Looking to buy Best Crap cheap Wireless video

[Kyle Fasanella]

Hey Guys,

I really think it be nice to have some sorta cheap wireless video for film students to see what shots look like. until I can purchase a nice system.

 

What are some systems that I can get for less than $600 dollars?

 

How about this system I found on ebay? Would I be able to power these things with a dvd battery?

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-4G-Wireless-AV-Audio...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

I love to know your opinions? Or sales you might have.

[Jaron Berman]

Check out RF-Links. The mini "spy" style transmitters actually work quite well, despite their appearances. They are less flexible and less "focused" than something like a canatrans (in terms of what channels they spill onto), but if you're just trying to send a video signal to a directors monitor, something like that will do the trick. Any modern TV tuner should be able to pick up any of those, just make sure when you order that whatever frequency you get is covered by your tuner.

 

Also, BEFORE you buy, use a decent tuner and antenna and scan the channels around where you'll mostly be using your transmitter. If you can find a chunk of free channels and a tuner that transmits onto those, then you're hooked up! One of the reasons why the modulus or canatrans is more expensive is because it offers a lot more flexibility in frequency selection, so you can safely work in New York one day, LA the next, and anywhere in between without too much problem of finding an open channel that your transmitter can send on.

 

2.4ghz stuff can be great or terrible...you need to try it to figure out if it'll work in your usage. And all those aren't made of equal quality. Some of the higher frequency stuff like 2.4 have problems if one end of the link is moving (handheld or steadicam)....so it's worth trying or making sure they have a good return policy if you go that route. Personally, for cheap and easy, if you can deal with a single channel, get one of the spy transmitters and a good antenna for the receiver. FYI, tv-band audio antennas work for video too.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3307...ic_Antenna.html

 

Just make sure the BNC cable you use to connect to this is a 50 ohm cable!!!!!!

 

Allelectronics in Van Nuys has cheap 50' 50ohm cables for a couple of bucks..... and they also have the best prices I've ever seen on BNC adapters and barrels. Between RF-LINKS, B&H and ALLELECTRONICS, you should be able to come up with a pretty solid and cheap video link, if not the most flexible system on earth.

[Ed Moore]

With the state of the dollar, this might not be that useful, but over here in the UK Black Box Video are extremely popular for cheap wireless video/audio and timecode links.

 

They do a range of transmitters with varying power outputs and channels. The standard 5 channel TX is £245, so about $480.

 

 

Hope this helps,

 

Ed

[Erik Brul]

With the state of the dollar, this might not be that useful, but over here in the UK Black Box Video are extremely popular for cheap wireless video/audio and timecode links.

 

They do a range of transmitters with varying power outputs and channels. The standard 5 channel TX is £245, so about $480.

 

 

Hope this helps,

 

Ed

 

Their website is completely out of date, sending a email ends in a send failure.. Seems like they

are out of business...

 

Erik

[Ed Moore]

Their website is completely out of date, sending a email ends in a send failure.. Seems like they are out of business...

 

Curious! The website has always been rubbish but almost every cameraperson I know has some Black Box kit. I'll have to give them a call tomorrow and see what's up with the email.

 

Ed

[Kyle Fasanella]

Check out RF-Links. The mini "spy" style transmitters actually work quite well, despite their appearances. They are less flexible and less "focused" than something like a canatrans (in terms of what channels they spill onto), but if you're just trying to send a video signal to a directors monitor, something like that will do the trick. Any modern TV tuner should be able to pick up any of those, just make sure when you order that whatever frequency you get is covered by your tuner.

 

Also, BEFORE you buy, use a decent tuner and antenna and scan the channels around where you'll mostly be using your transmitter. If you can find a chunk of free channels and a tuner that transmits onto those, then you're hooked up! One of the reasons why the modulus or canatrans is more expensive is because it offers a lot more flexibility in frequency selection, so you can safely work in New York one day, LA the next, and anywhere in between without too much problem of finding an open channel that your transmitter can send on.

 

2.4ghz stuff can be great or terrible...you need to try it to figure out if it'll work in your usage. And all those aren't made of equal quality. Some of the higher frequency stuff like 2.4 have problems if one end of the link is moving (handheld or steadicam)....so it's worth trying or making sure they have a good return policy if you go that route. Personally, for cheap and easy, if you can deal with a single channel, get one of the spy transmitters and a good antenna for the receiver. FYI, tv-band audio antennas work for video too.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3307...ic_Antenna.html

 

Just make sure the BNC cable you use to connect to this is a 50 ohm cable!!!!!!

 

Allelectronics in Van Nuys has cheap 50' 50ohm cables for a couple of bucks..... and they also have the best prices I've ever seen on BNC adapters and barrels. Between RF-LINKS, B&H and ALLELECTRONICS, you should be able to come up with a pretty solid and cheap video link, if not the most flexible system on earth.

 

 

I wan't to say sorry in advance for my newbiness with wireless cables and such. Im here to learn so I would love it if you corrected me. Im going to have to do this part by part because Its all so new to me.

 

is a tv tuner the same thing as a receiver? i want to connect the receiver to a home digital camera with a video cable going into the camera so the Huge LCD on it acts like a monitor. It seems like i wont be able to get away with not having an expensive receiver too no?

 

can you use any receiver if you just use this antenna that cover the range? Or does the receiver have to match range also?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/3307...ic_Antenna.html

could also get this for most items but if I get a one channel it seems I can get cheaper antennas. Is there any advantage if I have a one channel but this antenna?

 

I do want to be able to use this in NY and Orlando. Because of this do you still recommend the one channel units?

 

Or should I go with one of the pricyer RF-Links steadicam "video sender"

 

http://www.rf-links.com/vs-gx68d.htm

*Find Price

Seems kinda pricy.

 

BUt If I could find a cheap receiver maybe it could work with my budget? Or maybe I could wait a few more months and save if its worth it to put another 300 into a wireless setup.

 

Also they have a cheaper model ( could i get away with Orlando and NY with this?)

http://rf-links.com/vs-mx65.htm

 

Or should go with a Ultra cheap transmitter like?

http://rf-links.com/vs-ch30.htm

[Jim McAlister]

Hello

 

I joined today having been told about this forum and discussion in particular. I'd like to take this opportunity to confirm that we are indeed still in business!

 

I know our website is horrendously out of date. Karen has been working on the new one for ages and it is very nearly ready for re-launching (she's had some major surgeries in the last few months that have delayed her, I'm afraid). And we promise it won't be crap this time! :D

 

Our apologies if anyone has tried to contact us unsuccessfully. Our telephone number is still as shown on our existing website (see the link in Ed Moore's post). We were forced to change our Email address fairly recently - I believe you can find our new one via our profile on this forum. Or can we post numbers and Emails here?

 

Please do try again to contact us - we'd be delighted to chat and/or discuss. And even to trade! And we'd like a chance to tell you about the new and updated stuff we have on offer; we could send you a catalogue.

 

Many thanks, and best regards

 

Jim McAlister