
Tech Focus: Intercoms, Part 2 - An Increasingly Competitive Market Offerings are available for IP, wireless, and cellular platforms By Dan Daley, Audio Editor
Thursday, February 11, 2021 - 12:18 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
By pro-audio standards, intercoms constitute a small market sector, but it's one that so critical - and, in the age of supercharged REMI production, increasingly competitive. Here's a look at the latest offerings from the market leaders.
Click here for Tech Focus: Intercoms, Part 1 - Pandemic Speeds Evolution.
Clear-Com LQ Series IP interface
Clear-Com's HX Digital Matrix, LQ Series of IP interfaces, and Agent-IC mobile app have been critical in enabling seamless communications for remote-production activities during the coronavirus pandemic. Agent-IC has been used extensively to provide an easy-to-implement communication solution between facility-based staff and production teams on location for field reporting, live event production, remote coordination, and other critical tasks. Literally at-home production personnel who have downloaded the app onto their smartphone, tablet, or wearable device can connect to a host Eclipse HX digital matrix or local and remote LQ IP interfaces over 3G, 4G, LTE, and Wi-Fi networks. App users have a fully functional intercom panel that can monitor the intercom system and receive IFB feeds. LQ can extend the capabilities and intercom channels of an Eclipse HX system to one or more remote locations by positioning an LQ device at the destination location and interfacing with Clear-Com devices, including wired beltpacks, SIP clients, or any Agent-IC mobile app user. Local and remote LQ devices can host up to 48 Agent-IC users, where LQ acts as a server for the app. With a host Eclipse HX matrix, many more Agent-IC users can access the production intercom remotely; the number able to access the main intercom can vary depending on the quantity of IP ports on the E-IPA cards. LQ devices can link industry-standard 2-wire intercom and 4-wire audio systems, irrespective of brand and platform. They also work with SIP telephony systems, allowing Clear-Com's portfolio of intercom systems to seamlessly connect with VoIP phones.
Pliant Technologies CrewCom CB2 wireless intercom
CrewCom wireless intercom system from Pliant Technologies features full-duplex wireless radio packs and extreme range, with multiple RF access points that connect via copper (100 m) or fiber (10 km). CrewCom wireless products are available in 2.4-GHz and 900-MHz models (the latter are limited to where this band is legal). Any combination of these frequency bands may be simultaneously used on the same CrewCom system, providing the ability to put RF coverage where needed while deploying a consistent user interface throughout the system. CrewCom offers a significant price advantage for larger applications, when comparing the actual cost of deploying multiple wireless users in a production.
Pliant's newest wireless-intercom offering, CrewCom CB2, available in 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz, offers the same proven CrewCom wireless technology while also providing ease-of-use and high-level performance at an affordable price point for a full-featured intercom system. CB2's straightforward design makes it fast and easy to set up but powerful enough for full-time professionals. With CB2, it's now possible to have up to six full-duplex wireless users on one system or easily add a second system for up to 12 users, without compromising audio quality or coverage.
Pliant's MicroCom XR digital wireless intercom system provides full-duplex, multi-user intercom for applications where high-quality audio, extended range, and affordability are essential. The system is a robust two-channel intercom system available in 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz and features ease of use, extended range, and the ability to have up to 10 full-duplex users and unlimited listeners, providing flexibility for a range of applications.
Riedel RSP-1216HL SmartPanel
Riedel's Artist digital-matrix audio and intercom ecosystem handles the widest range of audio formats, including AES3, AES67, AVB, Dante, VoIP, and analog. A fiber-based backbone provides a decentralized infrastructure for live audio and intercoms, with matrix sizes up to 1,024 x 1,024 ports in just 2RU. Multiple frames can be interconnected via dual optical fiber ring to form a single large, full-summing, non-blocking distributed matrix that looks like one system to the user. The Director configuration software is easy to use and boasts the industry's fastest upload times.
Riedel's Bolero is a full-roaming, DECT-based wireless intercom system in the license-free 1.9 GHz frequency range. Fully integrated into the Artist digital matrix intercom or used as standalone, Bolero offers robust features that can be applied as a wireless beltpack, a wireless keypanel, or a two-way radio. Several new technologies power Bolero's capabilities, including an Advanced DECT Receiver (ADR) for multipath tolerance improvement and near-field communication (NFC) for easy, Touch&Go beltback registration. Bolero also features six channels, Bluetooth connectivity, and nearly 18 hours of battery life. Three network modes are available for Bolero systems, each dedicated to specific applications:
Bolero Integrated leverages the Artist infrastructure, including SmartPanels and extensive I/O connectivity.
Bolero Standalone Link provides plug-and-play simplicity especially suited to smaller installations, portable deployments, or cases when Bolero needs to be interfaced to other systems without an Artist matrix.
Bolero Standalone 2110 (AES67) enables users to set up a standards-based (SMPTE 2110/AES67) IP network with no Artist required.
The network modes feature multiple full-color multitouch displays, innovative hybrid
More from Sports Video Group
23/06/2026
When we began planning our transition from an SDI-based infrastructure to a new ...
23/06/2026
Imagine Communications has announced the appointment of Greg Garmon as Senior Vice President, Americas Video Sales. Garmon will oversee account growth and busin...
23/06/2026
Snap has promoted Emma Wakely to Head of Sports and Media Partnerships, Americas, succeeding Anmol Malhotra, who has been elevated to Global Head of Content and...
