Teradek has announced the launch of Bolt 7, bringing a unified wireless video and data system to the Bolt series.
In what the company called the most significant upgrade since the original Bolt was launched, the new Bolt 7 Series features a 20 per cent smaller TX compared with the Bolt 6XT range and a new colour OLED display to provide faster pairing, control and diagnostics.
The lineup includes 750, 1500, and MAX TX and RX models, each of which features an integrated 900MHz radio that runs in parallel with zero-delay 4K video signal. Eliminating the need for Wi-Fi or additional on-camera hardware aims to simplify Ethernet workflows.
Cine workflows
For cine workflows, camera control and zero-delay video are sent over a single connection. Connecting directly to the camera, Bolt 7 removes the need for dedicated Wi-Fi networks on set. Bolt 7’s dedicated RF pathways outside standard Wi-Fi frequencies allow simplification of the wireless environment and reduction of interference.
With optional license, camera control can be sent to a remote SmallHD monitor, CTRL.5, laptop or iPad using supported manufacturer or third-party camera control apps. The solution’s dual video-and-data pipeline enables wireless colour management, audio communication, and other workflows previously dependent on wired connections or additional hardware, said Teradek.
Live production
For live production, camera telemetry, video shading and zero-delay wireless is unified into a single connection, aiming to reduce complexity. Zero-delay video can be sent to a switcher while delivering telemetry data to a Sony or Cyanview RCP in an OB truck or control room without managing separate systems.
Bolt 7 TX includes a USB-C port supporting single-cable, zero-delay video and communication for iPhone camera workflows and DP-Alt Mode (DisplayPort Alternate Mode) for compatible cameras and monitors.
Introducing one new transmitter and two new receiver to the product range, Bolt 7 models come with 900MHz Radio, a colour OLED display with a simplified interface, optional single-cable pairing, and new battery plate cradles for faster battery plate swaps. Automated RF management in PageOS and the Bolt App streamlines TX and RX pairing to ensure reliable performance in challenging RF conditions.
Key Bolt 7 product details:
- Bolt 7 TX is available in 750, 1500, and MAX models. Boasting a 20 per cent smaller footprint than the Bolt 6 XT, it is Teradek’s most compact 12G-SDI transmitter to date.
- Bolt 7 RX is available in 750 and 1500 models.
- Bolt 7 RX MAX enables encoding to an SD card. When paired with a Link AX or other Wi-Fi router via Ethernet, productions can receive zero-delay video while also sending a low-latency feed to iPads on set through the Teradek TV app.
Bolt 7 TX and RX units support up to 4K60 10-bit 422 HDR video over 12G-SDI and are fully compatible across Bolt 4K (5GHz) and Bolt 6 (5GHz and 6GHz) wireless ecosystems. The new 900MHz wireless data functionality is available exclusively between Bolt 7 units.
Colin McDonald, product manager at Teradek said, “The original Bolt replaced long SDI cable runs with a wireless zero-delay video system crews could trust. Bolt 7 takes the next step with an all-new 900MHz RF pipeline that works in tandem with your zero-delay video signal and acts as a wireless Ethernet or USB cable replacement, enabling wireless camera control, colour management, telemetry, and more without a Wi-Fi network.
“Whether you’re on a feature, commercial, or live broadcast, the goal is the same: fewer boxes, fewer cables, fewer complications,” McDonald said. “Bolt 7 enhances the zero-delay wireless video productions rely on with a dedicated data pipeline for the control and production tools of tomorrow, and we can’t wait to see how our users invent new ways to use it.”
