The City by the Bay

Photo Credit: travel.wikia.com

Last time, in Duck, Duck, No Goose, we shared some interesting facts about our Clear-Com China office such as how duck restaurants abound in Beijing and how that city is home to the National Stadium at Olympic Park. This time around, we wanted to give you some insight on what it’s like around Clear-Com’s Alameda office.

Photo Credit: lat34.org

Believe it or not, the folks in Alameda, California like to kite surf. Wind surfing or kite surfing is one of the major attractions of this city. We’re also located in the larger San Francisco Bay Area, which is a city known for its eclectic architecture and landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of Fine Arts.

Photo Credit 7x7.com

There are a plethora of restaurants throughout the city as it is a melting pot of many cultures. Some of the more unique dishes include bone marrow, spicy baby octopus stew and pasta with hen and liver. Come try them if you ever drop by!

Clear-Com is the best place to work! (We may be just a bit biased.) Everyone in the Alameda office is extremely supportive of one another and we do everything in our power to make sure that our customers have the intercom solution they need for their applications and the best service and support possible.  

Win at InfoComm12!

Photo Credit: Crestron.com.au

Clear-Com is going to be exhibiting at the 2012 InfoComm show in Las Vegas, CA!

See us at Booth #C10345!

We’re offering you a chance to win a FREE Clear-Com headset. In fact, we’ll be drawing names every hour so the odds are in your favor.

How to win? Just follow these two easy steps.

Step 1: Download form. Fill it out and give it to one of our Clear-Com staff.

Step 2: Receive a demo of one of our new products from our Clear-Com staff. You are now entered to win!

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Development of the First Clear-Com Beltpack (Podcast)

What goes on inside the mind of an inventor? Well, now you can find out what Charlie Butten thought in this Clear-Com podcast when he invented the industry's first partyline beltpack. He remembers how the production team in rock concerts had to communicate by sending runners through the audience to give a note to those in the backstage. When these concerts became increasingly crowded, Bob Cohen and Charlie decided that they needed to build an intercom system that would make it easier to communicate between the back and front of the venue. Learn about the source of Charlie's ideas and how he designed the very first beltpack from the initial stages to completion. 

I Spy Clear-Com (Part I)

Where has Clear-Com been installed around the world? Check out some of our installations from 2007. Don't these places simply look grand? Here are four of my favorite:




Photo Credit: amsterdam.cityseekr.com

The Muziektheater is the most important opera and ballet venue in the Netherlands. The Muziektheater (The Music Theater) is home of The Dutch Opera, The National Ballet, and the Holland Symphony. Don't you wish you could visit?

Read the full story: The Netherlands Opera & DutchNational Ballet Go Digital with Clear-Com® FreeSpeak®

The Royal Theatre in Spain receives magnificent musical and opera productions from all over the world. Its original hexagonal design was created by the architect Antonio López Aguado. What a beauty! This exceptional theatre uses Clear-Com's FreeSpeak and Partyline systems.

Read the full story: Royal Theatre (Teatro Real), Madrid - Story Preview

With a total cost of £420m, the National Opera House in Norway won an international competition for its design and was opened by King Harold of Norway in April 2008. The opera house has approximately 1,000 rooms and is the workplace for over 600 people!

Read the full story: Norway's New National Opera House, Oslo, Chooses Clear-Com's Eclipse Omega and FreeSpeak® 50 Intercoms

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

With over fifty years of broadcasting, Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, S.A., (RTP) is Portugal's public service broadcasting organization with four television channels and three national radio channels, as well as several satellite and cable offerings.

Read the full story: Clear-Com® Provides First Eclipse Based Solution for RTP Studios

It's Time to Take Command and Control!

We've been providing intercom systems for the most demanding command and control applications for decades. What does intercom have to do with command and control? Well, Clear-Com allows a commanding officer to communicate with and exercise authority over other enlisted staff officers. We provide an effective and reliable link between military personnel to help them accomplish missions.

APPLICATION: The maintenance crew in the equipment room and those in the command center of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) site needed to speak with staff throughout the facility and those in an outside trailer. 

PRODUCT MUST: Because of security reasons, they required fiber connectivity to all areas. The robust intercom solution would need to be easy to use, interface with existing intercom equipment in the trailer and allow many people to communicate with one another.

SOLUTION: Clear-Com’s Eclipse digital matrix intercom and I-Series control panel were installed in the equipment room. Several more I-Series control panels were installed in the command area and linked to the existing third party intercom inside the trailer where the staff are receiving directions and responding accordingly.

Clear-Com’s Eclipse-Median can support up to 112 ports in a 6RU digital matrix frame. This system is ideal for critical communications among teams that need direct and group connections.

I-Series panels are engineered to be rugged and reliable. I-Series panels are built with two to four 5-character display selector modules and a microphone headset module. The fully fitted 4 module panel also includes a keypad.

Download Visio/PDF: Application Diagram for Command and Control
From Left to Right: Equipment Room, Command Center, and Outside Trailer

Get Ready for a Party...Line! (Jands)

Join one of our amazing distributors, Jands, for the official launch of the HelixNet Partyline intercom in Australia! Don't miss out on the exciting event, which includes a demonstration of the HelixNet Partyline and Tempest2400 with Seamless Roaming! Food and drinks will be provided on the house. To register on Jands' website, click here.

Friday Fun: That's What He/She Said

Whenever I'm traveling for business, usually to a tradeshow, one of my favorite things about riding on an airplane is when the flight attendants are tellings jokes. I know some people may find them annoying, but I think they are rather amusing even if they aren't always funny. How about this one that was said by a flight attendant, "Please be sure to take all your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have." I found some that were pretty hilarious and I've share them below for this Friday Fun post.

