Here's my problem. Budget is ideally $250 per unit, with flexibility up to maybe $350 or so per unit. I need 3 of the units:
We have a Cisco telepresence room in our HQ and 2 other locations. (Works awesome!) In HQ, we have a second table about 6 feet behind the first table. The first table is wired up with 3 microphones (left, center, right), 3 cameras, and 3 display screens. I believe it's the 3000 model. Cisco sells an expansion to make it into a 3200, which I'm not particularly interested in buying due to the HIGH 5-figure/low 6-figure price tag.
Instead, I'd like to just enable the second row of tables to have table-top microphones that are coupled to the front row of mics. Naturally, Cisco uses a proprietary mic and connector, so I can't (easily) mix the audio at the electronic level, so what I'm thinking of doing is just relaying the audio from the rear table's tabletop mics to the corresponding front table's mic (via a small speaker mounted close the front table mic).
From the second table (repurposed from the dismantling of a competing manufacturer of video-conf equipment), I have nice looking mounts for audio-technica Pro42 mics (though they cut the mic wires when dismantling that system, so I need to buy new ones).
What I'm not sure/asking advice about is:
1. Am I likely to have echo problems due to timing? The "paired" mics would be about 8 feet apart (7ms), and Cisco has extensive echo cancellation in their TP product, but this might be asking more than that can deal with. If so, any recommendations on how to handle it? Perhaps a cheap 7ms electronic audio delay buffer?
2. What's the cheapest gear that gets me phantom power, level controls, and can drive a small speaker? I'm considering using BFD1124s (which also gets me automatic feedback destroying, should that be an issue).
3. Any particular recommendations on small speakers to mount near the front row? I couldn't find a pic of the Cisco mic online, but it's about the size of a large computer mouse, grey plastic frame with a black metal mesh. I was thinking about something like this speaker, but am wide open to alternate suggestions.
I've tested the system using an iPod to drive iPod earbuds held near the front table mics, and that provides acceptable sound quality to the remote location. (It doesn't however represent a good test of an echo or feedback concerns.)
It's more important that it work well than be cheap, and it's critically important that it not put the main unit at risk of damage (hence the "acoustic coupling" solution, instead of trying to suss out what's on the proprietary mic connector).
We have a Cisco telepresence room in our HQ and 2 other locations. (Works awesome!) In HQ, we have a second table about 6 feet behind the first table. The first table is wired up with 3 microphones (left, center, right), 3 cameras, and 3 display screens. I believe it's the 3000 model. Cisco sells an expansion to make it into a 3200, which I'm not particularly interested in buying due to the HIGH 5-figure/low 6-figure price tag.
Instead, I'd like to just enable the second row of tables to have table-top microphones that are coupled to the front row of mics. Naturally, Cisco uses a proprietary mic and connector, so I can't (easily) mix the audio at the electronic level, so what I'm thinking of doing is just relaying the audio from the rear table's tabletop mics to the corresponding front table's mic (via a small speaker mounted close the front table mic).
From the second table (repurposed from the dismantling of a competing manufacturer of video-conf equipment), I have nice looking mounts for audio-technica Pro42 mics (though they cut the mic wires when dismantling that system, so I need to buy new ones).
What I'm not sure/asking advice about is:
1. Am I likely to have echo problems due to timing? The "paired" mics would be about 8 feet apart (7ms), and Cisco has extensive echo cancellation in their TP product, but this might be asking more than that can deal with. If so, any recommendations on how to handle it? Perhaps a cheap 7ms electronic audio delay buffer?
2. What's the cheapest gear that gets me phantom power, level controls, and can drive a small speaker? I'm considering using BFD1124s (which also gets me automatic feedback destroying, should that be an issue).
3. Any particular recommendations on small speakers to mount near the front row? I couldn't find a pic of the Cisco mic online, but it's about the size of a large computer mouse, grey plastic frame with a black metal mesh. I was thinking about something like this speaker, but am wide open to alternate suggestions.
I've tested the system using an iPod to drive iPod earbuds held near the front table mics, and that provides acceptable sound quality to the remote location. (It doesn't however represent a good test of an echo or feedback concerns.)
It's more important that it work well than be cheap, and it's critically important that it not put the main unit at risk of damage (hence the "acoustic coupling" solution, instead of trying to suss out what's on the proprietary mic connector).
