RTL/TVI choose Drake intercom for studio refit

Drake Electronics, Europe’s leading intercom supplier, have received a large digital system order from RTL/TVI in Belgium, via distributor Lines Broadcast Systems.
The new 4000 Series II solution includes a 9RU matrix frame and almost thirty of Drake’s Refresh range of user panels.
In addition, RTL have selected twelve of Drake’s revolutionary new FreeSpeak digital, cellular wireless beltpacks to meet their wireless communications requirements.
With high quality 7kHz audio and full-duplex operation, FreeSpeak has none of the problems normally associated with traditional radio talkback systems, such as interference or dropout, that are typical of the congested UHF and VHF bands – a problem that RTL found common. FreeSpeak continuously detects the best channel and if this should change, automatically roams to the new channel without any user intervention.
The new system will be delivered and installed in January 2003 and replaces a ten year-old Drake 6000 system.
Thierry Peters, Chief Engineer at RTL, said: "After many years of good service from the Drake 6000 system, we had to face new needs of flexibility and control, and when the time came to upgrade, the decision was simple. Integrating FreeSpeak into the system architecture was an added bonus as it allows our operators to be fully mobile, while remaining in constant communication with their studio-based colleagues."
(GB)