LIVE! Technologies Guide To UHF Conversion
By David Mead, Co-founder LIVE! Technologies

“All wireless microphones, instrument wireless and wireless in-ear monitors will stop working in 2009!”

Okay, that may be an exaggeration, but lately we have seen and heard a great deal of talk about what will happen to wireless microphones on February 19th, 2009. Not familiar with this issue? LIVE! Technologies would like to clear the air and fill you in on the future of wireless microphones.

February 19th, 2009 has been designated as the official date that analog TV stations will cease broadcasting analogue and only broadcast in digital. What’s that got to do with wireless microphones? Most wireless microphones operate in the same frequency range as the TV stations. In fact, we have been doing this for years. There are two reasons why this is becoming an issue now. In addition to the number of channels that digital TV stations will be occupying, the federal government has divided the TV spectrum and allocated a portion of the spectrum (TV channels 60 thru 69 or frequencies 698 MHZ thru 806 MHZ) to be leased for commercial communications and public safety. This means that there will be more chances for interference.

So does this mean you throw away your existing wireless? No. We, at LIVE! Technologies have done our research and talked to several experts, and here is what we have found: • There might be a problem if you have a wireless that is a fixed frequency or operates on a frequency above TV Channel 60 (or above 698 MHZ). But… • There should be plenty of available channels even with the increased number of digital TV channels in operation. We have attached an updated frequency chart as part of this document. For those of you in the central Ohio area, there are already a significant number of the digital (and analog) TV stations in operation.

The wireless systems sold by LIVE! Technologies are frequency agile (capable of changing frequency), and in most cases, when interference is encountered, a change of channel will solve the problem.

Some manufacturers have ventured into other wireless frequencies, in an effort, to and a solution to the growing challenge of adequate bandwidth. From what we can tell, all of the available frequency ranges are accessed by multiple user groups (TV, Cell phone, Bluetooth, etc.). Depending on the frequency range, wireless systems may have issues with the extended frequency response and transmission characteristics that we have come to expect with today’s wireless systems. If you encounter a problem with your wireless system, contact your LIVE! Technologies sales representative, and we can work with you to evaluate and find the best solution for your situation.

At LIVE! Technologies, we feel that knowledge is power and we want to empower our clients! -Thanks to Dave Bobco at C. L. Pugh & Associates who is the wireless coordinator for Cleveland Browns Football and Judy Whitney with Shure ProAudio for their time, wealth of information and cooperation in researching this article. Want more information? Go To: http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Products/us_pro_ea_dtv Or http://www.sennheiserusa.com/whitespaceDebate It you have any questions, please give LIVE! Technologies a call: 1-800-83-STAGE or email us: info@livetechnologiesinc.com