Teradek have released a new addition to their Bolt wireless transceiver series. The Bolt 500 features refined software, new wireless radios, and a redesigned chassis. According to the company it is the most reliable and capable monitoring solutions they have ever built.
The Bolt 500 fits in between the Bolt 300 and 1000 where there was previously a big gap not only in price, but also operating range. As its name suggests, the Bolt 500’s operating range is 500ft (152.4m), which is probably the sweet spot for a lot of smaller productions needs. Not only does the 500 offer a longer operating range, but it is also smaller in size and lighter in weight than the older Bolt 300.
Like other members of the Bolt family the 500 has metadata and timecode support, 3D LUTs, dual inputs/outputs, multicast capable, manual frequency selection and a USB 3.0 GRAB Engine.
The new features of the Bolt 500 are:
*Visually lossless video transmission up to 500ft with no delay.
*20MHz Channels
Use more than twice as many Bolts in one location, or use to avoid interference .
*2 New DFS Channels
Operate interference-free more often in the USA and Europe by making use of two newly introduced DFS channels.
*20% Smaller Chassis
Smaller and lighter. Much better for rig mounting.
*Individual Identity
Its easier to identify which Bolt TX and RX units work together when you have more than one set thanks to removable colored top plates.
*Rapid Reconnection
Reconnect times during a dropped link are now virtually instant once you move back into range.
*Built-In HDMI to SDI Converter
Perfect for use with MoVI and other gimbals, Bolt’s TX has a built-in HDMI to SDI converter, allowing you to connect both your on-camera monitor and video source via the same device.
*More Robust
The Bolt Pro 500 supports video resolutions of:
• 1080p 23.98/24/25/29.97/30/50/59.94/60
• 1080psf23.98/24/25/29.97/30
• 1080i50/59.94/60
• 720p50/59.94/60
• 480p59.94/576p50 (via HDMI ports only)
• 480i(NTSC)/576i(PAL)
Of course this is not your common or garden wireless link and the features come at a cost. The Bolt 500 3G-SDI/HDMI Video Transceiver Set retails for $3999US. The 3G-SDI only version is $3499US and the HDMI only option is $2999US.
