Intercom for communication question at DVinfo.net

Scott Holt · October 9th, 2018, 10:16 AM

I have a question that I hope the experts on here can help me with. I am trying to get our communication system for our sports broadcasting to work in another building around 1 mile away using Dante. I have a clearcom system in our studio and plan on hooking that up to an Eartec headset system in the other building. Eartec has an interface that hooks into the Clearcom audio and converts it or something and then that goes into a hub that transmits the wireless signal to the headsets.
We are going to use the Dante system to transmit the audio from our studio to the other building and back for crosstalk. My design guy seems to think that I will need more than what Eartec offers to get audio back and forth. He says the question then would be how to separate the intercom transmit and receive audio. With only one audio line, I don't know how you would handle bidirectional audio. Does anyone know if the Eartec system with the Clearcom interface needs anymore gear to make it work?

My designer seems to think it needs some more equipment. Since not using the Eartec system before he is not sure how it will work. Here is what he thinks:....."At the remote site (new gym) it gets a little more ambiguous for me because I can't find many details on Eartec's website about their products. It looks like their interface is designed to plug into an intercom line with one cable and then another cable plugs into the hub for the headsets. It doesn't look like it's designed for line level audio (but you might talk to your rep to see if they have a product that would work that way). What I think you might have to do on the gym side would be to pull the line level audio off the Dante line (which would be an in and an out with transmit and receive audio and then take that to another TW-47 interface. That would take it back into the Clearcom world, but you'd also have to have a power supply (this would be the cheapest: PK-7 - Clear Com : Clear Com) to power the interface and drive the line that hits the Eartec device."

Is there anyone out there that knows? Eartec doesn't know how it will work with the Dante system.

Gary Huff · October 9th, 2018, 02:06 PM

Have you looked into using Unity for iOS/Android?

Edward Carlson · October 9th, 2018, 07:54 PM

Eartec's website is a disaster.

So it looks like you have the Eartec HUB and the HUB-INT. The HUB-INT is your ClearCom interface. If you're sending your audio over Dante, it's going to be 4-wire (i.e., a send and a receive on separate cables.)

On each end, you simply need a 2-wire to 4-wire converter. ClearCom makes the IF4W4, which is a 4-channel interface, and Studio Technologies makes the Model 45A, which is a 2-channel interface. In your studio, the PL 2-wire goes into the 4-wire converter, and the 4-wire goes to your Dante interface (one send, one receive.) On the gym side, the Dante audio goes to the 4-wire interface, then the PL 2-wire goes to the HUB-INT, then from there to the Eartec HUB.

However, Studio Technologies also makes the Model 45DC, which takes the intercom 2-wire, and puts it directly on the Dante network. No 4-wire converters needed.

It looks like the HUB-INT is powered by a wall adapter, so you don't need an extra ClearCom power supply on the gym side of things.

Also the TW-47 is the Walkie Talkie interface, not anything you need in this setup.

Richard Crowley · October 10th, 2018, 10:31 PM

Your design guy and @Edward Carlson are correct
1) The Eartec website (and Eartec documentation and support in general) are TERRIBLE.
2) We can't begin to GUESS what Eartec gadget(s) you are asking about without a model number and website URL for the details.
3) The ClearCom standard is unbalanced, full-duplex (send + receive on the same wire).
4) If your (unidentified) Eartec gadget has a connection for "ClearCom" then it almost certainly wants a DIRECT connection to the ClearCom wiring.
5) You cannot send full-duplex over Dante.
6) Dante is simplex (one-direction only) You will need TWO line-level Dante channels going in OPPOSITE directions to do this.
7) You will need something to convert ClearCom full-duplex into "4-wire" (separate send and receive) in order to connect to two channels of Dante going in opposite directions. I am quite sure ClearCom has one or more products that will handle this. ClearCom is pretty sophisticated about interfacing with other systems.
8) You will need something to connect "4-wire" to Eartec. I have no idea whether Eartec has any products that will handle this. Eartec seems poor at even interfacing with their own products, much less other gear.
9) Eartec MAY have a 4-wire adapter, but their products are so poorly presented on their website it is almost useless. Maybe you can call someone at Eartec and hope you can talk to someone who knows what they are talking about. I talked to one of their guys at 2017 NAB and he seemed reasonable knowledgeable. I wish I could remember his name.
10) Even if you can work out sending and receiving audio, it is not at all clear how to handle Eartec push-to-talk (or do you have the wireless, full-duplex kit?) An it is not clear how (or IF) you can handle the ClearCom "call" function?

