wireless Commuication

[jared campion]

We have our conference coming up and our trying to find the best way to communicate with our team members.

Our idea was to have the lighting tech/ media guy/ camera teams/ Sound guy and 2 overseers linked up via headset's all complete with mic's

we also wanted some for the security team but on a separate channel.

should we use CB Radio's or Wireless mic's?

do you have any advise or product recommendations?

Thanks for your help!

[waynehoskins]

Neither is really well suited to that, especially if you have the chance of two people holding their mike button at the same time. FM has that wonderful limiting effect.

Here's a couple of good options:
- Wired Clear-com/Telex/RTS intercom system, which are all true full-duplex, usually party-line, systems. These are what's used in television and theatre.
- Wireless Clear-com/RTS intercom system (ideally interconnected to a wired system), which are also a full-duplex repeater-type system: all the radios listen on the same frequency (to the signal from the base station), but each transmits on its own dedicated frequency; the base station demodulates all of these and repeats the mixed audio onto its common output frequency.

I'd go for wired everywhere possible, since radio has all the basic failure modes of a wired system, plus a relatively fragile radio link in the middle. Your security guys would use something like a Motorola business-band radio system, totally separate from the production intercom. I'm not sure how all that goes down in JA-land, but there's probably a similar radio service to that over there, which may or may not require licensing and coordination.

[jared campion]

Thanks for your reply, I am currently researching there products,

I experimented using a translation system consisting of me using a wireless mic and the lighting/ media/ video teams using the recievers. The sound quality was great but The system only came with one mic so they couldn't contact me back...

should it possible to add extra wireless mic's to the translation system? (although that means two belt packs!) that way those who may need to contact me back can, and after conference we could use the same mic's for preachers/ whatever?

[waynehoskins]

Originally Posted by Jared Campion

should it possible to add extra wireless mic's to the translation system? (although that means two belt packs!) that way those who may need to contact me back can, and after conference we could use the same mic's for preachers/ whatever?

It depends. Is there a base station for the translation system (is it only an ALS, or is it a wireless mike and then portable receivers for the mike)?

If it's a direct point-to-point system, you would require as many translation systems as people, and you would have to wear that many beltpacks. It would be messy.

If it's an ALS-type thing, sure, you could use a handful of wireless mikes, but that would be relatively expensive and not ideal.

You really want a production intercom, a real one...

[jared campion]

This whole idea was put on the shelf due to the expense involved but I had another idea!

What if...I got a old PA desk (mixer) 4 gaming headsets (headsets with a mic line and an audio line) 8 long cables and 8 TRS Connectors. Is there any reason why I couldn't make a simple wired communication system with loud audio and at a huge fraction of the price?!

What did I miss?

[jared campion]

It worked!
good sound loud enough to hear during praise and worship, and my church is loud!

I had to first plug the mic lines into a computer and then send the computer signal to the PA to boost the signage of the mic (going straight into the mixer doesn't work)

It cost be about $200 for the whole system, if anyone wants the details feel free to PM me.

Problems:
-If anyone turns off their mic or turns down on their headset volume it affects everyone elses also
-Lots of cables (same as the pro systems)
-when you speak you hear your own voice also, (which I kind of like since you can hear if your speaking clearly)

[BenHT]

well done! Often thought about doing something like that. We're going to try a diy system - http://www.rcrowley.com/ComClone/default.htm. Half the parts arrived today... hope it works!

[jared campion]

good luck! let me know how you go

[BenHT]

Well the system has finally been completed and I saw it working the when I was last at the church. I've got married and moved away in the time it took to complete the project but that's more to do with availability of the guy putting it together than complexity!

It runs over cat5 cabling and the cameraman said it worked well I think they need to work out what cues they give and how they give them but it works!

[Frank DeWitt]

Originally Posted by BenHT

well done! Often thought about doing something like that. We're going to try a diy system - http://www.rcrowley.com/ComClone/default.htm. Half the parts arrived today... hope it works!

I note that the box is no longer available, There is an extrusion that might work. It is now as wide, but doesn't require the end blocks. It is made by MayTec.

The size is 3.15in by 1.57 in by any length you want.

The part numbers are
1.19.208040g.60
1.18.2080D.60

and the ends are
1.75.2080402
http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/ma...5821-_313.html

If someone would like a mechanical drawing of the ends reworked to fit this extrusion, I can do that. (no charge) I can also put you in touch with shops that can machine the ends for you.

Here is my web site. http://lbpinc.com/ and http://lbpinc.com/DI.html

Frank

[Cliff]

I have heard of people using telephones as an intercom system. Maybe could use cordless with headsets?
Did some google searching and it is totally possible. Get a multi-phone cordless set, and headsets, and looks easy to make.