Configuring an external AEC reference channel

TeamConnect Ceiling devices can use an external AEC (Acoustic Echo Cancellation) reference channel (remote participant / far end signal) to temporarily stop the automatic dynamic beamforming while the far end signal is present on the loudspeakers in the room.

The dynamic beam will point down by 90° in this far end mode. This feature can be helpful for specific solutions where the AEC algorithm struggles with a dynamic reference signal.

The external AEC reference channel will be sent from the DSP to the Dante input of the TeamConnect Ceiling device.

Requirements
  1. TeamConnect Ceiling 2 with firmware version 1.3.4 or higher supports an AEC reference channel on the Dante ports.
  2. Make sure that the Dante firmware of the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 is updated to version 1.1.0 or higher.
  3. Route the AEC reference channel to the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 input via Audinate‘s Dante Controller software.
Best practice recommendation
From our experience, the following procedure should work for most scenarios.
  1. Leave the Dante input level of the TeamConnect Ceiling 2/ TeamConnect Ceiling Medium at the factory value of 0 dB.
  2. Start from a minimum output gain of the DSP on the reference channel so the automatic dynamic beamforming can work normally.
  3. Verify this by talking in the room and observing the beam position in the Control Cockpit. The far end needs to be inactive at this point.
  4. Then, while the far end remains inactive, start increasing the output gain of the DSP slowly until you see the beam orientation of the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 / TeamConnect Ceiling Medium drop/toggle to 90°.
  5. At this point, decrease the reference channel output gain of the DSP by 15 to 18 dB in order to get some headroom for the far end detection.
  6. Optionally, adjust the Dante input level of the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 / TeamConnect Ceiling Medium if that is more convenient than adjusting the output gain of the DSP.
The external AEC reference channel has been configured.