Intercom System for Switcher/Camera People

[ritz38]

I'm looking for some recommendations on a communication system that we can use so the video switcher can communicate with the camera people. Right now we have a one way system set up where the switcher can tell the camera people on the stationary cameras what to do, but camera people cannot respond.

If we have anyone on the roaming camera, they have to use a motorola walkie with headset & the switcher has to talk into the walkie for camera 3.

The other problem is that our worship is really loud on the platform & the camera people (esp cam 3 on the platform) has a very hard if not impossible time hearing instructions from the switcher.

What communications system does everyone use? I don't think our Pastor is going to go for getting anything right now (just finished a HUGE church remodel/upgrade), but if I can get some ideas, I might even be able to find something cheap out there & convince him to get it. Thanks in advance!

If this is posted in the wrong category, please feel free to move it.

[waynehoskins]

The cameras you run now may influence this, but broadcast has used RTS intercom for ages. It's so standard that RTS-compatible intercom circuits have been built into all broadcast camera heads and base stations for decades, intercom carried along the camera triax or multicore. This is the ideal.

A step down in terms of convenience, if you're not running broadcast gear, is going with an RTS or Clear-com wired intercom system, with beltpacks for your camera operators, and bundling the icom cable with the camera cable for the handheld. Less elegant, but virtually the same functionality.

[ritz38]

So if we have 3 camera people at any given time plus the director running the video switcher, exactly what all do I need. I know 3 belt packs, 4 headsets, but what else?

[waynehoskins]

For each person, you need an intercom station and headset. The stations can be beltpacks, wall stations, rackmount stations, etc., or even with BC cameras built into the camera base station. These are all tied together and to an intercom base station or power supply. Most use mic cable for the interconnect.

What I'd look for in your case is a "master station" for the director, which incorporates both the icom power supply and a station (in the case of Clear-com at least, a multi-channel station) in a single rack-mount enclosure, often with a gooseneck mic and speaker. Beltpacks and headsets for the camera ops. Run cable, plug in the master icom station, and you're set.

It can't hurt to get a couple of extra packs and headsets to have on hand as well.

[petereit]

We use a cheap 8-channel sound board with mic cable run to one of the mic inputs on each of our cameras. When I run camera, I plug my own sound-isolating ear buds into the headphone jack on the camera. It's about as ghetto as it gets, but it's clean and plenty loud! Camera ops don't have talk-back, so we use "PTZ sign-language."

[Paris MkVI]

Make sure your headsets for operators near the stage are double-muffs. A design that fully encloses the ears will be best.

It may not be as comfortable or stylish. But a headset that leaves the operator constantly saying, "Huh? What?" is useless.

[sempei13]

Nope This is ghetto. We used it for years!