Installation December 2014 digital edition

Issue 174 / December 2014

AV INTEGRATION IN A NETWORKED WORLD www.installation-international.com

Overhead surge

Drones – your next business opportunity? p16

Video distribution

Keep up with rapidly changing tech p28

SHIP SHAPE

Leaving from where?

Ensuring intelligibility in transport hubs p34

How cruise liner AV keeps running, miles from home p40

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WELCOME 03

December 2014

Editor’s comment I

Paddy Baker, Editor pbaker@nbmedia.com

think I’ve written here before about how easy it can be to forget that the tablet computer – which has had such an impact on so many of our lives both as a multifunctional personal device and as an installed control surface – has been in existence for less than five years: Apple launched the iPad in April 2010. And having recently watched Benedict Cumberbatch playing World War II codebreaker Alan Turing in The Imitation Game, I was reminded that programmable computers are still pretty new too, having come about within the lifetimes of people who are still with us today. So even though it’s hard to find any aspect of our lives that isn’t touched by IT in some way, my belief is that we’re still only at the start of what it can achieve.

‘Only the computer world has the ability to generate such massive step-changes in performance’ Our opinion columns this month feature three very different types of technology. On page 18, Stephen Patterson writes about his vision for smart buildings that are properly tuned to the needs of the people within them; Rob Lane (p14) looks at the possibilities afforded by Minority Report-inspired gestural input devices; and Bob Snyder (p16) discusses the opportunities offered by drones – in a nutshell, they have the potential to drive widespread deployment of video in a similar way to what digital cameras have done for still images. What these diverse technologies, at different stages of development, share is that they all have IT of one kind or another at their heart.

It’s not surprising that IT is continuing to move centre stage in these developments, and so many others, as only the computer world has the ability to generate such massive step-changes in performance. As Turing says at one point in The Imitation Game, to break the Enigma code for a single day (it was reconfigured each morning) by going through all the possible combinations manually would have take 10 people 20 years. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see that a solution using machine-based intelligence was the only feasible one. And just as the Bletchley Park machines made the unthinkable possible, so I believe that intelligent AV provision is going to take us into areas that we have barely imagined so far. I wonder who they’ll be making films about in another 70 years’ time?

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Subscriptions to Installation are free to qualified readers. Register online at www.installation-international.com/subscribe Installation is published 12 times a year by NewBay Media London, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London N1 8LR, England Editorial tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6002 Sales tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6000 Please send press material to ukpressreleases@nbmedia.com Circulation & subscription enquiries Tel: +44 (0)1580 883848 Email: installation.subscriptions@c-cms.com Editor: Paddy Baker pbaker@nbmedia.com

US sales – Executive vice president: Adam Goldstein agoldstein@nbmedia.com

Managing editor: Joanne Ruddock jruddock@nbmedia.com

Production manager: Jason Dowie jdowie@nbmedia.com

Staff writer: Duncan Proctor dproctor@nbmedia.com

Digital content manager: Tim Frost tfrost@nbmedia.com

Designer: Tom Carpenter tcarpenter@nbmedia.com

Publisher: Steve Connolly

Sales manager: Gurpreet Purewal gpurewal@nbmedia.com

Contributors: David Davies, Rob Lane, Ian McMurray, Steve Montgomery, Stephen Patterson, Bob Snyder

Account manager: Peter McCarthy pmccarthy@nbmedia.com

Special thanks: Ginny Goudy, Charlotte Myer, Ramzi Shakra

© NewBay Media 2014. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners.

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Print ISSN: 2050-6104

Online ISSN: 2052-2401

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04 CONTENTS December 2014

54

News & Data 06 12 22

26

Update Appointments Industry Data: LED smart lamp sales set to surge Regional Voices: Netherlands

People

Show Previews

14 Opinion:

On the Horizon: Rob Lane on

gesture control

On the Horizon: Bob Snyder on

the drone opportunity

On the Agenda: Stephen

Patterson talks smart buildings 20 Interview:

Ross Magri, Sarner

20

44

Show preview: ISE 2015 sneek peak

Technology 47 50

52

Solutions

New Products Demo of the Month: Panasonic laser projectors Showcase: Conference systems

47 Features

54 02 Arena, Prague:

Multipurpose Czech venue gets audio revamp

56 Birthplace of Country

Music Museum, Bristol:

Music museum creates interactive experiences

60 Katowice Palac Mlodziezky:

Historic Polish auditorium

undergoes modernisation

34

28 Video distribution:

How video reaches the viewer is

changing – but what are the

implications for integrators?

34 Airports and railway stations:

Can high-spec audio systems

meet growing expectations?

40 Cruise liners:

Ensuring quality AV delivery in

the toughest conditions

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06 UPDATE December 2014

eyevis, Robe and Rosco in new Al Jazeera studios Studio Hamburg has finished work on the new UK bureau studios for TV network Al Jazeera, located on the 16th floor of The Shard in central London.

“Following the installation of a multi-purpose studio for Al Jazeera Arabic in Doha (Qatar) we are delighted to have completed a second successful project in London,” said Jörn Denneborg, head of Studio Hamburg Workshops.

A replica model of the set was built in Studio A1 Hamburg, before construction began in January 2014. In July, 25 staff worked to install the set in London. The new studio set was designed in co-operation with set designer Stuart Veech (VMA, Vienna) and lighting designer Manfred Olma (Mo2, Cologne). Broadcasting from the new studios started in mid-November.

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In addition to a main newsdesk for up to four presenters, backed by a videowall of eyevis rear projection cubes, and a standing position in front of an 85in touchscreen, the design also had to integrate an adjoining newsroom with 45 workstations.

The newsroom is also intended to provide on-air background for live reporting.

The studio is almost completely glazed and has impressive panoramic views of the London skyline.

Camera technology and lighting design need to adjust to take account of the changing daylight.

“We were able to meet this challenge with the aid of Rosco View polarisation filters and motorised camera filters. Good white balance was achieved by using Robe 800 white light LED moving lights with configurable light colour synchronised with

the colour temperature,” explained project manager Fabian Bäter.

The low ceilings (2.8m) in the office building also created conditions that are unusual for a television studio. With the special light concept in mind, the ceiling was simply incorporated into the design and is completely filmable.

www.eyevis.de www.mo2.de www.robe.cz www.rosco.com www.studio-hamburg.com www.veech-vma.com

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08 UPDATE December 2014

Gold standard for Yamaha A Yamaha AFC3 system has been installed at the Riksteatret theatre’s HQ in Oslo’s Nydalen district.

Established in 1949, Riksteatret is Norway’s national touring theatre and an offshoot of the Norwegian government’s Ministry of Culture.

Productions are developed and previewed in two venues at the Nydalen complex, the 300-seat Store Gull (Large Gold) and 120-seat Lille Gull (Little Gold).

Store Gull had a very dry acoustic response, the reverb time being as little as 0.56s. Yamaha AFC tuning partner Panpot installed three AFC3 processors, with five Yamaha XMV8140 and one XMV4140 power amplifiers, in Store Gull. These drive 50 loudspeakers – 24 ceiling speakers and four flatpanel speakers at the mixing desk position for reverb, plus 18 wall units and four subs for early

reflection, reverb and 7:1 surround.

Jo Wang, acoustic engineer at Panpot Acoustic Systems, commented: “The AFC3 system has transformed Store Gull. It makes the acoustics feel incredibly natural, even with the PA in use.” www.yamahacommercialaudio.com

New Partners Symetrix has been added to Audio-Technica Europe’s (ATE) distribution portfolio for Turkey as both companies seek to strengthen their presence across the country’s professional installation sector. ATE business development manager Onur Esame said: “Symetrix would be a perfect fit to support our existing product range”. www.symetrix.co www.eu.audio-technica.com

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Ingram Micro is now handling distribution of Milestone products in the German-speaking countries of Europe, including Austria, Germany and Switzerland. The agreement enables Milestone Systems to reach an extensive network of IT and security system integrators through Ingram Micro’s distribution network in the region. www.ingrammicro.com www.milestonesys.com

Televic has signed an exclusive agreement with Production Audio Video Technology (PAVT) for the distribution of its conference solutions in Australia and New Zealand. PAVT managing director Graeme Stevenson said: “Our partnership with Televic will enable us to offer an enhanced portfolio of quality solutions.” www.televic-conference.com www.pavt.com.au

Audio and AV supplier Scandec Systemer AS has been appointed exclusive distributor for DiGiCo products in Norway. Established in 1984 by Knut Børke and Håkon Rønning, Scandec works on a wide variety of projects in the public and private sectors, including entertainment venues and sports arenas. www.digico.biz www.scandecsystemer.no

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10 UPDATE December 2014

Lighting the world’s highest wheel The Las Vegas skyline now includes the world’s tallest observation wheel, The High Roller at the Linq Resort, which illuminates from sunset through the night. Unlike The London Eye’s open truss structure, The High Roller is a massive object that must be lit from the perimeter.

This is achieved using a variety of products from Harman’s Martin Professional Tripix range, including 1,120 Tripix 300 fixtures, 1,008 Tripix Wash fixtures, four MAC Viper fixtures – all wirelessly DMX-controlled – and 560 Tripix Power IP66 power supplies.

Buddy Pope, senior systems project manager at systems integrator 4Wall Entertainment, noted: “We had to make sure everything would be able to withstand being turned upside down every 30 minutes over and over again.”

One challenge was accommodating the user experience inside the cabins and from various angles and viewing distances. A requirement of the fixtures was a converged light source or tri-colour chip, meaning that when the light source is viewed directly, only the programmed colour can be seen. As visitors would be able to see directly into the light source from the cabins, a traditional RGB light source was not an option.

Lighting designer Abigail Rosen Holmes, working with programmer Jason Badger, used an offline 3D visualiser to create the initial wheel lighting sequences. Even though the fixtures are moving around with the rim, it is possible to program them to make the wheel appear to be one colour in the bottom half and another in the top half. The programming frequently returns to white to re-establish the pure form of the object.

As the sun goes down at a slightly different time every day, there are 365 individual cues timed to actual sunset times. The first sequence runs from sunset to dark, then when darkness falls another set of sequences carries on through the night.

Holmes explained: “The 2,000 Martin fixtures were individually mapped and numbered to provide the detail and variety we wanted in the programming.” www.martin.com

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12 APPOINTMENTS December 2014

eyevis

NanoLumens

New management board appointed Christian Massmann has been named CEO of the group

E

yevis has appointed a new management board with Christian Massmann becoming chief executive and Daniel Meindl joining as head of finance and COO. Massmann has held a number of leadership roles in the international TV and internet industry. He was most recently responsible for the worldwide sales of German broadcast organisation ZDF and served as CEO for different companies which were part of one of Europe’s largest media groups. “eyevis is a perfect example of German art of engineering and innovation. I am delighted to have the opportunity to take the position as CEO of the eyevis Group,” said Massmann.

Meindl will co-ordinate the finances and organisation of the group, which comprises subsidiaries in France and Spain as well as German technology companies Teracue eyevis and STiNO eyevis.

Absen LED

Lee Riesterer and Rick Bortles have taken up new roles at NanoLumens. Riesterer (pictured left) has been appointed vice president of strategic alliances while Rick Bortles (right) has been promoted to the position of executive vice president of worldwide sales. Prior to joining NanoLumens, Riesterer was global vice president of mobility channels at SAP. Bortles has 30 years of senior sales and executive leadership experience in the technology industry.

www.nanolumens.com (L-R): Christian Massmann, Daniel Meindl and Heiko Schaich

Meindl has many years of experience with international companies including time as CFO at Fujitsu Siemens Computers USA and Arvato Services Bertelsmann.

The technical departments and product development remain under the leadership of Heiko Schaich, company founder and chief technical officer of the group.

www.eyevis.de

Meyer Sound

John McMahon heads up new division

The aim is to extend business in the German-speaking market

Solutions and Strategy aligns product management, design services, technical support and education under one umbrella

www.absen.com

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Patrick Lange has taken up the role of area sales manager for the UK and Ireland at Analog Way. Lange is charged with developing and managing sales nationwide and brings with him more than 10 years’ experience in sales management and technical expertise gained at Avid and M-Audio.

www.analogway.com

Absen names regional sales director Absen LED has named Christopher Backhaus as its regional sales director for the German-speaking market.

Prior to joining the company, Backhaus was sales director for the Germanspeaking market at Barco LiveDots. He also spent six years at Daktronics as international project and sales manager.

The general manager of Absen, Amy Tang, commented: “[Christopher’s] appointment is the next logical step in the evolution of the company. His professional LED industry experience and client relations will be invaluable for developing opportunities within this dynamic new role.”

Analog Way

John McMahon has been appointed to the new position of vice president of solutions and strategy at Meyer Sound. He will oversee the broad-based strategic planning for new products, product management and multi-product solutions across various verticals. He will also spearhead the digital product concept group in accelerating new digital solutions into the market.

McMahon joined Meyer Sound in 2005 and has been part of the executive team since 2008. He has been involved in numerous prestigious projects including the InstallAwards-winning Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco.

www.meyersound.com

PSCo

Mike Bone has joined the specialist LED team at PSCo. He comes from LED screen provider Mediatec Solutions UK and has more than 22 years of AV industry experience and LED knowledge. He will work closely with PSCo’s customers to understand their needs and build solutions.

www.psco.co.uk

TC Group

Andy Rust has been appointed VP of marketing for install & tour at TC Group., Based at Tannoy’s Scottish HQ, he is responsible for TC Group brands in these markets, and for delivering marketing strategy. He spent the past 13 years at Peavey, nine as European marketing manager.

www.tcgroup.tc

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14 OPINION: ON THE HORIZON December 2014

Rob Lane

Touch-free tech for aspiring superheroes Minority Report-styled gesture control is not a minority pursuit

T

he news that Elliptic Labs has developed bat-like ultrasonic technology that provides touchless gesture control/ recognition for smartphones and tablets has given gesture control tech watchers a boost – and would get Batman’s approval!

