AnnounceBot outputs standard analog audio — which means it works with the vast majority of school PA systems. Here's how to know for sure, and how to connect it.
Most school PA systems are some variation of these three. Find yours below to see how AnnounceBot connects.
The most common setup in Australian schools
A central amplifier unit drives ceiling or wall speakers via a 100-volt line. The amp typically lives in the admin block or tuck shop office. It will have an Aux In or Line In socket on the front or rear panel — that's where the iPad connects.
Common in schools with a hall or performance space
A mixing desk handles all audio sources, feeding a separate power amplifier. The mixer will have a spare input channel — plug the iPad in there. Use it just like any other line-level source.
Found in newer school builds
Digital PA systems (Bosch, TOA, Redback IP) distribute audio over a network to smart speakers. Most modern systems still include at least one analog aux input for exactly this kind of integration — check your system's controller unit or contact your installer.
Everything you need is off-the-shelf. Set it up once and forget about it.
For bells, tones, and live announcements
Plug into the iPad's USB-C port. The Apple USB-C to 3.5mm adapter works perfectly — so do most third-party ones.
~$15 AUDRun a cable from the adapter to the amp. Use a 3.5mm TRS to dual RCA cable for RCA inputs, or a 3.5mm to 6.35mm (¼″) adapter for a mixer channel.
~$12 AUDNot Mic In — the signal level is different and it'll sound distorted. Look for a label like Aux In, Line In, or CD In.
Then use the amp's input gain to dial in the level. This keeps the iPad's signal clean with headroom to spare.
Using a cheap USB-C breakout box
A small USB-C hub with a 3.5mm headset jack gives the iPad a combined mic + audio output port. Look for one with a TRRS 3.5mm socket.
~$20–35 AUDPlug a standard 3.5mm TRRS headset or lapel mic into the breakout box's audio port. The box separates the mic signal from the audio out.
~$20–50 AUDUse the box's headphone or line-out port to run a cable to the amp's aux input — the same way you'd connect the iPad directly.
Hold-to-talk captures from the mic input automatically. The built-in DSP — EQ and compression — applies to everything going out through the breakout box.
Tell us what PA system you have and we'll let you know exactly what cables and adapters you need.
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