The Smyles Comm-binder Production and Walkie Audio Interface

The Smyles Comm-biner is a quality stereo audio interface that combines production audio and walkie-talkie audio so both can be monitored via headphones. It is particularly suited to the world of reality and documentary production but is useful in any situation where walkie-talkies must be monitored as well as production audio.

Features

• Combined production and walkie-talkie audio
• No need for surveillance tubes
• Recieve input from any professional mixer/recorder
• Designed to be used with any headphones, IEMs, or earbuds
• Walkie signal is equally distributed between both ears
• Stereo-mono switch allows for normal monitoring in stereo or single earpiece monitoring in mono
• DIP switch controls walkie feed to right, left
• Does not need to be powered
• Surveillance tube included, just in case

What are the advantages of the Smyles Comm-biner?

• No need to block one ear with an uncomfortable surveillance tube, compromising the sound of your headphone in that ear - both ears are open and so you hear normally and "in stereo". And if you use in-ear monitors you don't have to improvise to try to get the surveillance tube AND your in-ear monitor in the same ear.
• It can be used with any input source from professional mixer/recorder or camera to IFB receiver, iPod or iPad.
• Use your own headphones, IEMs or earbuds.
• You select the walkie-talkie feed to left, right or both ears.
• No surveillance tube to clog up - but the transducer and tube are included for those times you don't want to wear headphones... such as at lunch time.
• Stereo-mono switch: In STEREO mode you have normal stereo monitoring of production audio with the walkie-talkie feeding left, right or both channels. In MONO mode the stereo input is mixed to mono and and with the walkie is fed only to the left channel  - useful for camera operators who want to wear only a single mono earpiece. Additionally, the "ring" of the headphone jack is lifted so a mini mono plug will not short out the right channel feed.
• The signal chain is completely passive - no power is needed.

Instructions for standard operation:

1. Plug the mini to mini plug cable into the audio source and into the PGM input of the Comm-biner. Do not plug a mono mini plug into a camera headphone jack; it grounds the right channel output and may damage it.
2. Plug the walkie talkie cable mini plug into the WT input of the Comm-biner.
3. Set the ST-M DIP switch as needed for either standard stereo monitoring or mono monitoring using a ballpoint pen or small screwdriver blade (normal operation is stereo; mono is for use with a single earpiece).
4. Set the desired walkie feed to either Left, Right or both channels using the L and R DIP switches.
5. Plug the headphones into the PHONES output.
6. Adjust the level of the walkie talkie audio to program audio with the walkie volume control.

Additional instructions for dual operation:

1. Plug the walkie talkie mini plugs to the left and right sides of the y splitter. Connect the y-splitter to the PGM input.
2. Plug the walkie 2-prong plug into a walkie-talkie.
3. An optional IFB can be connected to the WT input using the mini to mini-plug cable. In this mode, a producer/director can hear one walkie channel in one ear and another channel in the other ear. The IFB audio feed is heard in both ears in mono. If the stereo-mono switch is set to mono, all audio is heard in the left earphone.