Posts: 424 Threads: 47 Likes Received: 93 in 82 posts Likes Given: 182 Joined: Oct 2023 Reputation: 3 This is a tongue in cheek comparison. It is meant for someone shopping these goggles. I went with the new kid on the block, GogglesX, but massive fails after the revised heatsink install prompted me to try the Dominator goggles. Due to a few months experience with the GogglesX and a very short time with my new Dominators I much prefer the Dominators. I think they are better made, fit me better, they boot quickly, they stay cool, and wonder of wonders they work. One could argue that the electronics are the same so the plastic is just a personal preference but the boot time and cool running is very noticeable. Being able to fly a quad that I built, flew once to a frozen video crash, and could never get the video to work properly after that was great. Going back to the plastic. I was able to demonstrate repeatedly at my desk that the GogglesX would work properly multiple times with or without the heatsink and with the plastic cover off. But as soon as I snapped the cover back into place I would get random but consistent boot fails, OSD freeze, or Video freeze. I crashed a lot of different quads in a short period of time and gave up. CaddX says the problems are caused by pressure on the PCB or components from too much thermal paste or wire routing but in the end I was down to a BB size piece on each component, measuring just how much was the minimum for contact, but the plastic cover was still pushing it over the edge. My guess is that once board flex causes a problem the board is somehow damaged and needs to be replaced. Clearly there is a tolerance issue and that, and the overheating, may stay problematic in future development. I mean, plastic guides on the cover contact the fins on the heatsink which compress thermal paste on the PCB components. There is zero tolerance. So any future PCB will have to have the same physical dimensions? An electrical component a fraction thicker would require a complete redesign? But that quad that I mentioned was lost before I replaced the heatsink? So the new heatsink just compounds a problem that was already there? Here's hoping I just got a bad board from the start. To that end you will not be happy if you need to return your GogglesX for service. As we are all too aware, getting stuff from China is easy, getting stuff to China is not. I was told not to use UPS, and to insure them for the smallest possible amount. I tried to use DHL but they needed documentation from the recipient (CaddX) and said it would cost between 100 and 200 dollars for that tiny package. USPS would not let me print a label so I went in and stood on line where they accepted the package and charged me $35 USD. That was Aug 5. As of Aug 25 the package tracking shows it to be somewhere in Shehenzen. I'll keep you posted  One WAG suggested that I should have used UPS and insured them for $500. So smart right? If the Dominators need service it will mean shipping to Australia. I do not know what that would entail but I am guessing it would be more reliable. Time to get off the couch, Cheers! ![[-]](https://intofpv.com/images/collapse.png) • Posts: 284 Threads: 12 Likes Received: 99 in 79 posts Likes Given: 10 Joined: Apr 2024 Reputation: 6 (25-Apr-2024, 05:29 PM)husafreak Wrote: This is a tongue in cheek comparison. It is meant for someone shopping these goggles.
I went with the new kid on the block, GogglesX, but massive fails after the revised heatsink install prompted me to try the Dominator goggles. Due to a few months experience with the GogglesX and a very short time with my new Dominators I much prefer the Dominators. I think they are better made, fit me better, they boot quickly, they stay cool, and wonder of wonders they work. One could argue that the electronics are the same so the plastic is just a personal preference but the boot time and cool running is very noticeable. Being able to fly a quad that I built, flew once to a frozen video crash, and could never get the video to work properly after that was great.
Going back to the plastic. I was able to demonstrate repeatedly at my desk that the GogglesX would work properly multiple times with or without the heatsink and with the plastic cover off. But as soon as I snapped the cover back into place I would get random but consistent boot fails, OSD freeze, or Video freeze. I crashed a lot of different quads in a short period of time and gave up. CaddX says the problems are caused by pressure on the PCB or components from too much thermal paste or wire routing but in the end I was down to a BB size piece on each component, measuring just how much was the minimum for contact, but the plastic cover was still pushing it over the edge. My guess is that once board flex causes a problem the board is somehow damaged and needs to be replaced. Clearly there is a tolerance issue and that, and the overheating, may stay problematic in future development. I mean, plastic guides on the cover contact the fins on the heatsink which compress thermal paste on the PCB components. There is zero tolerance. So any future PCB will have to have the same physical dimensions? An electrical component a fraction thicker would require a complete redesign? But that quad that I mentioned was lost before I replaced the heatsink? So the new heatsink just compounds a problem that was already there? Here's hoping I just got a bad board from the start.
To that end you will not be happy if you need to return your GogglesX for service. As we are all too aware, getting stuff from China is easy, getting stuff to China is not. I was told not to use UPS, and to insure them for the smallest possible amount. I tried to use DHL but they needed documentation from the recipient (CaddX) and said it would cost between 100 and 200 dollars for that tiny package. USPS would not let me print a label so I went in and stood on line where they accepted the package and charged me $35 USD. That was Aug 5. As of Aug 25 the package tracking shows it to be somewhere in Shehenzen. I'll keep you posted
One WAG suggested that I should have used UPS and insured them for $500. So smart right?
If the Dominators need service it will mean shipping to Australia. I do not know what that would entail but I am guessing it would be more reliable.
