Uncompromising digital wireless for Hanzehogeschool

Hanze University of Applied Sciences (Hanze UAS), Groningen, has  establishments in Groningen, Assen, Leeuwarden and Amsterdam with  approximately 26000 students and 3000 staff members.

When the rollout of 4G mobile broadband was a fact, Hanze Groningen  searched with audiovisual supplier PTH Group for an innovative  replacement for their current wireless audio transmitters.

The existing wireless systems where less effective in the frequency spectrum, affected by the rollout of 4G.
Durability was an important factor for Hanze because transmitters needed  to operate in a spectrum that declined approximately by 20%. This was  especially a challenge at locations where many channels operate  simultaneously.

PTH group and Shure Distribution Benelux offered the digital ULX-D system.

This system was developed for extreme demanding installed applications like university’s and corporate environments.

Besides reliable, ULX-D is also extreme spectrum efficient and can  place numerous channels in a relatively small spectrum. With the output  power of 10mW a user can use about 65 channels in the same time on a  single frequency band of 64MHz.

The ULX-D system was rigorously tested on location in different  settings by the facilities department. Immediately they noticed the  bright voice reproduction. Because the transmission is digital, the  system has a lot of headroom and this benefits the natural speech  reinforcement. During presentations and lectures the sound of the  speaker is exceptional clear.

In the High Density Mode the output power is reduced to 1mW,  therefore the range of the transmitters is lowered to 30 meters (enough  for an average classroom). In this mode up to 500 transmitters can work  simultaneously. In the Netherlands this amount of transmitters is rare  but it gives Hanze enormous flexibility. (For instance it is  possible to exchange and rearrange the transmitters of different  locations without having to invest in multiple frequency bands. This  means fewer parts in stock.)

At this moment Hanzehogeschool has 60 ULX-D systems operational, 40  of these systems are installed permanently. The other systems are used  in mobile audio racks and portable Presentations 2Go systems. All  transmitters are equipped with a Beta 87A microphone capsule. The  bodypacks for the installed systems feature Countryman E6 Ear-sets,  because of the high quality, light weight and miniature design. The  portable Presentations 2Go sets are combined with a robust lavalier, the  Shure WL184.

Another important point is the rechargeable Li-ion batteries.  Locations with many audio transmitters generally consume a high volume  of environmental unfriendly batteries. Batteries are therefore often a  big factor in budgets.

With the introduction of ULX-D, Shure offered an intelligent and  innovative rechargeable battery. All batteries are equipped with an  internal chip which keeps track of the batteries ‘health’. With every  recharge the lifespan of all batteries gradually decreases. Now one can  accurately monitor the durability of the battery and prevent unwanted  transmission failures.

The batteries can be charged at any moment without damaging the  lifecycle, professors don’t have to wait until the battery is completely  empty before recharging. The Hanzehogeschool will save several thousand  euros on battery costs alone in the upcoming years.