AKG MCS 4000 User manual

User Manual
Please read the manual before using the equipment!
MCS 4000
WMS4000
wireless microphone system
mission control software (Windows)
M
C
S
4
0
0
0
m
i
s
s
i
o
n
c
o
n
t
r
o
l
s
o
f
t
w
a
r
e

The packaging of the equipment is recyclabe. Observe local legislation relating to waste dis-
posal and recycling and dispose of packaging materials in the appropriate waste collec-
tion/recycling containers.
Seite
1 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3 Using MCS 4000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.1 Info Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2 Menu Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2.1 File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2.2 View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.2.3 Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.3 Configuring the User Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.4 Setting up Receivers Manually . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.5 Automatic Receiving Frequency Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.5.1 Setting Auto Setup Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.5.2 Quick Auto Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3.5.3 Advanced Auto Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.6 Saving and Restoring System Setups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.7 Recording RF Levels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.8 Environment Scan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
MCS 4000 mission control software
2
Environment
Table of Contents

Important!
MCS 4000 allows you to monitor and configure a WMS 4000 multichannel system and one
or several HUB 4000s from a standard computer (PC or Mac) using a network cable. The
adjustable parameters and warning messages are identical to those of the SR 4000 receiver.
You can record and print out traces of the RF levels for later analysis. MCS 4000 also pro-
vides a graphic diagram of the results of each environment scan.
To use MCS 4000, you need to install the program on your hard disk. You cannot start the
program from the CD.
MCS 4000 needs Java Runtime. Before installing MCS 4000, therefore, make sure that
Java Runtime is installed on your hard disk.
Java Runtime is included on the program CD.
1. Insert the program CD into the CD drive on your computer.
2. If Java Runtime is not installed on your hard disk, install Java Runtime from the program
CD.
3. Install MCS 4000 by following the instructions in the "install.txt" file.
MCS 4000 mission control software
3
1 Description
2 Installation

3.1 Info Field
Note:
3.2 Menu Bar
3.2.1 File
Note:
Once you start the program, the following screen will appear on the monitor (example):
The Info Field provides graphic indications of the parameters of all SR 4000 receivers con-
nected to the system and the remaining battery capacity of the related transmitters.
Channel Info: Channel number ("Channel") with selected color code, receiver name, receiv-
ing frequency as a Preset and in MHz, transmitter gain setting ("Gain").
Battery Info: Remaining battery capacity in hours of the transmitter assigned to each receiver.
RF Info: RF levels at the two receiving antennas, diversity antenna indicators, transmitter status.
Green bar: The RF level is higher than the current RF threshold setting.
Red bar: The RF level is lower than the current RF threshold setting.
Diversity A/B: A yellow rectangle indicates the currently active antenna.
RF-State:
-TXON: The transmitter is ON.
-TXOFF (channel highlighted in gray): The transmitter is OFF.
-RFLOW (channel highlighted in red): The transmitter is outside the reception range.
AF Info: A blue line indicates the channel audio level.
AF-State:
-MUTE (channel highlighted in gray): The transmitter is muted.
-CLIP (channel highlighted in red): The gain setting on the transmitter is too high.
The red warning indications remain on the screen until you click on them to delete them.
MCS 4000 mission control software
4
3 Using MCS 4000
Save System to Disk… saves the current
receiver settings and color codes togeth-
er with all parameter settings as a
"System" on the hard disk.
Restore System from Disk… restores an
edited, saved System with all related set-
tings.
This command does not restore the original graphic layout of the Control Center screen.

