AV Issue 35

BEEFED UP: RED BULL’S NZ HQ AVIA AWARDS 2013: ALL THE WINNERS PROFILED SYSTEMS CRASH!: SWINBURNE UNI’S SMART STRUCTURES LAB issue #35 $6.95

ELEGANT DESIGN, LIFELIKE AUDIO. MicroexTM Wireless Systems Enterprise-scale Microphone Solutions for Managed AV Environments ™

Microex Wireless systems bring vivid, lifelike audio to meetings, panel discussions, teleconferences and other applications in managed AV environments — from signature boardrooms and concentrated multi-room environments to networked corporate campuses.

• • • • • • •

Flexible mic options – Gooseneck, boundary, bodypack and handheld microphones Modern, low-prole designs – Fit comfortably into diverse AV environments Dante™ digital audio networking – Low latency, multichannel audio over Ethernet networks Advanced rechargeability – Smart lithium-ion batteries enable remote monitoring Browser-based control software – Comprehensive system setup and real time control Automated frequency coordination – Ensures clean frequencies for every wireless channel Encrypted wireless – AES-256 protection for secure over the air wireless audio

Distributed by

www.jands.com.au

Reaching new heights ... in sound reproduction

The Hemi-Directional Loudspeaker from Bosch sets the standard for large-area, high-ceiling applications such as showrooms, auditoriums, transport and exhibition halls, mega stores, sport centres and swimming pools. This architecturally and acoustically innovative speaker delivers high-quality speech and music reproduction, even at the boundaries of the sound projection range. The speaker’s 14 drivers, in combination with advanced filtering, opening angle and high SPL, allow it to cover at least 700 m2.

For more information call us on 02 9683 4752, email boschcomms@au.bosch.com, or visit www.boschcommunications.com.au

04

NEWS

Editorial What Are Things Coming Too? I enjoy living just a couple of nanometres behind the bleeding edge of technology. It’s the ideal place for someone with a short attention span; a love of being on the steep slope at the bottom of the learning curve; and the boundless optimism to think that one day we really will get things right. The view from here is exhilarating and ever-changing, with lots of exciting ideas whizzing past, some never to be seen again and others, such as electronic data processing centres, constantly reappearing with a fresh coat of paint or a new marketing campaign, hoping to be a success this time around. (Which reminds me: has anyone seen the hula-hoop or the yo-yo crazes in recent times, or have games on mobile phones finally taken kids’ attention away from them?)

Here in the AV universe, we’ve been stitching together disparate devices and technologies since the dawn of time (well for a century or so, at least). We’ve been linking and synching projection, image capture and sound systems together with belts, pulleys, cogs and wires since before the age of moving pictures. To this we’ve been linking in machinery, fountains, atmospheric effects, hydraulics, pneumatics, air exchange, heating, cooling, drapes and lighting. Many of these connections were bespoke, often even Heath Robinson arrangements, built with the technology (or lack thereof) at hand.

In the age of electronics our linking of devices for projects was almost always electrical or electronic, although with dozens of different signal types and control interfaces it was still a pretty haphazard, cobbled-together affair. Even when we ‘standardised’ on the RS-232C serial data connection for device control, there never was a real RS-232 standard, with pins used in different ways, data flow that could be either software or hardware mediated and different interpretations of the meanings of pin-outs. Somewhere on the reference shelf behind me, near the CMOS Cookbook and the 1973 GE SCR Manual, sits my thankfullylong-abandoned RS-232 reference book, listing 150 of the most common RS-232 device pin-outs and signal interpretations. And even when you’ve eventually got the signalling right, every device manufacturer has variations on their command set, even if they use the so-called standard commands.

Then there’s the world of pain that’s USB, most especially when used with MS Windows-based computers.

Even though our data has migrated from its rainbow of analogue and digital formats to TCP/ IP datagrams, many of our devices have remained under various flavours of serial control: RS-232 and USB for point-to-point and RS-485 for bussed

devices. Finally, out here near the bleeding edge, we’re hearing a new phrase from the spinmasters and the marketeers, and just like the nebulous terms ‘Cloud Computing’ and ‘Big Data’, you’ll soon be hearing much more about the ‘Internet of Things’.

Generally this currently-ill-defined term is used to describe networks of devices such as appliances, entertainment devices and even household LED lamps, most of which were previously fairly dumb, or at the very least, not particularly communicative.

What’s happened to transform them, and get them chatting via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Ethernet is the total commodification of system-on-a-chip (SOC) devices based around microprocessors that are powerful enough to out-perform the engineering workstations from a decade ago. As these chips also come equipped with wired Ethernet and/or digital radio transceivers, it’s relatively straightforward to connect them on to existing networks or give them the capability of joining or forming mesh networks.

As many of these SOC devices are designed to be mobile phones or tablet computers with the addition of the right hardware, they can run existing operating systems such as Linuxes or Android and thus have plenty of development tools and libraries available to make the equipment they’re embedded in look pretty smart.

As we’ve been constructing our own Internets of Things since the dawning of the electronic age, it seems pretty clear that we should be looking to get involved with this next-big-thing right now. These SOC devices are ready for incorporation into the devices we’re building now, and can relatively easily be retrofitted to the comms ports of many existing pieces of equipment. Networks of heterogeneous hardware controllers (‘Things’) have been our home turf for a while now, so we should be able to achieve some pretty amazing things with the new generations of devices and controllers. I’m looking forward to seeing them come over the horizon.

And on a different note completely… If you’re into video creation, frequently called film making because of the current lack of a more accurate and descriptive term, you should have a look at our latest publication Video&Filmmaker. This free, digital-only magazine is made for anyone who wants to improve and refine their skills and techniques in the telling of stories with digital moving pictures. The first issue is available for the iPad from the Apple Newsstand right now, and if our programming team drinks enough coffee, will be available in a platform-independent web version by the time this magazine reaches your letterbox. www.videoandfilmmaker.com Andy Ciddor, Editor: andy@av.net.au

“Networks of heterogeneous hardware controllers (‘Things’) have been our home turf for a while now, so we should be able to achieve some pretty amazing things”

1

Incredible Sound

2

Each speaker includes subwoofer for amazing sound! Hear the richness in your audio in a tiny 1 rack unit size!

5

Advanced HDMI Monitoring

6

You get the latest HDMI monitoring output that supports Ultra HD! Connect to video projectors or big screen TV’s!

Audio Level Meter

3

High Quality LCD

4

Big built in level meter simulates the ballistics of a standard VU audio meter in a bright easy to read design!

The built in display allows visibility of input video, volume level, input selection and video standard instantly!

Worlds First 6G-SDI

7

Get the latest 6G-SDI video connections for Ultra HD with a single cable! Switches between SD, HD, 2K and Ultra HD!

AES/EBU Digital Audio

Machined from solid aluminum, you get an elegant front panel design that looks great in your studio!

8

Connect to professional audio equipment via the built in balanced AES/EBU digital audio input!

Elegant Rack Design

Analog Audio Inputs Connect to balanced analog audio equipment and unbalanced HiFi equipment such as iPods, DVD players and more!

Get incredible quality audio monitoring with 6G-SDI and Ultra HD technology!

Blackmagic Audio Monitor gives you fantastic quality audio monitoring in a small one rack unit size! With a dual subwoofer design combined with extra wide range speakers all backed by a super powerful class A/B amplifier, Blackmagic Audio Monitor features an elegant design with big bright multi color audio meters and a built in LCD for monitoring video sources. You even get 6G-SDI input and HDMI 4K output for native 4K big screen video monitoring!

Small Size, Big Sound!

The Blackmagic Audio Monitor was designed using the latest advanced audio analysis technology to create a wide and smooth frequency response curve with crisp highs and powerful deep bass. You get great sounding music, extremely clear voice tracks and all the detail of effects tracks! Blackmagic Audio Monitor has the power to be heard in noisy environments!

Precision Audio Metering With two big bright audio level meters on the front panel, you get full multi colored RGB LEDs under each segment so the meter scale is infinitely customizable. With lots of meter segments you can monitor a very wide dynamic range. Blackmagic Audio Monitor features an elegant and super tough front panel that’s been machined from a solid block of aluminum so it looks fantastic in your studio!

Advanced 6G-SDI and Ultra HD Blackmagic Audio Monitor supports SD, HD and the latest Ultra HD 4K video resolution via the high quality 6G-SDI input with output on the HDMI 4K connection to both HD and Ultra HD 4K displays and projectors. You can monitor audio from any of the 16 audio channels on the 6G-SDI input. 6G-SDI is four times faster than regular HD-SDI so allows image resolutions four times greater than HD! This means you get the most advanced future proof technology!

More Audio and Video Connections Blackmagic Audio Monitor features both professional audio inputs as well as cutting edge technology video inputs including 6G-SDI input with loop output, HDMI 4K monitoring output, balanced analog XLR audio in, balanced AES/EBU audio in and consumer level HiFi audio inputs. Only Blackmagic Audio Monitor has all the inputs you need for monitoring both video and audio!

Blackmagic Audio Monitor

1,845

$

Learn more today www.blackmagicdesign.com/au/audiomonitor

The new solution

for the commercial installation market

The new Yamaha Commercial Installation Solutions series has been designed around 6 Key Values: Simplicity, Flexibility, Expandability, Efficiency, Reliability and, of course, Yamaha Quality.

Contact Yamaha Music Australia or your local Yamaha Commercial Audio dealer today for more information.

Network Multi-Zone Matrix Processors with Dante*

System Design Software for MTX & XMV

Ceiling Speakers for any application

Network Multi-Channel Amplifiers with Dante*

Surface-Mount Speakers and Subwoofers

*Dante connectivity available on “-D� models only.

Yamaha Music Australia Pty Ltd PO Box 268, South Melbourne, VIC 3205

yamahaproaudio.com

D

EXCEPTIONAL SUPPORT & PROTECTION

TM

RACK ENCLOSURES TECHNICAL FURNITURE THERMAL MANAGEMENT CABLE MANAGEMENT WR-Series Roll Out Rotating System in Host Enclosure

PTRK Rugged, Portable Rolling Rack with keylocked doors

Slim-5 Versatile Rack Frame System Ships flat-packed!

AX-SXR System Pull-out and swivel for millwork and in-wall installs

what great

RACK ACCESSORIES Many Items available from stock.

Contact us for pricing and availability

SRSR Rotating Sliding Rail System for cabinets and flush in-wall

systems are built on.

Proudly Distributed by Amber Technology Unit 1, 2 Daydream St. | Warriewood NSW 2102 FREE PHONE 1 800 251 367 | www.ambertech.com.au

Download Catalogue

CFR Series Fully-welded Cabinet Frame Rack

Crew 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.

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) Editorial Director: Christopher Holder (chris@av.net.au) Publisher: Philip Spencer (philip@av.net.au)

Marcus has worked in the entertainment industry for over 15 years. He has lit everything from TV to tours, corporate to circus, galleries to garages, and yet he’s still smiling and always up for a joke. He spends much of his time looking after a large client base for Melbourne lighting company Resolution X. He is currently a committee member of the Australian Lighting Industry Association, a member of the AVIAs judging panel, and has a continuing passion for lighting in all fields.

Art Director: Dominic Carey (dominic@alchemedia.com.au) Graphic Design: Leigh Ericksen (leigh@alchemedia.com.au) News Editor: Graeme Hague (news@av.net.au) Accounts: Jaedd Asthana (jaedd@alchemedia.com.au) Circulation Manager: Mim Mulcahy (subscriptions@av.net.au)

Phil Meltzer is a Sydney-based sound engineer and production/project manager. Broadcast radio at Radio New Zealand, rock band audio engineering (in its heyday!) and theatre sound, as audio head for the Israel National Theatre Company, all feature in Phil's past, along with numerous concerts, festivals and spectaculars.

For the last eight years he's been working at Haycom NSW in a technical production and audio role involving AV design, planning and delivery for corporate events.

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. 6/11/2013

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.

TM

Issue 35 REGULARS NEWS AV Industry news. Includes QPAC’s new L-Acoustics Kara PA installation.

12

AVIA 2013 RESULTS The winners and finalists of the AV Industry Awards.

18

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

47

TERMINATION Being a good sport sponsor

50

FEATURES

40

24

32

RED BULL'S EXTREME AV Giving Red Bull a caffeine-charged AV installation for its New Zealand HQ.

24

WHEN THEY'RE OVER 64 Retrospective Bealtlemania grips Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum.

28

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO B&H does battle with Swinburne Uni’s destructive testing lab.

32

DELECTABLE BRISBANE A very modern harvest festival.

36

NAVAL GAZING The RAN puts on a spectacular show in Sydney harbour.

40

TUTORIALS RACK BUILDING Designing and fabricating equipment racks.

49

REVIEWS SONY DWZ WIRELESS SYSTEM Digital wireless system.

