Re: placing microphones...

["psghome2002" <psghome@xxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@y..., "Nikola Kasic" <nikola@k...> wrote:
> Paul,
> I am sitting in a sofa opposite the TV and I am faced towards TV.
Where
> should I mount my mic? If I mount mic on a wall behind me it will
be closer
> to me then to the TV but it will be behind my back. If I place it
behind TV,
> I'll be faced towards mic, but TV will be closer. So, which way to go?

You really need to try it and see - there are so many variables
(which keep acoustic engineers well paid!). I would say that you
should orient it so that you face towards it when speaking. That way
you get the sound energy directly into the mic rather than reflected
of a wall etc. The PZM is a pressure zone boundary mic with a
hemispherical polar pattern - so you will get a good response
wherever the sound is coming from relative to the mic (but obviously
not behind!). I've got the tech spec sheet here if you want it
although I think you can probably get it directly from the Crown web
site. It shows frequency response etc.

> My original plan is neither. I planned to put it above the doors
of the
> lounge, so it would be at on the side, almost equally distanced
>from > TV (slightly closer to TV). But distance between me and mic and TV and mic
> will be about 4-5m, while distance between me and TV is about 3.5m. > Is that O.K?

Could work but not as good as in front of you - at least in theory.
Again you need to try it. I had good results from all around the
room in practice - at least when there's little background noise.

> I am reading all the theory, but I'm not smarter. All the
documents are for
> the environment when you know where speaker is standing, so you use > different kinds of mics to enhance reception from speaker and
attenuate the
> noise. Hence kardioid etc. mics.
> However, in a flat I'll be moving and for moving speakers they
recommend
> using wireless mics which you wear, but you don't want those
either. So
> there's no proper solution. I'll asume that I'll be in a sofa and
try to
> adjust everything for that scenario. All the rest is in god's
hands.
> Where did you buy your microphones from?

Got mine through a local professional audio dealer (mainly
theatrical and disco kit) who I've been buying off for years. He
gave me a good price (better than I could find elsewhere). Lancelyn
Theatre Supplies - Oxford - Simon


> I just ordered mic cable. It would cost me about 44 quid, because
delivery
> is =A38.
> Spoke to Mark from West London Elec as you recommended.
> They don't have web site yet (will in a month, he said) and their
address is
> 9-11Acton High Road if anyone is interested.
>
> You said that you did a lot of research before diving into this.
What makes
> you think that recognition is not good because of software and not because
> of hardware or microphone placement?

It is a combination. One of the main reasons I didn't like HAL2000
or HomeVoice is that they are very American. HAL has lots of other
great features but some will only work in the US (e.g. stock
tracking, weather, news etc). Both at the time I evaluated them,
only had the standard SAPI 4 MS Text To Speech engine (i.e.
Microsoft Sam) as feedback. These old voices are poor compared to
the SAPI 5.1 AT&T Natural Voices product which I have and wanted to use. HAL2000 now has support for Natural Voices though.

I've also been talking to Dan Hoenhen about him developing an ACE VR
module (which is on his list). It has the potential to be a far more
flexible product, integrating with ACE, Comfort, HV etc which I
already have running.

> Did you ever consider placing wireless microphones, instead of
wired ones,
> so you can place more of them, at more appropriate places?

I use (and own) wireless mics a lot as I'm involved in Video and
media production. There are a few problems with this method although
the quality is very good with a good mic: 1 - They're expensive; 2 -
Battery life is relatively short (8Hrs or so - depends on
manufacturer); 3 - Hassle of wearing them - I can guarantee that you
wont after a while (unless you're a huge Big Brother fan!)

There are a lot of other mic solutions out there, including hanging
mics in the centre of a room. You'll find most of these are pretty
expensive, at least for good quality ones. I found the Crown mics
good at a reasonable price.

> Regarding noise cancellation, did you consider having one mic very close to
> TV speaker and use that signal for cancellation. Maybe having
wireless one
> and place it on top, or inside the TV speaker, or inside TV?

Depends on the technology used to cancel out the noise. Not gone
into it enough to know whether this would be needed. It's a pretty
complex area I think.

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