TEST: AOMWAY COMMANDER V2

[Drone News]

INTRODUCTION

In the serie of Large FOV FPV goggles, after the semi failure of the Skyzone SKY03 and TopSky F7X, the long waited successor of the Commander V1 is here: AOMWAY COMMANDER V2. The new V2 edition got a 45degrees FOV !!! super immersive and uses classic 800×600 LCD screens far of HD performances of the two first competitors. More the DVR part is also updated for a more classic HMDVR architecture able to record NTSC/PAL sources into D1 720×576 format. As for the AC1, we still have a non removable builtin Diversity 5.8G RF module but now able to trigger up to 64CH divided into 8 different subbands. The AC2 is shipped with a RHCP cloverleaf antenna and a high gain patch plannar antenna. These AC2 are expensive and the price is close to the high-end fatshark models…. It’s a risk from Aomway… Let’s see if it can be a Fatshark killer…

BOX CONTENT

+ 1 x AOMWAY COMMANDER V2
+ 1 x 5.8G Cloverleaf RHCP antenna
+ 1 x 5.8G half-planner antenna
+ 1 x RCA to 3.5mm 4p jack cable
+ 1 x 2S-4S to DCin power cable
+ 1 x Spare facial mask
+ 5 x Aomway sticker
+ 1 x Screwdriver
+ 1 x Instruction manual (English/Chinese)
+ 1 x Transportation bag

Like the AC1, the AC2 can be powered directly from a 2S up to 4S LiPo via their respective balancer JST plugs. Corresponding male JST connectors are given if you want to build your own DIY power cable. It’s a good point

The main lead power lines are filtered with a 220uF caps.

OVERVIEW

The complete list of the features. We have 800X600 builtin LCD screen with LED backlight system. The main question is this 800×600 resolution enough to avoid pixelization effect on the screens ?

In comparaison, the AC2 (right) is very similar to the AC1: same number of buttons, same location of them, same chassis in general. The main difference comes with the type of plastic used. Bye bye the deluxe soft mate model, now we have a more classic brillant material like the Sky02 V+.

Versus my first V1 (first batch), now the V2 comes with a three points headstrap much more confortable where the LiPo can hold rear.

Already pre-installed via a scratch system, a facial foam mask… confortable but not durable versus time. Two masks with different thickness are provided.

The bottom side is also identical with a PS/2 connector for a headtracker connexion. Notice there is a pro version of the AC2 with pre-installed the headtracker module. The IPD sliders allow to reach up to 72mm versus 69mm for the first AC1 model. That’s a good news for large faces :). There is also a unique 3.5mm jack plug. By default, when the RF module is active, it’s an AVout. As soon as you turn off the RFmodule, this port becomes an AVin. Finally there is a microHDMI port to input any 720p/1080p sources. Notice, you will have first to select the HDMI (or HDMI3D) from the main menu THEN TURN OFF the RF module by very long pressing the central left joystick at center. You must hear two beeps (the first announce when you enter into the menu).

-FRONT VIEW

-SIDE VIEW
Same DC port

-REAR VIEW

The basic foam mask. At least good news, when the Fan is turned on, the airflow is light and don’t dry eyes.

The diopter section is upgraded for the V2… and is compatible with fatshark model.

-UPPER VIEW
Also the same buttons layout as for the AC1. From left to right we have a earphone plug in 3.5mm jack format, a microSD card slot accepting up to 32Gb card. I tested with basic miroSD cards… even not U10 and it works fine. Then the CH/Bands/Scan buttons. As soon as you short press on this button, it increases immediatly the channel value into the current selected Vband. IMHO it can be a problem… because the OSD Vfreq/Vband informations dissipear after 5s and as soon as you press this button, you may unselect the right Vfreq of your flying machine. I would adopt another strategy: i) of the Vfreq/Vband is not display, pressing this button first should first display the OSD info and ii) if the OSD informations are display increase the Vfreq number. Each time this button is shortly pressed, a small beep is emitted

When you press this button more than 5s, you will be able to select the Vband. Now 8 subbands are available !!!! for a total of 64 channels. Each time you long press 5s, two beeps are emitted. Finally when you press and hold this button 10s, three beeps are emitted and the scanning procedure is lunch…. Just a basic “SearchA….” is displayed on top left…. nothing else… no progression versus channels… or even better no RSSI informations for each channel like the Skyzone procedure…. It’s minimalist. At least the all procedure is fast, about 8s… it’s quiet fast and the picked up signal is always the strongest.

