CS 1 vs 2? Thoughts?

[Grakken]

DJI RUMOR:New DJI Smart Controller Hints That CrystalSky 2 Coming

Ive only been in the drone game for 4 or 5 months so I have little experience overall with any of this. I own a M2Z. I REALLY want a screen that doesn't suck when flying outside in Sunny weather (I live in San Diego). I currently have a Pixel 2 XL. So , its brightness is lacking. I really was hoping that the SC was going to be a hit but looks like another botched release plagued by many problems. Will it get the CS treatment from DJI too (ie - lag massively behind in updates)? Will it work with furture DJI drones/tech? Too many unknowns at this time for my tastes. i'll pass.

I have been eying the CS screens before, and have read lots of things about them. There is so much info/reviews etc out there that it is all a blur now. Figured I would come in here and ask directly. I apologize in advance if this has been asked before. I did do a search but maybe not entering in the right keywords for what I am looking for.



2 parts - Not sure how reputable the authors in the link I provided are but it is interesting to say the least. I noticed during some SC reviews I was watching (like originaldobo), he notes that the SC's screen is very responsive where as on his CS, screen inputs can lag etc. That seems certain flights may get dicey. I got the impression it happens all the time (with his anyways). Is it something you just get "used too"?

Is this laggy-ness a CS wide issue or maybe just his?

What are the pro's/cons in your opinions of the current CS platform? What are some common bugs withe the CS units?


What do you all think about the rumors of CS2? If history is any indicator, it would probably be a botched release as well...but at least it would have an upgraded processor/newer glass/ tech?

i'll probably just find a suitable sunshade/hood in the interim as i'm not dropping the $$ DJi wants for products that were clearly released half baked. from my limited experience so far, it is probably safe(r) to wait for Version "2"'s of any DJI product.

I know i asked a lot of questions, just wished there was a clear cut choice but I have doubts about both the CS and the SC. While the main draw to both is the Nit's, the cons (from what I have read) seem to be deal breakers for me (considering what you pay).

Thank you for taking the time to read and engage in this thread.

 

[dgronjord]

I have a CS 5.5 for my Mavic Air and I'm very happy with it.

+ Great screen
+ Stable Go app
+ Battery long lasting and replaceable during a flying session
+ Possible to use with several drone models
- A bit bulky with RC and mount
- Takes time to mount the stuff together
- Battery needs a special charger and dock

If the Smart RC was compatible with the Air I would get it instantly. Mainly because of the shorter time between unpacking to flying and one less charger and dock to carry when traveling.

 

[tonyb]

DJI RUMOR:New DJI Smart Controller Hints That CrystalSky 2 Coming

Ive only been in the drone game for 4 or 5 months so I have little experience overall with any of this. I own a M2Z. I REALLY want a screen that doesn't suck when flying outside in Sunny weather (I live in San Diego). I currently have a Pixel 2 XL. So , its brightness is lacking. I really was hoping that the SC was going to be a hit but looks like another botched release plagued by many problems. Will it get the CS treatment from DJI too (ie - lag massively behind in updates)? Will it work with furture DJI drones/tech? Too many unknowns at this time for my tastes. i'll pass.

I have been eying the CS screens before, and have read lots of things about them. There is so much info/reviews etc out there that it is all a blur now. Figured I would come in here and ask directly. I apologize in advance if this has been asked before. I did do a search but maybe not entering in the right keywords for what I am looking for.



2 parts - Not sure how reputable the authors in the link I provided are but it is interesting to say the least. I noticed during some SC reviews I was watching (like originaldobo), he notes that the SC's screen is very responsive where as on his CS, screen inputs can lag etc. That seems certain flights may get dicey. I got the impression it happens all the time (with his anyways). Is it something you just get "used too"?

Is this laggy-ness a CS wide issue or maybe just his?

What are the pro's/cons in your opinions of the current CS platform? What are some common bugs withe the CS units?


What do you all think about the rumors of CS2? If history is any indicator, it would probably be a botched release as well...but at least it would have an upgraded processor/newer glass/ tech?

i'll probably just find a suitable sunshade/hood in the interim as i'm not dropping the $$ DJi wants for products that were clearly released half baked. from my limited experience so far, it is probably safe(r) to wait for Version "2"'s of any DJI product.

I know i asked a lot of questions, just wished there was a clear cut choice but I have doubts about both the CS and the SC. While the main draw to both is the Nit's, the cons (from what I have read) seem to be deal breakers for me (considering what you pay).

Thank you for taking the time to read and engage in this thread.

I have the 5.5 and 7.8 CS and both have been flawless. Compatibility, brightness, no lag. I have the controller and 7.8 CS linear mounted so I can easily see both. Yes, the CS updates are often delayed, big deal, you just fly and enjoy until the update is available. The CS is a proven platform, can't go wrong. I am sell my 5.5 with sunscreen and polar pro mount if interested.

 

[TruGreen]

Way I see it. Just my opinions as I don't own the CS, and the SRC is in the mail (Ontario actually) the CS yes is brighter spec wise but then you also add along more batteries, chargers, charging dock, separate mount for each RC if you plan to use across multiple drone. The swapping batteries is a great feature for sure but is it really needed? I mean will your drone batteries die before the CS battery needs swapping? Your left with even more stuff to charge.

