If you’re a creator on-the-go, power is always a concern. With all of our devices running off of rechargeable batteries, making sure you don’t run out of juice when you need it is a big deal. Portable battery solutions are a must, and Omnicharge has two offerings: the Omni 20+ and The Omni Ultimate.
Starting off with the Omni 20+, it’s a slim unit, covered in a rubberized material, and has two USB-A connections on the front panel, along with a small but easy to read menu display, function controls and power button. On the left side is a standard three prong power outlet, while the other side has a 2.1MM DC power connection that works as a charging connection or power output, and a USB-C connection, that also works to charge the unit itself or provide power to a USB-C device. For added convenience, it can also do wireless charging for a smartphone, by placing the phone on the unit.
It’s not a dummy brick like unit, with the menu allowing the user to adjust the DC connection to power 5V-25V, as well as controlling the input and output voltages of the other connections. This makes having to bring multiple wall wart adapters a thing of the past. Set it to 9V and it can run a guitar pedal (more if you have a daisy chain cable), and there’s no cross talk or grounding issues, as the battery is an isolated power source.
Plugging the unit in, it took 3 hours to fully charge but while it’s charging, it also acts as a pass through and can allow other items to be charged at the same time. A single charge can give a laptop roughly a single full charge, 1-2 full charges to a tablet or a drone, 5 charges to a DSLR camera battery or a smartphone, and 10 charges to a GoPro. Nice.
If you need more power, and options on the Omni Ultimate have any creator covered. It has a similar functionality menu as the 20+ and has a DC input as well as a three-prong power outlet on the left side, while the right has two USB-A and a USB-C Connection and a DC output for the included power supply to charge the unit. The rear mounted battery is also detachable, meaning if you happen to have a spare, they can be swapped out, and recharged.
Again, the menu can be accessed and adjust the various outputs as needed for the devices connected, making this a very adjustable unit, and eliminates the need to bring multiple power supplies and dedicated chargers.
OK, but why get a power bank? If you’re on the go, certainly you remembered to charge everything before you left, right? And there are always plugs at airports or on a train you can access, right? We all know those statements only ring true in a perfect world. With either of these units, you can easily charge other items, while they’re not in use, such as on the way to the gig. For camera professionals who often travel to assignments, and can’t find a plug that’s not being used, this can solve a lot of those amateurish oversights.
It’s a professional solution for a lot of issues that could potentially stop you in your tracks.
PROS:
Plenty of power options on both units, rugged design(s).
CONS:
None.
STREET PRICES:
Omni Ultimate: $399
Omni 20+: $199