Group 246

From ECE Department Wiki

Contents 1 Project Description 2 Members 3 Group Photo 4 Overview 5 Requirements 6 What Was Done 7 Documents and Presentations 8 Key Words

Project Description

The goal of this project was to take a cost effective wireless microphone system and add enhancing features which would normally only be found on very expensive high-end wireless systems. Then combine them into a portable easy to use package that provides quick setup and takedown times. The features that were added are as follows:
1.)Auto Channel Selection. System scans its 16 available frequency channels for interference and selects the best three for use.
2.)LCD Display
3.)Convenient carrying case with system base station integrated into it for very fast setup and takedown times

The system will be used during the ECE departmental meetings to supply high quality wireless audio from the speaker and audience to a video camera and the room's PA (public address) system.

Members

• John J. Christensen
• Diptesh S. Patel
• Zainab Sanusi

• Advisor: Prof. Val G. Tareski

Group Photo

Overview

This graphic does a good job of illustrating how the wireless audio station will be used.

The person speaking will use a wireless lapel microphone and there will be a wireless handheld microphone in the audience for questions. Both will send audio to the wireless audio station. Once sent, the audio will be sent through a mixer and then sent to a video camera which will be recording the meeting and also to a transmitter which will send the mixed audio wirelessly to the PA(public address) system.

Requirements

• The collection site needs to be capable of receiving at least two sources.
• Each audio source needs to be able to attach to an appropriate transmitter.
• At least some of the transmitters need to be able to conveniently attach to something like a lapel microphone.
• The transmitters need to be able to operate without causing interference to one another.
• The transmitters connected to the audio sources need to be battery operated and should provide some indication of battery condition.
• Transmission range must be reliable and noise-free up to 70 feet.
• The frequencies used for the wireless ‘links’ should be flexible/changeable, should there be interference on the default frequencies
• The transmitters need to meet FCC guidelines.
• The audio at the collection site needs to be in an appropriate form so that it can be routed (under adjustable gain) to a recording device or to the input of other audio-type equipment such as a mixer.
• The system should be easy to set up and take down because of time limitations.
• The collection site needs to be able to selectively transmit any of the received audio sources or an external audio source to an auxiliary sound system.

What Was Done

Three cost effective wireless audio systems were purchased and connected to a main control unit which controls the sixteen available frequency channels that the audio systems can be set to. This "main control unit" also takes a signal strength input from one of the receivers and is capable of searching for interference and then automatically setting the transmitters and receivers to the clearest channels. The main control unit was the bulk of our project along with packaging everything into a portable and easy to use wireless audio station.

Documents and Presentations

Media:246_Requirements_Capture.doc
Media:246_Options_Considered.doc
Media:246_403_Final_Presentation.ppt
Media:246_Final_Report.doc
Media:246_User_Manual.doc

Key Words

• Wireless
• Audio
• PIC16F877A
• Microphone
• Gemini
• Fun