[SML] Intercom Options

[dale]

If you are planning on total replacement of the system.  There are a couple of vendors out there selling systems that run everything over ethernet.  The belt packs require PoE, but that is pretty inexpensive nowadays.  Advantages are essentially unlimited channels, and channel reconfiguration on the fly with the app.  You can also extend those channels with a link to the Internet to anyone with a compatible system anywhere on the internet.    So you can use channels for things like dressing room speakers, lobby announcement speakers and so on.   
Disadvantages, need to install network Jacks with PoE everywhere.    The wifi options work, but get unreliable with congestion.     Your students will be hacking into the system from time to time.  
ive heard of a system that uses old cell phones running Skype clients.  Cost is low if you have a source of secondhand smartphones with wifi and are willing to deal with the foibles of Skype conference calling.   
Dale
Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE smartphone

-------- Original message --------
From: Jon Ares via Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> 
Date: 5/3/17  10:52  (GMT-05:00) 
To: Stagecraft Mailing List <stagecraft at theatrical.net> 
Cc: Jon Ares <jonares at arescreative.com> 
Subject: Re: [SML] Intercom Options 

On Tue, May 2, 2017 at 4:44 AM, Alexander Taylor (Mailing List) via
Stagecraft <stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
> I’m investigating replacing our intercom system (524 seat processing theater in a High School).  Ever since the room was built in 2004, the intercom has been prone to lots of noises and other issues.  We currently have the Telex Audiocom system with about a dozen packs.  I’m looking for suggestions (maybe even out of the box) for an updated system.
>
> I’d love to go with something like the GreenGo boxes, but that’s a bit out of my price range.  Recently I’ve been considering using a Mumble client/server model with Raspberry PIs in beltpacks - has anyone else done that?  Should I just repair/expand my existing system?  What do people recommend?

Maybe scratch the wired system completely? We've also got a Telex
system in our space (wired) - and Eartec wireless, plus the
wired-to-wireless bridge.... works pretty well, actually, but the
pops, hiss, squwaks we get on the system have something to do with the
wired Telex system... when we decouple the bridge, the wireless sets
are clean.  So.... maybe go exclusively wireless, or do the hybrid
solution, if you really need more than 8 headsets.  (The Eartec maxes
out at 8. They might have ways to bridge two wireless systems for
more; I don't know.)

 - Jon



-- 
Jon Ares
www.arescreative.com
http://backstagethreads.com

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