Wirelees video asist (low cost)

[Mark Schlicher]

Good to know, thanks. I was aware of the issue generally but not specifically re: the BFD.

 

I should clarify that I used this tx/rx (and will continue to use it) for situations where I'm at a preset fixed focus distance, flying an HVX200, on a Flyer. It's a solution that is well-matched for my current rig but definitely not a "full" solution. But for me it is far, far better than nothing. I know that if/when I graduate to a bigger/better rig, I will add a proper wireless FF and more robust video tx/rx.

 

 

Thats in the BDF range is it?

 

Yes, that's same frequency the BFD uses and it could very well cause problems.

 

Jim "900 Mega Hurts" Bartell

[JobScholtze]

Thats in the BDF range is it?

 

Yes, that's same frequency the BFD uses and it could very well cause problems.

 

Jim "900 Mega Hurts" Bartell

OMG I said BDF.

 

Need to stop drinking

[Alexandre Bouchard]

... I owned two Transmitter (Modulus, now the Canatrans) and two Receivers (Hermes and now the TR-1). There is no cheap solution for anything Steadicam if you are depending on your gear to make a living for yourself ...

Can you give me more info on this receiver?(the TR-1)

 

I need to buy a new one.

 

Thanks!

 

Alex

[Alec Jarnagin SOC]

Alex,

 

The TR-1 was a tuner that XCS made for a time. It was great but has been discontinued.

[Bert Smith]

Hello all,

first post! I came here, and joined for this very topic. Odd, interesting, noteworthy, and unfortunate all at once.

 

I dont doubt the advice of the senior members a bit, good advice.

 

Sad though, that underling film makers must pay overwhelmingly outlandish prices for technology that couldnt even remotely be called cutting-edge. Actually, that is a massive understatement. The technology in current $80 smart phones is light years ahead of any simple video signal transmitter. A pity that worthy and robust models cannot be made in large enough volumes to bring the price down considerably. But, it is, what it is.

 

For many of us starting out, the industry-standard models listed here are not an option, $3,000+ might as well be $3,000,000 to those who cannot afford it. So we are without options, aside from the inexpensive units that we can find mentioned on these forums.

 

So therefore, I am very interested in hearing more about the unit listed a few posts ago, from the rangevideo.com site. Can anyone tell us a bit more about it?

 

Thnaks!

[Mark Schlicher]

Range Video and others sell cheap, transmitters in the 900ghz and higher ranges. They are bare-bones and usually have no housing.

 

The problems to be overcome with these transmitters include:

 

1. Mounting. No mounting brackets, and heat tends to make adhesive velcro fall off

2. Heat. Related to over-voltage and the improperly-sized antennas they are shipped with

3. Range. Also related to the antennas they ship with.

3. Power. They should have 9-12V power. 14.4 (up to 17V) will cause them to heat up significantly and may cause early failure. You need to wire your own power solution, including connectors

4. Interference from microwaves and other 900mhz devices, which clobbers your range

5. Potential interference with 900mhz follow focus devices.

6. These devices are subject signal blockage by walls and other obstacles

7. Must be paired with a receiver, unlike UHF systems that can be viewed on any TV that can receive analog UHF over-the-air channels.

 

Once you solve these problems and/or accept the limitations, you have a passable composite SD wireless setup, with limited range and uncertain reliability.

 

Here's what I did:

 

1. Mounting: I use heavy duty adhesive velcro, and did what I could to handle the heat problem (see below). I end up replacing the velco from time to time.

2. Heat: added a heat sink and replaced the antenna on both tx and rx with a properly-sized one like this: 900mhz antenna. An improper antenna wastes the RF being generated and it converts to heat-buildup.

3. Range: replacing the antennas helped a bunch.

4. Interference from environment: just live with it

5. Interference with ff: don't use the system on a job with a wireless ff. Rent a proper tx unit

6. Mount the tx up high, on the camera stage. Put the receiver as close as practical to the tx.

 

 

By all means, have a go at it. I have one and it comes in handy in my kit from time to time. But I have a regular client that is cool with the limitations (and sometimes not, so then we go tethered). If I was working with a client who needed the best possible reliability I would rent a professional kit from a fellow operator and pass along the rental cost to production.