Sennheiser Electronic AAGPSF System Manual

GuidePort – EMP

System Manual

Version 1.0 of 27 July 2000

Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG

Am Labor 1

30900 Wedemark

Germany

1 GuidePort Wireless Audio Transmission

GuidePort is a local area broadcast system for use in museums, visitor centers and at exhibitions. GuidePort features a characteristic cell structure, the so-called cells being defined areas of information and entertainment. These areas are supplied by Cell Transmitters which send digitally coded information via an Active Antenna Unit to portable Receivers. The transmitted data can be any audio information, for example comments or music. The audio signals are picked up by bodypack receivers which play the audio program directly via headphones. The various audio programs (events) can be triggered automatically by magnetic field identifiers.

The diagram on the next page shows GuidePort’s system hierarchy. At the top level are the GuidePort installations. Each installation carries a specific code transmitted via RF. Whenever a GuidePort receiver recognizes a new installation code, it will automatically collect the installation-specific control data. This data is mainly the so-called Event Assign Table which defines the receiver’s “reactions” to the 255 possible event numbers available in each installation, making the receiver compatible with other separate, independent GuidePort installations. An installation can be seen as a macro cell. Each installation can be organized in up to 255 cells and contains up to 255 real-time audio events.

GuidePort: System Manual 27. November 2000 Seite 2

GuidePor

Installation

GuidePor

Installation

INST. No. 1

cell 4

INST. No. 2

GuidePor

Installation

INST. No. 3

cell 1

cell 2

cell 3

cell 5

… cell 255

One installation

can handle up to 255 events which may be organized in up to 255 cells

Event 1 Event 2

Event 3

GuidePort Cell

with one or more Cell Transmitters

Event 5

Event

Event 4

Event 6

GuidePort System Hierarch

One

cell transmitter

can handle up to 4 mono audio channels and transmit them on one RF channel

GuidePort: System Manual 27. November 2000 Seite 3

(

)

Supervisor

Central Unit PC with

• GP Central Unit

Software

• Sound card with a

samplingrateof 32 kHz

• G7++ converter and

announcement software

PC Network

Technical

room 1

Exhibition

room 6

Base Station PC

with Cell Transmitter Loader Software

Audio Source 1 -4

Exhibition

room 7

Exhibition

Event

room 1

USB

Cell Transmitte

LVDS

Event

Antenna Unit

Base Station PC

Cell Transmitter Loader Software

USB

Active

RF CH 1

with

USB Hub

Cell Transmitte

Active

Antenna Unit

RF CH 4

LVDS

Event

USB Hub

Ext.

Antenna

opt.

Audio Source 1 -4

Exhibition

room 2

Event

Base Station PC

with Cell Transmitter Loader Software

Cell Transmitte

Exhibition

room 3

Receiver

Event

Exhibition

room 4

Exhibition

room 5

Technical equipment required for an exhibition with GuidePort

GuidePort: System Manual 27. November 2000 Seite 4

2 Hardware Components of the System

2.1 Central Unit PC

The Central Unit PC with its Central Unit Software is at the heart of the GuidePort system. It serves to configure the entire GuidePort installation with its cells, transmitters, events and identifiers. Via a network, the Central Unit PC is connected with all Base Station PCs of the GuidePort installation.

2.2 Base Station PC

The Base Station PC with its Cell Transmitter Loader Software detects the IDs of all Cell Transmitters connected to it via a USB. The Base Station PC will transmit the configuration files created by the Central Unit Software to the Cell Transmitters.

2.3 Cell Transmitter

2.3.1 Description

A Cell Transmitter is a digital unit which picks up prepared MTS data and combines them with installation-specific control tables and the real-time audio information from its four analog audio inputs. Via an LVDS interface, the entire data stream is sent to an Active Antenna Unit where FSK modulation and RF conversion take place. The transmission of the MTS data is done in a cyclic manner. The cable length between the Cell Transmitter and the Active Antenna Unit may amount to up to 150 m, which ensures a convenient installation of the local antennas.

Data Download

To Active Antenna Unit

Cell Controller

Unit

USB

Interface

Analog RTA Inputs

Base Station

LVDS

Interface

1234

GuidePort: System Manual 27. November 2000 Seite 5

2.3.2 Hardware Interfaces

GuidePortSR3000

234

a) Front panel

-2

TX I TX II

SET SET

Headphone Outputs

Allow you to monitor the audio signals transmitted to the receivers.

b) Rear panel

TX II

AAU OUT

USB IN

ANALOG IN SYM.

TIP: +

TX I

AAU OUT

USB IN

ANALOG IN SYM.

TIP: +

USB IN:

Input socket for the USB cable from the Base Station PC.

ANALOG IN SYM.:

Inputs for connecting your audio sources to the transmitter. There are four balanced inputs, you can either connect 4 mono sources, 2 mono sources and 1 stereo source or 2 stereo sources. For a stereo audio source, you will need two sockets (left and right channel), please use inputs 1 & 2 and/or 3 & 4. Connect the left audio channel to socket No. 1 or 3, the right audio channel to No. 2 or 4, respectively.

The following table shows how to connect your audio sources to the GuidePort Cell Transmitter:

Number and kind of audio

sources

4 mono (m) m m m m

2mono(m),1stereo(s) m m s,left s,right

2 stereo (s) s, left s, right s, left s, right

Input No. 1 Input No. 2 Input No. 3 Input No. 4

AAU OUT

Output for connection of an Active Antenna Unit. Use a shielded, 8-wire twisted pair cable (4 individually twisted pairs) for connection. This cable supplies the Active Antenna Unit with DC and the digital data stream to be transmitted.

GuidePort: System Manual 27. November 2000 Seite 6

+ 13 hidden pages