by way of introduction, i have a small production company focused on theatrical roadshows.
I have 18 Audio-Technica 7000 series wireless microphones in the 728-740 MHz range. Recently, the U.S. FCC auctioned off the 732-744 MHz range to AT&T, with no clear winner in the 720-732 range. with AT&T's investment in the billions of dollars, it seems to me that I will lose use of most of my range starting Feb 19, 2009, per the 'rule'.
I would like to retain my investment here, if at all possible.
i wonder if anyone has had experience recrystalizing wireless mics to alternative frequencies.
> by way of introduction, i have a small production > company focused on theatrical roadshows.
> I have 18 Audio-Technica 7000 series wireless > microphones in the 728-740 MHz range. Recently, > the U.S. FCC auctioned off the 732-744 MHz range > to AT&T, with no clear winner in the 720-732 range. > with AT&T's investment in the billions of dollars, > it seems to me that I will lose use of most of > my range starting Feb 19, 2009, per the 'rule'.
> I would like to retain my investment here, > if at all possible.
> i wonder if anyone has had experience recrystalizing > wireless mics to alternative frequencies.
> thanks, > -steve
Interesting question. Modern silicon rf units, like the hidef tuner on a pc card that's the size of a thumb, are very freuency agile, but these are probably not. Even the latest wireless offerings from Lectro and Zaxcom have only limited frequency agility. None of them offer in-field modification ability. sIn addition to changing crystals, there would likely be tuned circuit adjustments. And slug tuned inductors may not be able to go as far as necessary. Inductors and caps will probably require swapping.
It's more of a remanufacturing operation. Your best bet is to look for a small business that might pop up specifically for retuning these things.
>"steve" <stephen.mar...@nospam.com> wrote in message >news:59su641bveha79te4vii3h5t8n30rcanso@4ax.com... >> by way of introduction, i have a small production >> company focused on theatrical roadshows.
>> I have 18 Audio-Technica 7000 series wireless >> microphones in the 728-740 MHz range. Recently, >> the U.S. FCC auctioned off the 732-744 MHz range >> to AT&T, with no clear winner in the 720-732 range. >> with AT&T's investment in the billions of dollars, >> it seems to me that I will lose use of most of >> my range starting Feb 19, 2009, per the 'rule'.
>> I would like to retain my investment here, >> if at all possible.
>> i wonder if anyone has had experience recrystalizing >> wireless mics to alternative frequencies.
>> thanks, >> -steve
>Interesting question. Modern silicon rf units, like the hidef tuner on a pc >card that's the size of a thumb, are very freuency agile, but these are >probably not. Even the latest wireless offerings from Lectro and Zaxcom >have only limited frequency agility. None of them offer in-field >modification ability. sIn addition to changing crystals, there would likely >be tuned circuit adjustments. And slug tuned inductors may not be able to >go as far as necessary. Inductors and caps will probably require swapping.
>It's more of a remanufacturing operation. Your best bet is to look for a >small business that might pop up specifically for retuning these things.
>Bob Morein >(310) 237-6511
thanks for your reply.
you're correct, there are numerous adjustments. and no tech manuals to say how.
Audio-Technica made two versions in the 7000 series: the standard sries in the 700 MHz band, and the x series in the 600 MHz band. Unfortunately, I only bought three in the 600 MHz version before they were discontinued. I've got to imagine there is either a chip-swap or configuration that can convert the 700 MHz into a 600 MHz unit.
steve <stephen.mar...@nospam.com> wrote: >I have 18 Audio-Technica 7000 series wireless >microphones in the 728-740 MHz range. Recently, >the U.S. FCC auctioned off the 732-744 MHz range >to AT&T, with no clear winner in the 720-732 range. >with AT&T's investment in the billions of dollars, >it seems to me that I will lose use of most of >my range starting Feb 19, 2009, per the 'rule'.
Well, odds are you didn't have the rights to use those frequencies originally unless you filled out the licensing paperwork and paid your fee. So the fact that you don't have rights to use them any more may make no difference at all, depending on what AT&T decides to do with them.
>I would like to retain my investment here, >if at all possible.
>i wonder if anyone has had experience recrystalizing >wireless mics to alternative frequencies.
