It’s impressive how news crews can descend upon a scene and broadcast live video within minutes of their arrival. This is made possible in part by the use of wireless broadcasting equipment that can put you on the air in no time. Digital video and audio can be transmitted from roaming camera crews for live-to-air transmission for viewing on a remote monitor or for immediate reference on a laptop computer. RF Extreme’s RFX-NLL-II and Pro-Link HD can make it all happen.
RFX-NLL-II
Intended for standard-definition (SD) transmissions, RF Extreme’s RFX-NLL-II is a 5.8 GHz digital 50-milliwatt microwave link with a 1,500 foot range and a simple plug-and-play setup. As such, it’s perfect for sports and entertainment production as well as ENG and EFP applications. AES encryption ensures a secure transmission at all times, making the matched transmitter/receiver pair ideal for use in surveillance and security applications.
Thanks to its diversity antenna receiving system, the RFX-NLL-II provides a wireless link without ghosting, breakup or interference and it allows multiple channels to operate legally in license-exempt bands. The unit automatically selects the clearest channels within the frequency band and MPEG-2 compression technology ensures full SD resolution at the full frame rate. NTSC/PAL auto select enhances versatility.
Engineered for single or multi-camera platforms with composite video, the RFX-NLL-II features balanced switch-selectable XLR connectors with phantom power on the transmitter and receiver and BNC connectors for composite video. Plugging microphones directly into the link makes for faster setup with fewer pieces of gear. The two audio channels can be used for live-to-air stereo audio feeds, camera feeds or a combination of audio and time code. Sold as a matched pair, the NLL-II transmitter and receiver are housed in rugged milled-aluminum enclosures.
Pro-Link HD
If you 
work with high-definition (HD) video, RF Extreme's Pro-Link HD will be more to your liking. Like the RFX-NLL-II, the 50-milliwattt Pro-Link HD operates in the 5.8 GHz license-free band. Sold as a matched pair, the Pro-Link HD transmitter mounts between an ENG camera and its battery and the receiver can be mounted on the included tripod or in any other suitable location. AES encryption is standard. Depending on conditions, the Pro-Link HD has a range of up to 2000 feet for HD and SD transmissions.
Featuring MPEG4 video compression, the Pro-Link HD delivers high-definition or standard-definition video via its CVBS (Composite Video Baseband Signal), SDI (Serial Digital Interface) and HD-SDI inputs and outputs. It supports 480i, 576i, 720p, 1080/60i and 1080/24p video with SDI (Serial Digital Interface) embedded audio.
The Pro-Link HD’s transmitter features switch-selectable XLR connectors with balanced microphone and line level inputs and switchable phantom power, and it can be powered by the camera battery or by an external 12-volt DC power supply. Like the RFX-NLL-II, the Pro-Link HD’s transmitter and receiver are housed in rugged milled-aluminum enclosures.
These microwave video links are clearly not for casual home use. They are sophisticated and expensive. But for professional broadcasters, for whom time is money—big money—these units pay for themselves in no time.
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