Clear Comm

[rigbybmj]

Hey,

So I think I am confused about what exactly the clear-comm input on the Profile FOH rack is used for. Is this supposed to act as a comm line from the stage to FOH? Does the base station plug in at FOH? Do you patch the comm line to an output at the stage rack to complete the line? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Jay Rigby

[Sheldon Radford]

Hi Jay,

The Com input on the FOH Rack is just another input. You can plug a mic or line level source into it (e.g., a talkback mic, or the audio-only output from an actual com station) and route this source via the patchbay to any input channel.

A common trick is to route the Com input to an input channel, then send this channel directly to a Stage Rack output using a Direct Output. This acts as the FOH talkback to Stage (the Talkback input can also be routed in this way).

One not-so-obvious feature is that anything plugged into the Com input can be routed directly to the monitor bus and mixed in with the normal cue audio (think director feed, com station, or talkback from stage).

To do this on a VENUE D-Show or Profile surface:
1) Press the Talkback function in the Talkback/Osc section
2) Press the Level encoder so the teardrop LED beneath the encoder is lit. This indicates the Com input is routed to the Monitor bus.

Related tip: if the Monitor bus seems noisier than normal check to make sure the Com input is turned off in the monitor bus (teardrop LED is not lit.)

Oh, and even though it says "Com", do not plug a Com system directly into the input, as the DC signalling voltage (for driving beacons, strobes, call lights) can damage the input.

Sheldon

[rigbybmj]

Ah this is very helpful, thanks! So the question is....how do people get comm (beacon and all) back to FOH? Is it time to loom a 350' xlr to the digital snake? How do other people do it? Now that we've been using the profile's for FOH all of the drive processing has moved to the stage to cut down on having to run W2 drivelines back to the stage... Any ideas?

[Rob Warren]

Wireless com

[C Hawk]

Skype

[Jhana]

Originally Posted by rigbybmj

Ah this is very helpful, thanks! So the question is....how do people get comm (beacon and all) back to FOH? Is it time to loom a 350' xlr to the digital snake? How do other people do it? Now that we've been using the profile's for FOH all of the drive processing has moved to the stage to cut down on having to run W2 drivelines back to the stage... Any ideas?

I'm aware this is an ancient thread, but I'm curious how everyone is handling comm if they're utilizing the digital snake

I've been using the profile more at FOH and we're working on eliminating both our 56ch copper run to FOH, as well as the 12ch drive line to FOH if possible. Comm is currently the only thing holding us back. I've implimented a talkback/shout system using small powered monitors at FOH and MON, but you lose the ability to use beacons and have a discrete conversation (except maybe routing through the board and using headphones?)

I'm interested to hear how other people are handling this. I set up comm at every single show and rarely see the BEs using it at all. Half of them tell me not to bother setting it up.

I know a fair amount of tours are still using copper snakes, but for those of you who are digital, are you still running a small drive snake to FOH for comm or other outputs? Seems like a waste to lose out on the 8+ outputs in the FOH rack if you have a really heavy show

[Brent Lind]

As a touring guy, we usually have a drive snake alongside our BNC's or what have you, but honestly I tend to prefer shout mics and boxes. Without researching it, I'd say if there aren't currently ethernet based COM systems, there will be before long. Doesn't change the fact that there about a million units out there still, so long story short, I think it will be a while until we can abandon running some analog lines - IF com is important to you.

Another thought, it seems like a clever man might be able to design something using a beacon hooked up to the console GPO - triggered by signal level. That in combo with headphones and a shout mic could be cool.

[Jhana]

Yeah I figured if they are running the BNC snake, there are probably still a few lines of copper going to FOH, be it a drive snake, or stealing a line from lighting or whatever.

The GPO would be interesting to check out, I was also thinking about some way using events to trigger the flashing of the console lights as a replacement for a beacon. Looks like I have some more research to do...

[Kristo Kotkas]

A company I closely work with has a BNC snake that also has some analog pairs in it. It's from Klotz, I think this is the one:

http://shop.klotz-ais.com/quickorder...f/CV4A4__d.pdf

The quality of the coaxial side was not good enough to run it as 150 meters snake, but after cutting it in half it has been working fine.

[sterka]

I added a digital stage box to both our SC48 and Mixrack last winter. As the console outputs for both consoles are still at FOH, I left our 12ch drive lines. At the same time, I added a red XLR in the loom that is only for clear com. It adds a bit of weight (not much) but keeps the com lines separate and clear, hopefully to avoid accidentally patching DC into a console output.



Sent from some device, using some software, probably inconveniently. Apologies for any mistakes of grammar, spelling, or meaning.