October 9th, 2018, 10:16 AM	#1
Scott Holt Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Scott City, Kansas Posts: 71	Intercom for communication question I have a question that I hope the experts on here can help me with. I am trying to get our communication system for our sports broadcasting to work in another building around 1 mile away using Dante. I have a clearcom system in our studio and plan on hooking that up to an Eartec headset system in the other building. Eartec has an interface that hooks into the Clearcom audio and converts it or something and then that goes into a hub that transmits the wireless signal to the headsets. We are going to use the Dante system to transmit the audio from our studio to the other building and back for crosstalk. My design guy seems to think that I will need more than what Eartec offers to get audio back and forth. He says the question then would be how to separate the intercom transmit and receive audio. With only one audio line, I don't know how you would handle bidirectional audio. Does anyone know if the Eartec system with the Clearcom interface needs anymore gear to make it work? My designer seems to think it needs some more equipment. Since not using the Eartec system before he is not sure how it will work. Here is what he thinks:....."At the remote site (new gym) it gets a little more ambiguous for me because I can't find many details on Eartec's website about their products. It looks like their interface is designed to plug into an intercom line with one cable and then another cable plugs into the hub for the headsets. It doesn't look like it's designed for line level audio (but you might talk to your rep to see if they have a product that would work that way). What I think you might have to do on the gym side would be to pull the line level audio off the Dante line (which would be an in and an out with transmit and receive audio and then take that to another TW-47 interface. That would take it back into the Clearcom world, but you'd also have to have a power supply (this would be the cheapest: PK-7 - Clear Com : Clear Com) to power the interface and drive the line that hits the Eartec device." Is there anyone out there that knows? Eartec doesn't know how it will work with the Dante system.

October 9th, 2018, 02:06 PM	#2
Gary Huff Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 2,006	Re: Intercom for communication question Have you looked into using Unity for iOS/Android?

October 9th, 2018, 07:54 PM	#3
Edward Carlson Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: North Hollywood, CA, United States Posts: 807	Re: Intercom for communication question Eartec's website is a disaster. So it looks like you have the Eartec HUB and the HUB-INT. The HUB-INT is your ClearCom interface. If you're sending your audio over Dante, it's going to be 4-wire (i.e., a send and a receive on separate cables.) On each end, you simply need a 2-wire to 4-wire converter. ClearCom makes the IF4W4, which is a 4-channel interface, and Studio Technologies makes the Model 45A, which is a 2-channel interface. In your studio, the PL 2-wire goes into the 4-wire converter, and the 4-wire goes to your Dante interface (one send, one receive.) On the gym side, the Dante audio goes to the 4-wire interface, then the PL 2-wire goes to the HUB-INT, then from there to the Eartec HUB. However, Studio Technologies also makes the Model 45DC, which takes the intercom 2-wire, and puts it directly on the Dante network. No 4-wire converters needed. It looks like the HUB-INT is powered by a wall adapter, so you don't need an extra ClearCom power supply on the gym side of things. Also the TW-47 is the Walkie Talkie interface, not anything you need in this setup.

October 10th, 2018, 10:31 PM	#4
Richard Crowley Trustee Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 1,238	Re: Intercom for communication question Your design guy and @Edward Carlson are correct 1) The Eartec website (and Eartec documentation and support in general) are TERRIBLE. 2) We can't begin to GUESS what Eartec gadget(s) you are asking about without a model number and website URL for the details. 3) The ClearCom standard is unbalanced, full-duplex (send + receive on the same wire). 4) If your (unidentified) Eartec gadget has a connection for "ClearCom" then it almost certainly wants a DIRECT connection to the ClearCom wiring. 5) You cannot send full-duplex over Dante. 6) Dante is simplex (one-direction only) You will need TWO line-level Dante channels going in OPPOSITE directions to do this. 7) You will need something to convert ClearCom full-duplex into "4-wire" (separate send and receive) in order to connect to two channels of Dante going in opposite directions. I am quite sure ClearCom has one or more products that will handle this. ClearCom is pretty sophisticated about interfacing with other systems. 8) You will need something to connect "4-wire" to Eartec. I have no idea whether Eartec has any products that will handle this. Eartec seems poor at even interfacing with their own products, much less other gear. 9) Eartec MAY have a 4-wire adapter, but their products are so poorly presented on their website it is almost useless. Maybe you can call someone at Eartec and hope you can talk to someone who knows what they are talking about. I talked to one of their guys at 2017 NAB and he seemed reasonable knowledgeable. I wish I could remember his name. 10) Even if you can work out sending and receiving audio, it is not at all clear how to handle Eartec push-to-talk (or do you have the wireless, full-duplex kit?) An it is not clear how (or IF) you can handle the ClearCom "call" function?