The Power Of Interaction

Want feedback from lots of people fast?

That's just one of the many thing that Reply audience response systems are designed to do.

Welcome to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Your resource of answers to some commonly (and a few uncommonly) asked questions about Fleetwood Electronics Division products and services. The FAQS are laid out in the following order. Purchase FAQS, Audience Response Service FAQS, Keypad Rental FAQS. If you have any further questions then please email sales@teamtalk.co.uk

1. [Purchase] What Audience Response System do you sell?

   We sell the Reply brand of audience response system. The Reply brand of voting keypads is made by Fleetwood in the USA and they sell the keypads and base stations (receiver units) through their approved dealer chain. My company TeamTalk Consulting is their major non-USA dealer. The interactive voting softwares are developed by their dealers and there are more than 30 different voting softwares available for the Reply system - we sell most of these softwares and support them.

2. [Purchase] How do Reply® Voting Keypad systems work?

   At various times during a presentation of some sort, a multiple choice question is put to the audience via the projector screen. Each member of the audience has a wireless RF voting keypad with numerical buttons on it. The participants read the question, they read the answer choices and then they press the button that corresponds with the answer choice that they most agree with. The votes are rapidly gathered (anything from 100 to 250 votes per second) by the base station that is connected to the computer and the data is converted into a graph of some sort. The audience can then see from the generated graph what percentage of the audience (or how many people) voted for each option.

3. [Purchase] How can Interactive Voting systems be used?

   They are used wherever it is necessary to gather data quickly and accurately from a group. In education and training the voting systems can be used to measure comprehension and understanding, in surverys they can be used to gather hard data and in consulting type assignements they can be used to help facilitate discussion of issues affecting organisations. What ever the use though, audience response systems should be seen as a data gathering tool, it is the discussion though that is generated by the group discussing the results that gives interactive voting systems their strengths.

4. [Purchase] What exactly does an Audience Response system consist of?

   A Reply audience response system, as a bare minimum, consists of voting keypads, a base station (so called becasue it is both a receiver and a transmitter) and a copy of an interactive voting software. You also need a computer to run the system and a projector to project the computer screen image. If you use the Solo base station then you need neither the computer nor the projector. You can also have various optional extras such as hard or soft cases, enhanced memory connectors (IQ keypad only), power over internet systems (Plus systems only) and other accessories.

5. [Purchase] What about support for my Voting Keypad system?

   Got a question? Then contact us. The keypads and base stations have a 2 year back to Fleetwood warranty but we are flexible about this. If you have a failure within 2 years of buying your system contact us and we will say either "send it back to us and we will replace it" or we will suggest that the best thing would be for you to go through the Fleetwood repair process where you send it back to Fleetwood at your cost, they fix it and send it back to you at no cost. It really depends on the circumstances. Regarding software support, because the softwares have been developed by different dealers they have different upgrade policies which will be explained at the time of sending you a quote. We will deal with all software support issues so once again, any questions? Then contact us.

6. [Purchase] How compatible are newer Reply® Keypad products with older ones?

   If we look at Fleetwood made Reply systems then each type of keypad requires its own base station. Some Reply softwares allow multiple types of Reply keypad systems to be used at the same time thus allowing you to use all your keyapds. Some Reply voting softwares allowing mixing of all the Reply models, others don't. The Reply Worldwide and the now discontinued Standard keypad are totally compatible on Reply softwares as long as each type of keypad has its own base station.

7. [Purchase] How compatible are Reply® Audience Response systems with other brands?

   Highly uncompatible. There are though a couple of softwares that allow different manufacture keypads to be used with Reply systems. Let us have any questions that you have.

8. [Audience Response Service] How can an audience response system improve my event?

   By using an audience response system to gather information from, and generate discussion with, your audience you can actively engage the participants; you will keep them alive, alert and switched on. This will help make your event more interactive, more enjoyable and more memorable. To see examples of how you can do this for different types of meetings see the "Uses and Benefits" section on the main menu above.

9. [Audience Response Service] How do I order an audience response service? 

