For professional postproduction and broadcast use as well as use in OB-vans and theatres.

Everyone with the appropriate experience in the field of broadcast and television production must admit, after a few thoughts, that the method of communication between different parties participating in any creative process belongs to the very basic necessities.

Without communication, nothing works!

Nobody will really notice a flawless working talkback system during a normal production day. It will very soon be noticed when in the middle of a production session part of or even worse, the entire talkback system fails.

The weakest part of every talkback system is the central matrix, which is responsible for almost all failures. Talkback systems are usually too expensive, because the central matrix normally costs more than the connected keypanel stations.

KAISON has, in relation to this, developed an absolute crash proof talkback-system based on many years of related experience in the field of planning and constructing of talkback systems.

KAISON requires no central matrix and has therefore found a way to transfer this intelligence into the key-panel stations. A total system crash is therefore impossible!

KAISON offers a robust, very cost effective talkback system, available in 4 different key-panel station sizes. The active key-panel stations only are connected by means of a passive cascadable patch panel, which may be implemented in a centralized or decentralized way.

A nearly unlimited add-on system, highly flexible and expandable, which easily integrates into every studio environment.

1) Answering button AT

In case a panel is being addressed by more than one participant, it is possible to answer with AT to all communicating parties at the same time to tell them for example to communicate in a disciplinary matter. AT however, must be pressed during the time other parties are trying to address you, in order to achieve a summing function. If AT is activated a short time after the participants tried to contact you, the last participant is being stored in memory, overwriting the previous participant. The green tally-light of AT goes out independent of memory content after 3 minutes and immediately after activation of AT. It is possible to activate AT with a foot-switch, connected to female connector C at the rear connection panel, for "hands-free" communication with all parties. (Short-cut pin 1+11 on female connector C with a foot-switch)

 

2) Group select button GW

During simultanious activation of the GW-button and the destination buttons, it is possible to pre-programme one ore more participants.

 

3) Group call button GR

With the GR-button all GW-button pre-programmed participants are being called. If all participants programme their panels in exactly the same way, and if they push the GR-button while speaking, an n-1 conference takes place. It is possible to activate GR with a foot-switch, connected to female connector C at the rear connection panel, for "hands-free" communication with all parties. (Short-cut pin 1+10 on female connector C with a foot-switch)

 

4) Hands-free button FS

The FS-button enables "hands-free" communication with all GW-button pre-programmed participants. In order to activate this feature, the FS-button must be pushed, after which it lights up green. After this, the GW-button must be pushed. The FS-button changes colour from green to red and the GW pre-programmed participants illuminate red as well. The internal loudspeaker is not attenuated in order to hear answering participants. Answering participants should, before pressing their answering button AT, push the FS-button in peparation. The FS-button illuminates green on all panels of the answering parties. In this way it is achieved, that the loudspeaker is muted completely during activation of the destination button or the answering button AT in order to make sure that feedback does not take place. All FS-modes, green or red, can be de-activated by pushing the FS-button once more. Besides the conference-feature with GW and GR, which must be programmed on all panels of the conference parties, a conference with FS as previously described, is built up much faster, because the conference is programmed on one single panel only. It has the additional advantage of having the "hand-free" speaking feature on this panel.

 

5) Headset

If a headset is connected to the 5 pin XLR female front-connector, the built-in loudspeaker and swanneck microphone are disconnected. Standard internal loudspeaker attenuation, during which a key is being pushed, does not take place in this case, because feedback from a headset-speaker to the headset-microphone is not possible. (Male XLR, pin 1 hot + pin 2 shield for microphone, pin 3 hot + pin 4 shield for loudspeaker in headset, pin 4+5 must be bridged to activate this function).

 

6) Headphone

In case a headphone is connected to the pin XLR female front-connector, it makes sense only to disconnect the internal loudspeaker, but not the internal swanneck microphone. Mount a 5-pin-male-XLR to the headset (Pin 3 hot, pin 4 shield, no bridge between pin 4+5). To disconnect the internal loudspeaker, please bridge pin 1+8 on female connector C on the rear connection panel.

 

7) "on-air" tally loudspeaker mute

During "on-air" tally, the internal loudspeaker in a studio-panel should always be muted. To mute the loudspeaker, the studio-tally-system must supply an earth-free contact-closure between pin 1+8 on female connector C at the rear connection panel. Operation with headset or headphone is always possible during "on-air" tally operation.

 

8) D-contact

The d-contact on female connector B, pin 8+9 is earth-free. Its contacts are rated max. 140mA, 200V. It is always closed when a key on the panel is activated. With d-contact for example it is possible to attenuate existing monitoring loudspeakers for clear unterstanding purposes.

 

9) N-contact

The n-contact on female connector B, pin 6+7 is earth-free. Its contacts are rated max. 140mA, 200V. It is not used so much as the d-contact. The n-contact is always closed, when the panel get a call from another panels. During headset operation for example it is possible, to activate a large "attention-light", to signalise an incoming call from a greater distance, which can used for example in theatres.

