Sound Devices is bringing Astral firmware 8.40 and the Mini Plus transmitter to IBC2026. The release adds Mini Plus support alongside changes to workflow, monitoring, control and reliability across the Astral wireless system.
Mini Plus covers 169 to 1525MHz, subject to regional rules, and records 32-bit float audio at 48kHz to 64GB of internal storage. Sound Devices specifies more than eight hours of battery operation, approximately 80 hours of recording capacity and IP67 environmental protection.
The wider workflow includes NexLink control and integration with Viviana Cloud, allowing production recordings and metadata to move from location into remote review and post-production processes. That combination links RF operation, local backup and file delivery rather than treating the transmitter only as a live radio path.
Frequency availability, transmitter power and supported bands vary by territory. The announcement does not publish measured RF range, battery conditions, cloud transfer time or detailed changes behind the reliability claim, so production teams should test against their own spectrum and recorder configurations.
