ONsite is a system that provides 110 volts of power from DTAP batteries. If you are coming from the video or movie industry you are probably familiar with DTAP. If you are coming from the stills industry, DTAP is a port often used on V-Mount (and Gold mount) batteries to supply a second power port aside from the main connector. This family of batteries packs a lot of power in a small form factor. you usually use a V-Mount battery to power a big camera, a monitor, some lights and more accessories; they are mighty.
The other nice thing about VMOUNT batteries is that they are getting smaller and smaller. Take a look at this tiny CORE SWX battery for example. It packs 98WH. Most videographers have a few of those batteries lying around. If this is the case, why not use this battery as a power bank / 110 V power source.
What is ONsite?
Tether Tools’ ONsite D-Tap to AC Power Supply converts any DTAP enabled battery into a 110v (or 220v) + 4 USB ports mini power station. One side of the device plugs into a battery. Then this box has two US power outlets and four USB ports. When you combine all the power it can output you get 200W* which is not a small achievement. We have tried it with a DJI charger, an NPF charger two Lumiee LEDs and a LITRA Torch pro, all connected together. It did not even blink. We have also tried it on Spekular lights, a 90W laptop and they all worked nice and smooth.
*update our readers pointed out there there is also a 22ov flavor, which you can get if your country is 220v.
Each USB can output 2.4 Amps @5V, but combined they can only go to 6.2 Amps. This was a bit saddening as most devices can take advantage of a higher current. Sadly, high current is only available when only two USB ports are connected.
The box
ONsite is build form plastic which feels good quality. There are some holes and a small fan to help dissipate heat. (I bet that it generates quite a bit of heat when pushing 200W through such a small box). The fan was surprisingly quiet for the size, and it only kicked in when the box got kinda hottish.
There is a small and plastic-y on/off button which controls the outlets. It’s small but still provides a satisfying click. It has no effect on the USB ports, so if you are only using the ONsite for USB, it’s best to keep it off and save a few more slivers of battery.
A nice surprise was the length of the DTAP cable – 80cm, which felt generous, and comes with a small velcro cable organizer.
Price and competing products
The ONsite sells for about $90 on B&H and Amazon. If you already have a few VMOUNT batteries lying around, its a no brainer. Especially if your prime need is the 110v outlets, and compared to other products.
The ONsite alone will set you back $90 + about $180 for 150Wh, but you can swap batteries, and you can find cheaper batteries out there.
The Omnicharge ultimate 34,800mAh (reviewed here) gets you many ports (including a USBC port) and lots of control, but it will set you back $400, supports 142Wh, and not battery swappable.
The last option is the latest NOVOO “can” (reviewed here). It definitely wins the price category with a price tag of $63 for 81Wh, but it only goes up to 85W, and does not feature a replaceable battery.
Conclusion
If you need a portable 110v solution that feeds of V-mount batteries, the ONsite is definitely one of your better options out there. you can get it on Amazon or B&H for about $90.
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