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Can anyone recommend a cheap solution for Wireless Live Video Feed for our JVC GY-HD 100 cameras?
Our crew is filming someone’s event at the Holiday Inn on July 13th and 14th, 2012. The client wants us to provide a live video feed of the guests enjoying themselves and going to all the different booths in the room. We agreed to this months ago, but recently the client gave us new details that made this whole situation a real “game changer.” The client told us that the room is PACKED so there really isn’t any place for us to setup a stationary camera, to get a live video feed. The client also wants the camera to not be stationary, but rather, be mobile, and walk around and get the action. I’ve let the client know that if our camera is to be mobile for the live video feed that will mean that a cable has to trail behind the camera, and people could trip over the cable and sew us, thus it’s a liability issue.
So a mobile camera is out of the question unless we can figure out a way to do it wirelessly. So the client wants us to look into a cheap solution for doing a wireless live video feed. Client has even hired a special video company, in addition to us, to provide projectors/screens that will work with wireless technology. This company has told me: “our monitors do not input SDI so we would have to use a switcher or a converter (like the AJA that you mentioned). I wonder if there is something similar to the camwave that transmits in a signal a little more compatible with our equipment. If we get to the point where all you can give us is SDI then we probably could make it work. ”
We thought the idea of a cable wrangler wasn’t good enough when it came to people not tripping on the cable so that’s why I really need a suggestion for ‘RF’ technology.
We have a JVC GY-HD100 and 200 that we’re planning to use for her event. (If absolutely necessary, we can look into substituting that camera with a Panasonic HPX300). The 200 has SDI capabilities, but the 100 doesnt.
Someone recommended this idea a while ago that I need to look into that sounded somewhat cheap: “I have a camwave 5channel system that fits with a vmount adapter. I own a jvc and use it all the time. As long as the monitor you ate using has a bnc adapter it will work and it has the capability of transmitting to multiple monitors. The max I have use ld it for was 210 monitors trough 6 cable breakout boxes.” I brought this idea up with my company, and they said it won’t work with our cameras because we’d have to plug up some aja box to it to make it work, which would complicate the setup.
Rf-Links.com suggested: “The best suggestion is a GX-68 video sender and the basic model with 55 UHF channels is $2,000. Sorry we make only the best equipment, there is no “cheap” alternative to this item. This is a Standard broadcast quality Video transmitter in Real time, needs an analog- composite Video output from the camera.”…. $2,000 is too expensive. And that’s the buying price. We’re probably just looking to rent something, not buy something. (Hopefully the rental price is nowhere near $2,000, or $1,000).
Can you suggest any ideas for making this happen? Hopefully a cheap alternative? (by the way, we’re in the Chicago area, so we’re looking for someone who will to rent to us in Chicago, or who will ship the rental to chicago).
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Some answers have started to roll in. I’ve listed them below, but I haven’t explored them yet to see if that’s what will work for us
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1. https://www.abelcine.com/store/IDX-CW-5HD-Cam-Wave-HD-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-System-CAMWAVET/
-this only works with cameras that have HD/SDI. It will not work with SD or analog. We would need a signal converter box in addition to the cam wave to make it work with our JVC GY-HD200. Abel quoted the signal converter box at $400/day2. http://www.Magnanimous.biz says: The solution we have for this is a device called a Teradeck: https://store.teradek.com/products/cube_155
More spec information through B&H page: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/859077-REG/Teradek_CUBE_155_Cube_155_HD_SDI_Encoder.html
Hit “Specifications” tab. It rents for $200/day. It Includes 2 mobile USB batteries that you can alternate powering it with so it never dies. It also has a 2 hr internal battery. You can stream to your laptop or iPad via their free App ( Teracentral). There are many different settings you can apply for either longer distance or higher quality. Teradek claims the range is 300ft. I would peg it closer to 150 ft for best results without a router. Plugs in via HD-SDI and can even be setup to record proxy files to a computer wirelessly. It has worked great for us so far. The one thing I would not use it in is any place with heavy radio interference. You can stream straight to LiveStream or the web with it. You can also connect a 3G/4g mobile hot spot directly to it and sync them up. Let me know, if you would like to book it, thanks!
