Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System: Rentability (Part 9 of 9)

When trying to decide what Clear-Com wireless is right for you, you may have a need to add additional beltpacks or systems. If you can't afford to purchase, you may have the option to rent what you need. Here, we discuss this section of the Choosing the Right Wireless Infographic and whether the ability to rent additional units matters to you. 

Download the full Infographic HERE.

While owning an intercom system is ideal, many productions have found that renting such systems is better suited to their bottom line. For AV rental and staging companies, as well as live event communications companies working corporate industrial events, political events, special events, sports events, televised events, and even hotel convention centers, buying a system, or several, in order to rent to a wide variety of clients brings in recurring revenue that isn't easy to ignore. 

Dependable internal communications for the staff of an event is a necessity. A quality presentation can only be achieved when personnel involved in the production can communicate quickly and reliably. When a variety of different manufacturers' technologies are involved, achieving this can be challenging.

This is particularly true in fixed installations, like theaters, opera houses, symphony halls, and houses of worship. In all of these locations, increasingly complex productions require the intercom system to be flexible and capable of being expanded to support multi-floor, multi-site, or multi-venue operations. Integrating an outside participant, like a video production team or touring show, frequently adds to the need for expansion - especially when wireless intercoms are deployed. 

Similarly, in the broadcast world, the need for good multi-venue wireless intercom communications is vitally important during live events. These events include sports, award ceremonies, pageants, and other programs that are produced away from a controlled studio environment. 

All of Clear-Com's wireless systems (DX100, DX210, DX300ES, DX410, FSII 1.9 GHz, FSII 2.4 GHz), all offer rock-solid reliability, the flexibility to scale as needed, and the support for other third-party communications equipment. That means that many different types of rental clients can use them in a myriad of ways. As a rental business, that's the kind of in-demand technology you should look for when building your rental inventory. Any technology you choose has to be favored by the industries you serve in order for you to quickly recoup your investment. 

Rental clients require systems that can be set up and broken down quickly and easily. That's why the intercom products from Clear-Com are the perfect fit for any rental business. Short-term production use is also a great reason to rent equipment from a local source. In addition, if you need more equipment than originally estimated, then a local AV organization can provide you with extra last-minute equipment. 

This is the reason why Clear-Com established the Global Rental Group (GRG), a strategic alliance of top Rental Service Providers from across all market segments and geography. The Clear-Com Global Rental Group Partners are based all over the world and provide communication equipment, including wireless intercoms and support services for events of any size. 

When rental clients consider renting intercom systems, they often look at price, value, service, experience, and other equipment a rental company carries. Clear-Com has become the defacto standard for crew communications. Everyone knows the name and the reputation Clear-Com has built over the decades of serving production business. When that client comes calling, your rental business should have plenty of them on hand.

Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System: Budget (Part 8 of 9)

When trying to decide what Clear-Com wireless is right for you, knowing how to fit the features and functionality into you budget may be a concern. Today, we will discuss the budget section of the Choosing the Right Wireless Infographic. 

Download the full Infographic HERE.

Configuring a wireless communications system to meet the needs of a specific production takes careful planning regarding features and functionality, but it also includes how that system fits into your budget. Everyone wants all of the latest features, but the price tag can often limit what you can afford. Finding a supplier that offers budget-friendly options might be critical to your project's success. The need for a communications system that is both easy-to-use, yet powered by the most up-to-date technology is clear, but cost can be a hurdle to overcome, so research is vital.

A house of worship or college AV department might not be able to allocate the same kinds of funds towards a system as a television network production team working the NFL Super Bowl. So, there is a wide variety of wireless product offerings that Clear-Com offers that meet the wide array of applications. Each can be expanded, but why pay for expandability when you don't need it?

Of course, as you need more complexity and advanced features, the price goes up, but so do the capabilities that are included. Entry-level wireless products, like the DX100, cannot be connected to wired or other wireless systems. Put simply, it is wireless beltpacks talking to wireless beltpacks. We see these systems used heavily in reality TV and the movie film industry for camera and dolly communications. 

Taking one step further, the DX300ES system supports two-channel, hands-free, full-duplex, digital conversation with 4-wire interfacing for intercom communications. Its compact design makes it highly portable and very quick to set-up and operate.

As your requirements increase, you'll need to spend money, but again, the features and functionality increase as well. The DX210 and DX410 systems, for example, offer more capabilities at a higher price than the DX100 and DX300ES, but you are getting comprehensive two-channel digital wireless systems that deliver an overall better experience in performance and range. The DX410 system features the 7KHz wideband audio,while both systems feature 2- and 4-wire interfacing, 2-wire auto-nulling for fast integration with Clear-Com or other wired partyline systems.

At the higher end are the FreeSpeak II 1.9 GHz and FreeSpeak II 2.4GHz systems, which both include the ability to operate in multiple frequency bands. These high performance wireless intercom systems are designed for extensive communication in large-scale operations. Their ability to maintain a strong and continuous wireless connection across an expansive coverage area while providing crystal-clear digital audio makes the FSII systems the ideal wireless roaming solution for live events, broadcast, sport production, industrial, military and government applications, to name a few. 

