AV Issue 29

issue #29 $6.95

BIG SCORE: PERTH ARENA OPENS CHILDREN’S THEATRE: RAISING THE MONKEY BAA CUNNING STUNTS: WHEN THE CIRCUS HIT TOWN ACROSS THE SPECTRUM: MANAGING WIRELESS PART 1

SIMPLICITY REALISED. Centraverse Installed Sound Microphones TM

Shure Centraverse™ (CV) Installed Sound Microphones deliver high quality, reliable audio no matter what the application is. From meeting rooms to houses of worship, podiums to desktops, CV microphones come complete with all you need to ensure a quick and efficient sound solution with: - Commshield® RF Filtering Technology to guard against unwanted RF Interference from portable wireless devices like cell phone - ”Plug n’ Play” for easy setup and installation - Mute Switch with LED / Top Light Ring Indication on gooseneck microphones for perfect audio control - Standard and Desktop Base* Gooseneck Options with attached inline pre-amplifier (*XLR Desktop base available as optional accessory) CV microphones are available in Australia now.

Learn more at www.jands.com.au

Distributed by

www.jands.com.au

Boundary

Overhead

Gooseneck

HDCP-Compliant Scaler with Seamless Switching

DVS 605 AD

NOW SHIPPING!

Extron DVS 605 The Extron DVS 605 is a high performance, HDCP-compliant video scaler that includes three HDMI and two universal analog video inputs, and simultaneous HDMI and analog high resolution outputs. Create professional quality AV presentations with true seamless switching and flexible picture-in-picture capability. The DVS 605 streamlines system integration and operation with Auto Input Format Detection and ultra-fast source switching with continuous EDID management and HDCP authentication. With advanced Extron 30-bit video processing to deliver optimized scaling quality, the DVS 605 is ideal as the integration centerpiece for incorporating digital and analog AV sources.

Key Features: • Integrates HDMI, RGB, HDTV, and video sources into presentation systems • Three HDMI inputs and two universal analog video inputs • SpeedSwitch™ Technology provides exceptional switching speed for HDCP-encrypted content • Auto Input Format Detection and auto-switching between inputs • Key Minder® continuously authenticates HDCP-compliant devices for quick and reliable switching • EDID Minder® automatically manages EDID communication, ensuring that all sources reliably output content to the display • Enhance AV presentations with true seamless switching and advanced PIP - picture-in-picture • Simultaneous outputs for HDMI and analog RGB or HD component video • Flexible system control options including RS-232, Ethernet, USB, contact closure, and front panel controls

Australian Distributor of Extron Products

Free Call 1800.EXTRON

DVS 605 A & DVS 605 AD audio features: Adjustable input gain and attenuation HDMI audio embedding and de-embedding Selectable audio delay Audio breakaway HDMI Audio Embedding

Any audio input

May be sent to the HDMI output to accompany the video

HDMI Audio De-Embedding

Audio accompanying any HDMI input

May be sent to the analog or digital audio output

www.extron.com

+65.6383.4400

‘NOW YOU CAN COMPARE APPLES WITH APPLES’

Now with the world’s first and only AV equipment comparison tool www.av-iq.com.au Powered by

REFRESH YOUR SYSTEM

A single rack unit: High power output and superb audio performance: Armonia Pro Audio SuiteTM software.

Technology and design made in Italy.

Technology and design made in Powersoft. 速

www.powersoft-audio.com Production Audio Video Technology Pty. Ltd P. (03) 9264 8000 info@productionaudio.com.au www.productionaudio.com.au Production Audio Services (New Zealand) P. +64 (0) 9272 8041 sales@productionaudio.com.nz www.productionaudio.com.nz

06

Editorial Projecting a square peg onto a round hole

On the front cover of this issue we feature another exciting example of something the AV industry, and the Australian AV industry in particular, has become very good at – mapped projection.

In the time-honoured tradition of audiovisual applications, the family of technologies involved with mapped projection has developed from a handful of inappropriately-applied CAD, graphic design, surveying, photographic and mechanical disciplines into its own fully-fledged application area with an ecosystem of designers, creative, suppliers, application specialists, consultants, hardware and software vendors, project managers and marketing jargon.

In a similar development, blended multiimage panoramic projection was until quite recently a black art, practiced only by highly skilled artisans. However, today it’s available in a selection of hands-off automated and semiautomated forms from several vendors.

Now we’re seeing a similar transition beginning with mapped projection. As more elements of the survey, mapping, distribution and

projection processes are becoming standardised, or at least repeatable, the likelihood of an image mapping project being brought in within a reasonable budget is increasing. Day by day more 3D information about existing buildings is released into the public domain while at the same time, I expect the rapidly-rising interest in 3D printing and the associated object scanning processes will lead to consumer-priced automated building scanners very soon. Naturally, everybody who previously aspired to supply or use the technology but couldn’t afford the price of entry is looking at it again and salivating. Thus begins another race to the bottom.

While projects like the dodecahedron on the closing of the Sydney Olympics, the record-setting Moscow Day show on the façade of Moscow State University and the Christmas projection on the façade of Melbourne Town Hall continue to be complex, and thus expensive to produce, only organisations with big budgets will have the money to spend on such projects. More importantly, along with such budgets come PR agencies anxious to protect the clients’ ‘brand’,

expenditure oversight committees, auditors and various forms of corporate governance to ensure the organisation gets a decent bang for its mapped projection buck. There’s been a general client and community interest in doing an impressive job at a high standard.

However, once mapped projection is released into the wild and Jim’s Mapped Projection franchises are operating across our cities and towns, you can expect to see every pub and club being transformed into a jackpot-spouting pokie machine with coins tumbling through every window, and every telephone shop (yes, all those video rental stores have re-opened as phone shops or Thai restaurants) being mapped into smartphones, with monthly model updates as part of the bundle.

Making a technology widely available only ever puts it in the hands of the under-skilled and the under-talented. At that point the 99 per cent rule invariably applies.  Andy Ciddor, Editor: andy@av.net.au

we are family

VIsIt us at stanD XX

be a part of our family over 60 products across 13 series of projectors, panels and touch screens

pro.sony.com.au

Crew Derek is an audiovisual consultant with AVDEC, specialising in tertiary education projects.

Starting in broadcast TV and radio at the ABC, he bounced between event AV and video production before settling for 12 years at the University of Queensland. He is past president of the Association of Educational Technology Managers and has been a regular judge of the AVIA awards. He now divides his time between consulting, writing and the occasional video production assignment.

Advertising Office: (02) 9986 1188 PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086

Editorial Office: (03) 5331 4949 PO Box 295, Ballarat, VIC 3353

Editor: Andy Ciddor (andy@av.net.au) Publication Director: Stewart Woodhill (stewart@av.net.au)

Robert is a composer in the film and TV industries and a freelance journalist fascinated by all things technical in the audiovisual world. His music can be heard accompanying every FoxSports and Channel Nine commercial promoting the ARU Wallabies’ matches in 2012, and his articles can also be found in FineMusic and AudioTechnology magazines. In 2010 Robert co-founded a post-production company called Aurigami, which has produced music and sound design for television commercials, documentaries, feature films and video games.

Editorial Director: Christopher Holder (chris@av.net.au) Publisher: Philip Spencer (philip@av.net.au) Art Director: Dominic Carey (dominic@alchemedia.com.au) Graphic Design: Leigh Ericksen (leigh@alchemedia.com.au) Associate Editor: Jen Temm (jen@av.net.au) News Editor: Graeme Hague (news@av.net.au) Accounts: Jaedd Asthana (jaedd@alchemedia.com.au) Circulation Manager: Mim Mulcahy (subscriptions@av.net.au)

Ian Anderson, Director of Mitech Design is very much an all-rounder in the AV ring. His 25 years in the business of making others look good has brought about him becoming a Lighting Director for countless TV shows, Technical Producer for many an event and dabbling in large scale communication systems, to name but a few of his multifarious talents. A firm believer in using technology for goodness and not evil, Ian has never been scared of jumping in the deep end with a new toy or concept that makes any job easier.

Front Cover: The Electric Canvas gives Melbourne Town Hall a festive façade. alchemedia publishing pty ltd (ABN: 34 074 431 628) PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 info@alchemedia.com.au All material in this magazine is copyright © 2013 Alchemedia Publishing Pty Ltd. The title AV is a registered Trademark.

Apart from any fair dealing permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. The publishers believe all information supplied in this magazine to be correct at the time of publication. They are not in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. After investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, prices, addresses and phone numbers were up to date at the time of publication. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements appearing in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility is on the person, company or advertising agency submitting or directing the advertisement for publication. The publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, although every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy. 3/1/2013

Paul is a freelance lighting designer based in Sydney.

Struggling to find work in his homeland, Paul spends much of the year in far flung places in perpetual search for the perfect breakfast and good coffee.

With a love of lights, gadgets and a good story, Paul makes an admirable effort to bring to AV reviews of products and events from around our small and wondrous globe.

TOTAL DISPLAY

SOLUTIONS Bring images to life with the superior quality of Japanese design & engineering

Outdoor LED Screens

Whether it’s a small classroom or a giant sporting stadium, Mitsubishi Electric has the visual display solution to suit your needs.

With the freedom to choose from a large range of home or business projectors, commercial LCD monitors, Video Wall systems or large format Diamond Vision LED screens, the possibilities are only limited by your vision.

Video Wall Products

Installation Projectors

Proud partner of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image

Mitsubishi Electric Australia Pty Ltd, 348 Victoria Rd Rydalmere NSW 2116 www.MitsubishiElectric.com.au ph: (02) 9684 7777 fax (02) 9684 7208

Engaging Retail Signage Out of the Box

Affordable LED BackLit LCD “Out of the Box” Digital Signage Solution The MagicInfo Lite scheduler/ player (included in the displays) allows for simple scheduling and delivery of your important content without the need of complex digital signage systems.

Use the 2.8gb of free internal memory to store your content and schedule content via remote control. Set up the content schedule with the display’s remote control.

Slim & Light The Samsung MD series allows your customers to enjoy an expansive visual experience in environments like food and beverage outlets, cafes, restaurants, retail shops and other leisure places.

The slim and light weight design coupled with exceptional image quality from Direct LED* backlighting, gives you a convenient alternative to static image light box technology.

The Samsung MD series Commercial LED*BLU Displays • Available in 32, 40, 46 and 55 inch • MagicInfo Lite Scheduler for “Out of the Box” Digital Signage • Direct LED Backlighting • Consistent commercial styling • Light weight for easy installation

*Samsung LED BLU displays utilise LCD screens with LED edge or back lights.

www.samsunglfd.com it.sales@samsung.com

Issue 29 REGULARS NEWS AV industry news.

14

INFOCOMM ASSOCIATION NEWS News and important dates for the Oceania region.

62

TERMINATION Windows close on DIY IT.

66

FEATURES

24

A CITY IN SEARCH OF A CENTRE Perth Arena opens.

24

AUDIOVISUAL ART MEETS SCIENCE ANU’S new AVIA short-listed, science teaching facility.

30

DARLING QUARTER CHILDREN’S THEATRE The little venue that almost could.

36

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE The RCH feels much better.

42

NITRO LIVE Paul Collison runs away with the circus.

48

TUTORIALS

30

42

WIRELESS SPECTRUM MANAGEMENT Avoiding wireless chaos.

52

NEEDS ANALYSIS The most critical stage of AV design.

65

REVIEWS

48

56

60

RIEDEL MEDIORNET COMPACT Video, audio, data and comms distribution over fibre.

56

VECTORWORKS SPOTLIGHT CAD software for entertainment design.

60

24 Moons Alumbra The Arthouse Hotel Australian Outback Spectacular The Bank Hotel The Botanical Bungalow 8 Brisbane Hotel (Perth) Club Marconi Discovery Establishment Half Moon Hornsby RSL Ivy Katuk Kudu Lounge Luxe Bar The Mean Fiddler The Met Oxford Art Factory Slip Inn

Living Large

Our most popular range of Commercial LED*BLU LCD displays with exceptional performance and new large sizes

“Out of the Box” Digital Signage Solution The MagicInfo Lite scheduler/ player (included in the displays) allows for simple scheduling and delivery of your important content without the need of complex digital signage systems.

Use the 2.8gb of free internal memory to store your content and schedule content via remote control.

The new Samsung ME75B 75 inch LED*BLU display

Optional Touch Capability with the new TM series Touch Overlays^ Turn your new Samsung ME-B Series displays into Interactive Touch screens with the new range of optional Samsung TM series touch module overlays.

The touch module overlays for ME32B, ME40B, ME46B, ME55B and ME75B displays are six-touch1 infrared technology and simply clip into position on the display using clips provided on the overlays.

The ME65B Display 65-inch model incorporates a two-touch1 optical technology overlay, which is installed using screws provided.

Samsung LED BLU displays utilise LCD screens with LED edge or back lights.

Samsung Touch Overlays are sold separately.

Six-touch and two-touch infrared technology capabilities are dependent on compatible application software.

(stand sold separately)

Upgrades from the Samsung ME-A series • New lower glare screen surfaces • Increased brightness across the range of sizes • Built-in Magic Info Lite Scheduler with increased memory (2.8gb available onboard) • New sizes in the range: 65 & 75-inch

*

1

^

www.samsunglfd.com it.sales@samsung.com

014

NEWS

ABTUS SCALER

INVISIBLE SPEAKERS

PANASONIC FORGES NEW LINKS

The AVS-SCLHD402/AP3 full HD scaler/switcher from Abtus provides high quality up or down scaling between standard computer and HDTV signals.

Its selectable inputs include 2 x VGA+audio or 2 x YUV component + audio, YPbPr (progressive scan) component + audio, as well as 2 x DVI-D or HDMI (with gender changer). Output is 2 x DVI + audio. There is logo capturing via the VGA input, picture in picture (with size, position and blending adjustment) and picture by picture. Each video and audio input has independent gain and parameter control. The high resolution DVI outputs are selectable at any digital video resolution up to 1600 x 1200, or at any HDTV resolution up to 1080p. All functions can be controlled via push buttons on the front panel, and there is an onscreen display available to assist in setup.

Screencom: (03) 97946102 or www.screencom.net.au

British high tech speaker design company Amina Technologies has announced its new audiophile flagship, the two-way Evolution AIW750E. The product has 200W peak power handling (100W full continuous IEC) with an efficiency of 87dB 1m/1W – after applying a full 2mm plaster skim coat. Yes, it’s an invisible loudspeaker solution. Amina’s OptiDrive technology boosts high frequency while further extending its already wide high frequency dispersion.

In practice this promises exceptionally wide sweet spots in residential home theatres, and the need for considerably less loudspeakers overall in large commercial venues. Amina’s OptiModal technology provides improved low frequency extension and dynamic range while delivering smooth midrange and treble dispersion. This is achieved by limiting the active areas of the panels; each is optimised for a different task, providing the listener with a wider bandwidth and more dynamic musical presentation.

