5.8 GHz management: SmartAudio

[jwatte]

Apparently the FPV world now has a feature called "Smart Audio" to control the video transmitters, including setting output power and channel frequency.
Except it doesn't use audio at all, it uses 4800 BPS half-duplex 3.3V UART!
Also, these devices have "pit mode" where transmission power is 0.01 mW or so, meaning it can be used for bench testing without interfering with others (even at 25 mW.)

One transmitter with this feature that seems to also contain a flash card DVR on Amazon is https://amzn.to/2YHZk5k
I'm going to get one and see if it's any good. (My 832-Tx 8-channel with DIP switches is very noisy and needs replacement anyway...)

So, if we want to manage channels for the next event, this seems like a promising option!

[GhengisDhon]

Do let us know how it goes, if you get one. During the event while fighting with video issues, the thought came to my mind if they made a transmitter that you could electronically change channels. Apparently they do!

[jwatte]

Also, it amuses me that they call it "Smart Audio" when it's really just a half-duplex serial connection ...
I wonder how that name came about?

[emofes]

Also, it amuses me that they call it "Smart Audio" when it's really just a half-duplex serial connection ...
I wonder how that name came about?

Hey, I come from the fpv multirotor world. It's called smart audio because when TBS (team black sheep) created it they used the existing audio pad on their vtx's . I don't know all the technical details but I believe using the audio line for it had something to do with EU regulations. Now just about every popular vtx made for multirotors has smart audio.