Uncompromising digital wireless for Hanzehogeschool
Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Hanze UAS), Groningen, has establishments in Groningen, Assen, Leeuwarden and Amsterdam with approximately 26000 students and 3000 staff members.
When the rollout of 4G mobile broadband was a fact, Hanze Groningen searched with audiovisual supplier PTH Group for an innovative replacement for their current wireless audio transmitters.
The existing wireless systems where less effective in the frequency spectrum, affected by the rollout of 4G.
Durability was an important factor for Hanze because transmitters needed to operate in a spectrum that declined approximately by 20%. This was especially a challenge at locations where many channels operate simultaneously.
PTH group and Shure Distribution Benelux offered the digital ULX-D system.
This system was developed for extreme demanding installed applications like university’s and corporate environments.
Besides reliable, ULX-D is also extreme spectrum efficient and can place numerous channels in a relatively small spectrum. With the output power of 10mW a user can use about 65 channels in the same time on a single frequency band of 64MHz.
The ULX-D system was rigorously tested on location in different settings by the facilities department. Immediately they noticed the bright voice reproduction. Because the transmission is digital, the system has a lot of headroom and this benefits the natural speech reinforcement. During presentations and lectures the sound of the speaker is exceptional clear.
In the High Density Mode the output power is reduced to 1mW, therefore the range of the transmitters is lowered to 30 meters (enough for an average classroom). In this mode up to 500 transmitters can work simultaneously. In the Netherlands this amount of transmitters is rare but it gives Hanze enormous flexibility. (For instance it is possible to exchange and rearrange the transmitters of different locations without having to invest in multiple frequency bands. This means fewer parts in stock.)
At this moment Hanzehogeschool has 60 ULX-D systems operational, 40 of these systems are installed permanently. The other systems are used in mobile audio racks and portable Presentations 2Go systems. All transmitters are equipped with a Beta 87A microphone capsule. The bodypacks for the installed systems feature Countryman E6 Ear-sets, because of the high quality, light weight and miniature design. The portable Presentations 2Go sets are combined with a robust lavalier, the Shure WL184.
Another important point is the rechargeable Li-ion batteries. Locations with many audio transmitters generally consume a high volume of environmental unfriendly batteries. Batteries are therefore often a big factor in budgets.
With the introduction of ULX-D, Shure offered an intelligent and innovative rechargeable battery. All batteries are equipped with an internal chip which keeps track of the batteries ‘health’. With every recharge the lifespan of all batteries gradually decreases. Now one can accurately monitor the durability of the battery and prevent unwanted transmission failures.
The batteries can be charged at any moment without damaging the lifecycle, professors don’t have to wait until the battery is completely empty before recharging. The Hanzehogeschool will save several thousand euros on battery costs alone in the upcoming years.