 

10) Producer listening

In a broadcast environment, the camera-control (shading), lighting and VTR operators prefer to hear permanent the producer on the intercom system. To realise this feature, female connector B, pin 2+3+1 (transformer output, a+b+shield) on the producer-panel must be connected to female B, pin 4+5+1 (transformer input, a+b+shield) of the panels, whose operators want to listen to the producer. These operators can control their volume with the AUX control.

 

11) Listen (monitoring), pre-listen +6dBu externally

External sources, +6dBu, such as a CD player, or programme sound are simply connected to female connector B, pin 4+5+1 (transformer input, a+b+shield). Monitoring operators can control the volume with the AUX control.

 

12) Producer talkback without external interface KE

On female connector B, pin 2+3+1 (transformer output, a+b+shield), the unswitched microphone signal with a level of +6dBu is present. Therefore it is possible, to distribute this signal via a 2 prong external pushbutton-switch to a studio loudspeaker.

 

13) Producer talkback with external interface KE

When panels are routed via the patch panel to the external interface KE, it is possible, that more than one panel can talkback into a studio loudspeaker. To achieve this feature, connect female connector B, pin 2+3+1 (transformer-output, a+b+shield) of the external interface KE to the studio loudspeaker. It is also possible, to feed in +6dBu programm sound on male connector D, pin 7+3+1 (transformer input, a+b+shield). Programme sound can be continiously heard on the studio loudspeaker and will be attenuated through the talkback panels by 20dB (IFB, Interrupted Fold Back).

 

14) Duplex wireless radio connection with external interface KE

If more then one panel is connected to a duplex wireless radio system, the input on female connector B, pin 4+5+1 (transformer input, a+b+shield) and the output on female connector B, pin 2+3+1 (transformer output, pin a+b+shield), must be connected to the Wireless Radio Base Station. The built-in threshold switch in KE, makes sure, that during an incoming radio-call tallying takes place on all panels, which are routed via the patchpanel to the external interface KE. It is also possible to feed in +6dBu programme sound on male connector D, pin 7+3+1 (transformer input, a+b+shield). Programme sound can be continiously heard on the wireless radio and will be attenuated through the talkback panels by 20dB (IFB, Interrupted Fold Back).

 

15) Simplex wireless radio connection with external interface KE

Connection is made as described in pos.14. However, in a simplex wireless radio connection the transmitter of the base-station must be activated by the earth-free contact closure on female connector B, pin 6+7 on the external interface KE (max. 140mA, 200V).

 

16) 4-wire telecom lines with external interface KE

The external interface KE can also be delivered with 4-wire telecom line level. The connection is made as described in pos.14. The input level is -17dBm at 600 Ohms, the output level is +9dBm at 600Ohms as required by German Telekom. Other input- and output-levels are adjustable.

 

17) ISDN with external interface KE

The external interface KE can be connected to commercially available ISDN telephone systems by means of a "hands-free" door talkback interface. Several panel-participants, who are routed via the patch panel to KE, are able to select a pre-programmed number on the ISDN telephone system by using the destination button. When the connection is made, the same destination button or the answering button is used, to communicate with the other party on the telephone. Vice versa an external telephone caller can call the connected panels, speak and listen. The telephone caller closes the connection.

 

18) Camera talkback with camera panel KC

The camera panel KC contains a maximum of 6 self locking keys enabling communication with 6 cameras in duplex mode. These keys switch the listen and hear path to the cameras simultaniously, because cameramen do not use a destination button on their headsets. Activation of the camera keys causes the illumination on these buttons to change from red to green. The CCU`s are connected in a 4-wire way to male connector F at the rear connection panel of KC. Female connector G enables the connection of additional camera panels KC to the CCU`s. The AUX control on the camera panel KC controls the volume level of the hearing of the cameramen. The MIC OFF button (locking) switches off the microphone of KC to the cameramen. The listen function on KC remains activated.

 

19) Signalisation of active panels K

All panels K should be disconnected (230V AC) with the studio, in which they are situated, when not in use. Trying to reach a panel in a deactivated studio, is indicated by the lack of illumination in the panel`s destination key. Switched off studios are instantly recognized this way.

 

20) AUX control for external interface KE

In standard configuration the AUX control is connected via jumper on the AUX input (see pos.11). Should external interface KE, as destination button on panel K, be controlled by the AUX control on panel K, at least 2 jumpers should be relocated in panel K. After this is done, an individual level control is possible in panel K. This is very useful, if the modulation level on a remote line fluctuates and is connected to external interface KE.

Example: If the external interface KE is connected via the patch panel to the 4th button of a panel K, K should be opened and on basecard KF18, jumper T4 must be relocated (see documentation KF18). Also microphone-loudspeaker-amplifier KM9, positioned on KF18, must be pulled out, so that jumper J2 can be relocated (see documentation KM9).

 

21) Testing the panels K

By using a sub-D adapter female to female, 2 equal sized panels K can be connected by means of placing a 1 to 1 cable between connector A. In this way it is possible to test all functions of the panels K against each other. If a destination button is pushed on one panel K, the light on the other panel`s destination button illuminates green. Also the answering button on the panel being called, lights up green for 3 minutes. All remaining destination buttons are illuminated red, because of the "busy" signalisation. Deviations on this are errors.

 

See the list with all stations on the left-hand side.