TEST: Eachine VR-D2 Pro (5″ 800×640, OSD, diversity 40CH, builtin DVR)

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INTRODUCTION

The Eachine VR-D2 pro represents the revision of their former Eachine VR-D2. We still have a 5″ FPV goggles (800×480) with diversity 40CH 5.8 receiver and a builtin DVR. The improvements for the Pro version concern more the advanced settings you can apply to the LCD display, the OSD informations now displayed and the upgrade of the builtin DVR. The more important, I would say, is to check if the Pro version fixes the freezing screen problem impacting the first edition. Let’s check and compare this new Pro version.

BOX CONTENT

+ 1 x Eachine VR-D2 Pro
+ 1 x 2200mah 2S Lion with DC connector
+ 1 x Power unit
+ 1 x 5.8G halfplanner antenna with RP-SMA connector
+ 1 x 5.8G RHCP cloverleaf antenna with RP-SMA connector
+ 2 x Facial sponge
+ 2 x Noze sponge
+ 1 x Fresnel lens clearning kit
+ 1 x Instruction manual (English)

The bundle is complet, two facial sponges so at least one spare one. For the noze section, you have also a thinner element to tape. Except that we have exactly the same elements.

OVERVIEW

Most of caracteristics remain the same.

and in practice, the chassis remains strictly identical, except the “upgrade” sticker installed on the front panel.

First bad news with the Pro version the front digits showing the current Vfreq/Vbands are no more working

In practice two output channels are here. The first one AV1/RF is the default one displaying the default OSD informations overlayed to the FPV signal. The second one AV2/DVR is available if your press “CAM/DVR/QUIT” button. You still have the FPV signal but with some other OSD informations linked with the DVR module. In practice the AV2 channel it’s not FPV friendly in the sens the frame rate drops a lot with this channel around 15fps !!! It clearly not compatible with racing. Hopefully, there is a trick to apply: as soon as you are in AV2 and start recording (press the “+” button to start/stop recording), return in AV1 to enjoy FPV with full frame rate. To stop recording, you will have to return in AV2…. It’s a little bit annoying but it was exactly the same for first edition.

Now in AV1, you can directly select manually the Vfreq/Vband with the “+” and “-” respectively. Of course you can also run a band scanning by pressing directly the scan button.

The headstrap has been little bit modified espcially for integrated battery strap

like the original model, the microSD slot is located on top. You will need absoluptly a class 10 minimum!!! If not, you will have an error msg in the DVR “CARD ERROR”.

The same two latteral sliders tuning the Fresnel lens distance.

They installed a Fresnel lens with a larger magnification factor (x3.5)

It’s possible to install the goggles on a tripod via a M6 screw

The battery can hold directly in the headstrap…

Weight

Display

First of all and it’s a huge improvement versus the former model, the current battery, the Vfreq and indivisual channel RSSI are displayed!! It was a real missing for the original model.

A lot of new settings are now available in AV1 (or AV2) by pressing the “menu” button. By pressing again on the “menu” button you will cycle between the five main panels. Pres “+” to navigate into a subsections. Press “menu” to hightlight/change a value and thanks to the “+”/”-” increases/decreases the current setting.

The aspect ratio can set between the 16:9 or 4:3

You have also a band scanner displaying all RSSI received on each 40CH. A good way to have a panarama of all 5.8G frequencies.

DVR

For sure, the buitin DVR has been upgraded. To enter in the DVR menu, you have first to switch in AV2 channel then long press “DVR-menu”. You access to the first DVR screen. To access to the second one, long press one more time the same button. Finally to exit from the DVR manu, long press one more time.

From the main interface, you can recognize the HM-DVR one… with exactly the same functionalitlies.

You can playback a recorded file by long press the “-” button in the DVR menu

Whatever the input source, all files are recorded in 720×480@25fps !! it’s a strange value since in general D1 NTC is 720×480@30fps while D1 PAL is 720×576@25fps… I am afraid, there will be some cropping for PAL sources.

Disassembling

The Fresnel lens is installed in the middle of a sliding lens support. What’s a pity, they didn’t think about to insert the lens at the 1/3 or 2/3 position also. It would have been a better option for larger myopia.

A lot of users prefer to install extra glasses to focus perfectly.

LiPo

It’s excactly the same 2200mAh Lion battery as for the first model. A large capacity large enough to use it more than 1h30mim.

UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND TESTING

The color rendition is correct, relatively sharp even if with the improved magnification factor of the lens, the pixellization effect is more important versus the former model. In term if RF sensitivity, I don’t see any better performances… it’s very close in practice. I like the scan feature and of course it’s a big plus to have important info displayed via OSD. No more buzz when LCV is close but only a visual information in the bottom left part of the screen. I reported no freezing screen versus time that’s a good point… but it’s quiet annoying to jongle between AV1/AV2 to record and fly FPV in good conditions.

As expected for PAL sources, a lot of informations are lost during recording (and in AV2) while they are visible in AV1. So it’s clearly a DVR’s firmware problem not really compatible with PAL sources (like was the first firmware of the HM-DVR). Here is the layout of OSD informations I displayed in each four quadrants some information

As you can see for the former VR-D2 (patched with PAL firmware), no big crop is observed while for the PRo version, it’s another story

All the last 40-50 bottom lines are cropped.

CONCLUSIONS

I got a mixed feeling with the VR-D2 Pro. In the first hand, I really like the new important informations displayed on the screen, I would say a must to have to any FPV goggles. Like the general quality of the screen and the builtin DVR HM-DVR based. In the other hand, I didn’t see any real improvement for the 5″LCD screen, the RX sensitivity… More the actual firmware installed in the DVR is cropping PAL sources. I am sure a new firmware will solve this problem…. The zig-zag between AV1 and AV2 is still obligatory to fly FPV in smooth conditions…

PROS

+ Complete FPV goggles with builtin DVR
+ Diversity
+ A lot of new LCD display settings
+ Aspect ratio can be selected
+ Ajustable Fresnel lens distance correcting small myopia
+ No observed freezing screen

CONS

– DVR/AV2 channel with low frame rate incompatible with FPV, need to fly with AV1
– DVR module cropping PAL source
– Still incompatible from medium myopia
– Front digits none-functional
– No AVin/out

This FPV goggles have been courtesy provided by Banggood in order to make a fair and not biased review. I would like to thank them for this attitude.
You can find it actually for 90USD at https://www.banggood.com/Eachine-VR-D2-Pro-Upgraded-5-Inches-800480-40CH-5_8G-Diversity-FPV-Goggles-with-DVR-Lens-Adjustable-p-1137808.html

Cet article TEST: Eachine VR-D2 Pro (5″ 800×640, OSD, diversity 40CH, builtin DVR) est apparu en premier sur Drone-Maniac !!!!!!!.

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