Measure once… Cut twice, right??

I love doing carpentry products.  The smell of sawdust plus the sound of power tools and nail guns blazing.  When you are finally done there is nothing better than a nice finished project that is solid and looks good.  But out of all the lessons I have learned when doing carpentry projects, the one that has helped me the most (aside from keeping your hands clear of the blades) is “measure twice, cut once.”

When you are looking at the design of a system you want to make sure you look at all your measurements carefully.  Below are a few of those areas.

Equipment Placement

When putting equipment in your design you must take note of things like line of sight, rigging hardware, rigging points, structural supports, optimal location, and much much more.  If you don’t plan on these things you have the possibility of equipment blocking the screens, being installed too low, positioned wrong, and potentially cause the system to not work correctly at all.  You may even have to add equipment later to make it work right causing an increase in costs.

Wire length

The advice I have here is you cut wire shorter but you can’t make it longer without creating another connection (which is bad practice).  Always leave yourself about 3’ – 6’ of extra wire beyond where the connection will be.  You can cut them shorter and use the short cable sections for jumpers later if they are long enough.

Extra tip: If your installing hardwired components in ceiling grids.  Leave enough room for you to work on the equipment on the ground or scaffold so it is easier to connect correctly.  You can always coil the extra up above the grid.  This makes for faster work and better installs.

Conduit length

Never, never, never ever, cut wire to length for any conduit that you are not 100% certain of the length.   If you need to run a tape measure through first so you can make sure.  Conduit paths are not always straight lines.  Especially poured concrete floors. Listed below are the NEC and ANSI codes associated with your installs.

Codes:

NEC 346-11: “There shall be no more than the equivalent of four quarter bends (360 degrees total) between pull points, e.g., conduit bodies and boxes.”

TIA/EIA-569, 4.4.2.1: “No section of conduit shall be longer than 30m (100ft) or contain more than two 90 degree bends between pull points or pull boxes.

Following these guidelines will help you keep from wrestling a horrible conduit run or put too much stress on the cables and have them break.

Tip:  Put pull boxes in long runs to help you meet these guidelines and save your back.  Avoid putting the pull box under the stage.  No one wants to pull wire on their back.

So measure twice, cut once, save thousands.

Front

Rear

http://www.dbxpro.com/260/index.php

The DriveRack 260 is a staple of the audio industry. This is a well designed product that sounds great and complements any sound system.

Installations Needs Met by a Driverack 260
– Main outputs PA processing
- Speaker protection
- Lockout settings from unauthorized users (Or soundmen with a lead foot on the volume)
- Easy setup

This unit also has the added benefit of being able to be controlled through wall panels, provide RTA setup and much more.

Features
- Feedback Elimination
- 2.7 Seconds of Alignment and Zone Delay
- RS-232 PC GUI control
- Classic dbx Compression and Limiting
- Graphic and Parametric EQ
- Auto-EQ Function
- Full Bandpass, Crossover, and Routing Configurations
- Auto Gain Control
- Pink Noise Generator and fulltime RTA
- Setup Wizard with JBL speaker and Crown Power Amplifier Tunings
- Security Lockout
- Wall Panel Control Inputs

If you need quality, reliability, and equipment that sounds good, buy this unit.  I have never had a situation where I was unhappy with the DriveRack 260.

Cost: $999.99  -  Email me for to sign up for email updates and receive Free standard shipping inside the US.

Interested in more DBX gear?   Contact me today for a quote.

I love it when a plan comes together!

You ever have one of those plans that you want to be like Hannibal on the A-Team with the members only jacket and a cigar and say “I love it when a plan comes together.”   Even though this is a TV show from the 80’s and now a fun movie there is still some truth to be gleaned from this team of mercenaries.

Hannibal never said “well, I’m glad that all worked out.”  Most of time they had a plan then the implemented it effectively.  Even if everything did not go according to plan they still had an approach to the situation.  This is vital in any install.  I have seen so many installs that there was no plan or previous thought into the install.  This caused wasted money, time and caused huge frustrations.  It is always best to start a plan.

Initial plan

This is the fun part!  Now you can sit down with everyone who uses the systems and figure out the answers to some critical questions like the ones below.  I like to be involved in these meetings becasue this is where I get to really hear the vision of what everyone wants for their systems.  Then the design process is much easier and reflects better your goals.

Important questions to ask

1. What problems need to be fixed?
2. What additions do you need to make?
3. What additions do you want to make?
4. How much do you want to be able to expand the system to in the future?