The FSII wireless stand-alone systems can deploy up to 25 beltpacks and up to 10 transceivers from one base station. That's a lot of capacity and totally necessary if you have a large crew dispersed over a wide production area.

Some systems are more expensive than others, but you get a lot more for your money. That's how you have to look at it when you are considering which system to buy. You might also have to consider buying a system that can be used for many different types of projects, whereas the lower cost systems are limited in their scope of applications. So, if you consider your communication system options wisely, using the number of factors that might impact your budget, you can choose the right system that gives you what you need. Remember - you get what you pay for!

Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System: System Coverage (Part 7 of 9)

When trying to decide what Clear-Com wireless is right for you, knowing the coverage areas of your wireless system's antennas may effect which wireless is right for you. Today, we will discuss the system coverage section of the Choosing the Right Wireless Infographic. 

Download the full Infographic HERE.

Just as with any other product communicating via radio waves, the effective distance between the beltpack and the antenna will differ depending on the environment in which it is being used. Radio waves can be attenuated by walls, floors, ceilings, trees, the human body (such as the audience), and numerous other objects. They can be reflected and/or stopped by metallic objects, such as structural beams, safety doors, lighting equipment and truss, bodies of water and so on.

FREESPEAK II

Under ideal conditions, the maximum range between a FreeSpeak II beltpack and the antenna is 500 m (1640 ft). Typical distances are between approximately 50 m (160 ft) and 150 m (485 ft), depending on the environment. 

As the antenna requirements for an installation are being determined, keep in mind both the number of beltpack users who will be working in an area (based on the beltpack capacity of the antenna), and the layout and potential RF attenuating and reflecting items in the location. Be conservative in distance estimates to make sure that enough antennas are included to provide the necessary coverage for the installation. Remember that additional antennas may be added. 

General rules and tips for antenna placement:

• Keep antennas high and in line-of-sight (lower placements away from interfering objects can, at times, be beneficial. It depends on the environment)
• Keep antennas away from larger metallic objects and surfaces
• Antenna coverage is circular, so put the antennas in the center of the area in which the coverage is required
• When overlapping the coverage zones in order to create a larger continuous coverage area, test the inbetween areas with a beltpack for potential areas of low RF signal and adjust the positioning of the antennas as needed
• Because of potential body shielding during movement, it is useful to place two antennas in different locations within larger working areas to minimize low-level signals and potential signal dropouts

DX SERIES

The common antenna type used in the DX Series systems is an external Dual Diversity 1/2 ave dipole omni-directional antenna. The DX Series base stations use two of these antennas. The base electronics switch between these antennas to obtain the best signal quality. Both antennas act as a transmit and receive, so one antenna could be removed and the system would still operate. The purpose of having two antennas is to overcome multipath dropouts. If one antenna is remoted, the base will still select the antenna that gives the best signal.

Some installations require that the antennas be removed from the base station chassis and placed in another location to ensure better line-of-sight operation. Antennas can be placed outside of equipment racks and microphone stands, wall brackets, or any other suitable mounting device. To do this, the DX Series has an optional remote antenna kit, consisting of a bracket, coax cable and screws. Adding addition coax cable to the antenna connection will reduce the range to that antenna because of signal loss, but it will fill in a bad coverage spot. Therefore, it is best to keep antenna cabling down to a minimum whenever possible.

General rules and tips for antenna/base station placement:

• The base station should be located so that you maximize the line-of-sight operation - even if this requires operating through a glass window
• Metal equipment racks will block RF from reaching the antennas mounted to the base station inside - rear-mounted antennas may not work inside a metal rack
• Minimize the number of walls between the base station and area where the beltpacks will be operating
• If necessary, the base station can always be moved closer to the area of highest beltpack usage for more thorough coverage
• Always do a walk test before making the decision of where to place the base station

Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System: Regional Approvals (Part 6 of 9)

When trying to decide what Clear-Com wireless is right for you, the frequency band regulations may effect which wireless you are allowed to use. Today, we will discuss the regional approvals section of the Choosing the Right Wireless Infographic. 

Download the full Infographic HERE.

One of the first things you need to know about frequency bands is that the use of radio equipment is subject to regulations in each country. A given device may not be allowed to cause harmful interference to other authorized users. The device must accept any interference caused by other users. RF equipment must be installed by qualified professional personnel. It is the responsibility of the installer to ensure that only approved equipment and/or systems are deployed and that effective radiated power does not exceed permissible limits established by the country's regulatory agency in which it is used. 

Wireless partyline systems have been analog for many years and can still be found, although use of the radio spectrum they occupy is in a state of change. These analog wireless systems use the UHF frequencies of 470 - 698 MHz, part of which has been selected by the FCC in the US, to be auctioned off, banning the use of wireless microphones, transmitters, intercom systems or other wireless devices on a licensed and unlicensed basis. Despite the efficiency of the lower UHF band, long-term use may be in decline because of these regulation changes. But not all is lost.

