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Alfalite installs Slovenia’s largest indoor LED wall at Ljubljana Exhibition & Convention Centre
25/02/2026
MVP upgrades OB truck with Calrec Argo M
28/01/2026
Carnival Cruise Line bringt Pixera an Bord
07/10/2025
CS live nutzt Riedel MediorNet und Human Interface in neuem Ü-Wagen
Riedel Communications und die tschechische Produktionsfirma CS live haben im Rahmen ihrer Zusammenarbeit den neuesten Ü-Wagen der Firma mit einer integrierten Riedel-Infrastruktur ausgestattet.
Die Lösung kombiniert das MediorNet-Mediennetzwerk, das Kontrollsystem Human Interface (HI) sowie ein Artist-Ökosystem mit SmartPanels und Bolero Wireless Intercom. In Zusammenarbeit mit dem Systemintegrator Smart Informatics realisiert, soll diese Kombination CS live eine flexible und zukunftssichere Produktionsumgebung bieten.
Der Ü-Wagen wurde für Sportproduktionen konzipiert und unterstützt die Übertragung nationaler Fußball- und Eishockeyligen, internationaler Fußballwettbewerbe sowie großangelegter MMA-Events. Im Zentrum der Systemarchitektur steht die Integration des distribuierten MediorNet-Netzwerks mit der HI-Kontrollplattform. Dadurch können Operatoren Infrastruktur und Produktions-Workflows über eine einheitliche Benutzeroberfläche steuern.
„Die Einführung von HI in diesem Ü-Wagen ist ein großer Schritt nach vorn für unsere Produktionsabläufe“, sagt Pavel Braun, CEO von CS live. „Wir können Routing, Produktionsmischer, Audiokonsolen und weitere Systeme über eine zentrale Oberfläche verwalten und bei Bedarf per Tablet bedienen. Diese zentrale Steuerung gibt uns die Flexibilität und Geschwindigkeit, die wir für anspruchsvolle Sportproduktionen benötigen.“
Das Signal-Backbone des Ü-Wagens basiert auf zwölf MediorNet-MicroN-UHD-Nodes, von denen sieben für das Routing und fünf als Multiviewer konfiguriert sind. Ergänzend setzt CS live zwei MicroN-Standard-Nodes als externe Stageboxen ein, um Signale aus Stadien, Studios oder anderen Ü-Wagen anzubinden. Dadurch lassen sich SDI-, MADI- und Ethernet-Signale über eine einzige Glasfaserverbindung übertragen.
Gleichzeitig schafft MediorNet eine praxisnahe Migrationsbasis für zukünftige Technologien. Während die aktuellen Workflows von CS live noch größtenteils auf Baseband-Infrastruktur beruhen, ist das System bereits für einen schrittweisen Übergang zu IP-basierten Produktionsumgebungen ausgelegt.
Das HI-System im Ü-Wagen von CS live integriert und steuert das Equipment verschiedener Hersteller, darunter Audiokonsolen, Bildmischer, Replay-Systeme, Monitoring-Lösungen, GPI-Trigger und On-Air-Lichtsysteme. Die Installation umfasst fünf HIPush18-Panels, ein HIPush32-Shading-Panel, ein HIPush36-Panel sowie drei HIContact-Panels. Zusätzlich sorgt eine Tablet-basierte Steuerung für weitere Flexibilität im Betrieb.
„Dieses Projekt ist die erste Implementierung von Riedels Human Interface in der Tschechischen Republik“, sagt Tomas Vesely, Managing Director von Smart Informatics. „Gemeinsam mit CS live konnten wir eine hochintegrierte, herstellerunabhängige Steuerungsplattform realisieren.“
Die Kommunikation im Ü-Wagen basiert auf Riedels Artist-Intercom-Plattform, aufgebaut um ein Artist-1024-System mit siebzehn RSP-1216HL-SmartPanels, drei RSP-1232HL-SmartPanels und zwei DSP-2312-Desktop-SmartPanels. Für die drahtlose Kommunikation kommt Bolero zum Einsatz, das mit vier Antennen und zwölf Beltpacks die Abdeckung aller Produktionsbereiche ermöglicht.
(Fotos: Ondrej Adam/Riedel Communications)
Caudalie’s Paris headquarters features Infiled LED wall powered by Brompton processing
French cosmetics brand Caudalie has unveiled a 200-seat auditorium at its new headquarters in the historic Marais district of central Paris. At the heart of the installation is an 8 by 2.5 metre Infiled DBmk2 LED screen from the brand’s Studio Series, delivering 5,120 by 1,600 pixel resolution, powered by Brompton Technology’s Tessera SX40 LED video processors. The project was designed by Acte 1 and integrated by Videosonic.