16

36

28

44

012

NEWS

STRONGER PULSE

100K HOURS OF PROJECTION

FOLLOW THE MONEY TRAIL

Analog Way has introduced Pulse², a new mixer/ native matrix switcher. Pulse² is based on Analog Way’s new Midra platform, the core of a brand new line of midrange mixers/seamless switchers which consists of six products: QuickVu, QuickMatriX, SmartMatriX², Saphyr, Eikos² and Pulse². The Pulse² offers a new design and functions including features inherited from the LiveCore series. Compared to the Pulse which was launched in 2009, the Pulse² comes in a 2U enclosure with a deeper chassis, ensuring better air circulation and cooling. Upgraded connectivity comes through eight seamless inputs and 14 input plugs and, thanks to the CleanCut effect, the Pulse² can operate fast and seamlessly switch between any of its 14 inputs without fade-through-black or loss of sync. EDID management is now standard for inputs 1 through 6 for computer sources. To fit any display resolution, including non-standard formats like LED walls and rear-projection cubes, Pulse² offers custom output format management.

Quinto Communications: (03) 9558 9377 or www.quinto.com

Barco has introduced a new top-of-the-line singlechip LED-powered projector. The FL33 is based on the Projectiondesign FL32 platform and can generate up to 1000 lumens brightness. By combining Projectiondesign’s solid state ReaLED technology with Texas Instruments single-chip DLP technology, the FL33 promises 100,000 hours service life. Having no reliance on any lamps or consumables, FL33 owners can expect a low maintenance cost. The absence of lamps also means the projector can be placed in any orientation angle required. The projector’s uptime is further increased by the fact that it shows no colour degradation and thus requires virtually no recalibration. Native resolution is 1920 x 1200 or 1080p, with adjustable smear reduction processing for crisp and smooth imagery with all types of fast moving images. Using RealColor technology, viewers can access colour-matching capabilities. A wide range of high-quality lenses offers customers the flexibility to adapt the system to their specific needs.

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

Coolux, the creators of the Pandoras Box product family, is the latest company to present a ‘revolutionary’ new product for real-time tracking and projection-mapping. The system is based on coinsized ID tags that can be easily attached to set pieces, costumes or any other part of a tracking setup. The tiny devices can be fitted with button cell batteries which provide enough power to last over 10 hours. Each of the tags can be addressed with a unique ID, which opens up the possibility of up to 256 different unique IDs being tracked in real-time within a single setup.

One individual tag has two LEDs onboard and can have one to three additional infrared LEDs attached to it. Therefore tracking people or objects this way is achieved using a purely optical transmission system, thus avoiding the potential pitfalls of radio controlbased setups. Applications include interactive projections, camera automation, stage tracking and lighting control.

Show Technology: (02) 9748 1122 or www.showtech.com.au

NEWS IN BRIEF:

Digistor, a digital solutions supplier to the digital media market, has announced the company’s appointment as a SnapStream reseller to sell and support SnapStream’s range of TV monitoring and search products. SnapStream enables monitoring of local and national TV coverage. Multiple TV channels can be recorded at once and the content can be searched by keyword to find anything said on TV. Unlimited TV clips can be created and shared in the cloud or distributed for post-production and broadcast.

Digistor: 1800 643 789 or www.digistor.com.au

Magna Systems & Engineering has announced that it has signed Klotz Digonomics as its newest principal for representation in Australia and New Zealand. Klotz Digonomics offers high-tech audio networking and signal processing solutions for the radio broadcast, public address and conference markets.

Magna Systems & Engineering: (02) 9417 1111 or www.magnasys.tv

Harman has bought the privately-held Duran Audio BV. The acquisition provides Harman with access to innovative electroacoustic and software-based directivity control technologies including the Axys Intellivox line of steerable columns. The Axys products and core technologies will become an integrated part of the Harman Professional audio product line.

Harman: www.harman.com

MusicWorks Limited, New Zealand’s largest musical instrument retail group has become the exclusive New Zealand retail distributor of Electro-Voice portable loudspeakers (ZLX, ELX and ZX/ ZXA loudspeaker ranges). The music chain will also carry a range of Electro-Voice PL, N/ DYM and RE series microphones.

MusicWorks and Bosch have also joined forces to run ElectroVoice launch events across the country. Electro-Voice product experts will be on hand to provide demonstrations.

Bosch Communication Systems: (02) 9683 4572 or www.boschcommunications. com.au

Show Technology has announced it’s been appointed the Australian distributor for Wireless Solution Sweden AB products, which designs and produces the W-DMX Wireless DMX system.

Wireless Solution’s W-DMX product line W-DMX is a true ‘plug and play’ system for transmitting both DMX and RDM data wirelessly, incorporating advanced technology including Adaptive Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (AFHSS) and RDM support.

Show Technology: (02) 9748 1122 or www.showtech.com.au

NETWORKED PROGRAMMABLE DSP SYSTEMS Th e S o u n dw e b L o n d o n 1 0 0 S e r i e s r e p r e s e n ts a p r e mi u m, o p en - a rch i t e c t u r e s o l u ti o n i n th e f o r m o f a h ig h l y f l e x i b l e , c o s t-e f f e c tive a n d s c a l a b l e p a ck a g e .

THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAIL Australia’s Decimator Design has come up with a clever and very handy device, the DMON-4S – a combination of four SDI-HDMI converters and a multi-function quad-split facility, all in one small box.

The miniature DMON-4S includes four independent 3G/HD/SD-SDI inputs and four independent HDMI outputs allowing for a versatile combination of uses.

Quad-Split mode offers the selection of audio from any of the inputs. The DMON-4S is a truly portable converter that incorporates a new easy-to-use LCD and button control system. This gives easy access to all of the features without using complicated LED/button control, DIP switches or having to carry around a computer to change a simple setting. Ability for remote-control via USB on a Windows-based application comes as standard with all Decimator Design products. AV Group: (02) 9764 5911 or sales@avgroup.com.au

• • • • • Mitsubishi has quietly powered-down its projector and large-format LCD business for good, citing a lack of profitability. AV understands that the Australian arm of the LCD panel business has been strong – which makes the decision a bitter pill to swallow.

The spare parts and service departments will be “business as usual” honouring Mitsubishi’s three-year warranties, while existing projector stocks will be sold until the warehouse is empty.

Mitsubishi will refocus on LCD walls and data walls.

Mitsubishi Electric Australia: (02) 9684 7777 or www.mitsubishielectric.com.au

MSE Audio has acquired Museum Tools and its signature product Secret Sound. Claimed as the industry’s first parabolicdome loudspeaker, Secret Sound was developed in the late ’80s to address the targeted audio requirements of museum exhibits.

Now part of the SoundTube speaker brand, the Secret Sound line will be focused on delivering high quality audio to museum exhibits, digital signage and themed displays.

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

Polycom has announced the opening of a new office in Brisbane, which will also feature a Solutions Centre to showcase a selection of the company’s open standards-based, high definition (HD) unified communications solutions and services that form part of the Polycom RealPresence Platform. The new office is in response to the growing demand for unified communications (UC) in the region. Polycom’s team in Queensland will focus on a number of key verticals including mining, education, healthcare, legal and the public sector.

Polycom: 1800 355 355 or www.polycom.com.au

Fixed I/O configuration Open-Architecture Processing AEC processing channels for 101 and 102 conferencing applications BLU-Link Digital Audio Bus Same powerful software

100 SERIES ...it’s what you need.

Register now to receive 2 days of BSS Training for FREE Go to www.jands.com.au to book your place at the next session Distributed by

www.jands.com.au

This course has been approved for 8 InfoComm RU’s

014

NEWS

MORE DYNACORD VERTICAL ARRAY

WIRELESS HDMI

DOUBLE, DOUBLE VISION

Dynacord is expanding its Vertical Array loudspeaker family to include two full-range boxes, the TS 100 and TS 200. Aimed at the premium market segment, both models promise high sound pressure levels, excellent acoustic performance and versatility. Their application range includes both the reinforcement of live music and AV installations. Light aluminum cabinets make them sufficiently robust to survive the rigours of touring. All the speaker components are electronically protected from thermal overload. Linear-phase FIR (Finite Impulse Response) presets and presets for conventional digital controllers are available for both systems. The TS 100 and TS 200 models are supplied in either black or white finishes. The range of accessories includes kits for both truss- and wall-mounting as well as a practical carrying bag. Dynacord active subwoofers such as the PowerSub 312 or PSD 215 are recommended as a system bass cabinet.

Bosch Communication Systems (02) 9683 4572 or www.boschcommunications.com.au

Kramer Electronics has introduced the KW-11, a wireless high-definition transmitter/receiver set that carries an HDMI signal up to 12 metres. Using WHDI (Wireless Home Digital Interface) technology, the KW-11T transmitter converts the HDMI signal into a wireless signal that it transmits to the KW-11R receiver, which then converts it back into an HDMI signal. The units send the uncompressed video resolutions up to 1080p @60Hz with zero latency.

It features robust MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) 5GHz technology, and a secure AV link through its AES-128 encryption. The transmission of the wireless HDMI signal is compatible with any copyprotected HDCP content. EDID and CEC information is also supported. Installation and operation requires no special configuration: simply connect the KW-11T with the AV source and the KW-11R with the display and the system is ready to go.

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

The Marshall Electronics QV-2710 Quad-Viewer monitor has four independent 3G-SDI inputs to view four channels at once in a quad view mode. It can also accept an HD, 2K or 4K signal using one or more of the 3G inputs and display a single image full screen.

The monitor features an all-digital active matrix LCD system with 2560 x 1440 (QHD) native resolution at 10-bit picture depth and ultra-wide gamut. Three quad layouts are available while the side-by-side mode allows any two consecutive channels to be viewed on the screen at one time. In-monitor display allows on-screen text and tally indication, controlled locally or remotely via a variety of protocols. The on-screen display shows embedded time code, audio presence indicator and closed caption presence indicator for 608/708 captions. Stereo audio can be monitored through a front panel headphone jack or a rear lineout. The QVW-2710 has USB and Ethernet ports and an RS-422/485 port with pass-through.

Quinto Communications: (03) 9558 9377 or www.quinto.com

NEWS IN BRIEF:

Marshall Electronics has announced a free warranty extension on all its professional LCD monitors. The offer extends the regular one year warranty to two full years from the purchase date, including equipment already owned. A warranty extension form will be packaged with all new Marshall monitors purchased after November 15, 2013.

Customers can simply return a completed registration form or register for the free warranty extension online within one year of purchase.

Register at: www.lcdracks.com/ support/product_registration.php

Videopro Business Solutions has appointed Chris Marsh as Business Development Manager, starting November 4, 2013.

Based at Videopro’s head office in Brisbane, Chris will focus on developing the company’s relationships with key accounts and seeking new business opportunities to support its rapid growth. Chris is an experienced AV industry veteran, with a history of sales and marketing in professional audiovisual integration environments. He joins Videopro from Mitsubishi Electric and has previously worked at NEC and Sharp Corporation.

Videopro: (07) 3250 0000 or www.videopro.com.au

Adimex is hosting a series of free seminars during November and December. You’re invited to a complimentary event that combines presentations with live demonstrations of the new TriCaster and 3Play systems from NewTek. Afterwards, you can stick around for informal networking, an in-depth question and answer session with the demonstrator, together with complimentary drinks and nibbles.

This is an opportunity to get an overview of the products and their capabilities in a live environment.

For dates and registration details go to www.adimex.com.au

Artistic Licence has announced nanoScope, a pocket-sized tester for DMX512 and RDM, built into a five-pin XLR connector that indicates results using an internal colour-coded light. NanoScope uses cold colours to indicate ‘good’ signals and hot colours to indicate ‘bad’ or unusual data. In ‘Pixel Mode’, nanoScope displays the first three DMX channels as an RGB mix. In ‘Analyse Mode’ it displays one long blip to indicate data quality, then short colourcoded blips representing different attributes of the DMX512 signal.

Artistic Licence: www.artisticlicence.com

Harman’s IDX platform is an audio and visual information delivery solution for large public spaces. The systems incorporate such Harman products as network DSP from BSS, Crown amplifiers and JBL loudspeakers. The IDX system is powered by Comnet’s ECLIPSX software platform which features a multilingual message library and logging of captured events for auditing and live playback. The entry-level IDX-100 system is a comprehensivelyfeatured paging, messaging and background music system for up to 96 output zones.

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

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

DON’T TALK TO THE HAND Sharp’s new 32-inch LCD touchscreen monitor, the PN-K322B, features IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide thin-film transistor) technology and an ultra-highdefinition touchscreen delivering 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) and is only 36mm at its thickest point.

The screen is capable of recognising 10 simultaneous touch points and comes with a touch pen with an extra-small 2mm tip that enables users to easily underline text, add notations, draw illustrations and make amendments to onscreen content. To prevent unwanted contact when the user’s palm is resting on the touchscreen, a palm cancellation function can be selected to prioritise pen input. The PN-K322B can be set up in a vertical (90°) or low-angle (24°) position by using a dedicated stand that allows the monitor to slide between the two angles. Sharp’s IGZO technology supports increased pixel transparency and reduced current leakage, so the monitor operates with 93W power consumption. RRP: $8800.