3.2.2 View
3.2.3 Tools
System Report… indicates the following data for each SR 4000:
•Software version
•Edited name
•Frequency band
•Selected Preset / frequency
•Selected squelch threshold
Export Log Files… generates an error report and saves the report as a Zip file that you can
email to other computers.
Turn ALL WMS 4000 receivers off… switches off all receivers connected to the system.
Turn ALL WMS 4000 receivers on… switches on all receivers connected to the system.
Close closes the current window and quits the program.
The "View" menu lets you select the type of user surface and level metering.
•Simple: The RF level of each channel is indicated by a bicolor "LED".
Green = antenna signal is OK
Red = poor/no antenna signal
•Show Both Antennas: If you select "Show Both Antennas", the RF levels at the two
antennas will be indicated by separate "RF" bars.
If "Show Both Antennas" is deselected, the RF level at the output of the diversity cir-
cuit will be indicated by a single "RF" bar.
AF: Lets you select various user surface and metering configurations.
The "Tools" menu contains the following submenus:
MCS 4000 mission control software
5
RF: Lets you select various user surface and
metering configurations:
•Normal: All status and control func-
tions are shown.
•History: The RF level of each channel
is graphically shown within a three-
second time window.
Open Rehersal Check: This submenu con-
tains all the commands you need to
record the RF levels of all channels and
monitor the recording of selected chan-
nels on the screen. You can switch the
level indicator resolution to 10 minutes or
one minute. The data collected in the last
five hours will be saved. After five hours,
the first data recorded will be overwritten
with he latest data recorded. For details
refer to section 3.7 Recording RF Levels.
Smaller Fonts: Reduces the size of the on-
screen user surface.
Config…: Allows you to set all parameters of
each receiver from the number of receiv-
ers shown on the screen to the receiving
frequency and squelch threshold.
Environment Scan…: Provides the com-
mands for starting the search of interfer-
ing frequencies within the selected fre-
quency band as well as enlarging/reducing the metering screen and saving a snapshot of
the scan.
Auto Setup…: This function will program the receivers in your system to new, interference-
free frequencies.

3.3 Configuring
the User Surface
Note:
3.4 Setting up Receivers
Manually
Note:
Hub Status…: This menu lets you retrieve the current data of the HUB 4000s connected to
the system (temperature, supply voltage, IP addresses, etc.).
The "LEDs ON" and "LEDs OFF" keys allow you to activate and deactivate the status indi-
cators on the HUB 4000 front panel.
The "Reset Hub" key lets you restart the HUB 4000.
1. From the menu bar, select "Tools" - "Config…".
The following screen will pop up:
2. Enter the number of receivers of your system (between 1 and 63) into the "Number of
receivers connected" field in the "Monitor Settings" tab.
3. Enter the number of channels (1 to 63) to be shown on each page of the Control Center
screen into the "Number of receivers displayed" field.
4. Click on "OK" to save your settings or on "Cancel" to return to the previous settings and
close the window.
If you have divided your channel screen into two or more pages, you can scroll to the next
page of the Control Center window by clicking on the arrow in the bottom left corner of
the screen.
•From the menu bar, select "Tools" - "Config…" - "SR 4000 Devices".
Alternatively, you can bring up the "Tools" menu by clicking the right-hand mouse key on
any channel in the Info Field. This will also bring up a submenu in which you can switch
individual channels on and off.
The screen will change as follows:
You can now adjust the Channel Info bar to the transmitter and receiver color-codes and
set the receiving frequency (as a Preset subchannel or in MHz), the name of the receiver,
and the squelch threshold.
MCS 4000 mission control software
6
Note:
Alternatively, you can bring up the "Tools"
menu by clicking the right-hand mouse
key on any channel in the Info Field. This
will also bring up a submenu in which you
can switch individual channels on and off.

