radio mic, something new in next future?

[David Aliperti]

Some one told me recently, its better to wait to purchase a new radio mic system since many things are changing, we are going toward a fully digital system, so everything is quite uncertain. what do you thing about this?
how much is true.

[Rick Reineke]

There is always something new and (allegedly) better on the horizon.
I usually make purchases when I specifically need something.. and have an upcoming gig to help finance it.

[Richard Crowley]

Originally Posted by David Aliperti

Some one told me recently, its better to wait to purchase a new radio mic system since many things are changing, we are going toward a fully digital system, so everything is quite uncertain. what do you thing about this?
how much is true.

Much depends on WHERE you are. It is possible that the takeover of the 700 MHz band (and threat to take away the 600 MHz band also) is not a factor there in Western Europe as it is here in North America.

When they made all our 700 MHz wireless mic gear obsolete, many people sold perfectly good gear to users on other continents where 700 MHz continues to be legal for wireless mics.

Because of that, if you shop carefully, you may be able to find even premium gear (Lectrosonics, Zaxcom, etc.) at low prices in places where 700 MHz is still legal.

OTOH, there is a rapid rise in 2.4GHz gear due to several factors. I posted a response in another thread which has several links talking about 2.4GHz gear....
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-thin...ml#post1900793

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by David Aliperti

Some one told me recently, its better to wait to purchase a new radio mic system since many things are changing, we are going toward a fully digital system, so everything is quite uncertain. what do you thing about this?
how much is true.

Well - the new Audio Limited 1010 digital system has just been released.

This is the state-of-the-art at the moment with a miniscule 2ms latency, about 20 channels in a single 8MHz TV channel and a 100 MHz switching bandwidth.

[Brian P. Reynolds]

I've often spoken to the 'Boffins' (design techs) over a cup of coffee at a place I was previously employed about 'thought waves' and could they be recorded? A bit like they are using for disabled person control of some motion and communication devices.
Just imagine things you could do if it would work!!!!!!

But I'm a realist... It's not going to happen soon.

[Don Palomaki]

Recent history (past 20+ years) has shown that prices for technology tend to drop over time, of better technology is "around the corner." From a business standpoint, the pragmatic advise is to buy when you need it, allowing a bit of time for learning curve and check out to be sure it works.

[Anthony Lelli]

Originally Posted by David Aliperti

Some one told me recently, its better to wait to purchase a new radio mic system since many things are changing, we are going toward a fully digital system, so everything is quite uncertain. what do you thing about this?
how much is true.

you are in Italy and I see lots of G3 Sennheiser on UHF for TV reporting. I have it (I only use the handheld) and it doesn't work well in NYC (but nothing works in NYC to be honest), and lately has been a hit&miss. Excellent quality but UHF is over in NYC (in my opinion).
Anyway I have the audiotechnica system 10 (handheld) for 6-7 months now with no problems. It just works. 2.4GHz digital. The "safe" range is limited to 10-25ft but I try to keep the transmitter always close to 5-7ft. There are drop-outs (random, unpredictable) past 25ft so I don't risk and everything works fine.

Sennheiser also went to digital as well (1.9GHz) but I didn't like the sound and the battery on the receiver is only 4hrs. Azden sells a "toy" version of the 2.4GHz as well (lavalier only) that I tested mainly to see if it worked with my existing system10. It works but the quality is poor (maybe the lavalier) and the drop-outs are seriously frequent and at any distance. I had it for a limited time and I didn't elaborate but it looked more like a transmitter problem (needs to physically "see" the receiver all the time. Plus there is a nasty(ish) hiss and base noise. Digital is the future (in my opinion). Too bad for that beautiful e835 that was great. But the Audiotechnica microphone is good enough, almost as good as the sennheiser. So me no more UHF was a big step. Maybe in Italy you have more clear frequencies (for now) but I wouldn't invest on any UHF system today.

[David Aliperti]

Originally Posted by Anthony Lelli

you are in Italy and I see lots of G3 Sennheiser on UHF for TV reporting. I have it (I only use the handheld) and it doesn't work well in NYC (but nothing works in NYC to be honest), and lately has been a hit&miss. Excellent quality but UHF is over in NYC (in my opinion).
Anyway I have the audiotechnica system 10 (handheld) for 6-7 months now with no problems. It just works. 2.4GHz digital. The "safe" range is limited to 10-25ft but I try to keep the transmitter always close to 5-7ft. There are drop-outs (random, unpredictable) past 25ft so I don't risk and everything works fine.

Sennheiser also went to digital as well (1.9GHz) but I didn't like the sound and the battery on the receiver is only 4hrs. Azden sells a "toy" version of the 2.4GHz as well (lavalier only) that I tested mainly to see if it worked with my existing system10. It works but the quality is poor (maybe the lavalier) and the drop-outs are seriously frequent and at any distance. I had it for a limited time and I didn't elaborate but it looked more like a transmitter problem (needs to physically "see" the receiver all the time. Plus there is a nasty(ish) hiss and base noise. Digital is the future (in my opinion). Too bad for that beautiful e835 that was great. But the Audiotechnica microphone is good enough, almost as good as the sennheiser. So me no more UHF was a big step. Maybe in Italy you have more clear frequencies (for now) but I wouldn't invest on any UHF system today.

Right now in some areas of big town like Naples, in areas close the port in impossible to use some range of frequencies like uhf 626 -660, drops occur at 5 meters too

[Paul R Johnson]

What's certain is that waiting is both beneficial and annoying. Do you jump in and buy expensive state of the art, or hang about for maybe a year until it's settled down, and probably cheaper - but risk being left behind? Always the same.

The other problem is that Governments keep tinkering with the frequencies - as the mobile phone people with the big money keep wanting more and more, so the new digital systems are designed, as John says above, to give more channels in smaller and smaller spaces. Typically this also causes some additional grief for those who lag behind, because those using older kit get squeezed out by the new stuff, and new kit rarely gets annoyed by the old, but the old hates the new!

I've been trying to buy ten systems for the past year, and every time I go to hit the button, something new comes on the market or a rumour surfaces about losing some more channels but gaining different ones, but rarely the same size space, and frankly, I'm very wary of spending a very large amount of my funds on what could be a white elephant. For just a single system for video - perhaps it's less difficult, because you won't find too many places all full - and the difference in quality between good solid analogue and very sophisticated digital in pure quality terms is not hugely better for the majority. Between cheap analogue and decent analogue, the difference is much wider!