Creating an Intercom
Last updated
Last updated
To create a new intercom system, head to your . Once there click the green 'Create Intercom' button in the top left corner of the page.
This will then bring up the intercom creation dialog
This is the name of your intercom system, it is unique and cannot contain any spaces, special characters or upper case letters. Underneath is a status box providing feedback on whether your chosen intercom name is available or not. When you first open the dialog, a sample intercom name is placed in the box for you.
This is where you can set a password on the room so that, should anyone stumble across your intercom system, you are protected from any unwanted disturbances. Passwords are stored in plain text and intended to be basic security for non-permenant periods of time - such as the duration of a show. Please do not use any passwords that protect your other accounts. This is a pro only feature, if you need password protection for an intercom you may want to consider subscribing to the Pro tier for a short period of time.
This is where the main configuration of the intercom is done and is the most complex part as there are a multitude of ways to configure the system based on your requirements.
In the first column of the matrix table you have the list of roles that are created in the intercom. The default is two roles created as 'Role 1' and 'Role 2'. A role can be seen as a user or group of users that needs access to certain roles, groups or channels but not others. This means that different people or groups of people only have access to the intercom buttons they need to.
You can rename any role by clicking the name and typing in the required name.
You can remove roles by clicking the '-' button at the bottom of the roles column, alternatively you can also add roles by clicking the '+' button in the same location.
Free intercoms are limited to two roles maximum. Should you require more, a subscription to the Pro tier is needed.
The first row of the matrix is dedicated to the channels. A channel can be defined as the actual intercom button that people have access to, to be able to talk or listen to others. A newly created intercom comes with the default channels of 'Channel 1', 'Channel 2' and 'Channel 3'.
Similarly to the 'Roles' column, channels can be renamed by clicking the channel name and typing the new name directly.
Channels can be added or removed from the system by clicking the '+' and '-' buttons on the right side of the channels row.
Free intercoms are limited to three channels maximum. Should you require more, a subscription to the Pro tier is needed.
The section of dropdown boxes in the middle of the table dictates which role has access to which channel. By default, every role is able to talk and listen to every channel.
The options for each role to channel combination are as follows:
Duplex (default): This mode allows for bidirectional communication. Roles with this mode can both talk and listen to the channel.
Listen: This mode means the role can only listen to the channel. They cannot talk into it. This is useful for showcall channels, cueing channels or PGM channels where the large majority of roles will need to listen but not talk.
Talk: This mode is the inverse of the above mentioned listen mode. This means that a role can talk into a channel, but cannot hear anyone else talking on the channel. This is useful for a director who needs to talk into a showcall channel, but does not need to listen as they are the only one able to talk into that channel.
Disabled: This mode removes the button completely from the roles intercom page/panel. The chosen role will not be able to talk into or listen to the channel, nor will it be visible to them in any way.
To make this easier to explain, the image below contains a common configuration:
For the 'Director' role, they have access to three channels. The Director can talk and listen to both the 'Production' and 'Talent' channels, and they can direct the production crew by talking into the 'Showcall' channel.
For the 'Technician' role, they only have access to two channels. They can talk and listen to the 'Production' channel, but they don't have access to the 'Talent' channel as only the 'Director' should be able to talk to the talent. The 'Technician' role can however listen to the 'Showcall' channel, but not talk into it. This allows a technician to go about their duties without disturbing or being disturbed by the talent. They also have the option to turn down the volume of the 'Production' channel to listen to the 'Showcall' channel as a priority to ensure no cues are missed. This two channel methodology allows the 'Technician' role to adjust the balance between a duplex channel with lots of activity, and one with just the Directors voice.
For the 'Host' role, they only have access to talk and listen to the 'Talent' channel. This means they are not distracted by or have the ability to distract anyone in the 'Technician' role, nor do they have the ability to speak in the Director only 'Showcall' channel. They only have access to talk and listen to their dedicated 'Talent' channel where they can have a two way conversation with the 'Director' role, which also has two way (Duplex) access to that channel.
Once you're happy with your configuration, click the 'Create Intercom' button at the bottom of the dialog. This will convert your configuration into an intercom system and redirect you straight into joining the system.
