Lectrosonics HHVMC Users Manual
HH
Handheld Transmitter
INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Digital Hybrid Wireless® Technology
US Patent 7.225.135
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Serial Number:
Purchase Date:
Rio Rancho, NM, USA
www.lectrosonics.com
HH
Table of Contents
General Technical Description ............................................. 3
Mic Capsules: ........................................................................ 5
Mechanical Design ................................................................ 5
Mic Capsule Adjustments (EXPERT LEVEL ONLY) ............ 6
Attenuator Adjustment ......................................................... 6
Bass/Mid/Treble (LO/MID/HI) - HHVMC only ....................... 6
Battery Installation ................................................................ 7
Control Panel ......................................................................... 7
Powering On ........................................................................... 7
Powering Off .......................................................................... 8
Standby Mode ........................................................................ 8
Battery Condition .................................................................. 8
Navigating Menus and Screens ........................................... 8
About Setting Audio Gain ................................................... 10
Mute and Talkback Functions ............................................. 11
Parts and Accessories ........................................................ 12
Replacement Parts ............................................................ 12
Optional Accessories ......................................................... 12
Troubleshooting ................................................................... 13
Specifications ...................................................................... 14
Service and Repair .............................................................. 15
Returning Units for Repair ................................................. 15
Consumer Alert for US Users - FCC Order DA 10-92
Most users do not need a license to operate this wireless microphone system. Nevertheless, operating this microphone
system without a license is subject to certain restrictions: the system may not cause harmful interference; it must operate at
a low power level (not in excess of 50 milliwatts); and it has no protection from interference received from any other device.
Purchasers should also be aware that the FCC is currently evaluating use of wireless microphone systems, and these rules
are subject to change. For more information, call the FCC at 1-888- CALL-FCC (TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC) or visit the FCC’s
wireless microphone website at www.fcc.gov/cgb/wirelessmicrophones. To operate wireless microphone systems at power
greater than 50mW, you must qualify as a Part 74 user and be licensed. If you qualify and wish to apply for a license go to:
http://www.fcc.gov/Forms/Form601/601.html
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LECTROSONICS, INC.
General Technical Description
Hand Held Transmitter
Introduction
The HH handheld transmitter uses state-of-the-art
Digital Hybrid Wireless® wireless technology, selectable output power and a versatile microphone capsule
mounting system to meet the needs of audio professionals and vocalists.
The compandor-free Digital Hybrid audio chain preserves the quality of the selected microphone capsule
and delivers it to the sound and recording system
without coloration. This superb audio performance and
highly reliable RF transmission makes it ideally suited
for high end stage and studio production.
Digital Signal Processor
The DSP encodes the digitized audio from the A-D
converter and adds an ultrasonic pilot tone to control
the receiver’s squelch in systems that use pilot tone. It
also controls the input limiter and audio metering.
Compatibility Modes
The transmitter was designed to operate with Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless® receivers and will
yield the best performance when doing so. Due to
the flexibility of digital signal processing, however, the
transmitter is also able to operate with Lectrosonics
200 Series, Lectrosonics 100 Series, IFB and certain
non-Lectrosonics analog receivers in special compatibility modes. (Contact the Lectrosonics Sales Department for a complete list of compatible receivers.)
Digital Hybrid Technology
All wireless links suffer from channel noise to some
degree and all wireless microphone systems seek to
minimize the impact of that noise on the desired signal.
Conventional analog systems use compandors to
increase the signal to noise ratio, at the cost of distortion artifacts. Wholly digital systems defeat the noise
by sending the audio information in digital form, at
the cost of some combination of power, bandwidth or
channel count.
The Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless® system (also
called Digital Hybrid) overcomes channel noise by
digitally encoding the audio in the transmitter and decoding it in the receiver, yet still sending the encoded
information via an analog FM wireless link.
This proprietary algorithm is not a digital implementation of an analog compandor. Instead, it is a technique
that can be accomplished only in the digital domain,
even though the inputs and outputs are analog signals.
Because it uses an analog FM link, the Digital Hybrid
enjoys all the benefits of conventional FM wireless
systems, such as excellent range, efficient use of
RF spectrum, and long battery life. However, unlike
conventional FM systems, the Digital Hybrid has eliminated the analog compandor and its artifacts.
Wide Deviation
±75 kHz deviation is used in the Digital Hybrid and 200
Series compatibility modes to dramatically improve the
capture ratio, signal to noise ratio and dynamic range
of the wireless system. This, in conjunction with accurate input gain adjustment, produces dynamic range
and signal to noise ratio.
Mic
capsule
Interface
Shunt
Limiter
Rio Rancho, NM
Bias 5V
MENU/SEL
BACK
MUTE
POWER
Bicolor
Modulation
LEDs
Input
Amp
Phantom
Digital
Pot
LCD
Power
Audio
Level
Hi.Lo
Pass
Filter
+7V
Audio
Microprocessor
Control Panel
A-D
Converter
11001001
Digital Signal Processor
D-A
Converter
11001001
Reference
Crystal
Phase Locked Loop
Reference
Crystal
Encoded Audio
and Pilot Tone
3 V
Battery
Filter
Amp
Switching
Power
Supply
Voltage
Controlled
Oscillator
Variable
Switching
Power
Supply
Final
Amplifier
50
Ohms
Isolator
3
HH
Pilot Tone Squelch
The benefit of the pilot tone squelch system is that the
associated receiver will remain muted until it receives
the pilot tone from the matching transmitter, even if a
strong RF signal is present on the carrier frequency of
the system. All Digital Hybrid transmitters use one of
256 different ultrasonic tones between 25 and 32 kHz
to operate the receiver squelch. The pilot tone frequency is chosen according to which of the 256 channels
has been selected by the frequency switch setting.