Sharp Australia: 1300 135 530 or www.sharp.net.au

BEEFED UP: RED BULL’S NZ HQ AVIA AWARDS 2013: ALL THE WINNERS PROFILED SYSTEMS CRASH!: SWINBURNE UNI’S SMART STRUCTURES LAB issue #35 $6.95

AV_Cover_35.indd 1

The AOC 72P Smart All-in-One Series is an integrated Android computer that provides a huge range of possibilities via the constellation of existing Android applications. Available in 21.5inch and 23.6-inch screen sizes, the 72P series has built-in WLAN support, features a dual-core processor, two-point multi-touch technology and app support from Google Play. Offering diverse connectivity options, the 72P series includes external VGA and HDMI support, a pair of 2W speakers, an SD card reader and USB 2.0 peripheral ports.

AOC: www.aoc.com

The LumenDimM4 from RC4 Wireless is a miniature wireless DMX receiver and four-channel DC dimmer for use with LumenRadio CRMX transmitters.

Each dimmer handles up to 50W at 12V and the device operates from 6V to 30VDC, to a total max load of 16A. RDM is used to configure DMX channel, dimmer curve, PWM frequency, and smoothing (response time) for each individual dimmer, and RDM sensors monitor battery voltage, internal temperature, and total device current draw, including minimum and maximum readings.

RC4 Wireless: www.theatrewireless.com

The winners of the 2013 PLASA Awards for Innovation are: Clay Paky for the A.Leda B-EYE K20 luminaire. SGM for the G-Spot LED luminaire. QSC Audio for the PLD/CXD Amplifier. Flare Audio for the SB18C flat panel bass enclosure. Bleasdale for the Interactive User Manual.

Line 6 for the StageScape M20d mixing console. Robe for the Mini-Me luminaire. And a dead heat between LumenRadio for the SuperNova3, and Artistic Licence for eSense. The Award for Sustainability went to TMB for the Solaris LED Flare.

Full details: www.plasashow.com/ visitors/awards

7/11/13 4:39 PM

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

016

FEATURE

L-Acoustics Kara: PAC Them In Text:/ Christopher Holder PA shootouts are intriguing. I think I’ve wished I was a fly on the wall so many times that I’m starting to have a Jeff Goldblum follicle problem.

Shootouts aren’t an empirical, quantifiable contest duked out on an even playing field. They’re a slugfest, one part science, one part sales pitch, one part chutzpah, with a splash of good luck in the mix as well. Normally, the client has a preconceived opinion. They want to be sold on a system, if not sold a system, and the tender process can be somewhat of a box-ticking show trial.

There aren’t too many significant performing arts centres in the country, and when news spreads that the tech department is sniffing around for a new PA, then you can almost see the dorsal fins circling. John Kelly, manager of Audio Visual Production Services at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre isn’t allowed to talk the tech department, as that might constitute a tacit endorsement of the chosen product. And QPAC brass don’t want that.

Fair enough.

Meanwhile, the folk at Gold Coast-based Con-Sol, better known for their corporate production work are more than happy to talk, in fact, just try and stop them! Officially the PA suppliers and installer, they’re justifiably proud of their involvement in connecting QPAC with its brand new L-Acoustics Kara system. Managing Director Bill Karaitiana is realistic and sanguine about his company’s influence and position in the whole transaction – “we’re a facilitator” – but can certainly take a little more credit for the sale than that.

Until the recent announcement of L-Acoustics appointing Hills SVL as its Australian distributor, L-Acoustics has been somewhat in the wilderness in these parts. After parting company with Random Audio, the likes of Con-Sol and Adelaide’s Novatech have acted as subdistributors, largely in recognition of their own significant investment in L-Acoustics inventory. “We’re a risk averse business, and when we first invested in L-Acoustics 10 years ago it was for that reason. Here was a system that would be reliable and would help us retain our clientele,” noted Bill Karaitiana.

Next, and I’m going to take a big punt here, QPAC and Bill got talking. Who knows, the QPAC crew may be L-Acoustics fans – there are plenty out there.

Whatever the case, L-Acoustics HQ in Ile-de-France became aware that this was no speculative quête futile (French for wild goose chase) and flew in a heavyweight system tuner for the QPAC demo. Kara never sounded so good… well, at least not until the eventual commissioning stage.

The demo actually sold two Kara systems that day. QPAC were enamoured, as was Con-Sol. As an act of solidarity and support, Bill had already committed to buying Kara components, but once he and his team heard Kara in full flight, signed off on an 18-element deal with L-Acoustics along with the requisite stock of companion SB18

subs and LA-RAK amps/controllers. Not a bad day’s work. This put Con-Sol in good company. Novatech has a system, JPJ’s Kara rig is back in Australia after a US sojourn and now there’s the QPAC house system.

It allows Con-Sol to better serve QPAC and provide genuine support.

You won’t hear a bad word about L-Acoustics’ PA systems – even from those whose job it is to sell competing gear.

It’s well engineered, sounds amazing and the backup is very solid indeed.

For a house system such as this, it’s also doing much more than fulfilling a role in the performing arts centre – such as the seating or the staging. The right PA can actually generate much-needed funds and Kara is one of a handful of systems that will gladly be accepted without question by visiting acts. That’s money in the bank.  MORE INFORMATION QPAC: www.qpac.com.au L-Acoustics: www.l-acoustics.com Con-Sol: (07) 5571 2852 or www.con-sol.com.au Hills SVL (L-Acoustics distributor): www.hillssvl.com.au ABOUT THE SYSTEM The QPAC Concert Hall is one of Australia’s most spectacular concert venues. The 1600-seat hall (1800 with the choir balcony seats behind the stage) looks stunning and is versatile — catering to pop music, jazz, stand-up comedy, graduation ceremonies and award presentations, along with the bread and butter orchestral roster. Towering above the stage, the magnificent Klais Grand Organ, with its array of 6500 pipes, forms the central visual focus of the space.

The trick for any PA design was to optimally cover every seat in the house (including the choir seats) without splashing too much low-end around.

Main front system: includes 12 Kara Line Source Array enclosures for the mid/highs flown at 9.5m above the stage and four SB18 subwoofers for the lows per side. The bandwidth is extended down to 32Hz and up to 20kHz. Front fills: Four compact lightweight Kiva passive array elements are distributed across the front edge of the stage; two 12-inch self-powered 112P are stacked on the left-right subs as side reinforcement covering a longer area than the 108P. This system brings clarity and improves image localisation for the first few rows of the audience and is removable.

Choir Stalls fills: A set of 10 x 108Ps are permanently flown around the choir stalls to support natural sound. This system brings clarity to the areas that are shadowed due to the structure of the venue.

Stage monitors: A further 6 x 108Ps were specified in the original design for use as rear stalls side-fills and underbalcony delays, however during the demonstration these proved to be unnecessary for full auditorium coverage, and instead they have become the stage monitors.

FEATURE

017

Above: The Concert Hall kitted out with its new L-Acoustics system. Below left: The view back towards the control and mixing positions.

(Image courtesy of QPAC . All other images courtesy of Con-Sol). Below centre: Main Kara front array with choir stall 108P fills in the background. Below right: Kara main arrays with Kiva front fills in place across the front edge of the stage.

018

NEWS

AVIAs 2013: Celebrating Excellence and Innovation The AVIAs have cemented their place as a popular and eagerly anticipated fixture on the pro AV calendar. The ceremony itself took place at the conclusion of Day 1 of the Integrate show, but had been months in the making and in the adjudicating, thanks to AV’s editor Andy Ciddor (the non-voting Chairman of the judging panel) and the industryappointed panel itself.

This was the fourth annual awards, and AV magazine wishes to thank its industry association partners – InfoComm International, the AETM and ALIA – for their long-standing support of the program. The AVIA’s mantra has always been ‘Rewarding Excellence, Celebrating Innovation’ and this year’s program again highlighted the challenge for the judges. All of the short-listed jobs were, as you’d expect, excellent, and some were extensive in their scope, but the judges were relentless in their search for evidence of innovative solutions that elegantly exceed client expectations.

NIGHT OF NIGHTS

The ceremony itself was a big hit, with some 250 attendees taking in the spectacle. A big thanks to InfoComm International, which bankrolled the refreshments. It proved to be a wonderful networking opportunity – or to avoid buzzwords… it was a rare chance for the industry to mingle, regardless of the company monogram on your workshirt.

InfoComm has confirmed its sponsorship of the ceremony in 2014 and we’ll continue to refine the process to ensure the AVIAs remain the premier awards program for the pro AV sector in this region.

Above all, it relies on you to submit your work.

As previously stated, the AVIAs aren’t a love-in for the most extensive use of the big names in control systems – although they’re good to see – the awards are just as much about clever answers to tricky problems.

We’ll see you again in 2014.

Christopher Holder, Editorial Director

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

019

Panasonic Professional AV Presents Perth Showcase Panasonic Professional AV Solutions has introduced a range of cutting edge products to the Perth market, hosting an event at Patersons Stadium on Wednesday 16 October.

Over 65 guests from a range of industries attended to experience first-hand the latest technology Panasonic has on offer.

They included representatives from Perth’s leading AV Consultants, Systems Integrators and Staging & Hire companies, along with customers from Universities, Government Departments and Corporate Business.

Ben Fermaner, Panasonic said: “The event was a great opportunity to forge closer relationships and provide new opportunities for our business partners, while showcasing our key strengths in the area of Projectors, Displays and Broadcast solutions.”

Key display solutions included the company’s LCD panel lineup and LED video wall, featuring an ultra-thin design that can create high impact visuals from

INSTALLATION PROJECTOR PT-DZ870EK WUXGA 1 CHIP DLP • A compact body with 8500lm of brightness.

• New Dynamic RGB Booster enhances both brightness and colour reproduction.

• Dual-Lamp system prevents image interruptions.

digital signage to events and exhibitions; as well models featuring Digital Link (HDBaseT technology), and a high-impact 80-inch panel.

Also featured was an innovative new short-throw projector lens designed to display large images in tight spaces, where you previously could not install a projector, such as places where the ceiling is too high, or where there is not enough front or rear space for projecting. This product greatly expands the applications for digital signage in display windows, retail stores, train stations, galleries and museums, and other locations.

Broadcast solutions included a unique ultra-wide angle camera system which stitches together the images of four High Definition Cameras in real time to create a dramatic 64:9 panoramic image; and the AG-HPX600EN P2HD camcorder, along with a full range of HD integrated cameras.

LARGE VENUE PROJECTOR PT-DZ21KE WUXGA 3 CHIP DLP • An astounding 20,000lm of brightness and rich features from an extraordinarily compact body.

• A maximum 2000-hour lamp replacement cycle and a low power consumption of 2300W supports the total cost of ownership (TCO).

INSTALLATION PROJECTOR PT-EZ770E WUXGA 3LCD • 6500lm of brightness in a compact and lightweight body.

• The DIGITAL LINK input allows uncompressed HD digital video.

• The Eco Filter unit, requires no replacement for up to 15,000 hours

www.panasonic.com.au

LAMP-FREE PROJECTOR PT-RZ470EAK FHD 1 CHIP DLP • SOLID SHINE Series projectors uses the newly developed LED/Lasercombined light source with 3500lm.

• Approximately 20,000 hours of maintenance-free operation.

020

NEWS

2013 AUDIOVISUAL INDUSTRY AWARDS The AVIAs are this region’s only independentlyadjudicated professional audiovisual awards — free from any commercial interests and existing solely to encourage innovation and excellence in the industry.

Entry is open to any company or individual involved in the AV industry, from consultants, integrators, and production companies to designers and manufacturers of any kind of equipment or software used in AV. To be eligible for nomination in the 2013 awards, a project must have been substantially completed in the calendar year 2012, and it must either be located in the Australia/Pacific region or have been primarily the concept of a company or individual based in the region.

The independent judging panel were looking for innovation in problem solving and excellence in execution. They were seeking a unique and groundbreaking approach to tough or complex problems — solutions that met the client’s brief, exceeded their expectations and set an example for the rest of the industry to aspire to.

The panel did not award AVIAs in all sub categories and no innovation award was made this year. This was not an oversight, but it is entirely the independent judging panel’s prerogative. The panel felt duty-bound to maintain the high standards of the AVIAs by only making awards to what they consider truly outstanding entries.

Best Application of AV in an Exhibition or Display, with a budget exceeding $500,000

Best Application of AV in Education, with a budget exceeding $500,000

WINNER Entrant: Pro AV Solutions Queensland Project: The Cube at Queensland University of Technology The Cube is pair of vast interactive video walls that invite people to touch content and discover facts on ocean life, or physics with wooden blocks, or to learn about the Brisbane floods. But that’s just the beginning, as new ideas surface and become reality. The Cube is an eyeopener – attracting hundreds of school groups and is one of the largest video installations of its kind on the planet.

Judges’ comments: This project wowed the panel with its innovative and seamless blending of high resolution projectors and touch panels. They were impressed with the use of such innovative technology to reach out and capture QUT’s future students by providing an engaging science resource for secondary educators.

WINNER Entrant: Pro AV Solutions Queensland Project: The Cube at Queensland University of Technology The Cube is an interactive video wall and large-scale projection, par excellence. It’s a hi-tech beacon that pulls secondary school students into its orbit, allowing large groups of people to all interact with its rich-media interactive content.