3. If a slight delay is acceptible, you can use a device that sends video over cellphone networks in real time. There’s one called The Cube that is used by some friends I know in NYC on film sets, for moving video around wirelessly, they report it works well. The unit attaches to your camera, it has ports where you add wireless data modem cards. The unit splits the video as h.264 across several wireless connections in parallel, to get adequate bandwidth for live HD. This goes into the cellphone network, is recombined and then is downloaded at your computer, which connects to the projector screens and monitors, etc. Will work regardless of range. Mushroom Networks is one supplier of this kind of tech that has impressed our tech staff. If you go with the more traditional Trango type radio links, the best results come when you have a camera assistant aiming the transmit antenna back to another assistant with a receive antenna.
4. Fletcher says they have a “Boxx Meridian” transmitter and receiver for $500/day. Wireless video system. Only does HD. HD/SDI only. No analog, no SD. So it may not work with our cameras.
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6 Replies
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There are no cheap solutions for really reliable rf feeds for video. I used the predecessor to the current Camwave when fitting out a wireless video system for a mobile videoconference cart in a large museum and it was very reliable and stable, but it’s not cheap. I tried all the cheap solutions and they’re not stable.Since this is for one job you should consult one of the broadcast rental houses in NYC, such as Bexel or any of the others to rent the right solution for your event. Good luck.
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com
http://www.rgbmediaservices.com -
I just want to add one thing. We’re not looking to BUY something, because that can be costly. We’re looking to RENT something, because that’ll probably be the “cheap” alternative. PLEASE SEND SUGGESTIONS!! (we’re in the chicago area)
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If a slight delay is acceptible, you can use a device that sends video over cellphone networks in real time. There’s one called The Cube that is used by some friends I know in NYC on film sets, for moving video around wirelessly, they report it works well. The unit attaches to your camera, it has ports where you add wireless data modem cards. The unit splits the video as h.264 across several wireless connections in parallel, to get adequate bandwidth for live HD. This goes into the cellphone network, is recombined and then is downloaded at your computer, which connects to the projector screens and monitors, etc. Will work regardless of range. Mushroom Networks is one supplier of this kind of tech that has impressed our tech staff.
If you go with the more traditional Trango type radio links, the best results come when you have a camera assistant aiming the transmit antenna back to another assistant with a receive antenna.
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If you’re in Chicago, Bexel has a branch there also. 870 W. Division St., 312-944-2770
mailto:rroberts@bexel.com
Joel Servetz
RGB Media Services, LLC
Sarasota, Fl
videobyjoel@aol.com
http://www.rgbmediaservices.com -
Hire me with my cameras. HPX-500, HPX-250 and HPX-170 all have HD-SDI out.
I would recommend the Cam Wave. Contact me and I know where you can rent the Cam Wave, RF Central 24BDMFPK, or the AValon RF COFDMPK in Chicago. It’s not from Fletcher, Bexel or Magnanimous.
Steve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions, Inc.
1090 Worthington Drive
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
847-885-8293
https://www.eisenvideo.comSteve Eisen
Eisen Video Productions
Vice President
Chicago Creative Pro Users Group -
I’m always cautious about “cheap” wireless, even expensive wireless. Feature films use very expensive wireless and they still back them up with wired mics. Wireless is never foolproof no matter what you spend; however, My son is a independent film maker and has used the Sony UWP-V1 Wireless Lavalier Microphone Package on two feature-length films without a problem. He also has been very happy with the quality. If I needed a wireless mic, it would be the one I’d try but I’d still back it up with a wired mic for safety, but it depends on the type of work you are doing.
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