WIRELESS TRANSMITTERS GE AR .
receiver software, which offers a variety of test and measurement displays, alongside 3D LUTs. GO LONG Impressively low latency numbers come from Swit, which claims 30ms delay on its relatively inexpensive Curve and Flow series, with the latter adding 3G/HD-SDI connectivity. Both have NP-F battery or coaxial DC power options. With the longest-range receivers, built around flat-panel antenna, the company suggests a 10,000ft range – that’s over 3km – for its 5GHz radio technology. The more commonly- deployed options are likely to be the HDMI-only Curve 500 and improved Flow 500 (again, named for its range), which sells for £1113 a set. As well as lacking SDI, the Curve relies on automatic frequency selection, which removes the control panel, but makes set-up straightforward. If we need to go further, the Flow 2000 goes four times as far, and costs £2034, which is a pretty unique deal for that extended range – or, just as likely, extended ability to go through walls. For near-zero delay and uncompressed pictures, consider Swit’s higher-end S-4904 series, designed to go about 2300ft with “Swit claims 30ms delay on its relatively inexpensive Curve and Flow series”
Phoning it in Some on-camera monitors are based on smartphone displays, so we might wonder whether a phone could become a monitor. The answer is a cautious yes. Neither wireless networking, nor phone-based H.264 decoders were built with latency in mind, making minimum delays quite long. As such, the results are not something we’d want to use to operate a camera – but for casual viewing it’s useful. The bigger problem is battery life. When phones must remain out of their low-power standby modes, they generally won’t last more than a few hours. Still, it’s convenient for a quick glance, and the phone apps provided by many manufacturers often give advanced test and measurement features. The choice will depend on your need for new ideas and features. Important details include how many receivers (or mobile phones) a transmitter will handle, latency requirements and encryption. Mounting and power options matter differently to people using full-size broadcast cameras, digital cinema cameras or DSLRs – and in 2021, it’s more common to stream pictures back to an office. All this makes it more important than ever to understand the technology underlying the products – it controls exactly what they can and can’t offer.
under a millisecond’s latency. The transmitter sits between a camera and its battery, handles HDMI and 3G-SDI, and a set with transmitter and receiver sells for around £3300. Finally, let’s consider CVW Crystal Video, which offers a full range, from the inexpensive Swift 800 Pro up to the four-way BeamLink Quad. The Swift 800 (£698) competes to an extent with the likes of Accsoon and Hollyland, handling a simple point-to-point, 800ft SDI or HDMI link with accompanying mobile app, while the BeamLink Quad (£6980) links up to four cameras to one receiver, for live production work. Both offer 70ms worst-case latency. The Swift 800 takes either NP-F batteries or external power, while the BeamLink transmitters are designed to mount on the back of a broadcast camera.
SPEEDY KIT The Swit Flow 500 (above) is super quick, boasting just 30ms delay – a great choice for your set-up
WIRELESS SOLUTION Teradek offers a whole range of innovative new equipment – all
low-latency and well-integrated
51. SEPTEMBER 2021
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