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Ambient TC radio link


c3kings

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Anyone has any experienced using this radio link:

http://www.ambient.de/produkte/timecode/tc_send_empf/tc_send_empf_e.html

My understanding is my 702's lemo 5-pins tc jack will connect to an Ambient transmitter, and my R1's 5-pins tc jack will connect to an Ambient receiver. Then R1 will get the tc from 702 through radio signal. Am I correct? If so, can I connect to more than one camera if I have two receivers?

Actually, can I use any wireless system, like Sennheiser g2/3, to obtain the same result, or similar result with more steps?

Thanks in advance.

King

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Your understanding is spot on.  The units have a small DIP switch that puts them in the RX (red LED) or TX (green LED).  The G2/3 units would probably give you better range, though, my experience with range is not the best with the Ambient units.  With the G series you simply have to gain stage correctly, which may actually be a bonus, as some devices may benefit from an adjustable level output.

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Hi, Tom, thank you for your reply.

I didn't know that we can use G series units to transmit the tc between 702 and cameras.  Actually, how does it work?

Are we saying that instead of connecting to a lav mic, we connect the G transmitter to SD 702 tc jack, and then we hook up the receiver to the tc jack of the camera?  Am i correct?  Do i miss anything, like software?  Can I connect to more than one camera, say R1 and Sony NX5U?

Right now, I am using ACL203, but it is not quite frame accurate.  It always wonders around between 1 frame ahead and behind.

Thank you very much.

King

Your understanding is spot on.  The units have a small DIP switch that puts them in the RX (red LED) or TX (green LED).  The G2/3 units would probably give you better range, though, my experience with range is not the best with the Ambient units.  With the G series you simply have to gain stage correctly, which may actually be a bonus, as some devices may benefit from an adjustable level output.

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In my experience, range on the Ambients is pretty bad, they also operate on 433MHz which every man and his dog are on (over here at least) - car key remotes, garage remotes etc etc.

yep, same.  They are also offered in 418MHz as an option from the factory, but don't know if that would be significantly better or not, I have a feeling it is simply a low powered transmitter.  Probably better off amplifying it and using high gain antenna on cart, if you not literally a few feet away from the slate.

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  • 3 weeks later...

...

Right now, I am using ACL203, but it is not quite frame accurate.  It always wonders around between 1 frame ahead and behind.

Thank you very much.

King

Hi King,

your problem won't alter by using FM Transmitters. The ACL203 cannot be not frame accurate. The inaccuracy notfied is the processing delay of the file based cameras and is well known to us.

P2 cameras have a fixed processing delay of 2 frames while for example XD Cams even have a delay from up to 3 frames.

So sending your timecode in lightspeed to the camera wouldn't help because the delay is produced inside your camera.

The only solution I know yet would be to use an ALL601 and set the measured offset.

As for the range of our TC Transceivers:

In USA 418MHz is the only legal frequency we can use. The problem is that this would be the only legal frequency for other manufacturers, too. ;)

So using the 433 MHz or different FM devices working on the same frequency as the TC is a bad idea...

Thank you for using our gear by the way

Cheers

Timo K

Ambient Recording

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Thanks for your reply, Timo.

What do say about Red One?  Does Red One have processing delay?

However, my problem is that my SD 702 and Red One with ACL203 basically have the same time code most of the time, so in this case, I don't feel it has any processing delay issue.  But, without any hint, sometimes, the SD702 timecode will be 1 frame behind the Red One timecode.  And it is just always one frame behind, no other possibility, in other words, either matched or SD one frame behind.

Yet, it creates us enough trouble, as we need to check every single take, and we are making documentary films.

Thanks.

King

Hi King,

your problem won't alter by using FM Transmitters. The ACL203 cannot be not frame accurate. The inaccuracy notfied is the processing delay of the file based cameras and is well known to us.

P2 cameras have a fixed processing delay of 2 frames while for example XD Cams even have a delay from up to 3 frames.

So sending your timecode in lightspeed to the camera wouldn't help because the delay is produced inside your camera.

The only solution I know yet would be to use an ALL601 and set the measured offset.

As for the range of our TC Transceivers:

In USA 418MHz is the only legal frequency we can use. The problem is that this would be the only legal frequency for other manufacturers, too. ;)

So using the 433 MHz or different FM devices working on the same frequency as the TC is a bad idea...

Thank you for using our gear by the way

Cheers

Timo K

Ambient Recording

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Hey King,

Did you sync Genloc, too? Perhaps just this additional cable would solve your problem because this way all sync signals use the same accurate second length as Master. If you miss that your time code will run properly but your videoclock runs out of sync.

Especially the Red has a really bad clock processing which can be found all over this forum. I recently found this discussion:

http://jwsound.net/SMF/index.php?topic=8781.msg76481#msg76481

Please check it out.

If this doesn't work please just reply we are always thankful for new problems!

Cheers

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