Rode Wireless Go II - 2 channel receiver with inbuilt recorder

[nathankw]

On 2/27/2021 at 9:42 PM, A_Urquhart said:

I would love for Rode to add 32bit Float if possible in a firmware update. 32bit float would make the system pretty much perfect. The catch is, that due to the non expandable internal memory, the record times would be impacted.

Deity are releasing/ have released body pack transceivers that have internal recording and Timecode support so for semi pro use, these might be a far better option and the price seems great. 

I bought the Wireless Go on a whim as I have a job in a few days that requires me to solo shoot and record interviews. I really didn't want to buy G3's or G4's as I've never really liked them and don't like the form factor of having two G3 receivers mounted to the camera. Saw the wireless Go was released with internal recording and though 'perfect!' My quick test left me pleasantly surprised.

They will do just fine for this job recording interviews and I like the idea of being able to use the internal mic without lav attached and just place them near my talent when shooting B-Roll to get much better audio than a top mic. So much easier to hide than a G3 and much less clunky than trying to do the same by wrapping the lav mic cord around the pack.

I also just got a WG2 and found all the same problems: recordings missing, corrupted or stopping early.

However they've now released an update and from my limited testing so far - all's good.

I've only done a few test recordings but they've been flawless and crucially the recordings continued even when the RX was well out of range.

Would be interested if yours is fixed too.

Whilst I agree they shouldn't have rushed this out without proper testing - might be worth holding on to for a few more days.

[MrSMW]

I had one job back in 2019, when weddings were still a thing, it took 2.5 batteries to update & calibrate the thing and I ended up with about 5 minutes flying time.

And yes, I had checked for updates the day prior and charged all my batteries.

I have noticed they really don't hold a charge very well and it just so happened this particular day in question, the firmware needed updating, some stupid flying zone thing (I was in the middle of nowhere) and it just would not calibrate it's compass anywhere I tried it.

I hate the things really but it's a dealbreaker/selling point to so many clients who ask, "have you got a drone".

Nearly lost it in the sea once. Strong headwind, battery about to die... Literally had seconds before my outstretched clifftop hand grabbed it.

But anyway, Rode Wireless Go's... single unit, baseline audio track end of, for me.

[Trek of Joy]

6 hours ago, IronFilm said:

You could just plug a Deity D3 Pro and plug it into a Rode Go?
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1448999-REG/deity_microphones_vmicd3pro_v_mic_d3_pro_directional.html

Good to know! You always have the solution LOL! How would you compare the Deity to something like the Video Mic Pro+? Thanks mate.

Chris

[Trek of Joy]

6 hours ago, Anaconda_ said:

I've done exactly that with the VideoMic NTG, and NTG4+ with XLR-3.5mm cable. It works very well for a wireless boom setup.

I also regularly use my Wireless Go with a Zoom recorder. Have the mics going into the recorder, then plug the Wireless Go into the output and send the audio to the camera. Perfect for monitoring from the camera, and syncing the HQ audio later, but also gives the option for super mega fast turn around where necessary. Providing you get the levels in the zoom correct before sending the signal to the camera, of course.

 

Awesome, thanks for the tips. Another thing I've been debating is replacing my beachtek with a zoom to use as an audio interface. Just trying to streamline things a bit. I shoot Sony, but just can't quite convince myself to go with a proprietary piece like their XLR modules since a zoom can be used to live stream with phones and such.

Chris

[IronFilm]

2 hours ago, Trek of Joy said:

How would you compare the Deity to something like the Video Mic Pro+?

I wouldn't know, I don't own both to do a comparison, is a little below my paygrade am afraid. Ask me about a MKH60 vs CS3e...

  

2 hours ago, Trek of Joy said:

Awesome, thanks for the tips. Another thing I've been debating is replacing my beachtek with a zoom to use as an audio interface. Just trying to streamline things a bit. I shoot Sony, but just can't quite convince myself to go with a proprietary piece like their XLR modules since a zoom can be used to live stream with phones and such.

Chris

Or go for a MixPre3, think that is one of the best picks for a videographer due to their ultra compact size, to pop underneath a mirrorless camera. 