Judges’ comments: The panel chose this project to win a second AVIA because of its huge visual impact on its target audience (today’s high school students), and its inspirational influence in attracting them to study the sciences, particularly at the Queensland University of Technology. The panel was impressed with its use of sophisticated touch-based interactive design to make the interface so easy for students to understand and simple to operate. After only 12 months in operation, QUT is already aware of the impact the installation is having on potential science students.

OTHER FINALIST Entrant: ThinkOTS! Project: OCEAN exhibit in the Australian Pavilion at Expo 2012 in Korea.

Best Application of AV in an Exhibition or Display with budget under $500,000

The judges made no award in this category.

FINALISTS Entrant: Aurecon Australia Project: Water Droplet for Vivid Light Walk Entrant: ThinkOTS! Project: The Secret Forest for Zoos Victoria

Best Application of AV in Education, with a budget under $500,000

[[This project was featured in issue No. 30. If you can’t find a copy of that issue, you can look it up in the AV Archive at www.av.net.au]

The judges made no award in this category.

OTHER FINALISTS Entrant: KLM Group Project: Swanston Academic Building at RMIT University

FINALISTS Entrant: B&H Australia Project: The Strong Cell, Destructive Testing Laboratory at Swinburne University [This project is featured in this issue.]

Entrant: Resolution Audio Visual Consulting Project: Sir Paul Reeves Building at Auckland University of Technology

Entrant: Pro AV Solutions Victoria Project: Paramedic and Nursing Simulation System at the University of Ballarat

NEWS

021

Best Application of AV in a Commercial or Government installation with a budget under $500,000 WINNER Entrant: Acoustic Directions Project: Willoughby City Council’s Urban Screen at The Concourse, Chatswood, NSW Willoughby Council’s big idea for its public space at The Concourse, was a big screen. The big screen would need audio, but despite the acres of concrete and stone, would need to keep the sound to itself without disturbing neighbouring shops and restaurants.

Acoustic Directions applied their brains to the problem and the digitally steered Martin Audio system works superbly. The weather monitoring and fault reporting are the cherry on top of an exceptional design.

Judges’ comments Like their Sydney Central Railway station project that received a special commendation in the 2012 AV Awards, the judges were impressed with Acoustic Directions’ clever use of steerable array technology to meet some very knotty acoustic design requirements.

The judges liked the innovative inclusion of a weather station into the QSys speaker management system to monitor the operating conditions and protect the speaker arrays by closing the motorised weather doors in adverse conditions.

[This project was featured in Issue 28. If you can’t find a copy of that issue, you can look it up in the AV Archive at www.av.net.au]

Best Commercial or Government AV Installation exceeding $500,000 WINNER Entrant: Rutledge AV Project: Digital signage feature, Perth Arena Perth Arena wanted wow factor, and this high-impact installation provides it in spades. The feature piece is a first of its kind in the world and the engineering behind the pendant is state of the art. The feature piece is a two-sided display produced from 44 commercialgrade NEC LCD flat panel displays per side. The screens are housed in a custom-engineered frame that demonstrates engineering excellence.

Judges’ Comments: The multiple uses of this digital sign for advertising, entertainment, way-finding and information appealed to the judges as an exciting use of AV technology. The judging panel were impressed by the translation into real life of the sort of display often only seen at trade shows.

[This project was featured in Issue 29. If you can’t find a copy of that issue, you can look it up in the AV Archive at www.av.net.au]

OTHER FINALISTS Entrant: Videopro Project: Newcrest Mining’s Brisbane Offices

OTHER FINALISTS Entrant: Deutsche Bank and Space Age Communications Project: Deutsche Bank’s Sydney Client Floor

Entrant: Fredon Industries Project: ANZ – Sydney Head Office

Entrant: ITAV Project: Red Bull NZ – Head Office

022

NEWS

Best application of AV in a Production with a budget in excess of $500,000

Best application of AV in a Production with a budget under $500,000

WINNER Entrant: Auditoria Project: Audio system design and management on the London 2012 – Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies The world’s eyes may have been fixed to their TVs, watching the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, but for the 100,000-plus actually attending each ceremony they were listening to Auditoria’s design.

With some of the best musical performers in the world it was up to Auditoria to deliver the best sounding Olympic Ceremonies ever.

Judges’ Comments: As the panel observed “it doesn’t really get any bigger than the Olympics”. They commented that it is a tribute not just to the expertise provided by Auditoria, but to the standards of an Australian industry that consistently produces talented contributors to largescale productions on the world stage. The panel were particularly impressed by the tools developed and deployed for web-based project management for so many geographically-dispersed participants.

WINNER Entrant: The Electric Canvas Project: The Nights Before Christmas – mapped projection on the Melbourne Town Hall The Electric Canvas transformed the façade of the Melbourne Town Hall into a Christmas fantasyland over 26 consecutive evenings, with an enchanting 3D projection mapping show entitled ‘The Nights Before Christmas’. Using 3D modelling and POV techniques, The Electric Canvas’s artists designed the creative content to map perfectly onto the detailed architecture of the Melbourne Town Hall.

Judges’ comments: The judges were impressed with the quality of the 3D mapping in what has become a stock-in-trade application for digital projection. What appealed to them most was the creative content that used so many of the architectural features of the building as the basis for image transformations and animations.

This is seen as a truly effective use of the animated image mapping art to engage and enthral its audience of Christmas visitors to Melbourne’s CBD.

OTHER FINALISTS Entrant: Resolution X Project: White Night Melbourne Entrant: Technical Direction Company Project: Mapped projection for Delectable Brisbane 2012

Royal Australian Navy International Fleet Review

WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS ...

Real-Time Networks for Video, Audio, Data and Communications

RILINK

Global Fiber Service

MEDIORNET

Real-Time Media Network

ROCKNET

Digital Audio Network

ACROBAT

Digital Wireless Intercom

ARTIST

Digital Matrix Intercom

PERFORMER

Digital Partyline Intercom

PURE

Heavy Duty Fiber Cable

www.riedel.net

024

FEATURE

Creating Extreme AV for Red Bull When ITAV took on a fit out for the New Zealand office of Red Bull, they had to be ready for everything!

Text:/ Derek Powell

For an AV integration company, assignments can be pretty varied.

A typical year may bring a nightclub fit-out one day, while the next job may be wiring up an office for distributed background music. Once in a while you may score a swanky boardroom fit-out or a top-end private cinema with all the trimmings.

It pays to be versatile and make sure your company has a good dollop of expertise in each of the key AV arenas. As a rule, you don’t expect to have to put all these skills together in the one contract. But then, most people don’t get to work with one of the world’s most out-there companies – Red Bull.

When leading New Zealand integrator ITAV won the AV contract for the new Red Bull office in Auckland, they not only rolled all these diverse elements into one design, but did it with such flair

that they scored an AVIAs finalists position in the process.

Media, in all its forms, is crucial to the Red Bull operation. Much of the company’s promotional activities are based around extreme events – from Formula 1 racing to Felix Baumgartner’s free fall from space. Everything is filmed, edited and packaged with an extreme soundtrack, so top quality viewing facilities for the company to showcase their own productions are a must. Since their Sydney operation was already fitted out with AMXcontrolled presentation systems, Red Bull had a good idea of the kind of gear they wanted and asked AMX Australia to recommend some companies in NZ who could produce top-flight presentation spaces.

Three New Zealand companies were shortlisted and duly called in for an interview with the Red Bull project

team. ITAV’s sales director Steve Wallace recalled the interview day in Auckland. “When we arrived, we ran into three guys from our competition on their way out,” he recalled. “They were immaculately dressed in business suits, while our guys had come straight from site and were still in their work gear. I don’t know whether we fitted better with their more relaxed corporate style, but during the interview our guys’ enthusiasm for the technology and what we could do with it that just seemed to click with the Red Bull ethos – and we ended up being the winning bid.”

SPEC’ING UP

The project was a complete refit with an existing building in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn, stripped back to bare concrete and rebuilt from the inside out. ITAV were appointed just as the last of the demolition was

FEATURE

025

“Networks of heterogeneous hardware controllers

completed and set straight to work on the major elements of the design.

There were a dozen different spaces slated for flexible audio or video replay and with cable space, budget and the construction schedule all quite tight, the ITAV design strategy quickly coalesced around a core AMX Enova DGX digital media switcher and a central rack of 'global' sound and vision sources.

Using a 16x16 central matrix, any source, including a feed from the in-house recording studio, could be sent to any destination display via DXLink over simple twisted pair cable infrastructure that was inexpensive, quick to install, and made the most of the limited space.

As a bonus, the DGX topology also transmitted control signals over the same cable, allowing effective central control and management of all the monitors and projectors

scattered throughout the building.

With the ‘global’ sources (comprising a Sky TV decoder, Apple TV and FM tuner) plus all the control and transmission modules stacking up, the central rack was starting to look pretty impressive.

Since the comms room was alongside the main open plan office, the architects decided to feature the technology rather than hide it and encased the AV racks behind floorto-ceiling screen-printed glass doors.

Red Bull logos were cut into the metalwork and lit from within by red LED fixtures. The final effect is extraordinary and meshes perfectly with the extreme office décor that features everything from rally car bonnets to bike helmets.

The smaller meeting rooms, breakout space and reception area were all served by Sony LCD panels with integrated speakers. Here,

Boardroom in videoconference configuration with projection screen raised to reveal dual 60-inch monitors and the PTZ camera.

026

local sources like laptop inputs could be effectively integrated alongside the global sources by connecting them directly to the monitor’s PC terminals and switching inputs as needed. Elegant AMX Metreau panels took care of local input selection, power and volume control in these spaces.

IN THE SHOWCASE

With the backbone planning in place, attention turned to the two ‘showcase’ spaces. The cinema naturally required an HD projector and screen, along with full surround sound. However, this area included a dance floor along with an input for a DJ console to allow for regular party nights. So ITAV took the opportunity to beef up the audio beyond the usual 7.1 expectations. Turbosound speakers and Lab.gruppen amps would supply the punch and excitement expected of high-end club sound and keep things clean, even when the DJ turned it up to 11.

The boardroom required the full corporate treatment. A single HD projector catered for presentations, with DXLink input plates providing analogue and digital laptop inputs at either end of the massive board table. Retracting the 110-inch (2.8m) projection screen reveals twin 60-inch (1.52m) monitors and a PTZ camera for a fully-integrated video conferencing solution using the client’s existing Polycom equipment.

FEATURE

Naturally, like the cinema, there’s an upspec sound system to cater for the high impact Red Bull video soundtracks.

TAKING CONTROL

Perhaps the most spectacular achievement is the control system.

ITAV produced a graphic design that looks simply stunning on-screen; is truly intuitive to operate; puts control everywhere it is needed; and has done it all without breaking the bank. Here’s how it works: The showcase cinema and boardroom spaces each have an AMX X-series touchscreen where the graphic design takes full advantage of the new G5 graphics engine. Instead of the usual boring buttons, the control screen looks more like the faceplate of a piece of hifi gear with switches and control which mimic the real thing. Classy animations make each step crystal clear. When a VGA input is selected in the boardroom, an animation sequence encourages the user to connect the correct cable set for video and audio. There are playful touches such as a set of Red Bull cans rolling across the touchscreen while the projector fires up.

Global control is available throughout the building via a specially-configured iPad. When you pick up the iPad, a simple tap on the AMX TPControl app from the home screen drops you straight

Left: The cinema with its leather couches for audience seating, in preshow party mode.

Top: Isometric (3D) main control screen for easy and intuitive control navigation.

Middle: Control screens replicate the real-world devices they control.

Above: Where feeds are required to be plugged in, accurate animations illustrate the relevant connectors and the points of connection.

027

FEATURE

into the global control screen. A clever 3D graphic shows a map of the office area and a touch on any of the rooms brings up the source and volume controls for that display or sound system. Across the bottom of the map, three icons allow you to bring up the page each of the global sources so you can change channels or stations on the central tuners.

DEVICE CONTROL ON STEROIDS

But the iPad control goes way beyond simple device control. In a clever touch, tapping on the Help button allows you to be routed to ITAV’s website, where you can log a job for assistance right there, on-screen. Selecting Apple TV seamlessly brings up the Apple TV control app and the iTunes button jumps straight into the iTunes music library – ready to rock and roll.

According to the ITAV team, the future of commercial AV lies in integrating the AV and IT user experience so seamlessly that it becomes indistinguishable whether you are controlling hardware or accessing the software or web-based functions. It’s hard to argue with their logic, and the quality of the graphics the team has created both on the AMX touchscreens and on the TPControl app is more than a match for the polish of Apple’s own iPad app experience.

There’s no doubt Red Bull is one very savvy company when it comes to technology. It was well up with the state of play in home theatre and multiroom audio and had clear ideas for how its new spaces – from boardroom to breakout area and from reception to recording studio – ought to operate. But it was blown away by the sophistication of the ITAV system that blended the atmospherics of top-end club sound and lighting with the corporate look and feel of elegant, sophisticated and unobtrusive command systems that put the right level of control within reach of every user in this multi-use, multi-purpose facility.

Steve Wallace summed things up with more than a hint of trans-Tasman pride noting, “When we started the project, the client’s hope was that ITAV could produce something as good (or nearly as good) as head office had in Sydney.

