![](//www.4rfv.com/images/no_image.jpg)
Tech Focus: Bodypacks, Part 1 - Wireless Transmitters Are Integral to Sports Audio's Future COVID, encryption, and spectrum pose continuing challenges By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Thursday, January 7, 2021 - 10:04 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
Today's wireless bodypack transmitters are almost nano-small, their battery endurance is reaching Tesla-envy levels, and the RF spectrum disruptions of the past few years have (mostly) settled down. However, that doesn't mean that their designers and manufacturers don't face other challenges.
Among the continuing challenges is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made A2s' task of miking athletes a fairly fraught proposition; purveyors of wireless products and services in general have spent vast amounts of time and effort developing and sharing best practices and protocols related to wiring people and things for remote audio during the pandemic. Digital encryption and adjustment to the spectrum repack also confront vendors.
COVID was everywhere that [lavalier microphones] are used, notes Karl Winkler, VP, sales and marketing, Lectrosonics. Early on in this adventure,' we put together materials about using and sanitizing lavs on our website. It quickly became the most popular page on it.
Keeping Secrets Encryption of digital signals has become a significant issue in wireless communications particularly in sports, where coaches and athletes need to discuss strategy and tactics on the field and broadcasters want to get some of that backstage dialog on-air. Winkler says encryption offers various levels, denoted as keys, to sports customers according to the nature of what's being communicated. The most secure keys allow only voice exchanges between devices, such as microphones on beltpacks and cameras, that share an encryption key.
But that information has various uses, he points out. For instance, between an NFL coach and quarterback, the signals have to be fully encrypted to avoid disclosing tactical information ahead of critical plays. On the other hand, an NBA coach's bodypack transmitter is there to pick up the same sorts of tactical disclosures, but they won't be broadcast until after a play is over, when they're heard on-air as part of a replay. That latter application is often the more difficult one to get cooperation for, notes Winkler.
Not every head coach is completely comfortable with this yet, he explains, adding that his company's newest digital wireless system, the D Squared, was recently expanded to four encryption keys. Some [coaches] have to be reminded to turn the bodypack transmitter on. They've been using that audio in the NBA only for the last couple of years, and not everyone is completely sure about how secure encryption is. But that's understandable, given how high the stakes are around that information.
Spectrum Matters Although issues around RF have largely settled down since the end of the 600 MHz incentive spectrum auction in 2017, with the repack going largely into effect through July this year, wireless designers have had to make some adjustments. For instance, Winkler cites standards body ETSI's update in which the deviation - the maximum FM modulation of the nominal carrier frequency - of all new wireless microphone transmitters was changed to a maximum of 50 kHz from the previous 70 kHz.
We know what spectrum we have to work with now, and we've made adjustments for that, he says, such as expanding tuning ranges. A few years ago, our transmitters would have had 256 channels across 25 MHz of bandwidth; now we're up to 6,000 channels to choose from over 144 MHz. The tuning-step sizes are packed much tighter, which provides more choices for frequency-coordination planning and lets users cover more area. That's especially necessary in dense metro areas with a lot of adjacent TV channels after the repack.
Steadily increasing channel counts, in sports and other verticals, remain a challenge, notes Jim Lappin, product manager, wireless microphones, Audio-Technica. Therefore, A-T, like other wireless systems manufacturers, has developed its own software solutions for frequency coordination. Wireless Manager allows users to create a device list, coordinate frequencies, and, when used with compatible Audio-Technica networked devices, can scan the RF environment, generate a coordinated-frequency plan, and push frequencies to receivers on the network. The software also allows remote configuration and control of A-T networked devices and can display key system parameters in real time.
It gives you a snapshot of the available spectrum between 470 and 608 [MHz], he says. Once you know where the TV channels are, you can plan around those frequencies.
Teaming Up Shure's Michael Johns: All aspects of content creation should be important to audio manufacturers, and sports is. Wireless microphones are how you get close to get that sound.
