Marc Colemont

Hi Ryan, I tested also multiple wireless systems for my flyer and other handheld work on live events and concerts. I took the jump by buying a second hand IDX CW-5HD a few years ago, and started back then to try it out a few times on jobs inbetween rehearsals or setups. I was always amazed about the low latency and uncompressed quality... and the distance it can reach on a stage. A few of my customers where I do freelance for started hiring me with my wireless kit. Up to the point were I last week bought another second kit, as I got more and more jobs where even two units get used now on stage. So for me the IDX works fine. And my customers have blind faith now in it. You do need to take care in testing the setup. I use the receivers on Microphone stands on stage or even FOH in smaller venues.

The same here for the JVC HD251 on 720P. Very good quality. Very happy with the unit so far.

Hi Charles, any news on the test-results?

The FFV.com website is also mentioning a new unit that records HD-SDI 720p and 1080i signals: http://www.ffv.com/products/elite_front_4.pdf Looks interesting, but there's no price indication... Marc Colemont

Thanks for the overview. Interesting stuff

Hi Dan, How does the Transvideo perform when you are within crowds of people? Does the transmitter and receiver need to see each other?

Any news about it? Do you have a link?

Hi Brad, as far as I can see on the websites, they will use the analog FM transmission with the disadvantages I mentioned before. The second unit will work better with the diversity, but still reliable error free video transmission is not garanteed. It all depends what your needs are. If it's to verify what the camera operator is shooting, it will work fine with some distorted images now and then. If's to be used to record the video, it's not good enough.

Hi Robert, I have been trying multiple units the last years (my background is electronics design). The better transmition/receiving is through diversity receivers other then with single antenna's. The diversity receivers can't reliable receive standard FM video transmition as the bandwidth and therefore the frequencies of FM very too much to catch the best signal. Even on both antenna's. Adding more power to the transmitter-part even made it worse, as the reflections became bigger too, suppressing the original signal further. I tested and modified units from 60mW upto 1.5W. The more power only has only advantages outdoor in line-of-sight transmissions. The only reliable modulation indoor turns out to be the COFDM links which are more expensive to achieve and is digital, so you have more frame delays caused by the digital encoding-decoding in DVB-T. The behavior of the COFDM modulation is that the frequency band used is narrow and constant, making it for a diversity receiver much easier to choose the best incoming signal. You also have the WIFI transceivers, but they take easily a half second delay, which is not what I'm looking for either. My previous reply is based on 3 things: - 1. they mention AM?? modulation. Video transmission is not possible to get proper noise free transmission in AM, so it must be FM and an error on the webpage. Which makes me scratch my head if they are professional... - 2. Since it is most likely FM modulation, I have enough bad experiences with this. - 3. They have no Diversity receiving part, which will end up 200% in reflections. Regards, Marc

I doubt that unit gives a reliable reception on the receiver side, as the modulation they use has easy distortion from reflections of the walls in a studio or any other room.

Hey Marc and Robin you said six amps, but when dimming the bebob that is going to pull more amps. Is it possible to pull more than six while dimmed down low? Hi Mark, Dimming a light is always consuming less power, including the Bebob. Regards, Marc

Thanks, Now I'm confident that the load is fine. Marc

Hi to you all, This is a great forum by the way. I'm a newbie on the Flyer. In short, my first experience with Steadicam started 10 years ago with the Steadicam JR. It has survived already 3 cameras now (S-VHS, Digital8, DVCAM PD-150) and is still working as new. I just bought a second hand Flyer in perfect shape to finally step up. I have loaded the flyer with a JVC HD100 (17 W) with Bebob Light (50W @ dimmer Full). I'm powering this from the included Flyer powercable (IDX battery attached on the bottom). My question is... what is the maximum powerload I can put on this DC connection on the Flyer? Is the 67W too much to draw through this connection? It works fine, but I want to be sure, as I can't find specs in the manual about maximum ratings. Unless I overlooked somewhere? I just want to make sure this new system can survive another 3 cameras :-) Regards, Marc