P4P Video Issues With iPad

mwkelly109 · May 27, 2020

Have been flying a P4P with an iPad gen3. Video on DJI Go4 will frequently will go from a large rolling black band to complete video loss. Have it narrowed down to an overheat problem with the iPad.

Is there an alternative to the iPad that will take the Florida heat? I've heard the crystal sky isn't much better besides the hefty price.

R Martin · May 27, 2020

mwkelly109 said:
Have been flying a P4P with an iPad gen3. Video on DJI Go4 will frequently will go from a large rolling black band to complete video loss. Have it narrowed down to an overheat problem with the iPad.

Is there an alternative to the iPad that will take the Florida heat? I've heard the crystal sky isn't much better besides the hefty price.

I had the same problem with my iPad. You can control the overheating issue with coolpaks.
Cool-Cell-Strip
There are other variations. Just look around and you will find one that will work for you. I keep two in the ice chest and another installed on the iPad while it is in use during the summer.

R.Perry · May 28, 2020

Same problem here, I went to two iPads, that has taken care of the problem. Anything over 90 degrees will cause them to overheat. I put both iPads in my lunch container (has ice pack), when on gets hot, switch it out and throw it in the lunch box, cools it right down.
I've also have a Samsung Android eight inch and have no problem with it overheating and dropping the video.

D70usertn · May 28, 2020

I have had the same issue with the iPad mini 4. Has anybody tried the Mini 5? Does the additional processing power make any difference in the heat? Will try the cooling strips as well.

LUIS MARTINEZ · May 28, 2020

R.Perry said:
Same problem here, I went to two iPads, that has taken care of the problem. Anything over 90 degrees will cause them to overheat. I put both iPads in my lunch container (has ice pack), when on gets hot, switch it out and throw it in the lunch box, cools it right down.
I've also have a Samsung Android eight inch and have no problem with it overheating and dropping the video.

Yeap, two Ipads and a cooler does the trick. Only 107 deg. here today.

R.Perry · May 28, 2020

You got us beat, we were 106 today, love it.

Meta4 · May 29, 2020

mwkelly109 said:
Have been flying a P4P with an iPad gen3.

The iPad Gen 3 came out in 2012.
It has a slow, old processor and only 1GB of RAM.
It's not a suitable tablet to run DJI Go4.
Try a modern tablet with a fast processor and 4 GB of RAM and things should be fine.

mwkelly109 · May 30, 2020

Meta4 said:
The iPad Gen 3 came out in 2012.
It has a slow, old processor and only 1GB of RAM.
It's not a suitable tablet to run DJI Go4.
Try a modern tablet with a fast processor and 4 GB of RAM and things should be fine.

Took a page from the manned aircraft boy's playbook. Have an XNaut cooler en route.

Hoping that will do the trick for now. New iPad will have to be budgeted....

HAWK-i.us · May 30, 2020

Swapped the mini4 for a mini5, and the overheat problem was better. Still get occasional issues but not like before. Also helps to not cache the feed into the ipad.

LUIS MARTINEZ · May 30, 2020

Meta4 said:
The iPad Gen 3 came out in 2012.
It has a slow, old processor and only 1GB of RAM.
It's not a suitable tablet to run DJI Go4.
Try a modern tablet with a fast processor and 4 GB of RAM and things should be fine.

like? looking for a recommendation.

jjdun770 · Jun 1, 2020

LUIS MARTINEZ said:
like? looking for a recommendation.

Just wondering but why is everyone SO reluctant to use anything but Apple? I'm currently using a Samsung Tab A that I bought off some kid on CL for $60. I can't say enough about how reliable and problem free this thing has been. I definitely don't have a dog in this fight, no reason to sing it's praises other than they're well deserved. I've answered questions about tablets in other threads with the same answer SAMSUNG TAB A but everyone seems so reluctant to use anything but iPad. For the life of me I don't understand why, they cost 3-4 times as much for comparable results. I have had ZERO issues running any of the usual apps - DJIGO4, DD, Litchi, Pix4dcapture, Airmaps, Kittyhawk, Drone Up. I did learn quickly there was no way I was gonna let DroneBases app have autonomous control of my P4P (experienced 2 flyaway) but was luckily able to regain control both times and since then I just flew the missions myself. But that issue was later found to be in DB own software and not something I had any control over. I'm not saying all you Apple guys should run out tomorrow and grab a Tab A but if you're in the market for a tablet already it should be something you at least consider.

mwkelly109 · Jun 1, 2020

jjdun770 said:
Just wondering but why is everyone SO reluctant to use anything but Apple?

