A recent visit to Brands Hatch after several years absence gave me this idea.
The race commentary is broadcast on a low power radio frequency. Any radio can pick it up but they also sell a ear piece radio fixed to that frequency.
Very handy away from the speaker system (i.e. in the car.)
Some years ago Duxford tried a cassette player which you switched on at sign posted points. I have seen similar in a few stately homes.
With modern systems available this should be more easily set up. I see that Duxford are supplying a WiFi service at some areas of ‘Flying Legends’ This might be another way of supplying such a service. I suppose commercial advertising would have to be involved as long as it didn’t swamp it!
What does the team think?
mmitch.
By: TwinOtter23 - 12th June 2011 at 15:05
With regard to Empedia I understand that other ‘operating platforms’ will be coming on board soon.
As for ACE funding who knows what they’ll eventually decide! :confused:
By: baloffski - 12th June 2011 at 14:46
There was an article in the Telegraph about something similar:
I am not sure the days of a plastic laminated A4 sheet where damp has got into the edges and around the staples; showing a fuzzy picture and list of performance figures with a brief description, are over just yet.
One of the difficulties of tech which uses the visitor’s own gadget is the variety of platforms and their performance. F’rinstance I am a BlackBerry user so an iPhone App is no good to me, but I am told that the BlackBerry QR code recognition knocks the Apple into a cocked hat. Some people are hell bent on Android; but let us not forget the many many users of non smart tech.
Earpieces connected to a low power radio station can be a bit hit and miss due to atmospherics affecting the AM broadcasts. If there is a decent surveilance radar running anywhere near you will get a blip every rotation and there is always the chance of an earful of white noise during ATC/Pilot radio talk. That said I have used them within sports venues where IMHO they enhanced the event considerably.
Price needs to drop dramatically before this sort of kit is available to anyone without an Arts Council grant to give the man from Apple/Adobe/Google/RIM etc champagne and canapes. But bring it on I say, whatever it takes to get people engaged and leave with a better knowledge gets my vote every time.
By: TwinOtter23 - 12th June 2011 at 14:02
I’m not sure about the IWM Airshow content.
Empedia was launched in the East Midland and Newark was invited to trial the ‘pilot’ programme – as such it was the first aviation site to be featured. The museum has since been followed by Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire onto the programme and here’s a full list of participating sites! 🙂
I understand the system could be rolled out around the UK in the coming months!!
By: mmitch - 12th June 2011 at 13:55
The Biggin Hill airshow (and one or two others) did have a radio but tended to broadcast a separate show. Not a direct commentary.
Twin Otter
I might have known that Newark would be trying it. 🙂
mmitch.
By: TwinOtter23 - 12th June 2011 at 13:24
I’m still trying to get my head round it all as well – Waddington International Airshow runs its own radio station during the event next month on Airshow FM.
…and also IWM Duxford already has this Airshow Ap!
By: Peter D Evans - 12th June 2011 at 12:46
Understood TO, I perhaps think we have two distinct requirements of which the one you mention would be better suited for the museum visitor touring a site with a need to learn more on what he/she is looking at rather than relying on what can be basic information displays.
The radio earpiece suggestion would purely be a system to run in conjunction with the official PA and operating on good old fashioned radio waves rather than the need for WiFi etc. My local Championship football club operates on AM during their season and having something similar at Duxford on airshow days that could be received on portable devices or earpieces would certainly appeal to me, especially during the flying. I’m sure that Fairford operated a dedicated AM channel a few years ago too although we only used it for traffic reports before and after the event…
Cheers
Pete
By: TwinOtter23 - 12th June 2011 at 12:18
The beauty of the Ap and MP3 systems is that people use their own ‘portable devices’ to host the files – no need to hire equipment or re-use ear pieces etc!
For areas where there is no Wi-Fi coverage Ap based systems can also use QR codes (square bar codes – see REF’s avtar) to activate download information!!
By: Peter D Evans - 12th June 2011 at 12:13
Great idea… I think they provide a similar service for Test match cricket with the BBC’s Test Match Special programme carrying commentary, albeit I think that this is just a simple radio earpiece radio with a single channel to their Long Wave service.
With regards Flying Legends, you could easily use the same system, if only to pipe the airshow commentary exclusively through such a system thus allowing those of us who just want to watch and hear the aircraft to do so without the need to be subjected to background noise. Important announcements etc during the display can still be piped via the existing loud-speaker system, as can the general chat either side of the display. The good thing is that if such a system was a success, operating frequencies maintained and batteries can be replaced, the earpieces would be reusable too…
Cheers
Pete
By: TwinOtter23 - 12th June 2011 at 12:05
This is being tried at Newark through this Empedia Ap and via this section on the museum website – you need to click on the headphones to go to the download page.
As it says on the Audio Page – feedback appreciated! 🙂
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June 12, 2011 at 11:54 am