What the CC-LINK Series Does
The CC-LINK series is built specifically for wireless data and camera control, not for carrying video. This is the defining characteristic that separates it from the FLEX series and the VITA monitoring range. If you need wireless video, the CC-LINK is not the right system. If you need to bridge a network connection wirelessly or carry Sony camera control over a wireless link, the CC-LINK series is the product family to consider.
The range currently comprises three systems: the CC-LINK IP, the CC-S700, and the CC-LINK COMBO. The CC-S700 handles Sony 700 camera control only, with no IP data capability. The IP and COMBO units both include an IP data channel, with the COMBO additionally carrying Sony 700 control alongside it.
CC-LINK IP: Wireless Network Bridge Up to 1 km
£100/dayThe CC-LINK IP is a point-to-point wireless Ethernet bridge. It provides two RJ45 LAN ports, carries 150 Mbps of IP data, and uses WPA2 encryption on the data link. At up to 1 km line-of-sight, it is the system for extending a production network over a distance where running physical cable is impractical.
In practice the CC-LINK IP gets specified when a camera or production device at a remote position needs a network connection. A camera feeding a remote streaming encoder, a production laptop at a distant position that needs to access a shared server, a timing or telemetry system that feeds data back to a central control point. These are the production scenarios where the CC-LINK IP earns its value.
It is worth being clear about what the CC-LINK IP does not provide: no camera control, no video. It is a wireless network bridge. The IP data channel has low and consistent network latency appropriate for the workflows described above. At £100 per day (£300 per week, £900 per month), it is the most cost-effective system in the CC-LINK range.
View CC-LINK IPCC-LINK COMBO: Wireless Network Bridge Plus Sony Camera Control
£135/dayThe CC-LINK COMBO carries both a 150 Mbps IP data channel and Sony 700 protocol camera control on a single wireless link, at up to 1 km line-of-sight. Like the CC-LINK IP, it uses WPA2 encryption on the data channel and AES encryption on the camera-control and status data channel.
The COMBO addresses the production situation where a remote camera position needs both a network connection and Sony RCP control simultaneously. Rather than running a CC-LINK IP for network and a CC-S700 for control, two separate wireless systems occupying separate RF space, the COMBO handles both on one link.
AES encryption on the CC-LINK COMBO protects the camera-control and status data. The COMBO carries no video, so AES here applies specifically to the control channel. At £135 per day (£400 per week, £1,200 per month), the COMBO sits £35 per day above the CC-LINK IP.
View CC-LINK COMBOWhich One Should You Hire?
The question comes down to whether your camera position requires Sony 700 protocol camera control alongside the IP data channel.
| Specification | CC-LINK IP | CC-LINK COMBO |
|---|---|---|
| Video | No | No |
| IP data | 150 Mbps | 150 Mbps |
| Data encryption | WPA2 | WPA2 |
| Sony 700 camera control | No | Yes, AES encryption |
| Range | Up to 1 km line-of-sight | Up to 1 km line-of-sight |
| Daily rate | £100 | £135 |
| Weekly rate | £300 | £400 |
| Monthly rate | £900 | £1,200 |
- If the remote position needs a network connection only and the camera is either not a Sony broadcast model or is being operated without remote shading, the CC-LINK IP covers the requirement at a lower hire rate.
- If the remote position needs both a network connection and remote RCP control over a Sony broadcast camera, the CC-LINK COMBO handles both on a single link, which simplifies RF planning and reduces the equipment count.
What Neither System Provides
Neither the CC-LINK IP nor the CC-LINK COMBO carries any video signal. If you need to transmit HD video over a wireless link from a camera position, you need a system from the FLEX series or the VITA monitoring range, depending on whether you need broadcast-grade video with additional data functions or wireless monitoring video specifically.
Systems Mentioned in This Guide
Further Reading
- Wi-Fi Alliance: WPA2 security overview How WPA2 and the wider Wi-Fi security standards protect wireless data.
- The IET The Institution of Engineering and Technology, a professional body for engineers.