One of the biggest innovations incorporated in wireless intercom is the all-digital radio. A significant feature of some digital wireless systems operating in 1.9 GHz and 2.4 GHz is that they use transceivers that require no end user licenses for operation in some countries. These systems never need frequency coordination and do not suffer from the interference that analog radio signals incur regularly. In addition, the wireless systems allow for many more simultaneous users than ever possible in the lower UHF systems.

A common transmission scheme used for digital wireless intercom is frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS), a technology originally developed for military guidance systems to make them insensitive to frequency jamming. FHSS-based wireless intercom systems transmit digitized audio samples for all intercom channels and beltpack return talk paths in a single transmission burst serially on a narrow band RF carrier. This is then repeated on carious frequencies in a defined pattern known by the base station and the beltpack. Depending on the implementation, FHSS may be used in conjunction with redundant transmission where a second transmission pattern is utilized in parallel, or redundant, transmission of the digitized audio on the same carrier after the primary transmission. the most recent versions also include a mechanism that validates the next frequency in the FHSS pattern before using it for transmission or moving onwards to the next frequency. Frequency bands that are commonly used for FHSS include 2400 - 2480 MHz range. 

Another common digital transmission scheme is DECT (digital enhanced cordless telecommunications) standard. Originally developed for cordless telephones, the DECT multi-carrier TDMA (time-division multiple access) technology allows for very efficient spectrum utilization over 2 to 10 common carriers in the 1800 - 1930 MHz range, depending on regional allotments. The DECT protocol automatically assigns time slots and carriers to individual devices.

Because of these differing transmission schemes and frequency band regulations per country, the FreeSpeak II 1.9 GHz system is only allowed to be used within the United States, Canada, EU countries, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Argentina, and Brazil. There are no current regulation restrictions for the FSII 2.4 GHz, DX410, DX300ES, DX210, or DX100 wireless systems. 

Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System: Number of Users (Part 5 of 9)

When trying to decide what Clear-Com wireless is right for you, the number of users you have and how they need to talk and listen to each other may be the determining factor of what system you need. Today, we will discuss the number of channels section of the Choosing the Right Wireless Infographic. 

Download the full Infographic HERE.

Before we get into the details of what system will work for you, we need to explain the three different types of communication channels. 

SIMPLEX COMMUNICATION

A simplex communication channel only sends information in one direction - from the sending device to the receiving device. Simplex is used only when the sending device does not require a response from the receiving device. For example, a radio station usually sends signals to the audience, but never receives signals from them; therefore, a radio station is a simplex channel. Another example is a microphone to a loudspeaker.

HALF-DUPLEX COMMUNICATION

In half-duplex mode, data can be transmitted in both directions, just not at the same time. At a certain point, it is a simplex channel whose transmission direction can be switched. Two-way radios are typical half-duplex devices. It has a push-to-talk (PTT) button, which can be used to turn on the transmitter, but turn off the receiver. Therefore, once you push the button, you cannot hear the person you are talking to but your partner can hear you.

FULL-DUPLEX COMMUNICATION

A full-duplex communication channel transmits data in both directions at the same time. It is constructed as a pair of simplex links that allows bi-directional simultaneous transmission. Take the telephone as an example. People at both ends of a call can speak and be heard by each other at the same time because there are two communication paths between them. Thus, using the full-duplex mode can greatly increase the efficiency of communication.

Ok, now that you understand what kind of communication you need to have, simplex, half-duplex or full-duplex, you're now ready to compare wireless systems based on this requirement. 

DX100: Supports up to 4 full-duplex users or 15 half-duplex users

DX210: Supports up to 4 full-duplex users or 15 half-duplex users. Able to connect up to 4 base stations together for up to 16 full-duplex users or 44 half-duplex users.

DX300ES: Supports up to 3 full-duplex users or 15 half-duplex users. Able to connect up to 4 base stations together for up to 12 full-duplex or 60 half-duplex users. 

DX410: Supports up to 4 full-duplex users in single-channel mode or 15 half-duplex users. Able to connect up to 4 base stations together for up to 16 full-duplex users or 44 half-duplex users.

FSII 1.9 GHz: Supports up to 5 full-duplex users per transceiver or a total of 25 full-duplex users with up to 10 transceivers. Able to connect base stations together for up to 65 full-duplex users when mixed with FSII 2.4 GHz transceivers on a system.

FSII 2.4 GHz: Supports up to 5 full-duplex users per transceiver or a total of 40 full-duplex users with up to 10 transceivers. Able to connect base stations together for up to 65 full-duplex users when mixed with FSII 1.9 GHz transceivers on a system.

Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System: Audio Quality (Part 4 of 9)

When trying to decide what Clear-Com wireless is right for you, how clear the audio is may determine the difference between one system or another. Today, we will discuss the audio quality section of the Choosing the Right Wireless Infographic. 

Download the full Infographic HERE.

When we talk about 3KHz or 7KHz audio, we are referring to the Frequency Range of the audio. This is a generic term used by all audio manufacturers, even in consumer products. An example of frequency range would be the often-noted human hearing range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz. With Clear-Com intercoms, including the wireless offerings, we refer to a frequency range that the listener on the system would experience. With wireless intercom, it is always a beltpack.

NOTE: The specification of 3KHz or 7KHz audio has nothing to do with the RF characteristics of wireless systems.

This gets more complicated than just the listen side, because you have several elements that play into this. First, there is the microphone one speaks into. It has a frequency response or range of frequencies that is tailored for particular applications. Just like the infamous Sure SM58 has a certain frequency response, so do the microphones we and other communication companies use. Then, there is the earphone, or listen, part. The transducer in the headphone/headset has a certain frequency response - just like your earbuds or home music system or any loudspeaker. And then there is the electronics of the system itself. It has a frequency response from input to output - that individual specification can be found on the datasheet for each wireless system.

A LITTLE HISTORY

In the beginning, telephone systems were developed for voice range frequencies so that today, you are experiencing the 3.5KHz bandwidth when you're speaking on a telephone. This was done for many reasons, particularly because they had to transport the telephone signal hundreds of miles.

Many communication companies who are building production intercoms specify a frequency response centered on voice grade communications, just like the telephone. After all, what we are primarily doing is talking and listening to voice on the intercom - not listening to music or watching movies. Intercoms are basically a means for directions, cues, and safety within a production.

As productions got bigger, we started to see audio as an element that is present in intercoms. Audio in the form of Program; i.e. announcers and natural sounds and more full bandwidth audio programming, originated from the audio console injected into the intercoms. As users wanted a wireless system that can reproduce a broader spectrum, then that is when 7KHz audio products came on the scene. And then people realized that wider bandwidth audio, like 7KHz, was much less fatiguing to listen to. When you are subjected to wearing a headset for 12 hour tech rehearsals, listening to lower quality audio can be tiring!

3KHz vs 7KHz

The difference between 3KHz and 7KHz doesn't mean that one is better than the other. What you have is a wider choice of products for what you need and how you are using your intercoms. The 3KHz systems are often at a lower price point and may have less interfacing features and functions, but they are ideal for all sorts of projects - from education and healthcare to small performance spaces. The 7KHz systems are typically needed for more detailed systems that are required for Broadway performances, live events and televised productions. So, the choice is really up to you!

Clear-Com's 3KHz system options include the DX100, DX210 and DX300ES wireless systems. Clear-Com's 7KHz system options include the DX410, FreeSpeak II 1.9GHz and FreeSpeak II 2.4 GHz wireless systems.

Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System: Number of Channels (Part 3 of 9)

When trying to decide what Clear-Com wireless is right for you, the number of channels you need may determine the wireless system right away. Today, we will discuss the number of channels section of the Choosing the Right Wireless Infographic. 

Download the full Infographic HERE.

Partyline Intercom: A partyline is classically used when several users, such as beltpacks, are active in a common task and they much communicate with each other all the time in a full-duplex mode. A partyline is intended for use as a conference with a significant amount of back and forth communication between users. Each station must activate the listen key to the desired partyline to listen and talk key to talk. Stations are dynamically added and subtracted from a partyline as users activate talk and listen keys.

Let's start at the beginning: Wireless systems are, by design, partyline systems. So, what exactly is a wireless intercom channel? A channel is one individual circuit of communication. A good example would be a partyline channel, like for spotlight operators. It's possible for a user station (wireless beltpack) to select between more than one channel available in a system with a channel selector on their station. This allows for multiple conversations or information flows to occur independently as needed. For example, an assistant stage manager might assign the carpenters to Channel A, and the rest of the production would be on Channel B. Clear-Com offers various wireless intercom systems with single-channel operation and/or multi-channel operations.

SINGLE CHANNEL

If you have technicians whose workflow require them to communicate all together, then a single channel system is all you need. The DX100 is a simple single-channel system that allows users to speak to each other in hands-free mode or have a private conversation on a secured channel - much like a walkie-talkie, but full-duplex. Even our 2-channel wireless systems can be operated as a single-channel systems, with the advantage of using the second channel when you are ready to expand your system. 

TWO-CHANNEL

Let's say you are a stage manager and you need to have separate conversations with your carpenters and production crew. The carpenters don't need to hear what you're saying to the production crew and the production crew doesn't need to hear what you're saying to the carpenters. This is a perfect situation where a two-channel system will be of use. The DX210, DX300ES and DX410 systems are all 2-channel wireless systems that allow you to configure two different group communications and switch between the two using Channel A and Channel B on the beltpacks.

