Clear-Com PIC-4704 User Manual

CLEAR-COM ENCORE

PIC-4704, MA-704, AX-704 IFB SYSTEM

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

PIC 4704, MA-704, AX-704 IFB System Instruction Manual

© 2007 Vitec Group Communications. All rights reserved.

Part Number 810501Z Rev. 1

Vitec Group Communications, LLC.
850 Marina Village Parkway
Alameda, CA 94501
U.S.A

Vitec Group Communications
7400 Beach Drive
Cambridge Research Park
Cambridgeshire
United Kingdom
CB25 9TP

Vitec Group Communications
Room 1806, Hua Bin Building
No. 8 Yong An Dong Li
Jian Guo Men Wai Ave
Chao Yang District
Beijing, P.R. China 100022

Clear-Com, CellCom/FreeSpeak and the Clear-Com Communication Systems logo are registered trademarks of The Vitec Group
plc.

CONTENTS

OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

INSTALLATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

System Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

System Architecture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Interconnect Cabling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

System Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

Physical Mounting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

Setup and System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Troubleshooting Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

SPECIFICATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

PIC-4704, AX-704 and MA-704 Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

LIMITED WARRANTY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-I

Warranty Period. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-i

Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-i

Warranty Repairs and Returns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-ii

Non-Warranty Repairs and Returns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-ii

Extended Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-ii

Liability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-iii

PIC-4704, MA-704 & AX-704 IFB SYSTEM

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PIC-4704, MA-704 & AX-704 IFB SYSTEM

Please read and follow these

instructions before operating

this product.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves,
or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

9. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.

10. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the
manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution
when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

11. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long
periods of time.

12. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when
the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the
apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally, or has been dropped.

13. WA RN I NG : To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this
product to rain or moisture.

Please familiarize yourself with the safety symbols in Figure 1. When you see
these symbols on this product, they warn you of the potential danger of electric
shock if the station is used improperly. They also refer you to important
operating and maintenance instructions in the manual.

PIC-4704, MA-704 & AX-704 IFB System

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CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

This symbol alerts you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous
voltage within the product's enclosure that might be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock. Do not open
the product's case.

This symbol informs you that important operating and main­tenance instructions are included in the literature accompanying
this product.

Figure 1: Safety Symbols

EMC AND SAFETY

The PIC-4704, MA-704 and AX-704 products meet all relevant CE and FCC
specifications set out below:

EN55103-1 Electromagnetic compatibility. Product family standard for audio,
video, audio-visual, and entertainment lighting control apparatus for
professional use. Part 1: Emissions.

EN55103-2 Electromagnetic compatibility. Product family standard for audio,
video, audio-visual, and entertainment lighting control apparatus for
professional use. Part 2: Immunity.

And thereby compliance with the requirement of Electromagnetic
Compatibility Directive 2004/108/EC and Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.

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PIC-4704, MA-704 & AX-704 IFB System

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OPERATION

INTRODUCTION

During the production of a program for transmission or recording, a director or
producer frequently needs to cue the performing talent. This is done using
Interrupt FoldBack (IFB), a type of closed-circuit intercom for sending program
and cue audio on “IFB” lines for the talent to monitor. The IFB line carries three
signals: program audio, cue audio, and the dip or mute control. See the signal
flow diagram below (Figure 1-1). Electronic control allows the director to
interrupt the program signal when addressing the talent. IFB communications
are one-way only from an access location to the selected talent position.

Figure 1-1: Audio Control Paths

Clear-Com’s new stand-alone IFB components provide high performance,
cost-effective answers for applications where regular intercom functions are not
also required, or where space contraints require compact, versatile packaging.
The simplest stand-alone system consists of a PIC-4704, an MA-704, a PS-702
for power, and one to four TR-50 talent receivers. This system will permit cuing
of one to four talent positions from only one access location.

Note: Throughout this manual, “access location” refers to the physical place

someone needs to cue the talent from. “Talent position” refers to the
individual “talent” cue channels.

DESCRIPTION

Clear-Com’s stand-alone series of IFB components offers two types of talent
access station. The MA-704 has a socket for a gooseneck microphone and a
pre-amplifier with line-level output. It provides access to four talent positions.
Each AX-704 allows access, from the same location, to an additional group of
four talent positions; it requires an external line-level signal for its cue audio
source. The MA-704’s cue audio and ALL control signals will feed up to 24
AX-704s, so that only one MA-704 is required at each access location. Each talent
position may be accessed independently, or simultaneously with any other(s).
The ALL button on the MA-704 simultaneously accesses all talent positions of
the MA-704 and each AX-704 extension unit fed from that MA-704.

PIC-4704, MA-704 & AX-704 IFB SYSTEM

1-1

AX-704

All

MA-704

AX-704

IFB Input

The MA-704 The AX-704

Mic Gain

IFB Extension

Exten. Bus

Out

External Line

In

IFB Input

Exten. Bus

IFB Extension

Out

External Line

In

Figure 1-2: MA-704 and AX-704 Units

A PIC-4704 unit is required for every four talent positions, or fraction thereof.
For example, a system with five to eight talent positions will require two
PIC-4704s. The same IFB system with three access locations will require three
MA-704s and three AX-704s, but will still need only two PIC-4704s. The
PIC-4704 performs the program feed and interrupt functions for each talent
position, and also terminates the IFB lines.

1

5

6

7

2

4

3

8

9

1-2

Figure 1-3: PIC-4704 Controls and Connectors

The PIC-4704 controls and connectors shown in Figure 1-3 are:

1. Program input level adjustment

2. Selector for non-interruptible program feed

3. Selector for interruptible program feed

4. Audio dip adjustment control

5. IFB inputs

6. Connectors to power supply (station or power supply)

7. Outputs to talent receivers

8. Program 1 loop through

9. Program 2 loop through

PIC-4704, MA-704 & AX-704 IFB SYSTEM

The connectors on the MA-704, AX-704, and PIC-4704 are arranged for
convenient interconnection as a stand-alone system. However, all the units’
electrical characteristics are identical to those of the integrated IFB systems on
our standard broadcast intercom line. With suitable connector adaptors, both
types of units can be mixed in a system.

OPERATION

The system is operated by engaging the desired cue buttons on the access
stations. A control voltage on the IFB line causes the PIC-4704 to dip the
program feed to that channel so that the cues given are understandable. (At an
optional split-feed receiver, the program is dipped only in the cue side; the other
side has continuous program with no cue.)

1. Press the IFB button on the access station corresponding to the talent position(s) you wish to cue, then speak into the MA-704’s microphone.

2. Press the MA-704’s ‘All’ button and you simultaneously activate every IFB line, including those on any accompanying AX-704 units.

The control voltage also causes the corresponding buttons at all other access
locations to change in color from blue to amber, indicating which channels are in
use.

PIC-4704, MA-704 & AX-704 IFB SYSTEM

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