   Telephone us on +44 (0) 1908 526264 or Email sales@teamtalk.co.uk with your audience response service requirements telling us what you want in the way of equipment, when you want it, where you want it and what the conference subject is. We will probably contact you to ask a few questions and then we will send you a quote.
   

10. [Audience Response Service] We have placed a PO with you, now what? 

    We will need you to send us your questions, with any slide backgrounds 4 days in advance to allow us to program them into the system - we can of course do last minute changes on the day. We will also need final numbers before we ship the keypads - we will only charge you for the actual number of keypads sent and we will include a few spares. We will also need to finalise travel and accomodation details with you.

11. [Audience Response Service] What are the arrangements for the actual event?

    We turn up at the alloted time and place and set up our equipment, our computer should be treated as just another laptop to be added to the AV system - we do bring a spare with us so will need 2 SVGA feeds. We carry out our own checks and set-up procedures and regarding the AV system just need to check that our computers are "talking" to the AV system, testing the rest of our system does not interfere with the work of the AV company. We are there to take part in any rehersal and once these are finished and last minute changes made usually retire to bed to wake refreshed for the day (assuming that the rehersal and setup is the day before the event). We provide full results in picture and spreadsheet format once the event is over, and in many cases can provide results in our Event Analyzer reader to allow in depth analysis.

12. [Keypad Rental] How do I rent Reply® voting keypads?

    Let us know what model you want, how many you want and where you want them. We can deliver to any location in the UK and overseas.

13. [Keypad Rental] How do I rent Reply® voting keypads for the UK?

    We can deliver products to any location in the UK. You tell us where to deliver them and the safest place to deliver them will be to your office, we can though deliver to another venue such as a hotel. If you are not known to us We may require an advance payment and deposit. We deliver by courier. We can also arrange collection for the return journey. Be aware that although we insure the goods under our own insurance for the period where they are in transit to and from us, you will be responsible for all other insurance. This includes their receipt by an authorised person at the venue or your office, safe keeping during the event (and this includes responsibility for participants accidentaly walking away with any) and the handing over to our courier for the return trip. They remain your responsibility until they are physically signed for by our courier. If you use your courier to send them back then they remain your responsibility until we sign for them back at our location.

14. [Keypad Rental] How do I rent Reply® voting keypads within the European Union?

    We can ship to any location within the European Union without import or export paperwork. You tell us where to deliver them and the safest place to deliver them will be to your office, we can though deliver to another venue such as a hotel and will be happy to discuss detailed delivery arrangements with either your event manager,or Hotel representative. If you are not known to us We may require an advance payment and deposit. We deliver by courier (UPS). We can also arrange collection for the return journey.

    If delivery is to a hotel then we will supply you with all return waybills and instructions for the return of the keypads to us. You will need to pack up the keyapds for return and seal the boxes.You will then need to attach the return airway bills to the boxes and make arrangements for UPS to collect the boxes. You will need to call or arrange for someone (Hotel Concierge) to call UPS in country to collect them. They remain your responsibility until they are collected and signed for by UPS.

    If delivery is to an office then i is best if you use your courier to send themback.

    
    Be aware that although we insure the goods under our own insurance for the period where they are in transit to and from us, you will be responsible for all other insurance. This includes their receipt by an authorised person at the venue or your office, safe keeping during the event (and this includes responsibility for participants accidentally walking away with any) and the handing over to the courier for the return trip. They remain your responsibility until they are physically signed for by our courier. If you use your courier to send them back then they remain your responsibility until we sign for them back at our location.

15. [Keypad Rental] How do I rent Reply® voting keypads outside the European Union?

    Sending rental goods outside the European Union is rather more difficult as the Customs Department in the receiving country will want to ensure that all rules and regulations are complied with, and this usually measn they want to ensure that they get paid any import taxes and duties that are due. Some countries do not charge for temporary imports,others do. We wil not pay for any taxes or duties.

