I have been doing some research on a backstage communication system and I was hoping to get some feedback.
We are a small high school auditorium. We have recently purchased a Clear-Com wireless system (the Dx-210). This is good for the sound and lighting techs to to talk to the stage crew but we still don’t have a system for communication between actors backstage in the green room and dressing room to the booth.
To solve this I was looking at a couple different options.
We could get some clear com wall stations and mount them in the green room and dressing room. This way an actor could walk up to it and push the talk button and go through the clear com wireless. The only thing with this is that we would not be able to call a specific area backstage and have someone talk. Also everyone on the clear com would hear the conversation.
My second idea, although I’m not sure how common it is, was to install a Cisco PBX phone system for use as an intercom. It would consist mostly older gear bought cheaply off eBay. We could have a phone in the booth and a couple backstage. Someone could walk up to a phone and dial an extension and the other end could pick up.
For a couple hundred bucks more I could get some wireless access points. We could get some wireless Cisco phones and connect them to the access points. That way a couple of the techs could always be reached.
We are also looking at a backstage monitor system. I was looking at some sip paging interfaces to be able to page backstage from any of the phones.
Which makes more sense to you? What do you use in your theatre? Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks
We are a small high school auditorium. We have recently purchased a Clear-Com wireless system (the Dx-210). This is good for the sound and lighting techs to to talk to the stage crew but we still don’t have a system for communication between actors backstage in the green room and dressing room to the booth.
To solve this I was looking at a couple different options.
We could get some clear com wall stations and mount them in the green room and dressing room. This way an actor could walk up to it and push the talk button and go through the clear com wireless. The only thing with this is that we would not be able to call a specific area backstage and have someone talk. Also everyone on the clear com would hear the conversation.
My second idea, although I’m not sure how common it is, was to install a Cisco PBX phone system for use as an intercom. It would consist mostly older gear bought cheaply off eBay. We could have a phone in the booth and a couple backstage. Someone could walk up to a phone and dial an extension and the other end could pick up.
For a couple hundred bucks more I could get some wireless access points. We could get some wireless Cisco phones and connect them to the access points. That way a couple of the techs could always be reached.
We are also looking at a backstage monitor system. I was looking at some sip paging interfaces to be able to page backstage from any of the phones.
Which makes more sense to you? What do you use in your theatre? Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks