National Senate of Argentina

Challenge

Sometimes the official TV channel of the National Senate of Argentina (SENADO TV) encountered interferences due to the use of wireless microphones in the UHF range. In some instances, the audio signal even broke off for a few seconds – an unacceptable flaw that needed remedy

Solution

With the newly-installed Sennheiser SpeechLine Digital Wireless (SLDW) system that works in the range of 1.9 GHz, interferences are a thing of the past. Transmission is now coded against competing signals and events run smoothly

SENADO TV ARGENTINA covers press conferences, committee meetings, public hearings and sessions of the National Senate. The Argentinian TV channel was already equipped with Sennheiser products, and in most situations, those microphones worked well, even in unfavorable acoustic surroundings. “As is often the case with legal institutions, we are located in a building from the beginning of the 20th century”, the channel’s technicians, Hugo Boria and Ariel Cravero, report. “You can imagine what that means in terms of architecture and materials used – we have vast halls of marble that we need our wireless audio equipment to work in.”

But according to the two audio experts, those conditions were not the main issue that led to the purchase of the SLDW series. “Our problems really started when other media and journalists from the whole country attended politically significant announcements or press conferences”, they explain. The journalists often brought along Sennheiser equipment as well. Several systems using the same bandwidth at the same time regularly caused interference problems, and sometimes even a complete distortion of the audio signal. “For us, this was an unacceptable flaw”, Boria and Cravero say.

They sought advice from the company ARS, the official Argentinian Sennheiser distributor, who suggested SpeechLine Digital Wireless as the solution to the interference problems. Developed and designed to address exactly this kind of problem, this innovative system does not make use of the usual UHF bandwidths, but is equipped with DECT technology. This means it does not rely on standard frequencies that are often over-saturated when several systems of the same kind or brand are used in the same environment. The new system worked immediately, the two technicians report: “We have got rid of all our transmission problems and interferences.”

On a daily basis, the National Senate proceedings are broadcasted nationally. Safe, reliable, interference-free wireless microphones are a must and Sennheiser SLDW meets these requirements. But it is also important that they be easy-to-use and quickly adaptable to changes in program. Hugo Boria and Ariel Cravero are satisfied with all these aspects of the new equipment. “Our new Sennheiser SLDW series combines modern design, which makes a top-impression on the viewers, with all the advantages of a really well-planned and professionally-equipped audio system.”

Of the 14 SLDW systems that SENADO TV ARGENTINA bought, 8 are used with the corresponding headsets for television settings like news shows, while 6 are equipped with hand-held microphones and used for live coverage, commission meetings and conferences. Mr Boria and Mr Cravero confirm that everyone is delighted with the new solution: “Users and technicians appreciate the easy handling and smooth functioning. In this kind of stressful TV environment, knowing you can always rely on your wireless microphones is a real relief to everyone.”