Zaxcom Unveils the ZMT3-Flex Wireless Transmitter for Professional Sports

The 0-4 in.-thick, 3-oz. device is designed to bend and flex

Zaxcom used this week’s SVG Summit as the launch pad for its newest wireless transmitter system, one aimed squarely at the broadcast-sports market. The ZMT3-Flex wireless transmitter uses a form factor and materials that bend and conform to and with the athlete wearing it.

Zaxcom President Glenn Sanders with the ZMT3-Flex wireless transmitter

The ZMT3-Flex is constructed from a soft yet durable silicon rubber that allows the transmitter to bend and flex, providing an elevated level of safety for the professional player. The design also features rounded corners and is extremely thin at only 0.4 in. (1.02 cm), and weighs only 3 oz. (85 g).

“We’re excited about this new transmitter,” says Zaxcom President Glenn Sanders. “Zaxcom has always been part of the sports and entertainment industry and wanted to develop something that boosted functionality while maximizing player safety.”

The ZMT3-Flex provides several features that suit it to major-league applications. Part of Zaxcom’s patented Digital Recording Wireless line that can transmit a fully encrypted digital audio signal while simultaneously recording the audio internally, the unit is versatile, capable of transmitting audio from a single mono microphone or dual microphones in stereo through two microdot inputs. The internal recording simultaneously provides a catalog of all audio, whether transmitted or not, to a microSD card with timecode. The audio is recorded to a highly reliable, lossless format called MARF, which eliminates file corruption due to a dead battery or early card removal.

Zaxcom’s ZaxNet functionality is included, allowing control of the ZMT3-Flex remotely without removing the bodypack from the talent. Sound recordists can select a channel, adjust the input gain, jam timecode, or place the unit in record and playback modes. Transmitted audio can be encrypted using one of the 16 million encryption codes for an unbreachable level of privacy.

“There are a lot of new and useful features we designed into this,” Sanders told SVG at the show, noting that the unit is already in use by major-league teams. “But the big differences are its flexibility, the encryption, and the fact that it has two separate inputs. Plus, the battery is removable and replaceable by the customer and has six hours of continuous run time and 24 hours of standby time.”

The ZMT3-Flex is also equipped with Zaxcom High Density modulation (ZHD), which increases the number of available channels at a location, an especially important feature as RF spectrum continues to contract. An integrated OLED is paired with manual controls for navigating an intuitive menu system. Powering the unit is a single rechargeable battery. The ZMT3-Flex is shipping now with a $2,495 MSRP.