The Evolution AIW750E is designed for high-end stereo and surround sound applications in homes, and in commercial facilities where the interior design requires invisible audio technology.

Canohm: (03) 9644 7888 or www.canohm.com.au

Panasonic’s PT-VW431DEA high brightness, 4300 lumen, WXGA resolution compact body projector is now available in Australia. The device features Panasonic’s new Digital Link technology which helps simplify projector installation, wiring and ongoing maintenance by sending audio, video (including uncompressed HD video), internet, controls and power over a single cat5e/6 LAN cable. Based on Valens HDBaseT technology, Panasonic’s Digital Link is embedded in the PT-VW431DEA, allowing the single cable to transmit data and control commands up to 100m. The need for an external receiver is eliminated when the PT-VW431DEA is used with Panasonic’s ET-YFB100 switcher box, or other switchers with the HDBaseT chipset. Panasonic has partnered with other manufacturers of HDBaseT solutions to ensure the interoperability of the PT-VW431DEA with Crestron’s DigitalMedia 8G+ compatible switchers, Extron’s XTP Systems and AMX’s Enova DVX and DGX digital media switchers. The PT-VW431DEA features a vertical lens shift function that moves the image position +48 per cent vertically without distorting the image. The device also offers a 1.6x manual zoom lens. RRP: $2599 (inc GST).

Panasonic Australia: 132 600 or www.panasonic.com.au

NEWS IN BRIEF:

The Gores Group, a global investment firm focused on acquiring controlling interests in mature and growing businesses, has made a binding offer to acquire the Harris Broadcast Communications division from Harris Corporation. The Gores Group has successfully acquired and operated more than 80 companies around the world and is acquiring all Harris broadcast business areas and product lines.

Harris Broadcast has retained use of the Harris brand for an extended period.

Harris Broadcast: www.broadcast.harris.com

Riedel Australia has recruited two new team members to support its operations. Jason Owen, formerly the general manager of governance and logistics, joins the team as a senior projects engineer. Anke Krampe has also transferred from Riedel HQ in Wuppertal, Germany, as an office administrator.

Riedel Communications: www.riedel.net

Three new staff members are joining the team at National Audio Systems. David Holmes has taken on the role of NSW/ ACT sales representative, Glenn Helmot is the company’s new consultant liaison, and Christopher Laurie has taken an internal sales position at NAS’s Melbourne office.

National Audio Systems: 1800 441 440 or sales@nationalaudio.com.au

Gefen announced two new products designed for broadcast applications using 3GSDI. The 3GSDI Audio Embedder selects up to four independent AES/ EBU digital audio streams and embeds them into the 3GSDI output signal. The 3GSDI Audio DeEmbedder extracts audio from a 3GSDI source and outputs it as up to four digital AES/EBU audio streams. Both products come with RS-232 ports and USB ports allow for firmware upgrades. Each model offers loop-out connectivity for a monitoring display.

Amber Technology: 1800 251367 or www.ambertech.com.au

Hitachi has released its CPAW252WN ultra short throw 3LCD projector, which combines an array of features including a new Projector Quick Connection iOS App and a Projector Cloning function. The networkable, CPAW252WN can project a 100inch diagonal (2540mm) image at just 385mm throw The new Projector Quick Connection iOS App enables users to monitor and control multiple projectors from a single Apple iOS device. The app provides access to the projector’s projector, contents, control and settings menus.

Hitachi Australia: (02) 9888 4100 or www.hitachi.com.au

WINNING WIDGET Enttec’s newest USB DMX adapter launched at Live Design International 2012 won the best Debuting Product in the Widget category. The new DMX USB Pro2 is lightweight, portable and supports two full universes of DMX512. It can be used as an output to control lights or as an input to allow DMX data from another source to interact with various programs on a PC. The on-board processor ensures the timing and signalling data is produced uninterrupted and errorfree. Its features include dual fully-independent DMX ports with full RDM capability, MIDI input and output ports, stand-alone operation for unattended replay of lighting shows (limit one universe), true 1500V isolation separating all ports from each other (protecting your computer and each data line from surges), and internal frame buffering (preserving data integrity when the computer is busy). The DMX USB Pro2 works at various communications speeds and uses the FTDI chipset. Configuration and user data are stored in EEPROM. One firmware version supports all these features and it comes with USB and breakout cable.

Enttec: (03) 9763 5755 or www.enttec.com

Alcons Audio has introduced the QR24 line-source array column, a modular twoway column loudspeaker to be used as a vertical array system for both permanent and “limited” portable applications. The QR24 measures only 660mm in length and is fitted with four 165mm woofers and two purposebuilt 300mm pro-ribbon drivers. The RBN03 pro-ribbon platform was developed specifically for this system, offering Alcons’ non-compressed hi-fi sound quality with the lowest distortion possible.

Loud and Clear Sales: (02) 9439 9723 or www.loudandclearsales.com.au

Allen & Heath has launched a new AES Out option module for the fixed format MixRacks from its iLive digital mixing series.

Customers can order an iDR-16, iDR-32, iDR-48 and iDR-64 fixed format MixRack or the xDR-16 expander unit, fitted with an AES Digital Output Option, providing two AES3 digital two-channel outputs in place of four of the analogue line outputs. Supported by firmware V1.9, the option is also available as a retrofit kit for existing customers, allowing single or multiple AES Digital Output options to be fitted.

Technical Audio Group: (02) 9519 0900 or www.tag.com.au

Audica MICROseries - Style and Flexibility Audica Professional combines leading-edge design and acoustic engineering in flexible audio solutions for commercial background music, corporate AV and audio communications.

Applications include retail outlets, restaurants, hotel public areas and guest rooms, meeting rooms, museums and visitor centres.

“I thought the audio industry had already given us every option, until I saw and heard Audica Professional- MICROseries sets new standards for aesthetics and audio quality for background music” Kai Böckmann, Trius GmbH & Co. KG, Germany

Call 1300 13 44 00 or visit www.audioproducts.com.au

016

NEWS

HDMI EXTENDER

WINDOWS 8 MULTITOUCH

NEW FROM QSC

MuxLab has launched the newest addition to its HDMI family, the HDMI Econo Mono Extender Kit that allows HDMI equipment to be connected up to 70m via one cat5e/6 cable in a point-to-point configuration at 1080p 32-bit colour. The kit supports IR source and comes equipped with one IR emitter, one IR sensor and a power supply. Ideal for use in commercial and residential AV systems, classroom projector systems, digital signage and boardroom systems, it works with devices such as DVD, plasma, projectors, monitors, TV, PC, laptops, and servers supporting HDMI. It comes equipped with one HDMI receptacle, one RJ45S for link via cat5e/6 cable and 3.5mm jacks for the IR emitter and IR sensor. Model number: 500451.

Anixter: (02) 9333 0800 or www.anixter.com

MultiTouch has announced the launch of 42-inch (1066mm) and 55-inch (1400mm) MultiTaction Cell multi-touch displays that are fully integrated with Windows 8. The new MT420W8 and MT550W8 models with embedded Windows 8 on Intel Core i7 are the first large-format displays available with a built-in touch user interface – and the first to support simultaneous use of unlimited touch with the new Windows 8 native pen tracking and real life object interaction. The displays allow clients to use applications from the Windows 8 store with both models running applications compatible across smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop PCs. Developers can use their preferred development platforms using industry standard interfaces such as TUIO and XML stream. MultiTouch’s own Cornerstone SDK is also fully supported. Unique features for Windows 8 offered by MT550W8 and MT420W8 are unlimited number of concurrent users and touches, Windows 8 native infrared pen support for simultaneous pen and touch interaction, Windows 8 native finger-orientation information available to applications, and Enriched Reality – using optical markers (tags) for interaction with physical objects, available using TUIO or XML interface or Cornerstone SDK. Lightwell: (02) 9319 0311 or www.lightwell.com.au

QSC Audio Products has launched the AcousticPerformance line of professional two-way, full-range loudspeakers that are ideal for installed sound reinforcement applications. All models feature a 3-inch voice coil, high power capacity compression driver combined with high output woofers.

AcousticPerformance models may be used in passive (full-range) mode to minimise amplifier channel count, or bi-amp mode for greater control and performance.

To further enhance performance, bi-amp and full-range tunings using QSC Intrinsic Correction techniques are available for Q-Sys and future QSC products. All models feature M10 mounting points for deployment via eyebolts as well as mount points for an optional yoke bracket. The AP-5122m multi-purpose enclosure features a 40° angle for floor monitor use and a pole cup for mounting on a loudspeaker stand. The enclosure and terminal input cup on the AP-5122m have been designed to facilitate cable runs for a clean appearance on stage. AcousticPerformance grilles are unadorned, eliminating the need to cover up logo treatments. AP-5102/5122/5152 models are available in black (RAL 9011) and white (RAL 9010) finishes.

Technical Audio Group: www.tag.com.au

NEWS IN BRIEF:

From Aurora, the ASP-S123V presentation scaler/switcher now has the DXE-CAT-S1 HDBaseT extender integrated, allowing the output to extend up to 70m at 1080p 60Hz. It is designed for multi-signal processing of composite video, S-Video, component video (YPbPr), VGA (computer graphics), and HDMI inputs that can be scaled to 1080p in VGA/HDMI format. In addition, the built in microphone input and 20W amplifier makes the ASP-S123V a costeffective solution for education, commercial and digital signage.

Jands: (02) 9582 0909 or info@ jands.com.au

Enco Systems, the software development company of DAD and DAD TV, audio play-out and automation solutions, has announced Professional Audio Technology as its new exclusive distributor for Australia and New Zealand. Professional Audio Technology is already planning Enco seminars for early 2013, which will provide an in-depth look at the company’s software product ranges and examine network and support structures tailored to Australian broadcasters.

Professional Audio Technology: (02) 94761272 or sales@proaudiotechnology.com.au

Christie Digital Systems is set to acquire VR Solutions in Australia and India, subject to certain conditions. These acquisitions will provide Christie with subsidiaries and offices in both countries – markets that are witnessing increased demand for Christie’s products and solutions. Once the ink is dry, Christie intends to rebrand both companies under its own name. VR Solutions has represented Christie in Australia for more than five years.

VR Solutions: (07) 3844 9514 or www.vrs.com.au

The VP-790 from Kramer Electronics is a high-quality presentation scaler/switcher for RGB component, computer graphics, composite, S-Video, HDMI, DVI and 3G HD-SDI signals. The unit takes one of the inputs, scales the video, embeds the audio and outputs the signal to the computer graphics, DVI/ HDMI and 3G HD-SDI outputs simultaneously.

Kramer Electronics: (07) 3806 4290 or www.krameraustralia.com.au

Projectiondesign’s F35 panorama replaces a typical configuration using two projectors blended into one picture. With its 21:9 (2.37:1) panoramic image, the F35 panorama enables users to employ cross-platform applications to outline their overview.The F35 panorama enables typical images as wide as 4m without use of blending. With its ability to project simultaneous side-by-side images from two separate sources, it negates the need to set up two projectors and blend them together using a channel management system.

Hills SVL (02) 9647 1411 or nsw@hillssvl.com.au

MATROX THUNDERBOLT Matrox has introduced the Matrox DS1 series of Thunderbolt docking stations, bringing all the productivity benefits of a desktop computer to MacBook Pro and MacBook Air users. From a single Thunderbolt connection, users can add multiple peripherals including a large DVI or HDMI display, a full-size keyboard and a mouse. A gigabit Ethernet port provides connectivity to a wired corporate network, enabling data transfers 18 times faster than wi-fi. One SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port located on the front of the unit plus two USB 2.0 ports, a microphone input and a speaker/headphone output are also provided. With its solid aluminium construction and compact design, Matrox DS1 is suitable for office, school workstation or home use. Two versions are available, one for use with DVI monitors and the second for HMDI displays. RRP: $369 (inc GST) New Magic Australia: (03) 9722 9700 or www.newmagic.com.au

THE CONFERENCE PHONE,

EVOLVED Revolabs has redefined the traditional design of conference phones. FLX is comprised of several distinct components giving you unprecedented freedom with respect to placement and accessibility of the speaker, microphones and dial pad. FLX is wireless and simple to set up making it the perfect choice for any mid to small sized conference room.

Barco’s RLM-W8 brings the saturated colors of 3-chip DLPTM projection to events and fixed installations for the price of single-chip DLPTM technology. With enhanced contrast, quick and creative stacking options as well as built-in warping capabilities for curved surfaces, Barco’s RLM-W8 is a versatile choice for mid- to large-sized venues. In addition, it features blending technology to create seamless composite images across a canvas of any size. The RLM-W8 is an 8000 lumens WUXGA DLP projector.

Barco: (03) 9646 5833 or sales.au@barco.com

Stage Fast is offering the latest in outdoor staging solutions with its German-designed, engineered and built Stagemobil system.

No prizes for guessing it’s a portable trailerbased stage that can be assembled onsite by a single person in less than 60 minutes.

Each Stagemobil comes with individual TUV certification as well as many safety features including slip-proof and waterproof staging decks, and built-in electro-hydraulics to enable the lifting of the stage roof without connection to any external power supply.

Stage Fast: 0408 833 394 or www.stagefast.com.au

•

Stylish design

•

Wireless freedom

•

Bluetooth integration

•

Superior audio quality

•

Simple set-up (with video tutorial)

For more information Call 1300 13 44 00 or visit www.audioproducts.com.au

Scan the QR Code to watch the FLX video

018

NEWS

CHRISTIE IN FLIGHT Christie has played an instrumental role in giving the Royal Australian Air Force’s Wedgetail E-7A flight simulator a major visual system upgrade and achieving the highest level of accreditation in Australia.

The Wedgetail Operational Flight Trainer (OFT) equips RAAF flight crews with operational realism in a fully representative cockpit with all the audio, visual and motion cues of the service environment. It allows flight training in events that can’t be safely or adequately conducted in actual flight such as aircraft emergencies, air-to-air refueling operations and electronic warfare self-protection operations.

The new visual system, according to Wedgetail manufacturer Thales Australia, delivers significantly better colour and brightness uniformity, sharper imagery, superior edge blending and more realistic weather effects. Other benefits include greatly improved reliability, growth potential and lower lifecycle cost.

Thales worked closely with Boeing Defence Australia on the project, which involved replacing the OFT’s obsolete calligraphic CRT projectors with Christie Matrix StIM LED illuminated projection system, and introducing the latest COTS-based (commercial off-the-shelf) image generation system running ThalesViewNG real-time software.

The Christie Matrix StIM is the first simulation system to provide simultaneous and independent control over both the visible and near-IR spectrum using LED illumination, according to Christie Asia Pacific vice president Lin Yu: “With its realtime balancing and optimisation of colour, brightness and black levels on a frame-by-frame basis, it offers a virtually maintenance-free, environmentally-friendly simulation solution for the RAAF”.

Located at the RAAF base in Williamtown NSW, the OFT has been in use since 2006. It is the sole Wedgetail pilot training device used by the RAAF and the accreditation of its upgraded visual system to FSD-1 Level 5 standard means the system is set to support the RAAF 2 Squadron for many years.

