Equipment selection
Transmitter selection
When selecting an Auracast transmitter, consider:
- Number of input channels and number of output streams
- Latency – see Understanding audio pathways – why latency matters
- Broadcast power, efficiency and coverage
- Whether the manufacturer has a list of receivers that have been tested for compatibility
- Aesthetics (including overall size, profile and colour options)
- How well it integrates into existing infrastructure
- Ease of initial setup and reconfiguration
- Ease of maintenance, including installing firmware updates
- Whether the manufacturer issues regular, well-documented, firmware updates
- What customer support is available from the manufacturer
Also consider whether the transmitter will support any future upgrades or changes to your audio systems. This could be from changing mixing consoles, moving from analogue to networked audio over IP, or because shows need more audio channels than are currently available.
Receiver selection
If you plan to lend receivers to customers, which receivers you choose is a critical decision. They need to meet the needs of everyone involved in their provision, including the team who configures the Auracast system, the front-of-house team, and the customers who use them.
Customer requirements for receivers
Think about how easy the receiver is to use. Are the functions of buttons and any menu systems clear? Will everyone find the buttons easy to see and press? What are the ways that people might get confused or run into difficulty?
What options are available to get audio from the receiver into their hearing device? Can the customer be offered a choice of headphones, neckloop, ear hooks or a direct line input into a wireless accessory?
Ask your group of people with lived experience to help you trial the different options.
All about hearing devices
A neckloop is worn like a lanyard around the neck. It creates a personal hearing loop that the user can pick up using their telecoil-enabled hearing devices.
Ear hooks are similar to a neckloop but enable stereo listening by creating a distinct loop at each ear.
Headphones can be worn, without aids, by anyone who want to listen to an assistive listening or Audio Description stream.
In some cases, headphones can be worn over hearing aids. For this to work, it is important the headphones do not clamp too tightly to the head. Well cushioned designs which surround the ear work best. However, wearing headphones over hearing aids can cause unpleasant feedback (whistling) so must not be the only option offered.
Front-of-house requirements for receivers
Think about how the receiver design will affect customer interactions. How long will it take for staff to help customers use the receiver? What extra equipment or cables need to be plugged in to the receiver? How easy is it to verify that the device is operating correctly? For example, does the receiver offer a visual indication that it has successfully connected to the broadcast and that audio is playing? This can be helpful for staff to trace issues to the receiver or the customer’s hearing devices.
Also, think about how easy it is for staff to process devices between shows. For example, how easy is it to charge devices? How long does it take? What cleaning/hygiene process is required?
System management requirements for receivers
How easy is it to perform maintenance tasks, such as updating firmware, monitoring battery health, and replacing ageing batteries?
Can receivers be easily preconfigured or reconfigured to automatically connect to a specific broadcast? This can reduce the risk of operator error, especially where several broadcasts are available, while allowing flexibility in the allocation of receivers.
You can procure receivers as part of an integrated system together with the transmitters or mix and match brands. You could even have a variety of receivers if it allows you to offer customers the device which works best for them.