    We will not ship to a hotel in a non European Union country, only to an office of a properly registered company in the receiving country as they will be responsible for taxes and duties.It will be best if you contact us directly to arrange a rental in a non-European Union country. Pre-payment and a deposit might be required

    Be aware that although we insure the goods under our own insurance for the period where they are in transit to and from us, you will be responsible for all other insurance. This includes their receipt by an authorised person at the venue or your office, safe keeping during the event (and this includes responsibility for participants accidentally walking away with any) and the return of the goods via your courier and they remain your responsibility until we sign for them back at our location.

     
16. [Technology] Why are keypads better then dials for audience response applications?

    Group or audience response systems come in three general styles:

    • Telephone- or calculator-style keyboard
    • Typewriter keyboard (i.e., QWERTY)
    • Protruding Dial

    Most response systems adopt a keyboard that has a familiar ergonomic layout similar to your telephone or calculator. That makes them so simple to understand that anyone can use them immediately. Moreover, keyboard styles allow you to enter different types of individual response, ranging from multiple choice to multiple digits to text messages. For example, users can enter alphanumeric answers 10 to 72 characters long with Reply® products. Dials, which generally have a range of only three numeric characters, simply cannot perform this function.

    To understand why keyboards are the preferred style for meeting, training, and group survey applications, you simply need to consider the "human dynamic" of audience response. Participants in an interactive session are looking at a visual stimulus (i.e., question slide). When prompted to respond, they reorient to the response device to identify the selection, note on the response device that the selection was accepted, and look back to the visual display to view the graph of the group's response. Keypads are uniquely adept at that task, since users can quickly identify their selection and positively note the response was entered and accepted. On the other hand, dials use a graduated rheostat that makes it difficult to "lock in" the response. During a dial user's attempt to select the number using a "twisting/turning" motion, the user is concentrating on the display to ensure there is no error in the response selection. None of this difficult numeric selection or extended concentration is required with keypads.

    Granted, there are some select instances when response systems are used for more than Q&A. Sometimes response systems are used for analyzing a respondent's favor/disfavor to a stimulus with respect to time. This is called moment-to-moment polling (or perception analysis), and it is primarily limited to a very small part of market research that deals with video and audio analyses. Dials are sufficient for this task; however, they are not the only style of response system that can perform the moment-to-moment function. For example, standard and custom Reply® products have raised borders, raised surfaces, and/or special layouts (such as linear key layout or touch sensitive slider) to help users easily identify the appropriate key during special applications that require uninterrupted concentration on a specific stimulus. More importantly, select Reply® systems can timestamp responses up to a resolution of 1/20th of a second...something contemporary dial systems cannot do.

    Of these styles, keypads have been most readily accepted as the premier audience response tool. This is no unsubstantiated claim, since more than 3.5 MILLION wireless keypads using Reply® technology are now in the market.

17. [Custom Products] Can I put our logo on the Reply® keypad or otherwise personalize it?

    Yes. Custom keyboards and logo decals are available in minimum quantity purchases. This cost is in addition to the normal cost of the wireless keypad.

    Since these special keyboards and labels are purchased 'bulk', the cost per custom item varies according with the size of the order. The style of customization also influences price. Here's how.

    To provide the most distinctive product differentiation, you can replace the entire keyboard with another one that's lithoed with different key symbols, colors, customer logos, etc. However, this will be the most expensive option. For example, an order of 1000 custom marked/colored membranes for Reply® IQ would add approx. $15 per keypad.

    A more affordable alternative is available on systems like Reply® (Worldwide). A small label -- either provided by Fleetwood or locally sourced by the customer -- can be applied within the display's cutout area. Such private branding could run under $3 per pad, even in relatively small quantities. That makes it affordable for purchase as well as special event rental uses.

    Without exception, all bulk purchased custom items must be prepaid. This is because they are unique to the buyer. Also, there is a lead time for such customization.

    If you are interested in custom membranes, please email us sales@teamtalk.co.uk .

18. [Regulatory Compliance] What are RoHS and WEEE, and how do those EU directives affect electronics products like Reply?

    The European Union (EU) created environmental legislation in 2003 that restricts the use of certain hazardous substances in electronic equipment. This legislation took effect in July 2006. This directive is known as Regulation of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). The list of hazardous substances affected by the legislation includes Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Chromium. These substances are presently found in the vast majority of printed circuit boards as well as components placed on them.

