In Broadcast - August 2015 - 33


33

www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 5 - Issue 8 | August 2015

InPreview

Clear-Com
FreeSpeak II
Dual Band
Duplex
FreeSpeak II Base Station

F

reeSpeak II is hailed as the most
sophisticated digital wireless
intercom on the market. Since 2002,
the first generation of FreeSpeak has
been the wireless intercom of choice for
many broadcasters around the world.
In 2014, Clear-Com introduced the
second generation called FreeSpeak II,
operating in the 1.9GHz band. Shortly
after, in April 2015, a 2.4GHz variant
of FreeSpeak II was debuted to allow
production crews to expand their
wireless intercom in ways that have not
been possible until now.
FreeSpeak II can be used for
broadcast applications of different
magnitude and complexity. Similar
to the 1.9GHz system, FreeSpeak II
2.4GHz provides full-duplex audio
paths for simultaneous talk and
listen, and multichannel operation. It
can function with a standalone base
station or as an integrated solution
within Eclipse HX matrices, known as
FreeSpeak II Integra.
2.4GHz FreeSpeak II shares a base
station, antenna distribution splitter,
and battery charger with 1.9GHz
FreeSpeak II. However, it does have
all-new 2.4GHz band specific wireless
beltpacks and active antennas, which

FreeSpeak II
2.4GHz beltpack

are rugged and weather-proof. The
same base station or matrix integrated
FreeSpeak II system can co-operate
a mix of both 1.9GHz and 2.4GHz
beltpacks and antennas. The two
bands work together seamlessly within
the base station or matrix intercom.
By mixing 1.9GHz and 2.4GHz
beltpacks and antennas, FreeSpeak
II can support many more wireless
users and provide extensive coverage.
It has been advantageous for many
installations, such as the Baku 2015
European Games. For Baku's opening
ceremony, two FreeSpeak systems
were used across an expansive area.
One operated in the 1.9GHz band while
the other operated on the 2.4GHz
band. With the two systems co-located,
the production team was able to
use 80 FreeSpeak beltpacks in one
physical RF space without any issues.
Production teams can easily add
five-channel, full-duplex beltpacks.
The standalone base station supports
20 full-duplex wireless beltpacks using
either or both 1.9GHz and 2.4GHz
bands. As FreeSpeak II Integra, up to
50 1.9GHz wireless beltpacks and 40
2.4GHz (or 25 1.9GHz in North America
plus 40 2.4GHz) wireless beltpacks can
be used simultaneously. This makes
FreeSpeak II the only wireless system
to support this volume of full-duplex
users at once. The system also
allows the beltpack user to roam
anywhere, indoors or outdoors,
by placing up to 40 distributed
remote antennas across a large
production space.
Working in more than one
frequency band, FreeSpeak II
gives users the option to choose
between bands for continuous,
clear communication in a variety
of setups.
http://www.inbroadcast.com http://www.clearcom.com/product/wireless/freespeakII http://www.clearcom.com/ http://www.clearcom.com/product/wireless/freespeakII/FreespeakII-Beltpack http://www.clearcom.com/
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