By associate editor Elliot Smith:
At IBC this year Paralinx introduced the successor to their entry level Arrow wireless video transmission system. Called the Ace, the new system is more rugged, with ABS plastic housing and aluminium mounting points. It also benefits from a wide range of powering options, courtesy of battery sleds that screw into the back of both the transmitter and receiver units: it’s possible to use Canon LP-E6 or Sony NP-F batteries, for example. This is a big advance on the Arrow, which required power via USB, which could be tricky on smaller cameras that don’t have the benefit of power output from large V-lock or Anton Bauer style batteries.
The Ace comes with either HD-SDI or HDMI connectors, but both types are able to connect to each other: it’s just the physical port that’s different.
Both receiver and transmitter weigh around 150g, and have a range of up to 100m (300ft), which make them a great option for gimbal operators looking for a way to get a video signal back to a director or second operator. Paralinx also say their system has less than 1ms of latency which would make it practical to use help pull focus on a drone or gimbal mounted rig.
Up to four receivers can be paired to a single transmitter, so you could share a feed with a director as well as fellow operators.
The Ace is available in HD-SDI and HDMI variants and is shipping now – a pair of SDI Aces costs $1799 US and the HDMI versions $1299 US. Check out the Paralinx website for more details.
