Lightspeed TOPCAT User manual

User Manual
Classroom Audio System
TOPCAT

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use the apparatus near
water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation
openings. Install in accordance
with the manufacturer’s
instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat
sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or
other apparatus (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety
purpose of the polarized
or grounding-type plug.
A polarized plug has two
blades with one wider than
the other. A grounding- type
plug has two blades and a
third grounding prong. The
wide blade or the third prong
is provided for your safety. If
the provided plug does not
fit into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of
the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord
from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plugs,
convenience receptacles, and
the point where they exit from
the apparatus.
11. Only use attachments/
accessories specified by the
manufacturer.
12. Use only with a cart, stand,
tripod, bracket or table
specified by the manufacturer,
or sold with the apparatus.
When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/
apparatus combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during
lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of
time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified
service personnel. Servicing is
required when the apparatus
has been damaged in any way,
such as power-supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have
fallen into the apparatus, the
apparatus has been exposed
to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally, or has been
dropped.
15. When the mains plug or
appliance coupler is used as
the disconnect device, it shall
remain readily accessible.
16. Please keep the unit in a good
ventilation environment.
2

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS CONT’D
3
To avoid potential equipment damage and/or serious injury, READ AND
FOLLOW all safety precautions when installing the TOPCAT. WARNINGS are
included throughout the procedural steps in this guide, and are repeated below
for emphasis.
• USE A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN FOR POWER CONNECTIONS. The
TOPCAT system uses standard 100 – 240VAC power. Obtain the services of
a licensed electrician when supplying and connecting power to the ceiling
enclosure. BE SURE electrical installation complies with local building
codes. Improperly installing and/or connecting power to the system may
result in EQUIPMENT DAMAGE, serious INJURY and/or DEATH.
• DO NOT INSTALL ALONE. The ceiling enclosure weighs approximately 20
lbs (9 kg), and requires at least two people to install. DO NOT install alone.
• USE SUITABLE LADDERS. use proper ladders or support platforms when
installing the TOPCAT enclosure. DO NOT stand on chairs, tables, or other
unsuitable surfaces.
• SUPPORT THE CEILING ENCLOSURE PROPERLY. DO NOT allow the
full weight of the ceiling enclosure to rest on the tile grid of the ceiling.
The ceiling enclosure is designed to be suspended at TWO POINTS by
suspension wires (secured to rafters or other suitable building structure) and
to rest LIGHTLY on the tile grid.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: 2 Important Safety Instructions
Overview 6 System Components and Unpacking
7 Optional Components
Controls & Connections
9TOPCAT Side Panel
10 Media Connector
12 REDMIKE VC
13 Cradle Charger
SECTION 2: 14 1. Turn the System On
Daily Operation 15 2. Operating the REDMIKE VC
16 3. Charging the REDMIKE VC
17 4. Using the Media Connector
18 5. Audio Integration
19 6. Tips to Obtain Optimum Audio
Performance
SECTION 3: REDMIKE Share
Daily Operation 20 Controls & Connectios
21 Charging
22 Initial Set-up
22 PageFirst Interface
23 Amplifying External Audio Equipment
24 Output to Assistive Listening Device (ALD)
SECTION 4: 25 Common Problems and Solutions
Troubleshooting 26 TOPCAT and Media Connector Registration
27 Set-up and Operation of the REDMIKE VC
and TOPCAT
SECTION 5: 28 Five-Year Limited Warranty
Warranty, Safety 29 Safety Warnings & Certifications
& Specifications 30 Précautions de Sécurité et Certifications
31 Declarations of Conformity
32 System Specifications

6
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND UNPACKING
The standard configuration of the TOPCAT®will contain:
Cradle Charger and
Power Supply
REDMIKE® VC
Volume Control
Microphone
TOPCAT
Media Connector
and Power Supply
SECTION 1:
OVERVIEW

7
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND UNPACKING
CONT’D
Audio Cable Kit
OPTIONAL COMPONENTS
Optional equipment which may be part of your TOPCAT system:
REDMIKE® Share
Handheld Mic &
Charger Cable
DC Extension Cable
Hardware for optional
wall-mounting of
Media Connector
and ISR