Now Sydney wants a system like Auckland’s!” 

In addition to requisite fridge filled with cans of Red Bull, the stylish breakout room features a 46-inch LCD screen with a feed from the Apple TV.

Key ITAV Personnel Project Manager: Cliff Thorogood AMX Programming: Paul Ivory AMX Graphics: Justin Beattie

1 x DXLink input board 2 x HDMI output cards 2 x DXLink output cards 2 x DXLink multi-format transmitters 7 x DXLink HDMI receiver modules 4 x Extron DTP HDMI 230 (Tx, Rx) twisted pair extenders

GEAR LIST VIDEO Monitors: 2 x 60-inch Sony KDL-60EX720 4 x 46-inch Sony KDL-46EX720 4 x 40-inch Sony KDL-40EX720 Projectors: 2 (Boardroom and Cinema) Screens: 2 x 110-inch Screen Technics 0611 029-L SOURCES 1 x Sony PS3 with wireless controller 1 x Yamaha BDA1010 Blu-ray player 3 x Sky TV decoder 1 x Apple TV 1 x Computer (for iTunes and Blu-ray) 1 x Polycom HDX 9002 videoconference codec 1 x Polycom VSX 5000 videoconference codec Polycom Soundstation and extension mics ROUTING 1 x AMX Enova DGX 16 enclosure 2 x HDMI input boards

AUDIO Amplifiers: 2 x Lab.gruppen C10:8 (Boardroom/Cinema) 1 x Lab.gruppen E12:2 (subs) Speakers: 6 x Turbosound Impact 65T 12 x Turbosound Impact 55T 2 x Turbosound TSB110 (subs) 4 x JBL Control 24CT (Reception) 8 x JBL Control 24CT Micro Plus (Open plan office) DSP Extron digital matrix processor DMP 128 2 x Extron SSP 7.1 digital surround sound processors CONTROL 1 x AMX NI-3100 Netlinx controller 1 x AMX AxLink bus strip USER INTERFACE 7 x AMX Met-6N Metreau button panels 1 x AMX TP control license for iPad 1 x AMX MXT-700 Modero-X 7inch table top touch panel 1 x AMX MXD-700 Modero-X 7inch wall mount touch panel

028

FEATURE

Beatlemania Grips the Powerhouse Text:/ Robert Clark Images:/ Daniel Sievert

To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Fab Four landing in Australia and infecting scores of otherwisestraight-laced teenagers with Beatlemania, Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum has staged an exhibition that celebrates the before, during and after of this pivotal cultural event. Bringing the music, performances, merchandise and everything in between back to vivid life required some real ingenuity from the museum’s technical and creative team.

“it just didn’t feel like a proper phone. So we went the other way of leaving the phones intact and putting the controller outside.” What this meant in the end was finding an old telephone exchange and linking it up to a modified controller. Each of the six .wav audio files were assigned to a channel via a software interface on a laptop, which could be disconnected once the programming was done, leaving the controller freestanding. What results is a seamless, user-friendly and novel way of listening in.

The Long & Winding Road

Don’t Bother Me

“The idea came to us about three years ago,” says the exhibition’s curator, Peter Cox, “when we realised that in 2014 it would be 50 years since the Beatles toured Australia, and what a good idea it would be to do an exhibition about the impact of what was a very significant event in the 1960s.” In order to truly explore that impact, it would be necessary to resurrect the technology through which Australians experienced the Beatles at that time.

This meant scouring through archives, back-lots and eBay to find objects from that era, and giving them a bit of a 21st-century nudge.

Another solution to the openness of the space was the decision to build sound booths in which people could sit and immerse themselves in video content. Designer Malcolm McKernan modelled these closely on listening booths from record stores in the ’50s and ’60s, so they blend seamlessly into the exhibition. The video replay is set up very simply, with iPads connected via their headphone jack to a small amplifier and a single mono speaker. The speaker is in the top right corner of the booths, on the opposite side to the opening, as Conlan decided this position would provide a good buffer from outside noises.

Felt and Autex acoustic fabric clad the inside of the booths to help with acoustic isolation. Conlan says, “This doesn’t totally cut out the sound from outside, but it reduces it considerably, so it’s been quite effective.”

I Call Your Name

One such iconic object is the black Bakelite telephone, which you find nestled all around the space. Exhibition designer Malcolm McKernan explains the rationale: “Peter Cox’s original brief was that he wanted to bring back that original feel; that you were transported back to Australia in the ’60s. So I thought the Bakelite telephones were a great device for listening to audio interviews.” The phones are not only aesthetically interesting and relevant, but also offer a very discreet delivery mechanism for audio in what is quite a large, open space. McKernan adds, “Being the Beatles, there’s a lot of sound involved in the exhibition, so sound containment has been a real challenge.” The dual functionality of these phones is clever, but it’s what’s underneath that is the most remarkable.

To allow six different interviews to be selected on each phone, senior electronics technician Owen Conlan had to provide the units with a multi-channel delivery mechanism linked up to the dial. Originally, Conlan planned to install a Raspberry Pi (credit-card sized singleboard computer) in each phone, “but it meant that I was going to hack the phones too much,” he says. They found that taking the ringer out in order to insert the Raspberry Pi meant that the audio signal was no longer interrupted by lifting and replacing the handset. “When we took that functionality out it just didn’t feel the same,” he says,

Tell Me What You See

In keeping with the early ’60s aesthetic of the exhibition, it was decided that archival footage from the group’s visit would be best viewed through a conventional AWA television from the late ’50s. As in the case of the telephones, there were a few hurdles to be overcome in combining old technology with the new. Conlan knew the picture tube wouldn’t be unserviceable after many years of disuse, so they removed the CRT and the main electronics chassis. The original plan was to find a monitor that they could insert into the existing frame, but this proved too awkward. Conlan and his team eventually found a neat little work-around. “I got hold of a piece of rear projection material,” he explained, “which I stretched across the mask that went around the face of the picture tube.” The next step was to insert a short-throw projector, which took a bit of wrestling given that their Mitsubishi unit was a touch too large. With no option of buying an alternative projector, however, the team built a new back for the set that placed the projector the required throw distance from the screen. It’s all very neatly done, and from the front it still looks like it’s 1959.

FEATURE

Above: A couple of Mole Richardson ‘Pups’ (possibly even older than the Beatles themselves) dress the stage for the screening of the Festival Hall concert footage.

Below left: A Bakelite rotary-dial phone has been modified to provide both a listening device and the track selection for a range of audio tracks.

Below right: LED sources with their low UV and IR content are used to illuminate the sensitive and fragile historic documents from the Beatles’ tour.

029

030

FEATURE

The Inner Light

There is an abundance of historical documents from posters to contracts to diary entries in this exhibition, and each has strict conservation requirements to remain in good condition, low exposure to ultraviolet chief amongst them. This is largely solved by using UV filters and LED light sources, but as McKernan explains, careful planning has gone into choosing exactly what type of LEDs get used: “The conservators tried to get us to have lighting at about 50 to 60 lux, depending on the age of the material. But if an object is going to be on display for one year and then back in the archives for 10 years, they can balance it out over that entire period, so maybe we can pump it up to 70 or 80 lux.” The showcases are custom built to accommodate the sensitive materials. “A lot of the showcases we painted internally quite bright white,” he says, “so it bounces a lot of the light around and you don’t get a hot spot of light – it’s quite diffused.

This works quite well with the LED strips we have, which have a little opaque diffuser on them.”

Hear, There & Everywhere

Dominating the main entrance to the exhibition is a four metre-wide screen carrying footage of the Beatles’ concert at Melbourne’s infamous Festival Hall during the tour. A Mitsubishi 8000 lumen projector rear-projects onto the screen, while powered –speakers are enclosed beneath the stage. The audio level is by necessity very low, and visitors must wear headphones if they want the full immersive experience. Again, the openness of the space dictated terms, as McKernan explains: “We went in quite early one morning and set it up to what we thought would be a really nice level. Then we went walking around the museum and realised very quickly that it kind of took over the whole museum. Even in the boardroom we could hear it, so we had to drop it right down. You’d expect for a screen that big to have it a lot louder, so that’s why in the front row we’ve put headphones, because it’s actually quite an amazing sound.” McKernan admits some directional speakers would have helped a great deal, but unfortunately the budget didn’t stretch that far.

We Can Work It Out

The rear-projection screen in the old AWA television is actually an off-cut from this large screen at the entrance.

Indeed, much of what is done at the Powerhouse requires thrifty solutions and the innovative use of equipment, as budgets are often tight and turnarounds are quick. A good example is Conlan’s adoption of the $40 per unit Raspberry Pis, which are used throughout the museum to drive video content.

Perhaps ironically, innovation is the name of the game in this exhibit that revels in nostalgia. The overall effect is one of deep immersion in the style, colour and sounds of 1960s Australia, which appears to have been irrevocably changed by those four lads from Liverpool.

More information Showing at the Powerhouse Museum Sydney until 16 February, 2014 then Arts Centre Melbourne 8 March to 1 July, 2014 Web site: www.thebeatlesinaustralia.com Raspberry Pi: www.raspberrypi.org

Right: iPads are used to provide the video displays in the '60s-styled, acoustically-isolated listening booths.

Below: An Amalgamated Wireless Australasia TV set has had its CRT removed and replaced with a rear-projection screen and a short-throw projector to provide the clarity and reliability expected in a modern museum exhibit.

Bottom: Even a modern short-throw projector needs a bit more space and throw distance than a CRT, entailing a small extension to the rear of the TV.

032

FEATURE

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do Systematically Text:/ Graeme Hague Images:/ Stuart Dodds

Some of us are pretty good at breaking stuff accidentally, but breaking things thoroughly and systematically requires study at a tertiary level.

Swinburne University’s Smart Structures Laboratory is the ideal place for letting students break stuff in the name of research, testing and experimentation.

Known as the ‘strong cell’, the $15m laboratory is a major three-dimensional testing facility developed for large-scale testing of civil, mechanical, aerospace and mining engineering components and systems. It’s the only one of its type available in Australia. Not surprisingly, before you start snapping high-tensile materials in half

or seriously trashing anything, you want to ensure nothing will end up flying around the room. To provide anchor points for securing the machinery and material the concrete floor is one metre thick. So are the two 5m-height strong ‘reaction’ walls meeting at one corner. The 3D strong cell has a grid of tie-down points at 500mm centres over the entire floor and walls to anchor the objects under test. These are also used for locating the lab’s suite of hydraulic actuators and universal testing machines varying in capacity from 10 tonnes to 500 tonnes. The facility is housed in a large architecturallydesigned test hall about 8m tall, located at the front of the ATC building. Of course, as

architects are prone to do with the front of buildings, the entire façade is made of glass.

ACOUSTIC AGGRAVATION

Impressed? You should be. So far, so good, until you remember this is a teaching space, and that means students and lecturers, microphones and PA systems, projectors and screens – none of which are going to work at all well in such a hard, square and welllit room. The architects might as well have been designing the ultimate reverb chamber.

As for arcing up a projector, when one of the walls consists entirely of 8m windows...

The building and laboratory have been up and running for some years and over

033

FEATURE

With a full-width window out onto the street, the only available mounting points for the loudspeaker columns and the flat-panel displays is on the concrete support columns, above machinery height.

that time the university has approached several integrators to quote on installing a PA system in the room – and each of those firms has politely declined the invitation stating it simply couldn’t be done. That was until they asked AV integrators B&H Australia, a company that has in the past dared to tread where other AV installers fear to go when the acoustic problems of a room seem insurmountable.

The brief for the PA system was quite straightforward. The lecturers wanted to walk about the room with a hand-held radio microphone and be clearly heard at all times without worrying about feedback hot-spots or excessive reverb affecting the

clarity. There’s no lectern, platform or even a notional ‘front’ for the space. Also, the system needed to be simple enough for set-and-forget operation by people who are comfortable with Cauchy stress tensors, but can’t necessarily update the address book in their mobile phone.

The actual installation was a complete retro-fit and those aforementioned concrete surfaces meant there were no recesses or wall cavities for running wiring. While aesthetics in such a utilitarian facility shouldn’t be too much of a concern – you wouldn’t expect the odd bit of conduit to look out of place in a laboratory full of hydraulic machinery – the cable runs did prove to be a challenge

with masonry anchors needed for just about everything except for the steel beams overhead, which posed an extra effort as well.

BAFFLE FREE

By far the hardest problem was negating those extremely live, reverberant acoustics.

The design of the PA had to be the only solution, since installing baffles, curtains or any sort of absorbent panelling wasn’t an option. The efficiency of the laboratory couldn’t be compromised for the sake of the audio. Figuring out a solution came from a combination of B&H Australia’s audio guru Stuart Dodds’ 40 years of experience, plus going back to the basics of measuring

034

FEATURE

the room and capturing samples for analysis. Then, it’s a matter selecting exactly the right equipment to install.

Usually a column/line array system is the preferred method of making sure your audio is aimed towards where you want it to be heard (to state the obvious), but in this case the four TOA SR-S4L two-way line array speakers were selected because of their tight pattern control, and are powered by a single TOA DA-250F 4 x 250W Class D digital power amplifier, that meets the university’s stringent ‘green’ power efficiency requirements.

