REVIEW – Ever since I tested and reviewed the Hollyland Mars 4k Transmitter/Receiver kit, I became a fan of their products. I use the kit every week in my studio and on the go at my church every Sunday. I also carry my Oukitel Tablet with me so I can remotely monitor the video transmission. Well, I used to do that, but now things have become even more portable and compact with this Hollyland Mars M1 Enhanced Monitor.
What is it?
The Hollyland Mars M1 Enhanced Monitor is designed to transmit, receive, and monitor high-quality wireless video transmissions. Its features include a record/playback review feature that can review up to 2 minutes of video for instant review, a new low-profile capsule antenna design, and a 5.5″ touchscreen display with 1000 cd/m² brightness. Its built-in wireless transmitter and receiver allow you to send and receive video between M1 units and to/from the Mars 400S Pro, Mars 300 Pro, and Mars 4K wireless transmitters/receivers at a distance of up to 450′. You can also monitor video from the M1 Enhanced on smartphones and tablets running the companion HollyView app.
What’s included?
- 1 x Hollyland Mars M1 Enhanced 5.5″ Wireless Transceiver Monitor
- 2 x Capsule Antenna
- 1 x Tempered Glass Screen Protector
- 1 x USB-C Converter
- 1 x D-Tap to Locking DC Power Cable
- 1 x User Manual
Tech specs
Display Size: 5.5″ / 14.0 cm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Touchscreen: Yes
Video I/O: 1x HDMI (Unspecified Signal) Input; 1x BNC (3G-SDI) Input; 1x HDMI (Unspecified Signal) Loop Output
Embedded Audio: HDMI/SDI
Latency: No
HDMI: DCI 4K: 30/29.97/25/24/23.98; UHD 4K: 30/29.97/25/24/23.98; 1080p: 60/59.94/50/30/29.97/25/24; 1080i: 60/59.94/50
720p: 60/59.94/50
SDI: 1080p: 60/59.94/30/29.97/24/23.98; 1080i: 60/59.94/50; 720p: 60/59.94/50
Battery Type: 1x L-Series
Power Consumption: 16 W (Maximum)
Mounting: 2x 1/4″-20 Female
Display: Panel Type
LCD Display Size: 5.5″ / 14.0 cm
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Image Controls: Focus Peaking, Waveform
Antenna I/O: 2x RP-SMA Male
Video I/O: 1x HDMI (Unspecified Signal) Input; 1x BNC (3G-SDI) Input; 1x HDMI (Unspecified Signal) Loop Output
Embedded Audio: HDMI/SDI
Audio I/O: 1x 1/8″ / 3.5 mm Headphone Output
Power I/O: 1x Barrel (16 VDC) Input; 1x Barrel Output
Other I/O: 1x USB-C (Firmware) Input
Encryption: No
Wireless Range: 450′ / 137.2 m (Line-of-Sight)
Channel Bandwidth: 20 MHz
Frequency Range: US: 5.15 to 5.25 GHz; US: 5.25 to 5.35 GHz; US: 5.47 to 5.725 GHz; US: 5.725 to 5.85 GHz
RF Power: 21 dBm
Wi-Fi: No
Bluetooth: No
Mobile App Compatible: Yes, Required: Android & iOS
App Name: HollyView
Functionality: Adjust Settings, Firmware Update, Remote Control, Setup, View Live Feed
Cellular Support: No
Format Support: Video Format
HDMI: DCI 4K: 30/29.97/25/24/23.98; UHD 4K: 30/29.97/25/24/23.98; 1080p: 60/59.94/50/30/29.97/25/24; 1080i: 60/59.94/50
720p: 60/59.94/50
SDI: 1080p: 60/59.94/30/29.97/24/23.98; 1080i: 60/59.94/50; 720p: 60/59.94/50
Wireless Video Compression: Compressed
Timecode Support: Yes
Power: DC Input Power – 7 to 16 VDC
Battery Type: 1x L-Series
Power Consumption: 16 W (Maximum)
Design and features
- Wirelessly Monitor Video from up to 450′
- Transmitter & Receiver Mode Switching
- New Capsule Antennas & Record/Playback
- 5.5″ Touchscreen 1920 x 1080 Display
- 1080p SDI Input; Up to 4K30 via HDMI
- Presets & USB-C 3D LUT Import
- High 1000 cd/m² Brightness
- Low 0.08s Latency, Smart Channel Scan
- DC Power Input & Output
- Built-in L-Series Battery Plate
The Hollyland Mars M1 Enhanced supports up to DCI/UHD 4K30 video input via its HDMI input, and it features an HDMI loop output and a 1080p SDI input that supports multiple broadcast drop-frame frame rates. On the front is the 5″ touchscreen and 2 detachable antennas on the top. For mounting there are bottom and side 1/4-20mm mounts. On one edge are the HDMI in and out ports and on the other edge the USB-C port and headphone jack. All other connectivity is on the back.
