BLACKSHEEP TBS UNIFY EVO 5G8 (HV) Video Transmitter User Manual
- June 6, 2024
- BLACKSHEEP
Table of Contents
TBS UNIFY EVO 5G8 (HV) Video Transmitter
OSD capable, license-free, high power long range and freestyle VTx Revision
2021-04-28
The TBS UNIFY EVO is a new line of video transmitters that contains a
professional On Screen Display (OSD), optimized for compatibility across
multiple platforms and reduced to a small form factor, completely redesigned
and tailored for use in small multirotor and FPV wings. It is tightly
integrated with TBS Crossfire and TBS Crossfire-compatible products such as
flight controls.
Key features
- World’s smallest video transmitter containing a full-featured on-screen display
- 25mW (up to 800mW with HAM license*)
- Built-in microphone (with disable feature!)
- One button frequency and power setup
- Device configuration through OSD
- SMA pigtail connector with frame mounting holes integrated
- High voltage 7-26V (2-6S LIPO) input
- Clean voltage output for FPV Camera (5V / 200mA)
- Superior input noise filtering
- 2x CRSF Serial Port for OSD data, device setup, expansion port for sensors, etc.
- Smartaudio V2.1 for one wire serial control
- High quality branded U.FL connector with additional screw locking
- USB connector for firmware update and setup through TBS Agent
- Firmware update support through CRSF when paired with TBS Crossfire or Tracer
Specifications
****|
TBS UNIFY EVO
---|---
Input voltage:| 7V to 26V (2S – 65 LIPO) VBat peak max 31V.
Connect directly to battery or regulator with enough output power (>=7V, IN!
Power Output| Regulated SV for Camera @ 200mA
Extra features:| CleanSv.ipe PitMode 2x CRSF Smanaudio V2.1
Remote software protocol| PWM, Barcodes, 2x CRSF or SmartAudio V2.1
Output Power| CRSF:
14dBm (25mW)
20dBm (100mWe)
26dBm (400mW)
29dBm (800mW)| Smartaudio V2.1:
14dBm (25mW)
23dBm (200mW)
27dBm (500mW)
29dBm (800mW)
Pit mode| Activate: press button during powered up.
LED: red blinking
Deactivate: press button during powered up.
LED: blue (red & blue when unlocked)
Pit mode – > flight mode| Command through SmartAudio V2.1 8 CRSF
Channels:| Band A (8ch), B (8ch), E (5ch)
Fatshark Bch
Race Band Bch
Low Race Band 8ch It
Audio| Yes, through microphone on-board
Power consumption| 25mW: 300mA
200mW: 370mA
500mW: 500mA
800mW: 650mA| 25mW: 300mA
100mW: 350mA
400mW: 450mA
800mW: 650mA
Range:| Up to 4 km with Omni sectional RHCP antennas
Antenna connector:| U.FL high strength SMA
Port connector| Main connector: JST-GH, 7 pin 2nd Connector: JST-GH, 4
pin
Dimensions:| 22 (H) x 30 (W) x 4 (D) mm
Weight:| 7g excluding antenna
Kit contents:| lx TBS UNIFY EVO, lx 7pin cable (power, cam, crsf), lx
4pin cable(usf)
- requires HAM license, special unlocking procedure
** only where authorization has been granted
Attention
These video transmitters are capable of radio frequency transmissions and
output power that may be not allowed in your country.
Please always check your local RF legislation to set the frequency and output
power according to the regulation.
A general rule for RC aircraft is that they must be controlled always under
the sight of view, check your RC regulation to keep up to date with
regulations.
FAQ
If you got any questions after reading this manual you should visit the TBS
FAQ section Search :
Note
This manual is written based on FW 1.15. If some functions are not available
for you, please update your Unify to these or later versions.
Updating
In order to update your Unify Evo, you need the TBS Agent X, which you can
download from the TBS shop.
To update your VTX, connect it to the USB port and run the update by Agent X.
For detailed instructions on how to use Agent X, have a look at the Agent X
manual.
