Nice internet based intercom

[peterskine]

I had downloaded this months before but just got around to testing it.

 

Unity Intercom

 

This is a small intercom system which can have clients on any platform: iPhone, Mac, PC, Android, iPad

Maximum size for a sale system is 6 PL channels and 58 Users. Cloud based much larger.

Doesn't have all of the VCOM bells and whistles but it is very nice.

To Buy:

Server incl 3 clients $500.00

4-wire audio I/O is $300

Add clients $100

 

Look at cloud based options on the unity site, Actually very low priced. Later this year they will offer cloud ports for purchased servers.

 

I have been demoing it today and have talked to users in as far away as Germany with no noticeable latency. I have been told that networks are using it on TV trucks for supplemental comms as well as initial setup comms.

 

If you want to demo it, download the client (no charge) I have a demo running for the next 10 days open to anyone.

 

My server is peterskine.selfip.com port 20101

Users are setup as Demo1, Demo2, Demo3, Demo4

All use Password 1234

 

On channel 6 listen there is program as well as the same on the program volume control hidden by the talk button.

 

On the website you can get a 15 day demo which can do 20 users. You can read the manual for the server at http://www.bestaudio.com/unity Strangely enough it is not available on the Unity site. Jess Heimlich has it available on his website with a 5% discount - http://www.dcscomms.tv/

[paulears]

Great but hugely expensive for phone software. I think the operational features match the usual requirements of TV and it's well thought out, but when we talked about the various phone based systems before, some of those were quite good but we came to the conclusion that the limiting factor was that they use phones. Phones that people constantly use. Sure, you could buy everyone a phone or iPad, but then the costs take a hike again. The musicians took to iPads as very useful on stage, so this too could work if a pile of dedicated pads are available for handing out.

 

What you can't do practically is use your own phone.

 

If portability and no cables is the requirement, I can see this being used when budget is available.

 

One thing that can annoy with these is latency. Like on a mobile, you don't notice in use, but in to, you can often have two or more comms stations in listening distance, and wired systems are stable as long as volume doesn't get too high. In systems with latency, the systems start to ping-pong which is mega disturbing.

[Peter F]

Timoeout contacting Unity server.

 

Repeatedly.

 

My internet connection is solid.

 

When I did get a connection I could hear nothing on channel 6 listen or the program volume.

 

Is this demo still running?

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[peterskine]

Timoeout contacting Unity server.

Is this demo still running?

 

Sorry, currently it is off line. I have it on a home server which seems to have some issue. I’ll post a notice when it’s up.

 

Great but hugely expensive for phone software. I think the operational features match the usual requirements of TV and it's well thought out, but when we talked about the various phone based systems before, some of those were quite good but we came to the conclusion that the limiting factor was that they use phones. Phones that people constantly use. Sure, you could buy everyone a phone or iPad, but then the costs take a hike again. The musicians took to iPads as very useful on stage, so this too could work if a pile of dedicated pads are available for handing out.

 

What you can't do practically is use your own phone.

 

If portability and no cables is the requirement, I can see this being used when budget is available.

 

One thing that can annoy with these is latency. Like on a mobile, you don't notice in use, but in to, you can often have two or more comms stations in listening distance, and wired systems are stable as long as volume doesn't get too high. In systems with latency, the systems start to ping-pong which is mega disturbing.

 

The latency is negligible - probably under 50ms for small system and certainly less than 100 for large. I agree if you have open mics and speakers there would be a bad echo feedback but then there would be feedback with no latency. I have had several conversations with users in Germany and Australia without anh latency issues which would cause stumbling in the conversation.

 

You don't need to use phones. If you have a good wifi any computer will work and if you have hard connections too. On the jobs I have heard about this system was put on the user's laptops which they were already using to control systems.

 

If you ask users to use cellular the data usage would be prohibitive.

[Peter F]

Timoeout contacting Unity server.

Is this demo still running?

 

Sorry, currently it is off line. I have it on a home server which seems to have some issue. I’ll post a notice when it’s up.

 

 

Thanks, I guessed that might be the case.

 

Peter

[peterskine]

Timoeout contacting Unity server.