Christie Digital Systems Australia: (07) 3844 9514 or www.christiedigital.com Thales Australia: (02) 9562 3333 or www.thalesgroup.com.au

$57,67

The Advanced Communications Platform ‡ 'LVWULEXWHG VFDOHDEOH V\VWHP DUFKLWHFWXUH ZLWK UHGXQGDQW GXDO ULQJ À EHU RSWLF QHWZRUN ‡ $(6 (%8 EURDGFDVW TXDOLW\ DXGLR WKURXJKRXW WKH HQWLUH V\VWHP ‡ &RQWURO SDQHOV ZLWK H[FOXVLYH KLJK UHV PXOWL FRORU LQ NH\ GLVSOD\V ‡ ,QWXLWLYH FRQÀ JXUDWLRQ VRIWZDUH ZLWK UHDO WLPH YLHZ DQG UHPRWH FRQWURO DXVWUDOLD#ULHGHO QHW

ZZZ ULHGHO QHW

Call 96 123 2 0433 up your to set on-site free o. dem

020

NEWS

‘Twas The Lights Before Christmas Santa appointed The Electric Canvas as his little helpers this year with a projection project that transformed Melbourne’s Town Hall into a Christmas fantasyland entitled The Nights Before Christmas.

The streetscape was reconstructed in 3D CAD to identify projector positions that would avoid creating shadows from trees, light posts, flagpoles, trams and other potential obstructions. The result is shadowless, continuous coverage of the façade including the sides of the portico and the clock tower.

Using 3D modeling and POV techniques, The Electric Canvas created seven and a half minutes of lighting magic, accompanied by a soundtrack and mapped to the detailed architecture of the iconic venue.

The installation uses 14 Christie Roadster 18K and 20K lumen projectors with content delivered by The Electric Canvas’s unique OnlyView media server system to create a bright, high-resolution presentation.

The event commenced on 30 November and ran every ten minutes from 8:30pm until 11pm every night including Christmas.

The Electric Canvas: (02) 94172077 or www.theelectriccanvas.com.au

LIGHTWEIGHT EFFICIENT INTELLIGENT

NEW IPR DSP IPR 3000 DSP

1450 watts per channel at 2 ohms - 3.54 kg

IPR 1600 DSP

900 watts per channel at 2 ohms - 3.29 kg

Simple Setup Meanwhile…

At the other end of town Webb Australia, working with Lightmoves and Space Cannon have spruced up Melbourne’s historic GPO building just in time for the holiday season.

Full details in the next issue of Light+Design magazine.

Photo by Joe Casamento / Casamento Photography

Set your crossover, EQ curves and delay speakers, and select popular Peavey® and generic loudspeaker types, all at the touch of a button.

Maxximize Your Bass.

Add Waves® MaxxBass® processing to give your mix more low end without adding subs, speakers or more power to your system.

The revolutionary IPR™ 1600 and 3000 from Peavey® are now available with an exclusive DSP suite that makes loudspeaker management easier than ever, with presets for your favorite loudspeakers and Waves® MaxxBass® psycho-acoustic processing for the first time in any power amplifier.

Innovation. Amplified.™

Call 1300 13 44 00 or visit: www.peavey.com.au

022

NEWS

TOUCHED BY SCIENCE The Cube is the heart of the new $230 million facility at Queensland University of Technology. One of the world’s largest digital interactive learning and display spaces, it soars across two storeys of the Science and Engineering Centre at the campus in Gardens Point.

Part science lab and part digital engagement, the video wall space provides displays of research projects using advanced digital technology including 14 high-definition projectors and more than 40 multi-touch screens and sound technology.

“It’s designed to engage people to touch content and discover facts on ocean life, or physics with wooden blocks, or learn about the Brisbane floods and where social media played its part,” explains Shannan Brooksby, technology solutions specialist with ProAV Solutions Queensland.

The interior “wedge” features four edge-blended Panasonic PTDZ21K projectors on custom mounts, and 20 MultiTouch touch screen LED videowall panels in a portrait array to provide human interaction with the video content that is seamlessly blended across all 24 displays.

The exterior zones are placed across two levels and provide a similar outcome with three projection systems blended to content across 12 panels on each exterior wall. A shorter landscape array made up of four LCD panels provides the final interactive zone.

Breakout areas are also placed all around the building with a common view to content, giving more visual impact from a distance.

Using AMX Enova DGX matrix switchers and TVOne Coriomaster videowall processors, the video piece went seamlessly well says Brooksby - along with the trusted Panasonic projection hardware that has provided the end result with the MultiTouch infinite touch edgeless panels. Audio is managed through a 96 x 80 matrix spread across four Biamp Tesira servers and delivered to custom Acoustic Technologies speakers.

We’ll be taking an in-depth look at this most interesting project in a forthcoming issue of AV. ProAVSolutions: (07) 3367 3300 or www.proavsolutions.com.au Images courtesy QUT

Now Available: Long and Short Term Rental Plans on Any Video Wall Configuration

Burberry George Street, Sydney

YES TO RENTAL

PURCHASE

RENTAL

Immediate replacements for faulty or damaged equipment





Frequency management

   

   

VC0251

Upgrade path Tax advantages# Capital preservation

Please ensure you obtain independent professional taxation advice.

#

AUSTRALIAN EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTOR FOR

vidcom

Your Professional Video Wall Partner

videowall@trvidcom.com.au

1800 843 266

www.trvidcom.com.au

024

FEATURE

A CITY IN SEARCH OF A CENTRE Have large touring acts finally found a venue in Perth?

Text:/ Graeme Hague

I once attended an Alice Cooper concert and was gob smacked by the special effects, the sense of theatre and the brilliant music – this was the Welcome To My Nightmare tour and in my never-so-humble opinion it was Alice at his peak. I remember it well, particularly when AC stepped out through a slit projection screen as if he’d walked right out of the movie. It was cutting-edge AV technology and we were amazed. It was at the original Perth Entertainment Centre (PEC) and in researching this story I’ve stumbled across the depressing fact that it must have been 1977.

Before today, I was fairly certain I wasn’t even born in 1977, but this is damning evidence to the contrary and might explain the glasses I’ve been wearing lately.

Some things have come full circle in those intervening years. The PEC was built in 1974 in response to local promoters who complained that bringing major acts to WA was a nightmare, between the costly logistics of travelling across the country and then needing something akin to a circus tent to host the show. The numbers just didn’t add up. With its 8000 seats, the PEC temporarily solved the problem but was still often considered too small. Then there were the construction cost blowouts that saw the centre handed over from private ownership to the government for administration.

025

FEATURE

“when it comes to in-house production for concert events it’s definitely BYO”

Dark Days

It was the largest venue of its kind in the southern hemisphere with a proscenium arch stage, but this impressive attribute was also its Achilles heel. The purposebuilt performing arts theatre lacked versatility and spent far too many days “dark” to escape the attention of the government’s bean counters as a budget black hole. When the Burswood Dome opened in 1988 offering an extra 5000 seats to concert promoters, the PEC struggled to survive. In 2001 the centre was closed for the last time with a vague promise to replace it with something better. It sat empty for nearly 10 years and the government ignored regular calls for it to be used for something – hell, anything – before the bulldozers finally arrived last year.

The infamous Burswood Dome wasn’t much of an improvement. At least it could host sporting events, in particular tennis with the Hopman Cup, but the innovative woven glass-fibre domed roof supported purely by air pressure was always a recipe for serious issues with acoustics - not to mention the debacle of 15,000 punters all trying to exit through the rotating, airtight doors at the end of a show or bringing every piece of stage equipment through the pantech-truck sized airlocks. Much of the permanent seating, while perfect for watching John McEnroe chuck a tantrum, was crap for seeing a main stage erected against one wall. And you can’t talk about the Burswood Dome without mentioning the parking. With the popular casino complex next door, getting a parking spot was next to impossible.

Good Sports

So the call for a genuine, indoor concert venue for Perth since 1974 has never been properly answered – until now. The much-anticipated completion of the Perth Arena is expected to finally address the need for a largecapacity stadium for touring acts. Considering it opened in November with a big bang called Elton John, followed quickly by Matchbox Twenty (when ‘support act’ INXS famously announced their permanent retirement) and Nickleback all in the first week, the signs are good.

Upcoming acts are a Who’s Who of music royalty past and present: Deep Purple, Journey, The Jacksons, The

026

FEATURE

Script and even Black Sabbath. But before you get too excited, let it be said the Perth Arena is a multi-purpose facility with a strong emphasis on – you guessed it – sport.

The arena is the official home of the Perth Wildcats basketball team and will host the 2013 Hopman Cup. A retractable roof will let in the flies and the sunshine during the tennis and the main floor will see more dribbling (no, not Black Sabbath) and slam-dunks than anything else. The standard configuration is again a large playing court surrounded on all four sides by seating designed to view the games, not the stage that can be erected at the northern end, and when it comes to in-house production for concert events it’s definitely BYO. So you might figure those signs aren’t good.

Don’t worry, catering for musical performances was high on the agenda when the arena was designed. It claims state-of-the art acoustics – no one’s complained so far – and the removable seating is designed to be removed quickly and efficiently to make way for the custom-built staging to be put in place. A proper grid for rigging lights and PA is permanently overhead – albeit a lot higher than you’d expect, which prompted one local PA company to nip out for extra steel for its chain motors – and a clever system of drapes hung from motorised tracks can convert the space in a variety of ways.

Well Hung

The curtains were supplied by Jands and add up to a staggering 6.5km thanks to the different configurations available and the sheer length of the drapes. Each one is custom-made and numbered, and has to be maneuvered into place in the correct order to create the desired effect. The stage is modular and it’s possible to drive trucks right into the arena to park next to it. Brilliant.

So while there’s no in-house PA apart from the Nexo public address system for game commentary and announcements, and the installed lighting is only good for basketball, the Perth Arena may well live up to its promise as a premier concert venue: it provides production companies with a blank canvas and no serious obstacles to getting great results. It’s been described as being so far ahead of any other comparably sized venue in town that any niggling teething problems aren’t even worth mentioning.

There’s nothing blank about the foyer area thanks to a large digital signage installation dominating the space. The unconventional showpiece ‘pendant’ array comprises 88 NEC displays – 44 on each side – and greets the audience with an impressive display of venue information and corporate messages. The NEC software allows each screen to be mapped so any imagery takes into account all the bezels and gaps between the screens, and allows the content to flow smoothly. Each NEC display can take individual, native 1080 HD content, and the screens can be addressed in clusters or as a whole array. Aside from the pendant’s obvious use as a central information point, it’s a powerful tool in the arena’s arsenal to generate revenue. Given the unique format and application of the pendant, it sits on its own network, quarantined as it were, from the broader venue-wide signage installation. That’s another 200-odd Samsung commercial displays throughout the complex along with a Panasonic LED superscreen.

The signage network is driven by an Intellimedia solution. Whereas most networks push content to a media player in the back of the screen, Intellimedia is more like an IPTV broadcaster and is particularly suited to the venue with its ability to take live video and relay it out to the scores of screens with a more-thanacceptable latency of less than 40ms. This is crucial for sporting events - if you can imagine VIPs in corporate boxes enjoying both the screen and the live action, a longer delay would render them annoyingly out of sync. Mind you, a few glasses of bubbly and some canapés could probably fix that.

Top: The spectacular foyer 'pendant' sign is a double-sided array of 44 NEC panels with display software that automatically adapts the image feed to allow for panel spacing and layout. Above: Foyer merchandising areas are well served with digital signage.

MEDIORNET COMPACT 50G Real-Time Media Network

‡ 6\QFKURQL]HG * UHDO WLPH QHWZRUN IRU * +' 6' 6', YLGHR DXGLR GDWD LQWHUFRP DW WKH SULFH RI PXOWLSOH[LQJ SRLQW WR SRLQW À EHU SURGXFWV ‡ )OH[LEOH VLJQDO URXWLQJ LQFO SRLQW WR PXOWLSRLQW ‡ ,QWHJUDWHG )UDPH 6WRUH 6\QFKURQL]HU (PEHGGHU 'H (PEHGGHU 7HVW 3DWWHUQ *HQHUDWRU 2Q 6FUHHQ 'LVSOD\ 7LPHFRGH ,QVHUWLRQ DW HYHU\ SRUW ‡ )XOO\ FRPSDWLEOH ZLWK $UWLVW 5RFN1HW DQG PRGXODU 0HGLRU1HW V\VWHPV DXVWUDOLD#ULHGHO QHW

ZZZ ULHGHO QHW

Call 96 123 2 0433 up your to set on-site free o. dem

028

FEATURE

Outer Bounds Photography Above: Audience blinders hard at work during Sir Reginald Kenneth Dwight's maiden concert.

Left: A BYO production in tech. .

SCREEN SHIFTING

Image: ABC Perth online

The 108sqm Panasonic LED (10mm pitch) superscreen was selected for its brightness, sharp image and crucially, its versatility. Again with the sports action in mind, the screen can be broken down and assembled as a centrally-hung, four-sided gondola display for the basketball games (showing live video, scores, etc.), then rebuilt as one large screen at the back of the stage for a concert production – all in a short turnaround. The full 5000-nit LED screen will also be pressed into occasional service outside Perth Arena, at one end of the ‘Federation Square’ style development currently underway in the Perth CBD. As you’d expect in a major new facility, the arena makes a bit of cash on the side with five luxurious function rooms. The biggest holds 670 people while the smallest, called the Backstage Bar (of course), is a bistro-style room for less than 200 guests. Full AV facilities for seminars and presentations can be made available.

As for the all-important car parking that the Dome failed to deliver, 650 bays have been created underneath although some production crew tell us that the first day’s pay on any gig goes straight to their parking fees.

It’s all a far cry from Alice Cooper jumping through a slashed canvas screen and chewing on rubber chickens – although AC hasn’t retired yet and you never know. He would no doubt be well pleased with the world-class concert venue that Perth can finally provide.

I’ll be in the front row – yes, I know, I’d better take my glasses. 

NOW WITH AND

Introducing HyperDeck Studio, the broadcast deck that uses solid state disks!

Now you can get the incredible quality broadcast deck that records and plays using low cost solid state disks. HyperDeck Studio works like a regular broadcast deck, and supports dual disk slots so the moment one disk is full, recording can continue to the next disk! That’s unlimited recording! HyperDeck Studio supports 10 bit uncompressed as well as compressed DNxHD™ and ProRes™ recording so you can simply mount the disks and edit media directly without any file copying! HyperDeck Studio is perfect for live production, instant replays and disk server use!

Solid State Disk (SSD) Recording Simply plug in a fast 2.5” solid state disk into HyperDeck Studio and start recording! SSD’s are used in desktop and laptop computers so prices are constantly falling while sizes are getting bigger! Plug the SSD into your computer and the disk will mount right on your computer’s desktop! Files are stored in standard QuickTime or MXF file formats so you can use the media in Mac™, Windows™ and Linux software!

