Wireless Intercom.
Since introduction in 2017, Riedel Bolero has quickly been elevated to the gold standard of Wireless Communication.
What makes Riedel Bolero Wireless Intercom so great? Since you asked…
The first thing people usually notice when using a Bolero for the first time is the audio quality. In comparison to other wireless systems out there, it’s fidelity is unmatched. In the world of Production and Live Events, this is not a detail to be dismissed as a luxury- it is a necessity. A stage manager calling cues does not want to repeat themselves. If the A1 doesn’t clearly hear the cue and the mic isn’t open, that mistake will be the talk of the town and might even go viral on social media. If the Spotlight Operators don’t hear the LD and miss a cue, a new product might not be revealed properly and that client may be lost forever. Even higher stakes: if the Automation department confuses a cue somebody could get hurt- on stage, broadcast, for all to see. There are many caveats which can be minimized with higher-quality communication systems, Bolero being the highest quality.
Once users are finished being swept off their feet by audio quality, they usually want to know where they will work, and how far away they can be without losing coverage. The Riedel Bolero Wireless Intercom antennas have the best range in the industry in all environments. Stadiums, outdoor events, wherever your production, Riedel Bolero promises to give you better range than any other system. I once covered the entire San Diego Convention Center with a handfull of antennas hung from the grid- no dropouts (in this case the Bolero were actually used as the talents broadcast mic for the show). This also makes setup easier. Also, since the range is so good, many times all of the antennas can be set up in one place, reducing the need for cabling during setup and reducing time spent during strike.
Once people wrap their heads around how wonderfully the Riedel Bolero Wireless Intercom beltpacks work, they get into their specific comms needs. Can I talk to this person or Partyline? Yes. Can I hear this person or feed? Of course. The answer is always yes since they are configurable and manageable to talk or listen to any source or destination within the comms network. There are six buttons available that can each function as a Talk, Listen, Talk and Listen, or even other functions depending on the configuration. Each user can have a completely unique button layout custom tailored to suit the user’s individual needs. One person, say, a Client, might only need 1 partyline button to communicate with the other Clients. On the other end of the spectrum, a Stage Manager might use all 6 buttons- Stage Manager PL, Stage Manager ISO PL, Video PL, Audio PL, Program listen, and Stage Announce to be heard over the PA. The Stage Manager could then adjust volume levels so that they only listen to the Stage Manager PL’s and Program, but still have the ability to talk on the others.
Riedel Bolero Wireless Intercom is built with AES67 architecture. This means that it’s Antenna Network may be built using any available network cables- TAC Fiber or Ethernet. As TAC fiber is now ubiquitous in all productions at nearly all locations, it is the first choice to use for comms to avoid wasting time running additional cables. All you would then need is either a network switch or a media converter on the end(s) of the fiber strand(s). If you don’t want to use any hardware like network switches or media converters, the other option for Bolero is a ring-topology, in which each antenna is linked to the next via standard ethernet cable.
My system is built to be the most flexible and reliable using AES67 network switches. Each switch may power the antennas via POE, and each switch is built in a small rack case with a battery backup to ensure that when power failures occur, the comms stay up to make sure the problem is worked out as quickly as possible, with the whole team able to contribute. As technology evolves, the ambition of shows grows right along with it. If you want your show to stand out for it’s content, not it’s blunders, you’ll want to have the best wireless comms available- that’s Riedel Bolero!
-Tiernan