The auditorium was born from a complete renovation of a historic building, presenting significant structural challenges. Large load-bearing beams severely restricted ceiling height, ruling out a conventional projection system and prompting the design team at Acte 1 to recommend an LED wall solution instead. This shift raised immediate questions around colour accuracy, an area where projection has traditionally been considered superior, making the choice of processing technology critical.
Acte 1 and Videosonic consulted Infiled, who proposed Brompton Technology processors as the solution to guarantee the colour accuracy the client demanded. The Tessera SX40 LED processor’s 14-way Colour Correct feature was a key decision factor, enabling precise adjustment of individual colours without affecting the rest of the image. This feature also makes it straightforward to harmonise different sources such as video and computer-generated presentations, and maintain visual consistency across all event types.
The 32:10 aspect ratio display supports multi-window PIP configurations and full-screen presentation, giving Caudalie flexibility for internal seminars, live broadcasts, simultaneous translation, and external corporate event hire. For its inaugural event, the brand’s 30th anniversary celebration in January 2026, attended by around 1,000 people, all content was produced natively in 32:10 format, delivering an immersive visual experience.
Beyond colour performance, Brompton’s UK manufacturing, European-standard image processing, and availability of local technical support in France all contributed to the decision. The entire system is operated via Crestron automation, and from installation onwards all teams, including those handling automation through APIs, were able to operate the system.
“The LED wall fully enhances the space and allows any type of content to be displayed at a professional quality level”, says Eric Cartier, Company Manager at Videosonic. “Caudalie can now host any type of event - camera shoots, conferences, fashion shows, and more - with no technical limitations.” The space was completed in December 2025.
(Photo: rodolphecellier.com)
Mailänder Scala optimiert Backstage-Kommunikation mit Riedel Bolero
Gemeinsam mit der Fondazione Teatro alla Scala hat Riedel eine Intercom-Lösung realisiert, die auf den Systemen Bolero, NSA, RiFace und PunQtum basiert und die Backstage-Kommunikation in einem der renommiertesten Opernhäuser der Welt modernisiert und vereinheitlicht.
Mit Bolero als zentraler drahtloser Intercom-Plattform ermöglicht diese Integration der Mailänder Scala eine nahtlose Echtzeit-Koordination in komplexer Produktionsumgebung. „Bolero hat unsere Arbeitsweise im Teatro alla Scala auf ein neues Niveau gebracht“, sagt Marco Schretter, Leiter Audio-Video-Streaming. „Die Zuverlässigkeit, Reichweite und intuitive Benutzeroberfläche haben unsere Arbeitsabläufe optimiert, Ausfallzeiten reduziert und Notfallreparaturen überflüssig gemacht. Jetzt können wir kleinere Teams an verschiedenen Orten einsetzen und bleiben dennoch vollständig miteinander verbunden.“
Vor der Implementierung von Bolero verließ sich das Teatro alla Scala auf eine fragmentierte Mischung aus Kommunikationsgeräten, die erhebliche Integrationsprobleme mit sich brachte. Die architektonische Komplexität des Opernhauses - mit Treppen, Aufzügen und akustisch sensiblen Bereichen wie dem Orchestergraben und der Regiekabine - erschwerte eine verlässliche Kommunikation.
Die Riedel-Lösung bietet ein skalierbares System, das sich nahtlos in alle Abteilungen integrieren lässt. Bolero verbindet nun Bühnenmanager, Lichttechniker, Tontechniker, Videotechniker, Mitarbeiter im Bühnenturm, Streaming-Crews und den Regisseur und ermöglicht drahtlose Kommunikation auch in den herausforderndsten RF-Bereichen des Theaters.
Die RiFace-Integration unterstützt 45 UHF-Kanäle für die Rigging-Crews, während NSA die Interoperabilität mit den vom Streaming-Team verwendeten Systemen von Drittanbietern gewährleistet. PunQtum-Geräte ergänzen Bolero in Bereichen, in denen zusätzliche Flexibilität erforderlich ist.
Das System wird aktiv in allen wichtigen Bereichen eingesetzt, darunter Bühne, Bühnenturm, Backstage, mehrere Foyers, Museum, Licht- und Tonkabinen sowie der Orchestergraben. Dies ermöglicht ein verteiltes Aufgabenmanagement und schnellere Reaktionszeiten.
Die Implementierung habe bereits zu messbaren Kosteneinsparungen geführt. Die Zuverlässigkeit von Bolero reduziere Wartungsaufwand und Ausfallzeiten, die einheitliche Architektur senke die Allgemeinkosten für die Ausrüstung. Die intuitive Benutzeroberfläche minimiere die Schulungskosten, und die Langlebigkeit des Systems - unterstützt durch das Riedel Care Service Level Agreement - gewährleiste eine langfristige Leistung ohne häufige Austauschmaßnahmen oder Notfallreparaturen.
