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CPL INVESTS IN VIDEO TECHNOLOGY Technical production specialist, CPL has made a £2m investment that includes some of the latest LED, processing, media server and projection technology.
Video and AV lies in CPL’s DNA, and there has always been a commitment to ensuring that the company keeps ahead of this fast-paced and constantly changing world. This latest investment also points to CPL targeting larger and more ambitious events, and being competitive in more sectors, congruous with a general rise in music-based work. A selection of premium brand products comprises the bulk of the investment including ROE LED screens, Brompton processing, disguise media servers, Riedel comms, Barco 4K laser projectors and Agile remote camera systems.
Complete with a stacking-and-rolling dolly system, each specially designed cart holds 16 panels of CB5 screen and is exceptionally quick to deploy and build on site, reducing overall production set-up / tear-down time as well as being a space saving solution for trucking and storage. The carts are designed to work in a ‘train’ formation whilst constructing large and wide screens. “ROE has become an industry standard premium product and that was also important when considering the purchase” explained CPL’s Events Director, Lee Gruszeckyj. “We are confident that having this product available will open up new opportunities.” It will also be added to CPL’s existing stock of ROE Black Onyx 3mm LED screen. In addition to the CB5, CPL purchased 200 ROE Strips, a creative indoor / outdoor LED batten-style product which can be used in conjunction with any other LED surface. The 1.2m long battens offer a 128 x 2-pixel resolution that can be fed via the same Brompton processors running signal to the CB5 and Black Onyx, so they can be mapped with matched video content and assist in creating a kinetic fluidity in LED based set designs.
ROE: CARBON LED SCREEN, AIR FRAME & ROE STRIP Over 200sqm of ROE CB5 indoor / outdoor product has been added to the CPL inventory. ROE is one of the top LED brands, renowned for its excellent engineering and innovative approach to product design. The 5mm pitch carbon-fibre CB5 panels measure 600 x 1200mm, are a slim 77mm thick, weigh just under 14kg each and are ideal for a wide range of applications. CPL has also purchased ROE’s brand-new carbon fibre Air Frames - the first company in the UK to have these onboard. The product provides a convenient super lightweight all-in-one hanging, stacking and transportation solution designed for maximum efficiency in all production scenarios. The Air Frames can be flown or ground stacked without needing additional rigging elements making them hugely flexible. The CB5 is IP-rated for outdoor use and designed and calculated to withstand high winds. It offers a 10-degree concave or convex curving variant for customised video wall designs, and the curving option applies to the frames as well as the hanging or stacking bars. “It’s hugely versatile product and we are already benefitting from using it on several shows and events,” commented CPL’s Managing Director, Matthew Boyse.
BROMPTON PROCESSING Looking ahead, and to enable the processing of 4K signals and content, CPL has added Brompton SX40 processors to the rental inventory together with XD signal distribution boxes. The SX40 rack sits at FOH with a cable running to stage which then splits the signal that is sent to all the screens, including the Brompton T1 processors which will be running the Pixel Strips. CPL likes Brompton for many reasons, including the build quality, robustness and general reliability of the products - considered among the best in LED processing - but especially for the tech support and backup. 28