Exhibited at CEATEC Japan in October, it is intended to help mobile device manufacturers to create more intuitive navigation experiences and faster interactions to them.

Ultrasound is beamed from the device’s transmitter speakers on to the user’s hand and back to integrated microphones, allowing the technology to recognise any movement – up to 180º. Perhaps the ultimate in lazy smartphone/ tablet usage, it offers an exciting alternative to existing gesture touch technologies, especially if it’s scalable to larger devices.

The 180º field of view is certainly an advantage, as is ‘distributed sensing’, which enables motion capture of a user’s hand from multiple angles, so avoiding occlusion of objects.

In addition, ‘range gating’ separates the ‘first returning’ ultrasonic echoes from those arriving later – so Elliptic’s tech can separate foreground from background, preventing accidental gestures from being recognised.

I often mention movies in this column. With gesture interaction, Minority Report is always the movie cited by the wider press, and it’s interesting that just over a year ago Bristol University’s ‘ultrahaptics’ was reported as being reminiscent to the gloves worn by Cruise – particularly as ultrahaptics uses tiny speakers called ‘ultrasonic transducers’ to sense movement, a la Elliptic.

In this case, waves of ultrasound are projected through the display, displacing the air to create

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acoustic radiation pressure, which the display reacts to. The big difference is that these ultrasound waves are said to create vibrations on the user’s skin, which means that in theory users could sense different levels of vibration pressure ‘textures’, allowing for tactile mid-air touch distinctions – so allowing users to ‘feel’ each navigation control on the device, like Spider-Man when his Spidey senses are tingling.

In this case, additional technology is needed to enable control of what’s on the screen – something like a Leap Motion sensor or Microsoft Kinect – as the ultrasound does not communicate back to the source display.

Another new gesture control tech, also initially aimed at smaller computing devices but with scope to interact with pretty much anything, is the Thalmic Labs Myo armband. Designed to fit around users’ forearms, the start-up’s technology detects small muscle movements, rotations of the arm and electrical muscle impulses using the information to control a device’s functionality.

Unlike Kinect, this is a mobile solution and it has potential medical applications, perhaps allowing surgeons to interact with devices during operations without touching them.

Thalmic has integrated Myo with smart glass wear tech including Google Glass, Epson Moverio and Oculus Rift. Video demos show users flicking wrists to move things across the screen and rotating arms to adjust volume – exactly as you’d imagine it working. Pre-order cost is $150 and it comes with the 10-foot Experience app, allowing users to control presentations from a distance between 10ft and 30ft. This is mainly an opportunity to jump on board with the evolution of a product that’s still very much in its infancy.

Thalmic Labs’ Myo armband

Back to Minority Report’s mittens: Fujitsu’s recently developed ‘glove’ device uses a near field communication (NFC) tag reader for ‘on-site workplace use’. The device has a contact sensor on the finger and the NFC reader allows users to touch tags of objects to digitally identify them.

The device can also recognise gestures due to the inclusion of a gyro sensor and accelerometer in the wrist, allowing for basic up, down, left, right, rotate-left, rotate-right movements.

Fujitsu is aiming the device at industries where the working environment requires gloves or gets workers’ hands dirty, so making it tricky to use mobile devices. The gesture control cleverly kick-starts when the user’s wrist is bent back in a movement reminiscent of Spider-Man (again!) when he’s squirting his webbing.

Reading this column back, it’s clear that gesture control start-ups need to keep watching the movies for inspiration – particularly Minority Report and the comic book adaptations!

Rob Lane is founder/director of PR/marketing agency Bigger Boat PR and spends all his free time watching sci-fi movies and reading comic books.

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16 OPINION: ON THE HORIZON December 2014

Bob Snyder Droning on…

How a trend in unmanned flight might give the pro-AV industry some wings

S

itting on the shore of a North Sea island, you see the flutter of something flying in across the sea. It’s a bird, it’s a plane… no, it’s a… drone!

DHL now uses drones in a field trial for parcel delivery, transporting needed drugs from a seaport to a pharmacy on the North Sea island of Juist. The delivery company calls this flying system their Paketkopter, while the aviation industry calls it generically a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) and the EU prefers RPAS (remotely piloted aircraft system).

The public know it better as a drone, a ‘D’ word the industry feels has been damned by military use and would rather avoid as a label.

An aerial drone is basically a robot capable of both remotely controlled flight and fully autonomous flight, controlled by onboard computers, sensors and GPS. Drone types include airplanes, helicopters, quadcopters and blimps.

Drones sit at the junction between four industries: IT, aviation, robotics – and video.

An unmanned vehicle by itself may be fun to control but is relatively useless. Add a camera and intelligent sensors and you have a powerful business tool.

How powerful? Some large agricultural concerns consider the drone their most important piece of kit after their combine harvesters. Farmers fly drones to check on the health of crops in the fields.

The recent Commercial UAV Show in London highlighted how facility managers use drones to check on the outside structure of their skyscrapers. The oil and gas industry buys drones to follow remote pipelines, looking

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for faults. Security managers fly drones for surveillance at industrial centres. Fire and rescue train to fly drones for emergency services.

Archaeologists want drones for aerial surveying of clues for dig sites. Hollywood buys drones for filming far more scenic panoramas.

Industry researchers predict the drone industry will be bigger than the PC business.

And the most important application feature is almost always... video.

At the small business level, local photographers add zest to their wedding photography via drones. Land surveyors use drones. Safety consultants at sites such as quarries find drones indispensable for audits and inspections. Real estate agents impress prospective buyers with all-encompassing drone videos of houses and property.

Drone consultant companies now exist to guide enterprises on drone uptake. And you have rent-a-drone and drone-as-a-service companies emerging everywhere.

All this activity despite the fact governments and aviation feel traumatised by the pace of this particular technology. Drones save money, add vital intelligence, and perform jobs that once required helicopters or otherwise just didn’t get done at all. Industry is clamouring for drones and as money flies in politics, the governments are expected to speed up their response time.

Not knowing about the impending drone explosion is like growing up in the early 1960s and not knowing about the Beatles. Yes, it’s really drone mania out there.

How does our industry intersect with drones?

Drones thrive when fitted with video cameras with as much resolution as possible. Video now

is usually stored on media and retrieved when the mission has ended. But many drone users want to stream timely video when possible and affordable.

Where pro AV comes in is exactly where the video comes in. Video will be streamed or walked into existing control rooms and business departments. In other cases, departments inexperienced in video will have to create brand new video stations. The key to successful ‘droning’ is the handling, display and analysis of video (and its sensor reports that add information, such as temperature or gas detection).

Drone technology is an important purveyor of the new Big Data trend that IT so loves. Drone service providers hope to add more value by quickly interpreting video and data and turning it into actionable management information.

Video must be transported from drone to office, displayed, analysed and even shared across company and business units. This newest influx of corporate, NGO and government video should create business opportunities for pro-AV companies that can anticipate needs.

If you follow the assumption that pro-AV professionals are the most knowledgeable people on how to create, distribute and display high-resolution video, then you can certainly imagine there are drones in your future.

Especially now that you know to look out for drone business as a sign to wayfinding more video business.

Bob Snyder is a writer, conference organiser, public speaker and more. He will moderate the Smart Building Conference at ISE 2015.

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18 OPINION: ON THE AGENDA December 2014

Stephen Patterson What is a smart building?

Too often, the industry follows too narrow a definition, which doesn’t explore the full potential of smart technology – or what AV companies can deliver

T

he technology of ‘smart buildings’ is increasingly a discussion topic.

Unfortunately – all too often – this seems simply to be in reference to reducing the power consumption of a building, be that for green credentials or financial gain. While a lofty aim in its own right, it’s hardly smart. Paul Fletcher (@thrutl), the architect and thought leader on Smart in the built environment, suggests that a smart building is simply one in which the user doesn’t feel dumb! From AV, to lighting, to HVAC, how often do we fail to deliver on that – let alone any kind of integrated Smart on top?

Shouldn’t a smart building be one that has some autonomy, is capable of learning from its surroundings and most importantly interacts with what may be the most expensive asset in the building – people – to maximise the use of all resources, not just energy? Here’s an example.

The security barrier becomes the point of entry to the building world. I swipe my pass, the building knows I’m here and can begin to respond to my presence. The lights in my office turn on, my PC wakes from its slumber and my calendar updates as my presence is noted on internal UC platforms. In a hotdesk environment the system may allocate me a desk, and the digital signage can guide me, having programmed my phone by the time I arrive there. As the system is aware of my diary, it recognises I have a meeting, and 15 minutes in advance of the start time it compares building occupancy to the invite list, to automatically allocate a room – ensuring optimal use of physical resource. I arrive at my meeting room, expecting the AV systems to have performed a self-test and pre-dialled my

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VC call. Biamp Systems recently conducted a study that suggested up to 10 minutes of every 60-minute meeting is wasted trying to make the technology work – this equates to around $5.5 billion lost per year.

It is evident how smart use of technology can make huge inroads into productivity, resource utilisation and energy saving. But perhaps even this is only scratching the surface of what Smart could really be. Meeting rooms and spaces in a building are often still considered as self-contained environments, warranting the deployment of technology to deliver on a predefined experience. However, with dynamism appearing to pervade every aspect of life, it seems premature to assume that we know how that space is going to be used in the future – hence the deployment of multi-use and reconfigurable spaces. To deliver this, technology must be more flexible and available than ever. IP-based control, and more importantly media traffic, are at the heart of an ‘anything, anywhere, at any time’ methodology.

Wireless technologies and location-aware equipment can also play a part in allowing rooms to automatically configure, based on the location of hardware. This reconfiguration ability and AV service availability is required to deliver the flexibility that is increasingly critical in the future of business, particularly in relation to mobile/remote workers and the need for evolving collaboration. With this comes the concept that physical offices will evolve into places for hosting multi-site, in-person meetings, rather than being a location for individual work.

User experience and interaction with equipment is also an area requiring development,

and one which we may have to consider as part of a system’s operational ‘reliability’ – as much as the uptime of physical equipment. If an employee moves from campus A to campus B and has to re-learn how to operate the technology, from a design perspective we have failed. Delivering this sort of reliable equipment use is crucial in avoiding wasted time, money or both.

‘Surely we, the AV industry, are best placed to capitalise on this complete integration of building technology’

A closing thought: surely we, the AV industry, are best placed to capitalise on this complete integration of building technology. After all, it is what we do: take many systems speaking many different protocols on several different physical communication media, and deliver a front end that makes it simple. I would venture to suggest that no other discipline involved in the construction trades has this wealth of experience. Shouldn’t we be positioning ourselves to lead this ‘total technology integration’ rather than watching from the sidelines?

Stephen Patterson is regional manager, western Europe, at Biamp Systems. This article is based on his presentation at the Smart Building Conference in London in October. www.biamp.com

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20 INTERVIEW: ROSS MAGRI, SARNER December 2014

Attraction man

Ross Magri is technical director of one the leading integrators in the world of leisure attractions and museums.

He talks to Paddy Baker about Doctor Who, the evolution of AV technology and how to stay ahead of audience expectations You have a degree in audiovisual media and photography. When did you get the first inkling that you might follow a career in the AV field?

From a very young age I had an interest in art and technology, and I could never take sides either way. During my teenage years I met Ron Bewley, who was one of the very early users of synchronised projection technology – he did the London Experience, the New York Experience and others. I met him in Malta, and spent some time helping him, taking photographs and setting up the kit. That was when I learned about mixing technology with photography, film and projection and the design and creation of immersive shows. So that’s what really started my interest.

Sarner worked on the revamped Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff. Did you treat this as a refresh or as a completely new project?

It is a refresh. As you know, Matt Smith has regenerated into Peter Capaldi, and so we had to link that to the Experience to stop it becoming dated. In terms of the actual experience it is a lot more than a refresh – it’s a continuation of the story. But from the technical point of view, we looked at it as a refresh: a lot of the technology is what we had originally installed, although it’s used in a different way. We do have a lot of new lighting and effects, and we have some crystals that interact with visitors, but the control systems, the amplification, the speakers, the projection technology are what we originally installed. The content has changed more than the technology.

Doctor Who has been enjoyed and loved by generations of viewers – as well as being one of the BBC’s highestearning brands. Do you feel a greater responsibility when a project of this kind comes along, or are you able to treat it in a detached, goals-andobjectives way?

Certainly every project is important to us and to the client. What’s unique about the Doctor Who Experience is the expectations of the visitors – the people who visit the attraction are as knowledgeable, or more knowledgeable than we are about the history of Doctor Who – so

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we have to be very accurate in terms of how it’s presented, detailed and described. A lot of times with other projects you don’t have such a critical audience. If it’s a museum about glaciers or an attraction about history, the information is new to a lot of the visitors; whereas people have grown up with Doctor Who and the detail, the accuracy of everything that’s installed has to be close to the stories or the history of the programme.

