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My VTX and FPV camera can both handle my battery voltage (6V-36V input for the VTX and 4V-25V input for the camera). My mini OSD, unfortunately, only has an input voltage of 4v-6v and an operating voltage of 5V. I am in too remote of a place to replace the mini OSD or VTX, and was not sure if it would be able to handle the 6V input needed to power the VTX.

The schematic shows that the VTX port can only handle 5V input, but the pin on the PCB is marked as V instead of 5V. Similarly, the marking on the 5V pin that connects to the flight controller is correctly marked as 5V, both on the PCB and the schematic. To my understanding, V refers to the input voltage range. Does this mean I can input 6V?

Radiolink Mini OSD schematic

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You don't need to power the camera and VTX from the OSD, it's just easier when everything runs at 5v because you can use a single 3-wire cable from one thing to another.

Normally, power comes from the battery to the power distribution board (or 4-in-1 ESC board), which also provide regulated 12v and 5v power. You supply 5v power to the flight controller, which passes it on to your OSD.

It seems like you can use a 3-wire cable to pass that 5v power on to your camera, but you won't be able to do the same for the VTX as needs a minimum of 6v.

Instead you'll have to split the 3-wire cable from the VTX. Take just the signal wire to the OSD, and the power and ground wires to the 12v supply. I wouldn't connect these directly to the battery as they might pick up interference from the ESCs. The 12v power should be cleaner.

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    $\begingroup$ Thank you!! My power distribution board doesn't have 12V output so I'll try filter the battery voltage (or build a linear voltage regulator if i can find the parts). $\endgroup$
    – thouxan
    Commented Mar 22, 2022 at 17:28
  • $\begingroup$ You might as well try it unfiltered first. As the VTX takes a wide range of voltages, it must have it's own regulator, and therefore will probably have some filtering too. If it works OK with the motors off, but has interference when the motors are on, then you need a filter - but many people just use a capacitor. $\endgroup$
    – Robin Bennett
    Commented Mar 23, 2022 at 8:53
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    $\begingroup$ Go it, thanks for your input $\endgroup$
    – thouxan
    Commented Mar 23, 2022 at 10:31

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