The choice of speaker type is primarily about keeping the sound fields away from all that nasty concrete and glass as much as possible – a fine distinction, but an important one. The idea was to create tightly-focused areas of sound. Once the audio is contained to specific parts of the room, setting up the dbx DriveRack PA+ processor to put the squeeze on any troublesome frequencies is a painstaking task, ensuring that gain and response curves aren’t sacrificed too much in the pursuit of keeping that dreaded feedback at bay. It’s a familiar workflow to many audio engineers, except it’s worth noting again this is being done for a room that no one else wanted to go near with an acoustic barge pole. The processor setup requires a lot of finesse and, no doubt, the sort of patience that Stuart has learned over those four decades.

In front of the dbx DriveRack PA+ sits a no-frills Australian Monitor MX82 mixer. With recessed bass and treble controls and only the volume levels easily adjustable, the MX82 is precisely the kind of mixer to prevent any unskilled tweaking by staff or students ruining the processor’s hard work.

ADDING VISION

The end result has been so successful that B&H Australia was recently asked to supply a projection system with auxiliary monitors for the room. The video system consists of four Samsung ME65B 65-inch (1.65m) LED display panels, an Epson EB-G6750WU HD 6000 ANSI lumen data projector, a Kramer 6 x 6 HDMI matrix and 6 Kramer HDMI over cat-6 extender kits.

If there’s one thing that B&H Australia is now a worldleader in – it’s masonry anchors into bloody hard concrete.

At a later date an AMX system is planned to manage the screen and computer selection using an LCD touch panel that will control the switching of computer video sources to the LCD displays and projector.

The AV and PA installation at Swinburne University is a triumph in finding solutions and getting results, when the consensus of opinion was it simply couldn’t be done.

Although sophisticated equipment and products will always be a help, it’s experience and applied knowledge in the industry that provides the answers in the end.

A smashing good result, you might say. 

Above: To allow deployment of various types and combinations of devices of calibrated destruction, the lab has a grid of anchor points on the walls and floor.

Left: The projector is focussed on the only area of vacant solid wall in the entire space.

MORE INFORMATION Smart Structures Lab: tinyurl.com/SmartStuctures B & H Australia: www.bhaustralia.com.au/ Sound system 4 x TOA SR-S4L line array speakers 1 x TOA DA-250F 4 x 250W class D amplifier 1 x dbx DriverRack PA+ sound processor 1 x Australian Monitor MX82 audio mixer 1 x Revolabs HD Venue wireless microphone system utilising a Shure SM58 handheld cardioid microphone Video system 4 x Samsung ME65B display panels 1 x Epson EB-G6750WU full HD data projector 1 x Kramer 6 x 6 HDMI matrix 6 x Kramer PT571/PT572+ HDMI over cat 6 extender kits

Experience our range.

Experience a world of opportunity.

NEC has a visual display solution to suit the needs of every application and user.

NEC has the widest range of visual display products on offer - LCD desktop displays, large-screen LCD and LED public displays, mobile to high light output, digital cinema projectors, intuitive digital signage software and everything else you need to complete your display solutions. NEC visual display products deliver outstanding image quality, boasting leading-edge technology and advanced functionality.

Enhance your visual experience with an NEC display solution today.

Learn how NEC can create a solution for you

NEC. The Communications Systems Integrator

www.nec.com.au

036

FEATURE

Delectable Brisbane An urban harvest festival Text:/ Marcus Pugh

FEATURE

In the summer of 2010/11 most of Australia looked on in horror as floods devastated Brisbane and Southeast Queensland, much of the media attention focused in on the damage to the metropolitan centres, the surrounding rural areas also felt the brunt of these floods. Farming land in the Lockyer Valley (one of Australia’s most productive agricultural regions) was one of the hardest hit areas and once it had recovered the Queensland Government through Events Queensland charged AGB events with putting on a festival to help celebrate the first harvest since the floods. Celebrated as the <Delectable Festival>, its centrepiece was one of the most impressive projection projects ever staged in Australia.

Anthony Bastic managing director of AGB Events and the brains behind the Delectable Festival concept turned to their production partners Technical Direction Company (TDC) to help bring to fruition his ambitious vision of projecting onto the side of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre and the

Wheel of Brisbane, an observation wheel (that’s a Ferris wheel to you) in the city’s Southbank precinct.

FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

AGB art director Giles Westley drew inspiration for this project from the Lyon Festival of Light in France which featured an observation wheel in the city square converted into a large circular projection surface. As chance would have it the Wheel of Brisbane, a transportable wheel first erected at Southbank for Expo 88, was owned by the same company as the wheel in Lyon. The projection surface was purpose built for this project out of sail fabric. The surface system needed to be equipped with a quick-release mechanism in case the wind force got too high. The projection content, a 10 minute presentation that ran on the hour each night of the festival, focused on images relating to the fine produce from the south east Queensland region.

The TDC team charged with making the concept a reality was

037

headed up by TDC's Technical Manager Olin Winton. The first major hurdle to be overcome was the positioning for the projectors targeting the Wheel of Brisbane. The 60m-tall wheel is located close to the southern bank of the Brisbane River, too close to be able throw such a large projection from that side of the river. The decision was made to cover the wheel from the CBD side instead – a throw distance exceeding 600 metres. Of course projecting over this distance comes with its own unique collection of challenges.

WHEELING OUT THE BIG GUNS

Reaching the Wheel with 10 Barco FLM-HD20 (20k ANSI lumens) projectors necessitated constructing 5m scaffold towers on the top of a high-rise in the Brisbane CBD. Weighing in at around 100kg, these 3kW xenon projectors needed to be lifted onto the roof with a crane, as roof access was just too tight for such substantial machines. Covering a projection surface over 600m away isn’t something you can do with

038

any old lens off the shelf at the factory.

Indeed, the unusual high-brightness 11:1 ratio lenses required for this project, of which there is only a handful available anywhere, had to be hired in.

Although projecting onto the side of the Queensland Performing Arts Complex (QPAC) could be achieved from the river’s southern bank because it is located further back from the river (but not far enough to stop it from being effected by the 2011 floods), it still presented some challenges for the TDC crew. Because QPAC is flanked on the river side by large trees, a series of five, 16m-high scaffold towers were needed to provide the required coverage. Each of these towers housed a pair of Barco FLMHD22+ (22k ANSI lumens) projectors, equipped with 2.1:1 ratio lenses. Olin Winton commented “The build was challenging, just because of the height we had to work at.” The TDC team on this project included Steve Cain, Dale Rehbein and Matt Teale. The set-up for this project ran relatively smoothly with the team taking just a single night to align all these projectors.

FEATURE

WATCHOUT FOR THE CONTENT

The content delivered by AGB Events was blended, warped and distributed to the projectors from Dataton Watchout media servers, with a local area network handling data distribution on each projection site. Although the content was in Watchout’s care, TDC crew were on site each night to keep an eye on the system and to switch over to the standby generators should the occasion arise. Despite the huge scope and many challenges faced on this project, the system remained solid without interruption in rain, wind and heat.

While the media attention during the floods may have ignored many of the rural areas effected and focused on Brisbane city, it took an ambitious event staged in the city to put some that focus back onto the rebirth and renewal of south-eastern Queensland’s rural areas. MORE INFORMATION Technical Direction Company: www.tdc.com.au AGB Events: agbevents.com.au Barco: www.barco.com Dataton: www.dataton.comt

Top: Sail segments being installed on the observation wheel to transform it into a projection surface.

Above: The projector towers installed along the south bank to cover the QPAC buildings.

Far left: The observation wheel under full sail.

Left: Barco FLM-HD20 projectors being lifted up to the roof of a building on the north bank of the Brisbane River.

Images: Courtesy of Technical Direction Company

040

FEATURE

Naval Gazing The RAN’s International Fleet Review Spectacular 2013 Text:/ Phil Meltzer

At any event, communications are essential.

So, on a perfect spring day in October 1913, when seven ships of the newly created Fleet Unit of the Royal Australian Navy steamed into Sydney Harbour on its first Fleet Entry, coordination and communication would have been a prime requirement.

In that era though, available methods would have been flag semaphore, signal lamps and rudimentary radio signals using Morse code over spark-gap transmitters. Maritime radio was in its infancy with an international treaty requiring shipboard radio stations to be manned 24 hours a day only ratified that very year.

Film archives show flag semaphore being used and aerials visible amongst the superstructure of the newly commissioned HMAS Australia’s optical and radio communications.

One hundred years on and the commemoration of that event has just been enacted in the form of the 2013 International Fleet Review (IFR) — once again on a perfect spring day. This time, however, 19 RAN ships, 18 foreign naval vessels, 16 tall ships and various local vessels were all part of the flotilla. As if that wasn’t enough, let’s throw in an evening spectacular with broadcasts over TV, FM radio and internet, local live-

sites around the harbour, fireworks displays, synchronised lighting and audio, projection mapping, and more.

Flag semaphore and Morse code were not going to make this event happen in 2013.

However, despite the 100-year time difference, optical and radio communications remain crucial along with extensive logistical and technical expertise.

IMAGINATION RUNS WILD

A spectacular needs a spectacle, and people who can think big to organise it. The Royal Australian Navy engaged the services of Imagination Australia as event designers and producers to take the event from conception to delivery.

Doubtlessly it wasn’t long into Imagination Australia’s initial team meeting to identify the Sydney Opera House’s sails as a larger-thanlife, projection-mapping ‘canvas’ for video and images. But they went a step further and pressganged the Sydney harbour bridge’s pylons to host more visuals.

With attendance estimates at upwards of 1 million expected on the harbour shores to view the spectacle, there was a need to get the video and audio components of the event to as

many of those punters as possible. As well as the mapping, a number of live sites were set up around the harbour foreshore to accomplish this. Utilising projection sites at Dawes Point and Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, along with the seven live-sites, the Technical Direction Company (TDC) and Norwest Productions delivered the content. All these projection sites had their HD video and audio main track feeds delivered from Dataton Watchout and Avid ProTools via an optical fibre network using Riedel Communications’ MediorNet/RockNet systems. Approximately 1.2 million ANSI lumens of projection were used and about 406 speaker cabinets.

BIGGER THAN NEW YEAR’S

However, given the size of the overall event stage, even supersized screens like the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge pylons become a small part of the whole. So filling the open spaces from Balls Head to Garden Island was a job for pyrotechnics and lighting. Foti International produced a fireworks display to eclipse even the famous Sydney New Year’s Eve celebrations. Launch positions included the usual Harbour Bridge and barges, but were supplemented by several city roof-top locations.

041

FEATURE

Photographer: Cameron O'Neill

The crowning glory though were seven big, grey launch platforms that were accustomed to pyrotechnics of a very different kind – Royal Australian Navy warships. Fireworks control came via FireOne software and timecode transmitted over UHF and TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) main and back-up radio links supplied by Riedel.

Like cheese and crackers, fireworks and lighting are a match made in the heavens. The smoke provided by the pyros creates ideal conditions for the lighting to be seen to best advantage and, in turn, happily complement the work of the fireworks – it’s a 3D canvas for the eyes to feast on. Chameleon Touring Systems provided the highlighting and colour to fill those spaces. Over 500 lighting fixtures were used on the 15 lighting towers on the shoreline and the seven RAN warships. Consoles at each location were synced by SMPTE timecode primarily transmitted over UHF. The back-up timecode feed, however, was provided by an interesting system involving the internet and iPads. It took the Mac-originated SMPTE code and fed it through a webstream via an ADSL connection to the web. Out on the ships and towers, one iPad at each location picked up the webstream via a Telstra SIM card. The code

was then transferred to the lighting consoles by an audio cable out of the iPad’s mini-jack port.

Adding to all this connectivity was the ability to program the 13 grandMA lighting consoles remotely via wireless Ethernet. The shore-based locations received their Ethernet via a combination of wi-fi and MediorNet over the same fibre links that were providing the video and audio feeds. The various remote sites received theirs via MA-Net2 (MA Lighting's Ethernet protocol) over Riedel’s new mesh wi-fi system – a multi-path highly-resilient, wireless network that is ideal for outdoor deployment.

For all of those people not near a live site but still harbourside to view the event, a special low-power FM radio broadcast was set up. With an FM receiver you could tune into 90.7MHz and hear the audio track that the fireworks and projection mapping were synced to.

CASTING A WIDER NET

That takes care of the local spectators but in order to take the spectacular to a wider audience, the ABC and Chief Entertainment took on the roles of broadcast partners. The ABC provided a national broadcast on its ABC1 and News 24 channels. Chief Entertainment routed its vision package of the event live to the internet

via YouTube. Both of these organisations were based in the Sydney Opera House (SOH) under the Opera Theatre – the ABC using one of its HD broadcast trucks and Chief utilising the Opera House’s video and audio studios. The SOH also contributed parts of their fibre install and MediorNet system to the cause, linking it in with the Riedel-installed fibre network to provide a signal path from the Event Control Centre that connected the broadcasters to the fireworks audio track feeds, live audio and Ethernet.

