Wireless video link rental

What a wireless video link solves

A wireless video link sends image through the air from a transmitter to a receiver, without a cable having to run between them. That sounds simple, but it solves a series of practical problems that recur often at events. Some image sources move, such as a camera walking through the hall. Some locations do not lend themselves to cables, such as a listed building where nothing may be fixed. And sometimes image has to bridge a large distance or a hard-to-cross point, where a cable across a walkway or a square is not desirable.

In all of those cases wireless transmission offers the freedom a cable cannot give. You place the source where you need it and receive the image where the control room or the screen stands, without a physical connection having to be made. For the flexibility of a production and for the tidiness of a location, that is a great advantage, as long as the connection is set up reliably.

When you choose wireless

The choice for wireless is always a trade-off between freedom and robustness. Where a fixed cable can be laid safely and unobtrusively, it often remains the most reliable option, simply because nothing can come between it. But as soon as a cable cannot be used or is not desirable, wireless comes into play. A moving camera that follows the speaker and cannot be tethered to a cable is the classic example. A screen across a hall you may not cross with cables, or a camera viewpoint on a balcony with no cabling running to it, are typical situations too.

Wireless transmission is also a solution with a tight schedule or a location where you can only build for a short time. Without having to lay cables and route them safely, you are ready to play sooner. We weigh up per situation whether wireless or cabled is the most reliable choice, and advise what suits your circumstances best.

Suitable events

At hybrid events and livestreams a wireless camera sends its image to the control room without being tethered to a cable, which allows free movement. At presentations and conferences in listed buildings you bridge the distance to a screen wirelessly without being allowed to drill or lay cables. And at corporate events at spacious or complicated locations you reach spots that are hard to serve with cables.

The technology: frequencies, range and synchronisation

A wireless video link consists of a transmitter at the source and a receiver at the destination, which communicate with each other on a chosen frequency. The quality and reliability depend on the frequency choice, the range and the environment. Walls, metal and other wireless equipment affect the signal, so we measure on site how the connection behaves in practice and not just on paper. Based on that we choose the placement of the antennas and the frequency that is most stable in that spot.

An important consideration is the delay, also known as latency. With professional systems it is minimal, which is crucial when the image has to run in sync with sound or with what happens live on the stage. For uses where timing is critical, we choose the systems with the lowest latency and check on site whether image and sound arrive exactly in step. A noticeable delay between image and sound catches the audience’s attention immediately, and that is what we want to prevent.

Coordination with other wireless systems

At an event video transmitters are rarely the only wireless systems active. Often wireless microphones, in-ear systems and other equipment using frequencies run at the same time. Without coordination they get in each other’s way, resulting in interference and dropouts. We plan and coordinate all wireless frequencies on site as one whole, so each system has its own room and video, sound and communication come in stably without hindering each other.

Considerations with wireless video

The most important consideration is the environment. A wireless link that works perfectly in an empty hall can, during the event, have to contend with hundreds of visitors, their phones and other equipment loading the wireless spectrum. Human bodies also block signals. We take this into account by placing the antennas high and clear, building in generous headroom and testing the connection under conditions that approach the crowding of the event.

A second point is the trade-off between wireless and cabled for critical signals. Where a fault really must not occur, for example with the main image of a livestream, we prefer a fixed connection or build in redundancy. We then use wireless for the viewpoints where the flexibility yields the most and a single stutter has less impact.

Finally, the power supply of wireless transmitters is a practical point. A transmitter on a moving camera runs on batteries, which can run flat during a long programme. We provide enough reserve and keep an eye on the status, so the connection keeps running throughout the event without unexpected dropouts.

Combining and renting at HuurAV

A wireless video link is a link in a larger image chain. It connects cameras and sources to the vision control and the screens, and works together with the coordination of the wireless sound to prevent interference. Within our complete range in the field of video we build the wireless links as an integral part of the setup, so the whole works together reliably.

HuurAV takes care of the advice on frequencies and range, the build, a test of the connection under load and operation on site, so the image arrives stably and without delay. If you want the equipment only, without support, standalone rental is available through Speaker Verhuur Amsterdam at SpeakerVerhuur.nl. Request a no-obligation quote and we will put together a reliable wireless setup for your location.