Major Enhancements. Release Note -Wireless Systems Manager Version 4.1. Noise considerations: Release Note -Wireless Systems Manager Version 4.

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1 Release Note -Wireless Systems Manager Version 4.1 Sennheiser's Wireless Systems Manager (WSM) is a professional software solution for the remote monitoring and control of wireless systems. Its intelligent features make the WSM the ideal choice for TV studios, live events and musical productions. Wireless Systems Manager 4.1 assists users in setting up and coordinating the frequencies of wireless microphones and personal monitors by handily displaying the most important parameters on a single screen. Major Enhancements Noise considerations: 1. In WSM 4.1, the user can set a threshold noise value on the Frequencies/Band tab. Scanned data with noise exceeding the noise threshold is detected as an interference frequency in the spectrum and is therefore not considered during coordination. A red line is displayed in the chart area to represent the noise threshold set by the user. This noise threshold line can be made visible or invisible via the checkbox provided in the System item filters section. 2. In WSM 4.0, each interference band detected was assigned with a 5 db default noise level. In WSM 4.1, the noise level of an interference frequency/band is calculated on the basis of the average noise level taken from the spectrum for the band. 3. A new column headed Noise is added to the selected coordination result list. This column displays the noise level of the carrier frequency. This noise level represents the noise level of the frequency/band to which the carrier frequency belongs. 4. While sending the allocated frequencies to the connected device, WSM 4.1 now gives the user a recommendation with regard to the squelch level mismatch when the device squelch is lower than the noise level of the coordinated frequencies. This recommendation is given in the following cases: Squelch mismatch Device squelch is lower than allocated frequency noise level Mode mismatch Mismatch in mode (HD vs LR) for EM9046 devices 1

2 Figure 1: squelch recommendation in case of noise vs squelch mismatch Coordination: 1. WSM currently uses a single set of spacing parameters to calculate coordination results. To ensure optimum coordination results, WSM 4.1 considers a separate set of spacing parameters for each system region. 2. In WSM 4.0, there were 4 different priority columns headed High, Medium, Low and Undefined, which represented the counts of frequencies from different priority levels for a selected result. In WSM 4.1, these 4 columns are merged into a single column headed Priorities (see screenshot below): Figure 2: Unified priorities column 3. The Rating column in the selected coordination list has been renamed IM rating, whereas the one in the coordination result list has been renamed IM rating Ø. The rating value next to the carrier frequency in the selected coordination result represents the IM rating of the individual carrier frequency, and the rating in the result list shows the average IM rating for all of the frequencies in the result. 4. A new column named Spacings is added in the Selected coordination list on the Coordination tab and the Allocation tab. This column displays the calculated carrier distance and IM spacings for each frequency of the selected coordination result. If the distances become shorter than the default or fall under certain selected safety values, the effected spacing parameter in the Spacings column turns red. Here is a sample screenshot of the Spacings column: 2

3 Figure 3: current spacing values of coordinated frequencies 5. The coordination process for D9000 devices has been optimized. The booster range in which the user wants to allocate the devices is prioritized, so that the initial results give the user only the most usable results of the coordination process. 6. In WSM 4.1, a new progress bar is implemented on the Allocation tab to display the transfer of setup information to the real devices when the Send to connected device button is pressed. Frequencies/Bands: 1. In WSM 4.0, the system analyzed the frequencies of the whole spectrum range. In WSM 4.1, the system limits the analysis of the frequencies in the Analyze frequency spectrum function to the interesting spectrum of frequencies. The interesting spectrum range is defined on the basis of the following limits: Maximum and minimum device range limits of all devices added to the professional setup Imported scan data frequency limits Any marker frequencies that are outside the device range or imported scan data frequency limits. 2. In WSM 4.1, tolerance values are added to all of the discrete and interference frequencies in the Frequency/Band column in the following manner: MHz (+/-100 khz). Here is a sample screenshot of the tolerance indication in the Frequency/Band column. Figure 4: tolerance value in frequency/band list 3. During creation of a frequency/band, a default name is automatically assigned to the frequency or band, e.g. Frequency 001, Band 001. These names can be modified by the user if required. 4. The existing frequency type can be changed from usable to non-usable and from blocked to unblocked and vice versa. It also has intelligence, allowing it to retain the previous values in case the user wants to revert back to the old frequency type. 5. In WSM 4.1, the device frequency can be fixed after allocating a frequency to a device. Device frequencies can be fixed either from the device list context menu or via the Edit devices dialog. Once a frequency for the device is fixed, that particular frequency is used as a pre-allocated frequency for this device in the next coordination. 3