UNIFIED COMMS

An event such as this demonstrates just how far comms has come. Semaphore jokes aside, the definition of communications has broadened over the years and the term doesn’t just cover voice traffic any more. Current TCP/IP technology allows formats that once used separate signal paths to be merged onto one carrying medium. Systems like Riedel Communications’ MediorNet, RockNet and Artist Matrix combine audio, video, voice communications and data networking down the same run of optic fibre. With fibre infrastructure becoming more common, Riedel was able to integrate existing city installations

042

and SOH fibre into the event’s MediorNet along with another 15 kilometres of dual- and quadcore fibre they temporarily installed for the IFR. There were 11 MediorNet frames used and the integrated RockNet carried approximately 160 channels of audio to different locations. Voice comms were carried by Riedel’s Artist Matrix digital intercom system. Analogue UHF duplex transmission systems, wireless cameras and FM transmission services were also deployed as part of the overall event package.

Two-way radio traffic was assigned to 16 channels of UHF TETRA radio equipment that digitally allows a relatively small number of frequencies to be shared with a large number of users via talkgroups. These talkgroups are automatically assigned to vacant channels when necessary, allowing for a more efficient use of bandwidth than with conventional twoway systems. While not a new technology it’s normally found in the emergency services, government and large industry sectors and is only making its way into the entertainment arena in the last few years.

Another recent piece of tech to appear at large-scale events are mesh wi-fi networks like

FEATURE

the 5GHz system that Riedel purchased for the IFR. Designed for outdoor wide area coverage, these multi-path wireless networks provide a robust solution to delivering wi-fi services to an event. That old event requirement of needing redundant systems to cover failures is inherently covered by a mesh system as they are selfhealing. If a link or a node goes down, the traffic will be routed through the nearest, best available path automatically.

SPECTACULAR

So how was it on the night? Spectacular.

Following all the planning and pre-production, preparation of system and safety documentation, all the overnight setups, rehearsals and execution – the result was well worth it and world class.

And a final word from Andrew Smith, Imagination Australia’s Project Technical Director: “This project was a huge success which involved months of very complex technical planning. The support through the project from our suppliers was superb. It was a great team with a great outcome...”

You’d have to agree really. 

Top left: All audio, video and comms feeds to the host broadcaster's OB van were via Mediornet over fibre. (Photographer: Cameron O'Neill).

Top right: Riedel's main comms and data distribution control station (Photographer: Danny Riess).

Bottom left: The Royal Australian Navy Band plays Advance Australia Fair on the forecastle of Guided Missile Frigate, HMAS Sydney. (Image courtesy Royal Australian Navy) Bottom right: Landing Ship Heavy, HMAS Tobruk with pyrotechnics being fired from the deck that normally handles helicopters and landing craft (Image courtesy Royal Australian Navy).

Right: HMAS Sydney leads RAN warships HMAS Darwin, HMAS Perth, and HMAS Parramatta as the international fleet enters Sydney harbour for the IFR (Image courtesy Royal Australian Navy).

FEATURE

Production credits Imagination Australia Trevor Smith: Production Director Andrew Smith: Project Technical Director Kym Chisholm: Project Producer Mark Hammer: Lighting Director Bill Ainley: Event Control Technical Director Josh Moore: Event Technical Director Riedel Communications Australia (Signal Management & Comms) Jason Owen: Senior Project Engineer Ian Hamilton: Technical Coordinator Chameleon Touring Systems - Lighting Pip Robinson and Luke Cuthbertson TDC (Projection) Kain Jones Norwest Productions (Audio) Project Manager - Michael Prescott Foti (Fireworks) Tim Gray ABC (TV Broadcast) Darryl Brook Chief Entertainment (YouTube Webstream) Michael Purcell

043

044

REVIEW

Sony DWZ Series Digital Wireless System Sony’s DWZ series will find you clear space on the wireless spectrum.

Review: Mark Woods

Some choose wireless so they can be free; some use it because the production demands it. It’s a handy technology, but not without compromise. Not being physically connected has traditionally meant a reduction in sound quality and the possibility of drop-outs or interference. That’s after you’ve figured out any frequency/channel problems… and there are always some of those if you’re stacking lots together.

Sony has considerable expertise in wireless systems and their analogue beltpack transmitters enjoy a reputation for reliability and good sound quality. But I’ve seen firsthand the frustration of the drama teacher at the dress rehearsal as he frantically phones the hire company that supplied the belt-packs and receivers because he can’t get them all working. And it’s always because the frequencies don’t match (to be fair, once one had a flat battery).

DIGITAL DIVIDENDS

It’s all digital now though, and everything has changed. Sony’s new DWZ series consists of the DWZ-M50 vocal pack that gives you a handheld wireless microphone and a halfrack receiver. The DWZ-B30GB guitar/ bass pack has a belt-pack transmitter and a compact, made-especially-for-guitar receiver.

Both operate at 24-bit/48k PCM digital audio that provides a much flatter and wider frequency response and a wider dynamic range than wireless analogue.

The DWZ Series operates in the 2.4GHz range of radio frequencies. This range is popular as it’s unregulated, internationally compatible and won’t suffer interference from TV and DTV signals. It’s also used by a wide range of devices including Wi-Fi routers, wireless phones, etc. So both packs offer a choice of RF modes. Wide-band frequency hopping mode (sounds like fun) reduces interference from things like Wi-Fi, and has the most error correction, but the latency is quoted as 6ms (longish). Narrowband hopping reduces interference from things like lighting controllers and is better if using multiple units at the same time. It also has a lower latency of 3ms (better).

It’s great the way that modern digital wireless systems change frequencies to avoid interference and make channel selection easy, or automatic. Avoiding interference with the DWZ Series is automatic once you’ve set your RF type and any frequency changing going on in the background is imperceptible.

Each device in the series has its own way of doing things but I found them all to be easy and intuitive to drive.

ASK & RECEIVE

The ZRX-HR50 half-rack receiver is immediately friendly. It has a bright screen and big clear information about its current status, and a main rotary-encoder inside a bright yellow circle that asks to be tweaked.

If pushed, it brings up the options. The

language and labelling is simple, there are not too many options, and I found my way around confidently from the start. A fiveband equaliser and a feedback reducer are handy inclusions. It’s unusual having the option of EQ on a receiver of this type and while it’s good if the user is aware it’s there, it can be a trap for the unwary. It got me.

When I first fired up the system, I thought the mic sounded crappy. I noticed the EQ-On display on the screen eventually but it’s not the first thing your eye sees. The feedback reducer is fun to play with, you can adjust its effect level in real-time, and it works up to a point, but it’s no substitute for having the gain/EQ correct so the system is stable in the first place. Outputs include a balanced out for the PA or recording, an unbalanced main out to feed an on-stage amp, and a dedicated tuner out.

The ZRX-C30 receiver is designed for electric guitars and includes some clever features. Firstly, it’s small enough to fit into a pedal board, and it can be powered by a Bosstype 9V supply, with a 12V transformer, or with batteries. It has a yellow-ringed rotary channel selector and a switch labeled Cable Tone Generator that mimics unbalanced cables by progressively reducing high frequencies.

Outputs are the same as the ZRX-HR50.

TRANSMITTERS

Transmitters start with the ZTX-MO1 handheld wireless microphone. The supplied

045

REVIEW

Sony dynamic capsule is good quality and voiced for vocal use with a boosted response from 3-8kHz, a wide address angle and good resistance to plosives due to a sharp roll-off below 100Hz. Handling noise is quite high.

Other capsules are available as part of the DWX series and you can use third-party capsules from Shure and Neumann, though Sony warns using them may lead to RF or EMF noise problems. Channel switching is achieved by unscrewing the lower part of the metal body to reveal a small screen and button.

And encryption is offered for the covert. The mic takes two AA rechargeable batteries that can be charged with the optional BCD-WZ1 contactless battery charger. Instead of slotting the mic into the charger until the contacts meet, the mic conveniently drops into a recess and gets charged by induction, which is a lovely touch.

The transmitter for guitars and headset mics is the ZTX-BO1 belt-pack. It’s a solid little unit that feels durable in a metal case and I think it would survive being stood on, which is my test for belt packs as they sometimes come off and end up on stage… a dangerous place. I like the quick-release battery holder and semi-recessed switches. Channel selection is via a little screen right in the middle of the unit, and a button to do the selecting. Again, easy to use, and lockable to avoid accidental

changes. I’m always concerned about the dangers of wireless systems for guitarists. Last weekend at Chopped (three days of hot rods, dirt drags and crazy loud bands) the guitarist from the alcohol-fuelled band Gay Paris got passed onto the FOH speakers by the crowd and played the last couple of songs of their set from the top of the stage left speaker stack… because he had a wireless system. And then there’s the risk of the guitarist appearing at the FOH desk yelling instructions about how loud his/her guitar should be in the mix. Apart from encouraging this sort of behaviour, the ZTX-BO1 combined with the ZRX-30 makes a great system for guitarists who like to run around. The signal it transmits is clean and accurate, and with 10mW of RF output power they can run a long way. The power options, size of the receiver and Cable Tone Generator are all strong design features that users will appreciate. Sony headset and lavalier mics are available as options.

WIDE BAND OF USE

During my testing I didn’t hear any interference, drop-outs etc but these things are hard to simulate. The latency of 6ms (in wide-band hopping mode) is relatively high and while it’s not going to be noticed in any spoken word context, if it’s combined with the latency of a digital console and/or other digital processors

NEW AV WEB SITE Daily Updates Product News from AV-iQ AV Job Vacancies Industry News Training Opportunities

www.av.net.au

it could result in a total latency long enough to be audible and distracting, particularly for a performer using in-ear-monitors. Using narrow-band hopping will help where possible.

The Sony DWZ series is aimed at bands and performers who want solid performance and good value for money. Both build and audio quality are high and all parts of the system are easy to use. The series would also be perfect for corporate presentations, public meetings, schools, etc… and should make life easier for drama teachers everywhere.  MORE INFO Price: Packages from $529 Battery Charger $329 Contact Sony Professional: (02) 9887 6666 or pro.sony.com.au Summary Sony’s DWZ series is serious enough to satisfy most applications where latency isn’t the number one issue. Built well, and with plenty of tricks up its sleeve, it’ll slip into space required.

Going digital ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t so bad...

The Monthly Magazine for Digital Filmmakers

The new Video&Filmmaker magazine has just gone live for iPad on Apple Newsstand and will soon be available in a cross-platform web format too.

All the latest news, reviews, features, columns and tutorials for free.

Stay tuned for more news at videoandfilmmaker.com and like us on Facebook.

videoandfilmmaker.com GET IT NOW

NEWS

047

InfoComm News

News from the Oceania Region

THANKS FOR SEEING US AT INTEGRATE

More than 4,800 professionals attended Integrate 2013, in association with InfoComm International, held in August in Sydney. InfoComm Executive Director and CEO David Labuskes, CTS, RCDD, gave the keynote address.

If you were able to participate, thank you for coming.

GET THE NETWORK KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED

InfoComm International is partnering with AMX Australia to provide networked audiovisual systems training to AV professionals in Australia and New Zealand. Thanks to the generosity of AMX Australia, 100 Oceania professionals will be able to take InfoComm’s popular Networked AV Systems class at a discounted rate in Sydney, the Gold Coast, Auckland and Melbourne, increasing the number of trained professionals in the region.

Classes will begin to be offered in February 2014.

Classes will be offered as follows: 5-7 February, Gold Coast; 10-12 February, Sydney; 2-4 April, Auckland; 7-9 April, Melbourne; 28-30 May, Gold Coast; 2-4 June, Sydney; 23-25 July, Melbourne; 28-30 July, Sydney; 24-26 September, Auckland; 29 September – 1 October, Sydney; 12-14 November, Melbourne; and 17-19 November, Gold Coast.

In addition to AMX’s sponsorship of this program, AMX Platinum Dealers may claim up to 50 percent of the cost of staff members attending the course as part of their Marketing Co-Op from AMX. For details contact Kit Davidsonkit.davidson@amxaustralia.com.au.

To enroll contact InfoComm Regional Director Jonathan Seller at oceania@ infocomm.org, or visit the InfoComm Online Store at infocomm.org.

INFOCOMM ADVISORY GROUPS

InfoComm International has decided to form several regional advisory groups, including one in Australia. The purpose of the groups is to nurture leadership, develop and increase resources and deepen the awareness of InfoComm programs and benefits among member companies. By leveraging local knowledge and input, InfoComm’s programs and initiatives are more likely to be successful in its endeavor to develop expanded valuable resources in the regional marketplace. The program provides local InfoComm members a level of program ownership that hasn’t previously existed.

Each advisory group has been given the opportunity to develop an outcome based project with a single goal. The goal of the Australia Advisory

Group Goal is to increase awareness of the audiovisual communications industry and its capabilities within the Architectural and Commercial Design Communities by providing an exceptional experience at Integrate 2014.

InfoComm thanks the following volunteers for their involvement.