8
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
Standard Components (U.S. and Canada)
TC TOPCAT all-in-one ceiling mount system
24V-2.5-NA 24V/2.5A power supply for TOPCAT
RMV REDMIKE VC microphone with battery
NH2A27 AA NiMH rechargeable sensing battery for REDMIKE
AC-RMLC2 REDMIKE lavaliere cord
RMCC REDMIKE cradle charger
5V-1.0-NA 5V/1.0A power supply
MC Media Connector with power supply
MSC3535 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo audio cable
CA-AD-RCA2-35 Dual RCA jack – 3.5mm stereo plug adapter
Standard Components (Outside U.S. and Canada)
TC-1881 TOPCAT all-in-one ceiling mount system
24V-2.5-__ 24V/2.5A power supply for TOPCAT (specify country)
RMV REDMIKE VC microphone with battery
NH2A27 AA NiMH rechargeable sensing battery for REDMIKE
AC-RMLC2 REDMIKE lavaliere cord
RMCC-INT REDMIKE cradle charger (universal plug attachments)
5V-1.0-INT 5V/1.0A power supply (universal plug attachments)
MC-1881 Media Connector with power supply
MSC3535 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo audio cable
CA-AD-RCA2-35 Dual RCA jack – 3.5mm stereo plug adapter
Optional Accessories
RMS REDMIKE Share handheld microphone w/battery pack
NH2APK AA Rechargeable battery (REDMIKE Share)
TK250M Noise-canceling headset microphone
TCC7 Charging cable for REDMIKE Share
RCA6 6’ dual RCA audio cable
RCA24 24’ dual RCA audio cable
MMC2535 Audio patch cable (2.5 mm mono to 3.5 mm mono)
DCPEX-__ 50’ plenum rated DC Power cable kit (specify country)
SYSTEM COMPONENTS
Equipment which may be part of your TOPCAT:

9
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
TOPCAT SIDE PANEL CONTROLS AND
CONNECTIONS
1. CH A VOLUME: Controls the
volume level for microphone set
to channel A. It is preset at the
factory to its 11 o’clock position.
Turn clockwise to increase volume
or counter clockwise to decrease
volume.
2. CH B VOLUME: Controls the
volume level for microphone set
to channel B. It is preset at the
factory to its 11 o’clock position.
Turn clockwise to increase volume
or counter clockwise to decrease
volume.
3. AUX POWER INPUT
CONNECTOR (OPTIONAL):
For use during installations where
AC power is not available in the
ceiling. Accepts 24VDC, 2.5A
connector from an external power
supply.
4. PAGEFIRST INPUT AND ADJUST:
Connect the input from optional
PageFirst sensor when interfacing
with the building’s paging system.
Use the ADJ control to adjust the
sensitivity if needed.
5. REGISTRATION BUTTON: This
button is used to synchronize
the TOPCAT with the Media
Connector.
24V 2.5A
Paging Input Microphone
Registration
ADJ CH B CH A
SIDE VIEW
4
3
2
5
1

10
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
AUDIO
IN
VOLUME
AUDIO
1
AUDIO
2
AUDIO
3
AUDIO
4
1.0A5V
1. POWER CABLE INPUT: Plug the
power supply (5V/1.0A) into this
jack.
2. FOUR AUDIO INPUTS: Connect
standard audio devices to any
of the 3.5mm stereo inputs. A
provided cable allows connectivity
to RCA stereo outputs common on
DVD players and televisions
3. VOLUME CONTROL: Controls
the output volume of the media
connector.
MEDIA CONNECTOR CONTROLS
AND CONNECTIONS
4
12
2

11
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
PAIRING
POWER
REGISTRATION
ALD
LINK REGISTR POWER
MEDIA CONNECTOR CONTROLS
AND CONNECTIONS CONT’D
1. SYSTEM POWER SWITCH:
System power is turned on or off
with this pushbutton. When power
is on, the blue power LED lights.
2. REGISTRATION PUSHBUTTON:
Pushing the registration button in
conjunction with the registration
button on the TOPCAT module
will cause the two modules to
synchronize as an operating
system. Refer to the Registration
Procedure in this manual.
3. ALD AUDIO OUTPUT: 3.5mm
stereo jack sends audio signal
to external equipment such as a
recorder or an assistive listening
device like Lightspeed’s 370
Personal FM System.
4. ALD AUDIO VOLUME
CONTROL: Adjusts the audio
signal level output through the
ALD audio output connector.
5. RF LINK LED: This LED is lit
anytime the RF link is established
between Media Connector and the
TOPCAT. This LED will glow green
while the system modules remain
linked.
6. REGISTRATION LED: The amber
LED blinks when a link is being
established. The registration LED
goes out and the link LED is solid
green when the link is established.
7. POWER LED: This LED glows blue
when the system is powered on.
34
2
2
52
62 7
1