Whereas the SRC is one unit, one thing to charge, no mounting or unmounted of a screen, they claim 2.5 hours of flight. with me running 4 batteries in the drone 25 mins per I don't see the SRC going dead before the drone batts

I'll see though I was using a Samsung S2 8in tablet and that was getting a hassle to charge it and always mounting and plugging in. I hope the SRC 5.5in not a big downgrade and the pros for me out way the cons

 

[Lon Denard]

DJI RUMOR:New DJI Smart Controller Hints That CrystalSky 2 Coming

Ive only been in the drone game for 4 or 5 months so I have little experience overall with any of this. I own a M2Z. I REALLY want a screen that doesn't suck when flying outside in Sunny weather (I live in San Diego). I currently have a Pixel 2 XL. So , its brightness is lacking. I really was hoping that the SC was going to be a hit but looks like another botched release plagued by many problems. Will it get the CS treatment from DJI too (ie - lag massively behind in updates)? Will it work with furture DJI drones/tech? Too many unknowns at this time for my tastes. i'll pass.

I have been eying the CS screens before, and have read lots of things about them. There is so much info/reviews etc out there that it is all a blur now. Figured I would come in here and ask directly. I apologize in advance if this has been asked before. I did do a search but maybe not entering in the right keywords for what I am looking for.



2 parts - Not sure how reputable the authors in the link I provided are but it is interesting to say the least. I noticed during some SC reviews I was watching (like originaldobo), he notes that the SC's screen is very responsive where as on his CS, screen inputs can lag etc. That seems certain flights may get dicey. I got the impression it happens all the time (with his anyways). Is it something you just get "used too"?

Is this laggy-ness a CS wide issue or maybe just his?

What are the pro's/cons in your opinions of the current CS platform? What are some common bugs withe the CS units?


What do you all think about the rumors of CS2? If history is any indicator, it would probably be a botched release as well...but at least it would have an upgraded processor/newer glass/ tech?

i'll probably just find a suitable sunshade/hood in the interim as i'm not dropping the $$ DJi wants for products that were clearly released half baked. from my limited experience so far, it is probably safe(r) to wait for Version "2"'s of any DJI product.

I know i asked a lot of questions, just wished there was a clear cut choice but I have doubts about both the CS and the SC. While the main draw to both is the Nit's, the cons (from what I have read) seem to be deal breakers for me (considering what you pay).

Thank you for taking the time to read and engage in this thread.

My only question is, why oh why did you buy any DJI product considering your attitude about DJI? YIKES!!!

I have Crystalsky monitors and the Smart Controller. Both are good choices. I do think that the SC is faster/more responsive but I mark that down to new processor, tech, etc. It'll be better than that garbage phone you're using for sure. You know the phone that had display and other issues when it came out? In fact, you should probably just update to a phone with a brighter display. It'll save you some aggravation and us the need to read the subsequent and inevitable complaint posts.

 

[Lon Denard]

I have the 5.5 and 7.8 CS and both have been flawless. Compatibility, brightness, no lag. I have the controller and 7.8 CS linear mounted so I can easily see both. Yes, the CS updates are often delayed, big deal, you just fly and enjoy until the update is available. The CS is a proven platform, can't go wrong. I am sell my 5.5 with sunscreen and polar pro mount if interested.

I'm selling mine too but I don't need the obvious hassle you'd get from some buyers...

 

[kaz911]

DJI RUMOR:New DJI Smart Controller Hints That CrystalSky 2 Coming

Ive only been in the drone game for 4 or 5 months so I have little experience overall with any of this. I own a M2Z. I REALLY want a screen that doesn't suck when flying outside in Sunny weather (I live in San Diego). I currently have a Pixel 2 XL. So , its brightness is lacking. I really was hoping that the SC was going to be a hit but looks like another botched release plagued by many problems. Will it get the CS treatment from DJI too (ie - lag massively behind in updates)? Will it work with furture DJI drones/tech? Too many unknowns at this time for my tastes. i'll pass.

I have been eying the CS screens before, and have read lots of things about them. There is so much info/reviews etc out there that it is all a blur now. Figured I would come in here and ask directly. I apologize in advance if this has been asked before. I did do a search but maybe not entering in the right keywords for what I am looking for.

I have so far not read a single review of CS, SmartController or Phones regarding brightness and NITS that show any of the writers know much about screen brightness and how it works.

Like the above linked article CS UltraBright is more than 4x as bright as an iPhone. That is simply plain wrong. Current generation iPhones are 600-715 NITS even if you only measure in NITs

Brightness is measured in NITS or cd/m2. And while 1000 NITS is twice as much as 500 NITS - it does not mean the screen seems twice as bright.

So when comparing screen brightness you first need to set out what you are measuring against. Is it a full bright sunny day? Or a slightly overcast day? That has an impact on how the brightness will seem to the human eye.

So to get a better “comparison” on what it will feel like to you - then you need to do some maths:

So a fully sunny day = 10000 nits
IPhone is roughly = 715 nits

Then you take the 715/10000 - and then do the square root. That gives you a number in pct% of how bright the screen will be versus the current environment.

