Dramatically Improve Team Communications with a HD Voice Speaker Mic by Staff Editor

Latest generation speaker microphones offer distinct advantages for greater safety

Remote speaker microphones are evolving with new features and advanced capabilities, offering law enforcement more versatility than ever before. Bluetooth® wireless connectivity allows greater freedom of movement and eliminates the safety hazards of connection cable. Compatibility with mobile devices makes it easier to communicate with team members on multiple platforms. But perhaps the most significant advancement is the addition of high definition voice technology.

What is HD Voice?

The answer is all about bandwidth and data compression. Standard audio transmissions are sent over a “narrow” bandwidth capable of transmitting within the 300Hz to 3400Hz frequencies. High-Definition (HD) Voice transmissions use a “wide” bandwidth that supports frequencies from 50Hz all the way to 7000Hz. That’s an addition of one and a half octaves on either end of the frequency spectrum. 

HD Voice data compression protocol also helps to isolate voice data from distracting background noise that can muddle a transmission. Standard audio treats all sound the same. The graphs above demonstrate the difference between standard and HD Voice transmissions. They show the audio frequencies of a female voice reading the same content. The graph on the left shows the additional data captured when recorded with the HD Voice data compression protocol. The additional data enhances the audio to provide a more faithful reproduction of the sound. The resulting transmission is sharper, less robotic and much easier to understand.

Why an HD Voice Speaker Microphone?

HD Voice is an integral capability of virtually all smartphones manufactured today. More and more law enforcement agencies are extending their communications networks with mobile devices, using apps like ESChat and Zello. Unfortunately, most speaker microphones degrade the sound quality that is available from an HD Voice-enabled smartphone Using a speaker microphone with HD Voice capability significantly enhances the audio fidelity to ensure all transmissions are heard clearly. 

As important as transmission clarity is, it is just one of the reasons an HD Voice speaker microphone should be used to send and receive important, even essential, communications from mobile devices:

• Enhanced understanding for greater safety
  Narrowband communications can clip or distort parts of a word. When that happens, the brain automatically tries to fill in the blanks to determine the intended meaning using contextual cues. Acronyms and similar words like “force” and “source” can be easily misunderstood. The noise of the surrounding environment can confuse things even more. For law enforcement, misunderstood communications can result in the wrong response, or worse, unintended consequences. The transmission clarity of a speaker microphone with HD Voice virtually eliminates the distortion that causes this type of confusion.

• Faster response time
  Unclear communications cost time, and time is usually of the essence for law enforcement. Requiring officers to infer what is being said slows understanding. Repeating communications and orders to ensure they are heard correctly is not just time-consuming, it’s frustrating for all involved. Being able to instantly comprehend what is being said allows instant action, which usually results in the best outcomes.

• Reduced fatigue
  Communication frustration takes its toll. Spending all day listening to a dispatcher transmitting on narrow band requires a lot of work for the brain to fill in the blanks. Asking dispatchers and commanders to repeat themselves is frustrating and irritating to the sender and the receiver. With an HD Voice speaker microphone, a dispatcher sounds like a human and less like a robot. Officers will be able to discern more easily who is talking, and any distracting background noise will be minimized. At the end of the day, the fatigue caused by the brain having to work so hard to understand communications will be eliminated.

Experience the Difference

A speaker microphone is an important accessory when using mobile devices to expand team communications to users on external networks. At the very least, it enhances the functionality of a mobile device by eliminating the need to dig a phone out of a pocket or hold it to the ear to participate in team communications. Choosing a Bluetooth-enabled wireless speaker microphone with HD Voice capability like the OTTO Bluetooth® Revo NC2 takes team communications to a new level. Outstanding voice clarity, enhanced understanding of what is being said, faster response to urgent commands, less frustration and fatigue all add up to greater safety and better outcomes overall.