Color
SR (Hub/Port)
Band
Preset
Frequency
Name
Squelch
Note:
1. Select the channel you are going to edit.
2. Click on the color window in the "Color" column.
3. From the pop-up menu, select the color you wish to assign to the channel.
4. To save your setting, move the cursor to the green tick and click on "Confirm SR config-
uration changes".
If you'd rather not save the setting, move the cursor to the red St. Andrew's cross and
click on "Cancel SR configuration changes".
You cannot change these values; they only provide information on your multichannel system:
1st figure (1 - 63): ID number of each receiver ("channel") in the system.
2nd figure: ID number of the HUB 4000 to which the receiver is connected.
3rd figure: port number of the related HUB 4000 input/output.
Frequency band (hardware band) within which the receiver operates. Each band is 30 MHz
wide, and the bands are numbered from 1 through 6.
Currently selected frequency Preset and Subchannel ID.
1. Click on the desired channel to highlight it.
A black arrow will appear at the left-hand margin of the Preset column.
2. Click on the black arrow to bring up a list of all pre-programmed frequency Presets for the
countries where the WMS 400 is approved.
3. Use the cursor to select a country.
This will bring up a pop-up menu with a list of pre-programmed Groups.
4. Use the cursor to select a Group.
Each Group contains a list of intermodulation-free frequencies (channels). The number of
available frequencies may vary from Preset to Preset.
5. Select a channel.
6. To save your setting, move the cursor to the green tick and click on "Confirm SR config-
uration changes".
If you'd rather not save the setting, move the cursor to the red St. Andrew's cross and
click on "Cancel SR configuration changes".
To change a single frequency,
1. Double-click on the Frequency window.
2. Enter the desired frequency in MHz.
3. To save your setting, move the cursor to the green tick and click on "Confirm SR config-
uration changes".
If you'd rather not save the setting, move the cursor to the red St. Andrew's cross and
click on "Cancel SR configuration changes".
1. Click on the desired channel.
2. Double-click on the channel name.
3. Enter a new name. You can enter a maximum of six characters.
4. To save your setting, move the cursor to the green tick and click on "Confirm SR config-
uration changes".
If you'd rather not save the setting, move the cursor to the red St. Andrew's cross and
click on "Cancel SR configuration changes".
This tab indicates the current squelch threshold setting (see also the SR 4000 manual).
1. Click on the black arrow to open a list of threshold settings between -80 dB and - 100 dB.
2. Select the desired setting.
Alternatively, you can select "TCSQ" to activate the tone code squelch for automatic
wanted-signal detection.
3. To save your setting, move the cursor to the green tick and click on "Confirm SR config-
uration changes".
If you'd rather not save the setting, move the cursor to the red St. Andrew's cross and
click on "Cancel SR configuration changes".
The current threshold setting is also indicated by a small mark on the RF Info bar in the
MCS 4000 Control Center main screen.
MCS 4000 mission control software
7

3.5 Automatic Receiving
Frequency Programming
3.5.1 Setting Auto Setup
Parameters
Note:
3.5.2 Quick Auto Setup
• Starting
Quick Auto Setup
1. From the menu bar, select "Tools" - "Config…" - "Configure Auto Setup".
This will bring up the following screen:
•"Exclude-Threshold": Maximum acceptable RF level of any interference frequency up
to which a frequency will not be identified as an interference source. Frequencies with
levels above the Exclude-Threshold will be identified as an interference source and
excluded from the list of "eligible" receiving frequencies.
MCS 4000 uses your threshold settings for both Quick Auto Setup and Advanced Auto
Setup.
•"Use quick autosetup": This check box allows you to pre-select Quick Auto Setup (box
checked) or Advanced Auto Setup (box empty). Selecting "Tools" - "Auto Setup" will
automatically start the pre-selected function.
We recommend using Quick Auto Setup for a quick and easy analysis of the RF environment
and automatically setting the receivers to new, clean frequencies.
1. From the menu bar, select "Tools" - "Auto Setup".
If you have pre-selected "Use quick autosetup" in "Tools" - "Config" - "Configure Auto
Setup", the following screen will appear:
3. Click on "NEXT" to start Auto Setup.
This will bring up the following window:
MCS 4000 mission control software
8
2. Follow the instructions in the Quick Auto
Setup window. Unless all these require-
ments are met, the system will not be able
to find clean frequencies.
4. In the pull-down menu, enter the number
of microphones that you intend to use
simultaneously.
5. Click on the two-letter code for the coun-
try where you are going to use your sys-
tem (e.g., US, UK, AT for Austria, etc.) to
select the appropriate Preset for your sys-
tem.
For some countries (e.g., the US, France,
Germany), several Presets are available.
Please contact the appropriate authority
to find out which Presets are approved for
the region where you will use your system.
Note:
You may even select several Presets, e.g.,
if the same Preset is not available for all
bands.
6. Click on "NEXT".
2. You can set two thresholds for Quick Auto
Setup and Advanced Auto Setup:
•"IM-Threshold": If the RF level
exceeds the selected threshold, the
related frequency will be identified as a
particularly strong interference source
that may cause intermodulation (e.g., a
local radio system).