But first off, have you ever wondered how communication systems work together on an airplane? There are so many elements at play including an intercom, service interphone, an announcement and boarding music system, a passenger briefing system, an airborne communication addressing and reporting system and more.

Here's an image showing the role of the intercom control panel and what each button does:

Photo Credit: smartcockpit.com

I love knowing how everything comes together and how intercom systems play a role.

Anyways, as promised, here are some funny announcements that have been said over  the intercom on various airlines:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."

"Folks, we have reached our cruising altitude now, so I am going to switch the seat belt sign off. Feel free to move about as you wish, but please stay inside the plane till we land... it's a bit cold outside, and if you walk on the wings it affects the flight pattern."

And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Delta Airlines is pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"

A flight attendant said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."

"As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."

Sources
http://www.wanderings.net/notebook/Main/AirlineCabinAnnouncements
http://airports.worldsbestdeals.com/humor/travel_humor.html
http://texmettravel.com/Jokes.htm

Intercom Users Cope with Spectrum Squeeze

With the shrinking of the UHF band, intercom proviers are exploring other parts of the frequency spectrum for their systems including the 900 MHz band, 1.8 to 1.9 GHz band and the 2.4 GHz band. In the TV Technology article, Intercom Users Cope With Spectrum Squeeze, Craig Johnston evaluates the challenges presented by this worldwide issue.

Here are some Clear-Com wireless intercoms that operate outside of the UHF band and were designed to overcome the challenge of frequency interference:

1. Tempest2400

Designed with Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum radio technology, the 2.4 GHz Tempest wireless system utilizes a narrow band signal that is continually changing frequencies to powerfully burn through RF noise and interference. Tempest does not compete with Wi-Fi signals, minimizing frequency coordination and enabling flawless performance.

2. FreeSpeak/CellCom

FreeSpeak operates in the 1.88-1.9 GHz band while CellCom operates in the 1.92-1.93 GHz band. Both function outside of the crowded radio spectrum that is saturated with other wireless devices. With DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) technology at its core, the wireless systems continously scan, select and connect with the best Active Antenna for uninterrupted communications.

3. HME DX Series
All HME DX Series wireless intercom systems feature Spectrum-Friendly technology for interference-free operation in the diminishing spectrum. This technology enables broadcast and theatrical production crews to avoid emerging frequency conflicts by designating the 2.4 GHz operating range: low, high or full band.

How to Choose a Wireless Intercom System

Why choose a wireless intercom system? Well, how would you like to roam through production environments without being tied down by a cable? Doesn't that sound freeing?

There are many factors to consider when choosing a wireless intercom system. David Onslow in Choosing a Wireless Intercom System discusses the differences between intercom systems in the 49MHz, FM band (200KH - 270KHz), 900MHz, 2.4GHz, 5.8GHz, and in the U.S. only, the MURS (150 MHz) band, and highlights the challenges as well as benefits offered by each of those systems.

You also need to identify and consider the complexity and communication needs of your application and your budget. Clear-Com's basic systems, including the HME DX100, DX121 and DX200, are portable, affordable and suitable for simple applications. For higher connectivity, better performance and intuitive user controls, a better option may be advanced systems such as the HME DX210, HME DX300ES, and WBS670/680. Those with the most demanding criteria would select the comprehensive expert systems offering high capacity and scalability. They include the Tempest2400, Tempess900, Pro850, CellCom and FreeSpeak.

Friday Fun: Three Beats for Beatbox Performance (Video)

Since 1968, Clear-Com has provided proven intercom solutions such as analog and digital partyline, digital matrix, wireless and intercom-over-IP systems for the live performance industry. Our pick for the top performance of the week is Annie Wu playing Three Beats for Beatbox on the Flute. She was the 2011 National Flute Association High School Competition Winner in Charlotte, NC.

Partner Spotlight: Coffey Sound

For this Partner Spotlight, Clear-Com would like to focus on Coffey Sound, a Trew Audio company and one of our exceptional Clear-Com Partners in Los Angeles, CA. Coffey Sound specializes in selling, renting and servicing pro audio equipment for the motion picture, television, and next generation industries around the world. This outstanding Clear-Com Partner has also been a part of Clear-Com's Global Rental Group. Coffey Sound provides Clear-Com's Encore partyline, WBS analog wireless system, Concert and VoICE 2.0/SOFT-VoICE intercom-over-IP, Tempest2400 digital wireless intercom, the HME DX Series and HME PRO850 wireless systems.

One of its most recent achievements include designing and supplying the intercom systems for MTV's Punk'd. Read the full press release here: No Joke: MTV's Punk'd Pulls Off Punks with Clear-Com.

We also want to point out the great work of its staff in creating these videos to demonstrate Clear-Com's newest products:
NAB 2012 - Clear-Com Tempest 2400 Seamless Roaming Video
NAB 2012 - Clear-Com Eclipse & Optocore Integration Video
NAB 2012 - Clear-Com HelixNet Video
NAB 2012 - Clear-Com CC-300/CC-400 Headsets Video

For more information on Coffey Sound, visit the Trew Audio website: http://www.trewaudio.com/

About Trew AudioTrew Audio is devoted to the art of location sound recording for film and television. Founded by sound mixer Glen Trew, Trew Audio was designed to fill the widening gap between sound professionals and support services that has grown as film and video production has become less confined to Hollywood and New York. With four locations in Los Angeles, Toronto, Vancouver and Nashville, Trew Audio is a leader in the sales, rental, and service of audio equipment for professional film and video production in markets worldwide. Find out more at www.trewaudio.com