‘When I first found out that it was feasible to use computers to control projectors, it was very exciting’

Looking at that in a broader context – in general, how do you judge how much understanding of the subject of an attraction you need as an integrator?

As a company we’re in a unique position because we’ve created the design as well as the technology. Our writers, producers, directors and scenic artists are part of the Sarner team and have come up with the ideas, so it’s a very good relationship and there isn’t a conflict between the technology and the creation of the content.

It’s very much a joint effort where we look at each subject, creatively design the solution and then look at the technology to fulfil that. It’s never been the technology leading the creative – it’s very much in the background. You see the product of the technology.

We frequently start with a blank sheet of paper to come up with creative ideas, then we sit down and talk about how to achieve them technically. So the question of whether the technology is in line with the story never arises because the technical solution is chosen to achieve the creative vision.

Cast your mind back to working with Ron Bewley – can you compare and contrast the technology then with what there is today?

It was the days before the Amstrad and the Sinclair. At the time computers were something I

had read about and when I found out that it was feasible to use them to control projectors it was very exciting – I could see the potential to use the technology for something creative and artistic.

At the time the control system was AVL, which was very basic; however the principles, what was used in terms of the projection and the mix between images, sound and technology is still true today. The technology has become more sophisticated: companies like AV Stumpfl and Dataton have taken over what was started on slide projectors, now using video projection – but the production process is not unlike how it was with slides.

In the old days, slides used to jam in the gate; reel-to-reel tapes would wear out and sometimes break; and film would snap, so you would have to splice it on an almost daily basis.

The product that we deliver nowadays is much more robust and reliable; but although the equipment has changed, it’s still basically the same process to create the experience.

Would you say that the technology has developed fairly linearly, or was there ever a ‘eureka’ moment when you could suddenly do much more than before?

I think it was a linear process. Especially with permanent installations, we’re always keen to make sure equipment is reliable and robust.

Because it’s difficult for a client when you get equipment failures – so we’re always cautious about using the very latest technology unless there’s no other choice. So most projects evolved over the years; as technologies became more robust we embraced them and made them part of the attractions that we built.

Do you have a favourite project that you’ve worked on – or is that an unfair question?

Each project has its own history and its own uniqueness. They become part of your life – having spent weeks and months on site, starting from nothing to deliver the whole project, you can’t help become attached to them. The Doctor Who Experience is unique in its own right – it’s a successful project, it’s very immersive, it’s got a great story, and it’s a living programme as well.

However, there are a lot of projects we did that are historically based or entertainment based that we are also very proud of.

17/11/2014 09:56

INTERVIEW: ROSS MAGRI, SARNER 21

December 2014

Are there any things you watch out for during a project that suggest that things maybe aren’t going to go smoothly?

Normally the audiovisual people are the last ones in on site. The final deadline never moves but all the other deadlines within the project might slip, and when that happens, it’s the last part of the project that gets squeezed.

You start with a fair amount of contingency, but by the end you can find that you’ve not only used the contingency – the weekends and the nights – you’re bordering on your ability to deliver the project.

That’s often the case where there are building works – they frequently go over the deadlines they aim for. With an AV installation you need a clean site, and power, and security; you can’t really cut corners. When we have done that, under pressure, we’ve suffered the consequences.

How do you see the themed attractions sector developing over the next few years?

Technology is having a huge impact on what it’s feasible to deliver. Technologies like projection mapping filter from big-budget, high-profile projects to the smaller ones.

Similarly with things like 4K video – and now

there’s 6K and 8K which haven’t really touched the commercial market. I know that for our next project and the project after, we’re looking at using 4K as standard because of the benefits it brings.

As technologies evolves, prices fall and products become more robust, and it becomes feasible to use them in projects.

And in parallel with that, audiences’ expectations are continuously increasing. Does that worry you?

I wouldn’t say it worries us – I think it pushes us to continuously come up with new ideas and solutions to ensure we’re always a step ahead of what people can have at home.

In the past people had a limited amount of technology at home: if you wanted to play a computer game you went to an arcade and the graphics were beyond what you had at home.

That’s not the case any more, but we can stay one step ahead because at home your screens are small, your immersive experience is limited; whereas we can do things on a much bigger that can be designed specifically for attraction. We can engage all the senses – whether it’s using smell, moving floors, wraparound screens for projection – so there’s still huge scope to go way beyond what is feasible at home.

Finally, do you have any unfulfilled ambitions? And do you have any hobbies away from the world of AV integration?

We always aim to deliver a robust, reliable product that is practically maintenance free – that’s been an ambition from a very young age.

Although reliability has improved a great deal and continues to improve, there’s still huge scope to make systems a lot more robust and reliable. If I had an ambition it would be finding a way to deliver maintenance-free projects.

LED technology for projectors is still in its early days, but it’s changing rapidly and in a year or two it will be feasible to use it in projects.

In lighting, LED is standard; in playback, solid state is standard. So we’re getting there, but I don’t think we’re there yet.

Regarding hobbies – I always enjoyed photography when I was young; now it’s become part of my work it’s become more difficult to do it as a hobby. But if I was to have more free time it’s something that I would spend more time on than I do at the moment.

Ross Magri – a brief biography Ross Magri is joint owner and technical director at Sarner International, a creative design and AV integration company that specialises in the museums, attractions, theme parks and leisure sectors. He leads the technical/engineering elements of all Sarner’s major projects He graduated from Napier University with a BA (Distinction) in Audiovisual Media and Photography He is a highly skilled creative programming engineer and senior design professional with 20 years’ experience in the museum, corporate and leisure field

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www.sarner.com

17/11/2014 09:56

22 INDUSTRY DATA December 2014

Lightbulb moment

With smartphone penetration at an all-time high and the market for smart LED lamps growing exponentially, has the time finally come to turn off old light switches permanently? Steve Montgomery finds out Around 880,000 connected LED smart lamps were shipped globally last year. Sales are forecast to surge to more than 11 million units in 2018. At the same time, ownership of smart devices is booming and LED suppliers hope that consumers will be willing to pay a premium for the ability to turn their lights on or off remotely.

Consumers, and increasingly office workers, can change the colour of lighting to personalise or remotely control their lights. The additional functionality from these solutions, combined with more powerful mobile devices, will drive the smart lighting market in the future.

Many of the smart lights currently on the market use a controller or hub as the interface between a homeowner’s WiFi router and the lamps. However, increasingly the requirement for this additional device is diminishing, with manufacturers such as Philips, Samsung and LIFX offering Bluetooth or WiFi-enabled LED lamps for smartphone and wireless switch control.

Lamps installed (million) 60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

0

www.ihs.com

2013 LED

2014 Non-LED

The world market for smart lighting controls ($million) 5,000

49 billion

4,000

lamps are installed around the world.

2% are energy-efficient LED types

3,000

2,000

1,000

0

Commercial 2013

2014

22 Install174 Industry Data_Final.indd 1

2015

2016

2017

Residential

Source: IHS

2018

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24 INDUSTRY DATA December 2014

Broadband brings benefits Broadband availability is expanding across the globe and delivering major social and economic benefits, explains Steve Montgomery By the end of 2014, 2.9 billion people – around 40% of the world’s population – will be online. At current growth rates, half the population will be online by 2017. It is this era of mass connectivity – delivering small, but incremental changes to the ways in which each individual does things – that promises to transform development and global welfare, according to Broadband For All, a report by the Broadband Commission.

Mobile smartphone services are expanding rapidly: by 2019 there could be 5.6 billion subscriptions, creating a massive rise in

mobile-enabled services, of which health and financial services are the fastest growing, rising by around 200% in the past four years.

The report delivers the message that “highspeed, affordable broadband connectivity to the internet is a foundation stone of modern society, offering widely recognised economic and social benefits. It is no longer just cuttingedge technology for an elite few... It is vital that every country prioritises broadband policy into account to shape its future social and economic development and prosperity, emphasising both the supply and demand sides of the market.”

40% of the global population are expected to be online by the end of 2014

www.broadbandcommission.org 2010-13 Number of active services (millions) 1,400

Global high-speed mobile subscriptions 7,000

1,200

6,000

1,000

5,000 Mobile PCs, tablets and mobile router subscriptions

4,000

Smartphone subscriptions

3,000

800

600

400

2,000 200

1,000

Source: Broadband Commission

24 Install174 Industry Data_Final.indd 1

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

0

2010

0

2010

2011

2012

2013

Other

Financial services

Agriculture

Education and Entrepreneurship

Health

17/11/2014 09:59

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26 DATA: REGIONAL VOICES December 2014

NETHERLANDS In terms of GDP per head of population, the Netherlands is one of the richest countries in the world. But how do people who work in installed AV say that the sector is performing for them?

How do you think your company’s revenue will change over the next 12 months?

ce:

u Red

%:

an 5

6% Grow

o

n ge/ han r: c t No nswe a

e th mor

40%

11%

014 owth, is2sion r g P D G nnual n Comm

A :

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43

0.9%

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Europea

2.5%

), 2014

e of GDnP io (as shar

s Commis deficit Budget Source: European

To what extent do these challenges apply to your business?

How would you describe the state of the Dutch integration market? What would you change if you could?

‘It’s still very fragile, but recovering slowly from the crisis.’

‘The market is under a lot of pressure still, so be careful who you are dealing with...’

‘An electro man is not an AV or automation integrator. Many people say they can do it but in the end the result is horrible... And the perception by the consumer is that a real AV integrator is too expensive, which it is not.’

‘Public tenders are a nightmare to a lot of AV integrators, and a big administrative burden.’

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MOST SIGNIFICANT Cost pressures Maintaining a good project pipeline Getting paid on time Ensuring existing staff keep up-to-date with new technologies Recruiting/retaining employees with the right level of skills The need to expand into new vertical market sectors Managing complex projects

LEAST SIGNIFICANT

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28 BUSINESS FEATURE: VIDEO DISTRIBUTION December 2014

ZeeVee encoders are at the heart of a video distribution system for a new sports bar in Norwich, UK

You’d better start swimmin’

According to Cisco, it would take an individual over 5 million years to watch the amount of video that will cross global IP networks each month in 2018. And then there’s the non-IP traffic... Ian McMurray finds out how the way in which video is getting to its destination is changing – and what the implications are for integrators

A

s Greek philosophers go, it seems unfair that Heraclitus of Ephesus is less well known than Socrates – as it was Heraclitus who first posited the idea that the only constant in the universe is change, a mantra much loved by MBA lecturers around the world. Certainly, ‘change’ has always been ever-present in video distribution – but perhaps

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never more so than over the two years since Installation last covered the topic.

“A major change has been in the area of HDBaseT, the connectivity standard for the distribution of HD content,” says Raj Dattani, technical sales manager at integrator Reflex. “The end of 2013 saw HDBaseT 2.0 launch, an expansion of HDBaseT 1.0. We’re now seeing display device manufacturers start to

incorporate HDBaseT receivers into their products as a standard feature.”

voLANte on the rise “There has also been a growth in Video over LAN technologies (voLANte)”, he continues. “This is being driven by the corporate and higher education sectors who see the benefits of limitless inputs and outputs allowing for growth, for example as a campus

expands or a company buys a new building.”

Others too note the growing significance of HDBaseT as a market force.

“The last two years have seen further developments in HDBaseT technologies, including many more additional products to the ever-growing range,” notes Martin Featherstone, AV product manager at distributor CIE-Group.

“The technology itself

is fundamentally the same, but there are far more products available giving the integrator more flexibility when it comes to designing a signal distribution system.”

But as well as HDBaseT and LAN-based technologies, there have been other developments.

“In the absence of any competing technology until the recent introduction of AptoVision’s BlueRiver NT

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FEATURE: VIDEO DISTRIBUTION 29

December 2014

Key Points n The major changes over the past two years in video distribution can be summarised as HDBaseT, 4K, fibre, digital and IP/Ethernet n ‘Video distribution’ is an overarching description of a broad and often disparate range of application-dependent approaches n New technologies such as HDBaseT 2.0, HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 may present short-term interoperability challenges n Change will continue to be a dominant factor.

As such, integrators need to talk to their customers about the advisability of ‘future-proofing’ their systems to the maximum (and affordable) extent possible technology, HDBaseT, with all its pros and despite its cons, had gained widespread popularity,” smiles Kamran Ahmed, CEO and co-founder of AptoVision, a provider of chipsets for AV signal distribution, “and we’ve definitely seen an increase in 4K as a requirement.

While the adoption of actual 4K displays and content remains slow, the need for future-proofing and fear of obsolescence is increasingly driving demand for 4K in video distribution equipment since this equipment constitutes the infrastructure of the install and has a longer life cycle than the sources and the displays themselves.”

More video being transmitted at higher resolutions over longer

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distances is also impacting how it gets from source to screen, with fibre optic becoming increasingly prevalent – in turn, leading to more affordable pricing for both fibre-enabled equipment and the cable itself: the price gap between fibre and twisted pair is narrowing, and integrators are becoming more confident with it.

“Since the medium is immune to EMF interference and is designed for field termination, initial cost is easily offset by the troublefree final result,” points out Andy Fliss, director of marketing at TV One.

Shift to digital Paul Hand, senior product manager at AMX and the so-called father of the Enova DGX and DXLink family of products, sees another trend reaching its peak.

“The past couple of years have perhaps seen the culmination of a dramatic shift to almost completely digital switching systems,” he notes. “While support for legacy analogue video output devices still exist, we are seeing more and more digital source devices and destinations enter into the system as the default. This means that even traditionally small conference rooms and huddle spaces are needing effective and scalable solutions for distribution of digital video – which is why we’ve introduced smaller sizes of our Enova systems.”

