AV Technology - April 2009 - (Page 54)

avassets THE SPECIFICATIONS REVOLABS product forum DIMENSIONS (HXWXD) Base Station: 16.45 x 8.46 x 3.42 inches Charger Base: 8.3 x 4.3 x 1.0 inches Radio Frequency (North America): 1.92 to 1.93 GHz Audio Bandwidth: 100 Hz to 6.8 kHz Battery: Lithium Polymer, 8 hours talk time Charge Time: 2 hours Encryption: 128-bit proprietary (per mic channel) REVOLABS FUSION WIRELESS MIC SYSTEM THE RESULT By Ira M. Weinstein and David Maldow evolabs Fusion is a high-performance, professional wireless microphone system designed for use in small- to medium-sized meeting rooms. Available in 4channel and 8-channel versions, the system includes everything necessary to add wireless, multichannel microphone audio to almost any videoconferencing system or audiovisual installation. It also includes integrated audioconferencing capabilities. In addition, the system’s plug-and-play design (there is no software to install/configure) makes installation fast and easy. The system includes the following components: the base station, the charger base, the IR remote control, four or eight wireless microphones, and an optional tabletop dialer. THE PROS The primary benefit of Fusion is that it removes the need for cables between microphones and other devices (mic mixers, videoconferencing systems, etc.). A few key benefits of this approach is that it eliminates the need to trench floors, pull cables, or drill tables for microphone installation, and it THE PRODUCT: Fusion wireless microphone system THE MANUFACTURER: Revolabs, www.revolabs.com THE PRICE: Starts at U.S. $4,995 (MSRP) for the 4-channel version and U.S. $6,995 for the 8-channel, including microphones. The optional Fusion Tabletop Dialer costs $495. WHERE TO USE IT: Conference rooms, boardrooms, desktop, classrooms. R improves room aesthetics and safety by eliminating microphone cables on tables and across floors. Another benefit of the Revolabs product is the inclusion of 128-bit encryption in all wireless transmissions to maximize security and privacy. THE CONS Although the audio quality was exceptional, we were disappointed that the system did not support wide-band (14 kHz) audio and stereo audio; both of which are available from current videoconferencing systems. In addition, we would have appreciated the addition of a basic equalizer/audio frequency adjustment capability. THE APPLICATION Revolabs provided us with a four-microphone Fusion system for use in our Atlanta test lab, which we used as the primary microphone source with videoconferencing systems from LifeSize, Polycom, and Tandberg. The system installation and configuration, from start to finish, took less than 15 minutes to complete. Shifting between video systems, including all cabling and video system setting changes, took less than 10 minutes. We were able to complete this project using only the included cables and adapters. In today’s cost-cutting world, vendors often skimp on included cables and adapters. This was not the case with Revolabs. To assess the performance and usability of the Revolabs Fusion system, we conducted a series of formal video and audio test calls, and also used the system during our routine video meetings for several weeks. The most important aspect of a microphone system is the audio performance. In this case, we were interested not only in the overall performance, but also whether the wireless aspect of the system would cause any noticeable artifacts (delay, frequency loss, susceptibility to interference, etc.). Throughout the testing, we were impressed by the audio quality delivered by the Revolabs system. The microphone coverage/pickup area was strong, and the digital audio system eliminated the artifacts commonly associated with traditional, analog wireless systems. In addition, the usable transmission range was beyond the 100 feet specified in the user manual. The system audio is transmitted at 1.9 GHz, which means that it is not impacted by, and does not interfere with, the other wireless devices used in a typical office environment. Also, Revolabs microphones are not affected by the FCC’s recent decision to clear some UHF frequency bands, many of which are heavily used by other wireless microphone systems. Furthermore, the system’s RF Armor technology successfully blocked interference from 3G cell phones, Blackberries, and PDAs. All in all, the audio quality was basically indistinguishable from that delivered by a typical integrated wired microphone system. Even during our testing, in which we used the Fusion wireless system for video calls with clients and video-savvy staff, not a single far-end person realized that we were not using the vendor-provided wired microphone. Ira M. Weinstein is a senior analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research, and a 16-year veteran of the conferencing, collaboration, and audiovisual industries. David Maldow is a senior researcher at Wainhouse Research and a member of the New York and Louisiana Bar Associations. www.avtechnologyonline.com 54 | AV TECHNOLOGY | april 2009 http://www.revolabs.com http://www.avtechnologyonline.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AV Technology - April 2009

AV Technology - April 2009 Contents Perspective: Lost in a Cloud Precedent Corporate: Seven Rules of Thumb for the AV Technology Manager Government: Collaboration Will Help Reshape Federal Agencies Education: Moving Day Managing Digital AV Content Audiovisual Untethered Irvine’s Mobile Command & Control Vehicle AV with a View Product Forum: Revolabs Fusion Wireless Mic System Product Spotlight: Network Test Equipment Tech Horizons: Ever Thinner New Products Ad Index AV MO: Power Consumption in AV Devices

AV Technology - April 2009

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