School is out on summer break for now, but it won’t be long before a new Fall Semester sets in and we’re scrambling to make sure we have the right tools for another year! It’s not too early to start exploring what your school will need for 2018-2019, especially since you want the best bang for your school’s budget. What’s on your list?
Have you thought about introducing wireless video to your workflow? Many video delivery systems are now just as fast & reliable as wired systems, but allow you to do much more than a tethered camera would.
Here are 3 reasons why you should consider wireless video for your school:
1. Capture Exciting New Shots
Handheld cameras can achieve angles that are much more engaging than static cameras shots, and we’re starting to see more schools/universities adopt these techniques for their productions. For example, handheld cameras can capture both the football players and the audience at much closer and dynamic angles, making them much more exciting than constant wide shots.
The key to handheld systems though is being mobile, and that’s where wireless video comes in. While your production switcher is somewhere in the back of an event, the camera needs to be able to move anywhere and still transmit a video signal back to it in real-time. Wireless video helps achieve this, allowing the camera operator to capture angles that would be previously impossible.
2. It’s Affordable
Wireless video is used predominantly by the film industry or schools with big budgets, but as the technology becomes more available, companies have made it more accessible for everyone. Teradek is the premier manufacturer for the world’s most trusted zero-delay wireless video systems. Their newest product, the Bolt LT, is a no-frills wireless unit that sends video from transmitter to receiver with zero delay.
The transmitter connects to any video source via SDI and sends a feed to the receiver, which is connected to an output source. If your camera op is capturing video in a basketball game, he/she has the freedom to be anywhere on the court and send video to the switcher instantly. The best part? Its reduced price point of just $1990 puts it in the realm of affordability for most schools, especially ones with film and TV production programs.
3. Perfect for Education
Schools with production courses can benefit tremendously from having a wireless video system. Broadcast & film technologies are gradually shifting towards wireless everything, from video transport to monitoring to 4G LTE IP-based broadcasting in the field. What better way to teach the future of film than having a wireless set at the school?
Wireless video tools are perfectly suited for both broadcast and film curriculums. If your school has student volunteers who help broadcast events like assemblies and rallies, they can use wireless video for delivering video straight to production switchers or big screen TVs without being bound by cables. Film students could also borrow the gear for monitoring on set, which has never been a viable, affordable option for schools until now.
Conclusion
Budgets don’t exactly give too much priority to film & broadcast programs, but in the chances you do receive the funding, consider giving wireless video a chance. It’s not only a more productive piece of equipment than traditional systems, but also offers more education for your students. And in a world filled with fast-moving tech, it’s important for your school to offer the latest and best to your class.