Time to get off the couch, Cheers! Thank you. I was looking for a goggle to work with Walksnail. I almost bought the Goggle X but it was out of stock everywhere. Lucky. The Dominator HD was on sale for $380. So a no brainer. The only issue I had was the fit. I have a wide fat face and it just did not fit my face. Then I searched and look for various face plate for the goggle. No luck. No such thing. I couldn't even find foam liners for the Dominator HD. They were all for the old analog Dominator and something called "Attitude". So I just went the shot gun method and ordered a bunch of non related foam liners. Including one for the GoggleX. I already have a bunch for my Skyzones. So one night I started cutting up the foam liners to add inserts to make the fit better. Then I stumbled on this really cheesy flimsy looking one that didn't even look symmetrical. Lo and behold now the goggle fit my face perfectly. Almost as comfortable as my Skyzones. Actually that made me fiddle with the liners on the Skyzone to make them feel better.  Posts: 21,223 Threads: 583 Likes Received: 8,955 in 6,626 posts Likes Given: 1,425 Joined: Jun 2018 Reputation: 786 25-Apr-2024, 08:46 PM (This post was last modified: 25-Apr-2024, 10:32 PM by SnowLeopardFPV. Edit Reason: Typo corrections. ) When Caddx eventually release the new updated VRX board for the goggles, it will be funny if they also release a redesigned set of goggles (Goggles X V2 ???) at the same time. So much for their original Goggles X marketing statements of "all-in-one goggles" and "future proof"  Posts: 284 Threads: 12 Likes Received: 99 in 79 posts Likes Given: 10 Joined: Apr 2024 Reputation: 6 (25-Apr-2024, 08:46 PM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: When Caddx eventually release the new updated VRX board for the goggles, it will be funny if they also release an redesigned set of goggles (Goggles X V2 ???) at the same time. So much for their original Goggles X marketing statements of "all-in-one goggles" and "future proof" I have a strong feeling that's what they are doing. They probably stopped shipping of all their Goggle X for now. That's why the Goggle X are not widely available anymore. • Posts: 1,739 Threads: 60 Likes Received: 1,019 in 735 posts Likes Given: 97 Joined: Jan 2023 Reputation: 52 (25-Apr-2024, 08:46 PM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: When Caddx eventually release the new updated VRX board for the goggles, it will be funny if they also release a redesigned set of goggles (Goggles X V2 ???) at the same time. So much for their original Goggles X marketing statements of "all-in-one goggles" and "future proof" Since they like to follow DJI, they will also release a Goggles X2 shortly after the V2 comes out. • Posts: 424 Threads: 47 Likes Received: 93 in 82 posts Likes Given: 182 Joined: Oct 2023 Reputation: 3 It's good to see we are having some fun with this • Posts: 1,739 Threads: 60 Likes Received: 1,019 in 735 posts Likes Given: 97 Joined: Jan 2023 Reputation: 52 (25-Apr-2024, 10:40 PM)mstc Wrote: Since they like to follow DJI... and now Caddx has released their Avata 2, or is that Avatar 2, no GoFilm 20. • Posts: 424 Threads: 47 Likes Received: 93 in 82 posts Likes Given: 182 Joined: Oct 2023 Reputation: 3 Yeah, I saw that this morning, part of me wishes they would concentrate on the long term consumer use experience, as opposed to consumption, but the other part is happy that they are going after DJI and their customer base, or profile. Now that I have a garage full of Walksnail stuff I want them to grow and prosper. But yeah, they just try to do too much in house, whether they have the expertise is questionable in the case of their goggles. Next month it will be a CaddX transmitter  • Posts: 424 Threads: 47 Likes Received: 93 in 82 posts Likes Given: 182 Joined: Oct 2023 Reputation: 3 Regarding: maintenance or repair of CaddX products. If CaddX wants to be like DJI I think they need a repair facility that is not in mainland China, if they want to be successful. Or was my experience worse because I bought my GogglesX direct from them? I wonder what the service experience is like for someone who, say, bought from GetFPV or Pyrodrone, can they send their goggles back to the dealer for service? No one has phone service so I emailed Rotor Riot (because I got my Dominators from them and asked about those too), standby for their response... • Posts: 21,223 Threads: 583 Likes Received: 8,955 in 6,626 posts Likes Given: 1,425 Joined: Jun 2018 Reputation: 786 Caddx GoFilm 20. So it has "up to 5 minutes of flight time if you are gentle on the throttle". Not quite an Avata 2 then which has 18 minutes of flight time, which in reality is probably 12-15 minutes. I guess at least it's sub-250g which beats the DJI offering so it won't require Remote ID in the US unless being flown commercially under Part 107. It's an unfortunate choice of name. I guess we will have to wait to see how long it takes for all the NoFilm 20 jokes to start coming out • Posts: 1,739 Threads: 60 Likes Received: 1,019 in 735 posts Likes Given: 97 Joined: Jan 2023 Reputation: 52 I think there is a lost in translation, for me the word "film" refers to the old days of actual negative film. And the verb to film, actually involves capturing onto film, but digital is clearly not "film". But we all know the FPV manufacturers are all really creative and clever with their product naming... what shall we call these goggles, let's name them "Goggles 2/X/V2 (insert your letter/number of choice here)"...
As for Caddx's line of thought, I am guessing it probably went something like this:
DJI is coming out with the Avata2, we have to make something to steal their thunder...
But we can't make anything as sophisticated, so lets just make a BNF cinewhoop instead
How about a 25-30-35 whoop to carry our 40g camera?
No, no, no, it needs to be a 20 sized as that is the latest trend as every FPV manufacturer is releasing one even though the props are really too small for such a heavy camera
And lets just rebrand an AIO and we will tout it to be compatible with everything already being used by the FPV community... • Posts: 21,223 Threads: 583 Likes Received: 8,955 in 6,626 posts Likes Given: 1,425 Joined: Jun 2018 Reputation: 786 Well Caddx are playing catch-up already. DJI seemingly have another FPV related drone and goggles coming. See Mads Tech latest video at the link below. Caddx had better get their arse in gear and get working on the GoFilm 20 V2 and Goggles X V2 https://youtu.be/WGi0tK2Lhfs?si=2Zqd991MHZHuu8aJ • |