Assembly, Installation, Setup
I connected the Hollyland Mars M1 Enhanced Monitor via the HDMI output of my Atomos Ninja 5 recorder for integration into my workflow process. I then wirelessly transmitted the signal from the M1 to a final output monitor using my Hollyland Mars 4K Receiver. This was all done for testing and verifying. For distance testing, I use it at my church on Sundays and have used it there continuously.
Performance
The Hollyland Mars M1 Enhanced Monitor is a great tool for videographers, social media content creators, etc. It is easy to integrate into a workflow process and the ability to wirelessly transmit and receive makes it very portable and flexible. It functions well and the touchscreen is very responsive.
The following is a list of the functionality available via the touchscreen:
Main touchscreen functions for monitoring:
- Waveform: Displays the horizontal representation of exposure levels in an image, clearly showing overexposed
- Vector scope: Displays the overall range of color hue and saturation in an image.
- Focus Assist: Paints a highlight around in-focus edges with colored lines (red, green, blue, yellow, white, or black), enabling very fast and accurate focusing.
- Aspect Mark: Defines the aspect ratio of an image by cropping certain parts on the corners of the image. The transparency ranges from 0 to 100. The aspect mark function supports the following aspect ratios: 16:9, 16:10, 4:3, 1:1, 1.85:1, and 2.35:1. You can also customize the aspect ratio as needed.
- Image Flip: This allows you to flip an image to meet your needs.
- Zoom-in: Supports 2x and 4x zoom-in. You can swipe across the screen to change the area to be zoomed in.
- Volume Column: Displays the volume level of a video.
- Histogram: Displays the proportion information of exposure levels in an image, clearly showing the overall exposure balance of the image.
- Zebra Pattern: Displays a stripe pattern over a specific brightness range (IRE) on an image. You can customize the upper IRE value and the lower IRE value as needed.
- False Color: Assigns different colors to areas of different brightness in an image to get quick exposure readings.
- LUT: This allows you to preview the color processing result during shooting by importing LUTs via a USB flash drive.
- Crosshatch: Overlays a geometric grid pattern over an image with customizable rows and columns to display the image in nine grids, sixteen grids, or twenty-five grids.
- Anamorphic Desqueeze: Restores footage to its original aspect ratio, allowing you to correctly view images when using anamorphic lenses.
To provide some familiarity here is how my connectivity is set up. The HDMI “Program Out” of my Osee GoStream Switcher is connected to the HDMI input of my Atomos Ninja V 4K Recorder. The HDMI out of the Atomos is connected to the HDMI input of the M1. The M1 then transmits wirelessly to my Mars 4K Receiver attached to a monitor.
In this position, the M1 experienced a “dropping out” issue that you will see in the video below. It is important to note that if I connect the HDMI Program Out directly from the Switcher to the M1, there is no “dropping out” issue.
Otherwise, I can use the functionality of the M1 to ensure that my video lighting, exposure, appearance, etc are all good and the M1 performs consistently well even at church when I am almost 80 feet away. That is the furthest I can get at that location. However, my church is over 360 years old and built like a bomb shelter. This often hampers my ability to move away completely out of the line of sight of the Transmitter/Receiver.
You can also see your mobile device connect wirelessly to the M1 and have full access to all functionality. Here are a few screenshots:
Using the Hollyview app on an Android tablet:
Hollyland M1 Testing:
What I like about the Hollyland Mars M1 Enhanced Monitor
- It is well-designed, portable, and compact
- It works well as both a Transmitter and Receiver
- The touchscreen is responsive
- The controls available via the touchscreen’
- The connectivity options both for power and Audio/Video
- The mounting options
What needs to be improved?
- Testing with more brands/models of relevant equipment
Final thoughts
The Hollyland Mars M1 Enhanced monitor is a fantastic addition to my workflow process in the studio and at outdoor events. As a wireless Transmitter/Receiver, it is rock solid, and the built-in touchscreen features allow me to move around and monitor the video production. Well done!!
Price: $499
Where to buy: Hollyland website, B&H Photo, Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by Hollyland. Hollyland did not have a final say on the review and did not preview this review before it was published.
