Technology advancements over the past few years have made it so much easier to do more these days. What if you could have a multi-camera video setup that is wireless?
Going completely wireless with video is within reach using Ecamm Live, your DSLR or Mirrorless, and Tether Tools’ Air Direct. This easy setup helps you to produce exceptional quality web streams to any platform including YouTube and Facebook. You can also use the Virtual Cam option in Ecamm Live to send to Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams and more!
Karen Alsop has been testing this set up in a live music environment, and in her studio and has discovered the best way to optimize the visual quality carried over the Wi-Fi connection. Karen shares with us the following tips and tricks using the Air Direct as a wireless video transmitter:
- Connect via bridge mode to a strong Wi-Fi connection in the room you are working in.
- Range should be about 20 feet. If more distance is required use Wi-Fi boosters.
- Remember the closer you are to your Wi-Fi device, the stronger the signal will be.
- Audio sync is not an issue with the Air Direct. In fact, the audio will match the same sync as a direct USB connection (in Ecamm Live) no matter what. Whether wired, or wireless, you will need a separate microphone (USB does not carry audio) and you will need to adjust the Mic Delay in Ecamm live to sync (I have it set to 6 frames on my set up).
- Video signal deteriorates the further you move away from your Wi-Fi connection, but not in the way you think. The video drops frames but does not pixelate. Test your distance limitations to how far you can venture.
- The more pixels that change while sending video, the more likely you will drop frames. In a live music environment, we were able to film a church band from different angles free hand by keeping the camera steady when the feed was being sent to Ecamm Live. So, the method was finding the position, lock down still, switch to the Air Direct video feed. Then after I would move to another band member when my camera was not selected. With just the musician in the frame moving, the video signal did not drop frames (minimizing pixel changes).
- The Air Direct makes it possible to film and broadcast wirelessly when cables get in the way or don’t extend far enough. And all you need is the Air Direct and Ecamm Live.
To see this in action, check out Karen’s YouTube Channel.