MULTI-CHANNEL

Taking the two-channel concept a step further, there may be many situations when you need to communicate with more than just two channels. That's where more advanced systems, like our FreeSpeak II systems, come into play. The FreeSpeak II base station is a small audio matrix offering 12 virtual wireless partyline channels and 12 virtual groups. The base also includes freely assignable 2-wire and/or 4-wire ports to any or all virtual partyline channels or groups. Features per beltpack include four programmable pushbuttons, two rotary encoders and a relay button. Because the base is considered a matrix, the wireless beltpack controls cross-points, or groups of cross-points, on the base station's router according to the configuration of the system. The beltpack can be configured to access up to five communication routes by selecting among any of the 12 wireless partyline channels and/or 12 groups using these buttons and encoders. It is also possible to assign beltpack to beltpack (point-to-point) or direct connections. This is truly the top of the line multi-channel wireless production intercom.

Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System: 2-wire & 4-wire Interfacing (Part 2 of 9)

When trying to decide what Clear-Com wireless is right for you, 2-wire and 4-wire interfacing may be an essential need. Here, we discuss this section of the Choosing the Right Wireless Infographic and why either of these interfacing capabilities is important. 

Download the full Infographic HERE.

Why is interfacing, in general, so important? It's one thing to have a stand-alone system. It doesn't need to communicate to anything else, no other technologies need to be included. It operates by itself. But what if you have a facility wired system your productions have outgrown the existing intercom? You and your staff need to discuss the workflow needs and the decision to expand is adding a wireless partyline intercom system. NOW interfacing becomes important and understanding those methods come first.

There are two common techniques that make interfacing a wireless base intercom system possible: it's called 2-wire and 4-wire.

2-WIRE: a communications system where the path is the same for both talk and listen. In intercom channels, there are two wires (one path). 2-wire systems can be 2-wire balanced or 2-wire unbalanced. Example: analog partyline is a 2-wire system.

4-WIRE: a communications system where the path is different for talk and listen. In intercom channels, there are four wires (two paths). 4-wire systems can be 4-wire balanced or 4-wire unbalanced. The 4-wire circuit gets its name from the fact that a balanced pair of conductors was used in each of two directions for full-duplex operation. Example: digital matrix, cameras, 3rd-party systems, etc. 

CLEAR-COM WIRELESS AND INTERFACING

Starting at an entry level, and within the most simplistic of group communications, you wouldn't need to interface to anything else, like a small group, in the same location, that only need to communicate among the crew. In this setting, a DX100 system would do the job. It does not support connections to any other external communication of audio devices. This compact and portable single-channel digital wireless intercom system  supports up to 15 beltpacks or all-in-one headsets per base station. DX100 employs Digital Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) and is approved for worldwide 2.4 GHz license-free operation. The DX100 is the most economical wireless full-duplex partyline production intercom available anywhere. Most Clear-Com wireless base systems offer interconnectivity by providing a 2-wire or 4-wire interface or both. With all instances of external interfacing, it will always be on a per wireless channel basis.

The DX300ES is a digitial wireless communication system that enables hands-free full-duplex secure communication on two independent channels, or both channels at the same time. It can be operated with AC or battery power, like the DX100. Multiple base stations can be interconnected for expanded capabilities. In addition to the standard communication among base station and wireless beltpack operators, the system provides a 10-pin terminal strip connector for easy connection to 4-wire intercom systems. There is one analog 4-wire audio interface per channel with send and receive level trim controls to balance the audio. There are no 2-wire interfaces. To accommodate connecting analog 2-wire intercoms, it would be necessary to convert the 2-wire to 4-wire. Refer to a 2-wire to 4-wire external converter, such as a Clear-Com IF4W4, EF-701M or CCI-22.

The following models provide analog 2-wire interfacing, as well as analog 4-wire. In all cases of 2-wire interconnectivity, provision to select between a Clear-Com or RTS compatible system is provided with a selector button or switch. When connecting external intercom 2-wire connections, a Clear-Com or RTS power supply is required. 

The DX210 and DX410 operate and perform with private, secure two-channel digital wireless intercom communication. The DX410 also features optional jumper settable 2-wire and 4-wire bridging circuitry. The bridging capability allows the option for combining the 2-wire and 4-wire ports together on either Channel A or B in such a way that the 2-wire and the 4-wire are capable of talk/listen capability along with the wireless users.

The FreeSpeak II is Clear-Com's flagship wireless intercom system that can operate in 1.9 GHz, 2.4 GHz, or a mix of both on the same system. The base station offers 12 wireless partyline channels and 12 groups. The base includes four 2-wire analog partyline ports with call signal and four 4-wire audio ports with call signal. These 2-wire ports and 4-wire ports can then be configured to any or all of the 12 wireless channels or 12 groups. The base station can be used in main station mode with talk and call soft keys or as a headset station for communication and monitoring from the panel. The base station's digital displays allow easy system configuration directly from the base station or through the browser-based Core Configuration Manager (CCM) tool. The wireless beltpack features up to five communication routes per beltpack using four programmable pushbuttons, two rotary encoders and a reply button. All four 2-wire ports have software-enabled power function to supply 850mA DC on each pair of connectors for powering Clear-Com compatible or RTS analog wired devices.

