Switch or not to Switch

[pdc]

Originally Posted by tdangelo

OK ... million dollar idea: Software switched on/off mics that allow the FOH audio guy to reset the switch without running forward to the stage. Actually should be quite simple to do using phantom power.

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but...we have mute switches on the console, and now with digital consoles and recallable scenes, etc, we can automate the mic mutes.

Peavey had a cool idea for colored light identification on the cables using phantom power, but most consoles in the market that would buy such a thing have whimpy power supplies and cannot generate a full 48V in many cases, so, using phantom would be a bad idea. However...if mics were digital....THEN you are on to something....muting and un-muting via software under the console's control, but then again, does it matter where the mute is before the mic's output stage or on the console's input stage? I would still like to be able to monitor the mics input and have it muted from the mixes.

[tdangelo]

Originally Posted by pdc

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but...we have mute switches on the console, and now with digital consoles and recallable scenes, etc, we can automate the mic mutes.... However...if mics were digital....THEN you are on to something....muting and un-muting via software under the console's control, but then again, does it matter where the mute is before the mic's output stage or on the console's input stage? I would still like to be able to monitor the mics input and have it muted from the mixes.

I think my point was for those (rare) occasions where it just makes sense to give the user control of their hot mic (for example a Director during rehearsals, or a stage manager during rehearsals, or (in sports) a color/play-by-play person) it would be cool if the switch on the mic was not a standard physical single-pole switch but rather an electronic switch which could be reset remotely. RTS (and possibly Clear-Com?) allow this function on their two-wire belt-packs. Someone forgot to close their mic? No problem ... press the right button and all the mics in the system turn off!

[buggyboy]

Does Brad or anyone else have more info on the system described? The ability to have the muc user control the mute status, and also the soundman having that same ability?

I've never heard of it and I'd like to learn a bit about it.
Thanks