Vancouver 2010: Pictrovision’s Cineflex Camera System Goes Wireless

When cameraman Chris Chanda of Aerial Camera Operations put together his gear package for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, he outfitted the Cineflex V14 gyro-stabilized HD camera system from Pictorvision with a new twist – wireless  capabilities.

“While the previews were done with Pictorvision’s aerial gear, the producers also wanted low-profile shots of exciting visuals for the cross-country and biathlon events,” explains Chanda. “I knew the Cineflex system, which is small, lightweight, and strong, would work well on a snowmobile. The question was how to make it a one-man operation?

The OBSV Nordic Venue wireless Cineflex kit was developed in house by Pictorvision technician Jake Capistron and consists of four pairs of fiber optic and radio transmitters and receivers that allow up to four Cineflex camera systems to be operated remotely.

“Pictorvision has always been there for me when I have needed a special tool or modification, so together we took the Cineflex system wireless,” says Chanda. “Adding a wireless remote head to a one-man snowmobile allowed me to be inside the broadcast compound a mile away. I could handle the video controls and paint each camera as our snowmobile drivers moved around and through the action.”

With this newly developed system, Pictorvision’s Cineflex Remote Control package can be used on such installations as camera cars, cranes, boats, and snowmobiles – any time that the operator cannot be with the system during operation. With a range of up to 15 miles (depending on conditions) and a frequency of 2.4 – 2.483GHz, license-free band, spread spectrum frequency hopping, and error detection technology, the system achieves reliable, noise and interference-immune operation. The fiber optic system allows the operator to be up to 75 miles from the receiver antenna site. The video signal can also be transmitted using any number of standard analog or digital microwave systems.

This custom Remote Control kit is available for rent exclusively with Pictorvision’s Cineflex HD camera systems.