Use Cameras, Switchers and Monitors

Absolute Perfect Quality HyperDeck Studio works with both compressed and perfect quality uncompressed video. You can select between 10 bit ProRes, DNxHD MXF, DNxHD QuickTime™ and 10 bit uncompressed QuickTime recording and playback. With uncompressed you get a mathematically perfect “clone” recording between capture and playback so you can always trust your recording because there is absolutely no higher quality possible!

With SDI and HDMI inputs and outputs, HyperDeck Studio works with virtually every camera, switcher or monitor! Plug into televisions or video projectors for instant on set preview or get exciting live action replay with ATEM production switchers. Even use it for digital signage. Just press play twice for loop playback! Imagine using pristine broadcast quality 10 bit recording on your next live event!

HyperDeck Studio

Familiar Broadcast Deck Design!

HyperDeck Studio has a familiar broadcast deck style design with transport buttons, jog/shuttle knob, deck control port and built in LCD! You get unlimited duration recordings because HyperDeck Studio includes dual SSD slots, so when recording, if your disk fills, it will automatically continue recording to the other disk.

1,085

$

Learn more today at www.blackmagicdesign.com/hyperdeckstudio

030

FEATURE

Audiovisual Art Meets Science KLM’s innovative AV technology and peerless installation quality on a new teaching facility rocketed the company into contention as a finalist in the AVIA awards Education category.

Text:/ Derek Powell

The teaching of science, especially chemistry and biology, has to be a hands-on affair. Practical work and experiments have been an important part of the learning since chemistry became a subject at universities more than 300 years ago. Indeed, many of the great teachers, such as Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling, reportedly excelled at the art of the lecturedemonstration. However, presenting the correct technique for anything from reactions to dissections can be challenging in front of today’s large classes.

It’s not easy for 150 people to see exactly what’s happening in the bottom of a test tube and just as difficult to hear questions from the back of the room.

So when the Australian National University (ANU) set out to build a new science precinct on their Canberra campus, they aimed to cure these problems once and for all.

The result is a spectacular Sciences Teaching Building that is crammed with audiovisual technology, and designed with flexibility and interaction in mind.

Unofficially known as “the red building” for obvious reasons, it includes a 150-seat collaborative lecture theatre, a 50-seat theatre and six teaching laboratories, all with extensive distributed presentation systems.

Wow Factor

William Keegan, audiovisual service coordinator at ANU, described the 150-seat theatre as “the most amazing room on campus”.

“The first reaction when academics walk in is the ‘wow’ factor,” Keegan said. The room is certainly impressive and not just for its vermillion colour scheme. There are 22 student “pods” each equipped with a 19-inch (48cm) 16:10 NEC display and a plugin point for student laptops, capable of either VGA or HDMI input.

Audiovisual consultant Simon Umow of Umowlai said his initial briefing for the design from ANU lecturers was quite specific. “They needed quite a bit of flexibility so they could present from a typical lectern position but also from the bench when they are undertaking an experiment,” he explained.

Consequently, the lecturer’s bench was designed as a mobile unit that allowed it to be connected to one of the floor boxes at the front of the room (as in a typical lecture theatre), and to be docked on the side

of the room when the academic is demonstrating an experiment. Each location provides complete AV system connectivity and control. A wireless lapel microphone allows the lecturer to move around and get into the best position for an experiment while still being clearly heard by the audience.

Newer Technology

When the project was initially designed, analogue distribution was the only viable technology but as construction proceeded, the Crestron Digital Media system emerged as an answer to the special challenges of this space.

“KLM had already won the contract so based on some discussion between ANU, KLM and myself, it was changed to a Digital Media solution,” Umow explained.

KLM subsequently designed and installed a Crestron system, which included a 32x32 Digital Media matrix to support dual format transmitters (VGA and HDMI) for each of the 22 pods as well as PC, laptop, document camera and Blu-ray inputs from the lectern, and a special Sanyo 1080p HDMI camera to provide the crucial close-up view of experiments on the bench.

Umow recalled that there was much discussion before the final camera choice, with remote PTZ control deemed impractical. “Lecturers wanted a fixed [lens] camera on an arm so that they could control it manually – to bring it in closer as required. So the architects came up with a custom designed articulated arm that the camera was installed on,” he said.

There are two 120-inch (305cm) projection screens up front with Mitsubishi HD projectors, and a total of 22 of the NEC monitors. The DM matrix can connect a laptop at each student pod to the local display, or allow it to be projected at the front or shared across all pods. Naturally, any lectern source can be sent to either projector and/or the pod displays.

The theatre is also equipped with ANU’s own Digital Lecture Delivery (DLD) system for lecture recording. DLD uses an Epiphan capture device connected to a Mac Mini and is capable of recording all sources including the experiment camera, and packaging them for delivery to students via a variety of streaming formats. A Smart Podium touch screen allows the lecturer to annotate onto PC sources.

FEATURE

031

032

FEATURE

The eye-catching collaborative lecture theatre is based around 22 student pods

Talking In Class

Audio has certainly not been forgotten with push-totalk Shure gooseneck microphones at each student pod to facilitate questions and interaction across the huge teaching space. To avoid feedback and ensure enough gain from each mic, the speakers are zoned so that when a microphone is activated the Nexia DSP system provides a “mixed minus” feed to the adjacent JBL PA speakers. It was, however, something of a last minute inclusion according to Umow. Although ANU wanted student mics from the start, they were cut from the budget then re-included late in the schedule when extra funding became available.

While the microphones are a standout feature of the room, their late inclusion meant the underbench racks were completely full, with extra DSP and power amps. Heat immediately became an issue, especially for the 32x32 DM matrix, requiring forced air ventilation through the top of the benches.

The problem was solved by fitting mesh doors to the front of the racks, allowing free airflow across all components - a handy tip to remember.

Umow professed delight with the overall outcome in the theatre. “The lighting was good, the acoustics of the room were good, as were the sightlines from all the audience members to the lecturer and the screens at the front,” he said. “The screens at the pods didn’t disrupt the sightlines – we prototyped that to ensure that we weren’t causing any obstacles.”

Of course KLM’s work didn’t end there. The smaller 50-seat theatre also received a re-design using a Crestron DM 8x8 video matrix, Crestron touch screen control system and a single 140inch (356cm) motorised screen with a Mitsubishi projector. Audio duties were again handled using

Centralized digital media distribution. It’s in here.

CENTRALIZED AV/IT APPLICATIONS:

AMX ENOVA DGX AMX understands the demands of AV and IT worlds. That’s why we created the DGX, an all-in-one control and distribution solution that combines a modular matrix switcher, a built-in controller, an embedded Ethernet switch and video scaling to every output.

Using SmartScale® technology, it delivers video perfectly scaled to the optimal resolution of each display. And, it happens fast. InstaGate Pro® technology eliminates the delays typically associated with HDCP and key constraints—all while maintaining full compliance. This integrated solution simplifies the end-to-end distribution and management of audio, video and control.

• AV Conferencing • Control/Automation • Media Switching • Media Distribution • Remote PC Access • HDCP Management

CONTROL & AUTOMATE | MEDIA SWITCHING | ARCHITECTURAL CONNECTIVITY | DIGITAL SIGNAGE | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT © 2012 AMX

+61.7.5531.3103 www.amxaustralia.com.au

034

Nexia DSP along with Australian Monitor amps and JBL ceiling speakers. Both theatres had Ampetronics phased array hearing assistance loops installed.

Practical Projections

The third component of the install, six teaching laboratories, are less glamorous but still eminently worthy of mention. Traditionally, ANU chemistry practical sessions started off in a classroom or lecture theatre for the theoretical part of the lesson before moving to the lab - the sightlines across the benches made it impractical to use projection in the labs to explain the concepts. The new spaces allow teaching and experiments to be done in the one place, saving significant time and allowing better use of resources.

Each laboratory has a distributed presentation system with a projection screen at the front supplemented by Mitsubishi 42inch (107cm) LCD displays pole-mounted at the end of each bench. The monitors are set high to allow students a clear view wherever they are in the room, unobstructed by the apparatus on the benches. The larger labs (80-seat and 40-seat) can be joined so a single academic can present to a group of 120 students using linked audio and projection systems.

At the academic’s workstation in the demonstration area there’s a PC (with the Smart Podium for annotation, a feature of many ANU rooms) plus a laptop plug-in, Elmo document camera and DVD player to show prerecorded demonstrations of technique.

As before, a line-up of Nexia, AM and JBL look after PA and program sound. However, due to budget constraints, these rooms retained the original analogue signal paths with the Crestron control system matched with Extron VGA matrices.

With this project, KLM has demonstrated impressive flexibility, designing and implementing a digital solution part-way through the project as the technology came on-stream. This is truly a case where the integrator’s art met science with remarkable results. 

MORE INFORMATION KLM Group: (02) 6262 3472 or www.klmgroup.com.au Umow Lai: (03) 9249 0288 or www.umowlai.com.au

FEATURE

EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO 2 x Mitsubishi FL 7000U 1920:1080 full HD projector 2 x Electric Cinema 120-inch motorised screen 18 x NEC LCD 195WXM 19-inch LCD display 16:10 1 x ID422W Smart Touch interactive tablet 1920:1080 wide screen 1 x Sony EVISD1 HD camera 1 x Elmo L1EX document camera 1 x DR 389 LG DVD player/recorder 1 x 32x16 Ultra-wideband matrix switchers 3 x 6-Output wideband RGBHV distribution amplifier 18 x RGBHV input architectural interface 1 x 4-inputvideo and RGB scaler with SDI input and audio switching 1 x 4-output multi-rate SDI mini distribution amplifier 1 x 3x2 VGA and stereo audio matrix switcher CONTROL 1 x 8XWAPEDKT Isys I/O 8.4-inch wifi wireless touchpanel 1 x AV2ETHKIT AV2 Ethernet kit dual bus control system with C2ENET1” 1 x GLSODTC100 Crestron movement occupancy sensor 2 x AV2-PC AV2-PC power controller 1 x PC node lighting control PC interface AUDIO 1 x MZH-4040 / ME34 Sennheiser 40cm lectern mic 18 x Control 26 CT JBL ceiling speaker 2 x Control 25 JBL wall speaker 1 x AMIS 250 250W 100V power amp 1 x AV2P AV 2 channel amplifier 1 x NEXIA CS Biamp 10 input, 6 output digital preamp 1 x HDSLX Revolab solo lapel mic/ lanyard wireless system with charger 2 x ILD1000G Ampertronics hearing loop amplifier MICROPHONE SYSTEM 1 x AUDIAFLEX-CM BIAMP AudiaFLEX - DSP chassis with CobraNet module 11 x AEC-2HD BIAMP AEC2HD acoustic echo cancellation module 21 x SHR-MX400DP desktop base 21 x SHR-MX415LP/S Condenser LoZ 380mm gooseneck supercardioid with light ring MIX-MINUS SPEAKER SYSTEM 2 x OP2e - AudiaFLEX dual-channel mic/line output card 2 x AudiaEXPO BIAMP 8 channel output expander unit CobraNet 2 x NCA8050 BIAMP 8 channel 50W amplifier with 100V transformers

Professional Audio | Australian Design

PROBLEM SOLVERS

PROBLEM SOLVER OF THE MONTH DIDock Designed to support portable audio devices in the field, the DIDock delivers audio signal conversion from connected devices to a fully balanced transformer isolated stereo output pair.

Price: $129.

Problem solved!

t: 03.9555.8081 e: info@sound-music.com w: www.sound-music.com SoundMusicDistribution SoundAndMusic1

For more problem solvers go to:

www.smproaudio.com

036

FEATURE

Lend Lease Darling Quarter Theatre The little theatre that almost could.

Text:/ Robert Clark Images:/ Toby Knyvett

When Lend Lease and the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority began collaborating on their new Darling Quarter Precinct, it was agreed that allowing space for a small theatrical venue to reside with food-retail and corporate tenants would go a long way to creating the culturally dynamic precinct they desired.

However, theatre consultant Robert Mitchell was brought in by Lend Lease only after construction was already complete on the building, and on first inspection he knew his task wouldn’t be an easy one: “I had a look at the space and it looked like it should’ve been a plant room,” he says. “It was just a concrete basement full of mechanical items that supported the building above.” Lend Lease had stipulated parameters for the space from the outset but, as Mitchell points out, “it was put on the back burner because it was to be the last thing they did. And of course, everything creeps during the construction process.”

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD

One particular challenge was to figure out how to use a 10m wide by 2.5m deep ‘little veranda’ of a stage that was already concreted in place in the centre of the back wall of the space. Mitchell’s solution was to put the control room at the rear of the space above the tiered seating that reaches the floor six metres before the foot of the ‘veranda’.

This effectively created two stages: one lower stage on the auditorium floor level for theatrical performances, and an additional upper stage just deep enough for lectures and corporate presentations. The space was always intended to be a multi-purpose venue that could cater for both theatrical and corporate production.

Mitchell held off from implementing any of his ideas until a tenant had been selected. When Monkey Baa – a children’s theatre company with a focus on regional touring – won the tender, its production and operations manager Toby Knyvett saw potential in the idea, given their particular operational schedule. “We have the venue for about 14 weeks of the year, which will be something like a season of work for us, and then the rest of the time the space is for hire. Ideally, the venue will gain a reputation as a children’s theatre and we’ll get other children’s shows that want to buy the venue outright, but we need a number of corporate events in here as well.”

Given that Monkey Baa tours to a lot of small, remote venues when they’re not performing in-house, Knyvett says the lower stage – which totals 11.8m wide by 5.7m deep – is actually a good size for them. His philosophy is that, “if we can make it work here we can make it work

pretty much anywhere, so it’s a great home for Monkey Baa in that respect”.

This emphasis on touring prompted Robert Mitchell to make a few adjustments to his original spec in consultation with Knyvett and Jands, who were contracted by Lend Lease to create a turnkey fit-out for whoever moved in.

An ETC Ion 1000 console with radio focus remote was chosen for lighting control. Monkey Baa also purchased an ETC Element for use when they're on the road. Knyvett prefers their usability but also sees the ETC range playing nicely with the older, more modest equipment he’s likely to encounter on tour.

The lighting rig is relatively straightforward but with a diverse assortment of fixtures. “There were questions at the start of this process about what sort of rig we wanted to go with,” says Knyvett, “and working with Robert Mitchell together with John Buckley and Tim Butler at Jands, we settled on a predominantly conventional one (i.e. non-moving with incandescent lamps), because we need to make our plot here in the theatre something that’s also going to work for venues on the road. We have gone to LED cyclorama lights, which are ETC Selador Vivids (7-colour), and they’re great; they give a great range of colour. Our lighting designers can do all the rainbow chases they like with them here in the theatre; they just have to make sure there’s a backup plan for the threecolour or four-colour cyc systems we find in venues on the road.” Complementing the Seladors are 38 x ETC Source Four zoom profile spots, and 26 x ETC Source Four fresnels. The distribution system uses Pathport DMX over Ethernet, with a remote playback unit for backup that runs through a second Pathport VIA gigabit switch to achieve a level of network redundancy.