Discussion of where the video distribution industry is and where it’s heading becomes, inevitably, complex with a range of solution types vying for attention and supremacy.

Equally inevitably, it gives rise to discussion of the role of integrators within an increasingly IT department-

dominated landscape.

“As always the AV industry continues to produce cutting-edge solutions through brilliant engineering – yet is very slow to adopt them,” believes Fliss. “During the last two years, the concept of video over IP has taken hold and owns significant mindshare for project considerations. In practice, adoption is slow.

Consultants and integrators that support IT in addition to AV are specifying and deploying video over IP at an increasing rate, while traditional AV integrators and dealers continue to rely on traditional video distribution.”

He has something of an ally in Mike Allan, CTO of Exterity. “While, initially, BYOD solely leveraged low bandwidth applications, organisations increasingly want to integrate employee devices with their professional IPTV system,” he says. “This

means that IPTV systems need to support multicast as well as http-based protocol technologies to deliver video to a wide range of screens, such as smartphones and tablets.

This new mixed model is still in its early stages, which means that the proAV industry is still coming to terms with merging traditional delivery with more OTT-style delivery.”

Complex challenge With change comes challenge, as Ahmed describes: “The single biggest challenge in video distribution remains the complexity of installation of AV signal distribution systems. All signal distribution systems are composed of proprietary pieces of equipment that have to be purchased from the same vendor to ensure interoperability. Since each system vendor has a unique set of hardware and software settings,

the installation of which is complex, integrators are left with having to invest heavily in learning the intricacies of each system.

This leaves them with little opportunity to choose between multiple vendors without having to invest heavily in learning multiple platforms.”

“Another challenge,” he goes on, “is keeping up with and transitioning to new standards such as 4K, 4K@60, HDMI 2.0 and HDCP. After almost five or six years of relative stability, these four standards are creeping up on the industry all at the same time, creating considerable uncertainty and confusion which is expected to last for a few years – similar to the introduction of the original HDMI, although certainly not as much.”

“Today’s AV distribution systems are expected to handle a wide variety of sources and outputs,” adds Tom Barnett, Crestron’s

Case Study

Theatre turns to Blackmagic

Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus has deployed an optical fibre network to underpin its live production workflow, featuring hardware from Blackmagic Design for its AV management.

The theatre chose to install more than 4,000m of optical fibre rather than coaxial as it would give fast, clean signal transmission over much longer distances. It also had the added benefit of futureproofing the investment against 4K. Each of the stage’s five SDI cameras is equipped with an ATEM Camera Converter, which takes the SDI out and sends the signal over the fibre network to a series of ATEM Studio Converters where the signal is converted back to SDI and distributed via a Blackmagic Design Smart Videohub router.

Video projection for the theatre’s performances is delivered by an ATEM Production Studio 4K, which is sited alongside an ATEM 1 M/E Broadcast Panel for vision mixing, a MultiView monitor and a SmartView Duo for previewing sources. A playout system delivers up to six HD-SDI streams at once, using a Blackmagic Design DVI Extender.

The theatre also installed a Teranex 3D standards processor to help simplify the process of uploading content to its in-house video projection system.

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30 FEATURE: VIDEO DISTRIBUTION December 2014

TV One’s Magenta Research Voyager transmitters and receivers were deployed on the EmiratesAir Line cable car across the River Thames in London

director of marketing communications. “The biggest challenge is finding a single, scalable platform that can seamlessly route any input type to any output type, whether it’s uncompressed 4K video with no latency over a point-to-point connection, streaming wireless input from a BYOD device, fibre output for distribution across a campus, or H.264 links to send the video around the world.”

A major hurdle And then there’s the issue of content protection to which Ahmed alluded.

“Content protection is a major hurdle that all pro-AV installers and end users face when deploying a video distribution system,” notes Allan. “Organisations looking to provide access to thirdparty content should be aware of the need to comply with the content industry’s security requirements, ensuring that they can leverage catalogues of

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top-quality content. To provide security that meets these requirements, it is paramount to utilise a robust and flexible network that supports Conditional Access and High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection v2 [HDCPv2], ensuring that content is fully secure throughout its journey over the network.”

“HDCPv2 is the only security standard permitted for delivery of content, previously protected by HDCP, over IP,” he explains.

“It protects communications over one or more links in a network and protects both wired and wireless communication between devices. HDCPv2 provides users with a security mechanism that protects communications over multiple networks and is specifically designed for IP distribution. HDCPv2 combined with CAS and SecureMedia encryption future-proofs technologies and enables customers to deploy a single system for

‘Content protection is currently a major hurdle… when deploying a video distribution system’ Mike Allan, Exterity

all their digital signage and IPTV requirements without risking unauthorised access to the content.”

With so many video distribution paradigms and technologies to choose from – let alone manufacturers and products

– choosing the optimum solution can present a challenge to any integrator.

Unsurprisingly, the industry’s advice focuses on the basics – although Stuart Ashton, director for EMEA at Blackmagic Design, makes a point that’s easily overlooked.

“While the specifics of each video distribution workflow will be tailored to the venue’s requirements, the quality of image to the screen is at the heart of all

effective AV systems,” he says. “Therefore, integrators have to consider the most effective processing and distribution technology for each particular solution to ensure the final onscreen images are as impressive as possible, while balancing this with the client’s budget.”

Listen and understand “Understanding some basic system requirements is always a good starting point,” smiles AMX’s Hand.

“What types and quantities of devices are you expecting to need to bring video/audio in from and what types and quantities of devices are you expecting to send video and audio to? This will

Case Study

Crestron DigitalMedia facilitates patient care

The newly built St Antonius Hospital in Utrecht now features a Crestron DigitalMedia system installed by integrator AVEX. The system covers the conference rooms, auditorium and consulting rooms, and facilitates consultation between the different medical specialties, enabling doctors to exchange information about a patient with doctors in another hospital. It’s also used for exchanging patient information when there is a new shift starting.

The auditorium also features the Crestron DigitalMedia presentation system, displayed on two projectors. These can be used to connect to the screens in the boardrooms, radiology rooms, children’s wing and academy study rooms, thus providing a system for enterprise-wide collaboration.

Video recording equipment is used to record live surgery, enabling complex surgeries to be watched in the auditorium or other locations, inside or outside the hospital via a live webcast.

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32 FEATURE: VIDEO DISTRIBUTION December 2014

help understand how large a system it will be. Next: will those video signals be leaving the room, floor or building and if so, how far are they going? This will help identify the transport solutions.”

“Integrators need to listen to their customers and determine priorities,” avers Fliss. “Price always seems to be number one, but when you ask the right questions and carefully listen to the answers, the solution becomes clear. Always keep your options open and present the pros and cons between IPTV, HDBaseT, fibre optic and proprietary distribution hardware. There is no single answer.”

“The integrator has to understand the customer needs and requirements and match these to the best solutions available,”

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says Allan. “It is essential integrators are well educated in the products and solutions available and the importance of building future-proofed systems – which is why Exterity has devised a strong training programme for our StreamForce partners through sharing insight into current and upcoming trends in the market.”

“Look for a comprehensive end-toend solution that can mix and match streaming, 4K, HDBaseT, and fibre all on one platform,” says Barnett. “You have to trade between three demands: bandwidth, quality and latency. Streaming solutions don’t afford as much bandwidth as point-to-point connections, so quality and latency suffer. Pointto-point requires a lot of

bandwidth and is impractical for distribution between different cities or countries.

That’s why it’s so important to use a solution that provides both streaming and point-to-point on the same platform, so you can choose the correct technology on an input-by-input and output-by-output basis.”

A recurring theme is the point made by Allan – the need for future-proofing.

“It’s a very important consideration, to ensure clients are not locked into technology that will quickly date and leave installations requiring a complete overhaul in a matter of years,” notes Blackmagic’s Ashton.

“Instead, integrators should be looking at technology that enables clients to work in their chosen format today, but will also be able

HDBaseT 2.0

While the headline of the HDBaseT Alliance’s announcement of Release 2.0 noted a desire to “make it simpler and more cost-effective for consumers to turn their entire homes into multimedia entertainment centres”, the new version looks set to have significant benefit for the pro AV world – something that the Alliance is quick to acknowledge. HDBaseT 2.0 defines the required adaptations across all seven layers of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model to support time-sensitive, high-throughput video/ audio and other time-sensitive applications.

HDBaseT 2.0 adds networking, switching and control point capabilities to the physical and data link layers available in the original set of specifications and also defines point-to-multipoint connectivity, providing multi-stream support. It adds support for USB 2.0, and other native interfaces which the Alliance claims enable manufacturers to remove multiple interfaces and conversion components required for HDBaseT 1.0 products, and that will allow a smaller, simpler-to-implement and lower-cost switch.

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FEATURE: VIDEO DISTRIBUTION 33

December 2014

to support them when they are ready to upgrade their workflow.”

“Certainly, customers are concerned about futureproofing, and the need to accommodate a growth in both the source input devices and the display or capture output devices without having to invest in a whole new infrastructure,” echoes Reflex’s Dattani, “which is why the integrator needs to have a clear view of their clients’ strategic plans for the future.”

“But,” he adds, “as well as looking to the future, an integrator needs to be aware of the past, and the flexibility to allow existing equipment to integrate into a new digital distribution solution. For example, the [UK’s National Health Service] has invested huge amounts of money in

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items such as microscopes and endoscopes, many of which will have analogue outputs. Users are looking for solutions that can manage these types of legacy source devices, and convert outputs to a digital signal for use with modern displays.”

No ‘one size fits all’ It seems as if each vendor in the video distribution marketplace is reassuringly clear about what’s changing, what the challenges are, what comprises the optimum solution and where the industry is headed. The problem arises, however, when that apparent clarity of vision is not necessarily shared – which is partially (perhaps largely) a function of the disparate markets each manufacturer

addresses under the catchall title of ‘video distribution’.

Each solution has its merits, given the right application: there is no ‘one size fits all’. However: there does seem to be consensus that solutions leveraging the rapidly growing IP/Ethernet infrastructure will prevail over time – but even then, the shape those solutions will take is still a matter of debate.

What hasn’t changed, regardless of the application, and what isn’t open to debate, are the requirements for inbuilt scalability and flexibility; for reliability and ease of use; and the need to ensure that any installation can easily and cost-effectively adapt to a changing technology environment. The need to handle substantial increases in both the quantity and

‘The single biggest challenge in video distribution remains the complexity of installation of AV signal distribution systems’ Kamran Ahmed, AptoVision

quality of video and the potential interoperability issues that HDBaseT 2.0, HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2, for example, may bring are just two examples.

It turns out that ‘change is constant’ wasn’t the only thing Heraclitus had to say about the video distribution marketplace.

On the challenges posed by the broad array of available technologies and products, he had this to say: “The unlike is joined together, and from differences

results the most beautiful harmony.” And his advice to integrators? “Those who love wisdom must investigate many things.”

www.amx.com www.aptovision.com www.blackmagicdesign.com www.cie-group.com www.crestron.com www.exterity.com www.reflex.co.uk www.tvone.com www.zeevee.com

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34 BUSINESS FEATURE: AIRPORTS AND RAILWAY STATIONS December 2014

A Duran Audio Intellivox system was chosen for Leipzig Hauptbahnhof

Key Points n Passengers expect clear, intelligible audio in transport facilities n Beam-based technologies of various kinds can deliver highly targeted audio in reverberant environments

Move with the times

n Future audio systems could be used to gather data for tasks including the review of emergency situations

Passenger expectations of public audio are greater than ever before, but architects’ favouring of hard, reflective surfaces often gives rise to intelligibility challenges. David Davies finds out to what extent high-spec audio systems can make all the difference

D

elivering transparent audio in reverberant public spaces such as airports and railway stations is rarely a straightforward business.

If you doubt this assertion, just look at the recent controversy surrounding the public address system at Waterloo Station – a London transport hub commonly recorded as one of the 20 busiest passenger terminals in Europe.

In a move that was described as a response to complaints from passengers and locals that the station had become too noisy, South West Trains had proposed a

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two-week trial in which it turned off the PA system for travel announcements.

Not surprisingly, one might think, disability campaign groups argued that the loss of the announcements would raise serious challenges for blind and partially sighted passengers. The scheme was dropped shortly thereafter.

In its coverage announcing the abandonment of the proposal, London’s Evening Standard newspaper reported that South West Trains spent nearly £3 million on a 1,000-speaker PA two years ago, so the fact that a proposal

to scrap PA usage for travel information could even receive serious consideration is worthy of note. More broadly, the episode highlights the scale of the challenge that can confront audio manufacturers and integrators in devising systems that are capable of delivering intelligible – but never over-powering – audio in heavy-usage public spaces.

With this in mind, Installation decided to compile a list of critical questions about audio in airports and railway stations – and then go in search of answers from four leading manufacturers.

1. Are there limits to what an installed system can do in an imperfect acoustic environment?

In general, the answer is ‘yes’, but on the basis that most acoustical issues can be dramatically minimised by a carefully designed and configured system such as that provided by beamprinciple loudspeakers.

“It is well-known that very high reverb and background noise tends to impair speech intelligibility from the PA system.

However, with accurate directivity control and smart DSP algorithms, correct intelligibility can be achieved even in adverse acoustic environments,”

says Xavier Meynial, technical director at Active Audio, whose transportfriendly solutions include the RayOn column speakers.