Overview
Button menu control
The menu consists of categories and settings. Pressing the button for 3
seconds will toggle between categories, pressing it for a short time toggles
between settings. To enter the menu, hold the button for 3 seconds. LED colors
will signal the state of the menu, for an overview see the menu table.
Unlock & power select mode
(FOR HAM USERS ONLY!) Press the button for about 30 seconds. The Red LED will
flash 3 times to confirm.
You have unlocked the video transmitter for use with all frequencies (see
frequency table below).
NOTE: Unlock only works if you are inside the band selection menu The
power select mode is now accessible. Once unlocked, you can select the power
level according to the
table below. To lock the transmitter, go back into the band select menu and
press the button for 20 to 25 seconds again.
Button menu structure
Menu Table
| RED LED | BLUE LED |
|---|---|
| lx | 2x |
| lx | Channel |
| 2x | Band |
| 3x | Power Level |
| 4x | Limit Temp. |
| 5x | PIT Mode |
| 6x | CRSF/SA/PWM |
| 7x | Audio (Mic) |
Frequency Table
Channel| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| 6| 7| 8|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---
Band A| 5865| 5845| 5825| 5805| 5785| 5765| 5745| 5725| MHz
Band B| 5733| 5752| 5771| 5790| 5809| 5828| 5847| 5866| MHz
Band E| 5705| 5685| 5665| | 5885| 5905| 5925| 5945| MHz
Airwave| 5740| 5760| 5780| 5800| 5820| 5840| 5860| 5880| MHz
Race Band| 5658| 5695| 5732| 5769| 5806| 5843| 5880| 5917| MHz
PowerLevel| 25| 100| 400| 800| | mW
The selections in orange require a HAM license to operate legally. Black selections are only available on special requests (custom firmware for large events with prior legal body approval). The video transmitter ensures that you cannot select illegal channels or power levels by accident:
- When controlled by the push button, you will need to confirm having a HAM license by following the steps described above to unlock your video transmitter
- Through the CORE PRO, you are required to enter your HAM license number under the “Callsign” menu before you can access the high power transmission settings and the locked-out channels
Installation / Mounting
When installing the Unify EVO, please ensure adequate airflow during flight.
Up to power levels of 200mW, no airflow is less critical. With higher power
setting airflow is required to maintain the set power level.
In case there is no or not enough airflow to maintain the temperature limit,
the Unify EVO will slowly reduce the output power to ensure proper function
without any overheating. The reduction in output power is slow and gradual so
there is no immediate range issue. As it regulates back the output power, the
red LED starts to blink.
Pinout
Control by Flight Controllers (Smartaudio)
Using any Smart Audio V2.1 compatible flight controller simply connect the
Smart Audio data pin to a free and supported port on your FC (see pinout
below).
For Betaflight users, you can then configure the connected port in the
Betaflight configurator to Smart Audio V2.1 protocol. Ideally, you make sure
to get a Betaflight firmware that supports the new SA2.1 (Betaflight >=V3.5.6)
rather than the older SA2.0. This way you get access to the new power levels
of SA2.1.
If you use BF 4. xx or later, you need to add the VTX table. You can download
the VTX tables for all TBS UNIFY VTXs here.
Control by Crossfire/ Tracer direct connection
Your TBS Crossfire/ Tracer can control your TBS Unify EVO directly without the
need for an FC. This is helpful when you don’t have an FC in your aircraft,
got no free UART left, or just don’t want to control the Unify32 without any
extra setup required. For details on how the Crossfire/ Tracer can be set up,
visit the Crossfire
manual or the
Tracer manual.
Crossfire/Tracer connection using Smartaudio
You can connect your Unify EVO to any Crossfire/ Tracer receiver. The VTX will
then be controlled by Agent Lite by the My VTX menu or in the VTX menu of the
receiver:
- Set the EVO Dataport 1 to Smartaudio by menu or Agent X/L
- Select a free output pin capable for SA and connect it using Smartaudio
Now you can control your Unify by the My VTX menu or by the VTX menu of the
receiver by Agent Lite etc.
Crossfire/Tracer connection using CRSF
All Unify PRO32 does have a full serial interface that has extended
functionality compared to Smartaudio which is just a one-wire protocol.
