Warning IDentifier
Most visitors hand in their Podcatcher Classic after the tour, but some forget. This page shows how to make the device sound a warning signal to remind them. There are two ways to set it off, and you can use either, neither or both:
- Warning IDentifier — an infrared transmitter near the exit.
- Idle-time alarm — a setting that sounds the signal when the device has not played audio for a while during a tour.
Warning IDentifier
Section titled “Warning IDentifier”The Warning IDentifier is a mains-powered IDentifier that sends a warning code. Place it near the exit, so visitors hear the signal at the right moment.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Devices are more likely to be handed in over time, especially when they hang on a lanyard or wristband. | Infrared hardly passes through cloth or leather. A Podcatcher Classic in a bag or pocket will not sound the signal. |
| Your staff know which visitors to ask to return their device before they leave the building. |
Test it
Section titled “Test it”- Plug the adapter into a power socket and the adapter plug into the 9V DC input of the Warning IDentifier. You only need this cable — the RCA connector on the back stays empty.
- The 2 LEDs on the back blink green for a few seconds. Then the Warning IDentifier starts transmitting.
- Check the LEDs: the top LED is red and the bottom LED flashes green each time a code is sent (about 4 times per second).
- Take a Podcatcher Classic out of the Dockingstation and walk into range. The warning signal sounds for about 120 seconds.
Visitors can stop the signal by pressing any button, but it starts again as long as they are still in range.
Set the range
Section titled “Set the range”The red/white switches on the back set the transmission power. A change takes effect immediately. Each step adds about 2–3 meters of range.
| Switches up (all others down) | Intensity |
|---|---|
| 1 | 25% |
| 1 and 2 | 50% |
| 1, 2 and 3 | 75% |
| 1, 2, 3 and 4 | 100% |
Mount it
Section titled “Mount it”A Podcatcher Classic only reacts when it is in line of sight of the Warning IDentifier — infrared cannot pass through objects. It works best when the device is pointed towards it.
- Near an exit — mount it on the ceiling, facing the visitors inside the building, so people walking towards the exit come into range.
- Near an entrance — face it outwards. Facing inwards, it would also set off the devices at your handout desk.
Try a few positions and angles until it reaches the devices without disturbing normal operations.
Idle-time alarm
Section titled “Idle-time alarm”A Podcatcher Classic can also sound the warning signal when it is in a tour but has not played audio for a while. This is off by default.
To turn it on, go to Site settings → Podcatcher V3 in the Platform and set Podcatcher idle time before alarm starts (minutes).
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| The signal always sounds after a while unless the device is handed in. | Too short and visitors get annoyed. Too long and they may already be on their way home. |
| If devices are collected in a drop-off box instead of Dockingstations, they all start sounding over time. |
Play audio after the warning signal
Section titled “Play audio after the warning signal”You can make a Podcatcher Classic play a Stop after the warning signal ends (after its full duration or after a button press) with a Post-Alarm trigger on that Stop. The audio plays in the language of the visitor’s tour.
Downloads
Section titled “Downloads”Related articles
Section titled “Related articles”- IDentifiers for Podcatcher Classic — all IDentifier types
- Installing IDentifiers — placement and mounting
- Visitor instructions for the Podcatcher Classic — handout and intake sheet
- Podcatcher V3 settings and autostart — the alarm settings