Choosing the Right Wireless Intercom System (Part 1 of 9)

You know you want a Clear-Com wireless intercom. But with so many options, how do you know which one will work best for you? We've created an easy to use Infographic that will help guide you in choosing the right wireless system based on your needs. 

Not everyone's needs are the same. Interfacing may be more important than the number of users for one user, where as another user may need to meet budget requirements over audio quality. There is no finite way of determining what's right for you. This Infographic allows you to pick and choose what matters the most and you can drill down from there.  Consider this the "Choose Your Own Adventure" in wireless intercom. Don't know where to start? Over the next series of posts, we'll be breaking down each section and educating you on how to choose the right wireless intercom system for you.

Download the Infographic HERE.

Q&A: Clear-Com Intercoms for Venues

We had a chance to sit down with Vinnie Macri, Market Outreach Manager for Clear-Com, to talk about intercoms needs in venues, IP infrastructure, how integrators choose the right system, and who should be involved in the deployment of those systems. 


Q: What are the main types of venues that use intercoms?

A: "Venues" is a broad topic, but when you think of them, one thinks of Performing Arts to House of Worship to Sporting facilities and anything in between. What they all have in common for intercom is that these venues are places where productions happen - shows! These could be for television or for live audiences or combination special events, like political conventions. These are all productions that require specialized communications to make them successful. For Clear-Com, we have an extensive network of rental partners servicing these facilities. Within the facilities themselves, you will find many permanent installations for broadcast and live shows costing sometimes millions of dollars. Right in the heart is a production intercom system like Clear-Com.

Q: Most venues now have an IP infrastructure onsite. How is this type of network used for intercom systems?

A: First of all, some, not all facilities have an IT infrastructure useable for production. If one refers to infrastructure simply as category cable, then yes - a lot of facilities have category cable run throughout. It is a decision for the production and how the facility has to operate from a tenant's or user's perspective that may or may not leverage the category infrastructure. IP protocols are the predominant transport methods used in networking. Clear-Com has designed communication solutions that use standardized IP protocols for over a decade and more recently with specialized products for remote-to-facility productions. These solutions are usable on any IT infrastructure. We find that most modern facilities, or older updated ones, have referred any IT work to a consultant. Within the facility, it is typically the IT department who will manage the network and they are the most helpful in accommodating any intercom devices that sit on the network, whether it's for in-house maintenance crews use or for a show. Within today's venues it is the IT department making most of the decisions.

Q: What are the benefits?
A: Routing is the key benefit for network audio, including some intercom applications. Used in intercom workflows, routing primarily involves audio "program" feeds to users, typically talent. Certainly, having IP distributed around a venue makes the cabling and interconnection of devices much easier, and less time consuming for both set-up and tear down no matter if its copper or fiber based. Using an IP network within a venue for intercom deployment is not necessarily of value because these systems tend to be fixed. Where they do become interesting is when we turn to the use of tablets, smartphones and laptops running Clear-Com intercom applications, where users are not fixed and would like to operate with other devices on the network - fixed and remote.

Q: What are the disadvantages? How can they be overcome?
A: Being that the industry is working towards standardizations for low-latency audio transport over a network, it's with great anticipation that we hope to see more interoperability between manufacturer products and not simply audio network interfacing. The biggest discovery - we wouldn't say disadvantage - is the lack of understanding about networking and the realization that networking is not necessarily a cheaper solution and requires a lot of design consultation and cooperation between all interested departments. For venues with fixed or virtual intercom devices sitting on a network, there are no disadvantages other than the realization of living in an imperfect IP world with some latency. This of course is a matter of design.

Q: How can an integrator best choose a system that suits its client's needs?
A: Whenever a consultant is not present and when an integrator is asked to design communication systems for venues, we always suggest that they use our services. Sometimes we recommend a consultant! Clear-Com has worked hard in offering Partners web portal access, including a consultant specific portal, to design tools and system design reviews. Designing and selecting the correct pieces for a specific client use and workflow differs from venue to venue. There is no one size. Clear-Com has a distinct advantage that we offer more solutions than any other intercom manufacturer that includes: analog wired partyline, digital networked wired partyline, numerous wireless partyline, digital matrix, system interfaces, virtual communications and communication sub-systems, such as IFB and commentary.

Q: In an area where staff using the system are often temporary or freelance, what is the best route to deploying a system that is understood and easy to use by people that are often operating in high-pressure environments?
A: There are some aspects of using intercom or deploying intercom that should not be left to chance. Besides the obvious, when you're over your head, stop digging and ask for help.  Most freelance technicians coming into a venue specialize in intercom systems. If you look at some of the biggest shows, there are dozens of independent freelance comms engineers that understand the systems. As a manufacturer, we tend to develop user devices that are familiar and easy to use; however, depending on the complexity of the device and the overall system intention to meet a workflow, we find and recommend appointing an educated A1 to lead the communication team. A clear part that Clear-Com plays is education and we offer many avenues for understanding intercom including tutorials, videos, and accredited courses.

