Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Riley Casey]

I'm about to move from our HMEs to a Freespeak II system.  I've been reading the various posts here and getting as illuminated as possible from the CC videos and documentation.  One existential question I haven't answered from my reading is which band to go with.  The local cross rental sources all have 1.9 Gig.  I'm buying a small package, five drop if I go with 1.9 and only four drop if its 2.4, the max beltpaks allowed on a single antenna with FS ( if I understand correctly).  Since I'll be renting an antenna that matches any additional belt packs anyway to expand my belt pack count for a given show what should drive the choice of frequency band purchase?

[Henry Cohen]

I'm about to move from our HMEs to a Freespeak II system.  I've been reading the various posts here and getting as illuminated as possible from the CC videos and documentation.  One existential question I haven't answered from my reading is which band to go with.  The local cross rental sources all have 1.9 Gig.  I'm buying a small package, five drop if I go with 1.9 and only four drop if its 2.4, the max beltpaks allowed on a single antenna with FS ( if I understand correctly).  Since I'll be renting an antenna that matches any additional belt packs anyway to expand my belt pack count for a given show what should drive the choice of frequency band purchase?

I generally always recommend the 1.9GHz band, and given that your local co-providers already have 1.9GHz inventory, that's an additional incentive. However, there are two primary considerations: In the venues you'll typically deploy FSII,
1) Is there already an installed FSII or enterprise cordless phone system with enough beltpacks/subscriber units to leave you with insufficient capacity (timeslots); &
2) Does it have a domed roof, something akin to a parabola, thereby potentially causing the multipath cancellation problem to which FSII is susceptible.

[brian maddox]

I'm about to move from our HMEs to a Freespeak II system.  I've been reading the various posts here and getting as illuminated as possible from the CC videos and documentation.  One existential question I haven't answered from my reading is which band to go with.  The local cross rental sources all have 1.9 Gig.  I'm buying a small package, five drop if I go with 1.9 and only four drop if its 2.4, the max beltpaks allowed on a single antenna with FS ( if I understand correctly).  Since I'll be renting an antenna that matches any additional belt packs anyway to expand my belt pack count for a given show what should drive the choice of frequency band purchase?

I"m neither Peter nor Henry, but i still have an opinion. 

Advantages of 1.9
Less crowded spectrum. 
Larger beltpack count per transceiver.

Disadvantages of 1.9

That dang pesky reflection thing that is still not really fixed.  Venues in DC i would expect to cause issues are of course the CC as well as maybe the Omni and/or the Sharriott.

If everyone else in town has 1.9, then there's not reason for them to rent an alternative from you if they have issues with 1.9 in a local venue.

Advantages of 2.4

Mpre subrentals from you to others.
Adding 1.9 systems doesn't cut into the beltpack count you already have.  i.e. you could have 25 PLUS yours.
No reflective issues

Disadvantages of 2.4

More crowded RF space
Less beltpacks per transceiver

Given that you are buying into a smaller system and planning to crossrent [hopefully in both directions], i would go with the 2.4.  I welcome disagreement from those with more knowledge. 

[Riley Casey]

And maybe a Brian or Mac question 

Thanks Brian.  Have you had occasion to use FS in the H___y Hilton?  Are those metal domes an issue for multipath in the way described for the Enourmo domes that Pete and others have run into? 

I"m neither Peter nor Henry, but i still have an opinion. 

[Pete Erskine]

I'm about to move from our HMEs to a Freespeak II system.  I've been reading the various posts here and getting as illuminated as possible from the CC videos and documentation.  One existential question I haven't answered from my reading is which band to go with.  The local cross rental sources all have 1.9 Gig.  I'm buying a small package, five drop if I go with 1.9 and only four drop if its 2.4, the max beltpaks allowed on a single antenna with FS ( if I understand correctly).  Since I'll be renting an antenna that matches any additional belt packs anyway to expand my belt pack count for a given show what should drive the choice of frequency band purchase?

