Derek Sine
Member
This is effective June 12, 2010.
Beware when purchasing used equipment or if you see prices to good to be true.
The list of illegal wireless mics:
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones/manufacturers.html
For a full scoop be sure to check out our article on FCC Laws and Wireless Mics.
pseudosafari
Member
Thanks for posting this. Fortunately, mine aren't on there, but I'd been kinda thinking about it until now.
composite1
Moderator
Man, thanks for bringing this up. Of course my excellent condition Sennheiser kit that works like a charm and doesn't conflict with my 2002 Sony kit is on the list. They will give a rebate for it ($80 lousy buck for a $700 kit!) Thanks FCC! Way to go. I bought this set back in '07 and they have paid for themselves a number of times over, but despite them being in great shape now I have to get rid of them for a fraction of what they are actually worth. Again, thanks FCC!
composite1
Moderator
Great. I just checked my Sony kit and they're illegal too. (insert stream of caustic expletives here.) Thanks again FCC! Keep 'protecting' us right out of business.
composite1
Moderator
'Digital Transition' my....
So what does this mean? If you continue to use these wireless kits you're going to get fined or jailed? Now we all have to run out and buy new equipment? Hello, 'economic crisis' mean anything? What about those folks out there barely hanging on? $700 - 1k for a good wireless kit each is real money. Far as I know, Sennheiser is the only one offering (pitiful) rebates and most of the manufactures aren't offering to refit anything older than 2009 gear if they're offering anything at all. What a pain....
EarlC
Moderator
Yeah, this sucks big time. A bunch of bucks down the tubes for two different systems, one with lapel, hand-held, instrument AND the radios - and all I get to do is bitch about it.
film814
Member
I hear you all. It's irritating. But think on the bright side.....nevermind, I can't think of a bright side. (Actually I very rarely can think of a bright side to additional government regulation.
composite1
Moderator
"and all I get to do is bitch about it."
Amen to that brother. However, after 45 minutes of exhausting my ability to string together profanity and checking in vain to see if any of my kits would go below the 700 mark, I resigned myself to using my existing kits until the deadline and replace them in stages. Couldn't they have just said the 800 band was off limits? It's like they knew there were hundreds of thousands of pieces of gear that would need to be replaced if they did this. Is this their idea of creating 'economic stimulus' by forcing us all to spend money on new gear?
Anybody living outside the US looking for some wireless mic kits in great condition cheap?
EarlC
Moderator
Built in obsolescence...something the government has always had a handle on.
On the other hand, a learned technical engineer friend pointed out (see "built in...") that although the "cutoff" is June, it will be a year, if not longer before these frequencies become reassigned (whatever) and we can likely squeeze up to another 12 months out of this stuff before they jump down our throats and take away our pacifiers.
They do move slowly, my friends, so maybe we'll not be jumped on too harshly - even if they miraculously came up with the means to monitor the usage of thousands of these units - remember CB radios and HAMS where we were supposed to be licensed to use them, but few ever went to the trouble, using them anyway?
composite1
Moderator
"CB radios and HAMS where we were supposed to be licensed to use them, but few ever went to the trouble, using them anyway?"
Earl,
Too true, but back in the day neither 'Smokey' or 'The Bandit' had to deal with the NSA or the Patriot Act. The motto of the intelligence services is 'In God We Trust, all others we monitor!' If you've got yahoos blowing tons of taxpayer dollars to listen in on private citizens 'lovey dovey' phone conversations, I wouldn't put it past them to be able to triangulate the position of someone using an off the books wireless rig. These unfortunately are the times we live in.
EarlC
Moderator
Big Brother - a fearsome creature, huh?
XTR-91
Member
Considering most other countries are probably not out to ban this, there's always the possibility of selling (e.g. eBay) to Canada, Mexico, or Worldwide othern than the United States. I've also known people to modify the band of their 700MHz systems to comply with the new standards. Depending on the frequency range of the system, you'd probably have to modify both the transmitter and receiver, though.
yourvideographer
Member
Thank you Derek! I know some of these forums have rules and regulations, but Please don't ban me for saying this. I really like videomaker forums too. I am not that political either, but all I have to say on this topic is, "Don't Blame Me, I voted for McCain/Palin in 2008!"
shippocaio
Member
..I don't think neither Obama nor Biden spend their time in the white house worrying about the evils of wireless mics....
But anyways, what happens if you keep using your old wireless set? Some sort of Secret Video Police comes and arrests you for using it? That seems rather unlikely in my opinion... Cops are out there to bust drug dealers and thieves, not videomakers....
composite1
Moderator
"what happens if you keep using your old wireless set?"
Caio,
That's a pretty relevant question. I actually read through the FCC section on this and they specifically mention that the 700+ bandwidth after June 2010 will be strictly used for law enforcement and emergency service frequencies. There was a lot of wording in there about potentially interfering with said agencies but they only hinted there would be penalties for those still using their gear after the deadline. I'm inclined to agree with Earl in that it will take them a while to implement whatever penalties they have in mind for those still using their 'illegal' gear. But, make no mistake if the US Government has a mind to punish those who break this law unreasonable or not, they'll find a way to do so!
