For the first time in its history, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences incorporated wireless cameras in to the Academy Awards® broadcast. The Academy called upon Aerial Video Systems (AVS) to bring its innovative microwave technology to help capture the excitement and glamor of the evening.

Coverage of the Red Carpet show required two HD RF Steadicams. AVS coupled its Link HD 1500 microwave systems, operating at 2.3 GHz, to two Thomson LDK-6000 World Cams with Canon HJ11X4.7 wide-angle lenses and Viper short backs. AVS also used its 5.8 GHz Digi-Snap system for the RF prompter feeds.

For the main show inside the Kodak Theatre, AVS joined two of its Link 1500 7 GHz microwave systems and two 1.4 GHz systems to the Denali-provided Sony HDC-1500 cameras. Two of the cameras were dedicated to Steadicam rigs and the other two were hand-held. AVS provided return video, prompter systems, and, via Denali’s stock CCU, full camera control. To significantly improve transmission quality, AVS coordinated frequencies to accommodate 20 MHz of bandwidth for each of the four RF paths.

AVS utilized their proprietary RF-Over-Fiber systems to transport all RF signals to and from the Red Carpet and the theatre. This method enabled the receivers to be located at the side of each of the mobile units which simplified AVS’s integration into the production.

“The pictures from the RF cameras were spectacular. We had flawless coverage the entire week, whether the cameras were on or off air,” said Tad Scripter, the engineer in charge of the telecast.