(Fotos: Riedel Communications)
Alfalite installs Slovenia’s largest indoor LED wall at Ljubljana Exhibition & Convention Centre
Ljubljana Exhibition & Convention Centre, Slovenia’s leading trade fair and congress venue, has upgraded its main hall with the country’s largest fixed indoor LED screen. The installation, located in the Marmorna Hall, features 40 sqm of Alfalite LED technology.
The new LED wall measures 8.40 x 4.72 metres and replaces a previous projection-based system. It is powered by Alfalite’s UHD Finepix Matix 1.8 AlfaCOB solution, comprising 196 cabinets with a 1.8 mm pixel pitch.
Alfalite, headquartered in Spain, is currently the only European manufacturer of LED screens, designing and producing its panels entirely in Europe. This European origin was a key requirement for the client, who prioritised local manufacturing standards, operational security and long-term technical support for a venue hosting hundreds of international events each year.
“We organise large congresses with 1,300 to 2,000 participants”, says Iztok Bricl, CEO of the Ljubljana Exhibition & Convention Centre. “The quality of the LED screen and its straightforward maintenance were decisive factors for us. We needed a solution that guarantees performance and immediate technical support if required. With a European partner, we have that assurance.”
The project was delivered in collaboration with the Austrian integrator Wallerie, part of Lanner Media, with installation carried out jointly with Alfalite’s technical team under the direction of Sebastián Cabrera, CTO of Alfalite. The complete mounting process was finalised in two days.
The installation incorporates redundant signal control to ensure uninterrupted operation during live events. Its 1.8 mm pixel pitch enables detailed content display, particularly relevant for medical congresses and data-driven presentations where precision is essential.
“This project shows how European collaboration can deliver technical excellence”, Cabrera states. “It is not only about installing a large screen. It is about providing a future-proof visual infrastructure for one of the region’s most important congress venues.”
(Photos: Alfalite)
TeleTicino modernizes remote contribution workflows with QuickLink StudioEdge
As the only private television broadcaster serving Italian-speaking Switzerland, TeleTicino reaches an average of 60,000-70,000 viewers daily. The broadcaster produces a wide range of content, from its flagship “Ticinonews” newscast to prime-time current affairs programs and live debates covering politics, sports, the economy and social issues.
To support these productions and ensure remote guest contributions, TeleTicino has deployed QuickLink StudioEdge, a multi-platform remote contribution solution designed for broadcast environments. According to Riccardo Bazzero, ICT Manager at TeleTicino SA & Radio3i SA and Systems Manager for Corriere del Ticino Group, the need for a broadcast-grade remote guest solution became increasingly urgent as production requirements evolved. “We needed a stable, professional solution that would allow us to manage one or more remote guests during both our newscast and long-form productions”, he says. “The system had to be easy for guests to use while meeting our technical and editorial standards.”
Prior to adopting StudioEdge, TeleTicino relied on a combination of platforms, including Skype TX (later discontinued by Microsoft), as well as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. While functional, these tools were not purpose-built for broadcast workflows, prompting the team to search for a more robust alternative following Skype TX’s end-of-life announcement.
QuickLink supports up to four simultaneous remote guests and offers native SDI or NDI integration, allowing TeleTicino to connect callers from StudioEdge directly into its broadcast workflow. Built-in AI-powered features such as video noise removal, automatic framing and eye contact correction further enhance production quality. StudioEdge also provides flexible platform support for Zoom, Microsoft Teams and StudioCall.
StudioCall, QuickLink’s inbuilt remote guest solution, enables seamless introduction of contributions from all devices, with invitation options via email, SMS, WhatsApp, or a simple link, helping to remove barriers for contributors. “Guests don’t need to install any software”, says Bazzero. “They simply connect through a standard web browser.”
Today, StudioEdge is embedded into TeleTicino’s daily workflow. Production engineers receive guest lists ahead of each program, conduct pre-show test calls to verify audio and video quality and provide operational guidance before bringing guests on air at the scheduled time. The system is used across live broadcasts and pre-recorded segments. “We use StudioEdge every day”, Bazzero notes. “In a region where traffic congestion can make travel difficult, especially during rush hour, it allows us to bring guests on air live without requiring them to come to the studio. That has been a major advantage both technically and editorially.”
TeleTicino has decided to purchase a second StudioEdge unit for an additional control room, reinforcing plans to expand and consolidate its use across future productions.
(Photos: QuickLink/TeleTicino)
Electrosonic stattet National World War I Museum and Memorial mit AV Stumpfl Pixera aus
Die Echtzeit-Medienserverplattform Pixera von AV Stumpfl bildet das Herzstück der kürzlich erfolgten technologischen Erneuerung des National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Entworfen und integriert wurde diese von Electrosonic.