I'm not married to Apple. To the contrary, seems like a bad bet paying $400 to $? (used) for something that struggles to do the job done . Last time I looked, a gen 5 mini with cell and wifi is almost $700 (?!). That ain't happening.

What model Samsung tablet are you running?

jjdun770 · Jun 2, 2020

mwkelly109 said:
I'm not married to Apple. To the contrary, seems like a bad bet paying $400 to $? (used) for something that struggles to do the job done . Last time I looked, a gen 5 mini with cell and wifi is almost $700 (?!). That ain't happening.

What model Samsung tablet are you running?

Mine is definitely nothing special Samsung Tab A from a few years ago....
Model #SM-T350. This thing has been absolutely wonderful as far as I'm concerned at a fraction of the cost of any model iPad with none of the overheating issues. Kinda seems like a no-brainer to me but what do I know lol. More than anything just trying to help. Why pay that much money if you don't have to, you know? Anyway if you have anymore questions I'm always happy to help.

LUIS MARTINEZ · Jun 2, 2020

jjdun770 said:
Mine is definitely nothing special Samsung Tab A from a few years ago....
Model #SM-T350. This thing has been absolutely wonderful as far as I'm concerned at a fraction of the cost of any model iPad with none of the overheating issues. Kinda seems like a no-brainer to me but what do I know lol. More than anything just trying to help. Why pay that much money if you don't have to, you know? Anyway if you have anymore questions I'm always happy to help.

Have you operated in hot places like the Southwest? 112 last week, 106 today. Asking for a friend.

jjdun770 · Jun 2, 2020

LUIS MARTINEZ said:
Have you operated in hot places like the Southwest? 112 last week, 106 today. Asking for a friend.

Negative... Never operated outside of the southeast (NC, SC, GA, VA). While I'm sure it's not anything like what you're describing it's definitely no cake walk (90-100ish highs during the summer mos). I've used iPads for work that regularly overheated, I've never had that happen on an Android device (phone or tablet). I always just assumed that was a problem specific to Apple. I'm not sure if anyone else has had an overheating issue on an Android device, Samsung in particular? I'd be curious to know. I can only speak to my personal experience when I say thats never happened to me.

LUIS MARTINEZ · Jun 2, 2020

After reading your comments, I may look for a cheap refurbished Samsung for a test. Summer is just beginning. Ouch!

LUIS MARTINEZ · Jun 3, 2020

jjdun770 said:
Negative... Never operated outside of the southeast (NC, SC, GA, VA). While I'm sure it's not anything like what you're describing it's definitely no cake walk (90-100ish highs during the summer mos). I've used iPads for work that regularly overheated, I've never had that happen on an Android device (phone or tablet). I always just assumed that was a problem specific to Apple. I'm not sure if anyone else has had an overheating issue on an Android device, Samsung in particular? I'd be curious to know. I can only speak to my personal experience when I say thats never happened to me.

Your Samsung works ok with DJI?

jjdun770 · Jun 3, 2020

LUIS MARTINEZ said:
Your Samsung works ok with DJI?

I use DJIGO4, DroneDeploy, and Litchi regularly and have been trying out Pix4dcapture a little and don't have any issues running any of them. With GO4 every device seems a little different in getting the blue 'Go Fly' button to appear lol. The sequence that works best for me is start AC, start GO4 with tablet already connected to RC. Once I've selected the proper aircraft I turn on the RC and a few seconds after the AC and RC link I'll get my Go Fly button on my screen. I'm sure there are other ways you can do it but that's the sequence I've found to work best for me and the Tab A.

LUIS MARTINEZ · Jun 4, 2020

I got a Samsung Tab A coming soon. I'll report on my heat tests.

Meta4 · Jun 4, 2020

LUIS MARTINEZ said:
like? looking for a recommendation.

A bit late but I've found the 8" Huawei M3 and M5 to be outstanding flying tablets.
Both have performed flawlessly in hard professional use, without a glitch.
Their new M6 should also be very good.