[scotchtape]

I went mixpre3 (v1). Kinda wish I got mixpre6 instead because them you can do 2 boomed and 2 lavs.

I wish the new version could send a signal with limiters engaged to camera while recording 32bit, but the signal flow doesn't allow that.

[independent]

7 hours ago, IronFilm said:

I wouldn't know, I don't own both to do a comparison, is a little below my paygrade am afraid.

Why, how much do they pay at a Wendy's these days?

[gt3rs]

On 2/25/2021 at 8:28 PM, gt3rs said:

- internal recording starts as soon as you connect to the receiver this is great but if it loses the connection for more than 15min it will stop and turn off, rarely but sometime is an issue for me as I put the go on an athlete that is doing warmup somewhere else.... wish it has a start and stop independently from the receiver connectivity. The 15min shutdown is also on the previous go. It should be a setting.

I did reach out to Rode, btw super quick in answering, and they said GO II has no time-out, so it will continue recording as long as it has battery if it lose the connection to the receiver.

This solves one of my biggest issue so I did order a set and got it today.
I can confirm that it will record continuously even after 1h of loss of contact with the receiver. To note that if you turn off the receiver while the transmitter is connected recording will stop, rightly so. If you turn off the receiver while outside the range obviously the recording continues. 

Also the range seems improved compared the original GO, I really had to go outside my studio and walk quite a bit to lose connection to the transmitter. 

[gt3rs]

Really cool that they listened to feedback, with the new firmware you can use the transmitter as standalone recorder:

'Always' recording mode: When this mode is activated, the transmitter will start recording audio as soon as it is switched on. It will continue recording until it is switched off, regardless of whether is it connected to the receiver. This means that you will have a continuous recording from the moment the transmitter is switched on, making this mode suitable for using the Wireless GO II as a standalone field recorder. Note that in this mode, the ‘mute’ function will not affect the on-board recording (although it will still mute the wireless transmission).

[MurtlandPhoto]

2 hours ago, gt3rs said:

Really cool that they listened to feedback, with the new firmware you can use the transmitter as standalone recorder:

'Always' recording mode: When this mode is activated, the transmitter will start recording audio as soon as it is switched on. It will continue recording until it is switched off, regardless of whether is it connected to the receiver. This means that you will have a continuous recording from the moment the transmitter is switched on, making this mode suitable for using the Wireless GO II as a standalone field recorder. Note that in this mode, the ‘mute’ function will not affect the on-board recording (although it will still mute the wireless transmission).

This is fantastic! The use case I'm scoping out with the GO II is walking tour of a college campus. It will be great to be able to have a single audio source for the on-camera segments and the scripted, voiceover stuff with b-roll. I did something similar a couple years ago with a traditional wireless set. The presenter would meander through talking points making the constant starting and stopping of recording on video a bit of a pain, so having the full recording will be helpful. Super specific use case, but useful for me haha.

[Tsvetan Radushev]

Hello!

I just receive my rode wireless go 2 I change it to mono to have (safety channel function and activate it).

 

Everything is perfect just don't find -20db record anywhere.

I check both transmitters has same output files.

 

Can you help me with this?

[A_Urquhart]

On 4/23/2021 at 2:53 AM, Tsvetan Radushev said:

Hello!

I just receive my rode wireless go 2 I change it to mono to have (safety channel function and activate it).

 

Everything is perfect just don't find -20db record anywhere.

I check both transmitters has same output files.

 

Can you help me with this?

It outputs the -20db safety out of the receiver on one track alongside the normal level output on the other track to the camera. The safety is not recorded by the TX unit, only output by the RX unit.

[Xavier Plagaro Mussard]

I bought them and I am very happy with the set. The only thing I can't understand is that if I try to shout and overload the mics, it has a limiting function. It doesn't sound great, but it doesn't sound that bad either considering the levels. Of course I intend to use them for calm interviews, so I don't think I will ever send them into limiting. 

The thing about the limiter is that is not switchable anywhere. But I really don't think you need the safety track at all in most situations. The safety track works with just one mic, because having two mics mixed on a mono track is a recipe for disaster, I think.