Finding the right tour guide system: We are providing an overview

1. Communication between coach and athlete
2. Translation at international conferences and lectures
3. Support in case of hearing loss
4. Wireless audio streaming

The fundamental question is simply which device for which requirement?
This is how we are testing tour guide systems

Customers often call us and roughly know for which scenario they need a solution. During the conversation it becomes clear that the customer does not really need a fixed installation or a traditional portable PA system. Instead, they need a tour guide system. Many installers and expert planners are often surprised because they have always underestimated the performance of a good tour guide system.

It is also possible to use our tour guide systems for wireless communication with each other, instead of hand-held radios. Please find listed below 4 different application scenarios.

Trainers for equestrian sports are more frequently using tour guide systems. Trainers and students stay in contact via small wireless systems. This does not only work in equestrian sports but in all kinds of sports where the trainer has to observe and instruct the student from a distance. Another example would be track cycling. A trainer could also instruct an entire team with the transmitter of a tour guide system.

Please note the following:

If you are using a tour guide system in sports, you should be able to attach it to your belt or clothes or store it in your clothes. For this purpose, a lanyard is not practical because athletes move around a lot. You should also make sure that the athlete is able to operate the tour guide system almost blindfolded. Thus, the system should have large switches or potentiometers, i.e. it should be easy to operate, even with gloves on. Also pay attention to the operating range of the tour guide system. What is the maximum distance between athlete and coach?

At multilingual conferences, a tour guide system can transmit live translations to respective listeners.

Thus, translations can be done live and in a flexible way. This is because an interpreter can send the translation to any number of recipients via a tour guide system. The user is not linked to permanently installed PA technology and can pass on the transmitter and receiver as required. You can of course also use stationary transmitters as an alternative. The tour guide system attenuates the noise level in the room using headphones.

Please note: think about how many transmitters you need to use in parallel. Four transmitters and, therefore, four translators are often possible in the frequency range 863 MHz-865 MHz which is licence-free. However, it would be the maximum amount. If several speakers are using one tour guide system to transmit their speech during a discussion, a hand-held microphone may be useful. The presenter can pass this on to the next speaker more easily than a clip-on microphone or headset.

A tour guide system supports people who need a different volume level during the PA application. In case some listeners have loss of hearing, a tour guide system can also help here. This can be in church or at lectures or conferences. You can use regular speakers for the main sound transmission and give a tour guide system to people with a hearing loss. People who need assistance can use the tour guide system to choose their own volume level, independent of the other listeners in the room.

Please note the following: in case of hearing loss, a tour guide system can assist you in two ways. Firstly, through a louder speech transmission. Secondly, you could connect a portable induction loop to the tour guide system. This can simply be inserted into the jack connection of the tour guide's pocket receiver. The signal of the induction loop is transmitted directly to the T-coil of the hearing aid.

The additional line input of some of the transmitters of our tour guide systems provides an additional option for application: wireless audio streaming and speech transmission to the PA system. One example is a mixer which is connected to active speakers. If cables have been forgotten or cabling is not possible, you can also use a tour guide system. The transmitter of the tour guide system is connected to the sound source, the receivers to the active speakers.

Please note the following:

For this purpose, you should preferably use an analogue tour guide system due to the better sound. For a mono transmission, e.g. background music, one transmitter-receiver path is sufficient. For a stereo transmission, two transmitters and two receivers are required.

By no means do we want to cover certain adjoining sectors and reduce our technology accordingly. We simply cannot and will not do that. Experienced technicians test every tour guide system in detail, just like Frank Kuhl does in the PA section. For this purpose, we have our own workshop.

If the device passes these tests, it will be included in our product range, otherwise it will not. In addition to various technical measurement checks, we are also testing the following:

• Is the operating range as specified by the manufacturer?
• How is the noise behaviour?
• How is the sound impression?
• Especially with integrated rechargeable batteries: how long does it take to charge?
• Do accessories meet their requirements?
• Is the running time of the battery sufficient?
• Is the device robust or will it break immediately if it falls down?
• Is the device easy to use or very complicated?
• How robust is the antenna?
• Is the device service-friendly, can it still be repaired? Or is it irreparable if there is a small defect?

If you have questions about tour guide systems, our technical project management will be happy to help you with the selection or planning.

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