The “mode” joystick button got serveral functions as well. Up/down controls the brightness while left/right the contrast. Note that you can have independent settings of brightness/contrast for the RF or HDMI sources.. When you long press (4-5s) centrally the joystick, you enter into the main goggles menu. You can navigate with up/down directions and enter/exit into/from submenus with the right/left directions respectively.

For the RF sources, by default you are in 4:3 aspect ratio mode but you can select a 16:9 stretching horizontally the central part cutting the top and bottom parts of the screen. Other options are available, especially for the headtracker.

Notice there is two RF sensitivity mode, one so -called “FPV race” and the second “Long range”.

The right “DVR” joysticks control the DVR recording and playback. By default the module is turned off… maybe a good idea if you are sure to never record and in order to save some batteries. So in practice, you will need to turn on first the module by long pressing centrally the joystick until you hear a beep. The “REC” message will be displayed on the top right section. To record, just press slowly… the “REC” will blink slowly every second. Repress one more time to stop recording. The REC msg will stay solid.

When the DVR module is turned on first then if you long press centrally the DVR joystick…. you will hear two beeps and you will enter into the DVR/playback menu. This one is clearly based on the HMDVR architecture… we have exactly the same layout with with more restricted options. For example no possibility to select the file record format. We are stucked into D1 720×576 format. To playback recorded file, you have to press to the right the joystick when the “execute” suboption is selected.

At least we can turn on the option to record automatically as soon as the RF module is on.

The bay for the Headtracker module.

-BOTTOM VIEW
Same layout but now with IPD up to 72mm.

In comparaison with the SKY03. Here the noze section is much more confortable/adapted for non-asiatic morphologies. No unconfortable feeling as for the SKY03 (none-fixed version)

-WEIGHT
About 30g added for the new V2. with a larger headstrap and an heavier patch plannar antenna, it’s not surprizing.

ANTENNA

A 8dBi half plannar antenna with a double layers system.

BUILTIN DISPLAY

As for the AC1, the AC2 welcomes a microHDMI port. First of all you need to select either HDMI-2D from the main menu. In general it can automatically display the HDMI but probably you will need also to turn off the RF module (very long press centrally on the left joystick until three beeps)

A 720p source

or a 2048×1152 source

The rendition is pretty good….

Here is a 1080p example

or 1080p Side By Side

The 3D rendering is great !!!

BUILTIN DVR

UNBOXING, ANALYSIS AND TESTING

A raw DVR recording for a basic NTSC CMOS AIO module

CONCLUSIONS

The Aomway Commander V2 goggles represents at least a serious competitor to the Fatshark HD3. The field of view is huge !!!, no specific blurring observed, relatively confortable whatever the type of face/noze you have. The builtin screens offers good results in term of brightness/contrast and color but not reach the top results of the SKY03 or Fatshark HDO. The RF sensitivity of the AC2 is also reported to be better than the AC1. More the builtin DVR module is one of the best actually. In fact, there is no real technical weak points for the AC2 except the introduction price… currently around 440USD …. so just 50USD less than the Fatshark HDO….. I am pretty sure the price of the AC2 will fall relatively shortly under the 400USD. If you own already a commander V1, is the upgrade a must to do… I will reply no if you are 100% satisfied with…. The 45 degrees FOV is a great feature for sure but probably no worthing 440 USD. If you never own a good FPV goggles, then the AC2 is possentially for you.

PROS

+ 45 degrees FOV
+ No blur
+ Confortable facial mask
+ Larger IPD ajustement
+ Good Diversity sensitivity
+ Good builtin DVR
+ No DVR cropping for both PAL & NTSC sources
+ No frame lost/desynchronization with an external HD source
+ Good set of FPV antennas
+ 4:3/16:9 aspect ratio ajustement
+ Fast 64CH scan procedure (8s)
+ Fan not drying eyes
+ Diopter compatible

CONS

– Builtin screens not as precise as the Skyzone SKY03/FS HDO
– Very Small amount of electronic background noise in RF mode
– Color rendition a bit overwashed
– No possibility to turn off the fan manually
– No possibility to turn on permanently Vfreq OSD info
– No RSSI feedback during Vfreq scan
– Vfreq immediatly increased when Vfreq OSD info is off
– Internal RF solution only
– Expensive
-(no powerswitch)

These FPV goggles have been courtesy provided by AOMWAY 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 440USD at https://www.banggood.com/AOMWAY-Commander-V2-FPV-Goggles-1080P-5_8G-64CH-Headset-HDin-AVin-Support-Head-Tracker-p-1281649.html

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