Sennheiser MobileConnect Operator's manual

MobileConnect
User documentation
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
Am Labor 1, 30900 Wedemark, Germany, www.sennheiser.com
MobileConnect & CinemaConnect - v1.6.1

1
Table of contents
Product overview 5
Typical applications 5
Features 6
Bring your own device 6
Personal Hearing Assistant 6
Components 7
ConnectStation 7
MobileConnect App 8
Access Point (optional) 9
System planning 10
Country variants 11
Country variants for Standalone Mode 11
Country variants for Integrated Mode 12
Network integration 13
Selecting the network mode 13
Standalone Mode 14
Using a single Access Point 14
Using multiple Access Points 15
Increasing the number of clients per ConnectStation
(Standalone Mode) 16
Integrated Mode 17
Network connection 17
Increasing the number of clients per ConnectStation (In-
tegrated Mode) 18
Requirements/Recommendations towards your network
(Integrated Mode) 19
Traffic Structure to expect with a MobileConnect/Ci-
nemaConnect installation 20
Important recommendations towards WiFi 21
General network requirements 21
Switches, Access Points and QoS 22
Network bandwidth 22
Cluster discovery (Integrated Mode) 23
Order of methods for Cluster Discovery 23
Explicit server selection 24
Automatic cluster setup via multicast announcement
24
Overriding the default multicast group address and
port for multicast announcements 25
Service discovery (Integrated Mode) 26
Order of methods for Service Discovery 26
Explicit service registration via DNS-SD (PTR/SRV) 26
Automatic discovery via multicast announcement 27

2
Discovery via hostname “sennheiser-connect” 28
Discovery via hostname “local.connect” 28
DHCP and DNS Search Domains 28
Setting a single Search Domain with DHCP Option 15
29
Setting multiple Search Domains 29
WiFi planning 30
WiFi coverage 30
Antenna pattern Ruckus Zoneflex 7273 30
WiFi Design 31
Planning audio level and latency 32
Overview audio chain 32
List of tested mobile devices 33
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 34
California Building Standards 34
ADA Standards for Accessible Design 34
Installation and configuration 35
ConnectStation hardware overview 36
Product overview - front 36
Product overview - back 36
Installation 37
Power and audio cabling 38
Connecting/Disconnecting the ConnectStation to/
from the mains power supply 38
Switching the ConnectStation on/off 38
Connecting audio signals 39
Stereo audio 40
Network cabling 40
Placement of Ethernet ports on the back panel of the
ConnectStation 40
Access and initial configuration 41
Configuration guide 42
Getting started 42
Standalone Mode 43
Setup 43
System Overview 47
Network 50
WiFi 51
Integrated Mode 53
Setup 53
System Overview 55
Client Balancing 57
Network 58
General configuration 59
App Interface 59

3
Channel Groups 61
Protected Channels 66
Client Monitoring 67
Audio Inputs 68
Captions 71
Log 73
Maintenance and troubleshooting 74
Usage Recommendations 75
Powering off the ConnectStation 75
Frequency of powering on and off the ConnectStation
in Integrated Mode 75
System update 76
Factory reset 78
Resetting the ConnectStation via Admin Interface 78
Resetting the ConnectStation via USB keyboard 78
Resetting the access point 78
Forgotten password 79
Service access 80
Connecting to the Internet for service and support ac-
cess 80
Troubleshooting 81
Apps 81
Mobile device does not see the MobileConnect/Cine-
maConnect WiFi (Standalone Mode) 81
MobileConnect/CinemaConnect WiFi is visible but
mobile device does not connect 81
Mobile device is frequently disconnecting from Mobi-
leConnect/CinemaConnectWiFi 81
MobileConnect/CinemaConnect App shows no chan-
nels to select 81
MobileConnect/CinemaConnect app shows “No
connection” 81
MobileConnect/CinemaConnect app shows “Client li-
mit has been reached” 82
Audio quality 84
MobileConnect/CinemaConnect App does show
channels to select from but when selected there is no
audio 84
MobileConnect/CinemaConnect App does provide au-
dio but it is distorted or has drop outs 84
Audio latency is higher than expected 84
Audio is ahead of the video 84
The audio level is low 85
There is a lot of noise 85
There is clipping noise 85
Integrated Mode 86

4
The admin interface cannot be accessed or shows
“Configuration problem” 86
The user enters a wrong static IP for LAN2 in Integra-
ted Mode 86
A ConnectStation cannot join or rejoin a cluster in In-
tegrated Mode 86
Client Balancing or Client Monitoring are not visible on
the admin interface page 86

Product overview
5
Product overview
MobileConnect - Sennheiser's WiFi based system for your venue that en-
ables low-latency transmission of audio content to mobile devices such as
smartphones and tablets. With our real time audio streaming server and
the MobileConnect App, you can easily provide assistive listening for hea-
ring impaired, audio description for blind people, interpretation channels or
audio for silent screens to your venue as well as movie subtitles.
Sennheiser's MobileConnect system embraces the bring-your-own-device
(BYOD) principle enabling users to use their own mobile devices on the Mo-
bileConnect WiFi network. The system consists of a ConnectStation, a
central unit for integrating different audio streams and transmitting them
via WiFi access points to the personal mobile devices.
Typical applications
Assistive listening
Audio description
Interpretation / Multi-language audio
Digital signage / Silent screens

Features
6
Features
Bring your own device
►
The streaming system adheres to the “bring your own device” (BYOD) phi-
losophy. That means that all the people in the audience can use their own
smartphones as receivers with their own headphones, and do not need any
additional hardware. This way, they don’t have to rent expensive equip-
ment and can use devices they are already familiar with. Of course, the
venue can also offer iPods or other rental devices.
Personal Hearing Assistant
Developed with Fraunhofer-Institut für Digitale Medientechnologie ID-
MT, the Personal Hearing Assistant allows for a truly intuitive sound ad-
justment. The audio signal can be adjusted easily according to individual
hearing needs – not only the volume of the audio signal, but also more so-
phisticated sound parameters that affect speech intelligibility.

Components
7
Components
The MobileConnect system consists of these components.
ConnectStation
The ConnectStation is the central unit for integrating different audio
streams and transmitting them vie WiFi access points to any personal mo-
bile device.

Components
8
MobileConnect App
►
Available for iOS / Android – and for free. The MobileConnect App is easy
to use and convenient for everyone. It is fully compatible with iOS and And-
roid accessibility modes where visual impairment support is required. Its
advanced Personal Hearing Assistant is based on technologies by Fraun-
hofer Institute IDMT and allows for individual audio adjustments via a sim-
ple and intuitive touchscreen user interface.
►

Components
9
Access Point (optional)
►
The Ruckus WiFi Access Point is used for wireless transmission of the au-
dio signals to the users‘ personal devices. It is only necessary if the system
is used in Standalone Mode.
The access point is only delivered with the +WiFi country variants (see
"Country variants").