RE: What Is The Best Wireless Video System for under $500.00
Yup, don't forget the ground equipment. The flying end is the less expensive end, but the most critical and complicated. Turning raw aerials into quality burned products is another end of the cost not mentioned.
Technology is constantly changing. Whatever you purchase, use it now and often, because in a few weeks or months you will be dissatisfied with your current equipment. Now, upgrading... that's fun too because you have to worry about compatibility. Nobody out there will tell you your new import board only works with WIN2000 or XP. Some times the compatibility issues can really cost you some duckets and duckets ain't cheap-grin.
Seriously, if you want a turnkey system... your not going to find one unless you purchase one from the guys whom visit this forum. If I packed all my stuff up and put it forsale... I would have to put a price tag of about 3K - 5K. So you buy it... then, you receive the perfectly packaged mass of equipment and planes. Without the experience with working with it as the designer/engineer... making it work might prove to be difficult. The thought of "Did I just buy a fansy paper weight?" will cross your mind.
Many of us, I'm speaking as one of you guys hehe, have spent two or more seasons re-engineering our aerial platforms from RAW vid to finished product. It isn't easy. There are so many variablies to bite you in the butt every time you fly! It ain't a Kodak point and shoot system Earnest hehe.
You being in TX, perhaps it would be easy to test year round. Me in Wisconsin sure slows me down!
My suggestion to you is... buy something and see if it grabs you like it's grabbed us! If you manage to thumb your objects without making balsa spliters (pun)... you will have learn some important lessons to apply to your next generation. This first is NEVER good enough... trust me.
Rob