Video live stream very unstable due to the RC actively charging the device  running the app while connected to it.

Happens when I use my phone or tablet either one.

Latest firmware installed on all devices/batteries.

I read about it and sure enough I bought a mavic pro yeasterday and it is happening to me, any fix to this issue? I've searched but no luck finding anything (pretty bad when I know there is at least one thread on the problem, but it doesn't come up either....)

Thanks,

Dan

Hi there, I do apologize for the inconvenience. It is actually normal that your mobile device is charging when connected to your RC. However, there's no other option to disable that scenario. Should you have further question, please let us know. Thank you.

DJI Natalia Posted at 2018-8-15 11:31
Hi there, I do apologize for the inconvenience. It is actually normal that your mobile device is charging when connected to your RC. However, there's no other option to disable that scenario. Should you have further question, please let us know. Thank you.

There must be a fix, charging the device from the controller takes to much juice from it screwing up the live video stream.
If I give the controller juice via its charge port I can use my tablet, without doing so (everything fully charged mind you), the live stream is useless.

Works much better with my phone but blips now and then, usable but not ideal.

The video instructs us to use "MIDI" usb setting, I get no connection using that setting, If I choose anything but "charge only" usb setting I get no connection to the drone.

My Phantom 4 isn't like that, it works just fine using either phone (Motorola droid turbo) or tablet (Lenovo tab4 8) phone I use as a" phone" too naturally but the tablet is only used for drone/dji go app. Everything else in the tablet has either been disabled or completely removed so it is all it has to do, run the app (running Android Nougat 7.1.1.)

If this is how this thing is going to be, no fix now or in the very near future, I'll probably just end up returning it to best buy for a refund. My P4 is a pleasure to fly/use compared to this mavic pro as it sits out of the box. One big headache so far out of the box....

Dan-62 Posted at 2018-8-15 11:49
There must be a fix, charging the device from the controller takes to much juice from it screwing up the live video stream.
If I give the controller juice via its charge port I can use my tablet, without doing so (everything fully charged mind you), the live stream is useless.

This is a well known issue that happens only with standard Android devices, not with iOS (Apple) devices. Being an Android user myself this has never been an issue for me during the time I have been using a standard Android tablet for flying (since quite long now I am using a DJI CrystalSky monitor which is also on Android but not affected by this issue).
You are the very first one to my knowledge who believes that the live video stream is affected by the fact that the RC charges your Android mobile device. This is rather a compatibility issue of your mobile device or simply lack of hardware ressources. There are many reports that older Android devices have problems with the latest versions of DJI GO 4. But these are not related to the charging issue.
If you are afraid that the battery time of your RC gets negatively affected (which it normally doesn't to a significant extent) all you should do is to fully charge your mobile device before flying. But once again, video stream issues are unlikely related to that.

@Wachtberger

I do fully charge everything 100%, tablet is new it is less than a month old, states lasts 8 hours+ heavy use, I never allowed it to get below 90% charge it once done with it. All resources committed to go app and again no problem with my P4 whatsoever with it.

live steam is screwed from the get go on the ground, haven't even taken off yet, however if I give the RC "charge juice" via it's charger port (tablet connected to the usb port bottom of the RC, the live stream is solid and instantly corrects to what it should be. To power the RC via its port one time I used a extra battery pack and its usb power adapter. Last time I tested it I used a mophie usb mobile charger, it worked to but quickly ran low and stopped helping, it is an old one so doesn't last long these days. As it died off over an 11 minute flight video feed started suffering again.

If the RC didn't see fit to charge the  device it would be a non issue, the video tutorial says to use MIDI but that doesn't work.

Not a programmer but seems like an easy firmware update/fix would be all it'd take to eliminate the problem. I bought the tablet so I wouldn't have to view the app on little phone screen. And again that same setting works for my P4 and it doesn't cause the RC to charge the tablet.

I'll take a good and long usb cable with me, plug it into the usb port in my truck, see how it does that way!!