Note:
Note:
Auto Setup Assistant will start analyzing the RF environment (Environment Scan).
You can monitor this process on the screen by selecting "Watch environment scan".
This will bring up the following window:
Environment Scan detects potentially interfering transmitters or strong intermodulating
transmitters above/below the threshold settings you selected in "Config…" - "Configure
Auto Setup". Since the system will scan the entire 30 MHz-wide frequency band, it is
imperative that you switch on all other transmitters near your WMS 400 system to get a
meaningful analysis.
If your system uses several bands, click on the upper left-hand tab in the "Environment
Scan" window to select the desired band.
Once the RF environment has been scanned, the receivers connected to the system will
be automatically set to new interference and intermodulation-free frequencies and unused
receivers will be switched off.
The following window appears as the programming starts:
MCS 4000 mission control software
9

Note:
3.5.3 Advanced Auto Setup
• Pre-selecting
Advanced Auto Setup
• Starting
Advanced Auto Setup
Note:
The changes you may have made will also be documented in the Report.
7. Click on "Done".
8. Set the transmitter assigned to each receiver to the appropriate frequency.
If the result does not meet your expectations:
•Select a different Preset.
•Reduce the number of receivers.
•Change the "Threshold" settings in the "Configure Auto Setup" tab.
•Click on "Report" in the "Quick Auto Setup" tab and analyze the Auto Setup Report.
1. From the menu bar, select "Tools" – "Config…" – "Configure Auto Setup".
2. Deactivate "Use quick autosetup" (checkbox empty).
3. Click on "O.K." to save your selection.
1. From the menu bar, select "Tools" – "Auto Setup…".
This brings up a window in which you can select one or several receivers for scanning. If
scan data exists already, this window will not appear.
3. Once the Environment Scan is completed, click on "Auto Setup".
You will get a detailed analysis of the scan.
4. Click on "NEXT".
This will bring up the following window:
5. Click on "NEXT".
The Preset databases of the selected receivers will be loaded if necessary.
6. Click on "NEXT".
This will bring up the following window:
MCS 4000 mission control software
10
Note:
If a receiver you selected is currently
being used, the message "in use!!" will
appear. We recommend deselecting this
receiver because receivers will not be able
to receive RF signal during a scan.
2. Click on "Start Scan" to start Environment
Scan, or click on "Cancel" to quit the
menu.
•You can manually enter extraneous fre-
quencies known to cause intermodula-
tion and frequency bands to be avoi-
ded (nearby TV transmitters etc.). Auto
Setup will leave these frequencies out
when assembling a frequency list.
(Note that extraneous-transmitter fre-
quencies closely above or below the
band in use cannot be shown by
Environment Scan because they are
outside the scanned band. Never-
theless, these frequencies may cause
intermodulation.)
7. Select the number of channels you need
and click on the two-letter code for the
country where you are going to use your
system (e.g., US, UK, AT for Austria, etc.)
to select the appropriate Preset for your
system.
For some countries (e.g., the US, France,
Germany), several Presets are available.
Please contact the appropriate authority
to find out which Presets are approved for
the region where you will use your system.
You may even select several Presets, e.g., if the same Preset is not available for all bands.

