This is a complete reference to the on-screen menu of the THEOS DBTX bodypack transmitter. It starts with the DBTX main screen and then walks through every menu item in order, with the options the manual lists for each. To open the menu, press the Menu key on the transmitter, use the up and down keys to move through the list, and press the Menu key again to confirm a selection.
The DBTX Main Screen
The main screen shows the transmitter's live status at a glance. Each element maps to a setting you can change from the menu below.
- Recording Status: the red dot indicates whether the transmitter is recording to its internal card.
- Device Name: the transmitter's name (default DBTX), set under DID.
- Transmission Power: the current RF power level, set under RF POWER.
- Bluetooth Connection Status: shows whether the device is connected over Bluetooth.
- Microphone Mute: shows when the microphone is muted.
- Battery Capacity: remaining battery, calculated using the type set under BATTERY.
- Timecode Information: the running timecode, set under TC SYNC.
- Frequency Point (Information Color Identification): the current frequency, highlighted in the color that identifies this channel. Set under FREQ.
- Microphone Level: the input meter, from -40 to 0.
- Microphone Gain: the current input gain, set under GAIN.
Two features have their own shortcut screens that live outside the main menu: long press the up arrow key to open the recording interface, and long press the down key to open the timecode interface. For the full list of press-and-hold shortcuts, see [THEOS] Menu Shortcuts.
Menu Reference
FREQ
Sets the transmitter's frequency point. You can set the frequency manually, or pair with the receiver. Under FREQ you choose PAIR or MANUAL: when the DBTX enters PAIR, the D2RX also enters PAIR mode and the two devices pair automatically. Choose MANUAL to enter a frequency point by hand.
For the easiest way to get both devices onto a clean channel, see [THEOS] How to Scan & Pair. To understand the frequency values and legal bands, see [THEOS] Frequency Settings & Legal Bands.
GAIN
Adjusts the microphone input gain. Gain can be increased by up to 30dB. Higher gain raises the level of the input signal, so set it to keep a healthy level on the meter without clipping.
For a full walkthrough of setting clean levels across the transmitter and receiver, see [THEOS] Gain Staging.
LEVEL
Switches the driving voltage supplied to the microphone. There are two options, so you can match the power supply to the type of source you connect:
- MIC: for microphone-level sources.
- LINE: for line-level sources.
TC SYNC
Sets the timecode and its operation mode. Under MODE you can choose how the transmitter handles timecode:
- OFF: timecode is off.
- AUTO: the default setting, which automatically recognizes the wired or wireless timecode for synchronization.
- ONCE: synchronizes the timecode once and then locks it. After locking, the timecode is not synchronized again until you release the lock by switching modes.
- FREE: the device runs its own timecode. It does not support restart timecode and does not accept external timecode signals.
You can also set the frame rate for timecode recording: 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 29.97DF, or 30 (DF stands for drop frame). The system default is 25, so it helps to set the correct rate in advance. Use JAM to synchronize over the 3.5mm cable when no wireless timecode device is nearby, and use the A to H timecode group so that only devices in the same group synchronize. Select SET to manually enter a starting timecode and start it running. For the complete setup, see [THEOS] How to Set Up Timecode.
REC MODE
Sets the parameters for the built-in recording to the memory card. You can set the recording bitrate to 24-bit or 32-bit float. You can also choose the default recording status:
- ALWAYS: starts recording automatically after power on, and stops and saves the file automatically at power off.
- MANUAL: the default status. You start and stop recording by hand.
- SYNC REC: when enabled, recording starts automatically after a manual recording plus timecode synchronization. When SYNC REC is turned off, recording does not start automatically after timecode sync. If the device is already recording when the timecode syncs, stop recording first, then adjust the sync, since recording does not start automatically after synchronization.
Note: When the region is the United States, the RF function and the recording function cannot be used at the same time. For more on how these modes behave, see [THEOS] Recording Modes.
RF POWER
Chooses the RF transmission power. Select the power that suits your range and that meets the requirements of your legal frequency band. The options are OFF, 10mW, 25mW, and 50mW.
Note: When the region is the United States, the RF function and the recording function cannot be performed at the same time.
LOW CUT
Sets a high-pass (low cut) filter to reduce low-frequency rumble. There are four options: OFF, 75Hz, 100Hz, and 150Hz.
DID
Changes the name of the device. Use the up and down keys to select the characters to adjust, then press the OK key to save. Press the Back key to restore the previous name. The device name shown here appears on the main screen.
FILE
Lets you view and play back the recorded files on the memory card. Use the up and down keys to choose a file to play. Only files recorded on the current device can be viewed here.
LED
Turns the three LED indicators on the device on or off, so you can dim the transmitter for discreet use on set.
MONITOR
Turns the monitoring function on or off and sets the monitoring output volume. Monitoring is on by default. The LEVEL can be set from 1 to 11, where the gain of each step is as follows:
| Level | Gain | Level | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -9dB | 7 | -3dB |
| 2 | -8dB | 8 | -2dB |
| 3 | -7dB | 9 | -1dB |
| 4 | -6dB | 10 | 0dB |
| 5 | -5dB | 11 | +3dB |
| 6 | -4dB |
BT
Turns the Bluetooth function on or off. Bluetooth is on by default. Select RESET and confirm YES to reset Bluetooth; when the SUCCESS message appears, the reset is complete. The screen also shows the MAC address, the Bluetooth physical address of the device. It is the unique identification code assigned at the factory and distinguishes one device from another when connecting over Bluetooth from your phone.
BATTERY
Sets the battery type in use so the transmitter can calculate the remaining battery life more accurately. There are four options:
- Deity AA: DEITY lithium iron battery.
- Alkaline: a traditional alkaline battery.
- Lithium: a 1.5V stabilized lithium battery.
- NiMH: a 1.2V Ni-MH rechargeable battery.
SYSTEM
Groups the device-level settings. The SYSTEM submenu contains:
- SCREEN: sets how long the screen stays lit when the device is idle. There are four options, Never, 15s, 1min, and 5min. The system defaults to 15s and keeps your last choice after the first use.
- BRIGHTNESS: sets the screen brightness across five steps. The default is the brightest, step 5, and the system keeps your last setting.
- SD CARD: shows the storage space used on the memory card. Select FORMAT and confirm YES to format the card; the SUCCESS message means formatting is complete. Formatting a card in the device before use gives higher recording stability.
- READER: connect the device to a computer with the data cable to transfer the recorded files.