This ensures that all transmitters in a multi-channel
system have different pilot tone frequencies so that
even spurious RF from the wrong transmitters will not
open the receiver squelch.
Input Gain Range and Limiter
45 dB range of input gain adjustment allows gain
settings to accurately match the user’s voice and the
varying sensitivity of different microphone capsules. A
DSP-controlled analog audio limiter is employed before the A-D converter. The limiter has a range of more
than 30 dB for excellent overload protection. A dual release envelope makes the limiter acoustically transparent while maintaining low distortion. It can be thought
of as two limiters in series, a fast attack and release
limiter followed by a slow attack and release limiter.
The limiter recovers quickly from brief transients, with
no audible side effects, and also recovers slowly from
sustained high levels to keep audio distortion low while
preserving short term dynamics.
Long Battery Life
Switching power supplies throughout the design allow
over 5 hours of operation using two alkaline AA batteries. Lithium batteries will provide over 8 hours of
operation. The battery compartment and contacts are
designed to prevent “rattle” as the unit is handled.
Menu-Driven Control
A high-resolution LCD and control panel with membrane switches provide access to the menu-driven
setup. Transmitter RF power, high-pass filter, frequency
selection, backlight timeout, mute or talkback functions
and tuning modes are easily accessed.
Frequency Selection
Operating frequency is normally selected using a
receiver or analyzer to assess signals in the local environment to avoid interference. Once an interferencefree frequency is identified, the transmitter frequency is
set to match the receiver.
The LCD on the transmitter displays frequency in MHz
and with a two character hex code that is used on
most Lectrosonics receivers.
Membrane switches on the control panel select 256
frequencies in 100 kHz steps or 1024 frequencies in
25 kHz steps over a 25.6 MHz range.
Output Isolator
The output circuit includes a special RF device called
an isolator. Its purpose is to block radio signals from
coming back into the transmitter final amplifier through
the antenna.
The isolator suppresses IM (intermodulation) that
can take place between two or more transmitters that
are in close proximity to one another (a few feet).This
form of IM is a particular concern in stage productions where the transmitters must operate very close
together. Isolators allow the use of higher transmitter
output power without sacrificing IM rejection.
Isolators are rarely found in wireless microphone
transmitters due to the high cost, but they are the best
solution to address multi-channel IM between multiple
transmitters.
Antenna
A newly designed helical antenna allows the mic to be
held in any position, since the user’s hands have little
or no effect on the radiated power.
Microphone Capsules
The HH handheld transmitter is available from Lectrosonics with the HHC and HHVMC cardioid condenser
capsules. Capsules from several other manufacturers
are also available for use with the HH: those with a
1.25” x 28 thread pitch and three contact rings. Condenser or dynamic microphone heads can be used
with the HH, depending on the user’s preference or the
application.
IR Sync
The HH is equipped with an IR (infrared) port for use
with receivers that will be developed in the future. Settings such as frequency stored in the receiver will be
sent to the transmitter via the IR port. No such receivers are available as of the date of this writing.
Mute and Talkback Functions
A programmable switch on the housing (side switch)
can be configured as a mute switch or to provide a
talkback function for communication with the crew or
director/producer through a different audio channel.
As a mute switch, it works in a “push off/push on”
fashion as a toggle to disable and enable the audio
signal. Push to mute. Push again to restore audio. The
mute function defeats the audio in the transmitter, so it
works in all compatibility modes and will all receivers.
The talkback function provides a communication
channel when used with a receiver equipped with this
function, such as a Venue Wideband receiver with
firmware Ver. 5.2 or higher. When pressed and held in,
the side switch re-directs the audio output to a different
audio channel on the receiver. As soon as the switch
is released, audio is returned to the program channel.
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LECTROSONICS, INC.
Hand Held Transmitter
A mic capsule is
threaded onto the body
of the transmitter in the
direction shown.
Do not overtighten it.
The threaded interface is a 1.25”
opening with 28 threads per inch
and three contact rings
Mic Capsules:
Lectrosonics offers two types of capsules. The HHC is
the standard capsule and the HHVMC is the Variable
Mic Capsule which includes adjustments for Bass,
Midrange and Treble.
Mechanical Design
The lower housing opens by rotating
it in the direction shown. After the
threads are disengaged, pull the
housing downward until it engages
the detent that holds it open.
HHC Lectrosonics
cardioid electret
HHVMC Lectrosonics cardioid
electret with VariMic preamp
Along with these two models from Lectrosonics, a
variety of different capsules with Shure®* & EV®* type
threads and electrical interface will work from different
manufacturers. This gives you the flexibility to choose
your capsule to use with the HH wireless transmitter.
A list of compatible capsules is on the website at:
http://www.lectrosonics.com/images/PDFs/hh_
compatible_microphone_capsules.pdf
Capsule Installation
Capsules are attached with a right-hand thread.
To remove the windscreen from the mic capsule,
line up the blue wrench (included with the capsule
head) with the flat notches on the lower threaded area
of the mic capsule.
Align the flats on the wrench
with the flats on the capsule
Do not touch the contacts between the mic capsule
and transmitter body. When necessary, the contacts
can be cleaned with a cotton swab and alcohol.
*All product names are trademarks of their respective
owners, which are in no way affiliated with Lectrosonics.
Rio Rancho, NM
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