Difference between revisions of "Channels"

Revision as of 12:49, 13 November 2022

PocketWizards send and receive signals by using radio waves. Just like a transistor radio, you can choose a specific frequency (aka Channel) and your radios will send and receive signals with the specific frequency you chose. Channels allow you to work with other photographers or keep your triggering exclusive. All radios using the same Channel will be able to talk to each other.

Channels usually operate on different frequencies and use different coding so photographers will not trigger each other's remotes. PocketWizard radios are made in two different frequency ranges, based on regulations and approval from local governments. FCC frequency units are allowed in North and South America, while CE frequency radios are used for most of the rest of the world. A CE radio cannot talk to an FCC radio and vice versa. The radios also need to use the same firmware protocol - either Legacy or E Release. Each firmware protocol has its own set of Channels.

This section has Channel tables for the USA FCC / IC (Industry Canada) frequency radios that operate between 340 and 354 MHz. If you have CE frequency radios that operate between 433.42 and 434.42 MHz range then visit the CE Channels page.

Frequencies, Firmware Protocol, and Channels

PocketWizards use 2 different frequency ranges (FCC and CE) and have 2 different firmware protocols (Legacy and E Release). Channels are assigned to specific frequencies within those ranges, based on the firmware protocol in the radio. Each Channel is unique. All PocketWizard radios using the same Channel, with the same frequency, with the same firmware protocol, will work together.

Frequency Ranges

PocketWizard radios communicate wirelessly via radio waves. They operate by sending and receiving information via an internal radio transmitter and receiver (click here for more info on the basics of RF communication). Just like any radio, they operate on certain frequencies and some frequencies are better than others for our purpose.

In North and South America (and some parts of Asia) we use the 340 – 354 MHz range because it is the least crowded frequency range for our class of wireless triggering devices. This frequency has been approved by the FCC and you will notice an FCC logo on your radios. Other choices like 433 MHz, the 900 – 930 MHz ISM band, or 2.4 GHz have many more interfering devices on them.

You probably noticed that either your home phone system or internet wireless network work off of the popular 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz bands. Bluetooth devices, including cellphones, also operate on 2.4 GHz. You probably don’t know that a lot of utilities (water, gas & electric companies in the US) have adopted the 900 MHz to send/receive communications with throughout their grids and systems.

In our research, we found millions of devices on these bands, whereas between 340-354 MHz, there was much less crowding. A less crowded frequency improves reliability and reduces the possibility of missed shots due to interference.

Unfortunately, this same band is not available for use in many markets including Europe or Asia. The EU has more restrictions on which frequencies can be used. For Europe we use a very narrow band around 433 MHz as permitted by EU regulators. CE regulations do allow for a slightly higher power output that offsets some of the crowding of this frequency range.

Frequency ranges: North & South America = 340.00 to 354.00 MHz FCC/US Europe, Asia, and Australia = 433.62 – 434.22 MHz CE

IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ: PocketWizard radio devices operating on one frequency can not operate with PocketWizard devices on a different radio frequency. Retailers can not ship devices to markets that use a different frequency and we can not provide proper warranty service for products shipped out of their intended market.

Firmware Protocol

PocketWizard's frequency ranges (340.00 to 354.00 MHz for FCC/US radios and 433.62 – 434.22 MHz for CE radios) have been used for the past 30 years. In 2019, we decided to see if we could extend the range and reliability of our products and created the E Release firmware protocol. Our Legacy firmware protocol and the E Release firmware protocol both offer Channels within our official frequency bands but the different systems use different frequencies within those bands. For example, Legacy Standard Channel 1 uses an FCC frequency of 344.04 MHz while an E Release Flash Channel uses a frequency of 345.44 MHz.

IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ: PocketWizard radio devices using one firmware protocol can not operate with PocketWizard devices using the other firmware protocol. All radios must be using either all Legacy or all E Release.

Legacy Firmware

Hundreds of thousands of photographers have relied on our Legacy firmware since 1990. This firmware has performed well in home studios as well as at worldwide sporting events. The Legacy firmware protocol consists of 3 different types of Channels: Standard Channels, QuadZone Triggering Channels, and ControlTL Channels. See below for details about each type of Channel. All PocketWizard radios can use Legacy Channels.

E Release Firmware

The E Release firmware protocol was released in September 2019. This release was a complete overhaul of our firmware and was created for 3 main reasons:

• To give the radio signal better range and reliability
• To streamline our system so you can mix and match your PocketWizard radios more easily
• To help the radios communicate differently with the newer camera models for better compatibility

The E Release firmware protocol consists of 2 different types of Channels: Regular (Flash) E Channels and Long Range (LR) Camera Channels. Some radios now come with the E Release firmware preinstalled. If you have PocketWizards with Legacy firmware, you may be able to upgrade your existing radios to the new firmware protocol. Please see the [PocketWizard E Release] wiki page for more information.

Channels

To make your PocketWizard radios "talk" to each other, they must be using the same Channel. Once you have confirmed that you have the same frequency and same firmware version on all of your radios, you can choose your Channel. This is done either on the PocketWizard itself or within the PocketWizard Utility program, depending on which radios you are using.

Each PocketWizard Channel uses a specific frequency and a specific coding. If you are in a setting where there may be more than one photographer using PocketWizards, you should each select different Channels so you should not trigger each other's remotes. You can leave the radios set to the default Channel if you are working alone or choose a specific Channel if you prefer.

Legacy: Standard Channels

Standard Channels are used when triggering a Plus series, MultiMAX, or other PocketWizard radio that performs triggering only and not power control or TTL functions.

