jtweigandt
Well-Known Member
We had been using family service radios and headsets, which for a variety of reasons have not been satisfactory.. sound quality, microphone jack life, people accidentally setting on vox, non duplex communication etc.
If you have an old pc (linux or windows) sitting around and a wireless router, there is a voice/text server arrangement called MUMBLE available for free download. Gamers use it to communicate with voice while playing. Do the download from the real site mumble.com, not the virus laden secondary sites that may pop up on a google search. On the pc that will be the server, you need to punch down through the install menu to make sure you install both mumble (client) and murmur (server) if you are on a windows pc. Instructions are online.
Heres the cool part.. you set up the FREE server program.. 5 minutes literally.. then you download either the mumble program for another computer(s), or the mumble app or the brumble app (slightly better) for any smart phone.. android or apple. Now the other pc, or phone logs into the server via the app, and you have a set of push to talk or voice activated, or full time on devices all inter connected.. all of which can hear each other via the wifi connnection. Secure password protected, not broadcasting to the general public.
I bought a set of logitech wireless bluetooth headsets, that allow the user to roam about 40 feet from the base pc.. no more belt pack.... just the headset. Or they can use just a cheap ear bud and set up any phone as a push to talk.. or they can use their existing phone/bluetooth earset/headset etc.
The voice quality is fantastic.. the logitech h800 headset is about 70 bucks 6 hour talk time rechargable.. Usable with the dongle or pair with any capable phone.
So you get a full duplex intercom system for free using old stuff you probably have sitting around, or add in to your box office pc and have the wireless router placed so that you have good signal stage and booth. If you have a pc, wireless router, and a phone, you can test this out yourself with about 1/2 hour time invested. Dont use to a live speaker or you get some funky reverb. Use earbuds or headset to test.
NOW THE REALLY COOL PART... the server also has text messaging integrated, so the guy with the phone, can text the booth if there is a complex message.. AND THE SYSTEM WILL BOTH DISPLAY ON THE MONITOR WINDOW, AND CONVERT TEXT TO SPEECH INTO THE BOOTH GUYS HEADSET!!! Texting to the phone user or secondary pc works the same way.
Have been testing/ proving... will likely go live with a show in 2 weeks.
If you have an old pc (linux or windows) sitting around and a wireless router, there is a voice/text server arrangement called MUMBLE available for free download. Gamers use it to communicate with voice while playing. Do the download from the real site mumble.com, not the virus laden secondary sites that may pop up on a google search. On the pc that will be the server, you need to punch down through the install menu to make sure you install both mumble (client) and murmur (server) if you are on a windows pc. Instructions are online.
Heres the cool part.. you set up the FREE server program.. 5 minutes literally.. then you download either the mumble program for another computer(s), or the mumble app or the brumble app (slightly better) for any smart phone.. android or apple. Now the other pc, or phone logs into the server via the app, and you have a set of push to talk or voice activated, or full time on devices all inter connected.. all of which can hear each other via the wifi connnection. Secure password protected, not broadcasting to the general public.
I bought a set of logitech wireless bluetooth headsets, that allow the user to roam about 40 feet from the base pc.. no more belt pack.... just the headset. Or they can use just a cheap ear bud and set up any phone as a push to talk.. or they can use their existing phone/bluetooth earset/headset etc.
The voice quality is fantastic.. the logitech h800 headset is about 70 bucks 6 hour talk time rechargable.. Usable with the dongle or pair with any capable phone.
So you get a full duplex intercom system for free using old stuff you probably have sitting around, or add in to your box office pc and have the wireless router placed so that you have good signal stage and booth. If you have a pc, wireless router, and a phone, you can test this out yourself with about 1/2 hour time invested. Dont use to a live speaker or you get some funky reverb. Use earbuds or headset to test.
NOW THE REALLY COOL PART... the server also has text messaging integrated, so the guy with the phone, can text the booth if there is a complex message.. AND THE SYSTEM WILL BOTH DISPLAY ON THE MONITOR WINDOW, AND CONVERT TEXT TO SPEECH INTO THE BOOTH GUYS HEADSET!!! Texting to the phone user or secondary pc works the same way.
Have been testing/ proving... will likely go live with a show in 2 weeks.