Line-6 radio mics and GDS ArcSystem potential confict

[d_korman]

We have identified a potential conflict between the Line-6 digital radio mic system and the GDS ArcSystem wireless house light controls. Depending on the wi-fi channel on which the ArcSystem is configured and the Line-6 channels in use, wireless control of ArcSystem is lost when the radio mics are turned on.

 

I spent a couple of hours this morning with an engineer from GDS and his spectrum analyser, and provided that you are not using all 14 possible line-6 channels, setting the ArcSystem to ch26 and not using Line-6 channel 2 seems to provide a work-around (there may be other combinations - we stopped when we found one that worked).

 

Even though the line-6 mics in RF2 mode use 2 fequencies per channel and offset their frequencies from the wifi channels (and the ArcSystem sits exactly on the channel), the offset is not always enough to avoid a conflict.

 

Hopefully, GDS and Line-6 will discuss this and come up with a solution - perhaps Line-6 could increase their channel offset via a firmware update, as currently the offset is quite small.

[Shez]

I suspect "conflicts" such as these will become increasingly common over the next couple of years. Much like the section of ch.70 that anyone can use wireless mics in, the wifi band is a free-for-all. Anyone can do anything they like in there and has to put up with whatever interference other uses create.

Relying on wifi to control as important a system as houselights would make me a little nervous - if a show comes in with a full rack of (for example) L6 mics and there's some kind of emergency that demands an evacuation, what happens when the house can't be brought up?

[cedd]

We're using 12 channels of Line 6 for the first time this week. I've got to admit to being a little nervous (and I'm not even mixing the thing!).

 

A complication that I've hit straight away is that I've also been getting quotes for a new wireless comms system, either to rent or buy. HME uses 2.4GHz and while I was told on the stand at Plasa last week that it wouldn't be an issue, the RF engineer inside me can't help but think we're asking a lot of the spectrum! It makes the Altair system on 1.9GHz look far more appealing (I suspect there'll be a thread appearing about my choice of system pretty soon!).

 

As ever Line 6 are true to their word when it comes to the robustness of their protocal - it's other services that suffer, not their mics. Whilst this makes me as a sound engineer far happier, I suspect the crew experiencing drop out on their comms will be less than impressed!

[sleah]

Interesting that this should crop up. I have 12ch of Line6 and have considered wireless (2.4ghz) DMX to control some LEDs in the grid, where the occasional flicker won't matter.

However, upon realising that there's a real possibility of using the Line6 kit and wireless DMX at the same time, I dropped the idea!

Same with a 2.4ghz video link... I've already got a 5ghz link to try for that :)

 

Have thought of trying the cheapo 5ghz wireless DMX links that very occasionally pop up on eBay :unsure:

[dboomer]

 

As ever Line 6 are true to their word when it comes to the robustness of their protocal - it's other services that suffer, not their mics. Whilst this makes me as a sound engineer far happier, I suspect the crew experiencing drop out on their comms will be less than impressed!

 

It's payback!

 

There are only so many devices that you can use in any band so somewhere decisions will need to be made. Something has to give.

 

I suspect that a new product emerging from a US company called Radio Actice Designs is making a product that fits the bill (at least in the USA). you can operate 30 base stations and 180 beltpacks down in VHF. http://radioactiverf.com/products/products/uv-1g-wireless-intercom-system/

[d_korman]

After last night, we're also pretty sure that the ArcSystem was interfering with one of the Line-6 channels as we had been getting random RF dropouts one particular mic. when others in exactly the same position were solid. Last night, after we changed the GDS channel, that mic was solid as a rock.

[cedd]

Now that's an interesting product!

More information in this video;

http://vimeo.com/63653470

 

Not entirely sure yet if it'll transfer nicely in to the UK market. Sadly JFMG's frequency list looks to have been taken off the website on the minute, so I'm working purely from memory, but I don't think there's that much spectrum available down in VHF.

 

I wonder how they're getting aroun VHF's dislike for scattering? It's known as a very good (far better than UHF) line of sight method, but stick it in a site with walls and doorways and it tends to mess about a bit. Of course there's the age old fix of "hit it with a bit more power" which might be what they're doing here.

 

I'll keep an eye out.

I always like a product video that's done by somebody who really knows their product, has been involved in it (rather than just being a presenter on a stand) and gets excited by it. Nicely engineered too by the looks of it.