[ale] OT: Where can I learn about microphones?

[Richard Bronosky]

The echo loop should be a non issue because we don't amplify the local
attendees back into the room. That's just the way Skype, GoToMeeting,
WebEx, and Google Hangouts work. The signal from the mics are only
sent to the remote attendees. The signal from the remote attendees is
the only thing that comes out of the speakers. The software has a
pretty easy time of removing the signal from the speakers (from the
remote attendees, remember) from what the mics pic up so that the
remote attendees don't hear themselves echo. I agree that micing a
room to amplify and play back into the room is very hard. Luckily that
is NOT what I am doing. I just need high, accurate gain.

Oh, as a side note, I found about a dozen good quality mics at work
after everyone left for the day.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/103188493504862905835/posts/R5tzUzbXsfY

I'm not done by any means, but I bet I can use those!

On Fri, Feb 10, 2012 at 6:43 PM, arxaaron <arxaaron at gmail.com> wrote:
> If I were assembling an audio conferencing system, I would
> probably go with multiple desktop "PZM" type microphones
> or something similar that would sit flat on a table top.  I may
> have a line on where you could get a bunch of these on the
> cheap:
>
>    Crown 170 PCC SWO
>    <http://www.crownaudio.com/mic_web/pcc.htm>
>    (this model line also has some special features for conferencing
>     that you might find useful)**
>
> then feed them into an automated "loudest mic" mixer
>
>    <http://www.fullcompass.com/product/291689.html>
>    <http://www.fullcompass.com/product/382292.html>
>    <http://www.fullcompass.com/product/321659.html>
>    (There are 4 and 5 mic versions of the Audio Technica
>      ATMX as well).
>
> and then the mixer would feed into a decent A2D USB interface like:
>
>    <http://tascam.com/product/us-122mkii/>
>
> ** The PCC microphones are designed for conference
> and classroom situations and have push to talk or remote
> open / closed capabilities. If your people were aware
> enough to remember to turn on their mic when speaking,
> the (pricey) automated mixer might not be necessary.
>
> In any conference situation with open speakers (instead of
> everyone wearing headphones), the hurdle is avoiding echo
> loops between the remote and local end.  Ideally, the local
> speaker is muted when a local mic is in use and all the local
> mics are muted when the local speaker is in use.  In a perfect
> world, your conference connection software would be smart
> enough to suppress audio return loops.
>
> Hope that was some definitive help.
>
> peace
> aaron
>
>
> On 2012/02/10, at 14:51 , Richard Bronosky wrote:
>
>> I need to learn about microphones so that I can build some
>> teleconferencing kits. We have about a dozen different USB mics and
>> they all suck. Every meeting is full of complaints that the remote
>> attendees can't hear. I want analog mics and a mixing board. Probably
>> a USB digitizer. (I _might_ consider a USB mixing board if it is very
>> _very_ excellent.)
>>
>> I want to consider many options:
>> 1. single condensor mics
>> 2. multiple condensor mics
>> 3. stationary directional mics
>> 4. human operated directional mics
>> 5. robotic directional mic or mics - either voice tracking or IR baton
>> tracking (I may have to build that one)
>> 6. several lavalier mics
>> 7. any other voodoo
>>
>> --
>> .!# RichardBronosky #!.
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