio
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Use your own 2.4G radio to control your multi-rotor via Light Bridge, and DJI 5.8G radio to control directly the Zenmuse gimbal. Never use 2.4G radio for gimbal control since it will interfere Light Bridge.
Please click here for more information.
flitelab
Member
Confused as to what this actually does? Are you saying that stock out of the box the LB wont work with WKM/A2?
Seems the solution is only SD video not HD correct?
Closer this gets the more confusing and disappointing it is.
Could you please comment on how the setup in the original video with GH3 was configured?
Is a separate 5.8 radio system needed for 2 man setup? I thought the point of this was one complete system out of the box?
Seems the solution is only SD video not HD correct?
Closer this gets the more confusing and disappointing it is.
Could you please comment on how the setup in the original video with GH3 was configured?
Is a separate 5.8 radio system needed for 2 man setup? I thought the point of this was one complete system out of the box?
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Akermay
Member
So on top of having to buy another transmitter, being the 5.8GHz DJI one, we won't get an HD signal from our older Zenmuse gimbals (e.g. GH3).
Also, you say the Lightbridge ground system has to be with the pilot and his transmitter, a result of which means the camera man who controls the camera can't have the monitor with him unless he is tethered or hanging over the shoulder of the pilot.
Questions to DJI:
1. Can the camera operator use their own, more typical 2.4GHz transmitter in any circumstance?
2. With the older Zemnuse gimbals (cannot believe I am referring to them as old!) including the GH3, NEX and 5D, can we receive an HD signal from them without restricting camera movement?
3. Can the camera operator use a monitor (which may be mounted on their transmitter) with the Lightbridge while having the pilot untethered?
Also, you say the Lightbridge ground system has to be with the pilot and his transmitter, a result of which means the camera man who controls the camera can't have the monitor with him unless he is tethered or hanging over the shoulder of the pilot.
Questions to DJI:
1. Can the camera operator use their own, more typical 2.4GHz transmitter in any circumstance?
2. With the older Zemnuse gimbals (cannot believe I am referring to them as old!) including the GH3, NEX and 5D, can we receive an HD signal from them without restricting camera movement?
3. Can the camera operator use a monitor (which may be mounted on their transmitter) with the Lightbridge while having the pilot untethered?
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Im finally getting my Lightbridge after months of waiting, and now I finding out it will not work in HD properly with my new GH3 Zenmuse and does not come with cables to connect to my S1000/A2. I was sold on this product with marketing materials showing a S1000, A2, Zenmuse GH3, etc. and now it looks like this released version is for the Phantom 2. This could be very disappointing.
econfly
Member
Mine just arrived. And DJI's post is timely. As delivered, it has clear issues.
First, the "gimbal" port on the air unit is an odd plug type and a single cable is included. However, if you don't have a corresponding gimbal control unit (i.e., you have anything but a Phantom 2), you have nowhere to go with that gimbal cable. This is a huge problem for two reasons: (1) that cable provides power to the air unit, and (2) that cable provides the flight data for OSD. So, you can hack that cable to get power. You can probably hack that cable to patch into DJI's CAN bus. But out of the box it's a non-starter on, e.g., my S800 Evo with NEX Zenmuse.
Second, on the "old" Zenmuse platform we have AV out, but the cable is not compatible with the AV in on the Lightbridge air unit. Again, we could hack the cable and this would be easy enough, but one wonders why this cabling change was necessary. Of course, the AV path is not going to deliver HD video, but no surprise there.
So, anyone expecting to open the box and plug and play is out of luck with this thing as delivered unless they are Phantom 2 flyers (I assume -- I don't have a Phantom 2). The expected new Zenmuse gimbals (the BMPCC in particular) should be plug and play with this Lightbridge, but DJI hasn't released a product and thus this is just speculation.
More this evening. I will get this thing powered up to the point where I can test the S.Bus output on the air unit and confirm/deny that it will allow us to use S.Bus decoder(s) to access channels directly (i.e., without having to route through a DJI flight controller). This is critical for a one-man setup with anything other than an A2.
This much is very clear: If you want OSD you must be using a DJI compatible flight controller. The OSD information is coming in over DJI's CAN-bus.
By the way, note that we are now explicitly told not to use 2.4GHz for gimbal control. A two-man setup (unless you want to be tethered to each other -- and I can't imagine anyone would accept this as a solution) thus would require a non-standard radio/receiver. On the ground side you would need two Lightbridge units to get each operator their own screen, or the pilot could be tethered to a shared screen.
First, the "gimbal" port on the air unit is an odd plug type and a single cable is included. However, if you don't have a corresponding gimbal control unit (i.e., you have anything but a Phantom 2), you have nowhere to go with that gimbal cable. This is a huge problem for two reasons: (1) that cable provides power to the air unit, and (2) that cable provides the flight data for OSD. So, you can hack that cable to get power. You can probably hack that cable to patch into DJI's CAN bus. But out of the box it's a non-starter on, e.g., my S800 Evo with NEX Zenmuse.
Second, on the "old" Zenmuse platform we have AV out, but the cable is not compatible with the AV in on the Lightbridge air unit. Again, we could hack the cable and this would be easy enough, but one wonders why this cabling change was necessary. Of course, the AV path is not going to deliver HD video, but no surprise there.
So, anyone expecting to open the box and plug and play is out of luck with this thing as delivered unless they are Phantom 2 flyers (I assume -- I don't have a Phantom 2). The expected new Zenmuse gimbals (the BMPCC in particular) should be plug and play with this Lightbridge, but DJI hasn't released a product and thus this is just speculation.
More this evening. I will get this thing powered up to the point where I can test the S.Bus output on the air unit and confirm/deny that it will allow us to use S.Bus decoder(s) to access channels directly (i.e., without having to route through a DJI flight controller). This is critical for a one-man setup with anything other than an A2.
This much is very clear: If you want OSD you must be using a DJI compatible flight controller. The OSD information is coming in over DJI's CAN-bus.
By the way, note that we are now explicitly told not to use 2.4GHz for gimbal control. A two-man setup (unless you want to be tethered to each other -- and I can't imagine anyone would accept this as a solution) thus would require a non-standard radio/receiver. On the ground side you would need two Lightbridge units to get each operator their own screen, or the pilot could be tethered to a shared screen.
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