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| How To Bridge Hoot And Holler With Conference Call? |
Question:
So let's say I have a hoot & holler
network, whereby a single microphone
source is broadcast to several speakers
in different locations using E&M
circuits.
Also, I have a commercial conference
call
bridging service (800 number, dial
a code, join the audio conference.)
So the problem is, how to most elegantly,
yet inexpensively, bridge
the two? When I say bridge
the two, I simply want the hoot and
holler speakers to broadcast the conference
call.
A basic PBX is available.
Answer:
You will need to basically get the
audio from a phone in the conference
and input it to the microphone circuit
for the h&h.
I'm not too familiar with hoot and
holler systems. What type of mic input
is used on the h&h? is it dialed
into by a phone or is there actually
a microphone that someone talks into?
There are multiple ways to interface
the audio, ranging from simple and
cheap to elegant and expensive. Since
you are only sending audio one way,
that can be done as simply as connecting
a radio shack tape recorder adapter
to a phone handset, then use an appropriate
transformer coupler to get to the
h&h. Or look at "hybrid"
products by Gentner, Symetrix, Telos,
Henry, they are often sold by audio
supply houses for radio broadcast
use. The expensive units use
dsp for full duplex conferencing so
you wouldn't need that.
Your Hoot-n-Hollar (AKA: Junk yard)
circuit appears to be a four wire
circuit hand off from your LEC. Yes-No?
If 4W, and if you want two way transmission,
convert the 4W circuit to 2W via a
term set or other 2-4W hybrid device.
Connect the now 2W Hoot-n-Hollar circuit
to one side of a 600:600 Ohm matching
transformer (AKA: Coil). Connect a
POTS or common battery PBX extension
line the other side of the Coil via
a single pole switch. Bridge a telephone
set across the POTS/PBX line. Use
the telephone set to initiate a call
to the 800 service Conference Bridge.
Once connected, close through the
single poll switch, and hand up the
telephone. The matching coil will
"hold" up the dial tone
line. All Voice frequency (VF) will
pass through the coil permitting bi-directional
voice traffic between the 2-4W converter,
and your dial up connection to the
800 line, or anywhere else.
One word of caution, insure that your
2-4W hybrid/network can match the
impedance of the 2W line to the 4
wire section. If not, you may be subject
to poor circuit operation, echo, and
possibly your circuit may begin to
sing, especially if there are any
other two wire sections at any of
the end point of your 4W Hoot-n-Hollar
circuit.
One thing is certain, that 800 number
bill will not be small if you keep
the bridge
dial up nailed up all day long. Best
to explore installing an active conference
bridge
on your prem, with "n"
number of POTS/PBX extension line
ports (What ever is least expensive)
terminating into auto-answer equipment.
This way a caller can be connected
directly a local on prem bridge.
800 service calls can point to a DID
or POTS lines set up as a hunt group.
Suggest that you take a look at the
Tellabs web site for equipment info.
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