Ares VTX

Hey All,

I'm having issues with my ARES VTX. I have a quad(0) which uses the ARES VTX and has amazing video and range. My other quads were using various VTX's from RUSH Tank to XILO. All were wired the same through the same type of flight controller, a Lumenier AIO, using the individual filtered power pads and same ground, smart audio through the uart, and OSD video in and out pads. All but the one(0) using the ARES, which looked amazingly clear, were getting video static and breakup. So, I decided to upgrade my small fleet of quads with the FPV same setup utilizing the ARES VTX exclusively. Well my results varied from bad to worse but not one was getting the crystal clear image I was looking for at which point I decided to start chasing the static issues' source on one of the quads(1) acting up. I don't own an oscilloscope so I just went by the trial and error method by first directly going to the lipo connection for a power source and ground for the camera as well as the VTX. Well, to my dismay the static was still present (I also tried cleaning up the solder connections, using different wires, antennas, and routes for the wires). The next step was to bypass the flight controller completely and use the camera's OSD instead of the flight controller's in order to get the lipo's voltage as this is OSD element is critical for me. At this point the static pretty much disappeared giving me the gorgeous image I was looking for as well as excellent range leaving the flight controller video in/out connection as the source of my static. Well going out on the very next flight and I'm getting good video quality until increasing the range as if the VTX is stuck on 25mw or low power. The image looks great until I get around 20-30 feet out and then there is so much snow in the image I have to set down. I pushed the little button to ensure the proper channel, band, and power level by the looking at the LEDS. Same poor range. I placed the flight controller into another quad(2) with the original wiring through the FCU in order to check the smart audio settings, turn off low power until arm, and to make sure that the unit wasn't stuck in race mode and set to free mode as my RUSH Tank has been known to do. Still same horrible static and range albeit in that quad(2) now. The unit isn't getting hot at all even when set to 1 watt. So I place the ARES VTX from quad(2) into the directly wired quad(1)- Again, great video. Until the next day on the very next flight same horrible snow with any distance from the receiver! Now I have two VTX's exhibiting the same bad behavior. I ended up placing one of my old video transmitters, XILO, in the directly wired quad(1) and bam no problems over multiple outings! I really hate to think I've fried the ARES transmitters by wiring them directly as they are capable of taking over 24v input and I'm only using 3s batteries. Does anyone have an idea what could have caused this? There wasn't any sign of the impending failure during the flight and if it was a lack of antenna connection wouldn't it be presenting itself during the flight as the unit heated up and not at the beginning of the subsequent flight when relatively cooler? Please help me diagnose the issue or let me know of your experience using the ARES VTX wired directly.

Thanks

Badbaddad said:

Hey All,

I'm having issues with my ARES VTX. I have a quad(0) which uses the https://zumbaliciouscrew.com/en/online-zumba/ ARES VTX and has amazing video and range. My other quads were using various VTX's from RUSH Tank to here XILO. All were wired the same through the same type of flight controller, a Lumenier AIO, using the individual filtered power pads and same ground, smart audio through the uart, and OSD video in and out pads. All but the one(0) using the ARES, which looked amazingly clear, were getting video static and breakup. So, I decided to upgrade my small fleet of quads with the FPV same setup utilizing the ARES VTX exclusively. Well my results varied from bad to worse but not one was getting the crystal clear image I was looking for at which point I decided to start chasing the static issues' source on one of the quads(1) acting up. I don't own an oscilloscope so I just went by the trial and error method by first directly going to the lipo connection for a power source and ground for the camera as well as the VTX. Well, to my dismay the static was still present (I also tried cleaning up the solder connections, using different wires, antennas, and routes for the wires). The next step was to bypass the flight controller completely and use the camera's OSD instead of the flight controller's in order to get the lipo's voltage as this is OSD element is critical for me. At this point the static pretty much disappeared giving me the gorgeous image I was looking for as well as excellent range leaving the flight controller video in/out connection as the source of my static. Well going out on the very next flight and I'm getting good video quality until increasing the range as if the VTX is stuck on 25mw or low power. The image looks great until I get around 20-30 feet out and then there is so much snow in the image I have to set down. I pushed the little button to ensure the proper channel, band, and power level by the looking at the LEDS. Same poor range. I placed the flight controller into another quad(2) with the original wiring through the FCU in order to check the smart audio settings, turn off low power until arm, and to make sure that the unit wasn't stuck in race mode and set to free mode as my RUSH Tank has been known to do. Still same horrible static and range albeit in that quad(2) now. The unit isn't getting hot at all even when set to 1 watt. So I place the ARES VTX from quad(2) into the directly wired quad(1)- Again, great video. Until the next day on the very next flight same horrible snow with any distance from the receiver! Now I have two VTX's exhibiting the same bad behavior. I ended up placing one of my old video transmitters, XILO, in the directly wired quad(1) and bam no problems over multiple outings! I really hate to think I've fried the ARES transmitters by wiring them directly as they are capable of taking over 24v input and I'm only using 3s batteries. Does anyone have an idea what could have caused this? There wasn't any sign of the impending failure during the flight and if it was a lack of antenna connection wouldn't it be presenting itself during the flight as the unit heated up and not at the beginning of the subsequent flight when relatively cooler? Please help me diagnose the issue or let me know of your experience using the ARES VTX wired directly.

