Talent Pod II

Doing any remote broadcast is a lot of work. Doing a sports remote with multiple announcers can be a real hassle! You need to provide headphones for each announcer. AND you need to mix Return (IFB or “back-haul”) into the local headphone feed. AND each announcer wants a different mix…OR “can you put the IFB in my right ear only?”….OR some announcers don’t want to hear IFB at all….OR they want more volume… OR less volume! WHAT A HEADACHE… You end up with a maze of equipment and a rat’s nest of wiring!

TALENT POD II to the rescue! It’s the EASY and foolproof way to do remote broadcasts!

With Talent Pod iis, each announcer can control his own mic and headphones. Need to mix Local and Return audio into headphones? Need a different mix for each announcer? Need to give off-air cues to just the “color guy”? No problem! Talent Pod II does it all, without DAs and complicated wiring!

Product Description

The Talent Pod II is an announcer’s mic and headphone controller for use by talent at a remote broadcast. It is ideal for use at sporting events and on-location broadcasts. Talent Pod II solves the problem of providing talent with a mix of Local and Return (IFB or “back- haul”) audio for their headphones. Its simplicity allows for error-free use by non-technical users; several units can be quickly linked for use at broadcasts with multiple announcers.

The Talent Pod II provides the announcer a convenient way to turn his mic on and off and control his headphone audio. There is a large illuminated Mic On/Off button and a Cough button that momentarily mutes the mic audio. The mic control functions are compatible with any professional dynamic or condenser microphone.

The Talent Pod II also provides control of the announcer’s headphone audio, allowing remote-site Local audio to be mixed with the Return audio that’s sent to the site from the main studio. There are separate inputs for Local and Return audio with a Volume control for each source, so the talent can adjust the mix in his headphones. To minimise confusion between the two, Talent Pod’ IIs two Pan switches can independently position Local and Return audio in the Left, Centre, or Right channel of the announcer’s headphones.

For broadcasts with multiple announcers, several Talent Pod IIs can be used so that each announcer can control his own mic, headphone volume, mix, and pan settings. Multiple Talent Pods can be quickly linked with CAT5 cables, distributing Power, Local and Return headphone audio to all units and eliminating the need for multiple power sources, DAs and complicated wiring. Talent Pods II can be used on their own or integrated with Henry Engineering’s MultiPhones system or SixMix USB Audio Console. A MultiPhones Master unit or SixMix will provide power and audio to the Talent Pod II(s).

The Talent Pod II also includes a mic preamplifier, which can be used to add an additional mic input to a mixer or to connect to a codec that has no microphone input and/or monitor jack. The LOC/L button (on rear) allows the output of the mic preamp to be used for local monitoring (via the Local volume control) when doing a “single-mic” broadcast without a mixer. If the Local audio source is stereo (instead of mono Local and Return), the MODE button can select Stereo operation, with both headphone channels controlled by the Local Volume control.

Talent Pod IIs can be powered with an external wall transformer; one transformer will power several units linked with Cat5 cables. If used with a MultiPhones Master unit or SixMix USB Console, the transformer is not required. Talent Pod II is 1/3 rack width, and can be rack-mounted using the optional Rack Shelf. It can also be wall- or cabinet-mounted using optional wall/cabinet mounting brackets.