Question: How do I mount the ATND1061 Beamforming Ceiling Array Microphone?

Answer: In a previous article of our series on installing the ATND1061 Beamforming Ceiling Array Microphone we discussed flush mounting the microphone in a drop or hard ceiling. In this installment we will cover surface mounting the microphone.

Surface Mounting the Microphone on a Drop or Hard Ceiling

Tools needed: drill with appropriate drill bits for ceiling material.

Additional materials needed: The microphone does not come with screws needed for mounting on a surface. It is recommended that the microphone surface mount adapter be attached to a structural truss or stud. Appropriately rated wall anchors or toggle bolts can also be used if a truss or stud cannot be located.

Find a location on the ceiling where the microphone will be about equal distance from each talker in the room.

The cabling for the microphone should come through the surface at this point in the ceiling using a ceiling box or other grommet approved by local building codes.

Use the included installation template to mark the mounting holes and cable pass-through location.

The selected location on the ceiling should be able to support the weight of the microphone and any mounting hardware.

Using the surface mount adapter, verify that the holes line up and the mount is positioned correctly on the ceiling. Prepare the mounting holes and insert the appropriate screws or wall anchors and secure to the ceiling.

In this example, we have a wooden ceiling truss and an octagonal electrical box with network cable.

The surface mount adapter is placed over this octagonal box and two wood screws are used to secure the side of the surface mount adapter directly under the wood truss. Two metal toggle bolts are used to secure the other half of the adapter to the ceiling.

The included tile bridge can be used as a backer to span softer ceiling materials. The surface mount adapter is secured to the tile bridge through the ceiling material using the included M4 50 mm screws. If your ceiling material is thicker than 1½ inches (or 38 mm), longer M4 screws may be needed.

A seismic cable kit is provided. Use the studded screws on the back of the microphone to connect one end of the seismic cable. Attach the other end of the cable to another structure point within the ceiling.

Make any final cable terminations and cable tests.

Connect to the microphone.

Use the indicators on the surface mount adapter to properly orient the microphone. Align the microphone to the mount and click into place.

A zip tie is provided as an additional lock for securing the microphone to the mount.

The microphone is now ready to be powered on and configured.