VideoHawk Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 I posted this as a reply to a question, and I realized it makes a fine topic all it's own: I am currently working on a video transmitter solution for the film and video industry. I've collaborated with my uncle up in Spokane Washington, he has years of experience making video transmitters for surveillance. It incorporates the same Hirosche connector as the Modulus with video and power(we don't want to be in the cable business), takes 9-36Volts DC, has BNC input and has been tested to run at least three weeks continuously with a range of 3/4 of a mile line of sight with a whip on the transmitter and yagi on the receiver. The prototype arriving in L.A. this week is a 700 Milliwatt 1.2 Ghz system with 4 seperate channels, easily changed with a slide switch. The production version will be available in two 1-watt versions - a 1.2 Ghz and 2.4 Ghz system, each with 8 channels. My uncle's contact at the FCC assured him that if it is not run 24 hours a day, it's legal. We intend to make this very user friendly, and extremely durable. My uncle has many years of experience building equipment for the military and police, so everything is mil spec. I am currently looking for volunteers to field test this prototype and give me feedback regarding its stability and picture quality. The receiver uses a 4 Pin XLR power input for easy connection to block batteries, it too will take 9-36 volts and has a BNC output. Included is a whip antenna for the receiver, and a whip and yagi w/cable for the receiver. From what I understand, the yagi will rarely be necessary. The reason for using 1.2 Ghz is that it is much less crowded than UHF. At the moment there is no sound cabability, but my uncle tells me it makes for a cleaner picture when you don't mix sound. I've been a boom operator for 13 years, and I've never seen a Modulus being used to transmit audio. However, if you need audio, it can be built into it. Please email me at kenstrain@dslextreme.com if you're interested in checking this out in Los Angeles, and I will schedule some time for you and bring it to your set. Your feed back is important, we're very hands on and would like to make service and customization a top priority. We don't have a price yet, but it will probably be between the Modulus and the Canatrans. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RobVanGelder Posted March 28, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Though i am a active user of one of those Taiwanese 1,2 GHz transmitters, I have to say that this is just illegal, what ever you do. Not only the 1,2 Ghz is in a lot of countries not allowed or only for restricted use, the main reason is that the output is normally limited to 50 milliWatt! not 500 or even 1000 milliWatt! So if you intend to make this available for export, i am sure you will get some problems there. In my opinion and experience it is often not the output that you need to get a good picture, it is in the receiving part, where a lot can be improved. When you would make a 1,2 GHz diversity receiver that really works well, now that would make a difference. Most of our work is relatively short range, i would say with a maximum of 100 meters. Directors/video village, they all want to be close to the shooting. Only special shootings, like in cars might ask for longer range, but they do exist as you can see almost every F1 car now equipped with this and get live coverage from the car during the race. Good luck with your project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VideoHawk Posted March 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 There is no plans to export. Obviously, way too much red tape there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VideoHawk Posted April 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2006 I just received my prototype from my uncle and tested it in my apartment complex with a razor sharp pinhole camera connected to the transmitter. I had the transmitter lying on the floor with the camera pointed out the window. I grabbed an LCD monitor that receives the same 4 channels of 1.2 Ghz that the transmitter puts out, and walked down the hallway, into the elevator, into the lobby, and out the front door, and that's when the picture started getting a little funky. I still had picture out in the middle of the street, and it was OK if I held the monitor still without moving. Now mind you, I live about six units BACK from the street - it was definitely NOT a line of sight test, and I wasn't using the 11db gain yagi because you can't with the portable monitor. Tomorrow I take it to the set of "Heist" to begin film set testing with and without yagi. All connections are designed to allow drop in replacement of a Modulus 3000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeremy Hawkins Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 Though i am a active user of one of those Taiwanese 1,2 GHz transmitters, I have to say that this is just illegal, what ever you do. Not only the 1,2 Ghz is in a lot of countries not allowed or only for restricted use, the main reason is that the output is normally limited to 50 milliWatt! not 500 or even 1000 milliWatt! So if you intend to make this available for export, i am sure you will get some problems there. In my opinion and experience it is often not the output that you need to get a good picture, it is in the receiving part, where a lot can be improved. When you would make a 1,2 GHz diversity receiver that really works well, now that would make a difference. Most of our work is relatively short range, i would say with a maximum of 100 meters. Directors/video village, they all want to be close to the shooting. Only special shootings, like in cars might ask for longer range, but they do exist as you can see almost every F1 car now equipped with this and get live coverage from the car during the race. Good luck with your project. I am afraid I have to disagree here. I have been making and selling pretty much exactly what he describes for a couple of years now with tremendous sucess. Additionally, we have transmitters that extend into the 5000mw range and above and have no difficulties with the FCC whatsoever. Check out my website at AV Wireless Technologies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Members RobVanGelder Posted July 22, 2006 Premium Members Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 It might be allowed in the US, and this is a big market already, but try to sell in in Europe and you will see. Frankly, I am surprised that it is allowed, as people are already scared for radiation from mobile phones, let alone a +500mW transmitter in a similar frequency range.... Not that i mind so much, i use it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeremy Hawkins Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 It might be allowed in the US, and this is a big market already, but try to sell in in Europe and you will see. Frankly, I am surprised that it is allowed, as people are already scared for radiation from mobile phones, let alone a +500mW transmitter in a similar frequency range.... Not that i mind so much, i use it anyway. Yes, there is a big scare about EMF going on. No one seems to notice, however, that, if EMF's really posed a health risk, MRI operators, who are immersed in fields thousands of times stronger than those seen by cell phones or transmitters all day every day, would be dropping like flies. Last I checked, they are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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