Push to Talk Conference Microphones – An Edge over Conventional Microphones

The key differences between Push to Talk Conference Microphones and Conventional Microphones are; push to talk microphones are controlled by the delegate or user, who can select by pressing a button, when to speak or not. A conventional microphone is operated by a technician at the back of the room. Therefore when there are highly interactive discussions a push to talk conference microphone in front of each delegate allows them to participate immediately and more fully.

For Technical Readers there are a number of technical aspects of push to talk Conference Microphones that give them an edge over the Conventional microphones

• You can have an unlimited number of conference microphones in the room. All ready to go. If you do this with conventional microphones you will get feedback.
  
  
• Conference Microphones are daisy chained together. Therefore you have a single cable connecting one microphone to the next, rather than a dedicated cable back to the mixing desk for each microphone as in conventional microphones. This means that for the operator there is now one channel on the mixing desk that is microphones.
  
  
• Anything above 6 conventional microphones managed by an operator with a Mixing desk starts to become unwieldy, with delays in the operator bringing up the gain on a particular microphone. With Push to talk there is no delay at all.
  
  
• Each Conference microphone has its own built in speaker, this means that you can run a meeting without a mixer and PA if you choose. However most companies will provide a PA to fill the room with sound.
  

Conference microphones are a basic need of business conferences. Every business delegate participating in a conference is equally authorized to share his views and analysis. Conference microphones give everyone in the conference room a chance to speak up, from the loudest to the quietest person, they are all heard equally.

Conferences are usually interactive sessions which may include a large number of delegates; there is a chance that the conference may get out of control. Push to talk conference microphones allow a chairman to take control in such situations, using the chairman override function.

Modern conference microphones can also have software queuing and video dome systems.

As already stated above, conferences are usually used in interactive sessions, which may include several delegates at a time. In such sessions, it maybe unclear, who wishes to speak first, a clear or who is in the queue ready to speak etc. The meeting is managed orderly and calmly, when the chairman has this information. Software queuing provides the chairman with a screen that shows all these details and lets the chairman direct the meeting in a planned way. An automatic video tracking of the delegate speaking at the moment is provided by the video dome system if required.

Analogue Vs Digital Systems

All Push to talk conference microphone systems has the following characteristics better than conventional microphones.

• Simple and fast to install
  
  
• Guaranteed better acoustics
  
  
• Easier to control
  
  
• No delay waiting for operator
  
  
• No limit to the number of microphones in a room
  
  
• Allows everyone to participate in the discussion
  
  
• Chairman can take control at any time.
  
  
• Push to talk conference microphones can be incorporated into videoconferencing and audio conferencing systems to provide massively improved audio quality.
  

But having been convinced of the need for a conference microphone system which one do you choose? The following table helps you choose between the 3 main options that manufacturers offer.

Analogue Conference Microphone System

Pro’s

· Low Price

· Simple to use.

Con’s

· Limited in functionality

· Cannot integrate with SW or Video

· Not Immune to Mobile Phone interference

Wired Digital Conference Microphone System

Pro’s

· Immune to mobile Phone interference

· Simple to use, adding complexity easy

· Allows SW integration and PC Control

· Integration with Dome Video Camera

· Secure (Cannot be eaves dropped)

· Integrates with Simultaneous Interpretation systems

Con’s

· Higher Price than Analogue systems

Wireless Digital Conference Microphone System

Pro’s

· No cables easiest to install

· Ideal in Heritage buildings

· Immune to mobile Phone interference

· Complete flexibility in location.

· Allows SW integration and PC Control

· Integration with Dome Video Camera

· Integrates with Simultaneous Interpretation systems

Con’s

· High Price

· Requires knowledge of existing Wifi systems in building

If you are buying or renting a Push to talk conference Microphone system you need to know a few things and ask questions of your supplier

1. Is it analogue or digital?
   
   
2. Is it immune to mobile phone noise?
   
   
3. Is there a Chairman’s unit, how does it work?
   
   
4. Who will install the system?
   
   
5. Will it integrate with the AV set-up that I have planned?
   
   
6. Do I want and is Software control of the push to talk conference microphones available?
   
   
7. Does this have cost extra?
   
   
8. How many microphones are required? 1 per person? 1 between 2? 1 between 3 or more?
   
   
9. What will happen to the system if a cable is pulled out by a delegate? Will it completely fail or will it start working as soon as the cable is plugged back in?
   

Push to talk microphones, offers every facility that is needed at a ideal business conference. People, who have experienced them have found them more advanced in comparison to standard table microphones. Push to talk microphones are a proved medium to achieve faultless communication in business conferences.