Sennheiser explains the advantages of its ceiling microphone with dynamic beam forming technology

A single dynamic microphone beam is all That TeamConnect Ceiling 2 needs to capture superior audio in any conference room, with flexible rather than fixed configuration.

Instead of using multiple fixed-beam zones, the audio company Sennheiser bet on a system that employs a dynamic beam that automatically focuses on the speaker speaking and follows their voice wherever they move in the room.

In its new report, the company describes how the patented technology it uses in its TeamConnect Ceiling microphone 2 differs from other beam formation solutions, since it offers crystal clear audio and allows you to have much more natural conversations.

Beam formation technology, which consists of locating and evaluating sound sources to cancel interference, has revolutionized the microphone sector, as they offer better results than conventional microphones, both in fixed installation and in manual use, and have proven to be a particularly interesting solution for conference and meeting rooms.

Smart microphone arrays have a very low installation cost, invisible wiring, better quality audio for remote participants and offer freedom of movement thanks to its wide capture area.

In this sense, ceiling microphone arrays employ various types of beam formation technology, while solutions use fixed beam formation with fixed speaker zones. However, dynamic and automatic beam formation technology is an alternative that offers much greater flexibility.

While in fixed training several fixed beams are used, dynamic formations use a single beam that, in a matter of milliseconds, automatically points to the position of the person who is speaking.

Contrary to popular belief, having multiple beams does not increase functionality. In fact, the opposite is true: when analyzing the characteristics of the beams it is observed that the decisive criterion is the configuration of the beam, I mean, whether it is flexible or fixed.

Unlike systems that use predefined beam formation zones and directions, dynamic beam provides greater flexibility in daily use. In addition, a dynamic beam system reduces the time required for installation and configuration, as there is no need to continuously reconfigure.

The Sennheiser report describes the limitations of fixed beam formation that, For example, can make a speaker difficult to hear if they move beyond their preconfigured initial zone, like when you get up to write on a whiteboard. instead, flexible beam supports sudden changes in speaker position in the room without having to make any adjustments.

In addition to providing greater freedom of movement during meetings, this flexible and automatic approach reduces service calls, as it is not necessary to reconfigure the direction of the microphone catchment areas if the number of attendees or the layout of the room changes.

What is flexible beam training, dynamic and automatic?

The TeamConnect Ceiling Microphone Array 2 Sennheiser integrates a patented technology that combines real-time recognition of the person who is speaking and dynamic and automatic beam formation. In practice, to achieve this, first detects the position of the person who is speaking and then aligns its peak directivity to that position in real time.

The twenty-eight omnidirectional microphone capsules that make up the TeamConnect Ceiling microphone array 2 record all audio signals from the meeting room and, after digital signal processing, select the right speaker in real time. Like this, the system can detect the speaker's position at any time, regardless of whether this person is sitting, standing or moving around the room.

As each alignment of the beam directivity is done in a matter of milliseconds, no audio loss occurs, not even during quick exchanges in lively debates.

"It's critical to understand the difference between beam-forming microphones to find a solution that offers the flexibility every business needs," explains Jens Werner., portfolio manager at Business Communication-. When comparing the two beam formation technologies, our report helps those new to this field to know the advantages of dynamic and automatic beam formation compared to products that are limited to predefined catchment areas. When talking about beams, but it's not always better".

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