LSdigi PowerPlate - the new V Lock and Gold Mount Battery Power Solution for USBC Laptops
Last month I launched my newest product - the LSdigi PowerPlate, which provides up to 100w USBC PD power from V Locks or Anton Bauer / Gold Mount batteries.
I received a lot of messages from my followers asking for advice on which mount is better so I thought I'd make a quick post.
V LOCK vs AB MOUNT
Technically speaking - the Anton Bauer / Gold Mount mount provides the most secure fit using the 3x pins which lock in and tends to be the battery of choice for professional camera builds. If you don't own any batteries already - I'd recommend going for these.
Bebob have an excellent Micro Range - 2x of the 150Wh batteries would probably last the entire day on the new M1 / M2 Laptops, however for the flight safe option you could go with 3x 98Wh batteries. They have the most minimal form factor in the market and are very well made (as expected by a German company). Other brand worth checking out is CoreSWX.
Saying that - it also largely depends on where you are based. Here in London (and Europe too) V Lock is the most common battery around. There are significantly more brand options and almost every rental house will have some if you forget / need to source some locally while you're travelling abroad on a job.
My first venture into V Locks was buying 4x FX Lion Nano-Two batteries. They're very cost effective (currently going for £165+VAT which is a bargain) and have an option to charge via USB-C which is handy if you're maxed on the mains chargers. I tend to use these for my SmallHD & Flanders video monitors - and a few years down the line they're still going strong.
1x DTAP / 2x D TAPS / NO DTAPS???
When I initially designed the PowerPlate I only intended to make a V Lock version using the FX Lion Battery Plate. I have used it already for my other prototype designs and had plenty of them lying around to play with. After sharing my design with my American Digi friends they have requested a Gold Mount version. After lots of research and meeting Bebob representatives at BSC London I decided to go with them - as their plate was the only option out there at a small form factor and made in the EU.
Currently there are 3 V lock and 2x AB Mount versions to choose from. Which one is best for you really depends on how you intend to use them.
If you are planning to run the PowerPlate purely for USB-C power - then NO DTAP version is for you. Even if you occasionally need a DTAP to power a Wireless Transmitter - you can always use the port on the battery (every battery has at least 1x DTAP port). The only downside is the few extra seconds taken to unplug and reconnect during a battery swap.
If you're like me and almost always run some kind of a Teradek System - then I'd recommend the 1x DTAP (FX Lion) or the Dual DTAP Bebob options. The added benefit of the Bebob Plates is that they have a genius 2-Twist DTAP ports, which means the cable can be routed to the left OR the right depending on what's more convenient for your setup.
Need more info / advice? Get in touch with me via email or instagram and I'd be happy to help!