uMP3g3 ShowTime Mini director / FM Transmitter Interference issues

[Bhanson]

I have used the same set up for the last 3 seasons without issue.  My transmitter and Mini director were connected via a 4ft auxiliary cable and housed in the same weather proof metal enclosure approx. 2ft above my master LOR unit.  I began having trouble last week when the show completely stopped and I found that the display screen on my LOR unit was completely scrambled and flashing.  I went thru all of the obvious trouble shooting issues, turning the LOR unit off and back on again, checking connections, ejecting the SD card, checking data wiring etc.  I even swapped out LOR units and the mini director.  In the process I figured out that the issue would immediately start back up when I got the mini director in close proximity to the FM transmitter while it was powered up.  I purchased a 18 ft auxiliary cable and separated the two, but have still had it glitch on me once since then. This time the LOR screen correctly showed the unit number but showed "no conn".  The lights were still blinking, but the music had stopped.  I was able to just unplug the data cable at the mini director and plug it back in again and everything went back to normal.  I haven't had an issue the last two nights, but I have had someone literally sitting right next to the controller all night "just in case".  The FM transmitter is not the "whole house" transmitter that LOR sells. I have one of those, but it doesn't have the range that I needed, as my display is a drive thru and around 600 ft in length.  I swapped out the transmitter I was using, in case there was some sort of internal issue going on with it and replaced it with an identical back up unit that I already had, still new in the box, but got the same results.  

Anyone else ever have interference issues like this or have any other ideas?  I have even considered wrapping the mini director in foil to possibly "shield" it from the interference.

I realize that trying a completely different brand FM transmitter may be the only route, but thought there may be something obvious that I can do to alleviate the problem using the equipment that I already own.

 

 

[danbeveridge]

Thank you for posting this!  After doing lor for quite a few years with few bumps I was about ready to hang it up.   After going through everything you mentioned- many frustrating times- I looked on here for a solution.  Although I had gone through everything I thought I may have done differently, it completely passed me by that I had purchased a much higher out put transmitter.  Long story short- moved the unit and antenna- problem solved! Thank you Again And merry Christmas!

[k6ccc]

Yes, it is certainly possible that the better transmitter is interfering with the director or controller.

I assume that the other transmitter has an external antenna connection (as opposed to a wire hanging out the case like the Whole Room Transmitter).  If that is the case, get the antenna away from the LOR equipment.  If it was a few years ago, I would give you a Radio Shack par number for the piece of coaxial cable, but they are no more.  If you can't remote the antenna, (no cable available for example), move the transmitter and antenna away from the LOR equipment.  I realize that may create waterproofing issues for you.

 

[Orville]

Is the Mini Director electronics built inside a plastic housing?

Reason I ask is I have a high power FM Transmitter and it was initially installed inside the same weatherproof box that my older DC-MP3 Director was inside of.  Never had any issues at all.   2020 I bought a new G4 Director for it's multi-network capability and also to free up my computer, initially both were inside the same housing, still no issues with that set-up at all.

However, both my Director units electronics were both inside metal cases, they were the full Directors with real time clocks.

So that's why I wonder if the Mini Director units are encased with a plastic housing instead of metal, as I think that could make a difference in interference issues as well.  So wrapping the Mini in foil, if plastic, might actually be a good idea to shield it.

And my FM Transmitter uses a rubber ducky style antenna, replaced the telescoping antenna that came with it {it allowed it to reach out way too far {5 mile radius}, so it was replaced with the flexible, smaller rubber ducky antenna.  And that cut the range down to where it needed to be.  And the transmitter was put in it's own weatherproof box this year, however, the FM Transmitter and Director weatherproof boxes are still somewhat close to each other, they are 18" {1'6"} apart, and the rubber ducky antenna protrudes out of the transmitters box and is more or less, on the side closest to my Director.  Transmitter box on the left, Director box to the right.    My shows have been running now for close to a week and there have been no interference issues with my set-up whatsoever.

 

[hasslerk]

Not quite the same thing, but I had audible interference on my "Whole House FM Transmitter" which probably distracted me more than any of my audience, but this year I added clip-on ferrite magnets (from amazon) around both the 120V power cord as well as the supply line out of the power cube to the transmitter and it is astounding the difference it made; to me it is perfect.  My transmitter is in the same plastic housing as my G3-MP3 director, and I run a power cord from a completely different electrical circuit (aka different breaker) to help isolate it from all the noise on the line from all the controllers.

[Orville]

3 hours ago, hasslerk said:

Not quite the same thing, but I had audible interference on my "Whole House FM Transmitter" which probably distracted me more than any of my audience, but this year I added clip-on ferrite magnets (from amazon) around both the 120V power cord as well as the supply line out of the power cube to the transmitter and it is astounding the difference it made; to me it is perfect.  My transmitter is in the same plastic housing as my G3-MP3 director, and I run a power cord from a completely different electrical circuit (aka different breaker) to help isolate it from all the noise on the line from all the controllers.

I put those on my audio out feed from my Director to my transmitter MP3 input.  Have them on both ends of my audio cable.