The San Diego Opera is expanding its production communication coverage area with the help of Clear-Com’s wireless intercom system.
As part of a system upgrade, the opera has installed six Tempest®;2400 Digital Wireless Intercoms with the new Seamless Roaming capability.
The four-channel wireless systems not only support more wireless BeltStation users and deliver the most intercom options, but they also provide the crew and management department with interference-free communications across multiple productions spaces.
One of the leading opera companies in the United States, the San Diego Opera puts out four operatic productions a season, in addition to concerts and other special events.
Wireless intercoms are essential for the crew members since the systems permit untethered movement and communication during productions.
Because of the limited coverage area offered by the production team’s former wireless intercom, they sought new wireless intercoms that would cover the far-reaching areas of the building and a nearby plaza often used for VIP receptions.
In addition, the production team wanted to avoid the issue of interference with their new wireless intercom because wireless systems from local TV stations were already competing for the same frequency spectrum as the opera’s existing equipment.
Already familiar with Clear-Com’s intercom solutions and their capabilities, the San Diego Opera decided to employ Clear-Com products for its latest upgrade.
Six Tempest BaseStations were connected via ZSync (Zero Synchronization) technology to give the staff Seamless Roaming in every production area.
Tempest’s Seamless Roaming feature lets the crew members conveniently travel throughout the performance facility and stay connected without having to change the settings on their BeltStation.
Operating in the 2.4 GHz band, the Tempest2400 systems also resolved the opera’s challenge of wireless interference in the UHF spectrum.
Tempest’s Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology ensured that the system does not compete with signals from other 2.4 GHz wireless devices as well. This minimized frequency coordination and enabled the system to have flawless wireless performance.
“I had television stations intruding directly upon my wireless equipment and so much of it was not working the way it should due to the interference,” says Bill Scott, Audio/Visual Technician for the San Diego Opera. “Clear-Com seems to be first out of the gate to address this, having come up with a very good product to solve all of those problems.