Peter Swanson, CTS — AMX Australia & New Zealand Paul Van der Ent, CTS — Wizard Projects Gordon Anderson, CTS — Hills SVL Nick Orsatti — Fredon Industries Duncan Lugstein — Corporate Technology Services Andrew Hicks, CTS — Parity Consulting Jason Wheatley, CTS — University of Sydney Keep up with these programs in future articles and on infocomm.org.

GIVE BACK — BECOME AN AV MENTOR

InfoComm is gearing up for the launch of a new AV Mentor Network. In preparation, we’re seeking experienced and trusted AV professionals to build relationships and advise newcomers to the AV industry. Offer your guidance and instruction while assisting a mentee in his or her professional development. To get involved with the AV Mentor Network, please contact Marc Bialek at mbialek@infocomm.org.

AV STAKEHOLDERS UNITE! A STANDARD FOR ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING SYMBOLS

Finally, one set of AV symbols for infrastructure drawings that will streamline communication among AV professionals, architects and other trades. Now open for public review, CEA/CEDIA J-STD-710 Audio, Video and Control Architectural Drawing Symbols, answers three vexing questions: Where is it? (How is the AV component integrated into the building?)

What is it? (How do I know what the symbol represents?)

How big is it? (Does it appear to-scale on the drawing?)

For more information visit infocomm.org/standards.

FREE TOOLS YOU CAN USE

Have you taken the CTS practice exam? This free resource is a great way to find out where you stand before you prepare for your certification. Give it a try at infocomm.org/certification.

Already have your CTS? Reach higher by trying theCTS-D and CTS-I practice exams.

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

Cables you can trust with your Life The online Australian cable retailer you can trust.

Pro-grade cables, delivered on-time to your door at the best prices.

www.cables-online.com

.com

049

TUTORIAL

Rack Building Designing and fabricating equipment racks

This is an excerpt from the InfoComm University course Elements of System Fabrication Online. It is recommended as preparation for the classroom course System Fabrication, which will be offered in Australia and New Zealand in 2014.

One of the items you are likely to be building in your workshop is an AV rack. An equipment rack is the skeletal framework in which key AV components are arranged and interconnected.

You will spend a great deal of time terminating connectors, dressing cables, and mounting racks.

Glossary: Equipment Rack

An equipment rack is a centralised housing unit which protects and organises electronic equipment.

Rack design is a process of selecting options to meet the needs of a specific installation. Equipment is not just mounted in a rack haphazardly. The selection of an equipment rack involves the equipment to be mounted, organisational and spacing requirements, electrical and cooling requirements, accessibility, security, and location.

Many configurations and options are available for racks including doors, additional mounting rails, lacing strips and bars for cable management, fans and filters, electrical socket strips, blank and vented panels, etc.

Racks vary in panel width, and the interior width of a rack, to accommodate different types of equipment.

The standard rack for AV equipment has a rack space 19 inches wide (482.6 mm).

Racks for computer and communication equipment have 24 inches (609.6 mm) of rack space width.

Rack height varies from over 2m tall to less than 300 mm tall. Racks are also classified by their vertical mounting space. This specification is given in the number of Rack Units (RUs) available for equipment mounting. An RU is 44.45mm (1.75in) high. Equipment can also be measured in RU’s. An audio mixer might be 1 RU high while an amplifier might be 2 RU. Some equipment, like switchers, can be 10 RU or even larger.

Rack Elevation Diagrams

If it has not been done for you by the designer, your first task for building a rack will be to plan a rack’s layout by creating a rack elevation diagram. A rack elevation diagram is a pictorial representation of the front of a rack showing the location of each piece of equipment in the rack, typically labelling the number of RUs used for each piece of gear. It’s easier to plan this on paper than it is to move the gear around physically to decide where things should be located.

Best Practice: Rack Elevation

When working with rack elevations, first check the scale. Is it in rack units or in units of length? Equipment panel height is in multiples of 44.45mm. Although equipment is sized in 44.45mm increments, in reality, they will usually be slightly less than that. This way, they can be mounted and removed without binding or rubbing against other equipment.

Notes from the Field: Rack Elevation

Think like an end user when designing your rack layout. For example, consider how the end users interact with specific components; what do they need to see, use, or adjust? Also, consider the field technician who will be servicing the rack, perhaps for years to come. Is it difficult to remove a piece of equipment for repair? Can the technician get to the connector terminals for troubleshooting?

Should you add test points to allow for quick and easy calibration and recalibration? Is there space for additional equipment to be added to the system?

Building a Rack

The equipment rack should be handled like a work of art. If you try to do this in the field you may feel rushed, resulting in a substandard installation. Build the rack in the workshop, then test, ship, and install it.

You should do this because:

• You have all your tools in the workshop • You have more personnel in the workshop available for questions • You have more time available in the workshop Sometimes the rack itself requires assembly. If this is the case, build the rack following the manufacturer’s instructions.

• Verify that the equipment rack is the size and design as intended.

• Verify that the equipment rack size and your rack elevation drawing coincide.

• Label the rack(s) with the job name and number using a removable label.

Some racks have doors for aesthetic or security reasons. In this case, there are two installation considerations you should make.

Some rack manufacturers require the door be mounted (or the door hinge hardware to be installed) before mounting equipment into the rack. Check to see if the rack will have a door, because it is frustrating to have to remove all the equipment to correct the oversight.

When the rack door is closed, there should be space for protruding equipment elements, like knobs, open CD-Rom or DVD drawers, or ejected VCR tapes. This may require recessed mounting rails.

As equipment to be mounted in the rack is removed from the shipping containers, gather all instruction manuals and materials which came with the products.

• To ensure that these are not discarded accidentally, store them in a plastic bin with the job number labelled.

• Power supplies and other special cables are often shipped with equipment. These should be tagged, identifying which equipment they go with.

• Record equipment model numbers, serial numbers, firmware versions, etc before mounting because they may not be visible once in the rack.

To be continued …

050

Termination Being A Good Sport Text:/ Graeme Hague

Sports sponsorship is a bit of a risky thing to do when the product behind the sponsoring has little, if anything, to do with the sport. There should always be some kind of relevance, right? A connection with your target audience. For example, talking of targets, when Tiger Woods’ wife pursued her unfaithful husband around their suburb in the middle of the night, intent on bashing his skull in with a five iron, you’d definitely be interested in the type of running shoes she wore, yes? Plainly she lacked speed on the grass surfaces. Her choice of golf club might warrant examination too. Did she really want to whack him with that much loft? Relevance, see? Very important in sponsorship.

A little while ago we were told via a very excited electronic missive that the Italian luminaire manufacturer Clay Paky has gotten more heavily involved in the country’s 250cc Moto3 competition, sponsoring the development of the latest Rumi-Sport Engineering motorbike and thus earning the right to plaster the Clay Paky brand name all over the team’s lawnmower – sorry, motorcycle.

So now imagine your standard, cheering mob of Italian motor racing enthusiasts watching this machine whiz past at 4000 miles per hour every few minutes… if they even see, let alone read, “Clay Paky” painted on the side are they next going to think: “Hmm, I must buy one of them for my motorbike – whatever the hell it is.”

THE TRUE PRICE OF FAME

It’s not easy. Good sponsorship on a popular medium can demand a lot of money. It can cost the equivalent of Italy’s entire GNP just to have something emblazoned on Roger Federer’s left sock – and that’s on the smelly bit hidden by his shoe. If you think sports sponsorship is the way to go, plainly the challenge is finding

cost-effective exposure in a sport that resonates with your product and clientbase – then hope for some kind of tragic or comic event that will get you on the telly.

After all, it doesn’t take much for television panel shows and current affairs programs to consider something funny these days.

The recent Ashes test series has opened up some fantastic prospects. I wasn’t taking much notice of the games – seeing the score line I thought I’d stumbled across the English Premier League until someone pointed out it was Australia’s batting average – but I’ve got the gist that no one wants anything to do with the Australian cricket team right now and it’s going cheap.

Sponsorship-wise, you’d be working with a blank canvas, so to speak. One thing I have noticed is that modern cricket is chockers with high-tech audio visual equipment.

There’s the Snick-o-Meter, the Hot-Spot… ah, o-meter thing, Slo-Mo StumpCam… this is all serious AV gear. Can you see the slogan? “This Review decision was proudly made possible by Such-and-Such Electronics and So-and-So Audio”. That’s heavy-duty product exposure right there.

A golden opportunity. Customers would flock to their nearest electronic goods store to purchase the same equipment – or perhaps throw a brick through the window.

Hey, it’s all good brand recognition.

GO TELL IT ON A MOUNTAIN

Mountain climbing. Another muchunderrated sport that should attract more sponsorship and the AV industry is missing the chance. The secret is that mountain climbing, unlike Clay Paky’s ultra-fast fourstroke billboard, happens so s-l-o-w-l-y.

You get plenty of time to read all the stuff written on the climbers’ clothing – unless they happen to let go of the mountain and plummet thousands of metres to their death, during which the action does speed

up a bit. Otherwise mountaineers can cling terror-stricken to the same rock for hours.

You could just about have the complete tech specs for the latest HD short-throw projector written across their backs and people will have time to read it. And they use a lot of AV gear, too. Cameras and microphones, communications networks, personal GPS units and EPIRBs for recovering them, if they inadvertently pop down an unexpected crevice. Possible product endorsements abound in the mountain climbing business.

DEMOLITION DERBY

Admit it, your childhood push-bike accidents no longer rate a mention after watching the Tour de France. When those guys have a crash the race abruptly resembles an enormous Meccano set shoved though a blender with some arms and legs sticking out. With a very slim association to AV equipment Radio Shack has a racing team, but if it’s anything like the batteries that Tandy flogs they’ll never make it to the first corner. The door is open for a proper AV company that specialises in facial recognition software and hardware to sponsor the Tour de France and help identify which bits of bicycle belong to who after those spectacular prangs. And locate the dog responsible.

So come on, if you’re going to sponsor any sport at all, make sure it has vaguely something to do with your products. If you don’t, those poor punters on the side of the race track, the side of the mountain and the side of the French provincial roads won’t have a clue what you’re on about.

Unless it’s AFL football. That’s different.

If you sponsor the footy I don’t care what you sell, make, distribute, export or import – I’ll have four tickets to the Grand Final, please. 

FOR REP RO DU CTI ON

Yes!

It is possible to fall in love with an installation loudspeaker.

NEW

S8T

S12

S10T

12" 2-way loudspeaker

8" 2-way loudspeaker

10" 2-way loudspeaker

AcousticDesign

™

Close your eyes. Next, imagine the perfect installation loudspeaker. Is it incredibly fast and simple to deploy? Is it stylish and elegant to fit any décor?

S8TDoes it sound great and have a coverage S12 pattern that makes system designS10T easy? And will it perform flawlessly in environments?

8” 2-way loudspeaker 10” 2-way loudspeaker 12” 2-way harsh loudspeaker

AcousticDesign

Got the picture? Now open your eyes and meet three new™ loudspeakers that are everything you imagined - and more.

Close your eyes. Next, imagine the perfect installation loudspeaker.

Is it incredibly fast and simple to Is it love? Maybe.

Is it the most adaptable, elegant and best-performing small-format loudspeaker available anywhere?

Definitely. deploy? Is it stylish and elegant toinstallation fit any décor?

Does it sound great and have a coverage pattern that Visit us online at qscmarketing.com/New-AcousticDesign or contact your makes system design easy? will it perform flawlessly in harsh environments? local And QSC representative to learn more.

Got the picture? Now open your eyes and meet three new loudspeakers that are everything you imagined - and more.

X-Mount™ - Enables the loudspeaker to be easily installed and deployed in a variety of angles without slipping over time.

X-Mount - Enables the loudspeaker to be easily installed and deployed in a variety of angles without slipping over time.

MOUNT TO A

WALL

OR

NO T

Is it love? Maybe. Is it the most adaptable, elegant and best-performing small-format installation loudspeaker available anywhere? Definitely. Contact us at TAG on info@tag.com.au or (02) 9519 0900 to find out more!

CEILING qsc.com

in any direction

© 2013 QSC Audio Products, LLC. All rights reserved.

QSC, and the QSC logo are registered trademarks in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and other countries.

Availablie in black or white enclosures

Smart Signage Solutions for any occasion

The new Samsung ME-C, PE-C, UE-C and UD-C series LED* BLU displays have landed at IDT. All models have received important upgrades offering added features.

The new Samsung Smart Signage Platform (SSSP) with MagicInfo TM Premium S**^ DP 1.2 Ultra High Definition Loop Out for 2 x 2 Video Wall Configurations^^ Easy Image Rotation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; use the display settings to rotate your content HDCP Support using DP 1.2 loop out for up to 7 daisy-chained compatible displays^^^ *Samsung LED BLU Commercial Displays use LCD display panels with LED back or edge-lighting ** MagicInfo TM Premium S software is included with displays for stand-alone applications only. For network applications, server licenses are required at additional cost ^Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply. Usage may be subject to third party service provider agreements ^^ DP1.2 cables sold separately. Content delivery device must be able to deliver UHD content via DP1.2. ^^^ DP cable required, sold separately

For the latest promotions news and product information, contact our new telephone support team

1300 666 099

Or visit www.idt.com.au to find out more.

Sydney Melbourne briSbane Perth auckland