Dan-62 Posted at 2018-8-15 12:30
@Wachtberger

I do fully charge everything 100%, tablet is new it is less than a month old, states lasts 8 hours+ heavy use, I never allowed it to get below 90% charge it once done with it. All resources committed to go app and again no problem with my P4 whatsoever with it.

Then I can only encourage you to continue testing and hopefully achieve either good results or bug information that will help to improve things. I could only share my own experiences from the time before I switched to CrystalSky. But even now when I occasionally use my standard Android tablet (Lenovo) for testing purposes, I do not experience any significant video feed problems. I wish you good luck in identifying the bug!

Maybe I got a weak RC, the little bit of juice suck that not many others suffer from...if any? effect me to the degree that it does simply because I got a bum radio?

I'll try my sons RC for his mavic....

Wachtberger Posted at 2018-8-15 12:52
Then I can only encourage you to continue testing and hopefully achieve either good results or bug information that will help to improve things. I could only share my own experiences from the time before I switched to CrystalSky. But even now when I occasionally use my standard Android tablet (Lenovo) for testing purposes, I do not experience any significant video feed problems. I wish you good luck in identifying the bug!

I've been though all the suggested fixes/settings google/forums etc etc for hours, I suffered the same from my P4 time or two. With it I always find the RC channel setting changed to "manual" causing the problem, so every startup checking that making sure it is set to "auto" is part of pre launch.

I go though check all settings to make double sure everything is as it should be before sending one in the air. That includes battery voltage deviation after catching one viewing a flight log after flight.

Luckily it didn't come down, brand new battery fully charged (180 bucks) and very first use, I sent it on quite a little trip on that battery not giving it a second though. Needless to say it went back to the retailer for a replacement.

I'll tell ya my chin dropped to the floor when I seen that column of red numbers in a sea of black staring me in the kisser!  

Definitely make sure the device, phone/tablet is charged 100%, but still, this should be fixed.  There's no logical reason to be cannibalizing the controller, especially when the device probably has a much larger capacity in the first place.

MrArcher Posted at 2018-8-15 13:35
Definitely make sure the device, phone/tablet is charged 100%, but still, this should be fixed.  There's no logical reason to be cannibalizing the controller, especially when the device probably has a much larger capacity in the first place.

Yea 100% charged to start out, I turn on the tab4 to start it and then the app. The juice drops down a little bit as to be expected you know 99% 98% slowly as the tablet is powered on and its screen is lit. The RC right off the bat wants to recharge that small amount lost. Dang thing would outlast the RC several times over all things equal.

Seems like a simple fix but I'm not a programmer, use charge only usb setting in device but firmware setting preventing the RC from actively responding to the call for juice.  Juice the device does not need.

No battery operated device holds 100% charge old or new battery after being powered on for a few minutes/half hour etc.

Took it down to the park and did a little more testing after diner, adding power helps. Plugged into the usb port in the truck, long enough cable get away from the metal of the truck, kept RC at 100%. The tab 4 ended at 99% making it usable.

The image transmission rate is the problem. Flying at say 120 feet off the ground over the tree tops, camera level out ahead or slightly aimed down toward the ground it does real good. Aim the camera down directly at the ground or just a little to much? the video stream breaks up skips hit and miss in and out. More miss than hit and increases as the lens fills with information other than sky. Hovering still you can aim it anywhere as far out as you want, code rate is fine. Start moving forward the video fails, aim camera out toward the horizon again video feed returns to what it should be as code rate drastically decreases by comparison.

Noticed too that this afternoon a quick test here at the house, it did better with the bright sun light, sun high in the sky. Same effect to a small degree with camera angle but nothing drastic. This evening as the sun went down behind the trees it increased the issue, had trouble flying low down by the ground where the video code rate would always be high lens full of constantly moving/changing information to send back.

Really appreciate input so far and would be happy to test and or check out suggestions anyone may have to improve things. Short of buying an Ipad that is, not that I can't afford em I just can't help feel it shouldn't be necessary.

I will be sure to post outcome of test with my sons Mavic pro platinum, his controller and drone using my tab4.