HITTING THE HEIGHTS

With only 4.3m to the ceiling reduced to 3.7m when you factor in some of the profiles, there are significant height restrictions when creating or importing shows. Again, Knyvett sees this as an advantage, as such limitations in mounting productions in the home venue means few surprises when the shows hit the road.

Of course, the low ceilings created acoustic challenges for Mitchell: “Acoustically it was a difficult room to design for. Originally they wanted it to have no ceiling at all, but half the ceiling was full of plant and duct.” A ceiling was installed and two hangs of 3 x JBL VRX932LA boxes were chosen as the main PA. These are backed up by 2 x JBL VRX918SP powered subs sitting on either side

Top: Theatre in maximum seating mode using the 2.5m x 10m 'little veranda' as the stage.

Bottom: The control booth is tucked in behind the permanet tiered seating.

FEATURE

037

038

FEATURE

Compact control room with marginal sight lines to the lower level acting area

of the upper stage, and 4 x JBL MRX512M 12-inch passive monitors for foldback. The foldback monitors have proven useful as the PA up front, when corporate clients use the lower stage for presentations with lapel mics, as the line array proved to be too far behind the presenters to deliver adequate volume before feedback using omnidirectional lapel mics.

For these non-theatrical users of the space, the theatre transforms into full or half ‘lecture mode’ where a lectern can be placed on the upper stage and the lower stage level filled with seats, bringing the theatre to its maximum capacity of 380. When the lower stage is left empty, reducing the available seats to 236, curtains are hung from angled rails to create wings on either side. This configuration has been well received by corporate clients so far but Knyvett admits it isn’t perfect.

“For people who don’t need the full capacity – so they’re happy with just the fixed seating – they’ll just put one lectern on the upper stage, but the rake seating means everyone’s looking down at the floor. So even though they’ve got stuff up on the [projection] screen [up-stage], the people half-way up the tiered seating have a view that’s 50 per cent floor and 50 per cent back wall, and not a lot happening on that floor.”

It’s a fairly minor issue that Knyvett doesn’t see negatively impacting on their ability to attract hirers in the future.

ACCESS FEW AREAS

For Knyvett, by far the most significant problems are issues of access. Stage door, for example, can only be accessed via a door in the foyer, which opens onto a narrow corridor that bends around the prompt-side wall of the theatre, spitting you out just behind the back wall of the upper stage. Problems can arise for management when they need to access the company’s office too, as it can only be reached via the stage. “You’ve just got to tip-toe if there’s a show on,” says Knyvett, and following him through to the back office I could certainly see why as the timber floor panels groaned heartily as we walked backstage.

EQUIPMENT LIST LIGHTING Console: ETC Ion 1000 with radio focus remote, 40 fader unit and backup processor unit Signal distribution: Pathport DMX over Ethernet distribution system Dimmers: 72 x 2.4kW Jands WMX (6 x wall-mounted racks) Luminaires 26 x ETC Source 4 zoom profile -15-30° 12 x ETC Source 4 zoom profile - 25-50° 26 x ETC Source 4 fresnel 20 x ETC Selador Vivid-R LED cyc flood, single section (11-inch) AUDIO Console: Soundcraft LX7II 16 x mic inputs, 2 x stereo inputs, 6 x auxilliary outputs System processing: 1 x BSS BLU100 Effects: 1 x Lexicon MX400XL PA main: Left & Right arrays: 3 x VRX932LA line array PA subs: 2 x VRX918SP powered subwoofer Foldback: 4 x JBL MRX512M 12-inch Assisted listening: 15 x handheld FM receivers with earphones and hearing aid couplers to suit AUDIOVISUAL Projector: NEC NP-PA500UG Screen: 120-inch motorised front projection screen, permanently rigged on rear of upper stage 1 x Kramer 3-way component to cat5e active transmitter/receiver pair 1 x Kramer XGA to cat5e active transmitter/receiver pair COMMS Ezicom Master at SM desk, A and B loop wired around venue 6 x Ezicom single-channel partyline beltpack 2 x ClearCom dual-channel partyline squawk box

Reaching new heights ... in sound reproduction

The Hemi-directional Loudspeaker from Bosch. Bosch has developed a powerful loudspeaker to cover large areas in high ceiling applications like auditoriums, transport and exhibition halls, mega stores and swimming pools. This architecturally and acoustically innovative speaker delivers clear speech and quality music reproduction, even at the boundaries of the sound projection range.

Bosch Communications Systems 25 Huntingwood Drive HUNTINGWOOD NSW 2148 Ph: (02) 9683 4752 Fax: (02) 9890 5928 Email: boschcomms@au.bosch.com Web: www.boschcommunications.com.au

Scan the QR code with your smartphone for more information on the Bosch Hemi-directional loudspeaker

040

FEATURE

Above: Venue in standard seating mode with both acting areas in use.

Below: Access to backstage areas and admin office is via a door in the middle of the stage wall.

The little area behind the rear wall of the upper stage has been called the Nook, and houses a table and some chairs and various kitchen items. It’s become the green room, which I can’t imagine is very relaxing for performers waiting for their cue during a show as sound must carry a great deal from this position. From the Nook we proceed through a door to the well-appointed dressing rooms, laundry room and finally the spacious main office for Monkey Baa, which Knyvett informs me was originally intended as the green room. But I can see why this wouldn’t have been practical: administration would’ve had nowhere to work at all. There is also no rehearsal space, which requires Monkey Baa to hire other venues when one is needed, and set-building is frequently done off-site as well. There is a small space that they are using for small builds but that’s tucked at one end of the (very crowded) loading dock.

It’s commendable just how well Monkey Baa is using the limited space available in this venue. The external theatre company using the stage during my visit used the lower stage to great effect; the set seems right at home and not at all compromised. Toby Knyvett says audiences and clients alike have responded well so far, although it hasn’t been for everyone. But at the end of the day it represents a viable option for both corporate and theatrical hirers, and that surely is the best possible use of such a space. 

More information: Monkey Baa Theatre Company: monkeybaa.com.au RTM International: www.theatreconsultants.com.au Jands: www.jands.com.au Darling Quarter: www.darlingquarter.com

W

1 The 24.4.2 provides ten aux mixes; the 16.4.2 give you six. 2 Requires a laptop with wireless, running Virtual StudioLive, and connected to the StudioLive via FireWire. ©2011 PreSonus Audio Electronics, all rights reserved. StudioLive is a trademark of PreSonus Audio Electronics. Studio One is a trademark of PreSonus Software, Ltd. iPad is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. Freecall 1800 441 440

ith our new free iPad app, “front-of-house” can be anywhere in a venue! Up to ten musicians can control their own monitor mixes1 from the stage.

Introducing StudioLive Remote, our free iPad app that works with any PreSonus digital mixer2.

It gives you hands-on control of channel levels, mutes, panning, EQ and more for multiple channels at once. Click for a closeup Fat Channel view. Tweak

monitor mix levels, panning and processing. Adjust the graphic EQs, well…graphically.

Combine StudioLive Remote with Capture (2-click multitrack recording program), VSL plus Studio One Artist DAW, and you have the most versatile, affordable live mixing and recording solution ever.

Get the whole story on our web site. And then get a StudioLive.

042

FEATURE

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE The new Royal Children’s Hospital feels much better.

Text:/ Christopher Holder

GEAR HIGHLIGHTS 106 x AV racks 151 x AMX control touchscreens, wireless touchscreens and controllers 130+ x LCD displays and projectors with recessed motorised screens 18 x 16x16 digital matrix switchers 400+ digital transmitter and receivers MORE INFORMATION Pro AV Solutions: 1800 006 514 or www.proavsolutions.com.au

043

FEATURE

Without wanting to be rude, I’d be quite happy never to set foot in the Royal Children’s Hospital. A visit inevitably means some kind of health concern for a child that matters to you and it’s really the last place you’d like to be.

Prior to a professional visit I had discussed the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) with a couple of friends and colleagues who unfortunately had cause to spend time there. And, despite the anxiety, they were highly complimentary. I kept hearing about the huge fish tank and the meerkats.

Excuse me? Meerkats?! Yes, there’s a meerkat enclosure, and if any creature can help you forget your woes it has to be these little guys – you could watch them for days.

This, of course, is an AV story and although the meerkats are highmaintenance, they’re far from hightech. But their presence does provide a yardstick for what motivated the building of this enormous hospital project. The designers were determined it would be an inspirational place for staff, patients and families. Bright, connected, funky and fun, the environment would be conducive to the highest standards of professionalism and the business of getting well.

RIDING INTO THE SUNSET

The new Royal Children’s Hospital initial AV design was released in 2006 as an analogue system. By 2010 the originally-contracted AV integrator (TCP) went under and a new integrator was sought to provide a digital solution to the existing designs.

In the third quarter of 2010 IBSAV (who has since changed its name to Pro AV Solutions) was awarded the project to deliver integrated digital AV technologies into more than 200 of the RCH’s 2000 spaces including operating theatres, learning spaces, auditoriums, laboratories, gardens, presentation areas, the Starlight Express entertainment areas and that two-storey aquarium.

When it comes to digital AV switching and transmission technology, it’s certainly one of the largest projects of its kind in Australia, bringing to life active learning environments for research and facilitating teaching between key education and research partners – the University of Melbourne

(UoM) and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI).

Glenn Yole, Pro AV Solution’s business development manager: “The digital video switching and distribution was probably the biggest challenge we had on this job. We won this project smack bang in the middle of the analogue sunset – not simply a challenge for us, but one of the greatest challenges seen by the whole industry!”

Everyone on the project was aware that digital technologies were going to provide the best (and much needed) quality for medical imaging. But digital infrastructure was limited to what was available or about to be released.

Hybrid systems of both analogue and digital were not available and DVI-D was the only proven commercial

Image courtesy Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne

044

solution. Pro AV Solutions spent six months testing various technologies to determine what would function together and what was reliable.

At the time, remember, HDMI was still seen as a lounge room technology and large DVI infrastructure devices were still on the drawing boards of many manufacturers.

VC ON CALL

One very interesting aspect of this job is the lack of a conventional AV ‘network’. Every meeting room, operating theatre, educational space or auditorium is totally independent – every room has its own individual audiovisual identity. Each has a local AV rack; there’s no floor sharing.

Linking the rooms is a video conferencing (VC) codec (a Tandberg/Cisco backbone via cat6) that brings the systems together and works in conjunction with RCH’s IT network.

Like many other hospitals, the RCH previously had VC ‘crash carts’ that would be wheeled in and out as required. Clearly this was less than ideal and the results unreliable at best.

Now, with the investment in the Tandberg/Cisco C40 VC codecs and content server, any session or procedure in any of the dozens of rooms equipped with screens and Sony remote pan/tilt/ zoom (PTZ) cameras can conference with any other similarly equipped space in the building.

Glenn Yole cites the example of other hospitals trying to make do with desktop VC solutions such as Skype and GoToMeeting, and wondering why the experience is so underwhelming for critical telemedicine consultations. The answer of course lies in the quality of the VC infrastructure.

BACK TO SCHOOL

RCH is a training hospital with the aforementioned MCRI and UoM maintaining an ongoing presence in the building — moulding the doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals of tomorrow.

A big part of medical training is observing how the pros do it. Anyone who’s been in a hospital bed will be familiar with the scene of a consultant doing the rounds with a huddle of med students trailing behind. As you can imagine, this is less than desirable in the area of paediatrics. One strange bloke in a lab coat is normally enough to freak a child out, let alone another three bumbling students. Again, thanks to the Cisco VC back-end, there’s plenty that goes on within RCH that is now simulcast onor off-site and indeed, recorded for ‘coaching and training’ purposes, to coin a phrase.

“The allied health department does a lot of undergraduate education,” RCH’s Tracey Lawson explained. “It’s very big on telemedicine, where they will record therapy sessions then present them to students. It’s better for the

FEATURE

FEATURE

Each of the operating theatres has video conferencing capabilities — two with permanent VC codecs built in. Each has cameras, preview monitors and room control, and inputs (with scalers) for the older analogue devices that proved too expensive to upgrade (the machine that goes ‘ping’, for example). Each room has its own AV rack. Each is its own closed system, running with an emergency power backup. Revolabs lapel mics ensure the surgeons’ swearing is captured, while ceiling mics capture ambience. Each pendant arm packs S-Video, RGBHV and DVI I/O along with all the usual medical services like oxygen, suction, etc.

045

patient’s privacy – once permission is gained to record the session, the child’s not intimidated by having a room full of students and it doesn’t impact the quality of the session. A lot of the learning prior to this was impacted — there’s nothing ‘normal’ about a crowd of people.”

The other example cited by the hospital is the famous case of the Trishna and Krishna conjoined twins. With two kids in the operating theatre and effectively double the staff, space for two cameramen to capture the procedure was tight. Now with the new facility, Sony PTZ cameras taking care of video and Revolabs wireless mics capturing the sound, there’s a discreet hi-def solution on-call, so to speak.

CHILD’S PLAY

"every meeting room, operating theatre, educational space or auditorium is totally independent"

Below: Forget medecine - the major points of patient and visitor interest in the new building are the multistory fish tank and the Meerkat habitat

The Starlight Express room is a great example of good AV integration ‘making a difference’.

The room is run by Hi-5-style ‘Captains’ (no names are intentionally provided), one of whom spoke to AV about what it is that the room does and how they use the AV. “Starlight Express is a place in the hospital that’s not part of the hospital. When kids come in here they’re not sick kids, they’re just kids, and they’re all treated the same. In fact, if doctors or nurses come in here they’re not allowed to talk medicine, they have to play games like everyone else – and they do come in.”

There’s a variety of LCD panels for playing videogames, a Mitsubishi HD projector for movies (occupying one of four audio zones with a BSS BLU Soundweb making that possible), and a number of iMacs for more games and multimedia production for the older kids. But there’s more to the install than shaking your tush in Just Dance or blowing up aliens.

“We do two live TV shows every day, which means we’re creating a lot of content. Much of it is grabbing kids, telling them we’re doing a TV show and getting creative ideas from the kids themselves – ‘we should all be pink whales hosting the Oscars today’ - okay, great!

The show is narrowcast on a closed circuit TV channel that can be viewed in any of the wards in the hospital. The telecast is put together live and combines prepackaged material along with the live work with the kids.”

Sony BCR300 PTZ cameras mounted in the ceiling of the room take care of most of the work. They’re especially useful in situations where there is only one Captain – preset camera positions and a presenter with an AMX touch panel means the show can go on without assistance. Revolabs wireless mics capture the sound, while a Panasonic vision mixer is used to switch the program.

“This setup is so much simpler and more reliable than what we had in the old place,”

046

Above left: Presenter's-eye view of the main theatre.

Above right: Main theatre.

Right: The control facility for the Starlight Express room .

our Captain guide said. “Previously, we had a huge audio mixer and if we weren’t getting a sound for whatever reason, troubleshooting was a nightmare.

