Hi Joe:
Welcome to the forum. I’m not the most experienced
BT-300 user here, but I do have some thoughts and opinions. This thread has been relatively quite recently, but I learned a great deal by reading through the previous pages that helped me through the Epson learning curve which can be a bit steep.
I’ve had the
DJI goggles since they were released and have worked through most of the problems others are experiencing by doing the following:
1. Bought the Focus-Fixers which eliminates the need to use strong reading glasses. Probem solved.
2. I sometimes wear a ball cap backwards which helps the fit situation. I really never thought the fit was that bad, but the cap helps.
3. I seldom fly in public, so the strange looks one gets when wearing the oversize “box” is not a pronlem. If I do fly in public, I can use the
BT-300’s which solve the issue. With these things solved, I find the
DJI goggles are great and I’ll be keeping them. They are very different from the
BT-300’s as I’ll describe.
When I first learned about the
BT-300’s, they seemed interesting, but I was concerned about the high price and my ability to view the drone “behind” the GO app and not be confused with the camera view overlaid on the real word view as depicted on the DJI videos. I decided there was really no way to fully understand the
BT-300’s without trying them, so, I ordered a set when I found I could return them within 30 days.
I’m an IOS guy and don’t use Android, so it took a while to learn the basics of the OS. I also normally avoid track pads in favor of mice. I found the
BT-300 trackpad difficult to use, particularly when trying to type in information. This was a slow and frustrating process. I ended up pairing an Apple Magic Mouse 2 and a bluetooth keyboard to the device which made the interface much easier. The mouse worked so well, that I’ve since stopped using the keyboard and use the mouse to type on the devices pseudo keyboard.
Updates to the OS and to the DJI apps were the next task, and once that was accomplished, it was time to fly. It will take some time and study to get to this point. While the glasses are technically plug and play, you’ll need to go slowly before flying with them as there is a lot to learn particularly if you aren’t familiar with the Android OS.
I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the display. I find that if I turn the brightness nearly to max, I can’t see the drone through the app, but by turning my head just slightly, can easily see it on either side of and above or below the app display. The design of the glasses allows you to look over or under them very easily. My fears of seeing the drone and its camera simultaneously causing confusion were unfounded and I quickly adjusted to the glasses.
I’ve been flying real airplanes and helicopters for many years before stating with R/C. For this reason, I’m much more comfortable controlling the drone through its camera rather than by observing it in flight. I’m sure those who started with R/C have a different experience. I find the
goggles allow me to fly comfortably in closer proximity to obstacles than I would be able to do using an iPad. The
DJI goggles make this close proximity flying easy with the large immersive display. In my estimation, the
BT-300’s are about 80% as good for this purpose. I have to work a bit harder, but am able to fly in close proximity to the same objects with a bit more work and concentration due to the smaller, less immersive picture.
The bottom line is I like the
BT-300’s very much. They’ve exceeded my expectations. I will probably keep them and the DJI’s as they serve different purposes. Here are some things I’ve learned about their use:
1. If you’re not an Android person, spend some time learning the OS while waiting for the glasses to arrive. Get comfortable using a trackpad.
2. Be sure there are no other programs running in the background when you start the DJI app with the glasses. The DJI GO app seems to use a lot of the processor power and the results, if other apps are open, will be severe pixilation and a great deal of lag.
3. As with most Android devices, the controller battery will charge the
BT-300’s while they are connected. Flying my Mavic, after 3 batteries, the controller battery will be about 20%. The glasses have a much longer battery life than the DJI controller when they’re used together.
4. The start sequence is important. Controller, then drone. You can start the glasses, but don’t plug them in until the controller is fully connected with the drone. Then plug the controller into the
BT-300 box. If all is well, you’ll get an onscreen display asking you which flavor of the DJI GO app you wish to use. Make your selection and the app will start and you’ll be good to go. Side note - with the older DJI GO app installed, I can use the glasses to fly my P3P. Can’t use the
DJI goggles to do this, so a plus for the BT’s.
My Concerns:
1. As Joe mentioned I share his concern about the older version of Android that is installed. There seems to be no effort on the part of Epson to update the OS. It may not even be possible. The device seems to need all the processor power it has when running the DJI apps. I’m concerned that future DJI features will have issues as they become more processor dependent.
2. Last fall, DJI and Epson indicated they had a working relationship and DJI produced some tutorial videos showing tips on using the
BT-300’s with DJI products. Epson also indicated they were working on their own new apps that would even better work with DJI products. They indicated these would be ready in a few months. That was more than six months ago and nothing has been released. Subsequent to this, DJI released their own
goggles. I wonder if they are still working with Epson?
3. The
BT-300’s can’t access the Google Play store to obtain the normal selection of Android apps apparently because Google does not want competition for any future similar products they might release. There are other place to obtain apk’s for apps, but they are limited. Epson has it’s own Movario app store for the glasses, but the selections are very limited and many are in the Japanese language. In short, other than for the DJI apps, I see no reason why anyone would want the product other than to fly drones.
4. AR vs. VR. Let’s clarify the differences between these two terms. VR is Virtual Reality. The
DJI Goggles are VR in that they only show the camera view and are not connected to the actual outside world of the user. Oculus Rift is VR as it projects wonderful images that are entirely virtual with no connection to the users’ outside world. Epson has sold the
BT-300’s as an Augmented Reality product, which means they are capable of overlaying information such as NFZ’s, waypoints, the actual location of the drone, etc. on the screen. In their
promotional video they show the glasses being used to fly a phantom with AR information displayed.
I’m concerned that this product is advertised but has never been made available. What we currently have is a VR display of a tablet screen projected onto a transparent surface. This is not AR. With the processor power seemingly limited, I question if real AR is even possible with this product.
5. Since the advertised updates have not been released, I wonder if the product is already obsolete. Maybe the BT-400’s or 500’s will have more capability. I’m about 90% sure I’ll keep the glasses as they do a good job for me, are portable and a good addition to the
DJI Goggles, but others may have differing opinions.
Sorry this is so long, but I’d like to get this thread active again and hear others opinions on these subjects.
