Etymotic Research ER80 Companion Bluetooth Mics User Manual

Etymotic Research, Inc. Companion Bluetooth Mics Users Manual

Users Manual

ETYMOTIC RESEARCH, INC.Companion Mics™User Guide
Listener Unit Talker UnitsEtymotic ResearchHigh fidelity, Noise-isolating EarphonesCharging UnitOn/Off Volume ControlEarphone Jack On/Off Volume control(enabled onlyfor specialapplications)
3DESCRIPTIONThe Companion MicsTM system was developed for persons who havesignificant difficulty understanding conversation in background noisesuch as restaurants and public places. This system enables one, twoor three talkers (four on special order) to speak to a single listener.The microphones in this system give a ten-to-one decrease in therelative noise level that is heard by the listener, which should make it possible to carry on a normal conversation, even for a listener withsevere-to-profound loss of ability to hear in noise. Battery life is 8-10 hours between charges, which gives ample time for mostapplications. A complete charge takes 2-3 hours.INSTRUCTIONS STARTUP• Place units next to each other.• Turn on all units that will be used.- Talker Units: Press and hold the On/Off button until thegreen light blinks (approximately 1 second).- Listener Unit: Press and hold On/Off button until thegreen light blinks (approximately 1 second).• Wait until all lights glow steadily, indicating proper communicationwith each other.USEInstructions for the Listener:• Plug the earphone into the earphone jack on the Listener Unit(identified by a clear clasp on neck cord).• Adjust the volume control for a comfortable level.• Place the unit around the neck.• Adjust the neck cord so the unit rests comfortably under the chin.
4• Adjust the volume control after all Talker Units are on. The Listenershould be able to hear each Talker clearly, as if the Talkers werespeaking into the Listener’s ear.Instructions for Talkers:• Place Talker Units (identified by a black clasp on neck cord)around the neck and adjust the cord so the unit rests comfortably just under the chin.VOLUME CONTROL (Up/Down Switch)The overall volume is adjusted on the Listener Unit only.For ease of identification, the top of the button (Up) has a ridge, thebottom part of the button (Down) has a groove. Holding the Up/Downbutton continuously increases or decreases the volume by four stepsper second.TEMPORARY DISCONNECTTalkers can temporarily disconnect their units by pressing the On/Offbutton on the Talker Unit until the green light blinks (approximatelyone second). A tone in the earphone of the Listener Unit announcesthe disconnect. (If a disconnect occurs accidentally, the light on thatTalker Unit will blink to signal the disconnect.)ReconnectTo reconnect a Talker Unit, the Listener should press the On/Off button on the Listener Unit for 1-2 seconds.InterferenceIf there is severe RF interference, complete recovery from the inter-ference can be obtained by the following three steps:1. Turn on any Talker Units whose green lights are not already steadyor blinking.2. Turn off the Listener Unit by pressing the On/Off button for 1-2seconds.
53. Turn the Listener Unit back on by pressing the button for 1-2 seconds.The units should reconnect in 8 seconds or less.OPERATING DISTANCEUnder line-of-sight conditions out in the open, the units may operateover a distance of 150 feet or more. Indoors, where there are reflections, the units should maintain communication over a distanceof 15 to 20 feet even if the Listener and Talkers occasionally turntheir backs to each other.5BATTERY CHARGING To recharge, place units in the Charging Case. Note that a yellowlight will illuminate on each unit. A complete charge takes 2-3 hours.It is not possible to overcharge the units.They can be left in thecharger indefinitely without damaging the system. Battery lifebetween full charges is 8-10 hours or longer.HOW DOES THE COMPANION MICS SYSTEMWORK?The Companion Mics system establishes a direct communication line between the Talkers’ microphones and the Listener’s receiver,which essentially bypasses the noise and reverberation of the localacoustic environment. Circuits in the Companion Mics system operate in the 2.4 GHz band, the same frequency used by today’scordless phones. Rather than using a single frequency,where acompeting signal might interfere, a frequency-hopping technique isused. By jumping quickly from frequency to frequency in a pseudo-random manner among 79 frequencies, the chance of interference from microwave ovens, other Companion Mics systemsor Bluetooth is minimized, so that 10 or more sets can operate withlittle audible interference even if they are all in the same room. Whenthe units are first turned on, the Listener Unit starts its repeating
sequence of frequency hops while each Talker Unit waits for one oranother of those frequencies until it receives a transmission containing the identification code from the Listener Unit. The unitsthen lock together jumping from frequency to frequency. Thisprocess is repeated until all Talker Units lock on. Once all units are in communication with each other, the LED lights stop blinking andthe Talkers are heard by the Listener. From then on, each Talker Unitis in constant communication with the Listener Unit. Volume controladjustments on the Listener Unit are sent to the Talker Units to settheir microphone gain for optimum performance. The “lock up”sequence normally takes less than 8 seconds, but—rarely—maytake as long as a minute if heavy interference is present.SPECIFICATIONSOperating Voltage: 3.4 to 4.2 VoltsPower Consumption: Approximately 80 mABattery Life: 8-10 hours or more (three Talker units)14-16 hours with single Talker unitCharging Time: Typically 2-3 hours from “empty”Environmental Performance: Operating -10 to +45 oCCharging 0 to +35 oCStorage -10 to +45 oCRadio Performance: 20 meters (66 feet) min in free spaceAudio Performance:Frequency Bandwidth: 8 kHz (7 kHz for two-way system)Acoustic Gain (relative to speech at 40 inches):16 dB default +/- 25 dB VC rangeAcoustic Gain (Mic to coupler (Zwislocki)):-4 dB default +/- 25 dB VC rangeTotal Harmonic Distortion: < 2%End-to-end Delay:22-32 mS (low interference environments)30-40 mS (four microphone systems)Earphone Minimum Output Impedance: 23 OhmsTelecoil Minimum Output Impedance: 23 OhmsMax Voltage Swing at Receiver Output: 1.95-2.00 VppAntenna: InternalMicrophone: Noise-canceling electret condenser6
VARIATIONSA two-unit “walkie talkie” operation is available on special order.This contains two “Listener” units as combination Listener-Talkerunits. A fourth Talker Unit is available on special order.FCC AND OTHER INFORMATION6This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class Bdigital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to thefollowing two conditions:1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and 2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference thatmay cause undesired operation.These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. Some equipment operates at frequenciesthat may cause interference to nearby TVs and VCRs; to minimize or prevent suchinterference, the system base should not be placed near or on top of a TV, PCmonitor, or VCR; and, if interference is experienced, moving the desk station farther away from the TV or VCR will often reduce or eliminate the interference.However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particularinstallation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or televisionreception, which can be determined by turning the system off and on, the user isencouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the followingmeasures:1. Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.2. Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help.FCC Health and Safety Information: Your device is a radio transmitter andreceiver. It is designed and manufactured not to exceed the emission limits forexposure to radio frequency (RF) energy set by the Federal CommunicationsCommission of the U.S. Government. The FCC has established criteria for theamount of radio frequency energy various products may produce depending ontheir intended usage. This product has been evaluated and found to comply withthe FCC’s exposure criteria. For body worn operation, the FCC RF exposure guidelines were also met when used with the accessories supplied or designed forthis product. Use of other accessories may not ensure compliance with FCC RF exposure guidelines and should be avoided.Caution: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the partyresponsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate this device.7
ETYMOTIC RESEARCH INC.61 Martin Lane • Elk Grove Village, IL 60007www.etymotic.com • 1-888-389-6684Companion Mics is a trademark of Etymotic Research,Inc. The Companion Mics system is covered by U.S.patent:#5,966,639 and other patentspending.

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