DEFINITION December 2019

HOLLYLAND MARS 400S | USER REVI EW

A new wireless video specialist has entered the market and the products are seemingly great value – but what are they like in practice? HOLLYLAND MARS 400S PRICE £599/$699

WORDS ASH CONNAUGHTON / PICTURES HOLLYL AND

multiple monitors. I recently shot a commercial where we fed picture to the focus puller and director using the RX, but the producer, make-up designer and sound mixer all had picture on their phones, meaning it was there when they wanted or needed without extra monitors taking up space (something that was in short supply at our location). The Mars 400S is very convenient in terms of power options, too, and gives a 30-minute ‘low battery’ warning. Both the transmitter and receiver units feature Sony NPF-style battery plates for power, but also have a standard DC connector for mains power, with a mains plug included in the box. The built-in DC port means you can also power the devices via a bigger battery such as a Gold or V mount by using a DTap to DC cable. The overall build quality feels solid while remaining lightweight; both the TX and RX comprise mostly aluminium and feature a single 1/4-inch threaded screw hole on the bottom for mounting the unit, as well as USB Type C port for firmware upgrades and the previously mentioned DC, SDI and HDMI ports. IN PRACTICE Both units feature an OLED screen with information about battery, channel number and signal strength, with three buttons for cycling through the eight available channels. The menus are logical and easy to navigate, and include a channel scan feature that shows you which channels will give the best signal

hen you think wireless video, you think

Teradek, right? There was a time not so long ago when a Teradek was the only real solution for on-set wireless video. But, over the past few years, more companies have appeared offering their own wireless video solutions; one of them, Hollyland Technology, is a Chinese company that offers a wide selection of video and audio transmission systems, including the Cosmo and Mars Lines of video TX/ RX systems. One of the newest additions to the line-up is the Mars 400S, which retails in the UK for around £599, and is a new, upgraded version of Hollyland’s popular Mars 300. This is a lightweight and compact wireless video system that can transmit up to an 1080p signal and has a line of sight range up to 400 feet. Both HDMI and SDI are on its TX and RX units, and built in Wi-Fi functionality allows the transmitter to send its video feed to up to four Wi-Fi devices, including phones and tablets, plus one RX unit for viewing using the HollyView app, (available for both iOS and Android). The Hollyview app is really simple and easy to use, and has very useful features such as ‘screenshot’ and ‘Screen record’. Also, with the app, a single TX can send video to up to five devices at once. CUT DOWN ON MONITORS Because of all this, it’s really easy

“THE MARS 400S CAN TRANSMIT UP TO AN 1080P SIGNAL UP TO 400 FEET”

IMAGES The Mars 400S is a cheaper option to the normal Teradek choice

versus the worst, based on any interference nearby. The Mars 400S also has a very minimal input lag, with the HDMI connection fairing slightly worse than the SDI and Wi-Fi options due to limitations of speed with HDMI. When using the system with SDI, it’s certainly fast enough for a focus puller to use provided you are on the channel with the best signal. The Mars 400S is considerably less expensive than other options on the market; I’ve found it very reliable, with a clear image coupled with great options for power, and flexibility from the app functionality.

to give picture to whoever may need it on set without needing

DECEMBER 20 1 9 | DEF I N I T ION 65

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