Now with some basic training we’re across all the fundamentals and we’re adding to our knowledge all the time.

“We love the Revolabs mics. We used to run our wireless mics off AA batteries, but now we have the Revolabs which are charged in the docking station – they’re not just laying around and they’re always charged. In the old hospital invariably someone would start talking and the audio would start cutting out and you’d have to scavenge batteries out of someone’s remote control.

“Starlight Express has its own channel in the hospital. When we’re not doing our live-to-air show we can play movies or music and the like. We can cue all that up from the AMX controller. It’s easy for us to override the audio and do an announcement on our channel, letting the kids know something is happening in the Starlight Express room in 15 minutes, for example, or ‘call us if you’d like to request the next movie’. So we’ll get a kid ringing the Starlight Express number on the hospital phone system who might not be able to get down here and say, ‘I’d really like to see Hercules’. The channel allows us to interact with more kids.” 

FEATURE

New Flexibility

QFlex, the award-winning digitally steerable loudspeaker, has been enhanced with new features designed to give the product superior capabilities and flexibility that make it even better equipped for integration within large scale PA/ VA applications, and other acoustically challenging public space where intelligibility is paramount.

• Pilot Tone Detection

Ensures integrity of cabling and signal path between source and every QFlex device. Class leading steering control of +/- 70 degrees • Sentinel SM1 System Monitor

Sentinel provides complete system-wide fault monitoring and reporting for mission-critical applications.

• AES Connectivity

QFlex now capable of receiving and transporting digital audio via AES3 stream over long distances.

• IP53 Certified Certified for water and dust protection to IP53 standard.

• Constant Voltage Interface

Integrate QFlex into existing constant voltage systems by stepping down signal from 100V/70V to line level.

To learn more about Tannoy call 1300 13 44 00 or visit www.audioproducts.com.au

Microsoft®

PixelSense

™

Bring a new dimension of social interaction to public spaces Give your guests a memorable experience with nsquared hospitality software and the Samsung SUR40.

Contact nsquared to see how digital tables can put interactive maps, activity planners and photo albums in your lobby or lounge for a lot less than you’d think.

The Samsung SUR40 with Microsoft® PixelSense™

nsquared

302-303, 75 King Street, Sydney 2000 T 02 9262 3386 www.nsquaredsolutions.com

048

FEATURE

Extreme Touring Touring the Nitro Circus across Europe in 18 trucks and six buses.

Text and Images:/ Paul Collison

Well now I’ve done it. I’ve run away and joined the circus – although it’s only for three weeks, so I can’t say I’m a true carny.

While it is not a traditional circus, Nitro Circus Live is very similar in many ways. Built around freestyle motocross star Travis Pastrana, the show is a collection of daring stunts and tricks augmented with a thumping PA, pyro and spectacular lighting (okay, I might be biased).

Touring Europe is different to other parts of the world. The shorter distances between shows mean that flights can often take longer than a trip by road. The venues are bigger, as are the audiences. And the Nitro Circus Live European tour does not follow your ordinary rock and roll touring schedule. For starters, rock doesn’t wake up at 6am (yes, there is a 6am apparently), and we’ve replaced the guitars, drums and keyboards with bikes, shopping trolleys and a Barbie car. There is staging but it’s in the form of a 14m high takeoff ramp called the Giganta. So this is no ordinary tour, but it’s a tour nonetheless.

When Nitro Circus tours Australia in April, there will be leisurely two-day bump-ins. For Europe, not only do we have to get the show up in a single day, we also have to do a show and pull it all out again. It is no easy task for Brendan Maher, the production manager, to assemble a team to do just that.

WAKE UP CALL

The day starts at 6am. Invariably this means a hotel lobby call at 5:30am or dragging yourself from your warm bunk on the bus. Dave “Dash” Rowe, the touring rigger, is first up and on the floor to herd his local riggers together and mark out his 50-plus rigging points. As in Australia, the touring crews get to know the locals as each tour passes through, so the morning usually starts with a few catch up stories from previous tours. Once the

rock god stories are out of the way, the first of the 18 trucks are unloaded.

The scaffies are also first up to begin building the Giganta ramp. Made entirely from standard scaffold, this monstrosity is one of the centrepieces of the show and takes almost eight hours to completely build and dress. The other priority is to get all the lighting, video and audio systems up in the air so the track team can build the ramps and lay the rubber-matted floor for the motocross bikes.

Access at each venue is always different: some have end-on access, others have side vomitory access. Every day is carefully choreographed to make maximum use of time. Although the lighting trusses are made up of three straight runs, they run out at 90m each so you can imagine what it’s like when they cover up access ways for extended periods. Spread across these trusses are 48 x VL3500 washes, 24 x Clay Paky 150W Alpha Beams, 27 x Martin Atomic Strobes, and 4 x Martin MacIII Profiles. There are essentially two tracks to light, the Giganta Ramp and lander, and the freestyle motocross “kickers” and lander. The VL3500s do a stellar job of lighting the track while the Alpha Beams stomp over everything in between tricks, ballyhooing all over the place.

The audio system varies between a central cluster and an end-on format

depending on access and time restrictions rather than sonic suitability, much to the dismay of audio director George Gorga.

This might seem strange but as is often pointed out, we can do the show without lights and we can do it without audio, but without the ramps and track there is no show. Compromises are always made in the best interests of the show and the safety of the athletes, which while frustrating at times, makes perfect sense.

George triggers all the music tracks from two Instant Replay machines while keeping up to five hosts at a time open on the floor.

FEATURE

ALL ABOUT THE CATERING

Touring caterers might seem like a luxury but keeping your crew well nourished is important, particularly when you’re on such tight schedules.

Each day the guys and girls from Snakatak, based in the UK, are among the first in and last out. On a normal rock tour they would provide a light breakfast with table service for lunch and dinner. On this tour the meal times are stretched out for most of the day, and served buffet style. Menus are planned

well in advance and, like the touring tech crew who know their local staff, the caterers order in fresh food from trusted local suppliers. It also isn’t just about the food. Each day the caterers dress the dining area with colourful tablecloths and other trimmings to brighten the dreary backstage areas.

There is even a Christmas theme for the last show complete with tinsel, trees and crackers. The effort is impressive and welcome.

After a long bump in there is hopefully about half an hour of “dark and noisy” time. This gives lighting half a chance to touch up focus positions, and gives George an opportunity to quickly time align and tune the PA.

049

This is followed by some time for the athletes to warm up and hone their skills. As you can imagine there is a fairly high attrition rate on a show such as this. Over the course of the tour many performers are sent home with injuries and others are flown in to replace them, so someone new joins the circus each day.

The show runs in two hour-long halves - the audience can’t complain about value for money. Seconds after the last pyro bursts, with the smell of two stroke and burning rubber lingering heavily on the nose, a majestic flow of coloured vests enters the arena to begin the tear down. Amazingly, something that takes so long to set-up is torn down in less than three hours, with another hour at the end to load the scaffold. It certainly is an impressive spectacle. As the crews finish for the day they either dribble back to the hotel if we are staying at one, or to one of the four touring buses.

050

FEATURE

Luxurious accommodation on the bus

Bus nights require a shower at the venue and most search out the VIP dressing rooms to find the better showers. Fresh and ready to relax, you wander back to your bus which the caterers have loaded up with beer, wine and fresh sandwiches during the show and, given the tough schedule, it isn’t long before you saunter back to your bunk and make the momentum of the bus your friend.

P.O.O. PROTOCOL

Our driver, Jim, spends almost 300 days a year on the road. The bus is his home.

As an ex-military guy, he keeps it pristine with absolute precision. He vacuums and wipes down the interior every day, and changes the sheets every few days. There are some pretty simple and obvious rules that passengers need to adhere to. Firstly in the bathroom: no number twos. This is due to the type of plumbing in the buses.

If you need to, you can wander down to

Jim, offer to make him a cup of tea and ask if he can stop at the next roadhouse, and there are plenty in Europe. Secondly, keep the bulk of your luggage in the luggage compartment down below and only take what you need on to the bus. Space is at a premium and excess bags can be frustrating to have around. It’s also important to keep things neat: wash your dishes, plates and mugs when you’re finished. Most people understand this makes for a pleasant trip.

It’s easy to see why these buses cost around $600,000 each. Configurations change but on this tour, downstairs we have a toilet and kitchenette complete with espresso machine. There is a table for four and lounge seating for a further four.

There is a PlayStation, DVD player and Bose audio system. Jim also drives from this level and has a bunk set-up that folds down behind him.

Upstairs is fairly spacious. At the very front are two seats that give you a great

180° view of the countryside as it passes by. Behind this area are six bunks, two high on each side. There is often animated discussion as to which is better, the top or the bottom. I prefer the top, if only to avoid smelly feet walking past each morning. Everyone sleeps feet to the front of the bus - although there are some people on the tour who would sustain less damage if their heads hit the wall in an emergency brake, we all follow this unspoken rule.

Behind the bunk area are storage racks for smaller luggage - on some buses this is configured with two more bunks. This is also where the stairwell is located.

At the rear of the upper deck is the largest lounge area. Separated by a door so some can sleep while others relax, this space is well stocked with activities and refreshments for long journeys. There is a 46cm flat screen TV complete with hundreds of movies to choose from, and a second PlayStation and Bose sound system.

FEATURE

There is also a rounded lounge that can seat six to seven people comfortably around a small table. A big moon roof allows for natural light during the day, and horizontal blinds on the side windows provide privacy if you don’t like truck drivers looking in at you at night. Soft lighting states with blue and red LED trimming give the bus a modern and comfortable feel. It’s a great way to tour.

A tour like this is certainly different to what we are used to in Australia. The language barrier is less of a problem than you might think, and most local crews follow instructions diligently. There is little time to see the sights as you navigate your way around the continent but the snippets you do see show diverse cultures that can change in just a few hundred kilometres.

I’d highly recommend running away to join the circus… But only for a few weeks. 

051

052

TUTORIAL

Wireless Spectrum Management Part 1: Setting up your radio frequency environment.

Text:/ Andy Ciddor

Wireless transmission of audio, video and IP data is an absolutely brilliant idea whose time has well and truly arrived. In fact it’s such a great idea that its success has driven it to the cusp of becoming a total failure. While Metcalfe’s highly-respected law states that the value of a communications network is proportional to the square of the number of devices connected to the network, it really only holds true for wired systems. Every new wireless device switched on in the world makes it just a little bit harder for all the other wireless devices to connect reliably.

Even after decades of development, when we finally got to the point where a very sophisticated wireless microphone link sounds nearly as good as a bargain-basement mic cable, using two wireless microphones on the same event is fraught with the dangers of crosstalk, intermodulation products and multipath interference.

There really are only two stark choices when it comes to wireless data transmission: either abandon the idea and use a nice, cheap, reliable cable instead (my personal favourite), or aggressively manage the wireless spectrum around your installation or event.

As none of you are going to give up your wireless data addiction any time now, I took it upon myself to get some advice for AV readers from Steve Caldwell, one of the world’s most experienced and sought-after wireless spectrum managers for production. Caldwell has been the technical manager and radio frequency (RF) engineer at international high-flyers Norwest Productions since shortly after the discovery

of sound. Although one of his most recent jobs was to spend a couple of years working on the wireless spectrum management plan for the 2012 London Olympics, he spoke with me about RF spectrum matters for the kinds of projects we encounter every day.

I asked Steve to take us through the process of working out and managing a spectrum plan for an event.

WHO’S BRINGING WHAT

“The first and most important step is to get as much information as you can on the RF equipment that will be used by other parties at the gig. You need to get in contact with other people who are going to be there, find out what they’re going to use in the way of comms gear, belt-pack radios, any stage management communications systems - even get in touch with the audio guys from the various acts. If they’ve got special requirements or they’re bringing their own equipment it’s really important to find out what they’re bringing. Most professional acts will have someone who is responsible for their RF equipment, and more often than not they're very keen for you to contact them.

“And it’s not just ringing them up and asking what frequency they’re using, because they’ll just read off a list of frequencies that they’ve probably used at every gig since the year dot. What you need to find out is the brand and exact model of equipment they’re using so that if a frequency change needs to be done, you already know what their units’ switching bandwidth is, and what their capabilities are.

“It is handy to find out if they’re using existing frequencies and if they’re happy with them. If these frequencies can be integrated into a solution without being changed, it makes it all the easier for you and the act. However, if you’re doing a show that has 150 frequencies on it, chances are you can't use the frequencies that they’ve had programmed into their gear and you'll need to resolve new frequencies for them. In order to do that you need to know the capabilities of their gear.”

CHECKING THE LIE OF THE LAND

The next step is to do a scan of the RF environment before anybody gets there.

“This is very important. The idea is to get a background, what I call a ‘landscape’ of the RF environment. You’re trying to identify all the services that you know will be there including TV stations and things like that. This is still long before you’ve calculated your solution.

“Once comms have turned up with their known batch of hand-helds, belt-packs and base duplex radios, you can then do a scan to find out exactly where their fundamentals are sitting and where their intermod products are sitting.

Because quite often it’s hard to just extrapolate all intermods from the fundamentals. You need to go in and actually see how they’re mixing with other known services. You can then use that to identify additional RF landscape obstacles to avoid. It’s not enough to go in there and sit at the FOH position and run the scanner for half an hour. You need to move the antenna around to avoid any nulls in the services you're scanning for.

053

TUTORIAL

An excerpt from the spectrum map for the London 2012 Olympic games.

Intermods Intermods are the additional signals produced by the intermodulation between two fundamental signals.

The frequencies produced include the sum of and the difference between the two fundamentals, plus a range of additional intermodulation products between the harmonics of the fundamentals and the sum and difference signals.

STAY FOREVER VIGILANT

“Once you’ve done that you need to continually scan. You can scan in a couple of different ways.

I scan with both a dedicated discrete antenna, and using an output from the radio mic antenna distribution system, so that I can see exactly what the radio mic receivers are seeing. This is important for a couple of reasons. The first is because the antennas are obviously going to be in different places, so they’re not getting the same signal. The second is that a lot of the off-the-shelf antenna and booster systems in current use are capable of generating their own receiver-based intermod products. Intermod products can not only be generated by transmitters and be present in the air, they can just as easily be generated in the front end pre-amplifiers of radio mic receiver systems. You really need to be able to detect this and ensure that these intermod products don't impact on any of your valuable frequencies.

“Quite often you’re side of stage at the monitor position and you’ve got your radio racks and antennas down there. You may find that the comms guys will set up next to you and if they’ve got their base-station duplexes running at 5W right next to you, your scanner antenna might only see fundamentals but you might find that there is a whole mess of intermod product being generated inside the radio mic receive system that you really ought to know about.

MAKING YOUR PLAN

“The next step is to resolve a plan of radio mics, IEMs, and what have you. If you have the ability to determine the bands of equipment that you can use for the event, now is the time to do it. Ideally what you want to do is gain

some RF spectral separation between your IEM system transmitters and your radio mic receivers, as it will help reduce the amount of intermod product that the radio mics are exposed to. Maintaining a minimum 50MHz separation will really simplify the calculation of your overall solution.