From here you can start the process with everyone on your team excited about the initial plan you developed.  Then you can buy the cigars and jackets for when the plan all comes together!

Recently I installed a wireless microphone upgrade for Gospel Tabernacle Church in Dunn, NC. This was an installation to replace Shure U4D UHF units that were more than 10 years old. The units were beginning to have trouble staying on. due to some loose electronics I looked into getting them repaired by Shure however due to the FCC ruling recently they were unable to repair what Shure normally would have been able to repair without this ruling in place.

Installed Equipment List
– 4 ULXP Wireless Receivers
- 4 Beta 87A handheld transmitters
- 4 Belt packs
- 1 UA844 antenna distribution

Replaced Equipment
– 2 U4D dual channel receivers
- 4 Beta 87A handhelds
- 4 Beltpacks

Shure Products: I predominantly quote Shure products because they are solid products with an excellent reputation and are road tough. I have seen some of their wired mics that looked like they were used as a hammer and still work flawlessly. I highly recommend their products

Quote
I quoted two options. One option was to replace the defective units with the Shure UHF-R series and the other using the ULXP series. I recommended the ULXP series because the church was only doing live audio and minimal recording. If they were looking to do high end broadcasting I would have recommended the more expensive quote, however with a cost difference of more than $10,000 for the units alone I could not justify the recommendation.

Performance
The ULX performs much better than the previous units not only by staying on but also with more headroom before clipping. The antennas are approximately 75 feet away from the mics and signal strength is strong. They have metal cases which is good for the church because they move these mics around for productions in their Family Life Center. The ULXP mics would be a great choice for anyone

Links
ULXP Series
http://www.shure.com/americas/products/wireless-systems/ulx-professional/index.htm

UHF-R Series
http://www.shure.com/americas/products/wireless-systems/uhfr-systems/index.htm

eBay
As part of a service to the church i sold one receiver, 2 mics, and 2 beltpacks online for approximately $700. After all eBay, Pay Pal, and shipping the church made approximately $600. The mics were sold with the description stating that they were for parts only. Good example that even if something doesn’t work, people still need parts and will pay for them.

Contact me today if you want an assessment of your wireless needs.

910-658-7893
ryan@brackmanconsulting.com

Today while reading an article on cabling from an industrial perspective I decided it would be best to cover this all important topic from the AV perspective. The wire you use or don’t use an important decision.

There is a mass of wire types and all have their uses, specifications and limitations. Determining the right one should be decided with care. You can have the biggest and best system in the world but if you don’t plan the wiring properly then you will have a system that either works poorly or even cause damage to the equipment. So before you start, ask yourself these questions.

1. What type of cabling is needed?
This is only determining what you need. Make sure you match up the right cable for the right job. Simply put, you want mic cable for mic cable and video cable for video. This is the point where I have seen some interesting adaptions that involve duct tape and cut AV cables the come with cheap DVD players.

2. Will it be used for a portable or permanent install?
This is an important decision for both quality and cost savings. Installation (PVC jacketed) cable can sometimes be cheaper because it does not require a tough outer jacket made for portable (rubber jacketed) applications. Most installations will use a combination of PVC and rubber jacketed cables but at a cost difference of sometimes $.20 per foot or more the savings of the right cabling can be significant.

3. What environment will the cable be used in?
This is important for a couple of reasons. If you are putting cable in a harsh environment (like outdoors) you will want a cable that is designed to survive in this type of situation. Environment dependent codes (ex. plenum spaces) which affect cable selection will also be important considerations. Make sure you understand how certain these (plus all other codes) will affect your cabling selection.

4. What about quality?
Some people insist on buying the top of the line cable with the best connections. I have even heard of directional copper! However, unless you are installing broadcast studios or multimillion dollar recording studio and just have money to burn then no excessive cash need be spent. In the end, you need quality cabling from a reputable company that meets the specifications of your equipment. You may even choose to make your own if you have (or willing to learn) basic soldering. Very easy to do.

5. How are the connectors installed?
There are many different ways to install connectors. Crimp, compression, solder, phoenix, punch down and molded are the main types. It is important to know which of these you prefer to use or the application requires. A permanent install may allow for a punch down connection however a portable system will likely require solder or molded connections. You should also make sure you have the correct tools and spare connectors to repair cables as needed.

Always make sure that you plan through you cable selection so that your systems operate efficiently and costly mistakes are avoided. I’m sure we would all rather spend the leftover money on other cool things, like say, a nice new effects unit or an upgrade to an HD projector, right?