On older wireless mikes that used direct crystal control, it was usually pretty easy; you changed the crystal and lined the thing up, and maybe you changed a couple capacitors if you were moving it too far away.
The newer wireless systems that are tunable are a lot harder to work on, because they have a broadband front end to allow them to be used across a range of frequencies. So you need to change the crystal, but then you need to make the PLL stable across all frequencies in its range, and then tune the RF section to be flat across the wide range.
A-T may be willing to do it for you, and they may be willing to provide you with schematics for the various different band configurations so you can do it yourself. I will warn you that A-T is VERY bad about providing service information; they will not even provide schematics of their wired microphones. So your chances of getting anything out of them are not all that good.
In addition, these are pretty inexpensive microphones, and labour rates these days aren't as low as they used to be. The mikes aren't really worth more than bench fee is going to be, I suspect.
But it's worth asking A-T's service guys and see what you can get. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
> by way of introduction, i have a small production > company focused on theatrical roadshows. > I have 18 Audio-Technica 7000 series wireless > microphones in the 728-740 MHz range. Recently, > the U.S. FCC auctioned off the 732-744 MHz range > to AT&T, with no clear winner in the 720-732 range. > with AT&T's investment in the billions of dollars, > it seems to me that I will lose use of most of > my range starting Feb 19, 2009, per the 'rule'.
Perhaps you are jumping the gun?
There are many possibilities that will leave your investment unhindered. For example, AT&T might use this range of frequencies unused for months or years. They may use them for a service that won't interfere with your wireless mics.
I get the impression that these mics have frequency agility within their designated band. With 18 mics and 100 possible frequencies, you might be able to pick a set of frequencies that are clear.
> I would like to retain my investment here, > if at all possible.
Then save your money until you have a real problem on your hands.
> i wonder if anyone has had experience recrystalizing > wireless mics to alternative frequencies.
It's probably a lot more complex than just plugging in a new crystal.
klu...@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) wrote: >steve <stephen.mar...@nospam.com> wrote: >>I have 18 Audio-Technica 7000 series wireless >>microphones in the 728-740 MHz range. Recently, >>the U.S. FCC auctioned off the 732-744 MHz range >>to AT&T, with no clear winner in the 720-732 range. >>with AT&T's investment in the billions of dollars, >>it seems to me that I will lose use of most of >>my range starting Feb 19, 2009, per the 'rule'.
>Well, odds are you didn't have the rights to use those frequencies originally >unless you filled out the licensing paperwork and paid your fee. So the fact >that you don't have rights to use them any more may make no difference at all, >depending on what AT&T decides to do with them.
actually, once upon a time, I did fill out the paperwork and paid the fee. not that it matters now :-( i thought i was supposed to. not that anyone else i know did so.
>>I would like to retain my investment here, >>if at all possible.
>>i wonder if anyone has had experience recrystalizing >>wireless mics to alternative frequencies.
>On older wireless mikes that used direct crystal control, it was usually >pretty easy; you changed the crystal and lined the thing up, and maybe you >changed a couple capacitors if you were moving it too far away.
>The newer wireless systems that are tunable are a lot harder to work on, >because they have a broadband front end to allow them to be used across >a range of frequencies. So you need to change the crystal, but then you >need to make the PLL stable across all frequencies in its range, and then >tune the RF section to be flat across the wide range.
a lot of work, requiring specialized equipment.
>A-T may be willing to do it for you, and they may be willing to provide >you with schematics for the various different band configurations so you >can do it yourself. I will warn you that A-T is VERY bad about providing >service information; they will not even provide schematics of their wired >microphones.
so i have noticed.
>So your chances of getting anything out of them are not all >that good. >In addition, these are pretty inexpensive microphones, and labour rates >these days aren't as low as they used to be. The mikes aren't really worth >more than bench fee is going to be, I suspect.
that's true. replacing the lavs may be a matter of necessity. the condenser units, however, performed quite well, and were considerably more expensive. i'd hate the scrap them.
>But it's worth asking A-T's service guys and see what you can get. >--scott
>> by way of introduction, i have a small production >> company focused on theatrical roadshows.
