dave1022 Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Since my school only has 4 comms sets, and we need five for drama productions I've been looking into getting another belt pack and headset instead of hiring one in for each production. The comms hub/power supply we have is here. I've found a beltpack here and a headset here, and by my calculations buying one of each would come to £211.50. These are exactly the same as the four sets we already have, so ideally they are the models we would like to buy, but that seems like quite a price to pay. Is this what comms packs generally cost, or have I just stumbled upon a ridiculous price? Regards,DavidModeration: your first link goes to an I-tunes location? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Yep - that's what comms costs. Hardly high selling items, so that translates into expensive production. For many years the Canford Tecpro system was the common one here, with the US Clearcoms offering similar facilities in the US. The ASLs have a pretty similar way of working. There is one pack on eBay at the mo at £25, so you could pick one up cheaply. Decent cans are always expensive for tough ones, and they do get abused. Cheap headsets are a waste of time and money. I guess they'll just have to buy some. Being honest, schools are not that short of money - it's just that some departments get more share of the cake. Your IT people won't even blink at a new router or hub at much, much more - yet just a replacement set of cans might eat your department budget up. It just needs somebody with the courage to persist! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatman Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 The new 2010 preview catalogue from CPC has the Stonewood Audio single channel belt pack for a lot less money. It is compatible with both Tecpro and ASL systems, but like Tecpro is in a metal case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Techpro is practically bomb-proof; thus there won't be many replacements sold. This also inflates the purchace price. You could look at buying one belt pack, and asking nicely if your languages department would lend you a set of headphones (if you have a language lab). You'd then just need a simple adaptor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolley1466 Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 The new 2010 preview catalogue from CPC has the Stonewood Audio single channel belt pack for a lot less money. It is compatible with both Tecpro and ASL systems, but like Tecpro is in a metal case. There's some Stonewood beltpacks in the exhire section of 10 out of 10 Productions... However it doesn't say a price but when I added one to the shopping basket it was £72 inc VAT http://www.10outof10.co.uk/acatalog/Intercom.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1022 Posted October 11, 2009 Author Share Posted October 11, 2009 Thanks for the replies, and sorry for the dodgy link in my initial post. Is there a way to edit it out? I don't think my school would really like to buy one of the stonewood beltpacks, as we're all used to the ASLs (and when we hired a stonewood in we had to draw lots to see who ended up with it). Looks like the department is going to have to stump up the money for a beltpack. You could look at buying one belt pack, and asking nicely if your languages department would lend you a set of headphones (if you have a language lab). You'd then just need a simple adaptor. I didn't know that was possible. Is there anywhere where I can buy an adaptor, or is there a guide that can tell me how to make one? Regards,David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonino Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Thanks for the replies, and sorry for the dodgy link in my initial post. Is there a way to edit it out? I don't think my school would really like to buy one of the stonewood beltpacks, as we're all used to the ASLs (and when we hired a stonewood in we had to draw lots to see who ended up with it). Looks like the department is going to have to stump up the money for a beltpack. You could look at buying one belt pack, and asking nicely if your languages department would lend you a set of headphones (if you have a language lab). You'd then just need a simple adaptor. I didn't know that was possible. Is there anywhere where I can buy an adaptor, or is there a guide that can tell me how to make one? Regards,David as a school you should be going for the best value for money, there really isn't any real difference between them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewg112 Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I don't think schools see any point in buying them... today I stumbled across some 2-way headset walkie talkies with areals the size of your head, But with nothing else to use, I suppose I will have to use them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unfathomable Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Just performed in an event where the comms between FoH and Monitor Desk was a pair of SM58s going to the FoH headphones, and a stage monitor near the desk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peternewman Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Just performed in an event where the comms between FoH and Monitor Desk was a pair of SM58s going to the FoH headphones, and a stage monitor near the desk.This is quite common in live music events, its actually very quick and practical to use, especially if the mics have a switch built in, and its got the advantage that the noise boys can turn it up loud enough to hear over the PA/through their headphones and use it as a listen wedge/talkback combined if they want. To the OP if you are still insisting on another ASL pack, try Thomann or 10 out of 10 as well, we got a full set of ASL comms from 10oo10 and got a good deal, although obviously there will be less of a discount for one pack. Also be aware the internal connector for the XLR4 headset socket likes to fall off the board on the ones we've got, so it appears the pack has failed, but its nothing a dab of hot melt or similar won't fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unfathomable Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 This is quite common in live music events, its actually very quick and practical to use, especially if the mics have a switch built in, and its got the advantage that the noise boys can turn it up loud enough to hear over the PA/through their headphones and use it as a listen wedge/talkback combined if they want.It did seem ok, I had never seen it done before, partly because I work in a venue with a comms system, but it makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomHoward Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Chances are either engineer can route that mic through to the stage monitors as well to talk to band members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1022 Posted October 20, 2009 Author Share Posted October 20, 2009 I don't think schools see any point in buying them... today I stumbled across some 2-way headset walkie talkies with areals the size of your head, But with nothing else to use, I suppose I will have to use them! Though that seems like a good idea in theory, it wouldn't work for my situation. 1. We need a 5-way communications system (stage right, stage left, light technician, sound technician and director)2. Comms are convenient (ie. They are on your head all the time) whereas a bulky walkie talkie isn't exactly ideal3. The noise associated with walkie talkies (the crackling stuff) really wouldn't sound great in the middle of a sombre scene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 4. On the cheaper units, only one party can talk at a time, and if someone needs to talk over someone to get an important message across, there is no way to do so.5. Most cheap radios make it impossible to whisper over and still have it sounding good at the other end, conversely, without decent earpieces and mics they are rubbish during loud parts (live band) whereas a wired Techpro/Clearcom setup will excel here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncanborrowman Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 I have sent a private message to the original poster to avoid a total commercial posting here! But just to say we do sponsor the Schools Theatre Support Group and are happy to help schools with comms packages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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