An intercom system is integral to the behind-the-scenes success of any production, yet specifying the right intercom solution for a given show frequently seems to be an afterthought. While intercom generally falls under the purview of the audio team/provider for a production, many audio engineers and technicians regard it as something of a mystery, or simply a burden. In earlier articles, we’ve taken some time to demystify analog partyline intercom systems, as well as wireless intercom systems. Now, we’ll explore some of the intercom options available in our rental inventory.
Our engineers have experience designing and implementing intercom systems of varying complexity. Whether you need a single-channel, wired partyline system, a complex multi-channel wireless system, or anything in between, our Project Managers can help you find the right solution for your next show.
Wired Intercom
Analog partyline intercom systems have operated in largely the same fashion, with largely the same feature sets, for decades, and with good reason. They just work! A wired partyline intercom is still the best and most cost effective solution for the majority of shows, and we have a number of options available in our inventory.
As we explained in our Demystify: Party-Line Intercom blog, there are two different wiring conventions that almost all manufacturers conform to: Clear-Com and RTS. All of our wired intercom systems are manufactured by Clear-Com, so as you might expect, they conform to the Clear-Com wiring standard.
The simplest possible wired intercom deployment is a single-channel partyline, accomplished with an intercom power supply like the Clear-Com PK-5 or PK-7. If you need a two channel partyline system, we have two master station options: The Clear-Com CS-222 or MS-232. The CS-222 supports up to 30 beltpacks or 10 speaker stations. Meanwhile, the MS-232 supports up to 60 beltpacks or 20 speaker stations for more robust applications. If you require a four channel partyline solution, we carry the MS-440 master station, boasting features like a Linking Control to instantly link separate channels together, four separate program inputs, and three interruptible IFB channels.
We have a number of beltpacks available for our wired intercom systems, including the Clear-Com RS-502 and RS-602 dual-channel (both the 5-pin and 3-pin versions) and the RS-501 and RS-601 single-channel beltpacks. Along with the TWC-10A, the RS-502TW beltpacks allow users to communicate on two channels over a single 3-pin XLR connection. Other options for intercom “drops” include speaker stations, like the Clear-Com KB-11A, telephone-style handsets, call lights, and more. We stock all the accessories necessary to configure a wired intercom system for any application.
Wireless Intercom
As they’ve become more affordable and flexible in recent years, wireless intercom solutions have become an essential part of the toolkit for many productions. The convenience and freedom of movement offered by wireless intercom systems makes them an attractive choice, but they often require a bit more forethought and design time to put together a properly functioning system than an equivalent wired solution. Our project managers can guide you through the process of designing an appropriate wireless intercom system for your next show.
If you require a simple single-channel wireless solution, we carry the HME DX200. DX200 operates in the 2.4GHz band, and each base station can support up to a maximum of 15 beltpacks or all-in-one wireless headsets.
Another wireless intercom system we carry is perhaps our most flexible: Clear-Com’s FreeSpeak II. The FreeSpeak II base station supports up to 25 beltpacks, and also acts as a powerful hub for wired intercom, with four 2-wire analog partyline connections, and four 4-wire connections. The system is fully programmable via the base station, or Clear-Com’s browser based Core Configuration Manager tool. When properly deployed, FreeSpeak II transceiver antennas create an interlocking cellular network, seamlessly passing off beltpacks to one another as users move in between coverage zones. FreeSpeak II is also the only intercom system in our inventory with a fiber connect option, allowing transceiver antennas to be placed at extreme distances from the base station. FreeSpeak II is ideal for large or complex deployments, and we’ve relied on it as a lynch pin for many of our highest-profile jobs.
Intercom Accessories
Whether you choose a wired intercom system, a wireless solution, or some combination of the two, you’ll almost certainly need some extra pieces of hardware to accomplish tasks that can’t be completed with master stations and beltpacks alone. We have a variety of call lights, speaker stations, telephone style handsets, and more for instances when a beltpack and headset would be impractical or insufficient.
We also carry a wide selection of adapters and interfaces for more complicated intercom deployments. The Studio Technologies Model 72 is a “dryout box”, which strips the power from a partyline signal, and outputs a dry, line-level signal. This is commonly used for talent or production personnel cueing (i.e. plugging into a console channel so a monitor engineer can listen to the intercom through their cue wedge). We also carry the Studio Technologies Model 45DC, a Dante to dual-partyline interface that can easily bridge Dante I/O into Clear-Com partyline systems. The Studio Technologies Model 46 is also our go-to for 2-wire to 4-wire interfacing, or even for interconnecting partyline systems between Clear-Com to RTS systems. One final accessory we’ll highlight is the Clear-Com TW-47, which allows two-way radios to interface with partyline intercom systems.
Conclusion
A rock-solid intercom solution helps every production run at 100% efficiency. Whether you need just a couple drops of single-channel wired intercom, or a complex multi-channel system with dozens of wired and wireless beltpacks, we have the necessary tools in our rental stock. Our project managers will work with you to design an intercom system that will fit your needs from the ground up, and ensure this important, but often overlooked, piece of your production performs flawlessly.
If you have questions about setting up an intercom rental, or renting anything else in our extensive inventory, get in touch with our Rental Team at rentals@tcfurlong.com or 847-367-9588.
We’re also authorized dealers of all the products discussed in this article. To request a purchase quote, reach out to our Sales Team at sales@tcfurlong.com or 847-367-9588.