ATV – wireless system

Wireless microphone and ear monitor system in ATV (also!)

AXIENT DIGITAL has arrived
In April 2017, Shure Incorporated presented its newest and highest quality wireless AXIENT DIGITAL microphone system in Amsterdam at the ISE 2017 exhibition, which at that time could only be seen by exclusive European wholesalers. The new technology officially debuted in the United States at NAB this April, followed by the public premiere in Europe at IBC 2017 in September.

And what happened in Hungary in 2017?

The ATV project starts.
Procurement negotiations began in late spring, and the entire system was live by the end of summer. Events took place in a unique way, extremely quickly…

The truth is that, although the “adoption” of digital bases was already expected from Shure product development, since five years have already passed since the appearance of the previous Shure AXIENT (analog) system with unique frequency management and remote control, despite this nothing about the new product leaked ahead of time. The timeliness of the appearance also includes the previous Shure ULX-D digital wireless microphone system, developed specifically for installation environments, which with its high quality, favorable price and reliability guaranteed by the manufacturer’s name, also in its five-year history, has already created a solid foundation for the newer for the success of the generation product line.

The needs:

During the negotiations, the customer made high-level demands, and also expected to ensure the possibility of further development of the system…

Accordingly, there was no question about the raison d’être of the Shure PSM1000 ear monitor system, representing the highest quality level of the range, for which the Shure ULX-D was included in the development proposal from among the digital SHURE wireless microphone systems at the highest level of the range at that time. Over time, more and more news and information has come to light regarding the Shure Axient Digital (hereinafter: Shure AD) system. In line with this, we proposed the brand new Shure wireless microphone system to the customer, pointing to the future (and setting protected patents typical of the manufacturer’s development).

In complete harmony

The procurement negotiations for the Shure PSM1000 wireless in-ear monitor and the Shure Axient Digital wireless microphone system were exemplary. The technical director and technical manager of ATV, as well as Broadcast Solution Hungary Kft., which installed the systems. installation team, Eurhythmics Kft. between your purchasing department and product support professionals and Shure Europe.

By meeting the deadlines exactly – with the scheduled delivery of the ear monitor and microphone systems, it was possible to carry out the on-site preparation work and commissioning in two phases. After the construction of the entire (transmitting and receiving) antenna network, the Shure PSM1000 ear monitor system was first delivered in July 2017. In the second step, the on-site installation of the microphone system was implemented. The tolerance and attitude of the parties involved in the project was exemplary throughout. There is no better example of this than e.g. in the case of the two studios, the so-called n. “multi-room” RF network or the creation of a uniform system configuration involving technical depths.

Before we start working…

Now, as in the case of any other Shure wireless system installation, the wireless equipment operated on site is first ordered in batches in cooperation with the user of the system to be installed, our partner selling the system, and the designers of the related audio technical systems. In parallel, Eurhythmics Kft. provided by radio frequency measurements for all studios, an assessment of the type and position of the transmitter and receiver antennas and the length of the low-loss coaxial cable used, preceded the preparation of a comprehensive radio frequency allocation proposal providing a significant amount of reserve. Based on all this, we also made a proposal for the RF operating range of the equipment to be delivered. The determination of this was made much easier by the fact that the bandwidth of the Axient Digital system is very extensive, which ensures the use of 166 MHz, i.e. almost the entire spectrum, which also fits perfectly with future restrictions, on both the transmitter and receiver sides!

Present Future…
Regarding the project, the state-of-the-art technological structure of the equipment put into operation and compliance with the restrictions and expectations regarding frequency management that will come into force in the future were both decisive aspects. We strived to ensure the best possible efficiency in the case of wireless equipment. All installed Shure devices are connected continuously (24 hours a day) through a closed, internal IT network and provide information to the operators. All operational changes are logged (recorded), and within the entire network, with the help of the Shure Wireless Workbench 6 (WWB6) software, you can gain insight into the status of the devices at a total of four points with different authorization levels. The system is also prepared for the use of the Shure Plus Channel software, which makes the wireless Shure equipment accessible via mobile devices via the local Wi-Fi network in case of later demand.

The most important thing is the broadcast sound…
Ensuring the high quality of the broadcast sound, redundancy and, of course, the sound quality of the instruction system provided by the ear monitor system was an extremely important aspect during the planning. The entire audio network is digital and all devices use the Dante protocol for communication. The transmitted radio frequency signal starts from the analog membrane of the microphone (Shure MX150) connected to the wireless pocket transmitter (Shure AD1) or the wireless hand transmitter (Shure AD2/Beta58) – as a signal source – and is immediately digitized (in a way that can be encrypted). From the incoming digital RF signal, the receiver of the microphone (AD4) performs the D/D conversion, from which the signal is already transmitted in Dante format to the mixing desks. The sound is also sent to the transmitters of the ear monitor system via Dante, D/A conversion is provided by Shure ANI4OUT I/O boxes.

When it all came together…
The project included the implementation of a complex wireless microphone and ear monitor network operating under controlled conditions, which operates with state-of-the-art digital audio signal processing and minimal error. The energy supply of the portable members of the systems is provided by factory Li-Ion batteries with the help of factory charging/docking units. All portable devices operate with the same battery (pocket transmitter, handheld transmitter, ear monitor receiver), so the type of charging/docking unit is also the same. These details also significantly facilitate daily, practical use. The Shure WWB6 monitoring software also contributes to operational safety, with the help of which, among other things, the remaining duration of the battery operating time can be monitored in hours and minutes, it provides real-time intervention in the “gain” structure, it provides information 24 hours a day, accompanied by configurable error messages and continuous logging. about the state of equipment operating in the network, the level of the RF and audio signal, etc…

To be continued:
Shure professional wireless systems.