He can fly his just about to the town down the road from the park and back, little better than a 5 mile round trip. I couldn't come near that with this one. Little over a mile and the live stream dies out too choppy to continue, full control over drone but no video to fly by.  And while flying great distances isn't my main goal I'd like it to perform as it should, and in the space around me I intend to operate within.

And yes for full disclosure my son uses a iphone 8, a young man yet and with really good eyesight....me no not so much anymore on that front. Reason for the larger screen and it's intended use, a little phone screen by comparison is just to small to be of much use to me. Point being while it works better with my phone I'm not interested in operating it that way. That and my phone is loaded with apps and based on what I've read exactly why it shouldn't work or work very well.  

I said it before I'll say it one more time, this lenovo tab4 8 works great with the Dji P4 so I didn't think for a second it'd be a problem with this one both use the same app.      So much for that  


Dan

Before I got a CrystalSky, I used a spare MP battery to solve this problem. Connect the battery to the RC, connect the RC to the device using the bottom USB port. Battery charges the RC and the RC charges my device. Kind of clumsy, but I put the spare battery in my shirt pocket so it wasn't too bad. Only way I could fly an afternoon without my RC being drained.

As others have stated, this seems to be a problem only with Android devices. I believe on the iPhone, you have the option of turning the charging port off.

I've had static video from doing a live stream and given I tried it several times, I simply don't run live streams anymore.

I've had static video from doing a live stream and given I tried it several times, I simply don't run live streams anymore.

Dan-62 Posted at 2018-8-15 17:43
Took it down to the park and did a little more testing after diner, adding power helps. Plugged into the usb port in the truck, long enough cable get away from the metal of the truck, kept RC at 100%. The tab 4 ended at 99% making it usable.

The image transmission rate is the problem. Flying at say 120 feet off the ground over the tree tops, camera level out ahead or slightly aimed down toward the ground it does real good. Aim the camera down directly at the ground or just a little to much? the video stream breaks up skips hit and miss in and out. More miss than hit and increases as the lens fills with information other than sky. Hovering still you can aim it anywhere as far out as you want, code rate is fine. Start moving forward the video fails, aim camera out toward the horizon again video feed returns to what it should be as code rate drastically decreases by comparison.

Tips/install-dji-go-on-an-android-tabletphone-step-by-step-guide.31
This might help but it is the best is to use older FW and older app.
The last few updates has not done anything good for Mavic Pro.
I use Samsung S7 and it is charging all the time but I can fly 5 battery on the charge of controller.
I'm on .100 Fw and  4.2.16 app.

G_Sig Posted at 2018-8-15 19:16
Tips/install-dji-go-on-an-android-tabletphone-step-by-step-guide.31
This might help but it is the best is to use older FW and older app.
The last few updates has not done anything good for Mavic Pro.

Hey seen your post this AM and is exactly the input I needed. When I took it out of the box it needed updated, no surprise there. Jumped right from the oldest version to the latest..... as directed.

I installed .100 on this one and its controller, yes much better I gained full usage and didn't even have to try my phone.

Thanks for the link too, I had already been there fully utilizing its information. I used it for my P4 as well.

I was gun shy with any older version because of what happen when my son brought his mavic here to show it to us, telling us all about it taking flight in the driveway "no problem can't hit anything" protected etc etc and why/how.

Well he flew around one of the buildings into the backyard, huge white oaks here, it suddenly took off straight up me yelling stop. He stated he wasn't doing a thing it was doing it itself it went up hitting tree branches falling upside down righting itself. It flipped right side up side sliding into a smaller tree hung one side low. There it kept throttling up and down trying to level itself, again him doing nothing standing watching RC in hand.

It freed itself falling to the ground snapping one of the front landing legs.

I later ask him if it happen again, he said a firmware update corrected the problem all was well no more problems it just taking off by itself.

I assumed he installed the latest version, wasn't long ago so I figured that probably be the "safe" one to use.

Turns out he was running the one prior to it.

So anyway reason I was hesitant to try older versions unless given good reason to believe they might make a difference. And without it taking off on its own!

So for now appears to be problem solved. Threatening rain here so grounded

Many thanks to everyone,

Dan

(oh and so far still running the latest version of Dji go)