“There is [a limit] for conventional PA systems as it’s very hard to avoid reverberation, and all too often you are faced with highly reverberant spaces that for one reason or another can’t be acoustically treated to dampen that effect,” says Stuart Archibald, product manager at Tannoy, whose solutions for the transport market include digital beam-steering column array QFlex [see Case Study, page 38]. “That’s why digital beam-steering products

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36 FEATURE: AIRPORTS AND RAILWAY STATIONS December 2014

are ideally suited to these environments, allowing you to steer the beam directly to the listening area avoiding the reflective surfaces, which means clarity and intelligibility for the listener.”

Duran Audio is a longtime champion of better audio for transport hubs, and since late 2013 it has been putting forward its case as part of Harman’s JBL. Nick Screen, Harman sales director for Duran Audio Products, also highlights the role of beam products in correcting inherited acoustical problems.

“If you need to achieve speech intelligibility or music clarity in a ‘less than perfect’ acoustic environment, then the ratio of direct sound to reverberant sound becomes critical,” says Screen. “Beam shaping or beam steering” – technologies deployed in JBL Intellivox products – “allow us to aim the sound where it is needed at the listener and reduce reflections/reverberation.

Of course there is a limit to what you can do; these types of devices are good tools but they are not magic wands. You may need to look at a combination of acoustic absorption and Intellivox technology to achieve the desired result.”

TOA is another manufacturer with an extensive portfolio of transport-friendly solutions, including the SX-2000 digital voice alarm system – which is suitable for both paging and voice evacuation – and the platform applicationoriented Plane Wave Design, whose flat speakers have been developed to deliver clear audio to a limited target area with minimal attenuation. Like Archibald,

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TOA technical manager Ian Bridgewater confirms that a careful selection of system can do much to arrest a facility’s acoustical challenges.

So for example, “with the use of line array loudspeakers you can put the sound in to the areas you want without lots of unwanted sound causing reverberation issues and resulting in poor quality sound”, he says.

2. To what extent does ambient noise complicate matters and what can be done to reduce its impact?

There is agreement that ambient noise – which is bound to vary considerably in level as passenger throughput ebbs and flows throughout the day – is a pivotal concern. In many cases, the solution is a design that incorporates a degree of intelligent measurement, such as ambient noise sensing, for adjustment of settings

TOA SR-H2L line array speakers at Southend Airport

microphones placed on or near loudspeakers to measure the ambient noise and automatically increase the level of the system to a preset level above the ambient noise. This is

‘Digital beam steering will be a major part of future systems as there is a clear difference between the quality and clarity of sound than with conventional systems’ Stuart Archibald, Tannoy

in response to the overall noise level at any given time.

“In the middle of the day the station/airport may be quieter, and the last thing you need is a loud booming public address system; [by contrast] during rush hour the system has to be heard over the increased ambient noise,” says Archibald. “The best way around this is to use automatic noise-sensing

usually controlled by the PA/VA processor used in the system.”

TOA has a similar philosophy. “We always design our systems to be louder than the background noise level by a minimum of 10dB to allow the system to be intelligible,” says Bridgewater. “In any locations with varying background noise levels we use ambient noise sensing. This monitors the

background noise levels and automatically adjusts the paging system to the same ratio as the noise.

A limit can be set so the system does not become too loud where it could be a nuisance.”

With such responsiveness in mind, Harman/Duran has built an ambient noise-sensing mic into its Intellivox system. Where an installed system combines more specialist and

conventional loudspeakers, “similar functionality can be added into the ‘front end’ of the system” – in other words, at the processor level. But Screen notes that caution is always advised “because you have to protect the hearing of workers and passengers within the space. You can’t just keep adding dBs to ensure you have a good direct to reverberant ratio.”

3. Many airports have stopped routine announcements of all flights… why is this and what are the implications?

The decision by many airports to stop routine announcements is to some extent an inevitable byproduct of rising flight

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38 FEATURE: AIRPORTS AND RAILWAY STATIONS December 2014

activity. But the shift is also informed by airport operators’ desire to generate a different, more relaxed atmosphere.

“I think that airports are trying to make flying an experience over just getting from A to B, and too many announcements become annoying,” says Bridgewater.

“People would just become numb listening to all the announcements and would end up missing an important one about their flight, or ignore other announcements. We are

all used to sitting near a board/screen where we can keep track of our flight,” believes Archibald.

The differences between rail and air travel should be acknowledged, says Screen.

In contrast to the generally less time-intensive airport experience, many people arrive at a railway station “with just a few minutes to spare” and need information about platform changes and suchlike immediately.

“In this scenario you can tolerate the messages as you’re only in the station for a few minutes.”

Another reason, surely, why South West Trains’ proposal for Waterloo station appears to have been so badly conceived.

4. How will audio for airports and railway stations change over the next few years?

First and foremost, technological progress and increased customer expectations have – thankfully – led to audio rising up the priority list for station and airport operators over the past 10 years. As for the

future, the outlook is for evermore carefully targeted technologies, often using beam-based principles, to deliver accurate sound in spaces that – not least due to contemporary architects favouring huge amounts of glass – will remain acoustically challenging.

“The public now appreciate high-quality audio with the widespread use of better quality sound systems in homes and live music events.

They now expect to hear announcements clearly,” says Archibald. “Digital

Case Study

Tannoy QFlex delivers seamless concourse audio at Canberra Airport

As part of a major terminal development initiative, Rutledge AV was recently commissioned to design, install and deliver the PA and Emergency Warning and Intercommunication System (EWIS) for the new Western Concourse Terminal at Canberra Airport, Australia. The system also needed to integrate seamlessly into the existing airport’s systems to ensure airport-wide communication from a centralised control point.

A modern structure featuring a large glass atrium meant that the chosen audio system had to overcome reverberation issues. The answer came in the form of Tannoy’s digital beam-steering column array, QFlex, with the intuitive QFlex BeamEngine allowing systems designers to quickly model a given environment and create customised ‘steering files’ for each QFlex array.

Rutledge was able to provide even coverage to every area using just two QFlex 32 devices mounted either side of the entrance hall and two QFlex 32s airside, along with a QFlex 40. The architectural aesthetic remained unblemished, with the entrance side pair mounted onto a pillar either side, and the airside QFlex 32s mounted behind a steel grille.

Recent advancements in QFlex technology have brought further benefits for such PA/VA environments, including Sentinel for fault monitoring and reporting, and an Ethernet bridge to allow for distributed rack systems.

Canberra Airport also features 300 Tannoy CMS 601BM speakers, deployed on the concourse, in the restaurant and at departure gates.

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beam steering will be a major part of future systems as there is a clear difference between the quality and clarity of sound than with conventional systems.”

“We expect that the trend observed over the recent past will continue, [bringing] more acoustic comfort for users. That means homogeneous sound coverage, adequate SPL and low distortion,” says Meynial.

Bridgewater predicts the increased use of IP-based loudspeakers when costs come down, while Screen envisages closer integration with other building systems.

“I think we will see more intelligent systems which interface with SCADA [supervisory control and data acquisition], building management systems and so on,” says Screen. “We hear a lot about ‘big data’ now and it will also have an impact on the audio systems. Essentially we will end up with a closedloop system to control and monitor the performance of systems.”

The impact of ‘big data’ is destined to impact transport complexes in all manner of ways – some probably unforeseeable at present. In the shorter term, however, intelligibility is likely to remain the driving issue for audio systems, and it must be of considerable consolation to integrators and operators that there is now an abundance of tools to help achieve this desired end-result.

www.activeaudio.fr www.duran-audio.com www.harman.com www.tannoy.com www.toa.eu

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40 BUSINESS FEATURE: CRUISE LINERS December 2014

Voyage of discovery Entertainment facilities on cruise ships are an important element of the holiday package.

How do operators ensure the highest levels of quality and operation throughout long excursions, many miles from the vessel’s home port? Steve Montgomery investigates

O

ne of the toughest working environments for professional audiovisual and lighting equipment is that of the leisure cruise liner.

Equipment is operated 365 days per year, frequently moved and reinstalled, and subject to heavy and continuous vibrations.

Power supplies are often highly unstable, deliver large surges and voltage spikes, and the equipment is bathed in high levels of electromagnetic interference from powerful radio and radar equipment.

Access is limited and the ability to call in replacement units or specialist help is not an option for the technical teams charged with ensuring continuous, near-perfect operation at sea.

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In the competitive cruise market, quality of facilities and entertainment is important. Vessels return to port for extended refits on a regular basis. “It varies between operators and owners, but a cruise ship will generally go into dry dock every three years or so for a couple of weeks for belowthe-waterline maintenance; cleaning and repainting the hull and so on, and for a more extended refit every six to seven years,” explains Alan Edwards of Nautilus Entertainment Designs.

“During these periods, electrical equipment, including the audiovisual and lighting, will be overhauled and replaced throughout the ship.”

Despite an expected lifetime of around 10 years, most equipment is replaced more frequently,

as maintenance schedules allow, although this depends to some extent on individual priority. A ship’s schedule will be known well in advance. “We will plan a major refit six to 12 months ahead of time and prepare well before the vessel arrives,” says Jouni Sironen, AV manager, Viking Line.

“The refit period is extremely busy: there may be a dozen AV technical specialists in 10 or 11 locations and 50 other trades elsewhere; detailed planning is essential.”

Energy saving Several factors affect the upgrade criteria for AV and lighting technology. ”Stringent new emission regulations have influenced a change from crude oil to diesel fuel which is far more expensive so power

efficiency and weight saving is more important now, hence the move to more controllable, functional LED lighting that doesn’t need to be warmed up before use and to systems that can be partly or fully shut down when not needed.”

New technologies contribute to power saving. ”LED matrix displays are being installed widely as theatre backdrops to remove the need for heavy, individual wooden sets that are time-consuming to change,” points out Edwards: “This trend has been happening over the last four years or so, but it will take another six or seven years to upgrade the whole fleet, by which time another technology is likely to appear and the whole process will start again.”

One of these likely new

Royal Caribbean’s Two70° transforms from day to night to deliver spectacular entertainment that includes performance art, aerialists and panoramic digital scenery

Key Points n AV and lighting equipment on cruise ships are completely replaced approximately every five years n Harsh operating conditions demand extensive preventative maintenance regimes n Onboard technicians are trained to deal with most equipment problems and are able to replace internal modules n Like-for-like exchange of equipment does not need SOLAS approval, but will need to be inspected and certified by an approved body such as TUV technologies is projection mapping, anticipated with relish by Gee Edwards, project manager at TED AV: “It will enable virtual sets

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42 FEATURE: CRUISE LINERS December 2014

with even less physical structure and more weight saving.” With space at a premium, “advancements in audio digital signal processing have greatly reduced the need for large racks full of separate processing devices”, points out Tripp Matthews, advanced application engineer for QSC Audio Products.

During a voyage all equipment is supported by a small team of technicians who need to be conversant with an extremely wide range of kit. Robust, reliable operation is a major consideration in the selection of equipment and many technical teams will align with preferred vendors and product ranges across the whole fleet, creating the advantage of familiarity and commonality of support.

Preventative maintenance is carried out continuously, but despite this, the lifetime of AV equipment, particularly hard-disk-based computer control equipment and lighting luminaires, is considerably shorter than their land-based counterparts, sometimes by as much as a half. Edwards: “Individual lights are stripped down and cleaned

regularly; at least every three months. The nature of ship air conditioning causes extensive levels of dust to be built up inside the units, at a far greater level than land-based theatres and continual vibration shakes the insides loose. Focus, in particular, is affected and needs to be reset regularly. Lamp lifetimes are shortened considerably although greater availability of LED luminaires has helped considerably.”

Global network Spares are held onboard, but space and weight limitations drive levels to a minimum. In general one of each type of unit is held, backed by additional components that need regular replacement.

Accurate stock control and maintenance records are essential: crews are trained to replace internal parts of most devices at sea, but will need to replenish stocks at the next available opportunity or port of call, often through the local supplier or dealer, which means that global support of products is essential.

New equipment is usually selected by companies’ AV management teams, in conjunction with

Case Study

Brilliance of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International’s Brilliance of the Seas has emerged from a $30 million, three-week dry dock revitalisation. Guests can stay connected at sea with WiFi access throughout the ship and enjoy a host of technology enhancements that include flatpanel televisions in all staterooms, an outdoor LED movie screen on the pool deck, as well as an interactive digital wayfinding system.

The spectacular 60ft-high Centrum, featuring sweeping views and a central location, was transformed into a chic and sophisticated venue featuring enriching daytime activities, dazzling nightly entertainment and jaw-dropping aerial spectacles. their IT department.

Close relationships between cruise lines and manufacturers have developed and resulted in special equipment designs.

According to Gee Edwards, the lighting industry has responded to the need for features dedicated to ship installation, including shortened PAR can noses to meet the confined installations found onboard; a challenge that is made even harder on older ships where theatres and other venues tend to be smaller, with lower ceilings.

Uniformity of supply across a fleet brings the advantage of familiarity so that

The world’s largest and most innovative cruise ship: Oasis of the Seas, at Rotterdam, the Netherlands, during her 14-day dry dock which marked five years since she began in service

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technicians can support each other and move between vessels more easily.