- Set the EVO Dataport 1 to CRSF by menu or Agent X/L
- Select a free output pin pair capable of CRSF and connect them using CRSF
Now you can control your Unify by the My VTX menu or by its own device menu by
Agent lite etc.
Smart Audio or CRSF for the VTX?
Both protocols had their advantages and disadvantages:
- SmartAudio
• Single wire connection. Saves one PWM output (useful on a wing)
● CRSF
• Fully configurable by LUA, FUSION, Agent X, etc.
• CRSF readout – let you use PITMode on a switch or navigate through OSD without the need for an FC, link stats readout, and more
Control by PWM channel
For setups without flight control and receivers that do not have CRSF
capabilities, such as R/C cars or boats, we have enabled control for the
button via PWM control. You can connect a PWM channel to the CRSF RX1 port and
simply move a switch from low to high to press and high to low to depress the
button. The single PWM channel is the most simple way of using a video
transmitter. The menu control is identical to using the button. Follow the
instructions from the Button menu structure to set up the Evo.
OSD Menu
Connect your Unify Evo to any Crossfire/ Tracer receiver by CRSF for full
functionality. This includes OSD control by your sticks as well as RC link
data readout (RSSI, LQ, SNR, and transmitted power) and much more.
OSD Overview
GPS set to Basic
|
GPS set to Detail
---|---
The available elements vary by the connected devices.
OSD Menu
When you open the OSD menu by holding the button for 3s or by the stick
command (throttle down, yaw left for 3s)
General:
- Data port: CR5F/ SA/ PWM Switch – Input protocol used on port 1
- Port: [Sensor/ Off – Not yet used
- OSD: White/ 8lacla Off – Change the font color or disable the OSD
- OSD Level: Adjust if the OSD disappears in bright or dark areas
- GPS: Basic/ Detail/ Off – GPS information detail level
- Heading Source: GPS/ YAW- Source for heading estimation. GPS is only recommended for wings
- Mic En.: On/Off- Enable/ disable the built-in microphone
- Barcode: Enable/ Disable- Use the barcode quick setup
VTX
- Band: A/ B/ E/ AIR/ RACE/ USER – Band selection
- Channel: 1-8/ User Frequency- Channel/ Frequency selection
- Power: 25/ 100/400/ 800mW – Output power selection
- Limit: 60/ 70/ 80/ 90/100/105 – Temp. limit when the output power will be lowered
- Pit mode: Enable/ Disable- Toggle Pitmode
Callsign
- Enter your call sign here Channel Map
- Stick Menu: Enables/ disables stick control
- Channels: Setup for stick control
- Pincode: Channel used to toggle Pitmode by a switch (if not enabled by the VFX menu!)
In-Build voltage sensor
When the Unify Evo does not detect an external voltage sensor, it will fall
back to VIN voltage monitoring.
OSD Stick control
To enter and navigate through the OSD you can use the sticks of your remote.
Make sure not to use any mixers on the channels you select for the sticks
(e.g. wing mixer)!
Open the OSD
Roll/ Pitch centered, Throttle down, Yaw left for 3s
Navigation
- Roll right: Open the submenu or setting
- Roll left: leaf the submenu or setting
- Pitch up: Navigate through the settings/ increase a value
- Pitch down: Navigate through the settings/ decrease a value
- Throttle/ Yaw: Not used
Channel map example with active wing mixer
If you use a model with active mixers (Wing etc.) you need to adjust your
settings for the stick control. This
is just an example and might need to be adjusted for your setup!
-
Radio settings:
• Channel 1 – Throttle
• Channel 2 – Wing mixer left
• Channel 3 – Wing mixer right
• Channel 4 – Yaw
• Channel 5 – Pitch
• Channel 6 – Pitmode switch (optional) -
Crossfire/ Tracer Channel Map
• No adjustment required -
Crossfire/ Tracer Output Map
• Output 1 – Src 1
• Output 2 – Src 2
• Output 3 – Src 3 -
EVO Stickmenu
• Pich Ch:
• Throttle Ch: 1
• Yaw Ch: 4
• Pit mode: 6
Barcode Control
The video transmitter can be controlled via barcodes through your camera. This
allows you to enable pit mode, and power up your video transmitter by holding
the barcode in front of your camera. Or simply carry your favorite channel in
your pocket or on your backpack and revert to that channel easily and quickly.
