Clear-Com Announces Seamless Roaming for Tempest2400 at NAB 2012

New product breakthrough delivers uninterrupted coverage for large-scale broadcasts

Clear-Com®, a global leader in critical voice communication systems, today is pleased to unlock the Seamless Roaming capability for its Tempest®2400 digital wireless intercom at NAB 2012 (Booth C8008). Further enhancing one of the most feature-rich and robust system within Clear-Com’s wireless product line, Tempest Seamless Roaming will be most applicable in large mixed facilities that are separated by sizeable distances such as campus buildings, multi-studio environments and/or outdoor venues.

“With Seamless Roaming, a Tempest2400 wireless BeltStation can cover an extensive area with multiple zones that would not be adequately supported by a single BaseStation installation,” says Craig Fredrickson, Clear-Com’s wireless product manager. “This allows broadcasters to focus on critical production cues rather than having to change the settings on their wireless BeltStations when moving within a venue.”

Tempest Seamless Roaming is meant for individuals on the production team who must move freely and wirelessly from a given coverage area to another without interference or dropout of intercom communication. Base stations are linked together with the newest ZSync (Zero Synchronization) Technology. The ZSync Technology provides a zero sync reference that coordinates the hopping patterns of all connected BaseStations every time the system is powered up, irrespective of random time variation in power up sequences, to provide improved system performance and a seamless wireless experience.

With the Seamless Roaming feature, BeltStation users can migrate between as many as 16 different Tempest2400 BaseStations (coverage areas or zones). Both Seamless Roaming and iSelect Roaming are available to accommodate virtually every application need.

The Tempest2400, designed with Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, utilizes a narrow band signal that is continually changing frequencies to powerfully burn through RF noise and interference. Because of FHSS technology, the Tempest system does not compete with signals from other 2.4 GHz wireless devices, minimizing frequency coordination and enabling flawless performance. Moreover, the wireless system features state-of-the-art 2xTX Transmission Voice Data Redundancy, which sends each packet of audio data twice on different frequencies and through different antennas, ensuring uninterrupted audio communications. Via four- and two-wire connections, it can interoperate with other Clear-Com intercom systems, as well as those from other manufacturers.

Tempest2400 offers three different modes of operations—Normal, Shared and Split. All modes are supported under the Seamless Roaming function.  A single Tempest2400 in Normal mode can support between one and five full-duplex wireless users who always need to speak on the intercom system. However, in Split or Shared mode, an unlimited number of users can monitor the conversation and share talk capability. A combination of Tempest systems operating in either Normal or Share mode can co-exist in the same environment for the ultimate in flexibility. Each digital BeltStation offers four audio channels. By stacking up to 10 BaseStations together, 50 independent, full-duplex wireless BeltStations can operate together in a single system.