Digital Radio Mics

[david.elsbury]

If it's 2.4 you want get a shire GLXD system. Best thing out there in my opinion

[Bobbsy]

If it's 2.4 you want get a shire GLXD system. Best thing out there in my opinion

 

Shire? I didn't know the hobbits had branched into making radio microphones!

 

Seriously, I had an opportunity to use several of these a few weeks back on a show I mixed and was very impressed with both the RF performance and the audio quality and feedback rejection. (And this is from a person who's been a Sony and Sennheiser devotee for more years than I'm prepared to admit.)

[david.elsbury]

Hahaha. Stupid iPhone... sorry :) yeah the rechargeable batteries are great too with an accurate estimate of life remaining. As long as you don't want more than 6-8 systems in the same place :-)

[Simon Lewis]

So here's a PSN article on some of the spectrum issues being debated.... a potential accelerated loss of the 700MHz band.

 

PSN article

 

 

I suspect part of the perceived reluctance to bring new digital systems to market may stem from the uncertainty surrounding future spectrum availability, viability and use? Shure have dropped the cheaper models which covered channel 70. Sennheiser's G3 range E units fortuitously cover the recently released 823-832 band which makes them more commercially worthwhile again rather than being restricted in use to 863-865 on a device that can span channel 65-70. The UK only proposals for using 960-1164MHz are by no means straightforward, and it's not so commercially attractive to bring out UK specific hardware.

In the meantime, the available equipment works pretty well...

[sleah]

<rant>

Why don't they just shut down all television broadcasts and outlaw any kind of FM transmission device and be done with it, so every man and his dog can have a mobile phone on 24/7. :blink:

 

Seems to be heading that way!

</rant>

 

In theater - at least school performances - people do seem more concerned with their mobile phones than what's happening on the stage.

Just today some t**ts mobile was ringing during a nativity despite being asked to turn all mobiles off.

[alistermorton]

But I doesn't apply to that person, only to others, because they're more important.

 

So what's wrong with putting it on silent?

[Simon Lewis]

Why don't they just shut down all television broadcasts and outlaw any kind of FM transmission device and be done with it, so every man and his dog can have a mobile phone on 24/7. :blink:

 

Be careful what you wish for....

 

The expected trend is for entertainment that's presently broadcast to move online, thus freeing up more spectrum....

 

 

 

[sleah]

But I doesn't apply to that person, only to others, because they're more important.

 

So what's wrong with putting it on silent?

Indeed. Yes silent would at least be a step in the right direction.

We ask them to switch off to prevent interference with radio mics. As we know that's part BS, part truth but Joe Public don't need to know that.

When I use the Line 6 kit there's a very real chance of interference.

I think telling them they can interfere makes it a lot more 'real' and more diplomatic than telling them they are pig-ignorant t**ts if they leave mobiles on.

Rather than differentiating between the type of radio kit we are using, and therefore whether phones should be off or silent, it's easier just ask them to turn off if we have *any* audio kit in use.

 

Doesn't matter what you say though, there's always one, usually several

 

 

Why don't they just shut down all television broadcasts and outlaw any kind of FM transmission device and be done with it, so every man and his dog can have a mobile phone on 24/7. :blink:

 

Be careful what you wish for....

 

The expected trend is for entertainment that's presently broadcast to move online, thus freeing up more spectrum....

 

Yikes! :o

[richardash1981]

Does this mean that Channel 38 (606.500 - 613.500 MHz) is to be emptied, or does the "700MHz band" clearance only affect site-specific licenses (secondary user to DTT) currently slotted in around TV broadcasts?

 

If digital systems can now get more channels into less Hz of spectrum than analogue (which to start with wasn't true, they were just able to use higher frequency bands where the SNR of analogue at the permitted power was too poor to contemplate), then would there be mileage in VHF-band digital systems? The available VHF spectrum slice is too small for it to get attacked by the mobile industry, so it might offer some stability rather than endless changes of which chunk of UHF spectrum can be argued out this time? PMR in the VHF range has gone digital quite successfully I believe. Analogue VHF only gives 5 license-free VHF channels (I think) but at least they have been there for 30 years without moving!

