Does the HT-300 need external amplification?

 

The HT-300 is equipped with an internal stereo speaker system with an output of around 10 watts per channel. This is typically similar to that of a small portable CD player or radio, so there is normally sufficient volume for use with a small group of people in a small room. For all other situations external amplification will be required.

Can we connect the HT-300 to our existing church sound system?

 

The HT-300 is equipped with stereo line level audio outputs, by means of a pair of standard 1/4" mono jacks. It can be connected to any system with a suitable audio input (the stereo outputs of the HT-300 can be combined together for use with mono sound systems).

The quality of the results you get will depend on whether your sound system was designed to reproduce music as well as speech. Many church sound systems utilise multiple small speakers, primarily designed for speech reinforcement, and are not suitable for high quality music reproduction.

Can the HT-300 be connected to our loop system (for the hearing-impaired)?

 

There is nothing to stop you, but this would be a bad idea for those wearing hearing aids. A pipe or electronic organ, piano or worship band is not commonly connected to the loop system because the output level would usually be uncomfortably high. However, it is often possible to leave a microphone switched on in order to allow a small amount of sound into the loop amplifier.

How long will it last?

 

The HT-300 uses the latest solid-state digital technology. Unlike a computer, midi file player or CD player there are very few mechanical components to wear out. The HT-300 has been tested without failure over many thousands of hours.

What should I do if it ever goes wrong?

 

Firstly, contact us. The vast majority of reported faults are actually an operational misunderstanding and can be resolved immediately.

If there is a fault, then the unit has to be returned to either our service centre or the service centre of the regional distributor, as applicable. We understand that many of our customers rely exclusively on their HT-300 for every service, so we aim to turn round all repairs in 24 hours or less.

How long will the HT-300 play for when using the (optional) battery pack?

 

A fully charged battery pack (HT-B3000) will typically power the HT-300 fro around 3 hours of playing time at half volume. The actual time achieved will depend on volume settings.

What is the range of the standard infra-red remote control handset?

 

The standard infra-red remote control handset works in exactly the same way as those typically supplied with a television. With fresh batteries and no interference from fluorescent light or very bright daylight range will be up to a maximum of about 30 feet.

Can I use additional/alternative memory cards?

 

In normal usage (playing its internal tunes and your own MIDI files) the HT-300's standard memory card will prove more than sufficient. However, if you want to store a large number of MP3 files you may need a bigger capacity card. Compatible cards are available from Hymn Technology Ltd, correctly pre-formatted for use with the HT-300.

Some generic compact flash cards are NOT compatible with the HT-300 and coud possibly cause a malfunction.

What is stored on the memory card?

 

As well as any of your own MIDI and MP3 files (and text files if the Video Output option is installed), the memory card stores any settings you enter into the HT-300 - play lists, user styles, options settings (volume, EQ etc) and default style.

Is there a factory reset button?

 

There is no need for one since the user cannot make any permanent changes to the tune library or preset styles.

Why is the speed (tempo) changed by a percentage?

 

There are two reasons for this. Firstly, we presume that the user has no musical knowledge, so metronome beats per minute (bpm) settings probably mean nothing (although the HT-300's play screen does show the current bpm). Changing the speed by 10 or 20% is likely to mean more to most people.

Secondly, the HT-300 plays standard midi files via its compact flash memory card. A midi file may contain speed changes at various points, and these changes are stored as absolute rather than relative values (rather daft, but there it is). Consequently a speed change to 90bpm will always be just that when the midi file is played on an ordinary midi file player, regardless of the initial speed selected for the tune. In reality, if the tune is played (for instance) 15% faster, then any speed changes should be affected similarly. The HT-300 treats all speed changes as relative, thereby producing a more musical result.