Let me know if you have any questions. Please post them below in the comment section.

Shure U4D reciever with beltpacks and beta 87A handhelds.

I am selling these for a church I recently did an installation for.  They are inside the FCC 700 MHz ruling and cannot be used for microphones but cna be used for parts if a facility has the same models that are outside the 700 MHz band.

eBay page link:  Shure wireless listing

Contact me if you have questions  http://brackmanconsulting.com/?page_id=3

I Just picked up and new dealership for lighting rigging equipment!  This is an excellent company with great products.  A couple of my favorites are the Mega-Claw and Safety-Clamps.  Each of these let you hang a fixture and tighten it in place without having to hold the fixture the whole time.

The Light Source
http://www.thelightsource.com/

Check them out!

When working with installs and portable systems, your personal safety is very important.  You want to make certain you take certain precautions to protect yourself and others.  This can include many different types of equipment and actions but let’s just hit some high points.

Safe and in the air or hurt and on the ground?

Imagine working with a crescent wrench 20’ in the air on scaffold hanging a light on a piece of truss free hanging by two rigging points.  The truss is swaying slightly with every adjustment.  This throws off your perception of standing still so you try to compensate for the movement.  The the scaffold is unsteady while a coworker climbs and you are out of balance from allergies affecting your inner ear.

The truss sways and you take a step backward.  You are too close to the edge and then you step off the side, but just as the ground can be seen past the walkboards, you feel a tug on your back.  Is it your co-worker who is still climbing?  No, it is the harness you attached to the truss when you got to the top.

Safety harnesses are inexpensive tools that can save you thousands in hospital bills from painful fall.  Even low heights.  There are many types, sizes and prices.  Make sure you choose the right one for you.  If you need help selecting make sure you ask for help.  I recommend Flexible Lifeline Systems.  They helped me figure out which harness I need to order that would work best for my situation.

Interesting question: Why do we tie a wrench to our tool belt to keep from it falling but yet we won’t tie ourselves to something that would keep us from falling?

Recommended company: Flexible Lifeline Systems

http://www.fall-arrest.com/default.asp

Ah my eyes!!!

Who can work on what they cannot see?  This is often overlooked and easiest to help prevent injuries with simple eyewear.  Hot solder, small pieces of wire, and debris from working on things overhead can cause simple irritation to injury.   So wear some eye protection.  This way you can see to read the meters on your soundboard, focus your projectors, and make the lights show sync perfectly with the band.

Electricity – Caution = Pain

We deal with hundreds of amps of power in an installations.  Some really large lighting rigs can use up to 400 Amps of 3 phase power (1200 amps total).  Always make sure you turn off power before you work on anything.  Once you turn it off check it with a meter so you can be certain.  I once worked with a guy adn asked if we should turn the power off and he said “that’s a good idea!”  The electrical panel was hot at 250 Amps!

Tip: If you must work on hot electrical connections, you must be certain to take the necessary safety precautions.  Talk to an electrician if you have any doubts.

It’s hanging over your head too

Rigging safety should be considered whenever you hang anything.  the last thing you want to do is have something fall.  A good rule of thumb is 5:1. Basically whatever your rigging you want it to be able to hold 5 times more than it really weighs. This includes everything from the equipment to the rigging frame, cables, and bolts.  Also check with local building codes to determine if there is a requirement for additional rigging for earthquake safety.

Tip: When hanging lighting fixtures, and other equipment to truss or pipe, use safety cables.  The bolts that hold equipment in place to these structures can become loose and must be tightened periodically but a safety cable can help prevent damaged light or worse a hurt person.

Aesthetic safety tip

Use a mat of some sort to protect the desk, carpet or other furniture you are working on.  This will help prevent hot solder, soldering irons, heat guns and other tools from damaging surfaces.  A $3 mat can help you save thousands in replacement costs.

Revelation of the title

Safety is to protect you.   You want to live longer and enjoy life without injuries that could be prevented.  So be safe.  Take care of your self and others.  I want you around for many years to come so we can enjoy the show together!

As summer time grows near we should all take a moment to familiarize ourselves with the origins of the best hotdogs man has ever tasted.  The red Brightleaf hotdog by Carolina Packers!

The story below was written by a friend that I work with at Family Medical Supply.  He is also a DJ for WKML 95.7 in Fayetteville, NC.   Check him out Saturdays 3pm – 7pm!

Links:

The right stuff!:  http://www.carolinapackers.com/

Scott Curtis’ Bio:  http://www.wkml.com/index.php?page=467

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