4 Figure 5: setting fixed frequency option The user can reset (i.e. expand) a device with a fix frequency either from the device list context menu or via the Edit devices dialog. Figure 6: resetting fixed frequency option 6. In WSM 4.1, a lock symbol is shown for devices whose frequency has been fixed. This indicates that that particular frequency is locked for the device in question. This lock symbol appears in the Frequency column of each device on the Devices tab when the frequency for a particular device has been fixed and disappears again once the frequency range for the device has been expanded. Figure 7: fixed frequency for coordination 7. WSM 4.1 now allows the frequency spectrum to be analyzed. It expects at least regional spectrum information to be available for analyzing the frequency spectrum. When no scan data is available, the frequency/ band data is generated on the basis of regional spectrum information alone. When scan data is available, frequency/band data is generated on the basis of both regional spectrum information and scan data. System regions: 1. The tree structure of the device in the Add/Edit system region dialog is modified in WSM 4.1. All devices are displayed in a table, as shown in the screenshot below: Figure 8: System region new table format 2. In WSM 4.1, frequency range spinner limits of the Edit system region dialog are updated on the basis of the device added to/deleted from the System regions device list. Also, the maximum limit of the minimum frequency range spinner and the minimum limit of the maximum range spinner of the Edit system region dialog are restricted on the basis of the number of devices in the particular system region and the width of the device filter. 4

5 Spare groups: 1. In WSM 4.1, a default name similar to that used in the Add freq./band dialog has been added in the Add spare group dialog. 2. In the Add/Edit spare group dialog, the device tree for the system region is expanded by default. In addition, the Portable Device column has been added to the Group members table. Figure 9: always expanded: spare group device list 3. In WSM 4.1, a new column headed Spare frequencies showing the number of spare frequencies available for a particular device has been added on the Devices tab. The number of spare frequencies for a particular device is only shown after coordination when the device meets the following requirements: The frequency is well within the frequency range limits of the device The spare frequency of the System region is the same as that of the device The spare frequency device type is the same as the device type of the device in question 4. When the user is calculating spare frequencies, the lifebelt option (in the monitoring workspace of the devices) is enabled. The user can select the spare frequency from the lifebelt. The selected spare frequency is then allocated to the device. Figure 10: Device property dialog 5

6 Figure 11: spare frequency selection dialog Device ranges: 1. The booster ranges for D9000 devices are now shown on the EM 9046 receiver bar as violet-colored lines, making it easy for the user to see which booster range is considered for the coordination cycle. Figure 12: violet-colored booster ranges 2. The user can now hide/unhide individual device ranges (transmitter and receiver) in the chart area by using the eye symbol available for each device under the Devices tab. XXXThe device bars in the chart area, which are hidden by disabling the eye symbol in the device list, are not shown when you check or uncheck the Device ranges filter in the System item filters section. 3. The user can view device ranges for Sennheiser devices with custom SBW (selectable bandwidth) in the chart area. The range of these devices is MHz and they can be shown or hidden by checking/ unchecking the Device ranges filter in the System item filters section. 4. In WSM 4.1, device ranges for custom devices are also displayed in the chart area, with the frequency range as the label. The device ranges for custom devices can be shown or hidden by checking/unchecking the Device ranges filter in the System item filters section. Figure 13: device bar for custom devices 5. System region bars in the chart area are updated with new frequency ranges when the system region range is modified. 6. In WSM 4.1, the spare groups are shown as bars similar to those representing devices in the chart area. Spare group bars are displayed with frequency range and spare group names. A new filter named Spare groups has been added to the System item filters section. The Spare group bars can be shown or hidden by checking or unchecking the Spare groups filter in the System item filters section. 6

7 Figure 14: spare group bar in chart area 7. A Scan data filter has been added to the System item filters section. Using this filter, the scan data can be shown or hidden in the chart area. Figure 15: new filter options in chart area Add/Edit devices : 1. Two buttons >> (Next) and << (Previous) have been added to the Edit devices dialog. This feature enables the user to move through the list of added devices as well as edit them without leaving the dialog. Figure 16: edit devices using previous/next button 2. An Add button has been provided in the Add devices dialog to add devices in one go. It allows the user to add different types of devices without having to open the dialog again each time. Figure 17: add additional device without closing the dialog 3. You can now modify the spacing parameters for Sennheiser devices. Figure 18: editable sennheiser spacing parameters Bug fixes Wrong Devices List entry for range N-US devices in the Add devices dialog: The range specification for SK5212-II and SKM5200-II N-US was wrong and has been changed to N-US ( MHz) in WSM

8 Equidistant placing of frequencies: Under some circumstances, devices could be placed at equidistant frequencies, a behavior which was incorrect. This has been corrected in WSM 4.1, and the devices are now placed at non-equidistant frequencies. Filter buttons (device filters, system filters, freq/band filters) XXX Device names adjustment during professional setup window maximization:x During professional setup window maximization, the filter names were truncated. This has been resolved in WSM 4.1. Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG Am Labor 1, Wedemark, Germany Published in May