Standard Channels 1 through 16

Standard Channels 1 through 16 are considered Classic or Legacy Channels and are the most basic PocketWizard Channels. They are used for simple triggering scenarios, and contain no Zones, power control, or TTL functions.

These Channels all exist on the same frequency. Each Channel is its own 16-bit digital code on top of that frequency. The frequency in use for USA FCC/IC radios is 344.04 MHz. The Plus and Plus II radios use only Channels 1 through 4. The PlusX uses Channels 1 through 10. The Plus III, Plus IV, and MultiMAX radios use a total of 32 Channels. 1-16 are Standard Channels, 17-32 are Quad-Zone Triggering Channels (see below for details).

Older PocketWizard "Classic" radios use Standard Channels 1 through 16.

* Some very early models of the Classic only had channels 1 through 10.

Standard Channels 17 through 32

Standard Channels 17 through 32 were introduced with the PocketWizard MAX. They are also called Quad-Zone Triggering Channels or MultiMAX Channels. These Channels add the benefit of Zones A, B, C, and D. This allows you to enable or disable up to 4 different groups of lights (Zones) from your transmitting PocketWizard. You can have as many remotes as you want in each Zone.

These Channels are each on their own frequency and each Channel number is its own 20-bit digital code.

ControlTL Channels

ControlTL Channels were introduced with the Canon MiniTT1 and FlexTT5. They are used in all ControlTL radios like the Canon & Nikon MiniTT1 and FlexTT5, the Canon FlexTT6, as well as the PowerST4, PowerMC2, or other ControlTL radios. These Channels receive TTL communication from the camera and send it to the flashes. This allows the radios to use TTL metering and/or HSS with compatible flashes, power control, and HyperSync.

ControlTL Channels do not have a unique channel code like Standard Channels, and are separated only by frequency.

E Release Flash Channels

E Channels were introduced with the E Release firmware upgrade in September 2019. This upgrade is available for the Plus III, Plus IV, Nikon FlexTT5, and (FCC version only) PowerMC2 radios radios and will be expanded to more radios in the future. The E Channel range is from Channel 1 to Channel 32. These Channels are QuadZone Triggering Channels and Zones are available for all 32 Channels. The E Channels are only available on Plus III or Plus IV radios that have been upgraded and will only communicate with other E Channels.

E Release LR (Long Range) Camera Channels

LR Channels were introduced with the E Release firmware upgrade in September 2019. This upgrade is available for the Plus III, Plus IV, Nikon FlexTT5, and (FCC version only) PowerMC2 radios and will be expanded to more radios in the future. To access the LR Channels, press the Mode button on the radio until you see LR on the screen. The LR Channel range is from Channel 1 to Channel 80. These Channels are QuadZone Triggering Channels and Zones are available for all 80 Channels. The LR Channels are only available on Plus III or Plus IV radios that have been upgraded and will only communicate with other E Channels.

Channel and Frequency Overlap

Some ControlTL Channels use the same frequencies as some Standard Channels. A ControlTL Channel broadcasting on a Standard Channel's frequency will not trigger it, but if the radio transmissions are occurring at the same time, then there is a possibility one or both may not trigger. A single ControlTL transmitter set to transmit on both Standard Channel 17 and ControlTL Channel 5 will handle this properly. Two radios on the same frequency, like a MultiMAX transmitting on Standard Channel 18 and a ControlTL radio receiving on ControlTL Channel 6, may interfere with each other - when the MultiMAX is transmitting, the ControlTL receiver may not hear its trigger because it is on the same frequency.

Mixing ControlTL and Standard Channels

It is easy to use ControlTL and Standard Channel radios together, combining both types of Channel into one setup. How you make this work will depend primarily on the transmitter you are using.

ControlTL Transmitter

If you are using a MiniTT1, FlexTT5 or a FlexTT6 as a transmitter, you can incorporate Standard Channel remotes without changing any radio settings. The MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 transmit both ControlTL and Standard Channels simultaneously, allowing any PockwetWizard receiver to be triggered in sync. This enables you to use TTL or power-controlled flashes alongside other manual flashes.

For this setup, simply match all the Channels on your radios. To see what Channels you are using on your ControlTL transmitter, connect the radio to your computer via USB and launch the PocketWizard Utility. Navigate to the Channel Tab and note both the ControlTL Transmit Channel and Standard Transmit Channel. By default the MiniTT1, FlexTT5, and FlexTT6 use ControlTL and Standard Channel 1 in Configuration 1 (C1).

Standard Channel Transmitter

If you are using a Standard Channel radio like the Plus III, PlusX, MultiMAX, or Plus II as a transmitter, you can still use your FlexTT5s as receivers. The FlexTT5 can only receive on one type of Channel at a time. In order for the FlexTT5 to receive on a Standard Channel, you will want to configure it for Basic Trigger Mode. Once the radio is set to Basic Trigger, just match the receive Channel to that of your transmitter.

NOTE: We highly recommend using Basic Trigger Mode for FlexTT5s meant to receive on a Standard Channel. Only use the "Use ControlTL for Receive" check-box if you need your receiving FlexTT5 to use Relay Mode to trigger a TTL remote in turn.

Mixing E Release Channels with Legacy Channels

A radio that has been upgraded to the E Release will not work with any PocketWizard radios that have not been upgraded to the E Release. However, any radio that has the E Release can be downgraded to work with Legacy Channels. If you wish to use your E Release upgraded radio with a Legacy radio, connect it to the Utility program. Click "Check for Updates". Select Legacy Firmware and proceed as directed. Once your radio has been downgraded, it will use the Legacy Channels and you can use it with any older PocketWizard radio.