19 has issues with tall ceilings 24 less so.  Improvements coming but better hardware is real solution.
19 only works in USA need different antennas and bp for SA and Europe.
24 works around the world.  Don't worry about heavy wifi where you use it. IT IS NOT AFFECTED BY WIFI.
IT clients like IBM or MS often wont allow the use of 24 when they do shows.
need to subrent 19 is more universal 24 not so.

[brian maddox]

And maybe a Brian or Mac question 

Thanks Brian.  Have you had occasion to use FS in the H___y Hilton?  Are those metal domes an issue for multipath in the way described for the Enourmo domes that Pete and others have run into?

I haven't used it there yet, but my gut tells me those domes are a little too low to give you fits.  That being said, if any place is gonna make sure you have a bad night, that one certainly has the strongest track record. 

[Pete Erskine]

I haven't used it there yet, but my gut tells me those domes are a little too low to give you fits.  That being said, if any place is gonna make sure you have a bad night, that one certainly has the strongest track record. 

I have had issues with 80 ' peaked roofs, not just domes.

[brian maddox]

I have had issues with 80 ' peaked roofs, not just domes.

That too.  NOLA CC was a killer for that.

[Pete Erskine]

Disadvantages of 2.4

More crowded RF space
Less beltpacks per transceiver

I have successfully used 2.4 outside on 34th street and at Rock center where hundreds of access points are visible.

Here is a white paper on the compatibility between WIFI and FS 2.4.  It clearly explains how each modulates and why the two, especially FSII, are not affecting each other.  That being said I believe wifi must suffer hits causing retransmits but most likely not nearly as many hits as from other wifi.

http://www.bestaudio.com/s/FSII_24_RF-Perfomance-White-Paper-_v13.docx

[brian maddox]

I have successfully used 2.4 outside on 34th street and at Rock center where hundreds of access points are visible.

Here is a white paper on the compatibility between WIFI and FS 2.4.  It clearly explains how each modulates and why the two, especially FSII, are not affecting each other.  That being said I believe wifi must suffer hits causing retransmits but most likely not nearly as many hits as from other wifi.

http://www.bestaudio.com/s/FSII_24_RF-Perfomance-White-Paper-_v13.docx

Cool document.  Even i could understand it. 

[Riley Casey]

the Washington Hilton has much lower ceilings, 24 ft max but a lot of separate oval domes. Serious audio multipath , aka echoes.  Bad early 60s sci-fi movie architecture.

[Benjamin Krumholz]

I'm about to move from our HMEs to a Freespeak II system.  I've been reading the various posts here and getting as illuminated as possible from the CC videos and documentation.  One existential question I haven't answered from my reading is which band to go with.  The local cross rental sources all have 1.9 Gig.  I'm buying a small package, five drop if I go with 1.9 and only four drop if its 2.4, the max beltpaks allowed on a single antenna with FS ( if I understand correctly).  Since I'll be renting an antenna that matches any additional belt packs anyway to expand my belt pack count for a given show what should drive the choice of frequency band purchase?

Hey Ed,
Ben from MSI here.. WE went with the 1.9 system mostly because of the more belt-packs per transceiver and the more crowded bandwidth of 2.4. We are having a really good time with it.. In the Hilton Ballroom we typically use 3 antenna for a 5 belt pack drop.. Back hall, Stage, and FOH.. The nice thing about getting into a system like this for you would be that there are CAT drops all over the place.. If you need an antenna up stairs you can run through a house patch.. We have also recently invested in HELIX-NET.. The benefit of this.. IP base.. WE run it through our Cisco switches for the CL5!! Sexy.. 
WE have Used the system in almost every building in town now and we do pretty well in most situations with good planning.. DCCC, NBM, Cap One Center, Regan, Mellon..
And yes.. There is plenty in town for cross rental!
Ben
Ben

[ProSoundWeb Community]