12
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
REDMIKE VC (Volume Control) CONTROLS
AND CONNECTIONS
1
2
3
S
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4
1. POWER/MUTE BUTTON
2. POWER/LOW BATTERY
INDICATOR: A blue light
indicates the REDMIKE VC is on
and fully charged. A red light
indicates a charge is needed.
3. BATTERY COMPARTMENT: To
open, slide the door downward.
The battery should only be
replaced by a Lightspeed AA
rechargeable sensing battery (part
#NH2A27).
4. YELLOW PROTECTIVE TAB:
Slide the battery compartment
door and remove this disposable
protective tab before use.
5. AUDIO/MICROPHONE INPUT:
Use this input to plug in a laptop,
MP3 player or other audio
source to wirelessly transmit
audio to be played through the
system. Alternatively, an external
microphone can be connected.
6. CHANNEL SELECT SWITCH (CH
A/B): Use this to choose channel
A or B. If you are using a single
microphone, we recommend using
channel A.
7. VOLUME CONTROLS (UP -
DOWN)
8. CHARGER CONTACTS (+ -):
These contacts interface with the
charging tabs when the REDMIKE
VC is placed in the RMCC cradle
charger.
5
6
7
8

13
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
1. CHARGE INDICATORS: The light
glows red while the REDMIKE is
charging. When fully charged, the
light will glow green. A blinking
red light indicates that no battery
is sensed, (REDMIKE Yellow
Protective Tab may not have been
completely removed—see page
12, item 4.) A blinking green LED
means a non-Lightspeed battery
has been installed (possibly an
alkaline battery).
2. DC POWER PORT: Connect the
DC power cord here.
3. OPTIONAL CHARGING PORT:
Plug the charging cord for
the optional REDMIKE Share
microphone here.
CRADLE CHARGER CONTROLS AND
CONNECTIONS
1
2
3

14
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
SECTION 2:
DAILY
OPERATION
1. TURN THE SYSTEM ON
Press the POWER button on the Media Connector. The blue LED will glow.
NOTE: since the TOPCAT is mounted in the ceiling, the Media Connector is used
to remotely power the system on and off.
PAIRING
POWER
REGISTRATION
ALD
LINK REGISTR POWER

15
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
2. OPERATING THE REDMIKE VC
1. Ensure the REDMIKE VC is fully
charged. The charger LED will
glow green.
2. Remove the REDMIKE VC from the
cradle charger and turn it on.
3. Slip the REDMIKE VC with lanyard
around the neck and position the
top of the microphone just below
the collarbone. NOTE: Positioning
of the REDMIKE VC is critical for
proper volume adjustment.
4. Speak using a conversational level
and TOPCAT will evenly distribute
your voice throughout the room.
5. The TOPCAT has been set-up to
provide optimum volume level
during installation.
REMEMBER: This equipment
supplements the user’s voice
so they are able to speak in a
conversational tone. Having the
volume set too high will result in
feedback and listener fatigue.
6. To fine-tune the volume, use the
up/down buttons on the back of
the REDMIKE VC.
NOTE: the REDMIKE VC has 4
volume levels up and 4 levels
down from the mid point (9 levels
total).
7. If a second REDMIKE VC was
purchased, repeat these steps.
This microphone will be marked
with a “CH. B” sticker on the back,
indicating it is preset to channel B.
8. To use the REDMIKE VC as
a handheld pass-around
microphone:
a. unclip the lanyard,
b. hold the lower portion of the
microphone,
c. ensure the IR emitter is facing
outward,
d. position the top of the
microphone at about
collarbone height.
L
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16
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
3. CHARGING THE REDMIKE VC
Before use, the REDMIKE VC should be charged. It will take 8-9 hours for the
REDMIKE VC to obtain a full charge. A fully charged REDMIKE VC will last for
over 7 hours of use. If microphones are used daily, they should be kept in the
cradle – microphones can be left in a cradle charger constantly for up to 2 weeks
without causing degradation to battery life.
A red light on the charging cradle indicates the REDMIKE VC is charging.
A green light indicates that charging is complete and a full charge has
been reached. A blinking light indicates a charging or sensing error. See
Troubleshooting section for more information.
REDMIKE VC incorporates alkaline protection into the microphone design.
Always use a Lightspeed rechargeable sensing battery. Replacement AA NiMH
batteries may only be purchased through Lightspeed Technologies (part #
NH2A27).
1. Plug power cord into the cradle
charger and then plug the AC end
into an electrical outlet.
2. Place the REDMIKE VC into the
cradle. The LED on the cradle
will glow red indicating charging
has started. When the REDMIKE
VC is fully charged, the LED on
the cradle charger will change to
green.

