MIP5000 audio volume control

[webby52]

Is there anyway to lock out the volume settings for the console? We have people lowering certain resources they don't want to listen to, or even muting the channel, and then missing audio. I know I can set the low volume setting in the APX radio from 0 to whatever so the volume can't go below a certain volume. I would like to allow the resource to only lower to a 2 volume setting but I don't see anything in the CSDM or control panel to set it. The All mute setting is there but even that is only for the top button not the individual resource. I took the M class for MIP but wasn't very helpful as seemed very basic stuff. Spent most of our time on networking settings.

[webby52]

Talked to Moto...they say..hmm...that would be a good feature...too bad MIP doesnt offer it.

[Bill_G]

Thanks for the update. Good to know.

[Jim202]

Talked to Moto...they say..hmm...that would be a good feature...too bad MIP doesnt offer it.

I brought this up to both Motorola and GE some 25 years ago. No one seemed to care. So I went into the console and made a change to the manual volume controls back then. Added a low value resistor on the ground side of each of the volume controls. This prevented them from being cranked all the way down. Don't remember what the value was for the resistor.

Problem today is that the most of the volume control operator settings are set with software from the display screen. So that would require a change to stop the settings from going to zero volume. Fat chance Motorola would go out of their way to fix this. Can't get them to fix some of the simple issues they have created over the years. Why would they jump on a simple fix for volume control minimum audio levels on a dispatch package?

Jim

[Bill_G]

That is a standard function CSoft. Any element associated with a rx vol control has a minimum volume field. 0 = disabled meaning the channel can be muted with a volume slider. Entering values of -1 to -20 sets the maximum attenuation allowed. I set it to -20db putting it at one tenth the max which is generally acceptable. The function is overridden by the MUTE button if I place one on the desktop. Without a mute button, the master Select, Unselect, and Per-Channel sliders can only go down to the minimum setting. There is still the danger of the Per-Channel applying -20db, and the Unselect applying another -20db, putting the final minimum almost inaudible. But, I work with the customer get that balanced out.

It depends on how quiet the room is, and how many unselect speakers they have. If they are using the standard headset box, they get just the two PC speakers - Select and Unselect. If they use the Advanced headset box, they get up to six speakers - one dedicated to Select, and the remainder assigned as necessary. Like Motorola, when a channel is selected, the Per-channel slider goes to full, and the Master Select volume is the only volume control that works. And, CSoft can decode an emergency notification (mdc, dtmf, etc) that unmutes a channel, and sets the per-channel to full automatically.

[Bill_G]

I forgot to mention - I recall going through fleets adding resistors to vol pots to set min vol levels because people would leave them down. A somewhat futile exercise, but it made someone happy.

[Will]

I forgot to mention - I recall going through fleets adding resistors to vol pots to set min vol levels because people would leave them down. A somewhat futile exercise, but it made someone happy.

We did that same thing at many dispatch consoles or remotes. And a Police dispatch on the fire radio remote. Got a callout from the Fire dept Radio dead. Found three pieces of cardboard taped over the speaker. Seems the PD dispatcher did not want to hear the Fire dept radio traffic.

[Bill_G]

I forgot to mention - I recall going through fleets adding resistors to vol pots to set min vol levels because people would leave them down. A somewhat futile exercise, but it made someone happy.

We did that same thing at many dispatch consoles or remotes. And a Police dispatch on the fire radio remote. Got a callout from the Fire dept Radio dead. Found three pieces of cardboard taped over the speaker. Seems the PD dispatcher did not want to hear the Fire dept radio traffic.

I've found speaker wires cut on mobiles, and handset for remotes off hook. Pretty much mutes the speaker. Sometimes that minimum volume feature their boss wants doesn't translate well with the workers.

[motorola_otaku]

The MCC5500 system is disappointingly crippled compared to the MCC7100/7500 system. On a 7100/7500 system you can set minimum RX volume per resource all day long in Elite Admin (you can also specify a preset volume per resource that it will come up to when Elite Dispatch is restarted,) and depending on the polarity of the cable you can even prevent the speakers from being turned down all the way. I was also disappointed to discover on a MCC5500 that 2-tone won't go out over multiple resources when multi-selected or patched, and that you can't generate trunking call alerts or private calls.

The hardware architecture and the look/feel of the software is so radically different between the two products it's almost like the 5500 was designed by a completely different company.