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Zaxcom IFB200 Transmission Power issues


Bax

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Hi there,

 

I'm writing this post because having recently been confronted to interference problems with my SD633 and IFB200 combination due to the 2,4GHz technology of  Zaxnet (i would soon post a topic about that), i found this:

 

If you try to change the IFB transmission power from the extended menu to anything but "7" (which is the Max level) coming back to the main menu and/or reboot the device cancels this change !?

Means that, the max IFB transmission power is re-loaded again.

But, coming back to the transmission power menu (advanced menu), the number don't change to "7" but still remains the one you left before…

 

For exemple, if i change the IFB transmission power from "7" to "2". This, gives me something like 10 meters maximum open space reach. At this moment i have much less interference problems of coarse, now if i exit extended menu and/or shut down the IFB200 and power up it again, i can now be 50 meters away and i can also welcome all my interference problems back...

Now, if i go back to the IFB transmission power menu, i found power level remained "2" but, if i change it to… lets say "1" or "3" the TX power is down again to reflect this change !

 

The actual IFB200 firmware is: v1.64 but this issue was revealed (by me at least) in firmware 1.58 allready. Zaxcom are aware since then.

 

Hope this will help.

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My IFB200 appears to be functioning fine - I am not seeing this problem.

Jack,

 

Did you try to do the test of the distance ?

 

1: Try to step down the power to the min (Lev 1)

2: Check the max distance (this should be something like 8-10 meters)

3: Reboot

4: Re-check the max distance (this should be now back to the max, 40+ meters) 

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what sort of interference issues are you having with the ifb200/633 combo? I'm asking because I have been considering buying a system.

Brian,

 

I don't want to extend to this post the interference issue between the IFB200 and SD633 to much.

I will post especially about that, soon.

But briefly, i am talking about some digital kind of disturbances  i receive from the SD633.

It seems that the SD633 is very sensitive to the proximity AND direction of the omni 2.4GHz antenna of the IFB200.  

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Not only IFB200. My 633 got interference from QRX100 QIFB as well, also some of my microphones can't be near to the IFB antenna. oktava and cs3e.

I lowered transmitting power, and but antenna towards outside. It seems solve the problem.

The funny thing is that it seems the interference only affecting the inputs, which means it is not going to the record. The recorded tracks are clean as my case.

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The reason I ask is that I also use the BDS v4u. Zaxcom says that this is an issue with the build of the power supply, but how can that be the case if we are getting different results from the same power supply? Cables, maybe, but...

Remote Audio BDS v4u

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Even though I have had limited experience doing "bag work" (everyone knows that) I understand completely the frustrations trying to sort out these noise problems coming from the various IFB units from Zaxcom. There are two very important things to remember (though neither actually solves the problem in the real world): 2.4 ghz transmissions can get into everything and there is no one solution that will fit every scenario. My first encounter with 2.4ghz interference, other than the ongoing cell phone problems (not yet resolved) was with remote focus control devices used by camera. These units could get into microphones, amplified speakers, headphone drivers, Comteks, just about anything but specifically devices that had inadequate RF isolation or immunity by their very design. Many of the things we use DID have adequate protection from these RF sources because there were so few devices in use that could cause the problems with our stuff. Now, when faced with having recorders in our bag, UHF wireless units, UHF and VHF IFB devices, 2.4 ghz units, all sitting right next to each other, it is a miracle that any of it works. 

 

It seems like the only viable solutions are to physically keep these items separated (fairly easy to do on the sound cart, in the bag, not so much) and even then, there is the mysterious and arbitrary behavior of RF interference that relates to antenna orientation, cable lengths, induction through powering connections, and most importantly, the relative susceptibility of all the other devices to this sort of interference.

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