At Prolight & Sound 2017, Riedel Communications will introduce Bolero, a game-
changing new wireless intercom solution. Bolero is an expandable, full-roaming,
DECT-based intercom system in the license-free 1.9GHz frequency range. Fully
integrated into Riedel’s Artist digital matrix intercom platform, Bolero offers a rich
set of features and connectivity that can be applied three ways: as an exceptional
wireless beltpack, as a wireless keypanel, and — in an industry first — as a walkie-
talkie radio.

Bolero runs over a standards-based AES67 IP network. Decentralized antennas
connect to AES67 switches and then to Artist frames equipped with AES67 client
cards, providing a fully integrated point-to-point intercom ecosystem with seamless
roaming capabilities. To the system, the beltpacks look just like Riedel panels but
are wireless, providing the highest levels of flexibility and programmability.

The Bolero high-clarity voice codec provides both higher speech intelligibility and
more efficient use of RF spectrum supporting twice the number of beltpacks per
antenna for the same audio bandwidth as other DECT-based systems. The codec has
exceptional latency characteristics while being very efficient with processing power,
providing excellent beltpack battery life, and saving DSP processing power for other
functions.

Bolero features Riedel-exclusive ADR (Advanced DECT Receiver) technology, a
diversity receiver technology specifically designed to reduce sensitivity to multipath
RF reflections, making the system useable in challenging RF environments where
other systems have great difficulty.

“When we designed Bolero, we wanted to make life as easy for the customer as
possible. Registration can be a complex process that requires a user to go into the
beltpack menu and apply a pin code so the beltpack can be registered to the
antennas. This process can easily take 2 minutes per beltpack. Imagine doing that
for 25 beltpacks,” said Jake Dodson, Director of Product Management at Riedel
Communications.

The beltpacks support Bluetooth 4.1, allowing either a Bluetooth headset or a
Smartphone to be connected. When a Smartphone is connected, the beltpack can
act like a car’s “hands free” setup so the user can receive calls on their phone and
talk and listen via their beltpack headset. Users can also make calls and then
connect that person into the intercom matrix, eliminating the need for a telephone
hybrid.

Based on Riedel’s extensive rental experience, the beltpacks use a combination of
premium materials, including high-impact plastics and rubber overmolds, to create
a tough device with an ergonomic feel that provides easy use and handling. The
display can be inverted so that it is readable in any orientation.

The beltpack itself features six buttons for each of the six intercom channels, plus a
separate “Reply” button that easily facilitates a reply to the last channel that called.
Finally, in an industry first, the beltpack can be used without a headset like a
walkie-talkie radio utilizing an integrated mic and speaker.

Further information about Riedel and the company’s products is available at www.riedel.net.