23/06/2026
YES Network and The Gotham Sports App will air MI New York's Major League Cr...
23/06/2026
The Universal Talent Identifier (HAND) has issued HAND IDs to 34 top projected prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft class, including AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and...
23/06/2026
World Boxing has announced the launch of World Boxing TV, a subscription-based streaming platform built on the Joymo platform, offering live events, on-demand c...
23/06/2026
FloSports will stream 32 off-road motorcycle racing events on FloRacing, includi...
23/06/2026
SES has announced the expansion of its ASTRA TV platform in Spain with the addition of 14 regional channels in HD and UHD quality and the launch of new hybrid s...
23/06/2026
Appear ASA has announced its role in Rede Legislativa de R dio e TV's contri...
23/06/2026
LTN has announced that PBS has selected it as its IP video partner to modernize content distribution and contribution across more than 330 public television sta...
23/06/2026
Ease Live has announced that its graphics overlay platform is powering an interactive fan experience on Rally.TV, the official streaming platform of the FIA Wor...
23/06/2026
Chyron has announced updates to Chyron LIVE, its cloud-native live production pl...
23/06/2026
ESPN has announced ESPN Fan House, a fan engagement hub powered by Flowcode, launching in August ahead of the 2026 college football season. Publicis Sports will...
23/06/2026
The city's solid position in broadcast, entertainment, and sports attracted the major microphone manufacturer
Sennheiser Group is moving its Americas Regio...
22/06/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
22/06/2026
Cosm has announced the appointment of David Ho as Chief Legal Officer, a newly created executive role reporting to President and CEO Jeb Terry. Ho will oversee ...
22/06/2026
Warner Bros. Discovery and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have announced the developm...
22/06/2026
Daktronics has completed an audio control system upgrade at Petco Park in San Di...
22/06/2026
Accelerate Media has named John Willi as President and announced the launch of the Accelerate Sports Network (ASN), a prep sports media and streaming platform c...
22/06/2026
All Women's Sports Network (AWSN) and 3XBA (3 3 Basketball Association) have announced live television coverage of the annual 3XBA tournament on Friday, Jun...
22/06/2026
OWL AI has announced the appointment of Jay Prasad as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors. Prasad succeeds Josh Gwyther, who has served...
22/06/2026
CP Communications delivered RF video and audio support for TNT's Inside the NBA at the 2026 NBA Finals, providing main show coverage in San Antonio and ea...
22/06/2026
Polymarket has announced a partnership with GRID, an official esports data platf...
22/06/2026
As sports venues continue to evolve into more video-centric, fan-engagement-driv...
22/06/2026
As the regional sports production scene shifts toward streaming, this Texan helps lead the engineering behind Victory+'s growing live platform...
21/06/2026
To call the 2026 FIFA World Cup a big undertaking would be a big understatement....
19/06/2026
Split compound eases operational challenges at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club...
19/06/2026
North Carolina, Oklahoma meet in the best-of-three Finals as ESPN leans into spe...
18/06/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
18/06/2026
PTZOptics has unveiled new Visual Reasoning demonstrations at InfoComm 2026 (Boo...
18/06/2026
IBC2026 will take place at the RAI Amsterdam from September 11-14, bringing toge...
18/06/2026
InfoComm 2026 held its first-ever Media Day on June 17, providing journalists an...
18/06/2026
FOR-A America has announced a Trade Agreements Act (TAA)-compliant LED display solution combining Alfalite's Litepix LED displays and Brompton Technology...
18/06/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level have one major thing in common: the intensity and attention to detail ramps up dur...
18/06/2026
The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) and TMRW Sports have an...
18/06/2026
AJA Video Systems has unveiled Io Xpand, a Thunderbolt 5-enabled PCIe expansion ...
18/06/2026
ESPN has announced its coverage plans for the 30th anniversary of the WNBA's...
18/06/2026
FOX Sports' Big Noon Kickoff will broadcast live from Wembley Stadium in Lon...
18/06/2026
InfoComm 2026 opened on Wednesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center, bringing t...
18/06/2026
As media companies look to deliver more live, VOD, and snackable sports content ...
17/06/2026
EVS has announced it has received the EcoVadis Gold Medal for sustainability performance, ranking among the top 5% of companies globally in the Technology/Mid-S...
17/06/2026
Chyron has released Weather 2.4, an update to its weather suite for broadcasters and meteorologists. The release focuses on enhancements to the DataFlow module,...
17/06/2026
VSiN, The Sports Betting Network, has announced the launch of Best Bets TV, a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel. The 24/7 channel is currently avail...
17/06/2026
DAZN's Team Whistle and Snap Inc. have announced a creator program centered ...
17/06/2026
LiveU is providing video transmission technology for broadcasters, production companies, and public safety agencies across North America's busy Summer of So...
17/06/2026
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) has announced that Laurens Grant and Jacob Ullman have joined its Board of Directors. Chief of Staf...
17/06/2026
Akta, the AI-First SaaS video platform for modern broadcast and streaming operations, today announced that its video platform is now generally available on Orac...
17/06/2026
This recent graduate from Houston found inspiration in technical directing and now eyes a future career in sports production...
17/06/2026
Audio-Technica (booth C7959) arrives at InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas with a slate ...
17/06/2026
SNS has published a guide addressing growing demand for AI-powered video indexing, transcription, facial recognition, and searchable metadata across media libra...