Testing ASUS Z380M with DJI Go... Results

[xman1]

This was my alternative to an NVidia Shield and I gave up trying to find one of those.

https://www.amazon.com/Android-PixelMaster-TouchScreen-Quad-Core-Processor/dp/B01FGCXUDU?

After a few flights with this new tab and I have to say, it is a keeper. Results are 0 crashes after several flights running on DJI Go 4.0.6, all of them around 15 to 20 min flying time. Can't ask for more than that. Did I mention price?

Was running Android 7.1 as well.

One negative: Screen brightness could be better. It is about average I would say. Works fine in shade but with only moderate performance in sun.

 

[okw]

Looks like a nice tablet. Being 8", does it fit in the RC arms, or did you have to get a separate mount?

 

[xman1]

I got a separate mount: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WD81PLL/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Flycaster]

Yeah, those Sheild tabbys are hard and pricey if you find them. Will have to try one of these.

 

[xman1]

Yeah, those Sheild tabbys are hard and pricey if you find them. Will have to try one of these.

One thing to note on this ASUS, the micro USB is off center which makes it very convenient for these tablet holders. Your cord/port is not in the way of the tablet holder.

 

[xman1]

Status report / update. Number of crashes with Android Nugat installed still is 0. Rock Stable! Adding a picture from todays flight if anyone cares to see.

 

[Hayabusa]

I have the Asus zen pad 8” and after many flights, I am happy to say not one crash yet. Well, no crashes on tablet. I have a holder but it does actually fit between the arms. I prefer the holder as I then can hook strep to it. With no holder, no where to hook strap.

 

[xman1]

Good to know. Seems across the ASUS line.

I have the Asus zen pad 8” and after many flights, I am happy to say not one crash yet. Well, no crashes on tablet. I have a holder but it does actually fit between the arms. I prefer the holder as I then can hook strep to it. With no holder, no where to hook strap.

Good to know. Sounds like it is across the ASUS line, at least the Android line. I think I saw some Atom based models so I wouldn't trust through to run properly, only the ARM versions.

 

[paulmike3]

. Results are 0 crashes after several flights running on DJI Go 4.0.6

No disrespect, but I always have to disregard these kinds of reviews when they're testing running a nearly year old version DJI Go 4.

Most tablets/phones that have problems, have problems keeping up with the processor/RAM needs of the newer versions of DJI Go, so if you're investing in hardware to fly with, are you really planning on never using the newest features ever (specifically photography improvements and flight modes)?

Maybe it's just me, but I don't get buying hardware that's gimping the full experience right out of the box. *shrug*

 

[xman1]

No disrespect, but I always have to disregard these kinds of reviews when they're testing running a nearly year old version DJI Go 4.

Most tablets/phones that have problems, have problems keeping up with the processor/RAM needs of the newer versions of DJI Go, so if you're investing in hardware to fly with, are you really planning on never using the newest features ever (specifically photography improvements and flight modes)?

Maybe it's just me, but I don't get buying hardware that's gimping the full experience right out of the box. *shrug*

I hear ya, and if you are happy with what you have I would not change either. As far as I know, .0400 is still the best firmware ever made for Mavic though.

Maybe I haven't been following, but what is better actually? The only flight mode I am aware of that you mention is that aircraft mode and I thought it was garbage with the props constantly getting in the way destroying the simulated experience, so I upgraded the drone to .0400 which makes the drone work as advertised on the side of the box without issues that were brought in later firmwares. If you are unaware, like angle tilt on the camera, and reduced signal range (due to dedicated DJI spy channels) to name a couple, not to mention you can mod it to your liking and make it do many things you couldn't do in later firmwares. I would rate .0700 a close second, but it brought a few undesired traits that I won't get into here.

With that said, I probably don't need to make an argument for .0400 as there are probably 1000 threads here that can tell you why it is better than any current generation of firmware that I am aware of, but there is always a chance I am behind the times and there is some new killer feature that I am unaware of. Let me know if there is.

 

[paulmike3]

some new killer feature that I am unaware of. Let me know if there is

You can read the change logs for the current and all the past releases here. Pano modes, quickshot, etc. have been added in the last few releases. Plenty of important fixes (photo quality bugs) and features added in the last year. Like you said, some folks value these more than others. Myself, they were a major factor in the Mavic purchasing decision for me, so I'm not downgrading to lose them.

 

[xman1]

You can read the change logs for the current and all the past releases here. Pano modes, quickshot, etc. have been added in the last few releases. Plenty of important fixes (photo quality bugs) and features added in the last year. Like you said, some folks value these more than others. Myself, they were a major factor in the Mavic purchasing decision for me, so I'm not downgrading to lose them.

Note I don't think you can downgrade anymore reading the release notes - https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/mavic/20180209/Mavic_Pro_Release_Notes_en.pdf You are locked in at a certain point and prevented from doing anything to your aircraft.

Anyway Pano, while cool, can be done with 3rd party apps, but I have no idea what Quickshot is. Is there a thread on that? I never tried a firmware that had this feature.

Edit: Found it: Syonyk's Project Blog: DJI Mavic Pro: The Missing Handbook: QuickShot Modes and Dynamic Home Point

Yeah, I do these manually now so I doubt I would use that. After using this thing for some time, I am pretty good at it.

 

[DieselXL]

I have the Asus zen pad 8” and after many flights, I am happy to say not one crash yet. Well, no crashes on tablet. I have a holder but it does actually fit between the arms. I prefer the holder as I then can hook strep to it. With no holder, nowhere to hook strap.

Hey, I just got a Zen pad and its glitchy i.e. while panning its like a freeze frame with Litchi and Go4. Any suggestions? I have a startup manager keeping apps from running in the background.

 

[Tas47]

Hey, I just got a Zen pad and its glitchy i.e. while panning its like a freeze frame with Litchi and Go4. Any suggestions? I have a startup manager keeping apps from running in the background.

You might try disabling video caching in the app to free up some cpu capacity. As mentioned above each update of Go 4 seems to increase the capacity required to run it.
It seems that 2Gb Ram and 2gHz CPU is the minimum required to run recent releases of the app reliably.

 

[DieselXL]

I was afraid that would be the case. They should update the acceptible tablet list from DJI. I've dumbed it down as much as I thought possible, I'll try the video caching next. Thanks for the help.

 

[Hayabusa]

How do you go about turning off video catch on the zenpad?

 

[Tas47]

How do you go about turning off video catch on the zenpad?

In the DJI GO4 app enter your device. Then hit the 3 dots in the upper right corner.
Then again select the 3 dots "General settings" scroll down to cache locally when recoding and switch it to off

 

[Hayabusa]

In the DJI GO4 app enter your device. Then hit the 3 dots in the upper right corner.
Then again select the 3 dots "General settings" scroll down to cache locally when recoding and switch it to off

Was totally looking inbwrong pkace. Was looking on actual asus settings.
Will it still record on the go app? I do like messing with the editing portion afterwards.

Thanks
Mike

 

[FlyGuy8675309]

Is the digital zoom implemented in the Andorid version if DJIGO yet?

 

[Hayabusa]

Is the digital zoom implemented in the Andorid version if DJIGO yet?

Not very tech savy, but I can zoom in/ out using my asus and djigo4.