Synching mutliple playback devices eg mp3 players

[Companda]

Hi all,

I've been asked to look into some options for a project in multiple locations and was wondering if anyone had come across a solution in there travels that is cost effective.
It's a Dance piece and the sound designer would like to have his design played back to each audience member through headphones.
The dance takes place across 5 or 6 different locations throughout the city with everyone travelling on foot from location to location. They are allowing for 50 to 100 people audiences.
What the sound designer basically wanted was this simple (on paper) signal flow. Trigger --> mp3 players (x100) --> Headphones. The mp3 player and the headphones are easy. Does anyone know of a triggering system that could hook up to mp3 players so they all played at the same time. itrips etc have been considered but could prove unreliable and is pretty poor sound quality.

Any suggestions/alternatives.

[Hic&Nunc]

Wow, that's tricky ...

I would consider streaming the piece on the internet and ask the audience to get connected by wi-fi on the stream.

Or try to have a local radio involved into the project, brodcasting the sounds on air ...

Good luck!

[hbphotoav]

Sounds like a job for an array of iPod Touch and a WiFi stream you can trigger. I'm certain the grant money will flow toward that solution... Only other thing I could suggest would be one of those UHF "hearing assist" systems (I doubt infrared would work outside) rigged to be portable.

[huub]

Why mp3 players??

There's companies that rent out wireless systems for what you need.. Usualy FM receivers (cheapest, halfway decent sound quality)

you could do this yourself.. rent an FM transmitter and buy lots of cheap little radios..

[NorseHorse]

Many folks have done something similar all across the country. You put the mp3 up on the Internet with instructions to "Download, but do not play." Meet at the predetermined location at the predetermined time. When the leader gives the signal, everyone hits PLAY on the MP3 players, and the fun begins.

It'd be a little more difficult to do spontaneously, but as has been mentioned above, audio-tour technology is probably the way to go.

[Companda]

you could do this yourself.. rent an FM transmitter and buy lots of cheap little radios..

Yeah this is looking like my best option. I was hoping there might be some sort of bluetooth option to connect to mp3 players but cheap mp3 players don't have bluetooth....

Many folks have done something similar all across the country. You put the mp3 up on the Internet with instructions to "Download, but do not play." Meet at the predetermined location at the predetermined time. When the leader gives the signal, everyone hits PLAY on the MP3 players, and the fun begins.

Yeah we considered this but they want it in synch, especially since audience members can come along at anytime. The dancers will also need ear phones etc. Also it won't be one continuous piece but many different ones going.

I wanted to steer clear of radio signals but it's looking like the most cost effective way.