Intercoms

[Tyler]

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

[Footer]

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

[Van]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

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.

[gafftaper]

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

[Footer]

Originally Posted by gafftaper

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.

[soundlight]

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

[mbenonis]

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.

[Andy_Leviss]

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.

[GeneralDoom]

The other big advatage to a wired system is it is much easier to expand and/or replace damaged componates