Last year, Shure and Q5X announced collaboration around new wireless transmitters that combine Q5X's hyper-compact form factors and safety-conscious industrial design with Shure's widely used Axient Digital RF technology. Axient's digital operation allows versions of Q5X's primary models - CoachMic, PlayerMic, AquaMic - to function as digital devices, conferring key features of signal encryption and improved spectral efficiency to Q5X's diminutive form factors. The new product - named Q5X QT-AD10 Axient digital wireless transmitter (the companies will sell it through their respective distribution channels) - also incorporates Q5X's Remote Control Audio System (RCAS), which provides remote-control functionality: on/off, frequency, mic offset, RF power, groups, and battery level.
In addition to adding digital-encryption capability to the product line, says Q5X
Most recent headlines
17/02/2025
TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night
By Jenny Priestley
Published: February 14, 2025 ...
17/02/2025
Eligible studios will receive the relief directly from their local authorities, with no need to submit a claim
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 17, 20...
17/02/2025
As DEI initiatives come under pressure in the USA, supporters of Rise, which promotes diversity in the media and entertainment sector, discuss the continuing im...
17/02/2025
EIB Global loan will partially fund SES's continued O3b mPOWER medium earth orbit (MEO) fleet expansion enabling additional capacity worldwide. O3b mPOWER s...
15/02/2025
At Nielsen, Business Resource Groups (BRGs) play a critical role in nurturing a ...
15/02/2025
Innovation to empower creativity: Explore the latest in Lightroom
Rob Christensen February 15, 2025
0 Comments
Whether you want to remove distracting ...
15/02/2025
Wisycom, a worldwide leader in RF technology and provider of wireless solutions, announces a new distribution agreement with EQUAPHON. An Argentinian profession...
15/02/2025
DPA Microphones, the leading manufacturer of high-quality microphone solutions, is pleased to welcome Nicholas Nick Mariano and Vincent Vince Divine to the ...
15/02/2025
Tuxera, a leading provider of quality-assured file systems and networking solutions, will showcase how Tuxera Fusion SMB enables unprecedented performance for m...
15/02/2025
Bitmovin's latest Video Developer Report indicates an increasing role of AI, the slow adoption of next-generation codecs, and continuing challenges when it ...
15/02/2025
When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new Sleepless in the Kitchen , campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert...
15/02/2025
Formula E, the world's first all-electric racing series, revolutionizing motorsport with cutting-edge technology and a commitment to sustainability has sele...
15/02/2025
Agile Content, a global leader in TV and video technology solutions, announces its rebranding to AgileTV.
The transition to AgileTV stems from a commitment to ...
15/02/2025
Hiltron Communications will promote the latest additions to its range of satellite communication products, systems and supporting services at GovSatCom 2025. Th...
15/02/2025
Following the success of the original Airglow Booklight, DoPchoice debuts a new addition to their inflatable line the Float. This lightweight, inflatable, round...
15/02/2025
LAS VEGAS Marshall Electronics has announced that it will debut its newest camera controller, the RCP Plus, at the 2025 NAB Show at Booth N2649 between April 5 ...
15/02/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Blake Sebo as the next general manager of KTUU and KYES, Gray's NBC and CBS affiliates in Anchorage, Alaska....
15/02/2025
KOKKEDAL, Denmark DPA Microphones will feature its new CORE+ technology for distortion-free microphone sound at the 2025 NAB Show, April 5-9, in Las Vegas....
15/02/2025
SWANSEA, U.K. QuickLink will launch StudioPro-NDI and StudioPro-3, two new models of its QuickLine StudioPro video production platform, at the 2025 NAB Show, Ap...
15/02/2025
Live From 2025 NBA All-Star Game Weekend: After 25 Years, Turner Sports All-In F...
15/02/2025
NASCAR Driver Cam on Max Embraces Cloud-Based Workflow for 2025 Season Chris Brown of WBD Sports says Mobii will play key part in delivering signals from the tr...
