ARRI WRS - Updated version now available.

ARRI has recently release an update to its Wireless Remote System (WRS), this includes a newly engineered wireless network software, improved transmission robustness, as well as smoother motor control in adverse conditions. These updates are identified by a yellow ring at the base of the any of WRS units' antenaes.

ARRI's WRS System has, in the last few years, evolved into the most robust, and customizable wireless systems available in the industry. The newest components of the WRS system comprise the 3rd generation of the this wireless system (ie. WMU-3, URM-3, ZMC-3, WFU-3, WRC-3, etc.) Last year ARRI published a complete system guide offering the myriad of features and capabilities of the WRS system, in a concise, easy to follow reference document. We can thank both Walter Trauninger, Head of Business Unit Camera for ARRI, as well as Marc Shipman-Mueller, Product Manager Camera for ARRI for their diligence and thoroughness in compiling such an inteligent, 32-page document.

Worth mentioning is the NAB 2007 Edition of Film and Digital Times, which among other things, compares the current wireless remote control systems on the market. These include ARRI's WRS, Preston Cinemas Systems FI+Z, and cMotion's system. Its quite impressive to know that this year both Walter Trauninger of ARRI and Howard Preston of Preston Cinema Systems were awarded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Sci-Tech Committee and the Society of Operating Cameramen for there designs and engineering efforts in their appropriate wireless remote systems.

RED ONE™ Flash Drive.

RED ONE™ Digital Cinema & Co. has demonstrated the ability to shoot compressed RED CODE™ 4K RAW footage to various CompactFlash type, solid state memory cards. This is a huge step in helping people appreciate what a wavelet-based compression scheme, like RED CODE™ 4K RAW, can offer. 4-plus minutes of 4K resolution footage on an 8GB SanDisk Extreme IV CompactFlash card. Jim Jannard was quoted as referring to this new development as "...a bit of a paradigm shift".

This kind of technical development, along with the multiple camera and accessory design configurations posted on REDuser.net, shows RED's always surprising ability to keep this industry guessing.