Thanks

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It sounds like you've done a thorough job troubleshooting your ARES VTX, and the fact that you've been able to narrow down the static and range issues to the flight controller video connections is a significant clue. Based on what you've described, there are a few potential causes that might be affecting the performance of your VTX.

One possibility is that there could be a conflict with the Smart Audio settings or the OSD configuration. Since you're using Smart Audio through the UART and the OSD video in and out pads, it’s worth checking if there’s any misconfiguration in the Betaflight settings, especially with how the OSD and VTX interact. If you haven’t already, try disabling OSD in Betaflight and see if that resolves the issue. You mentioned bypassing the flight controller and using the camera's OSD, which improved things, so it could be a conflict between the flight controller’s video signal and how the OSD is feeding video back to the VTX. Also, ensure that the VTX has the latest firmware installed. Some older firmware versions might have issues with Smart Audio or UART communication.

Since you’ve already tested various wiring setups and bypassed the flight controller completely, power could still be a potential issue. Even though the ARES VTX can handle higher input voltages, fluctuations in voltage or power noise from the flight controller could still impact its performance. Measuring the voltage directly at the VTX, especially during flight, could help determine if there’s any instability or power-related issue. You might also want to consider using a dedicated BEC to supply power to the VTX and camera, as flight controllers sometimes introduce noise when powering multiple components simultaneously.

Interference from nearby components like the ESCs or motors could also be a factor. Even though you've already tried different wiring routes, it might be worth experimenting with the placement of the VTX, camera, and antenna to minimize interference. If the wires are running too close to sensitive electronics, it can lead to signal degradation and static in the video feed. Double-checking the antenna connection is also important, as a loose or poor connection might not manifest immediately but could cause problems, especially when the VTX is under load.

You mentioned that the VTX appears to be stuck on low power, which could be a result of it unintentionally being set to Race Mode or a low-power mode. Verifying the settings on the VTX, either via Smart Audio or direct button presses, can ensure it's not in a low-power mode and is set to the correct power level. Resetting the VTX settings manually might help resolve any misconfigurations.

Since your older XILO VTX works without issues when directly wired, it seems that the problem may be isolated to the ARES VTX or its settings. However, if the issue persists even after swapping VTXs and resetting configurations, there might be an internal fault with the ARES VTX itself.

Lastly, while temperature sensitivity is unlikely to be the primary cause, it’s worth considering that some components can behave erratically when they cool down after use. If there’s a thermal issue, it might not be immediately obvious when the VTX is running cooler, but could affect its performance later on.

Given all the steps you’ve already taken, I’d recommend focusing on the connection between the flight controller’s video pads and the VTX, rechecking the configuration of your Smart Audio or OSD settings, and ensuring that the power supplied to the VTX is stable and noise-free. If the problem persists, it may be worth trying a different VTX to confirm whether the issue is with the ARES VTX itself. Hopefully, one of these solutions will help restore your crystal-clear video and solid range.