Vinnie Macri is the Market Outreach Manager for Clear-Com. He has extensive experience in the theater, live performance and broadcast intercom, working with customers and consultants in all markets for intercom education.

Can You Hear Me Now?: A History of the Development of the Intercom (Part 3)

Comedian Bob Newhart's first record album, "The Button-down Mind of Bob Newhart", has a hilarious routine called "The Khrushchev Landing Rehearsal". Newhart's routine centers on a television director in the TV control room, trying to direct the run-through of Khrushchev's airplane landing at Idlewild Airport. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev visited the United States in September of 1959. One of Newhart's gag lines makes fun of then-President Eisenhower's love of playing golf. As Khrushchev approaches Eisenhower to shake hands, Newhart says over the intercom in frustration, "Somebody take the putter from Ike!"

Of course, there was no run-through of this event. News events aren't rehearsed. However, Newhart does a great job of portraying what you would hear on a typical partyline intercom in a broadcast environment. His routine also shows how important to the entertainment industry a functional intercom system is. Television, live shows and motion picture production could not be done without intercom systems. 

After telephones had become common, telephone-type intercom systems started to be used in live theater. There were standard handset-based phone instruments located backstage, in offices, out front in the prompt booth, as well as other areas. But there was still a need for stage managers to be able to talk to their technical crews, especially the spotlight operators. Many theater companies had technical people who built specialized voice communication systems on their own. A one-way talk system was all that most live venues had to use. 

Crew members wore headphones to hear the manager. They could not hold a handset and still perform their duties so they weren't able to talk to the stage manager, or each other. Most of the early headset products used by telephone operators and other users were pretty clunky. Many of them consisted of a pair of headphones and a large, round, black curved tube that sat on the users chest. At the bottom of this tube was a microphone. It was secured by a leather strap that went around the user's neck. 

As time passed, telephone equipment became more sophisticated and cheaper to purchase and creating a partyline system became easier to do. Headsets had become smaller and lighter, most likely due to the demand on part of the telephone company operators. Wearing one of the early headphone/speaking tube microphones for eight hours at a stretch was exhausting and uncomfortable. When television broadcasting began in the late 1940's, the need for an intercom system to connect directors, floor people, camera operators, video switchers, and sound board operators became a necessity instead of a luxury. 

Some TV pioneers tell stories of the pre-intercom days when crew members tried to communicate exclusively with hand signals, much like baseball players do. For a baseball team, this method works well, but in a production environment, it's much too slow and doesn't allow for sudden changes that take place.

Like early theater, most television station's engineering departments built the intercoms used within their facilities themselves. These were typically based on existing telephone technology - by using a power supply that would source the considerable current, multiple users could connect to the same line without lowering the voice level too far to be heard clearly. And the early partyline system was born.

By this time, headsets had evolved into smaller and lighter versions. Wearing a headset now didn't weigh down the user and left their hands free to run a camera, video switcher, or perform whatever duties that person needed to do.

When entertainment production became increasingly complex, intercoms had to also be more complex in their functionality. Large productions needed more than one communication circuit and users frequently needed the ability to switch themselves from one circuit to another. Many venues and stations used one intercom system that covered the entire facility. Local user panels were installed in areas like editing rooms, offices of programmers, and even places like the General Manager's office or the commercial traffic office. For systems of this size, matrix-type switching and local station re-routing were necessary to satisfy all of the requirements. Having the staff engineering people construct and deploy the intercom system just wasn't an option. The operational needs of the system became too complex. 

This was, and still is, true in large-market TV stations that cover many floors. For example, I once worked in a station that had the newsroom on one floor, the studios and engineering department on another, and the sales, traffic and accounting departments on a third floor. One intercom system connected the entire facility and many of the rooms and offices on each floor had an intercom panel. All of the studios were equipped with multiple beltpacks because there were always numerous live productions underway.

Today, sophisticated intercom systems have become so common that much of the modern technology available is taken for granted. The ability to reconfigure systems on the fly, having instant reliable access, high-quality audio, and features such as interruptable foldback (IFB) for cueing and orders from the director, make the modern intercom systems the backbone of any production. Without this capability, producing everything from sporting events to live plays to opera to television shows would not be possible. 

In case you missed Part 1 and 2 of this series:
    Part 1: Totally Tubular: A History of the Development of the Intercom
    Part 2: Mr. Watson, Come Here: A History of the Development of the Intercom

Paul Black is a freelance writer and broadcast engineer in Northern California. He holds a Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer certification from the Society of Broadcast Engineers and an FCC Lifetime General Class Operator License. He is a licensed amateur radio operator (call sign N6BBZ) and has worked for several broadcast companies, including Bonneville Broadcasting, RKO General Broadcasting, and CBS Television. Visit his website at www.paulblackcopy.com. 

