Product spotlight: 10 things you might not know about the :wave
With more timecode hardware and software popping up on the market, one of the things we’re asked most frequently is this: what makes our products the best wireless timecode solution on the market?
Over the next few weeks we’re going to take one product at a time and explain exactly what makes our wireless workflow better than the rest. Starting this week with the sound department favourite – the :wave.
1 – It’s more than a timecode generator. The :wave (similar to the :pulse and :minitrx+) also has genlock and word clock outputs. With major broadcasters routinely demanding timecode and genlocked cameras on multi-camera shoots, the :wave provides this enhanced level of accuracy and complete reliability in even the most complex and changeable shooting set ups.
2 – It’s smaller than you think. The :wave is just 94mm x 67mm x 23mm. Size is important to our users – who wants an additional piece of bulky equipment to carry around on a shoot? Since we first started making the :wifimaster back in 2012, we’ve worked hard to shrink our technology whilst adding in more advanced functionality.
3 – It’s cheaper than you think. We’ve reduced our prices. Due to the large quantities of SyncBac PRO units now in production, we’ve boosted our manufacturing capabilities in recent months. We’re passing the resulting production efficiencies on to our customers through price reductions across our product range. The :wave (when compared to equivalent alternatives on the market) comes in at an affordable RRP of $975 | £649 | €876.
4 – It’s designed to fit and work in a sound bag. Timecode Systems was set up by an ex-BBC sound supervisor and we continue to use audio professionals in the field to test and input into our products’ operations and design. As a result, we’ve positioned the screen and connectors on the :wave to enable it to slip easily into your sound bag with the screen up, making it easy to monitor and control from inside your bag.
A :wave hard at work
5 – Wireless sync is over long range B:LINK RF (not Wi-Fi). Synchronisation between units is via B:LINK RF (our own wireless long-range sync, control and metadata exchange protocol). By using the uncongested long range RF frequencies 865MHz to 923MHz, we’re able to avoid the overcrowding and unpredictability of Wi-Fi to create a rock solid sync between units, wherever you are.
6 – It’s robust and durable. We’ve heard stories of our products being used on Arctic expeditions and on an epic trip up one of the world’s highest mountains. The :wave is used on this type of challenging shoot because its solid aluminium casing makes it incredibly hard-wearing.
7 – It has integrated Wi-Fi. There is no need for any fiddly attachments and there are no dongles to lose or forget; the Wi-Fi capability of the :wave is neatly and conveniently hidden within the product casing.
Sound Devices 633 mixer/recorder, Timecode Systems :wave & MovieSlate 8.5 iOS app
8 – There’s some new bespoke features for Sound Devices users. With the latest V3.38 firmware upgrade, users can now share metadata and timecode via our bespoke interface cable (see TCB-40 or TCB-41) directly from the :wave’s data port to the USB port on a Sound Devices 6-Series mixer/recorder. This makes it even easier to sync, manage and share timecode and metadata for takes recorded on 633, 664 and 688 mixers.
9 – Create stunning sound reports from your iPhone. Use the :wave’s integrated WiFi interface to connect a Sound Devices 6-Series mixer recorder to the MovieSlate 8.5 iOS app (which runs on iOS 8, 9, or 10). This gives users access to a whole host of advanced logging and reporting features available through the MovieSlate Sound Recorder Sync Pro Feature.
10 – Remotely control & monitor your Sound Devices mixer/recorder. Use your :wave to make the connection between a Sound Devices 6-Series mixer recorder and the MovieSlate 8.5 iOS app and you unlock the capability to start/stop recordings, arm/disarm sound tracks, assign track labels and much more from the screen of an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. And web-based wireless remote control and monitoring for Sound Devices is coming soon. We’re just adding a few finishing touches to our free, multiplatform (iOS and Android) B:LINK Hub app. Watch this space.
For more information on the :wave visit our product page, or to buy, contact your local Timecode Systems dealer.