December 31, 2013

Tip for Eclipse HX: Beltpack Role in Eclipse ECS/EHX

Question: What is the purpose of a "Beltpack Role" in Eclipse ECS/EHX (CellCom/FreeSpeak Integra)?

Answer: Beltpack Roles define the beltpack the same way that a label defines a key on a panel. Assigning a role to a beltpack has the effect of creating a label for it that can be referenced by other devices in the system such as a panel. The Beltpack Roles screen is only available if an antenna or splitter card has been configured in the matrix.

To create and edit beltpack roles:


1. Select the Beltpack Roles entry in the Setup menu to display the beltpack roles editor. 
2. Next, select a port and click on the Type drop-down menu and select the entry "Beltpack Role". This adds a new role entry on the selected port. 
3. The Talk and Listen labels can be edited by placing the cursor in the box. Then, click to select the entry and edit the text.
4. To edit the description, position the cursor in the description box and select the text to edit.
5. Once the user has created a beltpack role, he or she can assign labels to the beltpack role from the panels menu in Eclipse ECS / EHX.
 

***Another way of looking at Beltpack Roles is similar to having different user logins for a PC. There is one hardware item, which is the beltpack, but you can create many roles (logins). Each role has different key assignments. The same beltpack can be logged into a separate role and get a distinct set of key assignments. This allows the same physical unit to be used by different operational groups (ex. lighting, sound, production...etc.) When you power up the beltpack, the user is shown a list of available roles and that individual can then scroll through the list to select the appropriate role.

December 26, 2013

Tip for HelixNet Partyline - Menu locking HelixNet Beltpacks


Question:  I'm using HelixNet Partyline at our theater and I want to keep users from accessing the local beltpack menus to make unauthorized changes. Is this possible?

Answer:  The beltpacks can be menu locked. You need to access this feature from the HelixNet base station.

1. Go to the Menu button and press it in to activate the displays in menu mode.
2. From the leftmost display menu, scroll to “Administration” and highlight.
3. Then, from the 2nd leftmost display menu, scroll to “Beltpacks” and highlight.
4. Next, from the 3rd leftmost display menu, scroll to “Menu Lock” and highlight.
5. Last of all, from the rightmost display menu, select “Lock All” and highlight.  Then press in the scroll knob associated with this display.

The beltpack menus should now be locked. When the user presses the menu button, the OLED display on the beltpack should say “LOCKED” in inverted highlighted text. To unlock the menus, (again you must do this from the base station), use the rightmost display menu and select “Unlock All”.

Note:  As currently set up in v 1.1 firmware, the user can either LOCK or UNLOCK all the beltpacks on the powerline string.  It is not possible to menu LOCK or UNLOCK specific beltpacks on the powerline at this time. 

December 23, 2013

December 19, 2013

Icelandic Excitement

Photo Credit: wowiceland.co.uk
Iceland's largest media group, 365 Media, operates eight television channels, numerous radio stations and the country's largest newspaper. The company plans to switch fully to HD by 2014. As part of that upgrade, 365 Media has introduced its first HD truck on the island. Philip Stevens of TVB Europe takes a look at the system choices that the company has made. This includes the installation of Clear-Com systems.

Read the full article about its upgrade on p. 46-47 of the TVB Europe Oct. 2013 issue: Icelandic Excitement

December 17, 2013

December 12, 2013

Tip for HME DX Series Base Stations




Question: How can I select a Spectrum Friendly mode option from the HME DX Series base station?

Answer: 
1. Hold down the CLR/BND or RESET REGISTRATION* button first, then press and hold down the REG or REGISTER BELTPACK* button until you see the letter "A", "L" or "H". 

2. Next, release both buttons and quickly press the CLR/BND or RESET REGISTRATION* to cycle through the "A", "L" or "H" options. 

3. Stop at your selection and wait for the LED display to go blank. You will see the LED display a lowercase "c" upon completion of the configuration of this feature. 

After this procedure is performed on all base stations, beltpacks and Communicators will need to be re-registered to the base.

December 9, 2013

Using High End Technology to Create a Worshipful Environment

Photo Credit: cityofoviedo.net
First Baptist Oviedo's growing inventory of equipment and in-depth volunteer training has given the church a new opportunity to enhance its worship services for a congregation of 4,000 people. In addition to two Sunday services, the worship center also hosts concerts, conferences and special events. To coordinate these productions, the church relies on an array of the latest technologies, including Clear-Com's intercoms

Read the full story in TFWM: Using High End Technology to Create a Worshipful Environment