Mr. Watson, Come Here: A History of the Development of the Intercom (Part 2)

In the first part of this series, we discussed how the words "Internal Communication" led to the now common term, Intercom. We also talked about how the first intercom systems were known as voice tubes; tubes that carried voices acoustically. Although these were very crude systems compared to later electrical products, they did actually work. Some types of voice tubes are still in use today.

Like many other technologies, electrification changed intercom products radically. Before the electrical intercom could exist, one invention had to proceed it.

The telephone.

Bell making the first telephone call

When Alexander Graham Bell sat in one room in his Boston home, raised a transmitter tube to his mouth and then said, "Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you", he was talking from that room down to his assistant in the basement, Thomas Watson. Watson, an engineer and employee of Bell's, once claimed that Bell had spilled battery acid on his leg and was genuinely calling for help. However, Watson later said that he could not be certain if this took place during the first test or in subsequent research. In any case, Bell documented the event in his journal on March 10th, 1876, making the first words spoken over what would later become the telephone, revolutionizing communications around the world.

One of the first systems ever patented was built by the Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company in 1894. It's main purpose was for use in apartment buildings. Some early apartment buildings had a pull-wire, then later electrical, signaling system. A prospective visitor would pull a handle, or push a button on a panel, which would then signal the tenant that someone wanted inside. However, because they couldn't see or talk to who was signaling them, they ran the risk of letting in someone they didn't know, like a burglar.

As is true today, the more upscale apartment buildings in major cities had doormen to guard the building. Prior to the intercoms being available, these men would have to lock out the person asking for entry and go up to the tenant's apartment to ask if the tenant wanted to see the visitor or not. As apartment buildings became larger, this process became frustrating to both the tenants and the visitors.

Early Kellogg Phone

The Kellogg system added a telephone-type circuit to the signal panels. An earpiece and mouthpiece resembling the old-fashioned candlestick telephones allowed the tenant to talk to the visitor directly, instead of having the doorman run up and down to ask the tenant in person.

In the late 1930's, an engineer named Allan C. Bernstein started a company called Adams Laboratories that took the apartment intercom idea into the workplace. Ultimately, Adams Laboratories became the manufacturing arm of Executone Corporation, with Bernstein as President. The first product was a simple two-station system, called the "boss-to-secretary" system. This migrated into further point-to-point wired systems, including one of the first "patient-to-nurse" hospital communication systems ever used. Over his lifetime, Bernstein developed and held many patents until his death in 1987.

RMS Queen Mary's Loudaphone

One unique intercom system for use in noisy environments was made in England in the 1930's. Called the Loudaphone, it was installed in places with high background noise, such as trains or ship engine rooms. For example, the RMS Queen Mary had a Loudaphone system in use in the engine room areas.

After the Bell System monopoly was established in the early 1920's, the local telephone companies owned by Bell, then later American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T), were the only convenient source of equipment and services for regular land-line telephone systems. This gave them a perfect opportunity to also be the provider of intercom systems.

Multiple desk phone intercoms

In old movies from the early part of the twentieth century, some of the scenes set in offices show a desk with two or three phones. Many times, one of the phone would be a part of an intercom system within the building. It wasn't until more sophisticated systems came along that the phones used for outside lines also had an intercom tied to them. However, not all businesses took advantage of this capability. Today, this is still the case.

As time passed, the needs of the marketplace caused manufacturers to make a lot of progress on new features. Speaker-based intercoms, such as those used in naval ships in WWII, became common in the commercial world. Since these operated like a speakerphone, they didn't require a handset. More than one person at a time could participate in the conversation. Noise-cancelling circuits for loud areas, public address capabilities, and other similar modern features made it easier for end users to find a system that suited their needs.

Wires, wires and more wires

One large cost factor in intercom installation was the wiring that had to be run inside the building. Pulling wire is extremely labor-intensive and it can be the most expensive part of an installation. To help with this, manufacturers came up with wireless systems that function like speakerphones, but use radio frequencies instead of wiring. Another unique solution that was developed became know as a Powerline system. A Powerline is when the intercom hardware uses the wiring that provides power to the outlets as a path for the signal.

In our next installment, we'll talk about the current state-of-the-art intercom technology and address two of the largest users of intercom products - the entertainment and broadcasting industries.

In case you missed Part 1 of this series:
    Part 1: Totally Tubular: A History of the Development of the Intercom

Paul Black is a freelance writer and broadcast engineer in Northern California. He holds a Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer certification from the Society of Broadcast Engineers and an FCC Lifetime General Class Operator License. He is a licensed amateur radio operator (call sign N6BBZ) and has worked for several broadcast companies, including Bonneville Broadcasting, RKO General Broadcasting, and CBS Television. Visit his website at www.paulblackcopy.com.