In the majority of refits the networking and data cabling infrastructure is used, as Chris Moylan of Optikalusion notes: “All ships operating today have DMX-controlled lighting rigs and generally have sufficient network points so a refit is an exercise in upgrading new for old equipment. Often this work is undertaken by the ship’s own crew which gives them valuable training, supported by specialist consultants and programmers to commission the equipment and train them.”

However not all ongoing support can be provided by the ships’ crews, as Matthews explains: “The onboard technical crews perform first line troubleshooting. Remote access to critical systems enables land-based partners to connect directly to systems using remote data connection, although quality of satellite signal, and network security access levels, continue to be the main challenges in this area. In the event that the issue cannot

be resolved remotely, an onsite visit by shore side support team personnel would be required on the next available port day.”

Jorma Tikka, senior sales manager at Noretron Audio, works with major cruise lines in Scandinavia: “Sound engineers are trained to service equipment in failure situations. If a mixing console needs repair they can do that using spare parts onboard, supported by direct phone contact, email or visit at the ship if needed.”

Despite the harsh environment and constrained operating conditions found on cruise liners, there are many parallels to land-based AV and lighting installations that allow manufacturers, installers and operators to operate within this sector and draw expertise and benefit from it.

www.n-e-d.com www.noretron.fi www.optikalusion.com www.qsc.com www.royalcaribbean.co.uk www.toa.eu www.tedav.com www.vikingline.com

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44 SHOW PREVIEW: ISE 2015 SNEAK PEEK December 2014

Amster-rammed!

Each edition of Integrated Systems Europe has been bigger than its predecessor, and ISE 2015 looks to continue the trend. The first of our three previews of the most important event in the installed systems calendar concentrates on some of the conference events taking place away from the showfloor

I

SE has attracted an ever-growing number of visitors every year.

The 2014 event drew 51,003 visitors to the Amsterdam RAI. It has done this not simply by becoming the single most important event in the installed AV systems calendar, but by marketing itself to the whole systems integration value chain, including a growing number of endusers from a wide range of sectors. Part of this has been achieved through the various events that take place both before the start of the show and during its run.

Capital Summit New for ISE 2015 is the Capital Summit, which will bring together AV/ IT industry entrepreneurs seeking investment capital with financial and business professionals from the world of investments, mergers, and acquisitions.

Taking place on the afternoon of Wednesday 11 February, it will provide advice for entrepreneurs on securing investment.

Expert panellists will

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discuss topics that include: • What investors look for in a company • How to find qualified investors • Do’s and don’ts of presenting your opportunity to investors • The problem with investing in our industry and how to solve it • Examples of successful mergers and acquisitions in our industry • How to get started if you do not have an exit strategy The moderated panel session will be followed by an audience Q&A and a networking reception.

The Capital Summit is being jointly hosted by MediaBridge Capital Advisors and Stiernberg Consulting.

Smart Building Conference Following successful outings in London in October and Berlin in November, the Smart Building Conference returns in Amsterdam for ISE 2015 on Monday 9 February, the day before the exhibition opens.

Content chairman Bob Snyder comments: “The Smart Building Conference, organised by ISE, is unique.

It introduces our industry to the other players; and it introduces their industries to us. The conference features two tracks (smart buildings and smart homes) but comes together for a number of keynotes relevant to all where some of the best minds share their thoughts.”

The keynote presentation at the Amsterdam conference will be given by Paul Fletcher, principal of ‘through…’, a built environment consultancy that combines behavioural economics with building physics and architecture. He will be reprising his thoughtprovoking keynote from the London conference, entitled ‘Smart building myths: the architect’s view’.

Among the topics covered will be the importance of considering people within the context of the building, and how smart buildings bring new challenges, purpose and opportunity to architects.

Audioforum and Sports Facility Integration Summit Two events that had successful ISE debuts in 2014 will return to ISE 2015. Organised by Italian publication Connessioni, AudioForum is dedicated to protocols and systems of integrated digital audio transport. In addition, Sports Video Group Europe will be hosting another Sports Facility Integration Summit, where delegates find out about the latest trends and techniques and tools that can give sports fans the best possible match experience.

Early exhibitor news European Debut 3M will debut its 55in Projected Capacitive (PCT) multitouch system, with up to 80 simultaneous touches.

Smart Subwoofer Elac will be showing three new subwoofers that can be paired with a free phone or tablet app.

Videowall Cubes VTRON will show new 70in 3D DLP rear-pro videowall cubes that can freely switch between 2D and 3D.

ISE Daily Once again, Installation will be publishing the show’s official daily newspaper, the ISE Daily. Three daily editions of the newspaper are put together in an office just off the showfloor, printed overnight and distributed the following morning at hotels, on shuttle buses and at the entrances to the show.

www.iseurope.org

Audio Processing The MediaMatrix Claro audio processor from Peavey is suitable for boardroom, courtroom or classroom audio applications.

In the Loop Contacta will be showing the HLD5 and HLD 7, the first Large Area Hearing Loop products designed by its team in the UK.

17/11/2014 17:13

From the publisher of Installation, AV Technology and SCN, a new launch for the UK education sector.

1 Color - 100 White

From primary through to higher education, Tech&LearningUK will engage with those responsible for AV & IT technology throughout the UK education sector.

Tech&LearningUK will reach 24,000 decision makers and influencers in the UK and provide manufacturers and service providers with the perfect marketing platform for targeting this growing market.

• Quarterly print magazine • Dedicated website • Weekly newsletter

• Custom email campaigns • Roundtables • Webinars

www.techandlearning.uk For further information on subscribing, advertising or submitting content for Tech&LearningUK, please contact: Editorial:

Sales: Gurpreet Purewal +44 (0) 20 7354 6000 gpurewal@nbmedia.com

Tech&Learning UK Fp 220x290.indd 1

Peter McCarthy +44 (0) 20 7354 6000 pmccarthy@nbmedia.com

Michael Nicholson +44 (0) 7823 777 528 michael@weareoutput.co.uk

11/11/2014 15:08

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TECHNOLOGY Kit you need to know about

Crestron

New Products p47

DMPS3-200-C and DMPS3-300-C It’s… All-in-one presentation systems with built-in Crestron 3-Series Control System.

What’s different? The next-generation DigitalMedia presentation systems offer faster processing and no programming. Users can get a matrix switching system up and running without even touching a laptop.

Details: Systems integrators can configure the DMPS3200-C and DMPS3-300-C (pictured), including selection of display drivers, right from the optional pre-loaded TSW-750 touchscreen, or from an iPad or computer. They need only answer a few questions, select a display, sources, icons,

This Month

and text labels. BYOD presentation capability is added by connecting a Crestron AirMedia device to the HDMI port.

DMPS integrates the control system, multimedia matrix switcher, mic mixer, audio DSP, amplifier and DigitalMedia distribution centre all into a single three-space rackmount package. These new models also feature enhanced audio performance compared to the prior generation of DMPS. High-speed Ethernet connectivity enables integration with IP-controllable devices and allows the DMPS3-200-C and DMPS3-300-C to be part of a larger managed control network.

Available: Now

Demo of the Month: Panasonic projectors p50

Showcase:

Conference systems p52

f o t c u Prod nth o m e h t

www.crestron.eu

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17/11/2014 10:20

48 TECHNOLOGY: NEW PRODUCTS December 2014

NEC Display Solutions NEC ShadowSense It’s… Touch technology that features in five NEC Professional Series large-format displays.

What’s different?

ShadowSense touch technology uses high-performance sensors, which means it works in bright ambient light conditions. According to NEC, this makes it suitable for around-the-clock usage in busy environments that require reliable multi-touch technology, such as retail signage or self-service kiosks in shopping centres.

Details: ShadowSense touch technology is available in five NEC Professional Series largeformat displays, ranging in size from 40in to 80in. The displays are built with full-tempered protective glass and an anti-reflective coating. The touch displays will allow fine-tuning of the touchscreen parameters to suit customer requirements and application uses. Users can also integrate various OPS modules to enhance the flexibility of the touch displays, as well as secure future functionality through the ability to upgrade the power of the display at any time, without the need for external cables or devices. The plug-and-play feature for all major operation systems means that no calibration or driver installation is required.

Available: Now

Apart VINCI8S

It’s… An active subwoofer (with amplifier).

What’s different? At the back of the subwoofer an adjustable crossover frequency and level control potentiometer is available for optimal blending of the VINCI8S with the main loudspeakers. Users can also set the VINCI8S in energy mode, which makes the subwoofer switch to standby mode automatically after a few minutes without any signal present at the inputs. In standby mode the subwoofer has a power consumption of less than 0.5W. Details: The VINCI8S is designed to reproduce a fat and deep bass at moderate sound pressure levels. Due to its discreet design and small dimensions, it is said to be easy to integrate even in the most demanding environments. The unit has a bass reflex speaker design with an 8in long throw woofer. The cabinet is made of MDF with a high gloss paint finish and a magnetic removable grille.

The sub is also suitable for residential applications as it is compatible with most home cinema systems and AV receivers.

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The latest all-in-one presentation switcher models in the ASMX family are designed for smaller meeting rooms or classrooms that typically require only three or four AV sources. The Enova DVX-2110 features four video inputs: two multi-format DVI inputs that accept both analogue and digital video sources, and two HDMI inputs. All inputs are HDMI/HDCP capable.

The DVX-2110HD-SP features 2 x 25W, 8-ohm amplification and the DVX-2110HD-T features 75W, 70V/100V amplification. Available now. www.amx.com

Roland M-5000 Based on the new OHRCA operating platform, the M-5000 is said to be equally at home in theatre, broadcast and live sound. The desk delivers 128 freely definable audio paths, a flexible user interface, expandable protocols and multiple-format I/O choices. All paths are delivered at a 24-bit/96kHz sound quality. The network options are equally versatile. In addition to two REAC (Roland Ethernet Audio Communication) ports, the M-5000 has two expansion card slots to support a range of system configurations and audio transport protocols such as Dante, MADI, Waves SoundGrid and other formats of the future. Available Q1 2015. www.proav.roland.com/ohrca

Gefen 4K UHD Fibre Optic Extender

www.nec-display-solutions.com

Available: Now

AMX Enova DVX-2110HD-SP, DVX-2110HD-T

www.apart-audio.com

Gefen’s new 4K Ultra HD Extender over One Fiber delivers resolutions up to 4K with RS-232 and bidirectional IR using one SC-terminated fibre optic cable. This long-range solution is effective up to 1km at 4K resolutions and up to 2km at 1080p/60 full HD. RS-232 offers an easy method of system automation while bidirectional IR facilitates control from both local and extended locations. Installation is plugand-play simple, requiring a single strand of multi-mode fibre optic cable to connect the sender (source) to the receiver (display). Available now. www.gefen.com

Kramer VP-427 Receiver/Scaler This two-in-one HDBaseT receiver solution with built-in scaler can scale input video to the native resolution of the HDMI receiver or any other resolution (up to 1080p). The unit also supports bidirectional IR and RS-232. The unit receives an HDBaseT signal through an HDBaseT twisted pair cable and converts it back to HDMI, IR and RS-232. A bidirectional RS-232 port lets users embed and de-embed control commands in the HDBaseT data stream. Infrared input and output ports let users control devices over the HDBaseT data stream. The unit includes embedded audio support. Available now. www.kramerelectronics.com

17/11/2014 17:10

Panasonic ET-D75LE90

It’s… The world’s shortest throw detachable lens for 3-chip DLP projectors.

What’s different? The ET-D75LE90 ultra-short throw lens allows projection distance to be shortened by approximately 60% compared with traditional short throw lenses, meaning savings in space and opening up new areas for projection.

Details: When the lens is installed on a 3-chip DLP projector, a 200in screen can be created from just 1.5m; compared to a distance of 4m with a traditional lens. The lens is backwards compatible with older projector models.

Available: Now

www.business.panasonic.eu

Powersoft

DigiMod Integration Kit It’s… A plug-and-play solution for active loudspeakers.

What’s different? The kit offers all the components necessary to design a complete plug-and-play solution around any DigiMod amp module.

The result is said to be a considerable saving in time and resource compared with traditional approaches involving mechanical parts and external electronics.

Details: Two aluminium heatsink plates, both equipped with PowerCon input and output, are available to accommodate all DigiMod PFC models. Customers can choose between two different DSP solutions including interface panels with I/O connectors, LEDs, programming and networking connections.

Available: Now

Coolux Pandoras Box Version R3 Coolux has begun production of its Pandoras Box Version R3 hardware.

New hardware performance features include extended live video input capabilities with up to four 3G SDI inputs or eight HD 1080 inputs as well as an increased number of HD streams and images sequences that can be output simultaneously. Available now. www.coolux.de

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www.powersoft-audio.com

Infinitus LCD Displays The outdoor display manufacturer has added seven new 75in LCD options, all with 2,500-nit brightness and 5,000:1 contrast ratio. Displays can operate independently or be integrated into bigger systems. Choose between HVAC-based imotionG6 and ventilated imotionFLOW technologies. Available now. www.infinitus-outdoor.com

17/11/2014 17:10

50 TECHNOLOGY: DEMO OF THE MONTH December 2014

Beaming lasers A

The company’s new single-chip DLP laser projectors were the main attraction at a recent Panasonic open day. Paddy Baker reports t a recent open day at the Solutions Centre at its UK headquarters in Bracknell, Panasonic showed off two of its new PT-RZ670 laser projectors, with their outputs geometrically corrected for a curved screen and edge-blended automatically using a camerabased system.

Launched in September, the RZ670 is described by Panasonic as the world’s first 6,500-lumen single-chip DLP full-laser projector.

