Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Modifications
Quanum DIY FPV Goggle Modifications
When I first got started with FPV, one of the bigger questions that I was trying to get answered was “what do I use for my FPV monitor/goggles.” I asked around, and I was eventually very impressed by the abilities of a few pilots to fly with the “Ghetto Goggles” from hobby king. Since good pilots were having success with them, I figured they would be worth trying out.
You can purchase them here from Hobby King.
I received them, and I absolutely loved them even just stock without ever having modified them. For $30-35 bucks they’re hard to beat for the price. I used them for about 3-4 months without modifying them, setting up a ground-station with a tripod whenever I went out flying.
Eventually, I got very sick of having to carry all the extra gear for a groundstation, so I decided to start making some changes. I’ll break these down in a series of lessons learned from working on these goggles, if you decide to buy them. ( One note — at the time of this writing, I HAVE tried the Hobby King Ghetto Goggles V2, and I prefer my modified version 1 goggles to the stock v2 goggles. )
Step 1: Don’t Glue the goggles together
As Hobby King learned with the version 2 goggles, it’s not worth it to glue the goggles together. If you ever want to get in to clean the lense, swap the screen, make a modification, it’s dangerous and painful to separate the glue. Just don’t — instead, you’re going to use a big rubber band or bungie cord to hold the whole thing together.
Step 2: Get the 4 inch Reading Magnifying Glass from Harbor Freight
If you’re not inside the United States, I’m sorry. 🙁 I’d be happy to help you get one of these if you are not within the states, just shoot me an email at paulnurkkala@gmail.com.
If you do NOTHING else suggested in this post, do this. IT IS WORTH IT. Seriously. My goggles were 1,000 times better with this glass lens than the stock lens that came with the goggles. It’s bigger, clearer, and it magnifies more. The ONLY problem is that the goggles weigh significantly more, but later on in the post we’ll fix that problem.
The lens does come with a handle on it, but I used a hacksaw to take it right off, and a little bit of sandpaper to wear the edge down a little bit.
Step 5: Ski Goggles
This is another vast improvement over stock. The goggles are very uncomfortable and the screen is just a little bit too close to your eyes. Ski Goggles solve this in two ways by giving really solid cushion and a little bit extra material between your head and the goggle. I was able to remove the lens from a pair of ski goggles my dog ate, and glued them in to the frame as it was very easily. If you don’t have a pair, you can get them on amazon for 12 bucks. Completely worth the upgrade.
Step 4: Middle Strap
Your ghetto goggles came with an elastic strap. Don’t use this strap the way that it suggests, since you already put the ski goggles on, and those come with a strap. Instead, feed it through the top-middle of the goggles, and tie it on to the strap at the back of your head. This will help combat the extra weight from the electronics you’ll add later, and the lens you added earlier.
Step 5: Cable Management
Worth sticking some zip ties in there to hold everything in place. There’s that bungie cord I was talking about.
Step 6: Attach the Electronics
With that bungie cord, it’s really easy to hook in the electronics for your receiver and battery. Just stick them under the bungie cord! I added some rubber bands to my VRX (video receiver) to make sure that it stays in place, but they probably aren’t even necessary.
Step 7: Enjoy your vastly improved FPV
Now that you have DIY, non-HD headplayss, you’re good to fly. Enjoy!
Update:
For those that live in Europe, Arne commented with a link to Ebay where you can purchase a similar magnifying lens for yourself, since the Harbor Freight one can’t be bought outside the USA. Purchase it on Ebay here: http://www.ebay.de/itm/Large-Reading-4X-Magnifying-Glass-Magnifier-Map-Book-Pocket-Light-Aid-Lens-Lense-/400985300263?hash=item5d5c961d27
Update 2:
Another international link for purchasing the magnifying lens.
Hi, are u using the stock monitor? How is the resolution?
Chris thanks for your comment! I am using the stock monitor. It’s not amazing, but as the included monitor with the harbor freight lens, it does a great job.
I believe the official resolution is: 480 x 320 but I can’t be sure of that.
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I had planned on these goggles for my upcoming fpv build, and this definitely elevates their appeal. I agree, some very nifty mods.
Hi paul great ghetto goggle:)
I have found a 4 inch reading magnifying glass here in europe.
Look at http://www.ebay.de/itm/Large-Reading-4X-Magnifying-Glass-Magnifier-Map-Book-Pocket-Light-Aid-Lens-Lense-/400985300263?hash=item5d5c961d27
greetings from germany
Arne,
Thank you so much for providing the link! I’m going to update the post with it so that others from the Europe can make the modifications! Send pictures of yours when they’re done!
Post updated. Thanks again for your feedback!
I’m planning on buying my first FPV gear and really wanting to start on a budget. Thanks for the nice ideas on how to modify the quanum headsets. I plan on building the complete set form a cheap ground station kit.
Here is another alternative for international shipments of a 4×2 inch magnification lens and cheaper! http://www.aliexpress.com/item/4x-Rectangle-Magnifying-Glass-2-x-4-size-for-reading-TO97/32497290415.html?spm=2114.01020208.3.2.rrTjgA&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_2_79_78_77_91_80,searchweb201644_5,searchweb201560_9
Thank you so much for adding this link! I’m adding it to the list of places that you can potentially purchase the lens! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
is there a mod that can turn this into a screen, not the goggles. i want to hold a screen so i can still see the the plan im putting this on
Jacob, I don’t see why that wouldn’t be possible. I’d just take the foam that comes with the quanaum v1s, and cut it so that it makes a nice shade, rather than the full goggles. It might be a little bit hard to see, because you’d loose the benefit of the magnification of the goggles, but that’s par for the course when you’re using a screen instead of goggles.
How do you get the two halves of the Quanum goggles apart (to clean the lense, swap the screen, etc) after you have glued the ski goggles onto it? Seems like gluing the ski goggles in kinda defeats the purpose.
Dan,
You’re absolutely right about that point. While it is nice to leave the goggles able to come apart, it’s more worthwhile to have the goggles glued on the front. But, since ski goggles are nice and flexible, you can get the whole thing apart relatively easily without having to un-glue the goggles. It folds open just enough to remove the screen and lens. No — it’s not the perfect solution, but it’s definitely the best of both worlds.
Thanks Paul. I thought that might be the solution. Are you going to try the 800×480 screen?
Over the weekend, I tried my friends’ V2s, in which he did the same mods that I’m talking about here. I was pretty impressed with the improved screen. I’d really like to get my hands on a pair to try them out.
But, that being said, I’m holding out on a getting a pair of Dominator V2s for Christmas from my wife, and to use the quanaums that I DO have as a second shooter for whomever might be interested in riding along, etc. (Or maybe DVRing.
What kind of glue did you use to attach the ski goggles to the fpv goggles?
Thanks
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Hey Paul,
Also check out a few 3D printed parts that really enhance the goggles look and assembly: https://www.thingiverse.com/Rhodizzle/collections/quanum-goggle-parts
Thanks for this tip! I hot glued the Harbor Freight magnifier into the Quanum DIY V2 Fresnel frame. Fits perfectly! Much sharper than the three identical garbage Fresnels sent with the goggles. The improved clarity is worth the increased weight. However, my 45 year old eyes still need to wear reading glasses in addition to the magnifier for it to be in full focus.
I am 66. I glued the screen on the outside front of the housing which moved the screen 1/2″ farther from the magnifier giving a better focal point.
If anyone is still interested in doing this mod the lens is still available from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B015PJL7TI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A29YKY4N92KISS
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do you just pop the lens off the ski googles and then glue them to the foam?
Great idea with ski goggles.
THX!