How to Transmit Video Wirelessly
- Camera - DSLR, mirrorless, or cinematographic
- Lenses - a variety of fast primes and a multi-use zoom or two
- Lens accessories - matte box, filters
- Mics - on camera, wireless lavalier, boom mic, desk mic
- Tripod - fluid head and quick release system
- Camera cage - part of your mounting system
- External monitor - gives a larger view than the on camera screen
- Lights - complete with stands and various modifiers
- Audio recorder - for better sound quality
- Mixing board - balances sound recording
- DMX controller - controls lighting and other effects
- Background and stand - vital for green screen
- Bags and cases - transportation and storage
- Batteries, adapters, media cards, props, and lots of cords
- How To Use a Follow Focus System
- Common Videography Mistakes You Need To Avoid
- How To Shoot Quality Video Footage
One of the many challenges for small video production teams is monitoring and controlling what is going on around you, in the scene itself, and what actually makes it to video. Some of us are one-man video production teams at times so we need to be able to monitor without too much fuss.
Wireless video monitoring might be the answer for you. It is easier and less expensive to transmit video wirelessly than many of us may be thinking. Wireless video feeds can also be used for remote recording.
What is Needed to Transmit Video Wirelessly?
Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash
This is a gear review article, so let’s review our gear. As either a cameraman in a crew or as our own small video production team of one, we end up with a lot of stuff. But that's fine, we like our stuff and we like what it allows us to do.
photo by lapandr via iStock
That’s a lot of stuff to take care of. And we’re suggesting more stuff? Yes. For two important reasons. If you transmit video wirelessly, you increase your freedom of mobility and you eliminate some of those pesky cords.
Before I wrote out that list above, I didn't think it was such a big deal, but knowing how to send video wirelessly can really ease up our workflow burden. All that is needed for wireless video are transmitters, receivers, and monitors. We’ll examine how to transmit video with a professional series kit and a budget friendly option.
Budget Option: Blitz Lite 300
If you’ve been considering how to send video wirelessly but have been concerned by some of the prices you’ve seen, the Blitz Lite 300 from Ikan may be just the thing you need.
Both the transmitter and receiver are battery powered with Sony camcorder style batteries and the range of the kit is 300 feet. It can transmit video wirelessly as HDMI 1080p60 for high quality monitoring or remote recording.
It’s lightweight, even with the battery, and includes various mounting options. Battery charge can last up to 5 hours of wireless video transmission. The antennae are low profile and the transmitter has HDMI loop out for A/V and the receiver has 2 HDMI outs for monitoring or recording.
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Professional Option: Blitz 1500 3G-SDI/HDMI
A little larger and heavier plus more than 5 times the price of the budget option, the Blitz 1500 3G-SDI/HDMI from Ikan provides filmmakers with an incredible array of features you can use to transmit video wirelessly with virtually no signal loss.
The Blitz 1500 can send wireless video over 3400 feet with best performance in the 1500 foot range. For videographers looking for how to send video wirelessly with virtual no delay, this unit is the solution. Zero, or near zero, delay is vital for remote monitoring when using remote wireless follow focus controls or other specialized professional cinema equipment.
While it sends wireless video uncompressed for near zero delay, the Blitz 1500 can also convert from SDI to HDMI or vice versa so you can keep using this unit with the wide variety of professional videographic equipment that a small production company might bring to a production.
These units are incredibly rugged, too, and support a variety of power options to blend in with your existing equipment. Digital displays provide users with a clear idea of power level and signal strength.
How to Transmit Video Wirelessly
Photo by Stephane YAICH on Unsplash
It helps to use high quality gear when filming and producing high level video. The IKAN gear featured here are very good plus they are easy to use.
The two main things to keep in mind are signal strength and line of sight. Signal strength also takes into account finding a clear channel to use so you avoid any dropping of the wireless video feed.
Line of sight means exactly what it sounds like. Keep the transmitter and receiver connected by not blocking their view of each other. It may not be optical transmission, but there is a lot of data being transferred, the clearest feed possible is our goal with wireless video.
So there you have it. Charge up your batteries and eliminate a couple of pesky cords. Transmit video wirelessly while opening up all sorts of professional video production techniques.
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