CamPac2 Wireless Camera Transmitter and Newscaster DR2 Diversity Receiver offers reliable, high-quality images and unique views for sports and entertainment.

As HDNet's sports and entertainment event coverage continues to increase, so does its need for a reliable wireless camera system that delivers handheld video from locations that are inconvenient, prohibited, or dangerous using a cabled camera. HDNet chose Integrated Microwave Technologies (IMT) Nucomm brand CamPac2 (CP2) and Newscaster DR2 wireless camera systems to provide reliable, high-quality images. HDNet also selected the remote camera control for its CP2, which offers HDNet's video operators the ability to "shade" or "paint" the cameras wirelessly.

"Whether roaming the pits of an auto race, running sideline coverage of a football game, or providing handheld shooting for concerts, the desire to purchase a wireless camera system became evident to us last year when the RF solution that we rented left us unsatisfied," says Jeff Carman, technical producer and flyaway engineer, HDNet. "The Nucomm gear outperforms its competitors and has continued to perform above our expectations."

The CamPac2 wireless camera system is compact and simple to use yet sophisticated enough to handle a wide range of applications including ENG, portable camera mounting for sports production, helicopter and UAV links as well as portable, mobile video and data links. The CP2 is a tri-band capable unit, which operates in the unlicensed 5.8GHz band, as well as licensed 6.4GHz and 7.1GHz bands without the need of hardware changes.

The Newscaster DR2 diversity receiver is an updated model of the company's predecessor, the Newscaster DR and offers new features including "intelligent" block down converters, which actually communicate to the DR2 receiver to control various operating modes. By using the ability to block down convert the received high frequency signals to UHF band signals in the 150 to 850 MHz range, the DR2 now has the ability to remotely extend its antennas to 1,000 feet, complete with DC power from the receiver, as well as other versatile modes of operation.

By having the option to choose from two different versions of BDCs for the Newscaster DR2, these units can transmit and receive a wide range of frequency bands from 1.99 GHz to 7.1 GHz, depending on customer requirements. In addition, the diagnostics available with the Nucomm wireless camera system as an overlay provides valuable information including battery strength, power level and individual antenna performance that yields invaluable data in trying to troubleshoot an issue.

"HDNet prides itself on maintaining the highest signal integrity throughout its signal paths," adds Carman. "Exceptional encoding is especially critical to this, as the signal will be decoded and then re-encoded for broadcast. Everyone at HDNet has been impressed with the quality of video the Nucomm equipment has provided; it's nearly impossible to differentiate that it's not from a wired camera." HDNet will also use the CP2 on a SteadiCam rig when covering concerts, and it is considering using the wireless equipment in conjunction with POV cameras.

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