So iPhone XS Max will therefore have a perceived brightness of around 27%

IPhone XS Max 715 NIT = 27%
Crystal Sky 1000 NIT = 32% (So 20% brighter than iPhone XS Max)
Crystal Sky 2000 NIT = 45% (So 67% brighter than iPhone XS Max and 41% more than CS 1000 Nits)

But that is ONLY when it is a clear bright sunny day (10000 nits) - change the overcast and figures and differences change. Slightly overcast = 7000 NITS - so now you can compare yourself. (Remember sqrt(Screen Nits/Outdoor Nits) is the percentage of how you will perceive the display brightness difference.

But.. (of course there is a but) - that does not take ANYTHING else but NITS into account. Plenty of screens have been optimised for inside or outside usage. Some screens will actively USE direct sunlight to “amplify” the image - and others will just look washed out due to the technology used. Some have a lot of glare which then needs a lot more NITS to make up for it. Garmin watches actually use the sun to enhance the image - which means on the downside they looked washed out without the extra sunlight.

So stop talking only NITS - it only gives about 1/2 of the full picture on how good a screen will be outside.

Most people will have no issue with a 1000 NITS screen if the screen is good quality and well made using a display technology that is meant for outside usage.

But the 2 scenarios where 1000 NITS might be on the low side are:
1. Using it on a boat or near water in full sun with lots of reflected sunlight from water etc.
2. Using it on your ski trip where there is lots of “white” snow reflecting sunlight back towards the screen.

There I would say use 11000-13000 as the “outside” NITS value.

There you would need roughly a 1500 NIT good quality screen.

You do NOT want too high brightness screen - as for every doubling of NITS you usually quadruple the power consumption (rough rule of thumb) - and in most instances running a 2000 NITS screen at 1500 NITS will consume a lot more power than a true 1500 NIT screen.

So get the screen you need for the jobs you do. And maybe look at Marine GPS units screens and specs - as they always have to work the hardest to show their data.

And if someone again claims that 1000 NITS is twice as bright as 500 NITS you know they have not done their homework. They might be “technically” correct but it wont feel like that for you as the user.

And for me - my personal threshold is about 30% - there I’m ok with the display. That means on a very bright day - the iPhone screen is just a little too dim. But any other day it is actually fine. At slightly overcast 7000 NITS - iPhone XS Max is 32% which is fine. But on the water or in the snow in full sunlight - it would be terrible.

/rant over
/k

 

[Grakken]

Thanks everyone for the responses.. Very informative. That XS max is $1K ouch. It seems like the lag issue is not production wise.

 

[Vegasdad]

I own both yes my CS is 7.5” ultra bright the only down fall to it is the set up and its not ios. The 5.5 is only 1000 nit compared to the ultra bright at 2000 nit. Yes I like the quick set up with the sc. I think my CS will be great as I can let my clients watch it while I use SC. Any ways good luck you cant go wrong!!!!

 

[TruGreen]

I own both yes my CS is 7.5” ultra bright the only down fall to it is the set up and its not ios. The 5.5 is only 1000 nit compared to the ultra bright at 2000 nit. Yes I like the quick set up with the sc. I think my CS will be great as I can let my clients watch it while I use SC. Any ways good luck you cant go wrong!!!!

am curious can you tether the CS to the SRC with the HDMI? to the CS would be a 2nd viewing screen for friend/clients

 

[kaz911]

Thanks everyone for the responses.. Very informative. That XS max is $1K ouch. It seems like the lag issue is not production wise.

The iPhone XS Max is spec'ed by Apple at 625 - but measured by independent 3rd parties to be 725! Apple is always conservative on their display specs. I think the iPhone X is about the same (Oled & Truetone)

But they do also have a great coating on the screen to ensure colors do not wash out in the sun.

I am NOT an Apple fanboy - I hate their computers - not worth a darn. But iPhone/iPads are great "consumables" as long as you consider them to be just that - (expensive) consumables.

 

[Vegasdad]

am curious can you tether the CS to the SRC with the HDMI? to the CS would be a 2nd viewing screen for friend/clients

I’m not sure I will try it today. But I want something bigger for a monitor for my clients to watch from.

 

[TruGreen]

I’m not sure I will try it today. But I want something bigger for a monitor for my clients to watch from.

yea i get larger for clients. but for a friend to view instead of looking over shoulder the CS might work fine if possible.

 

[Grakken]

Does anyone think there will be an update (hardware wise) to the CS line? Like using the tech that is in the SC now?

 

[dgronjord]

Does anyone think there will be an update (hardware wise) to the CS line? Like using the tech that is in the SC now?

Do you mean built-in battery, button placement, faster CPU and newer Android-version? Is there anything else?

Personally I think the replaceable battery on the current CS is great. Faster CPU would be nice but I don't have problems with the performance of the current CS.

 

[kaz911]

It would be foolish by DJI not to use the new hardware design from the Smart-controller to power a new CS2. So in all likelihood a CS2 will be a "hardware" upgrade to SC capability.