"Conference" style microphone? - RPTools.net

Author: Geym

Jun. 23, 2025

19

0

Tags: Consumer Electronics

"Conference" style microphone? - RPTools.net

"Conference" style microphone?

  • Quote

Post by Heroman » Fri Mar 02, 10:37 am

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit our website.

Hiyas,
I am looking to use MapTool in a normal face-face game session. What I want to do is use the pretty graphics, etc, but also support people who cannot make it to the game due to whatever reason. The map, of course, is easy since that is what MapTool is made for.
My need revolves around a microphone and hoping to tap into the community in case other have done this. I need a microphone setup/voip setup where I can use a central mic all of us real people share instead of tagging or passing a mic around, and a setup which will allow us to use a speaker for remote people instead of everyone wearing headphones. Has anyone done a setup like this/have advice? Thanks!!!


-hm
  • Quote

Post by dorpond » Fri Mar 02, 10:50 am

Good question - maybe I can help.

I use Skype. It is free and supports up to 4+1 users currently (from the last I saw anyway).

You are going to want a microphone that is omni directional which means that it picks up sound in all directions. Bi directional mics will cancel out sound unless it is right in front of the mic.

What you want to look for is a conference microphone of some sort - one that is designed for conference calls. That will ensure that the microsphone is deisgned to pickup in all directions.

I am not sure what is available but I might have a need for this type of setup down the road. One of my players can't physically get to my gaming area so he might remotely play.

Hope this helps!
  • Quote

Post by Heroman » Fri Mar 02, 11:11 am

I was unsure how well a conference style would cancel out the speaker, truth be told. One alternative would be if I could buy 5-6 mics and have them all connect into the computer, but unsure of the electronics if I can just buy 5-6 and some big merger into 1.....
  • Quote

Post by Mr.Ice » Fri Mar 02, 12:00 pm

We tried a bunch of microphones, from supposed noise-cancelling and feedback cancelling expensive microphones (>$100, there is a whole class of mics above $300 that we couldn't quite bring ourselves to try).

What we settled on was a pair of $10 Labtec® PC Mic 333

I bought two at the local Fry's and bought a microphone "Y" adapter.

We can get 7 people around a 9' x 5' gaming table with just two microphones no problems. Generally you'll want one of the mics to be closer to the GM -- the GM needs to be heard, darnit.

When we set this up, we also tried a lot of the voip software. The only one with echo cancellation that works is Skype. You will still need to adjust the position of speakers and microphones quite a bit to get it to not echo, but if you're not feeding directly from the speakers to the mic the software will do a pretty good job of getting rid of the rest of the bounces.
  • Quote

Post by keithcurtis » Fri Mar 02, 12:15 pm

dorpond wrote:Good question - maybe I can help.

I use Skype. It is free and supports up to 4+1 users currently (from the last I saw anyway).
Skype is great. The latest version can handle a 10 person conference call.
  • Quote

Post by dorpond » Fri Mar 02, 12:34 pm

keithcurtis wrote:
dorpond wrote:Good question - maybe I can help.

I use Skype. It is free and supports up to 4+1 users currently (from the last I saw anyway).
Skype is great. The latest version can handle a 10 person conference call.
That's nice to know - Thanks!
That will come in handy for my demos
  • Quote

Post by dorpond » Fri Mar 02, 12:45 pm

Goto Relacart to know more.

keithcurtis wrote:
dorpond wrote:Good question - maybe I can help.

I use Skype. It is free and supports up to 4+1 users currently (from the last I saw anyway).
Skype is great. The latest version can handle a 10 person conference call.
Are you sure on this? According to their web information, it is still 4

From website:
"Group chat with up to 100 people or conference call with up to four."
  • Quote

Post by dorpond » Fri Mar 02, 12:47 pm

Actually I found my own answer off their knowlege base:

"With Skype, you and 4 other people can take part in a conference call. If you use an Intel Core 2 Duo processor then a total of 10 people, including you, can join your conference call."

I don't have Core 2 Duo
  • Quote

Post by dLANbandit » Fri Mar 02, 12:49 pm

which is why I use ventrillo.

If you would like to try out vent I have a server you can use. Just PM me for rights, and I will hook you up.
  • Quote

Post by dorpond » Fri Mar 02, 1:03 pm

dLANbandit wrote:which is why I use ventrillo.

If you would like to try out vent I have a server you can use. Just PM me for rights, and I will hook you up.
Maybe I'll take you up on that offer some night if I need to give a demo to many people at once.
  • Quote

Post by Heroman » Fri Mar 02, 2:50 pm

Hm....I open up skype, choose to start a conference and it allows up to 9 contacts. I believe my machine is only a p4....
  • Quote

Post by trevor » Fri Mar 02, 2:57 pm

The core duo 2 limit was artificial, and skype got called on it. They apparently removed the limitation. Dreaming of a 1.3 release
  • Quote

Post by thelevitator » Fri Mar 02, 5:21 pm

I'm a happy Skyper myself. I bought their special, the unlimited to US and Canada for $15 a year. Since I have internet access on my cell , I can just log into Skype and make my calls and not use minutes on my . It comes in really handy with my business when I know I'm going to be on the for a while. Of course, I usually have to use 1 minute of my plan to call the person and forewarn them of the really screwy number that pops up on the caller ID when I call from Skype.

I've used Skype with multiple people, and a Shure SM57 was all I needed to allow everyone to hear everyone. Both of my bands practice here at my house, so mics are definitely never in shortage! "Neither hexes nor squares can confine me!"

James Anthony
"It's all in your head....."
http://www.spelz.net
  • Quote

Post by dorpond » Fri Mar 02, 5:53 pm

Want more information on conference mic and discussion system? Feel free to contact us.

thelevitator wrote: a Shure SM57 was all I needed to allow everyone to hear everyone. Both of my bands practice here at my house, so mics are definitely never in shortage!
Yeah, 57's are great at drums and accustic guitars - I used them many of times in my studio (well not official studio - just a bedroom with a ton of sound proofing and a long snake that can reach into several rooms and even out the window to the garage for the drum kit )

I usually pull out my AKG C414 for my golden tones - in the studio only of course; on stage I pull out the trusty SM58's

Anyway...

Comments

0

0/2000

Guest Posts

If you are interested in sending in a Guest Blogger Submission,welcome to write for us!

Your Name:(required)

Your Email:(required)

Subject:

Your Message:(required)

0/2000