You can download a PDF barcode catalog from this link:
Android app:
- httos://noahwaldner.ch/en/tbs-barcode-generator
- httos://aoocoliose.githubio/UnifvEvoBarcodeGenerator/
Raw .json file:
- team-blacksheer).comibarcodes.comibarcodes)
We are always expanding the functionality. If you have any crazy ideas for implementing barcodes for your races or other purposes, please let us know! We’re happy to expand the functionality at all times!
Technology showcase
PitMode
PitMode is a mode where the video transmitter only runs on incredibly low
output power. This prevents interference with others at events, while still
allowing a minimum of visibility for emergency last-minute setting changes.
With the TBS UNIFY EVO line, Pit Mode has been slightly modified in behavior.
The main button on the video transmitter is used to toggle the pit mode flag
at power-up, and SmartAudio / CRSF can modify this flag as well. Smart Audio /
CRSF can also enter pit mode during runtime using the power setting OmW, which
will not modify the flag (the VTx will never power up at the OMW power
setting). To leave pit mode during operation, simply set your desired power
setting using Smart Audio, CRSF, or the button menu.
SmartAudio 2.1
SmartAudio is a protocol developed by TBS for OSD to VTx communication.
SmartAudio is a single-wire UART protocol, running over the Audio-wire. All
newer generation OSDs at TBS and all UNIFY PRO series VTX, and all modern
flight controllers support SmartAudio!
With the UNIFY EVO line, we have launched SmartAudio V2.1. Over the regular
SmartAudio, it changed control for PitMode in operation to a switch(on / off)
rather than a flag that is refreshed on reboot.
If you are an OSD or VTX developer interested in adding support for
SmartAudio, please check our Smart _Audio specification._ SmartAudio is a free-to-use
protocol. If you’d like to use “TBS SmartAudio” in your marketing, you may
contact us for licensing options:
CRSF
CRSR is a protocol designed by Team BlackSheep and championed through the
TBS Crossfire remote control system. It has been integrated into most popular
remote controls, is an incredibly high bandwidth (low latency) full-duplex,
serial data transmission protocol. It comes with native functionality such as
OTA (over the air) firmware upgrades, localized configuration menus, and a
smart routing protocol.
With the advent of the TBS UNIFY EVO, for the first time in FPV history does a
VTx now support this functionality. We can configure the channel, output
power, and pit mode settings. Additionally, software updates via the TBS
Crossfire platform are now possible.
CleanSwitch
A new feature introduced with the TBS UNIFY PRO SG8 is CleanSwitch. When
video transmitters power up or change frequency, they usually send a burst
across the entire band which disturbs fellow flying pilots. All UNIFY EVO SG8
video transmitters will remain in their lowest power output (less than 0.1mW)
while changing channels and powering up. This ensures interruption-free
racing, even with multiple video transmitters changing channels, or powering
up. Despite all this, TBS UNIFY PRO & EVO are still the fastest video
transmitter on power-up – thus ensuring it is the perfect choice for any
application where quick channel changes are a necessity!
Manual designed by ivc.no, written by TBS, ivc.no, and
kamikatze-fpv.de.
References
- firmware.team-blacksheep.com/barcodes
- firmware.team-blacksheep.com/barcodes?fbclid=IwAR2gHpQ41cIyGydn8r926tbFHOlyN1jMmnO0IJGBnPQnCv6_GC8meX065zY
- ivc blog
- kamikatze-fpv.de - This website is for sale! - kamikatze fpv Resources and Information.
- Support : Team BlackSheep
- apocolipse.github.io/UnifyEvoBarcodeGenerator/
- Search : Team BlackSheep
- Team BlackSheep Online Store - TBS Agent
- team-blacksheep.com/vtx-table-for-betaflight.txt
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