14/02/2025
Last month, we officially launched the Spotify Partner Program, a powerful new m...
14/02/2025
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & ...
14/02/2025
The future of electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) land systems is evolving so that ...
14/02/2025
Here are 5 reasons why you should attend ISE 2025
Discover more about Calrec: Learn more about Calrec's legacy of innovation in broadcast audio solutions ...
14/02/2025
World Radio Day: On the same wavelength
By Graham Murray, International Sales Manager at Calrec
To mark World Radio Day, Calrec's International Sales Ma...
14/02/2025
DALLAS and TYSONS, Va. Tegna has concluded a broadcast rights agreement that makes Tegna's KFAA in Dallas the exclusive local television partner of the Dall...
14/02/2025
Amazon's Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved s...
14/02/2025
CLEVELAND Telos Alliance announced a software update for its Axia Quasar XR and SR line of audio-over-IP (AoIP) mixing consoles and will show the offering at th...
14/02/2025
Puget Systems Returns to HPA Tech Retreat 2025 with New Analysis Tools for Puge...
14/02/2025
Glass Animals: Tour of Earth Uses Blackmagic Live Production Workflow
Brie Clayton February 14, 2025
0 Comments
80six deploys Blackmagic URSA Broadcas...
14/02/2025
A dispute between Paramount and Youtube TV that would have pulled CBS stations and Paramount's cable channels from the streaming service has been temporaril...
14/02/2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By C...
14/02/2025
BitFire said it intends to introduce forward-looking services that simplify the launch of live production workflows, and enhance real-time collaboration
By Jen...
14/02/2025
The claim by the liquidators is the latest twist in the ongoing saga of the companys collapse at the end of 2021
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: February 14, ...
14/02/2025
A carriage dispute between YouTube TV and Paramount could come to a head today (Feb. 13), with the virtual pay TV provider threatening to pull all of the progra...
14/02/2025
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. LG Electronics USA has opened a new in-house, state-of-the-art virtual production studio at its 360,000-square-foot North American headqu...
14/02/2025
NEW YORK In a bid to help local broadcasters find new ways of monetizing their content, the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and TVB have relea...
14/02/2025
WASHINGTON Three Democratic U.S. Senators have sent a stern letter blasting FCC Chair Brendan Carr for the weaponization of the agency for attacking broadcast...
14/02/2025
Years after launching the streaming service Apple TV+ in November of 2019, Apple has finally released a version of its steaming app for Android devices....
14/02/2025
FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. Red Digital Cinema will make its V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X camera systems available with Nikon's premier Z Mount, providing filmmaker...
14/02/2025
DAYTONA, Fla. The Fox Sports production of this year's Daytona 500 will see the addition of a few new tech elements and the continued unfolding of the broad...
14/02/2025
Watch Bryson Battles Blind Audition on The Voice Get a Four-Chair Turn Michael Bubl said the Boston Conservatory at Berklee musical theater senior might have...
14/02/2025
2025 Daytona 500: FOX Sports Looks To Ride Super Bowl LIX Momentum Into NASCAR S...
14/02/2025
14 Feb 2025
VEON's Kyivstar and the Come Back Alive Foundation Raise USD 2....
14/02/2025
Max Renews THE PITT, Starring Noah Wyle, For A Second Season
Max
Warner Bros. Television Group
The Pitt
New Episodes Of The Medical Drama From John...
14/02/2025
This year, Technicolor proudly celebrates 110 years of shaping the magic of cinema pioneering color, visual effects, and innovation that bring unforgettable l...
14/02/2025
NBA All-Star: More Games, More Teams, More Music, More Sound From the Court Turner Sports' team will deploy familiar tech to capture all the audio By Dan D...
14/02/2025
LIV Golf Continues To Innovate With Drones, Data-Driven Graphics, and All-Access...