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[Mark Favata]

Perhaps this...

https://www.amazon.com/HQRP-SET-Extension-F5D8230zh4-F5D8231zh4/dp/B00I9BRK4G?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

-Tim T

I will probably purchase something like that, but might also try an external router as people seem to suggest that they are one of the better ways to get the best range and service out of the mixer. I've only ever had a problem at this one show, and I'm really starting to think it was the location of the mixer that may have been giving me the most problems this time. It was a pretty rough hardcore show so I placed my mixer a little different than usual to try to protect the front of it.

[Tim McCulloch]

I will probably purchase something like that, but might also try an external router as people seem to suggest that they are one of the better ways to get the best range and service out of the mixer. I've only ever had a problem at this one show, and I'm really starting to think it was the location of the mixer that may have been giving me the most problems this time. It was a pretty rough hardcore show so I placed my mixer a little different than usual to try to protect the front of it.

RF is RF is RF.  You need to get the antenna up high, well above (3' or more) any obstructions and especially any bags of salt water (people).  You'll need you have you controlling tablet up high, probably head level.

These are considerations that the 'mixing exclusively on devices' crowd will be dealing with more and more.

[Mark Favata]

RF is RF is RF.  You need to get the antenna up high, well above (3' or more) any obstructions and especially any bags of salt water (people).  You'll need you have you controlling tablet up high, probably head level.

These are considerations that the 'mixing exclusively on devices' crowd will be dealing with more and more.

I think I will buy an extension cable for my antenna today and maybe I can use a spare mic stand and some gaff tape to get the antenna up in the air for the larger gigs I do. Sorry if I hijacked this thread, but hopefully it also helps anyone who looks at this looking to buy this mixer.

[David Sturzenbecher]

Anyone try something like this?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dave Garoutte]

What are you supposed to do with that hedge trimmer?

[Robert Lofgren]

Any passive antenna with a gain above 2dBi is somewhat a false gain as it limits the antenna radiation coverage. The higher the gain the more important it is to have the antenna and tablet at the same hight.

Even getting an active antenna is a mostly a moot point since the communication goes both ways.

Standing above the antenna (or below it) is the worst place to be as this is the null of the radiation 'doughnut'.

Using an external router that supports MIMO and usually uses multiple antennas for diversity is much better as most tablets/phones of today support this as well. This *will* improve wifi reliability considerably. None of the wifi-enabled mixers that I know of uses MIMO or diversity.

[Scott Holtzman]

Any passive antenna with a gain above 2dBi is somewhat a false gain as it limits the antenna radiation coverage. The higher the gain the more important it is to have the antenna and tablet at the same hight.

Even getting an active antenna is a mostly a moot point since the communication goes both ways.

Standing above the antenna (or below it) is the worst place to be as this is the null of the radiation 'doughnut'.

Using an external router that supports MIMO and usually uses multiple antennas for diversity is much better as most tablets/phones of today support this as well. This *will* improve wifi reliability considerably. None of the wifi-enabled mixers that I know of uses MIMO or diversity.

It's a good thing they put the ball at the top of the antenna or all the RF would run out the top!

As a designer of land mobile RF systems for a portion of my career I have to say that 2db is on the low side.  Compression vertical pattern to achieve horizontal gain is a tried and true method of antenna design. 

[Robert Lofgren]

It's a good thing they put the ball at the top of the antenna or all the RF would run out the top!

As a designer of land mobile RF systems for a portion of my career I have to say that 2db is on the low side.  Compression vertical pattern to achieve horizontal gain is a tried and true method of antenna design.

Considering the antenna placement on the UI and the choise of a simple radio not supporting mimo/diversity is just a bad design. Thay should have included an antenna base with a cable to place that antenna properly.

Having the mixer on the floor essentially sends 50% of the signal down into the basement and reduces rx as well. Compressing the vertical pattern when you already have the antenna on the floor is just a bad move.

Ive heard of people adding an 18dBi antenna to their mixer wondering why they get even worse reception...

[Dave Pluke]

Considering the antenna placement on the UI and the choise of a simple radio not supporting mimo/diversity is just a bad design.

Well, I can only assume they stuck as much into the box as they could for the price.  Considering the fact that a decent MIMO Router is a couple of hundred bucks, I don't expect to find one inside a mixer with a street price of $300* (Ui12) or $400* (Ui16).

Dave

* prices reflect $150 instant savings thru August 31st.  I paid more than that for mine, but still don't expect much from the built-in WiFi.

[Dan Casamajor]

Let me join this conversation as one who's struggling with this tantalizing mixer's connectivity "issues" (a kind word in this context).

I've had a Ui16 for a couple of weeks up and running in the living room that doubles as my music room and rehearsal space for small collaborations.  When it connects and stays connected, it's awesome.  Unlike some more critical users, I don't perceive an unreasonable amount of preamp noise at up to +30db mic channel gain, which is where my usual dynamics tend to work well.  The toolkit of eq's and fx and dynamics processing and feedback suppression and on and on is truly impressive, unbelievably so at this price point (I paid $399 with 36-month zero interest financing; for $12/month, it's worth struggling with).  It's liberating to have the ipad on the mic stand with full console control.

But...I had to dig through 68 pages of a Gearslutz thread to find a post from a fellow user who spent a while on the phone with a Soundcraft tech rep to produce a two-page step-by-step for connecting a laptop via hardwired ethernet cable to the Ui.  One would think that it would be more intuitive than that?  Some kind of setup wizard?  This is 2016, after all, not 1989. 

OK, got the laptop hardwired.  Redundant control devices.  So far, so good.  My Moto e 2nd Gen phone simply refuses to get with the program.  Dozens of attempts, not a single connection.  Then the LAN ethernet connection crashed along with the onboard hotspot connection.  Both redundant control devices useless at once.  It's happened a number of times and requires a full reboot of the Ui (which also means turning off the powered speakers and either reloading a saved AFS preset or running the AFS setup again).  This makes no sense it it's a wireless issue, so I'm guessing there's something amiss (or a hardware-sourcing corner cut too close) inside the box.  The whole networking scheme of the mixer seems to be dodgy, whether hardwired or wireless.  Not a good sign for a device with exactly three knobs on a 14-channel mixer.

Then, to add to the fun, I've yet to get my surplus Netgear WNDR3400v1 dual-band router to work, either as a second wifi access point or passing the LAN cable through to the laptop.  Several efforts at configuring, more GS research, nada.  It shows up in the network settings summary and shows up on a wifi scanner, but nothing can connect to it.  My plan was to mount it on an old mic stand so I can raise it up in the venue for good reception, but it won't connect from six feet away at home.

I'm going to set aside some time to consult with Sweetwater's tech support before making a return decision, but it's really frustrating to be so near and yet so far away.

IMHO, Soundcraft is risking its reputation by allowing this product to languish in the near-miss black hole without robustly addressing the connectivity Achilles heel.  It's otherwise a game-changing product.

[ProSoundWeb Community]