SmallHD Ultra 7 Bolt 6 Wireless Updates Explained

by Francesco Andreola13 days ago

At NAB 2024, we paid a visit to the Creative Solutions booth to meet Matt Eidenbock from SmallHD. Matt was kind enough to walk us through the main features of their flagship 7” on-camera monitor, the SmallHD Ultra 7, and gave us a sneak peek of the upcoming Bolt 6 version with integrated wireless TX and RX.

Back in January, SmallHD announced the Ultra 7, an heavy-duty, ultra-bright 7-inch touchscreen monitor. It offers a resolution of 1920×1200 pixels, 2,300 nits of brightness, SDI and HDMI, physical buttons, camera control for ARRI, RED, and Sony VENICE, and a rugged, weather-proof design with raised edges and silicone bumpers to protect it against accidental damage. You can read all about it in our initial coverage here.

Now, on the show floor at NAB 2024, the company is introducing a wireless-enabled version of the Ultra 7 that should become available throughout the next month. Let’s take a closer look!

SmallHD Ultra 7 Bolt 6 – Wireless TX and RX units

The TX and RX versions of the SmallHD Ultra 7 are pretty much identical to the monitor-only option, but integrate a Teradek Bolt 6 LT 750 or 1500 wireless video transmitter or receiver into the monitor body.

The Bolt 6 LT 750 and 1500 offer zero-delay video transmission up to about 228m/750ft or 457m/1500ft. and work in the 6GHz frequency band. What’s interesting is that the TX and RX units feature internal antennas that are protected by a durable, weather-sealed enclosure, so you no longer risk of breaking them by accident.

At NAB, the company is also showcasing SmallHD Ultra 7 monitors with custom color buttons and silicone bumpers. These will be available to purchase later this year and can be useful to color code monitors for different camera units, for example. According to Matt, about 15 different colors will be available. However, please mind that these parts are not user-replaceable, so you will have to pick and choose a color upon placing your order.

PageOS 6 coming soon

On top of the wireless version of the Ultra 7, SmallHD is also launching PageOS 6, which will be available starting next month. It will offer optional camera control for Sony BURANO and FX6 cameras, custom exposure assist function, multi-view, and more. Moreover, you will be able to connect your Ultra 7 to the a network via Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and control settings on this and other SmallHD monitors remotely using their Fleet Control Monitor app. You can learn more about PageOS 6 here.

Price and availability

The SmallHD Ultra 7 Bolt 6 versions are now available to pre-order. The RX units will start shipping next week, while the TX will only become available in May, along with the PageOS 6 free firmware update. Pricing is as follows:

• SmallHD Ultra 7 Bolt 6 LT 750 TX – $4,299
• SmallHD Ultra 7 Bolt 6 LT 750 RX – $4,499 (V-mount / Gold Mount)
• SmallHD Ultra 7 Bolt 6 LT 1500 RX – $5,299
• SmallHD Ultra 7 Bolt 6 LT 1500 TX – $5,499 (V-mount / Gold Mount)

For more information, please visit SmallHD’s website (TX / RX).

What do you think of the new SmallHD Ultra 7 Bolt 6? Have you ever broken the antennas of your wireless video system accidentally? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!