IFB is how a producer talks to the host without anyone else hearing it. On set you will hear it called IFB, Comtek, earwig, or Voice of God. Same job, different hardware.
If you are booking talent comms in Dallas, you usually want one of two kits: a Lectrosonics IFB rental for producers at video village, or a Phonak Invisity earwig when the host cannot show a pack or a cable.
What IFB means
IFB stands for interruptible foldback (you will also hear interruptible feedback). The mixer sends program to a small receiver. A producer or director can interrupt that feed and talk straight into the talent’s ear.
News, reality, and live events use it constantly. The host hears the question, the next guest, or “wrap it.” The audience does not.
Comtek and Lectrosonics IFB
A classic IFB kit is a belt-pack receiver and an earpiece. Lectrosonics R1a and IFBlue packs are the ones we keep on the truck. They are rugged, they take a beating in a producer’s pocket, and you can hand out a pile of them at village.
That is the right rental when several people need to hear the mix and you do not care if a pack is visible. See the Lectrosonics wireless IFB kit.
Earwig, Phonak Invisity, and Voice of God
An earwig is a tiny in-ear receiver. No belt pack. No cable down the shirt. Phonak Invisity is the one productions ask for when the host is on camera and a Comtek would show.
Voice of God is the same idea used as a cue: a director or producer whispers blocking or copy into that earpiece. The kit we rent pairs the Invisity with a Comtek M-216 and a Shure 522 so the person calling the cue has a real mic, not a walkie held sideways. Details are on the Phonak Voice of God / Invisity page.
Which one to book
Village and producers: Lectrosonics IFB. On-camera host who cannot show a pack: Phonak Invisity. Many shows book both.
Tell booking the headcount and whether the receiver can be seen. We will put the right kit on the call sheet. Request an IFB or earwig rental.