First person view (FPV) drone flying is an exhilarating hobby that allows you to experience the thrill of flying like a bird. To fly FPV, you need a few key pieces of gear – a drone, video transmitter, video receiver, and an essential piece: the FPV goggles. The goggles allow you to see the drone’s point of view in real time, giving you that immersive flying experience.
Choosing the right FPV goggle is incredibly important, as it can make or break your flying experience. There are a few main factors to consider when selecting goggles:
- Video Receiver: Analog, digital, or both? What systems do you want to be able to use?
- Display Resolution & Frame Rate: A higher resolution display and faster frame rate results in a clearer image with less lag.
- Field of View: How immersive is the goggle’s view? Wider is better.
- Form Factor: Weight, size, modular or integrated receiver – how comfortable will it be to wear and use?
One of the most flexible and feature-packed FPV goggles available today is the HDZero HDO. In this in-depth review, we’ll break down if the HDO is the most versatile goggle you can buy right now and why it stands out from the competition.
Overview of the HDZero HDO FPV Goggles
HDZero burst onto the FPV scene in 2021 with their digital HD FPV system. They followed up in 2022 with the release of their own goggle, the HDO, designed from the ground up to take advantage of their digital system’s capabilities.
The HDO packs in tons of features:
- A 1920×1080 display with up to 100fps for lag-free video
- Built-in HDZero module + external analog support
- HDMI in/out
- Onboard DVR
- Open source software
- Compact and lightweight design
It’s clear HDZero wanted to create the most flexible, high-performance FPV goggle on the market – and they may have succeeded. Let’s take a deeper look at the HDO’s capabilities.
Goggle Display & Optics
The display and optics are arguably the most important parts of an FPV goggle – after all, this is responsible for taking the video feed from your drone and turning it into an immersive experience.
The HDO sports a crisp 1920×1080 resolution OLED display capable of up to 100fps. This high resolution and frame rate allows it to take full advantage of HDZero’s 540p 100fps low latency mode.
Lower resolutions like 720p are still very common in digital FPV, as they allow for higher frame rates and lower latency compared to 1080p. So the HDO’s 1080p display doesn’t go to waste – it enables it to cleanly upscale those lower resolution signals without quality loss.
One pain point on some goggles is edge distortion on the displays – the image looks artificially stretched at the edges. HDZero put a lot of effort into the optics design on the HDOs to provide an edge-to-edge sharp 46° field of view without distortion.
Built-In Diversity Receivers
One of the biggest benefits of the HDO goggles is the built-in diversity receiver module, which allows it to directly receive HDZero’s digital feed.
Many other digital FPV goggles like the Walksnail Dominators use an external receiver module attached to the front of the goggles. While this works fine, having it integrated makes for a cleaner design without dangling modules.
Even better, the HDO goggles still have two options for external receiver support:
- Analog receiver: An external module bay lets you add your own analog receiver like RapidFire or TBS Fusion.
- HDMI input: Connect an external HD digital receiver like Walksnail or Caddx Vista and get native support.
Not many goggles can boast this level of receiver flexibility – the HDO gives you full access to analog and both major digital FPV systems out today. And there’s no compromise in performance when using the external options.
Onboard DVR
Another handy feature of the HDO goggles is the built-in DVR, which allows you to record and play back your FPV feed. It captures in high quality HD when using the HDZero system or analog.
The DVR records to common MP4 or TS formats,giving you options in post processing. MP4 integrates easily into video editors while TS avoids corrupted recordings if power is lost.
You can also choose to record audio from the line-in/mic or analog sources. Just keep in mind that the built-in mic will pick up a lot of fan noise. An external mic is recommended for best quality.
One slight limitation is that the DVR does not currently capture footage from the HDMI input. But this isn’t a huge loss since external receivers like the Vista have their own onboard DVR anyway.
HDMI Input and Output
The HDMI capabilities really help set the HDO goggles apart from competitors.
The HDMI input lets you hook up just about any HDMI video source like your computer or gaming console and use the goggles as an external display. You can even connect an HD digital receiver like Walksnail to get native support without needing their proprietary goggles.
And few goggles have an HDMI output like the HDOs provide. This mirrors your FPV feed to an external screen. It’s brilliant for spectating, sharing video, or recovering footage.
Between the input and output, you have unlimited options for displaying video sources on the HDOs. The only catch is you can’t currently pass the input through to the output simultaneously. An HDMI splitter would be needed in that case.
Design & Ergonomics
HDZero did an excellent job keeping the HDO goggle design compact and ergonomic. Here are some standout features that improve their wearability:
- Low profile – doesn’t stick out much further than the face
- Adjustable faceplate angles – get the right fit and FOV for your face
- Built-in receiver – no bulky modules
- Flip-up antennas – don’t get knocked off or interfere with transport
- Automatic & manual fan control – keeps lenses fog-free
The lightweight frame along with adjustable strap positioning helps distribute the weight for comfortable long-term wear. It’s easy to forget you have them on.
