Intercomm (cans) for webcast camera operators

[jbrown561]

We use two or three cameras for our webcast of stake conference. I'm curious what other people use for communications between the 'booth' and the camera operators.

Obviously you could go 'top of the line' and get a wireless RadioComm, ClearCom, or Telex system. However, that seems excessive for once or twice a year for a couple of hours.

The next step down would be a wired professional intercom system like ClearCom, etc. Again, for a 4 station system, you are looking at a grand or more which seems pricey for the amount of use it would get.

I could build a 4 station ComClone system (http://www.rcrowley.com/ComClone/default.htm) for about $200 which seems more in line with the usage. Has anyone built / used the ComClone system? What were your results / recommendations?

Any thoughts on all this would be appreciated.

Thanks,

- James

[michaelfish]

I remember once I used a wireless headset microphone and the camera operators used several receivers connected to headphones. It was one way transmission of course, and the camera guys would answer yes or no by moving the camera up and down or back and forth...

Another time we used our cell phones (unlimited minutes) with earpieces and called into a phone conference bridge.

[ThomsonMA]

We use remote controlled cameras, so there are no camera operators to communicate with. We use two cameras that home run back to our "control booth" in the building library, near the satellite equipment rack which also contains the webcast communicator. Our camera controller has an embedded LCD screen that allows us to preview either the "live" feed or the feed of the "other" camera, and supports smooth transitions between them. We typically only use the controller joystick to position the "offline" camera to the angle and zoom level we want and then switch that camera to be the online. Then we can reposition the other camera. This setup works quite well and only requires a single person to work both cameras.

[KenRichins]

HOw about make and model of your controler and specs and price and where it came from? Sounds like a very good controler