I've been asked to do some broadcast tests with the Inspire 2.The national TV station wants to know if the I2 would be a usefull tool in live productions/shows.

I2 .300 Firmware
2 Cendence (latest firmware)
2 CrystalSky Ultrabright with patch antenna (latest firmware)
X7 camera (latest firmware)
Shutter set to 180° (aka double the frame rate)
CE Mode as I'm in Europe


The tests were not sucessfull.
Actually they were a disaster..


I tried to output the image trough hdmi, in any available output resolution and also in Broadcast mode.  The image is extremly flickering when the camera gets moved.
No broadcaster will accept such a lousy image.

I did not do any output by sdi tests yet, as I don't have a sdi monitor laying around a t home right now. Will do that test next week with one from the office.

Anyone got experience withn this problem?
Any of the US users knows if a stronger FCC signal solves the problem?

Hi Coyut, I find the problem is the Crystal Sky monitor. Change it for an ipad or ipad pro, and the processing of the image is better. Send me a message if you'd like to discuss.

AJD I2 Posted at 7-8 23:48
Hi Coyut, I find the problem is the Crystal Sky monitor. Change it for an ipad or ipad pro, and the processing of the image is better. Send me a message if you'd like to discuss.

We tried everything.
The image coming down from the sky is 25p and is getting converted to 50i on the ground unit. Which is the wrong way to start anyway.
Actually its not even a stable 25p it changes between 17 and 25 fps. Converted to 50i absolutly unusable for our quality request.
The same problem consists with LB2 on the M600 and any other dji solution.

Its just not good enough for prime time evening shows.
We build now a solution which can carry various cams, send a good quality image and even allows for remote ccu inside the broadcast trucks if needed.

The current dij solutions can work for breaking news, or just news coverage.
But the transfered images are far, far away from good broadcast image required for big produced evening live shows.
The requirements may differ from country to country. But here in Switzerland the broadcasters denied every dji solution we tried. And we tried all of them in different setups and flavors.

It would have been nice to use the I2 for live establisher shots. But thats just not working due of the above mentioned reasons.

I have fond that you do need to be very careful with the settings in the DJI Go app. Best to connect the output from the RC to a monitor and test the various settings - with the aircraft on the ground.
With some effort and patience I have had acceptable results - using the CE equipment in Europe but did not make a note of the settings used (sorry!).
Kind regards.
Allan

Coyut Posted at 7-9 03:17
We tried everything.
The image coming down from the sky is 25p and is getting converted to 50i on the ground unit. Which is the wrong way to start anyway.
Actually its not even a stable 25p it changes between 17 and 25 fps. Converted to 50i absolutly unusable for our quality request.

I'm trying to work out if it is possible to get the image out of the processor on the craft, and add my own transmitter to the Inspire 2.

Do you know if anyone has done it successfully?

I agree Allan, with a good testing of settings on the ground, live pictures can be suitable. They suffer if you have to re transmit them, so an SDI cable straight to the truck is the only way I've done it successfully. It's much better in bright sunny conditions too.
Here's a link to a live broadcast I did earlier this year.

Coyut Posted at 7-9 03:17
We tried everything.
The image coming down from the sky is 25p and is getting converted to 50i on the ground unit. Which is the wrong way to start anyway.
Actually its not even a stable 25p it changes between 17 and 25 fps. Converted to 50i absolutly unusable for our quality request.

If it's okay, what system did you end up using? Could you share a photo or two?

Thanks Aaron

AJD I2 Posted at 7-10 17:09
If it's okay, what system did you end up using? Could you share a photo or two?

Thanks Aaron

S1000
GH4 1080/50p, Blackmagic Studio Micro, A7SII or LMP1200 (depending on job)
Intelli G
HF Transmission device from Broadcaster to Truck or Connex if its a event without custom HF network.
And a Decimator on the ground converting to 50i if Connex is used.

allanart Posted at 7-10 05:36
I have fond that you do need to be very careful with the settings in the DJI Go app. Best to connect the output from the RC to a monitor and test the various settings - with the aircraft on the ground.
With some effort and patience I have had acceptable results - using the CE equipment in Europe but did not make a note of the settings used (sorry!).
Kind regards.

We've done scientific testing in the broadcaster lab with all settings.
The signal that is comming from the I2 LB is just to weak and first of all not a 50i, even there is a depending broadcast mode. ist not even a stable 25p in the beginning.
We tried from stock rc up to cendence, sdi hdmi out, various smart devices and CS.
Even our contacts at dji told us that our reqirements can't be done with the I2 or M600.