“Keep a master list of all the frequencies that you resolve. Often you have to change your solution depending on people arriving with different equipment. It’s not always possible to integrate a third party set of RF gear into what you’ve already done, and you may have to start again and re-resolve the entire system, which is painful at best. Everybody has to re-tune, so it’s important to make sure that new list of frequencies is distributed to all of the relevant people, otherwise you can get yourself into all sorts of trouble.

A TESTING TIME

“Once you’ve resolved these frequencies and entered them into the gear, the next important thing is to do a walk around with all the gear, including radio microphones. Make sure your IEM transmitters are actually turned on and running at the power level you intend to use before you do the walk. I'll often see people setting up an RF system and they’ll set up radio mics because they need to do rehearsals or shout mic-type use, and they’ll do a quick walk around with the radio mics before the IEMs have even been unpacked. And once they’ve done all that and everybody is happy, they turn on their IEMs and find that their radio mics are suffering badly.

“As part of the radio mic setup and installation procedure, if I have the ability, I tune all of the radio mic receivers to the same frequency (or frequencies if multiple bands are in use). Then I take radio mics set to those frequencies out onto the floor, leave them sitting on mic stands and confirm that all of my receivers are picking up the same transmission at the same signal strength. Your system can have an issue that's difficult to detect because all of the radio transmitters are turned on and tuned to different frequencies so you can’t tell whether the issue is based in RF or whether it’s a result of the patching system itself. And always check that your receiver distros are actually powered on before spending time fault finding a bank of suspect

equipment.

“If you look at the receivers and one has four bars of signal strength and another’s got three bars, yet they’re both receiving the same transmitter, you know there’s something wrong.

It’s amazing how many issues are resolved from the patching system itself - anything from badlytuned receivers that need trimming, to poor BNC connections.

“Once you have retuned all receivers to their allocated frequencies and all the microphones are tuned and turned on, you can then turn off each mic transmitter, one by one, and ensure that the allocated receiver shows no RF activity after that transmitter is turned off. If for instance you turn a transmitter off and find that you’ve still got signal, you know that either there’s something else transmitting on that frequency or you’re picking up an intermod.

“It’s more likely an intermod product, and that can actually be caused by people when they set up their radio microphones with all their radio transmitters turned on, but they’re gathered together on a bench somewhere. These transmitters have fairly simplistic RF window filtering and isolation. They don’t have the space in there to put huge amounts of filter electronics, so the transmitters themselves are fairly susceptible to other transmitters, particularly at close range. You can quite easily hold two transmitters together and obtain a third order product that’s higher in magnitude than either of the fundamentals. You need to be very aware that all your transmitters aren’t all lined up together in on a bench or in a drawer somewhere and all switched on, because that will produce a massive quantity of intermod product which you’ll never get away from. Nothing creates more intermods than co-located transmitters.”

SHOWTIME

If you’ve been following Steve’s instructions, your wireless systems should be running and tested and ready for the show. However, wireless spectrum plans are a like battle plans in that they don’t survive the first minutes of a skirmish.

In part two of this series we’ll look at how to manage your system through the vagaries of a performance and make it out alive. 

THE LIGHTING INDUSTRY’S NEWEST AND BRIGHTEST MAGAZINE FOR ALL LIGHTING PROFESSIONALS INDEPENDENT INFORMED COMPREHENSIVE

REGISTER NOW ONLINE NOW TO RECEIVE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTION

ISSUE #1 OUT NOW WWW.LIGHTDESIGN.NET.AU

056

REVIEW

Riedel MediorNet Compact Video, audio, data and comms distribution over fibre Text:/ Ian Anderson

Not enough time to make events as grand as you imagined? You’ve got multiple departments all running cables to and from the same locations?

Need a flexible system to distribute around a venue to lighting, audio, visuals, automation, outside broadcast and of course those other 631 people who think they need a monitor, audio feed and access to the internet? Riedel may have a product that is flexible enough to solve all of these problems for you.

‘Real Time Media Network’ and ‘21st Century Stagebox’ are two terms used by Riedel to describe its MediorNet Compact range of devices.

The systems provide a fibre-based distribution network designed to combine all types of signals down a common pipe. This Compact range is part of a broader MediorNet family which includes a completely modular system designed for large-scale rental and broadcast environments where quick turnarounds and large numbers of mission-critical feeds are required. Showing its interest in all areas of production, Riedel has included a host of signal types from a contact closure to multiplexing other external fibre ports onto the one system.

The Compact range brings all of the functionality of the proven modular systems into three models: a Compact BASIC, Compact PLUS and Compact PRO. As with any range of products they gather more functionality as they go along. For this review I had a BASIC and a PRO set up on my kitchen table connected by 4m lengths of fibre. All units are 3RU and look like

they are meant to be in any rack. Connections are well laid out with plenty of lights to tell you what’s going on and the front panels are full with industry-standard connectors for all the different signal types.

Once you see the units in place you realise the infrastructure and time saving you will gain from this type of integrated system. For example, if you consider the cabling that is run typically into a venue from a OB truck to a FOH location where lighting, audio, production callers, screen control and autocue operators are all located.

All these departments require different levels of interconnection to and from the broadcaster as shown in the example below.

To Lighting:

Program Vision, Router Vision,

Router control, Timecode, From Lighting:

GPI triggers, Wide shot vision

to router To Audio:

High level VTR replays, sub mixes or

individual mic channels, timecode From Audio:

High level CD/computer replay,

sub mixes To Callers:

Program Vision, Camera

Multiview output From Callers:

GPI triggers, Timecode,

rehearsal microphone

To Screen Control:

Camera feeds, VTR feeds,

Sync, Timecode From Screen Control: Computer outputs, Audio replay To Autocue:

Program Vision and Audio From Autocue:

Cue vision

The count of individual cables is well over 15 even including multicores. Not to mention heavy copper cabling. All of these signals can be transported over fibre already but usually with several systems all operating individually and incompatibly. The beauty of the MediorNet is that it gathers all of these different signals and combines them in a single integrated network.

The network bandwidth is up to 50Gb/s. This in real terms is up to 12 HD-SDI video signals, dozens of MADI streams or GBit-Ethernet signals and hundreds of channels of audio or intercom ports. One of the stand out features of this fibre system is it doesn’t just send signals from one input to a set output at the other end. It is able to route any signal to any other like connector on the system. This all happens in real time.

The operating software stays loaded onto the frames so all you need to do is hop on the network and type in the IP address of the frame you are connected to in your browser, and it’s show time. You will be asked to download from the frame the Mediorworks program for your

REVIEW

Mac or PC and from then you can begin to configure the individual frames for use, or make adjustments to a currently functioning network.

As with other Riedel products you can set up your network topography visually in a window, see all I/O in its simplest form or create groups and custom layouts for more complicated routing or network monitoring. Custom labelling is easy, however the default names for the frames and all the I/O in the network is pretty self-explanatory and will get you going quickly.

As with any other routing type of product, sources and destinations are shown in the software. Different formats and types of signals are all well visualised with colour and their labels in the system. A simple drag and drop is all that is required to make a connection. The computer will say “no� if you are trying to send a HD signal down a contact closure. It will also let you know if you have reached any system limitations such as network bandwidth.

For more complex routing scenarios groups of the same formats can be configured in a typical matrix view. Here you can lock or unlock connections and easily see if inputs are going to multiple destinations, and so on. Video outputs can have on screen displays showing the configuration and in addition all of the embedded audio can be re-routed as required.

The system shows how the fibre up- and down-links are loaded with the bandwidth and power levels required for the current configuration and a comprehensive error/activity log is available.

The fibre network can be set up in a typical star configuration, redundant loop or point to point. Depending on the number and types of fibre connections you make between frames, MediorNet can prioritise how all of the signals deal with loss of network bandwidth. The fibre connection trend here in Australia tends to be the WDM OpticalCON QUAD module. This will allow six high-speed MediorNet links in the one connector. Plenty of other fibre options are supported and available to suit current infrastructure, including the 4.25G opticalCON DUO and standard LC or ST connectors.

The video signal paths can be either 3GB, HD-SDI, or SDI. The BASIC comes with two In and two Out, the PRO with four

058

In and four Out as standard, but adding one of the three video option boards allows an additional four In/four Out or eight In or eight Out. Two display ports are also available for routing signals. Each unit has a sync input and at least one sync output, the PRO has three sync outputs.

This allows the user to sync any free-running signals to the same reference (blackburst or TriLevel) completely within the network or sync external devices to the network. A nice feature is the test pattern generator. This is available on all inputs and outputs to the system (video and audio).

Audio I/O is taken care of from analogue with two In/ two Out on the BASIC and four In/four Out on the PRO to the same number of AES/EBU connections. MADI (optical) has one on the BASIC and two on the PRO. There is a built-in 16-channel embedder/de embeder that can move any AES/EBU signal around as required.

Other media signals include 10 configurable GPIO, Ethernet and serial (RS422, RS232, RS485). Each unit has two auto-sensing power inputs as well as a 12VDC input.

Riedel’s Rocknet system is also supported in the PLUS and the PRO. This is another clever system that allows low-latency audio distribution via I/O that simply connects via its own network. Some audio consoles are also being integrated with various slot-in cards. The complete system looks and feels like a standard analogue split system and is built to be on the road.

Third-party interfaces are always in development, but currently the system will talk to the standard ProBel broadcast router protocol and also to TSL screen systems.

REVIEW

This makes the system a perfect companion to broadcast facilities that require lots of external locations like commentary boxes, sidelines and hosting positions.

There are a few fancy things the system will do. All of the BNC connectors are internally lit and depending on signal availability or test patterns that may be assigned they will change colour. The other signal types also have indicators showing signal presence. The ability to flash all the lights on a unit to indicate which unit requires attention to a person in the field is a good idea, and looks great in the dark!

The MediorNet Compact range is one of those devices that keep events going. They are not designed to be on show to but be an integral part of connecting many disciplines in the performance and broadcast worlds. The hardest part of using any system like this is getting everyone talking the same language and willing to combine resources to make big tasks that much easier. Here’s to working together. 

Reidel: www.riedel.net RRP MediorNet Compact BASIC MediorNet Compact PLUS MediorNet Compact PRO

$14,36.20 (inc GST) $15,842.20 (inc GST) $22,574.20 (inc GST)

060

REVIEW

SPOTLIGHT ON VECTORWORKS An expert insider’s view.

Text:/ Peter Neufeld

With its roots in stage lighting design and a high profile in event production, Vectorworks Spotlight from Nemetschek is making itself known in the AV world. One of a range of Vectorworks CAD packages offering the CAD system bundled with industry-specific tools, Spotlight has been developed for AV and takes a straightforward approach for those of us who just need to get on and draw something it understands that most AV professionals do not want to end up as CAD jockeys.

You draw on the page at the scale that the plan is likely to be printed. Your line weights, graphics, text – in fact everything in your drawing – will print exactly as you see it on the screen. The same goes for PDFs created using the built-in Adobe PDF exporter.

Vectorworks comes with Getting Started guides and tutorial DVDs, and there are lots of exercises and feature explanations you can download or view, such as those on the Vectorworks YouTube channel. There are also some excellent tutorial books available and we at OzCAD, the Australian distributor, also provide free technical support by phone or email.

GETTING STARTED

In Vectorworks, you can start a drawing from scratch or by incorporating a digital file from a venue, colleague or supplier. Vectorworks can also import and export DWGs and has great strengths in this area. As well, it can import and export PDFs, Rhino, Parasolid or any type of image file simply by dragging and dropping onto the page, and it can import directly from SketchUp. Additional export formats include COLLADA, Google Earth, CINEMA 4D, Stereo Lithography (3D printing), FBX, IGES, Parasolid, Lightwright and more.

Vectorworks is known for its accurate and impressive-looking drawings, due in part to its intelligent objects. These can include both 2D and 3D representations of the geometry so

that in a plan view, only 2D objects will display whereas in a 3D view, the 3D geometry is seen.

Just by drawing simple shapes on the page, Spotlight’s Event Planning suite allows you to automatically build up a room including stages, video screens, audience and so on, but it is the AV tools that will spark the most interest from the AV professional. These intelligent real-world tools allow you to place and configure television screens, video projectors, video screens, edge-blended projection screens, speaker systems and more. These can be customised before, during or after placement, and of course can be saved to build your own library of commonly-used configurations.

FINELY TOOLED

The Video Screen tool has an option that allows you to select a standard, fixed or zoom lens size, or a custom lens. When the projector is placed by distance, it will display the calculated lens size.

The LED tool allows you to create and configure any type of LED video screen, whether it’s vertical or horizontal strips, soft web type, modules or curtains. You’re able to dictate the pitch, size and shape of each LED and you can save these for use in subsequent drawings. If you have Renderworks, the optional rendering module, you can even load up custom images or corporate logos onto any of the screens for even greater realism.

Vectorworks Spotlight also has the Speaker tool and Speaker Array tool. These allow you to insert hybrid (2D/3D) models of loudspeakers and flown line arrays, and can perform basic audio coverage analysis.

These tools are not meant to replace or even approach the complexity of high-end sonic analysis software, but can display variable horizontal and vertical dispersion areas in both 2D and 3D. Dispersion ranges can be defined so users can visualise loudspeaker performance for different frequency ranges, key frequencies, crossover points, or dB drop-

offs. Each range can be independently classed and is colour-coded.

Vectorworks Spotlight includes many other intelligent objects: straight and curved trusses, tables and chairs, audience blocks, ramps, mechanical parts, and so on. The Softgoods (drapes) tool allows you to draw any straight or curved curtains from a hanging drape to a flown border, or a set of pipe and drapes. As its name implies, the program has enormous competence in lighting design and is pretty much the standard for stage lighting in Australia. Although not covered in depth here, there are some exceptional ways to display a plan so that the symbols on the page can take on the colour they are assigned, which makes rigging and colouring so much easier to understand.

MODULES AND ADD-ONS

With a 25-year history in modelling and design, Vectorworks also has a large following in the architectural, interior and landscape design worlds. The software versions start with Vectorworks Fundamentals for general design and drafting, then build on this base with industry-specific modules including Vectorworks Architect for architecture and interiors, and Vectorworks Landmark for landscape design and urban planning. If you do a bit of everything then Vectorworks Designer contains all the modules and can be set to display all the features or just those specific to each industry. Finally, Renderworks is the optional enhanced-rendering module powered by the CINEMA 4D engine from Maxon, commonly used by the broadcast industry to create renderings and animations.

Vectorworks was the first CAD program to have built-in spreadsheets and reports.

Whether it’s hundreds of lighting channels, drive numbers for speaker cabinets or number of pixels per screen, the paperwork is easily reported and automatically generated. If you change your mind about a gel colour, a video

REVIEW

Aurora Multimedia uses state-of-the-art technologies to define the cutting edge.

Since the introduction of its IP-based control systems and touch panels, Aurora Multimedia has become a dominant force in the control system market, providing solutions for a variety of global markets including government, education, security, hospitality, corporate and residential.

