ControlBooth
 

Go Back   ControlBooth > CB Discussions > Stage Management

Notices


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old January 3rd, 2007, 03:33 AM

Techie
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Tampa, Florida, USA
Posts: 117
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to Tyler
Default Intercoms

I was looking to add an intercom system for our church. We do a lot of traveling for events and it would really help out to use intercoms as we've done [rented] before. We really only need 4 full headsets, as we can add on later.

I want to know everything we need to get this together. These can all be wired, since wireless would probably be out of our budget for right now. I'd like to stay well under $1000 for this. It really isnt't a necessity, but it would sure help out with communication. Any suggestions on where to buy and what exactly we need?

Thanks,
Tyler
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old January 3rd, 2007, 04:11 AM
Footer's Avatar
Senior Team

Technical Director
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 2,615
Thanks: 1
Thanked 83 Times in 80 Posts
Default Re: Intercoms

You will need a power supply/base station, headsets, and boxes, and XLR cable to interconnect everything. I suggest production intercom, they make great gear and you can pick it up much cheaper then telex or clear-com.

This is a link to production intercoms "econo-com" line, this is still bulletproof gear. http://www.beltpack.com/econo.htm
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old January 3rd, 2007, 02:22 PM
Van's Avatar
Van Van is offline
CB Supporter 

Technical Director
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Portland, Or.
Posts: 3,100
Thanks: 37
Thanked 109 Times in 105 Posts
Default Re: Intercoms

Quote:
Originally Posted by Footer4321 View Post
You will need a power supply/base station, headsets, and boxes, and XLR cable to interconnect everything. I suggest production intercom, they make great gear and you can pick it up much cheaper then telex or clear-com.

This is a link to production intercoms "econo-com" line, this is still bulletproof gear. http://www.beltpack.com/econo.htm
I second, third, and fourth ! PI is the way to go. Use the search tool on here for the word intercom. You will find several discussions where many of us have extolled the virtues of PI.
__________________
Van J. McQueen
Technical Director
Artists Repertory Theatre

Remember:
If you light a man a fire,
you warm him for the night.
If you light a man ON fire,
You warm him for the rest of his life.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old January 3rd, 2007, 02:57 PM
gafftaper's Avatar
half wisdom and half-wit
CB Supporter 

Technical Director
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Seattle Washington
Posts: 4,856
Thanks: 36
Thanked 149 Times in 122 Posts
Default Re: Intercoms

I was really impressed with the products from Eartec at LDI. Unfortunately, I haven't found anyone who owns the products yet to give me a first hand account of how they work in the real world. But they have a 4 person wireless full duplex system for $800 (including belt packs and headsets no base station needed). You can't beat that. For About $550 you can add an interface that allows the wireless system to talk IN FULL DUPLEX with a wired system.

http://www.eartec.com/td904pro.html
__________________
Community College Technical Director
If you have learned as much from CB as I have, donate now to keep CB alive for others to find and learn from.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old January 3rd, 2007, 03:11 PM
Footer's Avatar
Senior Team

Technical Director
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 2,615
Thanks: 1
Thanked 83 Times in 80 Posts
Default Re: Intercoms

Quote:
Originally Posted by gafftaper View Post
I was really impressed with the products from Eartec at LDI. Unfortunately, I haven't found anyone who owns the products yet to give me a first hand account of how they work in the real world. But they have a 4 person wireless full duplex system for $800 (including belt packs and headsets no base station needed). You can't beat that. For About $550 you can add an interface that allows the wireless system to talk IN FULL DUPLEX with a wired system.
http://www.eartec.com/td904pro.html
I have used those, they are OK until you use them for more then two hours and a ton of static starts appearing on the line. My personal rule with com, go wired unless you MUST be wireless. Also, wireless com is really only useful if all people can talk to everyone at the same time, and the master/slave thing is a bit annoying.

Last edited by Footer; January 3rd, 2007 at 03:13 PM..
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #6 (permalink)  
Old January 3rd, 2007, 07:21 PM
soundlight's Avatar
CB Supporter 

Technical Director
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Posts: 2,551
Thanks: 11
Thanked 87 Times in 78 Posts
Send a message via AIM to soundlight
Default Re: Intercoms

The only thing that I don't like about the Eartec wireless is the required Master Pack, which is basically the beltpack that has to be on and in range of all of the others for the system to work.

I'd look in to Eartec's wired system as well, but make sure that you get PTT (Push To Talk) Headsets, because there are no beltpacks in the system.

http://eartec.com/dramacom.html
__________________
Entertainment Technology/Thea. Design major
All-around techie and designer
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
Imperial 120V Pirate!
Nothing is ever "state of the art"...something new comes out the next day.
"Don't ever grow up. It's over-rated."
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old January 3rd, 2007, 08:28 PM
Asst. Webmaster
Wireless Freak

Technical Director
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Charlottesville, VA
Posts: 949
Thanks: 8
Thanked 38 Times in 25 Posts
Send a message via AIM to mbenonis
Default Re: Intercoms

If you go with wireless comm, remember that you'll need (2*N) frequencies to operate these units, which may be a problem if you're located near a major metropolitan area (N is the number if units you have). Additionally, these frequencies will likely need to be coordinated with any other wireless devices you have, such as microphones.

BTW, I'll also throw my two cents in the hat for PI systems. Definitely the way to go if you're on a budget and still want bulletproof equipment.
__________________
Mike Benonis
Electrical Engineering '09
Sound Engineer - Department of Drama
University of Virginia
KI4RIX
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old January 16th, 2007, 11:12 PM
Andy_Leviss's Avatar
Senior Team

Assistant TD
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NYC
Posts: 462
Thanks: 1
Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts
Default Re: Intercoms

Actually, you only need N+1 frequencies. Just like a wired com system, the base station transmits a party-line, so, given a four-beltpack system, you have (at the base station) four receive frequencies (one for each beltpack), which the base station mixes together into the party line and sends out on the transmit frequency. Just as with wired beltpacks, each beltpack uses sidetone nulling to avoid feeding back from receiving its own signal back on the party-line.

To put it another way, I'll use the HME System 800 as an example. They come in A, B, and C frequency sets. On an A system, the base station is A, and the four beltpacks on that station are A1, A2, A3, and A4. Each beltpack receives the A signal from the base station, and transmits its own signal (1, 2, 3, or 4) back to the base station (which mixes those signals together to form the A).

All that said, I do need to echo the previous posts that if you don't have a very, very specific reason for going wireless--especially in a travelling situation--stick with wired. Cheaper, lower maintenance, and no worries of RF issues.
__________________
Sound Engineer, currently working in a NYC sound shop
Member IATSE Local 1
One From The Road: Tools, Toys, and Tales for the Theatrical Technician

Last edited by Andy_Leviss; January 16th, 2007 at 11:15 PM..
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old May 3rd, 2007, 08:47 PM
GeneralDoom's Avatar

Junior Techie
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Winter Park FL
Posts: 26
Thanks: 2
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default Re: Intercoms

The other big advatage to a wired system is it is much easier to expand and/or replace damaged componates
__________________
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
intercoms

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


All times are UTC -4. The time now is 09:51 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.2.0
Powered by NuWiki v1.3 RC1 Copyright ©2006-2007, NuHit, LLC
Advertisement System V2.5 By   Branden

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54