>> I have 18 Audio-Technica 7000 series wireless >> microphones in the 728-740 MHz range. Recently, >> the U.S. FCC auctioned off the 732-744 MHz range >> to AT&T, with no clear winner in the 720-732 range. >> with AT&T's investment in the billions of dollars, >> it seems to me that I will lose use of most of >> my range starting Feb 19, 2009, per the 'rule'.
>Perhaps you are jumping the gun?
>There are many possibilities that will leave your investment unhindered. For >example, AT&T might use this range of frequencies unused for months or >years. They may use them for a service that won't interfere with your >wireless mics.
that's my hope as well. there was some mention by fcc of not being permitted to use 700 MHz after Feb 19, 2009, but i suppose it's much easier to gain forgiveness than permission.
>I get the impression that these mics have frequency agility within their >designated band. With 18 mics and 100 possible frequencies, you might be >able to pick a set of frequencies that are clear.
i've never been able to get more than 12 to work within a given venue. the intermodulation crosstalk gets rather nasty after a while.
>> I would like to retain my investment here, >> if at all possible.
>Then save your money until you have a real problem on your hands.
i tend to agree. the problem is that with my type of work, the problem may manifest itself during an event, and then it may be too late to go out and get replacements. So, i'm slowing buying replacements.
>> i wonder if anyone has had experience recrystalizing >> wireless mics to alternative frequencies.
>It's probably a lot more complex than just plugging in a new crystal.
steve wrote: > Audio-Technica made two versions in the 7000 series: > the standard sries in the 700 MHz band, and the x > series in the 600 MHz band. Unfortunately, > I only bought three in the 600 MHz version before > they were discontinued. I've got to imagine there > is either a chip-swap or configuration that can > convert the 700 MHz into a 600 MHz unit.
Have you asked the obvious question to the obvious company? Or is this mic so old that it was discontinued long before the recent changes in frequency allocations?
I hope whoever deals with wireless mics at A-T is sharper than the guy I was talking with at the Summer NAMM show. He noticed my Groove Tube pin (a miniature vacuum tube used in microphones) and said "what's that?" - not in a way that suggested that he was asking why I was wearing a tube, but rather that he didn't recognize a vacuum tube.
-- If you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring and reach me here: double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo -- I'm really Mike Rivers (mriv...@d-and-d.com)
Mike Rivers <mriv...@d-and-d.com> wrote: >steve wrote:
>> Audio-Technica made two versions in the 7000 series: >> the standard sries in the 700 MHz band, and the x >> series in the 600 MHz band. Unfortunately, >> I only bought three in the 600 MHz version before >> they were discontinued. I've got to imagine there >> is either a chip-swap or configuration that can >> convert the 700 MHz into a 600 MHz unit.
>Have you asked the obvious question to the obvious company? Or is this >mic so old that it was discontinued long before the recent changes in >frequency allocations?
i've tried, but imo, A-T support is an oxymoron.
the 7000 series is not that old, and at one time it was their premium line of wireless, with 200 frequencies to select from across two bands; of course, only one band for a given unit.
not surprisingly, i think the decision to dump the 7000 series coincided with the FCC frequency announcements, and may well have been the cause. of course, those idiots like me that had invested in 18 of the 700 MHz series and 3 of the 600 MHz series were left stranded on my/our investment.
>I hope whoever deals with wireless mics at A-T is sharper than the guy I >was talking with at the Summer NAMM show. He noticed my Groove Tube pin >(a miniature vacuum tube used in microphones) and said "what's that?" - >not in a way that suggested that he was asking why I was wearing a tube, >but rather that he didn't recognize a vacuum tube.
sad, but true. I've seen the same thing from them.
i guess the reason i stick with A-T is that their hirose 4-pin configuration on the unipak is extraordinarily reliable and standard across all of their transmitters. i've not had as good of experience with the reliability of the mini-xlr on the shures and vegas i've owned-- they're all on the shelf now.
> I hope whoever deals with wireless mics at A-T is sharper than the guy I > was talking with at the Summer NAMM show. He noticed my Groove Tube pin (a > miniature vacuum tube used in microphones) and said "what's that?" - not > in a way that suggested that he was asking why I was wearing a tube, but > rather that he didn't recognize a vacuum tube.
Whilst I was transcribing my 78s I was asked by a teenager "What are those big CDs called?" ( :-<)
