Using a Comtek for sound when broadcasting Sacrament

[YoungstromMJ]

Many of the older buildings will have a line out somewhere in the chapel for recording sacrament meetings with a tape recorder. In all my buildings this line out is under the sacrament table. If the ComTek quality isn't good enough you might try connecting to this audio source if your building has one.

[sbpope]

Most buildings have a line level output at the rostrum. You can find this at the clerks desk or the sacrament table. If you are going to plug directly into your combo headset jack, you will need to attenuate the signal. There is a simple adapter available on Amazon called a “ Headset Buddy Line-Level Audio Adapter with Built in Attenuation for iPhone, Smartphones, Soundboards and Mixers”. This plugs directly into my Lenovo laptop and gives clear clean “mic” input. If you only have USB input, you may need an additional adapter.

[Mikerowaved]

Most buildings have a line level output at the rostrum. You can find this at the clerks desk or the sacrament table.

Found the audio jack. Bought the right cables for it. Problem is, the jack was dead. (Yes, I toggled the audio switch on the wall.) The clerk's table still has the old tape recorder bolted into the drawer with the audio cables for it sitting neatly next to it. Wonder how long ago it was last used.

[johnshaw]

Most buildings have a line level output at the rostrum. You can find this at the clerks desk or the sacrament table.

Found the audio jack. Bought the right cables for it. Problem is, the jack was dead. (Yes, I toggled the audio switch on the wall.) The clerk's table still has the old tape recorder bolted into the drawer with the audio cables for it sitting neatly next to it. Wonder how long ago it was last used.

In my old stake the FM went through and removed those, I don't know why, but it was disappointing when we started doing webcasts.

[drepouille]

I tested the Comtek receiver with my laptop. The sound was OK, but a little "tinney" probably due to the frequency response limitation noted by RussellHltn.

[cyberrick1]

Additional Info - - We found if we used the ComTek model PR-72b we were able to use it for sound. Plugging it into the USB-A adapter and choosing that as the microphone for the YouTube broadcast works perfectly.

Here's the comtek we used -

comtek.png

The ComTek we use

(713.37 KiB) Not downloaded yet

And this is the setup. I took this pic in my kitchen, but hopefully you will get the idea. The comtek in the picture is not the right one. We figured it out later.

streaming_setup_ver2.jpg

(617.69 KiB) Not downloaded yet

[russellhltn]

Interesting. I was told they wouldn't turn on without a low impedance load. That may not be true for the older cream-colored units.

[bretpetersen1]

I think I solved the problem some of you above have been having with using the Comteck device for chapel sound.

I was able to use a Comteck receiver to get a good sound signal for broadcasting sacrament meeting over Youtube. I first connected a male-male mono 3.5 mm plug between the comteck and the lapto micropohone input. I assume the input can adjust for mic level input or line level input. This did not work. The little light on the Comteck did not come on and I had no sound.

It took me a while to figure out that the audio output signal of the Comteck is on the shaft of the plug and the input on the laptop wants the signal on the tip of the plug. So to make this work, you need to make a male-to-male plug that is not straight through but crosses over. I did this and got great sound.

The laptop I used has the older separate inputs for mic and head phones. The new laptops have the 4 input plug that has headphones and mic on the same plug. I will try a splitter with a newer laptop and see if that will work ok. I am not sure if the new laptops with the 4 input headset can accept line level input for the mic. Anybody know?

Male-to-male crossover mono plug (still needs to be soldered)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14EKWLC ... sp=sharing

[russellhltn]

It took me a while to figure out that the audio output signal of the Comteck is on the shaft of the plug and the input on the laptop wants the signal on the tip of the plug. So to make this work, you need to make a male-to-male plug that is not straight through but crosses over. I did this and got great sound.

I think something else must be going on. Given that the receiver is battery powered and there's no external connection, there wouldn't be that much of a difference which way things connected.

At least some Comteks need to see a resistance of less than 100 ohms to turn on.

I'm thinking it's the polarity of the voltage for running the mic that's making a difference - or else it's protection diodes in the mic input that's turning it on. Either way, it might be safer to return the cable to normal and just add a load resistor to turn on the receiver.

[supermyers]

I just ordered a 50-foot audio cable for $11 on Amazon and I am hopeful I will be able to use the old "Record out" jack that this building has. I'll be curious to see how the sound quality compares.

In our building we have been using the "record out" jack (under the clerk's desk in the chapel) for a few weeks. The audio is great. We have a pair of short 3.5mm to XLR adapters (similar to this https://www.amazon.com/MOBOREST-Microph ... ef=sr_1_18 ) with a standard microphone cable to run it out to a laptop or tablet in the pews.