17
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
(For setup instructions, refer to the installation guide)
The Media Connector can be used as the primary volume control for the audio
sources you’ve connected.
1. Connect the audio source(s) to the Media Connector using the 3.5mm cables
provided.
2. Set the audio source volume
to provide sound through the
TOPCAT.
3. Use the Media Connector volume
control to increase or decrease
the sound level.
4. USING THE MEDIA CONNECTOR
USB
POWER
AUDIO
IN
VOLUME
AUDIO
1
AUDIO
2
AUDIO
3
AUDIO
4
1.0A5V
NORMALIZING AUDIO SOURCE VOLUME LEVELS
Use the Media Connector as the master audio volume control for the classroom.
When two or more audio sources are connected, you will need to normalize
volume settings by setting all connected audio sources to the same sound level
while leaving the Media Connector volume control set to its center setting. The
Media Connector is an audio mixer using a master volume control to adjust the
volume of all audio sources at once. Use the following procedure to set audio
source volumes:
1. Connect the multimedia audio sources to the Media Connector using the
3.5mm cables provided.
2. Set the master volume control on the Media Connector to its center position.
3. Turn on an audio source that does not have an accessible audio level control.
(DVD, VCR player)
4. Adjust the Media Connector master volume control so the audio level playing
through the speaker is appropriate for the classroom.
5. Turn off the first audio source.
6. Turn on the second audio source. Use its volume control to balance the audio
output to the same audio level played through the speaker as the first source.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the remaining audio sources.
8. Now, the Media Connector’s master volume can be used to increase or
decrease the volume level for all audio sources as desired.

18
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
5. AUDIO INTEGRATION
The Media Connector is designed to integrate multiple audio sources quickly
and easily.
AUDIO
IN
VOLUME
AUDIO
1
AUDIO
2
AUDIO
3
AUDIO
4
1.0A5V
TopCAT

19
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
• Speakinanaturalvoice.Anormal
conversational speech level will
provide an adequate signal.
It is not necessary to increase
the intensity of your voice—the
audio system provides adequate
amplification (approximately 5 – 10
dB) above ambient room noises.
• Avoidwearingjewelrythatmayrub
or bump against the microphone.
• TurntheREDMIKEVCoffduring
private conversations with a
student, parent, or other classroom
visitor. You can also cover the LED
lens on top of the REDMIKE VC to
block the signal.
• Rechargemicrophone(s)each
night. When recharged nightly,
the microphone will last through a
typical school day.
6. TIPS TO OBTAIN OPTIMUM AUDIO
PERFORMANCE

20
1. Overview 2. Daily Operation 3. Optional
Accessories 4. Troubleshooting 5. Warranty, Safety
& Specifications
1. POWER SWITCH: slide switch up
for on and down for off.
2. POWER/CHARGE INDICATOR:
this light glows blue when turned
on and turns off to indicate low
battery level. When charging, the
light glows red.
3. AUDIO INPUT: plug a laptop, MP3
player or other audio device into
this jack to wirelessly transmit the
audio signal to be played through
the system.
4. CHANNEL SELECT SWITCH
(CH A/B): Located in the battery
compartment, this switch is set to
channel B at the factory.
5. CHARGER INPUT: Plug the
charging cable from the REDMIKE
cradle charger into this jack.
REDMIKE SHARE: CONTROLS AND
CONNECTIONS
1
23
5
4
SECTION 3:
OPTIONAL
ACCESSORIES