How to deploy wireless presentation clicker reliably (DSAN PerfectCue Mini)?
A wireless signalling/cueing system such as the DSAN Perfect Cue system is commonly used to cue electronic device (e.g. laptop) in a production environment remotely. Often, a keynote presenter will operate a handheld transmitter on stage to remotely control the sequence of slides during a presentation. Having a reliable wireless connection between the handheld transmitter and receiving base station can be important, as the lost in wireless connection will directly affect the presenter’s train of thoughts or confidence on stage. In this article, we will be exploring how Maven’s wireless measurement can help improve the reliability of a wireless cueing system used in a production environment.
DSAN PerfectCue Mini. Credits DSAN
How does it work?
A wireless cueing system will comprise of a transmitter and receiver. The user operates the transmitter, typically consisting of a “forward” and “back” button to manoeuvre between slides. The receiving base station will then be tethered to a computer (in this case through USB) to provide control instructions (e.g. “next slide”) wirelessly. In this case study, the wireless cueing system of interest would be the DSAN PerfectCue Mini.
PC-AS4 Four Button Transmitter
PerfectCue Mini Base Station
The orientation of antennas does matter!
The orientation of a wireless system with a single antenna (no diversity) is extremely important. The graph below illustrates the relationship of the received Radio Frequency (RF) power and orientation between transmitter and receiver. This effect is also commonly known as Polarization Loss.
Measured Polarization Loss Factor
The graph above depicts the received RF powered is at the maximum when the orientation between transmitter and receiver is at 0°, while the received RF power is at minimum when the orientation between transmitter and receiver is at 90°. Hence, Polarization Loss can directly affect the performance of a wireless system. For instance, a base station can receive an insufficient amount of RF power despite a wireless transmitter operating nearby with a 90° difference in orientation.
Ensuring Reliability
When deploying a wireless cueing system such as the DSAN PerfectCue Mini, it is vital to ensure that the base station is within the coverage zone. Below is an example of the measured coverage area of the transmitter, PC-AS4, at 0° orientation.
Measured wireless coverage of DSAN PerfectCue Mini System at 0° orientation
Through Maven’s wireless coverage measurement, users can then anticipate the real-world coverage range of the transmitter and plan the location of the receiving base station according. A 0° coverage measurement of the wireless transmitter can be considered the best ideal case for the transmitter to provide wireless coverage in a venue. From the measurement above, wireless reliability will be the best when the receiving base station is installed in the green zone. Wireless reliability will be the poorest if the user chooses to install the receiving base station at the red zone. In such a scenario, users should reconsider the location of the base station or further extend the wireless coverage (for systems with such capabilities).
Effects on Polarization
It is very common for a presenter to operate a wireless transmitter at different orientation as it can be somewhat unnatural for the presenter to maintain a 0° orientation on the transmitter throughout the entire presentation. Therefore, it would be useful to consider the real-world wireless coverage of the transmitter at different orientations.
Measured wireless coverage of DSAN PerfectCue Mini System at 45° orientation
The measurement above shows the wireless coverage of the transmitter at 45° orientation concerning the receiver. The measured range of a 45° transmitter is reduced. This reduction is expected as the received RF power will decrease by a factor of 2 with a 45° Polarization Loss. Given that the location of the wireless receiver remains the same, the base station can still secure sufficient RF power to ensure reliable link at a 45° orientation (green zone).
Measured wireless coverage of DSAN PerfectCue Mini System at 90° orientation
In the instance where the wireless transmitter is oriented at 90° from the receiving antenna, the wireless coverage is distinctively reduced. The Polarization Loss relationship would depict that a 90° orientation between transmitting and receiving antenna will reduce the RF power close to zero. In this situation, the previous base station setup will not ensure a reliable wireless link (red zone). Realistically, users can either relocate the base station or decide on a different antenna orientation to improve the wireless coverage range.
Conclusion
This article has illustrated an example of how Maven’s wireless measurement can be adopted with a wireless cueing system to quantitatively aid user to identify.
Ideal locations for the base station (maximum coverage).
Effect on polarization (orientation between transmitter and receiver).
The user needs to find a balance between a suitable location for the base station and the orientation between the transmitting and receiving antenna. The conventional setup of having a 0° oriented receiving antenna might not necessarily be the best in all situations. Hence, the user who is deploying a similar system should understand how a presenter would typically operate a transmitter and decide on a suitable antenna configuration accordingly.
If you are looking to improve the reliability of your wireless cueing system, contact us today!