buy frequency scanner or ditch G2 system?

Not sure what they'll be selling off but most of the manufacturers are preparing for it. Zaxcom is releasing (has announced) a wideband receiver block 20-26 and transmitters that cover three blocks. I assume lectro, audio ltd, sennheiser and sony will be doing the same soon. I think wisycom did something similar last year.
 
The two mic blocks would be great, if they were the same across the country but since they jump around if you were traveling you need a stack o' wireless.

Block 26, great that would kill 1/2 my wireless. It's times like this I'm happy most of my recording is FX and done with a wire.
 
Josh Bass said:
Ok, so tried your test, put Trans on a table, walked away with receiver, watching RF meter on receiver. It didn't drop at all 'til I was way out (maybe about the distance you stated). Left my house and got to the edge of the street, only had dropped a few bars. Set to same frequencies that we last tried it on that shoot before abandoning it (529.850).

I guess it only likes to not work when I need it.
Click to expand...
Ah - we're getting somewhere. If we can assume that both components are working normally, then there are two possible issues that can cause abnormal short range. Receiver desensitisation - where a transmitter on a nearby, but different frequency is close to the receive aerials - and makes the receiver 'deaf' on your chosen channel. High powered transmitters either side of your working channel can do similar things. Co-channel interference can usually be heard, warbling and beating with the wanted sound.

In the link I gave earlier, you can get a decent functioning analyser that will show you RF activity around your working frequency. A friend who works in air traffic control tried it up against his professional kit at work and found it pretty accurate. There are a few internal sproggies, but they're minimal.

For the price, if you work in congested RF areas, it could be a very handy tool, and let's be honest - if you do have a serious RF problem, then so will a more expensive system.
 
Thanks. Ive talked to a local sound guy who thinks the rf scanners are ridiculously complex and thinks that if i got s lectro 211 (that has its own scanner) id be just as good. Regarding the g2 having issues just like any other system, well, on one shoot where i had the g2 i double lav'd the guy with the g2 and lectro. Lectro was fine while g2 was almost immediately bad. Same on the last shoot--we had three lavs, 2 were lectros and i was going to use g2 for 3rd. Lectros worked, g2 had dropouts as described above. Replaced it with another lectro venue provided and no more problems.

So yeah, something wrong with unit or things have gotten much worse recently.

That multi block system sounds awesome. Somehow i doubt i could get one for $1200 or less.
 
As I mentioned the Lectro's in the US are considerably more powerful than the G2. IF your problem is crowded airwaves then more power can be a big help.
 
That's what I've heard. . .more watts = more interference crushing POWER!

But seriously folks. . .what causes the total audio dropouts, where RF signal goes dead, mute comes on (going by the LED readout on G2s), vs your less destructive "zzzzzzt!" interference? Or is one just the more extreme form of the other?
 
I'm sorry but Lectrosonics wireless setups are not a magic bullet to crushing interference. I have used the most expensive of wireless setups, and the fact of the matter is, if someone is walking on your signal, they are walking on your signal. Having a Lectrosonics brand does not make their signal magically go away. That being said, a more powerful diversity setup should offer better performance over your G2, but in my opinion having an RF scanner in a very congested area as you are working would be a valuable asset.
 
Josh Bass said:
That's what I've heard. . .more watts = more interference crushing POWER!

But seriously folks. . .what causes the total audio dropouts, where RF signal goes dead, mute comes on (going by the LED readout on G2s), vs your less destructive "zzzzzzt!" interference? Or is one just the more extreme form of the other?
Click to expand...

This is a difficult question to answer, even if one has a spectrum analyzer setup during such an event.

Some reasons have been given, such as the person wearing the transmitter changes position, cause the signal to fade. Interference from other RF transmitters is also popular.

The way FM 'works' tends to give 'on/off' type noise, rather than a slow degrade into noise. (Compare AM radio to FM while on long distance drive to hear how that sort of thing goes.).

FM is of course more resilient to certain types of noise... which is why its preferred... but it's not immune.
 
I know they're not "magic", but my personal experience has been that the Lectros work, with few exceptions, in every place I've ever used them while the G2 in the same environment gets hosed (the last two times I had both on set in fact). While there may be situations where the Lectros fall apart as well, they don't seem to be the type of gigs I personally work. Additionally, the 211s have a scanner function, so wouldn't that be redundant?

I guess, unless I can return the RF scanner if I take it with me, it tells me a frequency is free, and the G2 still screws me, I would rather just try to have the G2 diagnosed or move on and get a used Lectro set (G3 may be better but Lectros are better than that AND, used, not much more). Will Sennheiser examine the unit for free (I've contacted but have not heard back yet)?
 
Nothing wrong with owning a nice Lectrosonics kit, but just saying, even using the most powerful Sennheiser and Lectrosonics wireless setups when we worked an event like a college football game for example, I always scanned RF, because there was always some jack leg using an unauthorized frequency near by. I also prefer an RF scanner with an audio out so I can monitor.

All the best!

Dave
 
I doubt Sennheiser would check it out for nothing. Lectro won't even do that (but you CAN talk to President Larry directly though... try that w/ Sennheiser). As I stated on the DV info forum, there are not any vacant or many low level RF frequencies available in your area.. at least in Sennheiser frequency block A.. if that's what you have. Same in NYC, finding a usable frequency takes some work.
If buying a used Lectro, the early systems' 185, 187 and 195 systems are not frequency agile. Though my old 185 VHF system works even better since digital b'cast started as VHF transmission was discontinued on some stations.
 
I've been referred to the 210 and 211 systems (I know everyone says the 400 is the shiz, but they are. . .not cheap). I believe the one I rent from a client, and that we use regularly, is a 210. Without looking at the frequency chart, I can't really comment on what is and isn't available in Houston, I can only say that from personal experience, the Lectros rarely have issues while lately my G2 is nothing but. It just seems a little insane to buy a $250 scanner on top of the built in scanning on a 211 that will also run $1000+. The kind of work I do/estimated frequency of use DO justify upping my game from the G2, but not to that level.
 
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