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ArduVidRx Hardware

The ArduVidRx firmware may be run on various hardware configurations, including the following ones.  A Bluetooth module may be attached; see the Bluetooth Modules for ArduVidRx page for more information.

RC832 Receiver

              

The "standard" ArduVidRx build consists of an RC832 video receiver modified with an Arduino Pro Mini 328 (5V 16MHz) board.  In the above photos, the one on the left shows the minimum wiring required for ArduVidRx (see the min-wiring diagram here).  The one on the right shows the full wiring, with connections for the 7-segment displays, buttons, and RSSI output (see the full-wiring diagram here).

The first step in the modifcation is to remove the U8 chip (below and to the left of the display) so that the Arduino board is free to run the module and display connections.  It can be successfully removed with a pencil-syle heat gun, but care needs to be taken to avoid damaging the (plastic) display.  (For the minimum-wiring version of the modification, another option is to cut the traces to the leftmost three connections on the RX5808 module.)

The Arduino board should be attached to the RC832 main board using double-stick foam tape.  See this annotated case pic (rev3.0) for dimensions on the slot that needs to be cut for the Arduino connector.

Note that the above photos are for the REV:3.0 version of the RC832.  For the REV:2.0 version of the RC832, see this wiring photo, this annotated photo, and this annotated case pic (rev2.0).

See here for a gallery of BobD's build pics.
See here for a gallery of earlier pics (showing wiring into an 8-conductor cable).
See here for a pic showing a mount with case opening on the side.

(Special thanks to BobD for the pics and the work.)

The Arduino Pro Mini 328 (5V 16MHz) board may also be found here on eBay.

Here is a source for the female headers:  2pcs 40Pin 2.54 mm Single Row Female Header

These headers have long pins on both sides making them good for use as mating adapters:
20mm 2-sided 1x40-pin 2.54mm Breakaway Male Header - Double Sided
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141657908407
https://www.adafruit.com/products/400

A 5-volt FTDI adapter is needed to load the firmware onto the Arduino board (see below).

Realacc RX5808 Pro Diversity Receiver

    

The Realacc RX5808 Pro Diversity is a receiver designed to fit into Fatshark FPV goggles.  Because it features the pads for an FTDI connection, it is well suited to run the ArduVidRx firmware.  The combination of this module and the SparkFun Bluetooth Mate Silver provides the easiest build (in terms of what soldering is required).

The diversity board (with the extra RX5808 module) and the display are not used by the ArduVidRx firmware (though future enhancements could be implemented to support them).  The extra RX5808 module could also be used to build another ArduVidRx receiver (see below).

A 6-pin header needs to be soldered onto the module (can use this Female Header).  Note that with this header in place, the module may no long fit into Fatshark goggles.  If the module is powered via the VCC(+5V) and GND pins on the Fatshark connector, a jumper to the VCC on the other connector is needed (to bypass a diode).  This allows the power to go out to the Bluetooth module.  See the right-side pic above.  (Video and audio signals can be tapped via the Fatshark connector.)

These headers have long pins on both sides making them good for use as mating adapters:
20mm 2-sided 1x40-pin 2.54mm Breakaway Male Header - Double Sided
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141657908407
https://www.adafruit.com/products/400

A 5-volt FTDI adapter is needed to load the ArduVidRx firmware onto the module (see below).

The Quanum HB5808 Diversity Receiver may also work as an ArduVidRx receiver (although the pin spacing on the 6-pin connector looks tighter).

Arduino Pro Mini + RX5808 module

          

A stripped-down approach to creating an ArduVidRx receiver is to attach an RX5808 module directly to an Arduino Pro Mini 328 (5V 16MHz) board.  Various wiring and connector options are possible; the needed connections are shown here in the min-wiring diagram.  In the photos above, a 6-pin header is soldered onto the FTDI-side of the Arduino board (can use this Female Header), and another 6-pin female header is wired into the necessary pins on the Arduino.  A right-angle 6-pin male header is soldered onto the lower pins on the RX5808 module.  A 3-pin female header is also soldered on to provide access to the video and audio signals from the module.  See here for an additional photo.

Here are a couple of sources for RX5808 modules:

FPV-5-8G-Wireless-Audio-Video-Receiving-Module-for-Boscam-for-RX5808
http://www.ebay.com/itm/112146512841

Boscam FPV 5.8G Wireless Audio Video Receiving Module RX5808
http://www.banggood.com/FPV-5_8G-Wireless-Audio-Video-Receiving-Module-RX5808-p-84775.html

On "older-style" versions of the RX5808 (like probably the one from Banggood), the "SPI modification" needs to be done on the module -- see this page for information.

A 5-volt FTDI adapter is needed to load the firmware onto the Arduino board (see below).

Loading ArduVidRx Firmware with XLoader

XLoader

The ArduVidRx firmware can be loaded (flashed) to the receiver using the posted .hex file and the XLoader program.  A 5-volt FTDI adapter is needed.  Follow these steps for flashing:
 (The ArduVidRx code can also be built and flashed using the Arduino IDE or the Eclipse C++ IDE for Arduino.  The code is posted here on GitHub, or here as a zip archive.)

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