3.6 Saving and Restoring
System Setups
3.7 Recording RF Levels
• Method 1:
• Method 2:
• Monitoring Several
Channels Simultaneously
• Resolution
• Recording RF Data
8. Click on "NEXT".
This will bring up a list of clean frequencies found within each Preset. In addition, the sys-
tem will prepare a detailed report on the result that you can save or print out.
9. Click on "NEXT".
All receivers will be set to the frequencies found in step 8 above.
•You can switch off any unused receiver by clicking on "Turn off unassigned receivers".
10. Click on "Finish" to quit the menu page.
11. Set the transmitter assigned to each receiver to the appropriate frequency.
Once you have set up all the transmitters your system will be ready to operate.
•To save all the settings described in sections 3.4 and 3.5 to the hard disk, move the cur-
sor to the menu bar and select "File" - "Save System to Disk…".
•To retrieve earlier setups from the hard disk, move the cursor to the menu bar and select
"File" - "Restore System from Disk…".
Rehearsal Check allows you to record the RF field strength for each channel while the sys-
tem is in use. You can do that in one of two ways:
1. Select "View" - "Open Rehearsal Check" - "Start History Recording".
The RF reception levels of all channels in use will be recorded and saved in the back-
ground.
2. To show traces of individual channels, use the right-hand mouse key to select the desired
channel ("1" to "63") from the pop-up menu.
This opens the Rehearsal Check window of the desired channel:
1. Click the right-hand mouse key on an open Rehearsal Check window.
2. To select another channel, click the left-hand mouse key on the desired channel ("1" to
"63") in the pop-up menu.
1. Click the right-hand mouse key on the "RF Info" bar of the desired channel.
2. Click the left-hand mouse key on "Open Rehearsal Check" to open another Rehearsal
Check window. This allows you to monitor the received signal strengths of any number of
channels on the screen.
The "+" and "-" zoom buttons toggle the resolution of the time axis in the left-hand section
of the Rehearsal Check window between 10 minutes and 1 minute.
An anthracite bar marks the beginning of the recording.
The reception levels at the antennas are shown as traces and saved to the hard disk. The
green trace indicates antenna A, the yellow trace antenna B.
The data recorded during the last 5 hours will remain stored unless you clear the recorded
data with the "Clear History" command. (Note that "Clear History" does not stop the record-
ing.)
The right-hand section of the window shows the current status at a resolution of 10 seconds.
MCS 4000 mission control software
11

• Changing the Window
Size
Note:
• Stopping the Recording
• Snapshot
• Deleting Monitoring Data
Note:
3.8 Environment Scan
Important!
1. Move the cursor to the separation line between the left-hand and right-hand sections of
the window to bring up a double arrow.
2. Press and hold the mouse key and move the separation line to set the desired ratio
between the two sections of the window.
Your setting will be saved as a default setting.
Red lines mark receivers that have been switched off.
Select ("View" - "Open Rehearsal Check" -) "Stop History Recording…".
The recording of RF signal levels will stop.
Click on the camera symbol button.
A snapshot of the signal strengths at the receiving antennas will be saved in a specified
folder.
Select ("View" - "Open Rehearsal Check" -) "Clear History Recording…".
All monitoring data for all channels will be deleted from RAM and from the hard disk.
"Clear History" does not stop the recording.
Environment Scan allows you to identify potentially interfering transmitters or strong inter-
modulating transmitters (above/below the thresholds you set in "Configure Auto Setup") for
individual microphone channels. Since the system will scan the entire 30 MHz-wide frequen-
cy band, it is imperative that you switch on all other transmitters near your WMS 400 system
to get a meaningful analysis.
•You cannot use the receivers selected for Environment Scan for signal reception
during the scan.
•We recommend saving the current system settings selecting "File" - "Save System
to Disk…" prior to starting Environment Scan to avoid losing receiver Presets and
frequencies due to a possible system or software crash.
1. Switch all WMS 400 transmitters OFF to make sure you will not "overlook" any interfer-
ence frequencies.
2. Switch all other transmitters near the system ON.
3. From the menu bar, select "Tools" - "Environment Scan…".
The screen will change as follows:
5. Click on "Start Scan" to start the scan or "Cancel" to quit the menu.
MCS 4000 mission control software
12
4. From the list next to "Select SR's for
scanning", select the receiver(s) whose
frequency (frequencies) you wish to
check.
Note:
If your system uses several bands, click
on the upper left-hand tab in the
"Environment Scan" window to select the
desired band.

Note:
• View
• Snapshot
To monitor the scan, you can click on "Watch environment scan".
The screen will change like this:
The color-coded vertical lines indicate the frequencies to which your transmitters are
tuned. If a peak found by Environment Scan coincides with a programmed carrier fre-
quency, chances are that the received signal will be jammed, e.g., if the same frequency
is used by some other system. (Note that this will only be shown if you switch the
receivers in your own system off!)
High peaks between or next to the color-coded lines (the selected WMS 4000 frequen-
cies) may indicate external transmitters that may interfere with your system by intermod-
ulation.
The "+" and "-" zoom buttons let you enlarge or reduce the image on the screen.
Click on the camera symbol button.
A snapshot of the Environment Scan result will be saved as an image file in a specified
folder.
MCS 4000 mission control software
13