Friday, September 21, 2018

How The Heck is the 600 MHz Wireless Auction is Going to Impact Me?

Early September 2018,  I ordered a Shure wireless mic from B&H Photo Video for my school, late September 2018 I received an email from them stating that my product may be eligible for (up to ) $500 rebate!!  My mind spun with the thoughts of what I could do with ALL that extra cash.  So I used their link to see how much scarole I was eligible for, sadly to say it was only $50 but it was not for the new wireless system I bought but a trade-in offer for any older wireless systems I had. 

It seems that the FCC has auctioned part of the 600mhz spectrum to telecom companies and if your wireless system falls in that range...basically it becomes illegal to use and becomes a dinosaur on July 13, 2020. Starting October 13, 2018, the manufacturing, sale, lease or shipment of wireless microphones or similar devices that operate in the 600 MHz service band frequencies (617-652 MHz and 663-698 MHz) will be prohibited in the U.S. 

After I read this I almost passed out, all my schools mics in the Auditorium are Shure Wireless Systems. I ran down to the Aud and to my relief, found that they all operate in the 500MHz band...PHEW!  I only have one mic and receiver that operates in the 600Mhz range that will go bye-bye.  So you can do two things: 1) keep using the mics until the drop dead date and retire them to the antiquated AV equipment Hall of Fame Display or 2) use the this link (B&H's trade in offer), find how much your rebate is, send it back to the manufacture and use the money to purchase a new system.

To read more about this check out this article written by Daron James and how it will impact filmmaking.

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