Oh and Yourvid, this is legislation left over from the previous administration. It would have went into effect no matter who got voted in.
shippocaio
Member
bam! Told you it wasn't Obama's fault... *cough republicans cough* haha, im just kidding...
2ten
Member
This is confusing to me because my Sennheiser SKP100 is on this list but it is clearly labeled inside the battery compartment as having a frequency range in the mid 600s. Does that mean I am ok?
composite1
Moderator
210,
According to the FCC's FAQ's on this issue units that work in the 698 - 806 MHz bandwith range will be as of 12 June 2010 be banned. Apparently, some people and organizations will receive a notice from the FCC or as they say a 'public safety organization' 60 days prior to the deadline stating the cessation of using such gear. After receiving such a notice if you run afoul of said agencies, you won't be able to say 'I didn't know.'
So it would seem that long as your wireless set works in 697 or less range you'll be fine. Now if you live and work in large metropolitan areas, I think you'll run a greater risk of getting into trouble. In smaller cities, rural and wild areas most likely a lot less to none. However, it just seems the lesser hassle is to dredge up the cash to either get wired mics or invest in new wireless gear in the unrestricted bandwidth.
The so called 'rationale' for all of this is the bandwidths that used to be reserved for analog broadcasting no longer being needed due to the transition to digital signals. The bandwith all of our soon to be illegal gear works in the range that will be allocated for law enforcement and other emergency services. So now in 'trying to keep us safe' there's going to be tons of perfectly good electronic gear dumped in land fills despite the FCC's pleas to 'recycle'. Either way you're going to catch it in the wallet and eventually in the backside.
2ten
Member
I see more information if you go to Sennheiser's page - figures it would be more complete than the governments. My SK100 and SKP100 are on the list BUT only if they end with a "C" in the model numbers which mine do not - so mine are ok. Dig DEEPER than the governments page and check out your manufacturer - you may be ok like me.
Feels good to know I didn't throw away $600+
yourvideographer
Member
If you think about, you may find yourself a good deal on a set that is on the list before the deadline. It may be a good way to save money. Work that set to death before the deadline and save your other sets from the wear and tear.
Eventvideoguy
Member
Personally, I think that someone should pay the owners of these legacy devices. And I think it should be the FCC. People spend $1000's on this equipment and now, all of the sudden they are illegal because the fCC just decides it is so.
composite1
Moderator
"Personally, I think that someone should pay the owners of these legacy devices... I think it should be the FCC."
HA! Wouldn't that be a great use for some of that 'Stimulus Money' the government can't seem to figure out what to do with? Never gonna' happen!
Jaimie
Member
Does anyone know the exact frequency range that will be unavailable to wireless mics? If your wireless mic is able to operate outside the forbidden range you can still use it. Just set it to operate on a frequency that is outside the forbidden 700 MHz band. It is only illegal to actually operate on a forbidden frequency.
composite1
Moderator
Jaimie,
The illegal bandwith will be from 698MHz to 806MHz. If your gear functions in that range you best start looking for new gear.
Eventvideoguy
Member
I'll have to say that I'm glad that I never bought a wireless system. I shopped around for a while but I use digital voice recorders that record to CD quality WAV files. Then I USB it right over to my computer and drop it in the timeline.
Shoo wee. I dodged a bullet on that one.
composite1
Moderator
I started using wireless mics because they were less intimidating to on-camera talent and they weren't as much of a pain as wired mics. I liked the quality of wired mic audio but as time went on wireless got better. Your solution is a good one but it wouldn't be a good fit for many production audio gathering setups. Besides, if the FCC figures out a way to bollux up the use of digital voice recorders and make them illegal, that 'bullet you dodged' will come back around and get you.
My main beef is that law enforcement and emergency services already had their specified bandwidths. The FCC sold the currently legal band to private broadcasters and just figured that since they weren't going to be using them with the DTV signal changes that 'nobody else would'.
doublehamm
Member
YOWZA I was just looking for a decent wireless mic and found one for a great price on Ebay. I just happened to stop by here to see if anyone else had reviews on the mic, and here flew this news flash and smacked me in the face. Yup sure enough that mic system will now be banned. Thanks for saving me $300!
I also looked around at many of the other mics listed, and sure enough there are plenty to be found on Ebay at steal prices. Now I know why... Is it not illegal to sell these as well? Many are still selling to anywhere in the US.
Derek Sine
Member
doublehamm
Member
Off subject a bit and I apologize, but thats a some horrid sound there in that video that is placed in the audio section.
Derek Sine
Member
We were testing out the 7D at this event, believe it or not we had to trash a bunch of sound bytes due to overmodulated audio. The 7D does not have any manual audio control, let alone a headphone jack for monitoring audio levels - it's really a guessing game. Bottom line the camera shoots amazing images but the audio is not up to par yet.
adobe advice audio AVCHD beginner business camcorder camera canon Capture computer contest Documentary DSLR DVD edit editing FCP film final cut Final Cut Pro Footage green screen HD HDV HELP JVC lighting Mac marketing mic microphone movie music music video New panasonic premiere pro Production quality software Sony Sony Vegas sound vegas video video editing wedding Youtube
