wireless headphones in ICT suite

[conehead]

Has anybody successfully used wireless headphones in a ICT suite?

18 PCs in close proximity around 3 side of the room

[soveryapt]

Not done it, but the main issue I can see is the channels for sound. If you're wanting each headphones to have it's own audio from it's own PC, then you will need 18 different frequency set headphones for the Suite, something I'm not sure is even available without getting into prokit and associated ££ (I may be wrong, like I said, I've not tried).

Might I ask, why wireless? I can understand wireless headphones in a nice home environment when you want to get comfy and watch a DVD or something on your nice 24" screen or something, but in an ICT Suite, is there really the need, or is it just to look cool? lol ..

Wired ones work fine, are much cheaper to replace when the inevitable happens and they get broken or someone walks off with them.. etc etc ..

[localzuk]

Not done it, but you won't do it with traditional RF or IR headphones. You may be able to do it with bluetooth though. But you'll have a hell of a problem making sure headphones are with the machine they've been tethered to...

[jamesreedersmith]

Plus battery costs etc - have tried 10 sets of wireless keyboard and mouse and could not get more that 4 sets working before they through each other off etc.

[dhicks]

18 PCs in close proximity around 3 side of the room

My RF wireless headphones at home have 3 channels to choose from - RF is likely to be impractical.

IR should, theorectially, be perfect. I've used tight-beam IR headphones in the past that produced sound from whatever you were looking directly at - the system I had a go on had a number of TV screens dotted around: whichever one you turned your head to, you heard the sound from it. The headsets were very lightweight and looked pretty robust. Unfortunalty this system was a demo at BT Labs at Martelsham Heath about 15 years ago, I don't know where you would go about buying such a system from. I did ask at the BT stand at BETT a few years ago, but no one had the faintest idea what I was on about.

I've seen a similar system used more recently at Futuroscope in Poitiers, France, so I'm guessing you can buy systems from people who do larger-scale sound installations.

--
David Hicks

[conehead]

Thanks everyone.

Hmmm, pretty much along the lines I was suspecting. The crossover between machines seem to be unavoidable.

The idea was to make it easier when the younger kids are using the suite, for phonic work and word recognition progs. They do get the current lightweight stuff in a real tangle and the wires are easily broken. Some fat coiled wire durable sets seem like the best option.

Cheers.

[soveryapt]

If they're anything like kids at one of my schools, toughened/reinforced/armoured cable is the way to go. Bought a new set of headphones for the ICT suite just before Christmas, already 5 pairs have bitten the dust. They sit there and chew the things.

I'm thinking of wiring a small electrical charge through the sound port, nothing too harmless, but enough to make them think twice about doing it again. lol. That or coating the wires in marmite or something.. lol ..

[localzuk]

I'm thinking of wiring a small electrical charge through the sound port, nothing too harmless, but enough to make them think twice about doing it again. lol. That or coating the wires in marmite or something.. lol ..

How about... getting the teachers to stop them? Or failing that, how about coating them in that anti-nail biting stuff.

[soveryapt]

How about... getting the teachers to stop them? Or failing that, how about coating them in that anti-nail biting stuff.

I've tried the teachers thing, but they don't.. and the anti-nail biting stuff, not as much fun as seeing them jump when they hit they charge .. lol ..

[broc]

We buy lots of cheap wired ones at £1.50-£1.80 a set..... and regard them as semi-disposable. A class set plus a few spares can last as long as a year if treated with a small amount of care

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/ps...merch=Featured Products&MER=e-bb45-00001001

[LeMarchand]

How about... getting the teachers to stop them?

Best joke I've read in months!

[soveryapt]

We buy lots of cheap wired ones at £1.50-£1.80 a set..... and regard them as semi-disposable. A class set plus a few spares can last as long as a year if treated with a small amount of care

PRO SIGNAL|PSG02988|HEADPHONES, STEREO | CPC Products&MER=e-bb45-00001001

Aye, CPC is where I bought this last lot from with a similar attitude, the problem being, we're now out of spares already! lol ..