This WUXGA model, and its WXGA counterpart, the PT-RW630, offer a working life of around 20,000 hours.

Because of the laser light source, there are no lamps or filters to replace. Additionally, the projectors, which are said to be 150% brighter than a conventional 7,000-lumen projector, may be mounted at any angle.

The ET-UK20 auto adjustment system is available as an optional upgrade. Capable of dealing with multiple projector inputs, it projects a grid onto the projection surface.

Apart from the two projectors, the only other equipment needed is a PC and a tripod-mounted camera that can output live video to it.

Paul Osborn, product application manager, Visual System Solutions Business Unit at Panasonic UK, demonstrated this using two RZ670 projectors displaying their content onto a horizontally curved screen.

Without the adjustment applied, the content was clearly the wrong shape for the screen, and the image was brighter at the centre of the screen where the two projectors’ output was superimposed.

The Geometry Manager Pro software creates a grid that is projected onto the screen, and the user simply drags a number of grid reference points to the corners and the midpoints of the screen.

The user can select the number of reference points used – the

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The ET-DLE030 ultra-short throw lens opens up new opportunities for projection in space-restricted applications

The camera-based automatic warping and edge-blending system in action

higher the number, the greater the accuracy of the final result.

The software uses the output from the connected camera to compare the shape of projected test images with the ideal, making adjustments where necessary.

According to Osborn, this reduces the time taken to align and blend images in complicated multiprojector installations from hours to minutes.

The final result was everything it should be – the shape of the image had been made concave to fit the curved screen, and the edge-blending was such that it was not possible to tell where one projector’s output finished and the other’s began.

The RZ670 was also shown in combination with Panasonic’s ET-DLE030 ultra-short throw lens.

Launched last year, this lens can create a 200in image at a distance of just 1.5m from the front of the projector; this compares to 4m with a traditional lens.

Designed for larger-format single-chip DLP projectors, the ET-DLE030 has recently been complemented by the ET-D75LE90 for 3-chip models (see page 49).

http://business.panasonic.eu

Also on display at the Panasonic Solutions Centre were: A display of live CCTV feeds sent over IP from a (surprisingly realistic) model village in another part of the room Augmented reality digital signage: the system was set up to superimpose thought bubbles onto live video of people that it spotted in front of its camera A demonstration of cross-track projection, complete with mockedup section of a train carriage

VIDEO You can watch our video of the camera-based image adjustment system at http://bit.ly/1EKgdwz 17/11/2014 16:39

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52 TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE December 2014

Conference systems

If you thought all conference systems were basically the same, think again.

Manufacturers are differentiating their offerings through features such as document control, Cloud-based management and automatic audio calibration, says Duncan Proctor

Bosch DCN integrates with existing infrastructure Bosch’s addition to the conference system market stands out as the first IP-based conference system built on the OMNEO media networking architecture.

The DCN integrates audio, video and meeting content, such as documents and presentations, in a single system; and because it is IP-based, it can be integrated easily with other systems installed in meeting environments, such as content management, webcasting and room control systems, for cost-effective installation and maintenance.

The conference system can grow as needs evolve: it can be scaled up to 750 multimedia devices and can use a multi-subnet IP network. There are apps and software available to add functionality, and options to share content on smart devices like Clickshare and Apple TV via third-party apps. AMX, Crestron or

teleconferencing apps can also be run on the DCNM-MMD devices.

Several Bosch audio technologies are present in the system. The plug-in microphone uses high-directive technology for clear speech without delegates needing to be right next to the mic. The multimedia devices feature a built-in two-way loudspeaker system for high levels of intelligibility and sound quality. Finally, intelligent acoustic

Audio-Technica combines quality and security Audio-Technica has combined audio quality and security with the ATCS-60 infrared conference system. The use of wireless infrared ensures the signal cannot leave the conference space and so is not subject to accidental or deliberate eavesdropping; it is also immune to interference from radio signals.

The system has an extensive feature set including multi-language translation channels, automatic voice detection and camera control.

Thanks to its modular design, the system allows installers to supply a system that suits the customer’s current budget but also leaves their options open to expand as and when usage requirements change in the future. This expansion can be achieved by adding extra voting modules (ATCS-V60) and using range-extending transceivers.

feedback suppression adapts with the environment to maximise speech intelligibility when higher volume levels are required. www.boschsecurity.com

Gonsin takes the app approach Gonsin has a new paperless multimedia congress system that the company says differentiates itself from other such systems by its openness, flexibility and ease of use. The DCS-2021 is an open and standardised solution that uses apps extensively to realise the paperless multimedia function and to integrate external devices such as iPads and smartphones.

The flexibility it offers means the system can be added to, based on changing requirements and budgets. In the future, if users want improved functionality they only have to get an app upgrade rather than replacing any hardware.

A central feature of the DCS-2021 is the document annotation functionality, which means every delegate can annotate a document and have this displayed on all terminals simultaneously.

www.eu.audio-technica.com www.gonsin.com

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TECHNOLOGY: SHOWCASE 53

December 2014

Xavtel Senator autocalibrates to the room The Xavtel Senator conference system aims to give integrators and end users the ‘total conference room solution’; it includes a conference master unit (DCP1000) and digital distribution box (DDB104) and a digitally connected six-channel conferencing amplifier (DCA660).

The system is easy to use and comes with all DSP functions inside the conference master unit so there are no external DSP units (plus the associated cabling) to deal with.

An automatic ‘Mix-Minus Calibration’ function manages room acoustics. Auto-calibration takes five to 15 minutes and allows for changes to the seating plan mid-conference without needing an engineer to adjust the equipment. Other notable features include automatic voice gate, FBX, PEQ, auto-mixers and RS232 camera control.

The second release of the Senator system, available in Q1 next year, will feature an optional acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) board, which will allow the Senator to be used within a teleconferencing or videoconferencing system. www.xavtel.com

Televic keeps it simple with uniCOS The Televic uniCOS multimedia conference system is powered

by Plixus conference network technology.

It combines audio, video and document distribution on a single Cat cable, dispensing with system components such as video splitters and distribution amplifiers and using less cabling.

The system distributes HD with low latency, preserving lip-sync. A major advantage for the user is that meetings can be held efficiently with less paper; the chairman has central control over what delegates can view.

The design also increases reliability and system resilience in mission-critical applications with interfacing to the outside world through the Plixus Engine via Dante; nothing from third parties is carried on the network itself. www.televic-conference.com

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TeamConnect from Sennheiser offers wide compatibility Sennheiser TeamConnect is said to allow integration to more communication transports – including analogue ‘POTS’ lines, VoIP and mobile devices – than any other like-for-like teleconferencing product. It also makes full use of BYOD (bring your own device) without compromising sound quality.

TeamConnect has been designed to be easy to use for the end user and integrator alike. End-to-end ‘Flex’ and ‘Fix’ packages simplify installation.

A single package includes a central unit that offers multiple inputs each with acoustic echo canceller; combox; microphones (fixedinstall mics for the desktop or ceiling and/or individual table mics); speakers with inbuilt power supply and wall mount; and preterminated cables.

TeamConnect can be used as a straightforward audio playback system

for those presenting on any PC or Mac presentation or slideshow software, using the USB connector. However, it can also be expanded using the DW Office headset UC endpoints, as well as large-scale discussion systems like the Sennheiser ADN and ADN-W, allowing delegates to communicate with multiple parties in remote locations. www.sennheiser.com

Revolabs Executive Elite goes wireless with the Cloud The distinguishing feature of the Revolabs Executive Elite wireless microphone system is the Cloud server option, which allows users access to a combination of local and Cloud-based capabilities.

For remote management, including third-party installations, the Cloud-based environment provides management of all customer-specific Executive Elite installations on a single screen. Administrators can access information such as microphone status, audio and radio signal strength, and system performance via an intuitive web-based interface.

The four- and eight-channel system is designed for medium-sized to large applications. To facilitate installation,

Executive Elite’s remote antenna receiver and base units connect via a standard Cat5e or Cat6 cable with power over Ethernet (PoE) support. The system’s redesigned microphones boast superior audio pickup, improved signal-to-noise ratio, easy operation and enhanced digital signal communication over wireless links – plus what the company calls an ‘elegant Fortune 500 look’. www.revolabs.com

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54 SOLUTIONS: O2 ARENA, PRAGUE December 2014

of the Month The PA system is comprised of 72 Nexo GEO S12-ST cabinets and 24 RS18 subs

Installed Audio

CZECH REPUBLIC

Reaching the audience

n Nexo GEO S12-ST line array cabinets n Nexo 24 RS18 subwoofers n Nexo NXAMP4x4 TDControllers n Auvitran EtherSound network devices

Control n CUE control program

A revamped audio system is finally doing justice to the wide variety of events at this multipurpose venue. Paddy Baker reports

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uilt for the 2004 Men’s World Ice Hockey Championships, the O2 Arena in Prague is home to the HC Slavia Praha and HC Lev Praha ice hockey teams and also hosts a range of other sporting and corporate events and concerts.

Its audience record was set at a Madonna concert, which was attended by nearly 19,000 fans.

Formerly known as the Sazka Arena, the venue needed to replace its existing PA system installed 10 years ago. The original point source system was, by the venue’s own admission, under-specified and under-powered. Attempts had been made to adapt the system but the loudspeakers were already being pushed to their limit, and nearly a third of them had failed. Informed by 10 years’ experience of operating a large arena, the team decided it was time for a new system.

The brief required a complete new PA/VA system to provide information and emergency announcements as well as music.

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The system needed to integrate easily into the arena’s existing systems, and to represent good value for money.

“We looked at the best technology around the world,” says Jan Plihal, head of media technology at the O2 Arena. “After much research and negotiation, we narrowed it down first to four and then finally to two possible solutions.”

Nexo had been on the Arena’s radar when the older system was installed a decade ago. At the time, Plihal met with Nexo’s R&D director Francois Deffarges and was impressed by the company’s philosophy of line array, even back in 2004. However there wasn’t enough space in the arena roof then to install Nexo’s GEO S8 product.

for stadium and arena use.

The O2 Arena system comprises a total of 72 GEO S12-ST cabinets and 24 RS18 subs. Some of the GEO S12-ST cabinets are flown from a central ‘cube’, carrying large screens on each side, which descends from the ceiling for sporting, congresses and corporate events. When the cube is lowered, it is still 24m from cabinet to the floor, and this is where the GEO S12-ST’s long-throw capability comes into its own. The

compact two-way ST cabinets have been developed from the standard GEO S12 design offering the high SPL and enhanced speech intelligibility required for stadium and arena applications.

The RS18 subs – also flown – enhance events such as motor sports, BMX championships and the Davis and Federation Cup tennis matches. “These days, events like this are more and more a show,” says Plihal. “It’s not just about the sports,

Long-throw solution Today, a new GEO S12-ST system has been supplied and installed by Nexo’s Czech distributor MusicData.

These are high-output, long-throw loudspeakers developed specially

Some of the GEO S12-ST cabinets are flown from a central screen ‘cube’: this is still 24m from cabinet to the floor when lowered

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SOLUTIONS: O2 ARENA, PRAGUE 55

December 2014

About the installer n Established more than 20 years, MusicData installs audio, lighting, theatre technology and elements of architectural acoustics n It has carried out installations in theatres, cultural centres, banks, offices, training centres, convention halls, educational facilities, sports facilities, hotels, restaurants, bars and clubs n It is one of the few companies in the Czech market that can offer a comprehensive live broadcast technology service, from consultation to full realisation; it has equipped a transmission vehicle for Czech Radio

we have to think about commercials as well.” Although a typical level for an ice hockey match is 90-94dBA, an SPL of 106dBA is possible in the arena. The system is driven by 16 NXAMP4x4 TDControllers situated in rack cases in the roof, providing 256kW of power.

“Our arena is equipped with audio technology similar to a TV studio, with a good possibility of offline or live production. The PA system is just one of many destinations for the audio signals,” comments Plihal.

The arena houses 900km of cabling to carry its entertainment technology data. Newly installed is a fibre optic cabling infrastructure to carry an EtherSound ring network for the audio. Auvitran network devices deliver the signal from control room to racks with full double redundancy, while an option to switch to analogue offers even more backup. If any amplifier should fail, the system will automatically switch to another one.

Control interface As the arena team requires a degree of control over every element of the system, MusicData sat down with Plihal to design a custom network interface for day-to-day operation, which runs on iPads connected to WiFi. “Our big problem with the PA is in the location of the audio control area. It is placed behind the glass wall – with a perfect view but nothing to hear. That is why we need something to control the main parameters of PA remotely directly from the pitch area,” he explains.

This highly visual interface is the iCUE-professional app, which acts

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an extension of the CUE control program running on the control computer. “We have access to all parameters of the amplifiers with firmware from the control computer,” explains Plihal. “The iPad allows us to control main audio level, switch on/off each of 24 zones, control audio level in the zones and control the sub basses.”

The interface also displays the voltage on the output of the amps, giving a complete visualisation of the signal travelling through the system.

“The capacity of the arena is 0.5 million cubic metres of air. There isn’t any other possibility to build a security announcement system without using the PA,” comments Plihal. “It must work at once, even in the situation when the power to the PA system is off, for instance during an event without internal audio.” This was just one of the challenges that was tackled during the integration process, he says.