    Additionally, the EU enacted recycling legislation known as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) to both conserve landfill area and support more sustainable development by providing an impetus to increase recycling. WEEE registration started August 2005.

    US environmental legislation has followed suit. Similar to the EU initiatives, legislation regarding hazardous substances in electronic equipment has already been enacted in more than twenty US states.

    All electronics manufacturers who sell their products are affected by these regulations. To better serve our valued customers and prospects, Fleetwood became an early adopter of the RoHS and WEEE directives.

    For more information about our compliance activities, please contact us.

19. [Technology] How well do your RF systems operate in the presence of other wireless devices and avoid interference?

    Extremely well, mainly because Fleetwood's special circuit designs and patented radio protocols are thoughtfully designed for that purpose. 

    Fleetwood build two kinds of systems: licensed and unlicensed. Obviously, our licensed systems operate far away from the clutter of Wi-Fi, cell phones, and even competitive audience response keypad products. On the other hand, our unlicensed systems must operate in close proximity with a variety of similarly unlicensed RF products – wireless network hubs, cordless phones, Bluetooth equipped PCs and peripherals, and other commercial wireless devices. But that’s not a problem for either Reply-brand or OEM-brand systems that Fleetwood designs and manufactures. And here’s why.

    All of Fleetwood's new wireless products that operate in unlicensed frequency bands (2.4 GHz, for example) employ proprietary spread spectrum communication protocols. What Fleetwood is doing for the Reply and OEM customers is innovative to say the least, and recent patent awards – plus several more patents pending – support that claim. Moreover, their specialized communications methods are proven to be exceptionally tolerant of the interference that commonly occurs in unlicensed bands. That’s because:

    • Reply systems set up a secure network that doesn’t talk or listen anything like commercial devices that use standardized radio protocols. That means other RF devices don’t mess with our systems, and our systems are designed -- and certified by competent major regulatory agencies -- not to mess with them.
    • Reply systems also use a unique frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) method that is certified by the world’s major radio communications certification bodies. FHSS is highly immune to interference and aerial interception. Basically, we’re not talking or listening on an interfering frequency long enough to either be bothered or cause any bother.
    • Reply devices are synchronized so that a vote/response sent is indeed a vote/response received. This orderly method of communications has several advantages over asynchronous methods (even when those disorderly alternative methods are standards-based). Also, visual displays on each keypad we build acknowledge data transfer success to the user.

    Here's another important point. There really are two kinds of RF interference to be concerned about. One is what we just discussed, that is, something caused by other RF devices. Another is self-induced interference. This is common to products that do not use time division multiplexing (TDM) methods. TDM methods assign a private communications 'time slot' to each response device. That 'time slot' is defined, repeatable, and predictable to make a TDM system inherently reliable. That's pretty important if a system wishes to avoid collisions of radio signals that are generated by its own multiple devices trying to send data simultaneously.

    Fleetwood products use patented Reply polling methods in combination with TDM to avoid data collisions when keypads are trying to talk to base stations (and vice versa). When thousands of pads are in a room, and all are trying to respond to a question in a couple of seconds, you don’t want congested airways or log jams at the base station that delay response collection. Those kinds of compromising situations can affect RF group response devices that do not use TDM. (And the greater the number of simultaneously transmitting keypads, the greater the potential for such problems.)

    So if you’re concerned about interference, remember that not all RF is the same. Make sure your audience response system frequency hops to avoid the interference posed by other RF devices. Also, look for one the uses a TDM method to prevent it from interfering with itself.

    And don’t blindly trust in commercial RF protocols, since many of those protocols were standardized for low volume networking and/or are not synchronized. Many of those alternatives depend on multiple transmissions to send data in hopes of that critical data eventually getting through to the base station. Their implementation might be characterized as follows: the more devices, the more retransmissions, the more data, the more potential for self-interference. That makes them inherently noisy, and it adds an element of chance to their solution.

    We’d like you to avoid both of these interference problems. You can with the systems we build. Give us a call. Let’s interact.

© 2008 TeamTalk Consulting Ltd

Privacy policy and Disclaimer