Lectrosonics HM

[Malcolm Davies Amps CAS]

A UK dealer has told me that a new HM transmitter supplied from Lectrosonics may not work with a UCR411a which was bought used from the US. Claims that they are not compatible despite both being on in same block. Could any Lectrosonics experts either from the factory or user explain why this would be?

[Wandering Ear]

EU deviation as opposed to US deviation? I thought you could use an eu tx with a us rx, but i could be remembering wrong.

[TJW]

EU deviation as opposed to US deviation? I thought you could use an eu tx with a us rx, but i could be remembering wrong.

Hi Malcolm, 

 

There was a thread a while ago started by Seb Blach 

 

The reply below from Karl at Lectro I think explains your conundrum.

 

All best

 

Tim

 

Based on your latest post, we have been able to draw some conclusions about why you are probably experiencing these results.

 

We believe that your SMb transmitter/s are set to North American Hybrid (400) mode which is not correct for use in the UK. Our evidence for this is that your SMb transmitter works fine with a US spec SRa receiver.

 

As it turns out, we ship all UCR411A units with the default compatibility set to 400-NA (North American) mode. Our guess is that the 411A you used for testing is still set to this mode, and thus works fine with your SMb transmitter/s. As a side note, we will be changing our procedures so that any 411A shipped to Europe will be set to HBR-EU mode.

 

The SRB/E01, however, is set to HBR-EU mode, which is the default setting when shipped. Because of the difference in RF deviation specs between the NA and EU versions, you are hearing a distorted signal from your SRb receivers.

 

One way to test for this is to go into the menu of the 411A and change the compatibility from 400 NA to HBR EU. After you have done this, you should have the same (distorted) sound with the SMb + UCR411A combo as you have from the SMb + SRb/E01 combination.

 

You have two options:

 

1. Re-set your SMb transmitter/s to the HBR-EU mode. This is the proper mode for EU operation because of your local regulations. You may be able to do this in the menu if all modes have been unlocked. If so, select HBR mode. If all modes have not been enabled (i.e. if the unit only shows the North American modes like 400, Mode3, 200, etc.) you may have to have a servicing dealer convert it back to EU spec or unlock all modes.

 

2. Have the North American firmware put into your SRb receiver/s. This can be done at a servicing dealer.

 

Once either of these operations has been done, you should have good results from these systems.

[Dean Slotness]

The UCR411A has both North American modes and European modes available if the firmware is 5.x/x.x or greater. From the UCR411A manual:

3) COMPAT

XXX

Where “XXX” is one of the following:

NA 400 North American - Native 400 Series Digital Hybrid mode

NA 100 Lectrosonics 100 Series compatibility

NA 200 Lectrosonics 200 Series compatibility

NA M3 Compatible with certain non-Lectrosonics transmitters

NA IFB Compatible with all Lectrosonics IFB transmitters.

NA M6 Compatible with certain non-Lectrosonics transmitters

NA M7 Compatible with certain non-Lectrosonics transmitters

EU HBR European Union - Native 400 Series Digital Hybrid mode

EU 100 European Union - 100 Series compatibility

EU 200 European Union - 200 Series compatibility

EU M3 European Union - Compatible with certain

non-Lectrosonics transmitters

EU IFB European Union - Compatible with all Lectrosonics

IFB transmitters.

EU M6 European Union - Compatible with certain

non-Lectrosonics transmitters

EU M7 European Union - Compatible with certain

non-Lectrosonics transmitters

Note: NA M7 & EU M7 are only available with firmware

6.0 on the audio board.

[RPSharman]

Dean,

I also recall something about the pilot tones not corresponding between NA and EU Lectros. But perhaps that was between B24 and B606, where the frequencies are the same but the channel name is different. In this case pilot tone needs to be turned off. Do I remember correctly?

BTW, from my conversations with Lectro, I recall that they will all work together, but EU Tx will "square out" or reach limiters with no indication on NA Rx, because they are "under driving" the Rx. An EU receiver with be "over driven" by a NA Tx before the Tx reaches its limiters, so must be set lower.

Robert

[Dean Slotness]

Pilot tone will function fine between same block EU and NA products. The block 606 and block 24 units would require pilot tone bypass to operate.

You are correct about the operation of NA and EU gear; however there more to it than that. The audio levels are used in the criteria for audio processing. In short, the audio quality would be compromised if using NA and EU gear together. 

As the UCR411A has all compatibility modes available, this should not be a concern.

[RPSharman]

Pilot tone will function fine between same block EU and NA products. The block 606 and block 24 units would require pilot tone bypass to operate.

You are correct about the operation of NA and EU gear; however there more to it than that. The audio levels are used in the criteria for audio processing. In short, the audio quality would be compromised if using NA and EU gear together. 

As the UCR411A has all compatibility modes available, this should not be a concern.

 

Oh.  Interesting.  I had my Venue converted to WBL with EU firmware, in order to run 4x EU VRT and 2x NA VRT.  I only have 4x EU Tx at the moment, and although I have another full Venue, I had hope to have lots of channel options by having 12x Rx and Tx.  I guess 10 will have to do to start with.

[Dean Slotness]

You can install the EU or NA venue firmware into the VRM as needed.

 

See the following link for details on the VRWB version 5.5 for NA:

http://www.lectrosonics.com/category/44-firmware

 

See here for the details and download on the VR/E01 version 5.5 for EU:

http://www.lectrosonics.com/europe/category/44-firmware

 

The VRT and VRS modules are not type specific and will work in the VRM regardless if it has EU or NA firmware.

[studiomprd]

RPS: "  I guess 10 will have to do to start with. "

do you think you could handle any gigs with only 10 ?? 

 

Отправлено с одним из моих личных устройств с помощью интернет-программы, вы можете определить, какой из них?

[RPSharman]

RPS: "  I guess 10 will have to do to start with. "

do you think you could handle any gigs with only 10 ??

 

Отправлено с одним из моих личных устройств с помощью интернет-программы, вы можете определить, какой из них?

 

I can't imagine needing them all at the same time (my board only has 8 inputs and me recorder only 7 ISOs), but it could certainly happen.  It's more about being sure I have available frequencies as I move around the country.

[RPSharman]

You can install the EU or NA venue firmware into the VRM as needed.

 

See the following link for details on the VRWB version 5.5 for NA:

http://www.lectrosonics.com/category/44-firmware

 

See here for the details and download on the VR/E01 version 5.5 for EU:

http://www.lectrosonics.com/europe/category/44-firmware

 

The VRT and VRS modules are not type specific and will work in the VRM regardless if it has EU or NA firmware.

 

Yes.  If EU firmware is installed, all modules behave as EU, and vice versa.  So it becomes what transmitters are being used in what mode (UE vs. NA) that become the issue.  I chose EU mode on Venue because I expect I'll be using primarily my EU specific B606 SMs and HM whenever possible, so it made sense to have the Venue set up that way.