nick7076 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I've been doing some web searches but not found exactly what I'm looking for so I thought I'd ask the vast intelligence of the Blueroom! What I'm looking for is an active speaker that uses RJ45 CAT5 for the input and link through of audio. I've seen a few models that use standard XLR for the audio and have RJ45 connectors for the control of on-board DSP, however does anyone know of a product that combines to two? The reason I ask is I need to fit up to 40 active speakers in groups of 4 over approximately 250 meters. I'm only looking for fairly low db, not much above background for audio playback and announcements. Each of the 10 groups of 4 speakers needs ideally to be accessible individually for announcements. The installation is going to be temporary for approximately 6 weeks and needs to be as un-intrusive as possible. I've looked at 100v line as well but I'm sure in this modern age there must be a single cable solution! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I've looked at 100v line as well but I'm sure in this modern age there must be a single cable solution!Actually, 100v is the single cable solution. Anything active is going to be two cables (mains+signal). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick7076 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 Sorry I should have added. I expect power to be local for each of the 10 groups. The install is on railway vehicles and there will be limited power for a single source 100v line. The 240v available is unreliable and prone to drop out. There is sufficient 24vdc that can be inverted to run what I need at each location. Also with 100v I can't see how to control each group individually without running 10 separate lines, 1 for each group. It seems strange in this age of digital wifi microphones, digital desks, remote stage boxes connected via CAT5, DSP and the like that there isn't a system for sending digital audio direct to the speaker cabinet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LampTramp Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 100v speakers would be the single cable solution but have a look at Fohnn active speakers (XT-4) et al for running CAT5 etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick7076 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 Thanks for the pointer. I've also been looking at Tannoy V-Net which seem similar. Looks like my options are 10 groups of either 100v line or active. Being able to send an announcement to just one group out of the 10 is a key deal breaker on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete10uk Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 100v line with a T at each group of 4 with a volume control for each of the groups. You would need to be local to adult the volumes. How having read your previous post, you wouldn’t be able to address just one group without having a relay system but that would incur additional cabling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lewis Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I suspect that a zoned 100V line system may be more robust? can you run a cable to each zone? There are some multi transformer systems or smallish 100V line amps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete10uk Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 What about 10 small 12v 100v line amps and a matrix. I know that that's a whole lot of cables in the first carnage but it's only one in the last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick7076 Posted June 15, 2012 Author Share Posted June 15, 2012 I'm trying to keep cable numbers down to avoid multiple joints between vehicles. Hence my hope of a purely digital solution. Once I've got some options I'll leave it to the client to decide how important the individual group announcement is. He may be willing to take the risk of joint failure and number of cable runs required to get what he wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Barix extreamer and a small active speaker at each location. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz339 Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 Not a great fan of just one cable. If that goes theren't ain't no back up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revbobuk Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 I suspect Bruce is right - one of the audio over IP solutions like Barix, and small active speakers. I don't know of any active speakers that have the AoIP built in. [Edit to add - looks like the thing to search for is 'speakers with IP address' - throws up a few, like Cyberdata, that might do what you want.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owain Posted June 15, 2012 Share Posted June 15, 2012 If you only need one concurrent announcement, then you can do it with a single audio pair between vehicles, using DTMF receivers in each vehicle to switch a relay to bring groups of speakers in/out. The DTMF receivers would need local power, but they could switch 100V so you wouldn't need local amplification. If you arrange the DTMF to switch out unwanted speakers, with automatic volume restoration after a time delay, then the system would be fairly fail-safe against failure of the receivers. MT8870 DTMF decoder and Telephone Projects for the Evil Genius would be a start. Possible project. Amateur radio operators use DTMF for controlling repeaters so if you have any 'hams' on board they may have experience of DTMF control. If this is for use on railway tracks, even heritage ones, then the various railway engineering standards probably apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakeedokee Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Did aquick search for addressable loudspeakers and came up with this, although I think its a US website: http://www.gai-tronics.com/indcomsystems/ancillary_products/speakers/aaspkr.htmAny use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.