Left: the LED tool at work showing a range of accurately-rendered LED screens.

Above: The Speaker tool can be used to provide basic sound coverage analysis .

projector’s unit number or a stock drape width, you can just change the numbers on the spreadsheet and watch it update on the plan in 2D and 3D. These ‘two-way’ reports save a great deal of time in the tedious process of numbering or accounting, and you can get a worksheet to report on absolutely anything drawn on the plan, from quantity to costing or weight calculation.

For those wanting to do comprehensive schematics and rack layouts, check out connectCAD. This is an inexpensive software add-on to Vectorworks for designing broadcast, audio-visual, lighting, IT networks and other connected systems.

It has an open and flexible architecture that lets you easily respond to changes and make revisions with minimum effort. It’s easy to learn, fun to use and gives you a substantial increase in speed, efficiency and accuracy.

TRYING IT OUT

Vectorworks can run on Macintosh or Windows and may be installed on up to two machines – typically a desktop and a laptop, or home and work machine – provided the two installations are not open at the same time. You can download a free 30-day trial version of the software from OzCAD and see for yourself. If you choose to buy, OzCAD can also offer payment plans.  More information: Vectorworks: www.vectorworks.net OzCAD: www.ozcad.com.au Trial version: www.ozcad.com.au/products/ evaluation.php ConnectCAD plugin: www.connectcad.com Vectorworks YouTube Channel: www. youtube.com/user/vectorworks Pricing: Vectorworks Spotlight: RRP $3245 (inc GST) Renderworks add-on: RRP $790 (inc GST)

Introducing

DXE-CAT-S2L™ HDBaseT CAT Extender with Integrated Control System

You extend it, we control it!

Features •

Transmit HDMI up to 1080p 60Hz 48bit 330ft over one CAT 5e/6/7 cable

•

Built-in control system for triggering RS232 or IR commands on either the TX or RX side

•

Integrated web server for hosting custom web control interfaces - control from any device with a we browser ( iPad, Android, PC, etc. )

•

Ethernet pass-through with 2-port switch on TX and RX side

•

POE powered via Flex-Power™ technology ( Patents Pending )

Made in the USA For all product enquiries, demos or quotes, please contact us: jands.com.au

info@jands.com.au

Interface Creation Software Available!

062

NEWS

InfoComm News

News from the Oceania Region

CTS: YOUR 2013 DESTINATION Did you know that the number of certified technology specialists in the Oceania region increased 32 per cent in 2012? It’s because more people are recognising the value of the credential.

Nearly three-quarters of all CTS holders plan to tackle the CTS-D and/or CTS-I exam, which is why this exclusive group is growing. InfoComm now reports more than 700 CTS-D holders and more than 560 CTS-I holders.

Now is the time to plan to reach your goals for 2013 - but you don’t have to handle this challenge alone. Contact Jonathan Seller for one-on-one guidance to create your custom training plan for 2013, and make sure you check out the webinars and courses coming up in the next couple of months.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW CHECKLIST The Certified Audiovisual Solutions Provider (CAVSP) Program has traditionally been an optional program that provides recognition for companies that voluntarily improve quality and professionalism by obtaining various levels of employee participation in the InfoComm Certification program. Last year, however, InfoComm made a significant change to the program and it now requires the adoption of a new Audiovisual Systems Performance Verification Checklist to participate at the two highest levels.

This checklist is intended to provide owners, consultants and integrators with a comprehensive and singular source of tests to determine if the audiovisual system achieves the client’s goals or objectives, and if it performs in accordance with the best practices of the industry. By providing this list to the audiovisual industry, InfoComm is establishing a set of commissioning guidelines to help industry professionals and their clients communicate effectively about their expectations for system performance.

The checklist was developed by a Standards Task Group convened by InfoComm using ANSI consensus building procedures. InfoComm thanks the group for devoting so much time and expertise to this project. Visit www.infoComm.org to see the new AV Systems Verification Checklist, along with the names of all who contributed.

There is potential for even more changes and refinements to the checklist and we hope you will participate in a public review period late in the first quarter of 2013.

CHANGING MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE The membership structure for InfoComm International changed on 1 January 2013. Under the new structure, member benefits will be enhanced and easier to use. Benefits of InfoComm membership include free networking events, free admission to trade shows around the world, free InfoComm standards, discounted market research, a basic AV-iQ catalog, voting rights, steering committee participation, and listing in the member directory. In addition, all members’ employees can take advantage of four free online education products including CTS Prep Online, Quick Start to the AV Industry Online, Essentials of AV Technology Online and the InfoComm-Recognized AV Technologist Certificate. With this simplified benefits structure, you will find even more value in InfoComm membership.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR InfoComm Roundtables will be conducted in Sydney and Brisbane on 12 March 2013. Contact Jonathan Seller at oceania@infocomm.org for more details.

All The AV Industry Employment News Delivered to your IN box with AV Newswire Any time you want it at www.av.net.au

064

TUTORIAL

Needs Analysis Excellent design begins with a proper assessment of the end user’s needs.

Program and Design Information s)

Keep sales staff informed

ete ) es

in rm

End-Users' Needs

(D

The needs analysis is the most critical stage of the AV design process because it determines the nature of the systems, their infrastructure and the budget, including the impact of the AV-related expenses on the client’s space. The result of collecting this information is an understanding of the required AV system functions, as well as the layout and installation needs of these system components.

Glossary: Need In the context of a needs analysis, a need is the basic communication requirement motivating the creation of a new AV system or space.

(Su pp ort

This article is an excerpt from a brand new class, CTS Prep Online. Debuting in 2013, this class is free for all members. For more information about InfoComm University courses or InfoComm membership, please visit infocomm.org or contact Jonathan Seller at oceania@infocomm.org.

Applications

Tasks

Functions and Features

Training, Videoconferencing

Audio and video presentations, taking notes Room lighting, AV systems, sightlines, seating layout, breakout space

Needs Analysis Process

What does the end user need to do?

Design is the fun part. All too often, when designers speak with a client they focus on the gear. Why? Because everyone likes the gear. AV professionals love new technology with impressive specifications and capabilities, brilliant images, powerful audio, and lighting. However, excellent design begins not with the gear, but with a proper assessment of the end user’s needs.

Glossary: Needs Analysis A needs analysis, also referred to as the programming phase, consists of identifying the activities that the end users need to perform, and then developing the functional descriptions of the systems that support those needs.

The needs analysis is about discovering the user’s needs. In AV, the best way to deliver those needs is not always known or understood by the end user. They may only be able to tell you what they would like the system to do for them. This is where the AV professional can and must educate the end user by filling in the missing information.

Other than being the most crucial stage of the design process, it is important because the end user’s needs determine the type of construction and equipment necessary to specifically support the needs of the client. You’ll notice this pyramid has ascending and descending arrows. Everything ties into something else.

When beginning an AV project, the stage of the building construction can range from a concept drawing on a scrap piece of paper to an existing building. No matter what stage of the building construction, it is important to conduct a needs analysis to fully address the user’s needs.

Some examples include: To communicate within a company To operate a conference centre To market or sell a product To monitor and operate a nationwide or worldwide network To provide entertainment in the performing arts To train others

Examples of End User Needs

The information you gather during the needs analysis process should help identify each level of the needs analysis pyramid.

Quick Tip: Wants vs Needs

An important point to understand during the needs analysis process is the difference between a want and a need.

Wants are the items that the client would like to have, but are not necessarily needed to make the system operational and functional. They are the “nice to have” items of the project. Needs are the items that you must have in order to provide the end user with what they need for a fully operational and functional AV system.

The need then determines the application.

Glossary: Application In the context of a needs analysis, an application is an activity or process that supports the end user’s communication needs.

How will end users use the AV system to serve their needs?

Some examples include: Sales force education and coordination Product demonstrations Musical or dramatic performances Court proceedings Board meetings Information display The application then determines a task.

Glossary: Task In the context of a needs analysis, a task is an AV system or process used to support the end user’s required applications.

How does the end user plan to convey information During each application?

Some examples include: The application of sales force education and coordination determines a possible task of displaying images with audio playback.

The task of displaying an image supports the application of sales force education and coordination.

The task then determines the functions and features.

Glossary: Functions and Features In the context of a needs analysis, the functions and features are the specific capabilities the AV system or equipment must possess in order to perform the required tasks.

What functions and features are required to perform each task?

Some examples include: The task of displaying images with audio playback determines functions and features such as proper sightlines and the type and depth of seating layouts.

The functions and features such as proper sightlines and seating layouts support the task of displaying an image.

The results from the needs analysis determine the nature of the systems, their infrastructure, and the system budget, including the impact of the expense on the base building.

Best Practice: Identifying an End User’s Objectives and Interests

All good AV technicians know how to link their ideas to the client’s environment and express them in ways the client can relate to. It isn’t difficult to do, but it takes effort and practice.

Here’s how to do it: Make a list of typical titles of prospects you call on. If necessary, ask your manager or other sales reps, “Who makes decisions to buy our products or services in our client companies?”

Identify some broad responsibilities and/or concerns a person in that job probably has.

Use this general information to get the individual you actually meet with to tell you more about specifics. Clients will open up more to someone who already knows something about their world than they will with people who are clueless. 

Is this your copy of AV?

issue #29 $6.95

If you’d like to receive your own copy of AV or if you’d like to continue to receive AV

BIG SCORE: PERTH ARENA OPENS CHILDREN’S THEATRE: RAISING THE MONKEY BAA CUNNING STUNTS: WHEN THE CIRCUS HIT TOWN ACROSS THE SPECTRUM: MANAGING WIRELESS PART 1

Register now!

Here’s how: Log onto www.av.net.au Click the Subscribe button Fill in your details AV magazine is sent free of charge to audiovisual industry professionals. If you’d like to be taken off the mailing list please email subscriptions@av.net.au

066

Termination Windows close on DIY IT Text:/ Graeme Hague

I’ve got a problem with Telstra. Not a problem problem, but a technical issue with my email that they can’t fix. The ticket has been “escalated” several times and I’ve had several phone calls from a nice chap called Stephen who lives in the Philippines and is polite and very concerned, if more than a trifle indecipherable. Each time he calls, Stephen logs remotely onto my computer to ferret around its innards looking for a solution. It’s kind of fascinating and alarming at the same time to see someone else controlling my mouse cursor, opening windows and dialogue boxes. Will he find my Brazilian love poetry collection? So far, after a while Stephen gives up and promises to call back.

I’ve got problems of my own with my PC. In the course of my work for these esteemed Alchemedia publications I often get to play with the latest DAW software and hardware for review purposes. Now – apologies for the unsolicited plug here – for a while my DAW flavour of choice has been Presonus’ Studio One and while S1 doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of its longer-established competitors, it is a rock-solid program that rarely falters without some sort of extreme user-error. It doesn’t crash and, I should admit, I’m using Presonus hardware too which helps. We’re talking Rock of Gibraltar-like rock solid here.

CRASH COURSE

Last weekend I decided to have a fun day of booting up the latest versions of those competing DAWs and putting them through their paces.

The first software lasted about an hour before my PC froze completely. It was disappointing because I seriously had that elusive Grammy within reach – I could taste it and I’d dusted off a spot on my office shelf in readiness. But the computer restart wiped my musical genius and

it was gone forever. Believe me, the world is a much, much poorer place without it – whatever it was.

Rather than try again I flashed up a different type of new DAW. This time I only lasted only about half an hour before error messages and audio dropouts made it all too hard. It wasn’t so bad. I lost maybe just one of those obscure Grammys no one ever hears about like “Best Alternative Rock Jingle In A Minor Key For Foreign Television”.

The truth is that it’s not the DAW software at fault. These are very demanding applications and you generally need to set up your computer properly for each individual program to run well.

Parameters need nudging, settings need setting, tweaks need tweaking… It’s understandable that swapping between programs isn’t a perfect science. My problem was that after languishing in the comfort zone of dependable Studio One for too long, it was a bit of a shock to be back in the world of BSODs, screen freezes and system crashes. I couldn’t figure out what to do, because theoretically the latest operating systems should have already done it for me. It’s the catchcry of the new millennium, “Windows 7 will automatically do it”.

IT’S ALL GEEK

I used to be pretty good at this stuff. I’ve done my dues completely dismantling and rebuilding a motherboard just to find a PCI slot without an IRQ conflict. I’ve discovered mismatched RAM, delved into the mysterious Hidden Folders – I’ve even, heaven forbid (take a deep breath), made changes to a BIOS without destroying the entire planet – which is possible, or so they say. I know about the secret pinhole for ejecting CDs with a paper clip – that makes me an IT expert. Really.

But when I start digging through the layers of Windows 7 I can hardly find anything I know.

It’s like looking under the bonnet of a new car.

A Valiant I once drove (yes, a Valiant) needed a lot of TLC to keep going. In particular, every few weeks I had to pull out the rotor button from the distributor and scrape it along the nearest bit of concrete to make all the cylinders fire. And a can of goop dumped down the carburetor once a month worked wonders. Nowadays, if I look at the engine of a new car I don’t recognise a thing.

There’s no spark plugs, no carburetor… I don’t know why they even bother having a bonnet.

There’s nothing underneath it you can fix.

That’s what it’s like looking under the virtual bonnet of Windows 7 now. All the geeky DIY-IT things you could fiddle with have either vanished or fiddle themselves. Look a bit too deep and your phone will ring, and a sinister voice from Microsoft will say, “Don’t touch that. Put the mouse down and back away slowly from the desk”.

Because, as I said before, supposedly Windows 7 is already doing it all for you. Except it obviously isn’t, since my computer is crashing with the aforementioned different DAWs and I don’t know why.

At least I’m not alone. Don’t forget, the incomprehensible Stephen at Telstra can’t fix my webmail and he’s a proper IT expert.

We’ve just gotten Windows 8. Windows 9, 10 and 11 are in the foreseeable future and each one will go even further towards doing everything “automatically”. As operating systems get more and more complex, somehow that translates into providing less access to the binary nuts and bolts for homegrown PC nerds. I sense a conspiracy and we should be collectively outraged…

What do you think? If you want to know more, email me. Only remember I probably won’t get it, because even Telstra isn't in the conspiracy loop. 

ACOUSTIC ECHO CANCELLATION Now STANDARD with

Q-Sys Core 250i

The world’s most powerful digital audio networking solution now offers Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) – up to 48 channels. And unlike competing solutions from other manufacturers, AEC is a standard feature – no extra hardware or costly upgrade required.

And, because Q-Sys operates on Layer 3 Gigabit Ethernet over IT-friendly, industry standard network hardware, not only is Q-Sys powerful, it’s also incredibly easy to deploy.

To learn more, scan the code below or visit us online at qscmarketing.com/aec.

qsc.com

In Australia: TAG. Ph. (02) 9519 0900 / E. info@tag.com.au

© 2012 QSC Audio Products, LLC. All rights reserved. QSC, the QSC logo, and Q-Sys are registered trademarks in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and other countries. Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.