I have hit a road block on my build. How to power both my Tarot 2d gimbal and 5.8 video transmitter. I would like to use just one battery and a splitter or 2 way power distribution board of some kind. Any ideas?
Seems to be a simple problem, but I keep getting stuck on battery size. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
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Yes, the Tarot software is a windows program. If you're on Mac or Linux a virtual machine running XP will do, as long as you pass through the USB port.
Channel positions set on the transmitter, yes.
Nothing needed on the APM, as it's not connected to it.
@Alan,
I've tried setting up the Tarot gimbal in VirtualBox with Windows 7, Windows XP SP3, and Windows XP with no SPs at all. Every time I try to launch the configuration program, it crashes, and I get a Windows dialog informing me an error has occurred. I've never been able to see the GUI for this program as shown in the APM:Copter wiki.
I always install the driver for the USB dongle, and I always see the "Prolific" port in Device Manager, but the gimbal configuration GUI crashes every time it runs.
Have you run into this before? My gimbal will only point straight forward, so it's not useless, but I can't actually do anything interesting with it!
Great, I'll try the VM route.
Thank you very much!
What battery type are you using on the rest of the quad / hex?
I have a hex, with a 5000maH 3S battery, powering everything, including the Tarot gimbal and VTX, works fine.
One is for the motors and one for the video tx. The video to battery is only 900mah and doesn't add too much weight.
No reason I couldn't use a BEC, I suppose, except that I don't know how. ;)
According to the ArduCopter wiki, the tarot can be powered by the 4S, but I don't think my video system can.
I'd be happy with a 4S for main power and a small 3S for video and gimbal, but I'd rather avoid a third battery!
How is your power distributed to the different systems?
3 batteries?
What are the existing 2 doing?
Why not just use a 12v BEC to power the VTX (and gimbal if needed) from 4S?
Just got the gimbal installed. It needs 12V and so does my VTX, so I've ordered a 12V BEC to power them:
http://www.helipal.com/bec-for-fpv-system-12-30v-in-12v-out.html
Reviews say this one provides clean power for the VTX. Now I just need to make a JST Y-cable with one male and two female to split that power so VTX and gimbal can both use it.
Thank again.
Hi David,
Did you figure this out? I have the same question.
Nick
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