Is this demo still running?

 

Sorry, currently it is off line. I have it on a home server which seems to have some issue. I'll post a notice when it's up.

 

 

Thanks, I guessed that might be the case.

 

Peter

 

It's back on.

[gyro_gearloose]

Has anyone tried doing something like this, but with Skypes 'group call' function? It's free, so might be worth experimenting with.

[timsabre]

I have, and it's too unreliable for show use, plus you need an internet connection.

This thread prompted me to look on Android Store (for those of us who are stuck in low-budgetsville and just need a few stations) and there are quite a lot of free intercom apps on there which will work on local wifi, bluetooth or hotspot wifi (one of the devices creates the wifi access point). However they seem to all be push to talk, I can't find any theatre comms style ones. Maybe this is the moment for someone to write Bluecomm IP for Android.

[lonemorf]

Forgive my ignorance, but for show use, why couldn't /wouldn't you use a local server on site, with something like TeamSpeak running on it?

Bar a cheap bit of hardware, it free. Clients available on all the mobile OS's, and if you want something "hardwired", and Rasberry Pi would be a great station as a client.

Just a thought.

[Speakercon]

It's not an 'out of the box' solution, but you could set up something simular using Asterisk and some SIP apps, using the conferencing feature. You'd have to know abit about VOIP but it is all free.

[peterskine]

I have, and it's too unreliable for show use, plus you need an internet connection.

This thread prompted me to look on Android Store (for those of us who are stuck in low-budgetsville and just need a few stations) and there are quite a lot of free intercom apps on there which will work on local wifi, bluetooth or hotspot wifi (one of the devices creates the wifi access point). However they seem to all be push to talk, I can't find any theatre comms style ones. Maybe this is the moment for someone to write Bluecomm IP for Android.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but for show use, why couldn't /wouldn't you use a local server on site, with something like TeamSpeak running on it?

Bar a cheap bit of hardware, it free. Clients available on all the mobile OS's, and if you want something "hardwired", and Rasberry Pi would be a great station as a client.

Just a thought.

 

Right, reliability depends on the quality of your internet or cell service. With a stable connection the reliability is great.

 

Unity is modeled on the theatre intercom use and can be hands free as well as push to talk. 6 separate channels and the Point-Point private channel between users make it much more usable than a single channel system. Each department can hear the main channel with stage manager and have their own private channel too. Additionally, the software has audio interface built into the server for a small additional fee which can connect each of the 6 channels to your hard wired matrix system.

 

If you Buy it you can locate your server anywhere, even onsite using the local area network. If you want to connect to cell service or locations outside your network on the internet you need to have an external static IP which you usually don't have if you are using the network in the facility or at your show. Other software, such as DynDNS, can supply an external IP for your local server for you for $50 and you need the local IT department to open the PORT you are using for the UDP packets. Normally that is 20101.

 

Team speak is nice but isn't modeled on the theatre or tv intercom usage.

 

If you just want to rent the Unity service it would cost about $8 or less per user per month and the server would be located offsite. This makes it harder to interconnect the 4-wire interfaces to your own local intercom though.

 

Mostly I don't see Unity as a stand alone system except for the simplest shows and then only if most of the important users were hardwired into the network. It's value is in augmenting a system with remote access.

[lonemorf]

So a free version of this software would be *really* helpful then?

[peterskine]

Unity Intercom

 

Here is a video I did showing the components of Unity Intercom.

 

[Peter F]

I tried this software out yesterday and it works well. I was able to have a clear conversation with the other Peter, me in West Yorkshire him in a New York Starbucks and there were no issues with latency. Ir was better than most one to one Skype conversations.

 

I do lots of events where camera feeds come from a variety of remote locations. I can see this software being a useful and straightforward way of implementing talkback across multiple sites. Unity offer a cloud based option that you can rent for 7 days. It works out about £6.50 per user. The client software is free.

 

Thanks for putting this up here Mr Erskine, it's been really helpful.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[alistermorton]

Even with a single piece of cable between Yorkshire and New York I'd expect some latency due to the distance involved. If they've managed to not increase on that at all then it's impressive.