MusicData was requested to ensure the voice alarm system was designed in accordance with EN 60849 (Sound Systems for Emergency Purposes). “The VA system in the arena is totally separate from the other parts of the audio system. It is controlled from the security centre, with the possibility to speak to various zones inside and outside,” he explains. Zones can be changed, independently of the 24 PA zones.

Within the arena bowl, the audio signal from the VA has the highest priority. The VA audio is accompanied with a control signal, which switches over the PA system

L-R: Tomas Ourednicek of distributor MusicData and Jan Plihal, head of media technology at the arena

to VA announcements stand. All other PA audio is blocked; if the power is off, it is switched on. The security centre can deploy live or recorded messages, depending on the decision of the management team there.

The O2’s new PA system perfectly meets Plihal’s motto, “to be prepared for all”. “We have one of the best arena acoustics, with a reverb time of less than two seconds,” he says. “The seats are acoustically treated, so there is little difference to the sound whether the venue is empty or

full. The Nexo cabinets have been positioned to minimise the small reverberation problems we get from the glass-fronted VIP boxes. We expect excellent audio for speech and music, and the implementation of the emergency system is the most important thing.”

www.auvitran.com www.cuesystem.com www.musicdata.cz www.nexo-sa.com

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56 SOLUTIONS: BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTRY MUSIC MUSEUM, BRISTOL December 2014

Installed Control n Alcorn McBride Showtouch 10 wall mounted touchpanel n ELO 32436 32in open-frame touch monitor

Video UNITED STATES

Musical roots The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is using AV technology to explore the origins of modern country, writes Tom Bradbury

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traddling the Virginia and Tennessee state lines, the town of Bristol is home to the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum celebrates the 1927 Bristol Sessions, which are considered the origin of modern country music.

Nineteen performers travelled to what was then the largest urban area in the Appalachians. Held by the Victor Talking Machine Company in a local hat warehouse, the sessions marked the commercial debuts of the legendary Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter family.

The museum spans 2,230sqm and uses multiple theatre and interactive

Interactives engage visitors throughout the museum

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experiences along with artifact displays to tell the story of the Bristol Sessions and their influence. It’s located in a vintage building that formerly housed a truck dealership; over a period of years, it was gutted and retrofitted to be true to the era of the Bristol Sessions.

Electrosonic was brought on board when the project was in its infancy

by Washington, DC-based media producers Hillmann & Carr, which produced the museum’s video content and interactive programming. Electrosonic’s design consulting team worked with Joseph Nicholson of studioMUSarx in Philadelphia on the initial exhibit design.

Electrosonic’s Orlando office provided the

subsequent AV systems and support for the facility.

“There were a number of challenges to working in a historically significant building,” says Electrosonic project manager Tim Wilson, including many hard surfaces to deal with acoustically and limited options for mounting equipment and running cable.

Theatres Visitors to the museum enjoy five theatres, four of which feature equipment from Electrosonic. The largest, the Orientation Theater, has a holding area styled like a train depot.

Visitors hear associated sound effects and historic music clips through Acoustic Enhancement activated sound panels built into the depot walls while they wait to gain admittance to the theatre; when they hear a train’s air brakes, the theatre doors open and they take a seat to watch the video Bound to Bristol, about the musical heritage of the Bristol Sessions. The Orientation Theater is outfitted with an

n InFocus IN3124 and IN5316HD ceiling-mounted projectors n NEC X431BT 43in bar-type display n Panasonic PT-TW230U ceilingmounted projector n Samsung ME46B 46in LED display n BenQ W1080ST and W1500 projectors InFocus projector, RenkusHeinz speakers, Bag End subwoofers and activated sound panels by Acoustic Enhancement. A pair of NEC monitors above the walkways provides closed captioning.

The small Greasy Strings Theater displays a looped video exploring the philosophy and musical techniques behind the sessions. It has a BenQ projector and Innovox and Tannoy speakers. The Chapel has a few church pews where visitors can rest and watch a video about local gospel groups and how faith has shaped music. It features a BenQ projector, Tannoy speakers and four Acoustic Enhancement activated sound panels built into the pews. All three spaces have Screen Goo projection surfaces on their walls.

Their video sources are Alcorn McBride DVM8500 digital video machines.

A stop at the Immersion Theater comes later in the tour. Its video focuses on making visitors part of the unbroken circle of country music and includes clips

n Dataton WatchOUT Extreme video server

Audio n Acoustic Enhancement ASP-CUST4 sound panels n Renkus-Heinz IC7 speakers n Bag End IPS12E-I subwoofers n Innovox SHA-10.12.2 custom speakers n Tannoy VX8.2, iw 6TDC and VX12 speakers n Brown Innovations MF-CT36 and Sonic Beam 30M speakers n QSC CX-168 and CX-902 audio amplifiers

of many different artists performing Will the Circle Be Unbroken, from Jimmie Rodgers to Lynyrd Skynyrd.

This theatre has a custom Da-Lite perforated, curved screen, three blended BenQ projectors, a Dataton Watchout video source, Tannoy speakers and Bag End subs. The walls are lined with murals showing crowds of appreciative country music fans at the annual Rhythm & Roots Reunion festival in Bristol.

Engaging content Throughout the museum, a number of interactives equipped with 32in ELO touchscreens engage visitors in various aspects of the Bristol Sessions and country music heritage.

Interactives dubbed ‘Way Back Machines’ enable visitors to scroll through photographs showing Bristol over the years; four ‘mixing stations’ allow them to change the mix on assorted tracks from the sessions. Two ‘Bristol Remastered’ interactives, with Brown Innovations focused beam speakers, showcase a number of

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58 SOLUTIONS: BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTRY MUSIC MUSEUM, BRISTOL December 2014

session tunes covered by contemporary artists. An interactive recording booth invites visitors to sing along in their own version of the famous Bristol Sessions, and ‘Send a Postcard’ lets them choose a digital postcard design to email to family and friends.

Bristol-born Tennessee Ernie Ford gets a video kiosk driven by an Alcorn

McBride DVM8500 with overhead speakers. The ‘Rediscovered/Reinvented’ video, displayed on a 46in monitor, shows how movies and media integrate country music today.

On air The museum also has space for a working internal radio station. Visitors can look through picture

About the installer n Electrosonic is a worldwide audiovisual company with experience in designing, project managing, engineering and supporting AV systems and products n Founded in 1964, the company has 50 years of experience working on complex projects in multiple geographic territories n It has a global reach with offices in the US, UK, Sweden, China and UAE

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windows to the audio booth, which features a vintage radio control room and studio equipped with a 1940s Raytheon console from a Bristol radio station that has been retrofitted to convert analogue to digital signals. The Federal Communications Commission has granted a low-power FM licence, and the studio will soon begin broadcasting WBCM, Birthplace of Country Music Radio.

Electrosonic provided the interactive outside the windows where visitors can tune into four prerecorded radio shows if the radio station is not broadcasting; audio playback is provided by a QSC Q-Sys system.

The integrator also built three control rooms on the second floor of

the museum, which are connected with a fibre network, and empty racks have been provided to accommodate future expansion.

“Everything looks very, very good and sounds excellent,” says Wilson.

“The Birthplace of Country Music is a very cool place to visit, and the people there are wonderful. They really believe in the product and have done a great job showing the full spectrum of country music from the 1927 sessions to today.”

Dr Jessica Turner, the museum’s director and head curator, concludes: “It was important to us, as a music museum, to have the highest quality sound and media experiences. This is exactly what the group from Electrosonic delivered.

I was impressed that the

whole team worked with us to troubleshoot problems to find innovative solutions, often going above and beyond to provide expertise and professionalism. I was sad when the installation was complete and we would no longer be working together.”

www.alcorn.com www.bagend.com www.benq.co.uk www.browninnovations.com www.da-lite.com www.dataton.com www.electrosonic.com www.elotouch.com www.goosystems.co.uk www.infocus.com www.innovoxaudio.com www.nec-display-systems.com www.panasonic.com www.renkus-heinz.com www.samsung.com www.tannoy.com www.qsc.com

17/11/2014 15:00

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09/10/14 17:03

60 SOLUTIONS: KATOWICE PALAC MLODZIEZKY, KATOWICE December 2014

Installed Audio n JBL VerTec VT4887ADP 3-way line array speakers n JBL 4732 ScreenArray loudspeaker systems n JBL VT4881ADP and 4642C subwoofers n JBL 8340A speakers n JBL VP7212MDP and LSR2328P monitors

The Palace auditorium complete with new Soundcraft Vi4 console

n dbx DriveRack 4820 processors n Crown DSi amplifiers n Soundcraft Vi4 and Vi1 consoles n AKG DMS700 wireless microphones n AKG C451B and C414B XLII microphones

POLAND

Palace of Youth This historic auditorium has been modernised with a new audio concept designed to allow greater flexibility, writes Duncan Proctor

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he Katowice Palac Mlodziezky was set up in 1951 to create favourable conditions for youth culture and sporting activities in Poland. Described as a ‘Palace of Youth’, the public institution is listed on the Register of Historical Monuments and administered by the Silesian school board. As a prestigious building it was felt that an upgraded sound system was needed once the previous system reached the end of its life.

Territorial distributor

EES Audio successfully bid for the project part of a consortium with Przedsiebiorstwo Specjalistyczne Teatr, which was responsible for stage lighting and mechanical installation, and independent consultancy/ integrator Telo Wojciech Zielin' ski, which handled audio for the project.

The Palace of Youth is a multipurpose auditorium seating 450. The audio concept behind the project was to create greater flexibility, allowing the venue to present concerts, theatre shows and films.

The surround sound is delivered by JBL 8340A speakers

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The main sound system is based around JBL VerTecs.

The optional cinema surround system can be switched in as required; the speakers behind the screen are mounted on trolleys.

Hangs of eight JBL VerTec VT4887ADP elements per side form the main PA, underpinned by three VT4881ADP subwoofers on each side.

This is bolstered by three further VerTec VT4887 loudspeakers as front fills, while for stage monitoring ESS Audio specified eight VP7212MDP enclosures.

The entire front of house system is controlled and optimised via dbx DriveRack 4820 processors.

In order to carry out mixing duties at front of house, a Soundcraft Vi4 console was used with a Soundcraft Vi1 in monitor world; the engineers in both locations are provided with JBL LSR2328Ps for their own reference monitoring.

About the installer n Telo Wojciech Zielin’ ski (Telo) was founded in 1993 as a separate project under the (now defunct) Hapro Companies Group n Telos started out dealing with audio systems, home cinema THX and object-orientated automation and services including design, supply and installation. In 1996 it expanded to cover professional equipment and systems n In 2010, Telos became a fully independent audio systems consultancy handling acoustic measurements, construction supervision and the installation of sound systems

Cinema set-up When the operating mode switches to cinema, the appropriate presets kick in and the mobile system, comprising three elements of JBL ScreenArray 4732s, boosted by a pair of JBL4642C subs, takes over.

Delivering the surround sound are JBL’s 8340A, powered by Crown DSi amplifiers.

ESS Audio also upgraded the venue’s microphones, with an AKG DMS700 digital wireless system at the heart. The company also supplied AKG C451B and C414B XLII mics, as well as AKG K271 headphones.

Commenting on the project, ESS Audio’s Marek

Korbecki said: “This new installation provides the client with a lot of new possibilities – especially in terms of the concerts they can now present and movie presentations. A comment heard by one of the sound technicians was that ‘at last we finally have the sound that we have been dreaming of.’”

The overall renovation project was prepared by the Biuro Architekt Kaczmarczyk architectural studio from Sucha Beskidzka, Poland, and in its entirety cost PLN42.2 million (€10 million).

www.essaudio.pl www.harman.com

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R PLANYOUR MONTH AHEAD

Installation prepares for a product launch at BETT 2015, CES brings the latest consumer technologies to Las Vegas and Amsterdam is lit up for the winter

f Pick o th on m e h t

International CES

6-9 January Discover the very latest in consumer technologies in Las Vegas this January as CES returns. This year’s extravaganza will feature more than 3,500 exhibitors, including manufacturers, developers and suppliers of consumer technology hardware, content, technology delivery systems and more; a conference programme with 250 sessions; and more than 150,000 attendees from over 140 countries.

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delivery on a budget and managing user expectations.

Themes for 2015 include future-proofing your university, exploring vocational education and utilising data to improve learning spaces.

Aver, BenQ, Crestron and Vivitek are among the exhibitors already confirmed. In addition, look out for a

Amsterdam Light Festival

Until 18 January Amsterdam will once again be lit up throughout winter as the city’s Light Festival returns for the third year. Light sculptures, projections and art installations will feature throughout the boat route (called Water Colors) and walking route (Illuminade) while museums and institutions host light-related activities, introducing visitors to innovations in light art.

Picture: Teresa Mar, Reflections Photo: Janus van den Eijnden

special product launch from Installation.

To arrange a meeting with the Installation team email ukpressreleases@nbmedia.com. www.bettshow.com

Read

Visit

Running from 21-24 January, Bett will welcome around 35,000 education professionals to the ExCeL centre in London. The Technology in HE Summit will return for 2015 and once again offers free-to-attend seminars featuring higher education professionals and their corporate counterparts providing insight into technology

See

BETT 2015

New Frontiers in Open Innovation

By Henry Chesbrough, Wim Vanhaverbeke and Joel West Companies have to innovate to stay competitive, and they have to collaborate with other organisations to innovate effectively. This book provides an examination of research conducted to date on open innovation, as well as a comprehensive overview of what will be the most important, most promising and most relevant research topics in this area during the next decade.

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