emergency paging Archives

IP Paging Systems for Schools

Posted on August 29, 2018April 12, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

How to select the speakers and the number required in your school

IP paging speaker placement and sound volume settings are key to providing clear sound in the school. Whether there is a general announcement or an emergency message, it’s important that the instructions can be heard and understood by everyone.

Network attached IP speakers are easy to install, but they must be placed in the right location, and the sound volume must be correct so that all locations are covered with clear sound.

This article provides guidelines for selecting the right IP paging speakers for your school. The article also helps you determine the number of speakers you need, and the amplification required.

Comparison of the Classic Analog Paging System to the PA over IP Systems

Posted on February 27, 2016March 22, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

This article compares central analog amplifiers to distributed digital network attached amplifiers.

The latest IP paging systems utilize the Ethernet network to distribute sound over your organization. This is quite different than the classic systems that used a large central amplifier with wires to all the speakers. How good is this new approach to paging?

The following article compares the traditional approach that utilizes one large amplifier to the latest PA over IP systems.

The classic method of providing a paging system was to connect many speakers to a central very large amplifier. The latest IP amplifier method is much more flexible. It connects a few speakers to many small network attached amplifiers that are distributed around the organization. You can attach several speakers to one small IP amplifier or attach one CAT5 ready IP speaker directly to the network. Here’s a comparison the two types of systems.

Selecting the Right Speakers for Your IP Paging System

Posted on February 7, 2016June 21, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

One of the most important components in a paging system is the speakers. So before we define any paging system, we start by determining the amount of sound required at each location.

Once we know the type of sound required, we can select the right speaker. After we have defined the speakers, we can determine the right amplifier to use.

What’s the best speaker for you? Well it depends on a number of things.

For example, do you want to hear music or just voice paging? The type of speaker also depends on how large an area you want to cover with sound. The background noise and where you want to place the speaker is also important. It may be necessary to select a different speaker for each location. This article reviews how to select the right speaker for the job. We will review the sound output which is measured in decibels (dB), the sound quality (or frequency range), and the power required at the speaker.

How Technology Can Help in Active Shooter Situations

Posted on October 19, 2015March 22, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

This article was updated on 2/18/2018

We have seen more and more incidences on school campuses that involve active shooters. In the wake of this violence many colleges, universities, and elementary schools are searching for ways to respond to this threat.

There has been a lot of discussion about how to react. With the latest tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the discussion continues. Emma Gonzalez, a senior at the high school, provided excellent perspective on the situation when she said, “Since the time of the Founding Fathers and since they added the Second Amendment to the Constitution, our guns have developed at a rate that leaves me dizzy. The guns have changed, but our laws have not”.

Of course, the best way to prevent these tragedies is to prevent the gunman from getting the guns. Unfortunately, it is not easy to do. The only thing we can offer is advice on how technology can help.

How Network Attached Amplifiers and IP Intercoms Work

Posted on August 17, 2015March 23, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

Wizard of Oz Network Attached Audio Concept

How do the latest network-attached IP audio systems work? The latest digital IP systems use protocols that are similar to Voice over IP (VoIP) protocols. This communication method also uses Power over Ethernet (PoE) to power the telephones, IP paging systems, and IP intercoms.

These IP audio systems use the network cable rather than using individual wires that go from an amplifier to a speaker. What is the magic behind sending multiple paging announcements on the same wire at virtually the same time?

Arthur C. Clark said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

Here’s how the magic works.

How Network Attached Paging and Intercoms Increase Security

Posted on June 10, 2015March 23, 2020 by Bob Mesnik

This article was updated on 10/15/2019 to include new IP paging systems.

There’s more to security than door access control, intrusion alarms, and video surveillance. It is also important to tell people what to do in an emergency. Emergency public notification is one of the important applications for IP paging and intercoms. There are also many other new applications possible with the latest IP paging and intercom systems.

Remember the old days of 500-watt amplifiers with hundreds of speakers attached. It was almost impossible to provide multiple buildings, public address systems. The great thing about network-attached paging systems is that everywhere you have a network, you can install a small network-attached amplifier.

What is the Right Sound Level for Your Paging Speakers?

Posted on December 17, 2014June 17, 2021 by Bob Mesnik

Whether it’s an emergency announcement or page in a school, how do you determine the speaker and amplifier required for a specific location? IP paging systems can provide exactly the right sound level to exactly the right location, but what is the right sound level?

How loud does the emergency paging system need to be? How much sound is needed to hear an announcement in a classroom or in a sports field where there is a lot of background noise?

This article provides the technical background and practical information needed to help you determine the right power and speakers required.

Emergency IP Paging Using Panic Buttons

Posted on October 20, 2014June 1, 2020 by Virginia Fair

Emergency paging increases safety because it provides immediate notification of dangerous situations. By adding panic buttons, you can make these emergency pages very quickly.

Push the button and the paging system will let everyone know that the school is in lockdown, or that they should exit the building. These prerecorded announcements can cover many emergency situations.

Of course, you don’t have to use just the panic buttons, a person can still make a manual announcement. Since IP Paging systems connect to your network, they can handle many different emergency situations. They also can be used not only in one building, but in multiple buildings, or even on multiple campuses.

Here’s how to add an emergency IP paging system that includes panic buttons to your organization.