The face padding could be slightly thicker for some users. But the supple neoprene material feels great against the skin and conforms to your bone structure better than stiff foams.
Overall the HDO goggles strike a great balance of features and compact wearability that’s hard to beat.
Open Source Software and Hardware
Here’s one last huge distinguishing factor of the HDO goggles – the open source nature.
HDZero has published the 3D files for the goggle shell, allowing you to modify or print your own. And the full goggle software is available on GitHub, so developers can add features or tweak the interface.
This open ecosystem fosters rapid innovation from HDZero and the FPV community. If you like open source, the transparency and customization abilities are a big draw.
HDO Goggles Review Summary
After taking a deep dive look at the capabilities and design of the HDO goggles, let’s summarize the key pros and cons:
Pros
- All-in-one support for analog, HDZero, and Walksnail (via adapter)
- Best-in-class display and optics quality
- Onboard DVR and dual HDMI input/output
- Open source software and hardware
- Thoughtful compact and ergonomic design
Cons
- Expensive at around $600
- Face padding could be thicker
- Adding analog module increases bulk
- External receivers needed for HDMI input/output simultaneously
Who Should Buy the HDZero HDO Goggles?
The HDO goggles are packed with features, but aren’t necessarily the right choice for everyone. Here are some key user profiles who would benefit most from the HDOs:
Hybrid FPV Pilots
If you fly both analog and digital (HDZero or Walksnail), then having a “one goggle to rule them all” solution makes a ton of sense. The HDOs deliver top notch performance with either system.
You get the benefits of HD digital like long range and great video quality, while still being able to fly your analog micro quads or custom builds. Not needing to own (and carry) separate analog goggles is a big perk.
Serious HDZero Fliers
To get the most out of the HDZero system, the HDOs are currently your only option. They’re the only way to access the 90fps and 1080p modes for lowest latency and best image quality.
If you’re invested into the HDZero ecosystem, spending a bit more for their flagship HDO goggles that fully unlocks all features is totally reasonable.
Walksnail Users Wanting Flexibility
The HDOs paired with the Walksnail external receiver give you an alternative to their proprietary Dominator goggles. You still get the full capabilities of the Walksnail system.
But you aren’t locked in if you ever want to use analog or HDZero. The modular options make the HDOs a great way to “future proof” your goggle investment.
Open Source Community
If you like to tinker and modify, the open source nature of the HDO goggles will appeal. Being able to alter the software and hardware design aligns well with the maker spirit of FPV.
Who May Want Other Goggle Options
While the HDO goggles are versatile, they aren’t the ideal choice for everyone. Here are some cases where you might want to consider other goggle models instead:
Dedicated DJI FPV Pilots
If you only fly DJI drones, there isn’t much benefit looking at the HDOs. The DJI FPV Goggles 2 are purpose built for integration with DJI systems. Sticking with the same brand makes more sense here.
Primarily Analog Fliers
If you mainly fly analog quads, you can likely get by with a cheaper analog goggle in the $400-500 range. The HDOs will work great, but don’t really unlock much extra analog capability to justify the cost.
Value-Focused Pilots
At around $600, the HDOs are at the top end of most hobbyists’ goggle budgets. If you’re seeking the best bang for your buck, more affordable all-in-one goggles like the Skyzone Sky04X are compelling.
You do get what you pay for in terms of display quality and attention to detail with the HDZero HDO goggles. But the premium pricing won’t suit everyone’s needs or budget.
Final Verdict – Most Versatile Goggle Available?
After reviewing all of the HDZero HDO goggle capabilities and use cases, would I say it’s unequivocally the most versatile, future-proof FPV goggle you can buy today?
Almost – but not quite.
It’s limited DJI compatibility is still a slight gap that technicaly makes other goggles like the Skyzone Sky04Xs and Orqa FPV.ONE more versatile in terms of total systems supported.
But for most FPV pilots who care about analog and HD digital systems, the HDOs really can’t be beat. The all-in-one support for both major digital platforms with best-in-class performance is a game changer.
Add in the premium display and optics, lightweight design, and open source community support – and you have an incredibly compelling FPV goggle package.
So while the “most versatile ever” title has some caveats, I have no problem crowning the HDZero HDO as the new king of high performance hybrid FPV goggles. It’s the new gold standard that will push other manufacturers to keep innovating.
If you fly HDZero or Walksnail (or want the flexibility to switch later), and your budget allows, the HDOs will provide one of the absolute best FPV experiences money can buy.