[Simon Lewis]

Digital Switch Over cleared channels 61 - 69 (790 - 862MHz). Embarrassingly, PMSE were handed back part of this (823 - 832MHz) last year. The selling off of the "700MHz band" affects 694 - 790 MHz, channels 49 to 60. VHF has some benefits, but 173-175 MHz is too thin a slice of spectrum and is inhabited by bedroom DJs with £30 radios from eBay. There is some spectrum above this (up to about 216MHz? available on a licenced basis), but a chunk of that got taken for digital radio.

Whilst PMR has had success with digital, it's hardly the quality and bandwidth needed for serious audio!

[ShoveyPit]

Does this mean that Channel 38 (606.500 - 613.500 MHz) is to be emptied, or does the "700MHz band" clearance only affect site-specific licenses (secondary user to DTT) currently slotted in around TV broadcasts?

 

If digital systems can now get more channels into less Hz of spectrum than analogue (which to start with wasn't true, they were just able to use higher frequency bands where the SNR of analogue at the permitted power was too poor to contemplate), then would there be mileage in VHF-band digital systems? The available VHF spectrum slice is too small for it to get attacked by the mobile industry, so it might offer some stability rather than endless changes of which chunk of UHF spectrum can be argued out this time? PMR in the VHF range has gone digital quite successfully I believe. Analogue VHF only gives 5 license-free VHF channels (I think) but at least they have been there for 30 years without moving!

 

Channel 38 is not part of the 700MHz band that is to be cleared of all DTT and PMSE use thus will still be allocated to PMSE-only use on a shared basis with other PMSE users for the foreseeable future.

 

Licensed users utilising the 700MHz band (DTT and PMSE) will have to clear it completely in order to make way for mobile broadband services which Ofcom intend to start implementing in 2019. I believe there is a Government scheme in place to compensate PMSE users who currently have 700MHz-only tuneable systems.

[John M]

I have two sets of radio mics - set one on ch 38 the other ch70. This saturday just gone I had to use the channel 70 set. Sound check was fine and no interference. Showtime came and all the mics were cutting out at various times. The only option at that time was to revert to wired mics. So I will never trust channel 70 again and the digital mics now look very tempting - specially the Audio Technica system 10 pro

[Simon Lewis]

..... So I will never trust channel 70 again and the digital mics now look very tempting - specially the Audio Technica system 10 pro

 

I too like the System 10 stuff - some really nice ideas there. However, although a good implementation it is still a 2.4GHz radio system, and if there are too many users in that slice of spectrum there will be problems.

In reality, it is getting harder to guarantee interference free spectrum, with channel 70, 38 and the WIFi band all having their own issues. I do not know if users have a better time with 1.8GHz, but for now I suspect a co-ordinated licence and frequency is still the best way to go...

[cedd]

It does sound like there's something a bit funny going on in your circumstances John. There's nothing fundamentally "wrong" with channel 70. Assuming there's no interference and nothing wrong with the kit it should just work as well as channel 38. I still regularly rely on a set of 4 channel 70 systems to supplement my channel 38 and 65 set ups. Whilst I don't give them to principal actors because of the interference risk I've never actually had an issue.

[sunray]

<br />I was looking at replacing a twin handheld system for our school hall (so budget kit) and considered a couple of budget 2.4Ghz systems - both would be a massive fail!!<br /><a href='http://cpc.farnell.com/pulse/pwm24-hh/2-4ghz-wireless-microphone-hand/dp/MP35214?MER=e-bb45-00001002' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Pulse mic from CPC</a> The power button is also the pair button. Yup, that's going to spend 99.999% of it's life in pairing mode.....<br /><a href='http://cpc.farnell.com/img-stage-line/txs-2402set/microphone-2-4ghz-twin-handheld/dp/MP34942' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>IMG Stageline from CPC</a> Press and hold for a few seconds to power off. Yup, new batteries every single time it's used. Plus - and this is the real joke - it switches off after 5 minutes if 'no-one speaks in to it'. So doesn't actually have a real-life use!!!<br /><br />Both were so promising for my application... would have been perfect if they hadn't been designed by plebs who have never actually used a sound system in real life with real people!!<br />

<br /><br /><br />

If you're looking at that level of quality, look at KAM1900 series. not the quality of other mics but OK up to 20metres and cheap as chips, almost cheap enough to be disposable items.