Pixera unterstützt das Ziel des Museums und der Gedenkstätte, Besucher mit unterschiedlichen Lernstilen anzusprechen. Dazu werden Medien in den modernisierten Räumlichkeiten des Museums verteilt und synchronisiert. Diese umfassen das Theater, mehrere Galerien und vor allem Encounters, ein neues, persönliches Format, das den Besuchern sechzehn Kriegsgeschichten näherbringt.
Im Mittelpunkt des Projekts Encounters stehen vier Nischen. Betreten Besucher diese, werden durch die beleuchteten Markierungen diskret lebensgroße Figuren ausgelöst, die auf realen Persönlichkeiten aus dem Ersten Weltkrieg basieren. Jede Geschichte entfaltet sich durch ein genau choreografiertes Zusammenspiel von Bild und Ton.
Dies wird durch 1,25-mm-Nanolumens-LED-Displays ermöglicht, die die Figuren auf dem Bildschirm darstellen, durch räumliches Audio von Holoplot, das jeden Gast mit Klang umhüllt, ohne in benachbarte Nischen überzugreifen, sowie durch versteckte Projektoren der Christie-Inspire-Serie. Diese werfen einen nach vorn gerichteten „Portal“-Schatten, der das 2D-Bild in eine 3D-Illusion auf dem Boden verwandelt.
Das Rückgrat der Installation bilden drei Pixera-Medienserver (2 x Pixera Two, 1 x Pixera Zero Dual). Sie sequenzieren die Sensorereignisse und Medien so, dass, wenn eine Figur den Raum verlässt, eine andere eintritt. Dadurch sollen Rhythmus und Intimität zwischen den einzelnen Begegnungen erhalten bleiben.
Die Choreografie - vom Erscheinen eines Schattens über dem Kopf über subtile Bewegungen auf dem Fliesenboden bis hin zum Erscheinen der Figur im Bildausschnitt - wird von der Pixera-Engine orchestriert. Diese gewährleistet ein wiederholbares Timing über alle vier Portale hinweg und soll gleichzeitig die Spontaneität und Menschlichkeit der Ausstellung bewahren.
Pixera unterstützt nicht nur Encounters, sondern auch die Wiedergabe und Synchronisation von Inhalten im gesamten Museum und in der Gedenkstätte. Im Kemper-Horizons-Theater vermitteln Projektionen und ein Diorama die brutalen Bedingungen des Grabenkriegs. Die Battlescapes-Experience umgibt Besucher hingegen mit mehreren randlos ineinander übergehenden Projektionen und versetzt sie in einen „Krater“ inmitten eines Artillerie-Bombardements. Für diese Nicht-Encounters-Experiences werden vier Pixera-Two-Server und ein Pixera-Control-Core verwendet.
Durch die Integration in die AV-Workflow-Plattform von Isaac verbindet Pixera die Multi-Space-Experiences miteinander und optimiert die Abläufe für das AV-Team des Museums. „Pixera-Prozessoren werden verwendet, um die Christie-Projektoren zu verbinden - eine nahtlose Integration, die wir an mehreren Standorten eingesetzt haben“, erläutert Chris Johnson, Vice President of Sales bei Electrosonic. „Da im Museum so viel los ist, müssen sie all diese Komplexität bewältigen.“
Die während der Öffnungszeiten des Museums durchgeführte Erneuerung markiert die jüngste Phase einer langjährigen Partnerschaft zwischen dem National World War I Museum and Memorial und Electrosonic. Sie spiegelt den Wunsch des Museums wider, die Technologie in den Hintergrund zu rücken, damit die menschlichen Geschichten im Mittelpunkt stehen können. Weitere Mitwirkende an dem Projekt waren Dot Crew (Mediendesign und -produktion), Technical Artistry (Beleuchtung) und JE Dunn (Fertigung).
(Fotos: ATHNTK/Ricardo Santiago/Electrosonic)
Hippotizer at core of next-gen immersive design in London
Motion Mapping has launched its London Design Centre Experience - a purpose-built immersive environment showcasing advanced media server technology, with Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers at its core.
Designed as a living laboratory rather than a traditional showroom, the Centre invites visitors to step inside fully realized experiential environments where projection mapping and interactive systems transform physical spaces into responsive, data-driven experiences. Running until the end of April 2026, it functions as a working prototype of contemporary spatial design, where projection, LED, sensors, “magic” glass, physical materials, and interactive systems are orchestrated through a unified media server workflow.
For Motion Mapping, the London Design Centre installation was conceived in response to a recurring challenge faced by brands, agencies, and AV professionals: the difficulty of communicating immersive concepts through conventional formats such as videos, renders, presentations, and flat surfaces. “As good as videos are, you don’t get the experience when you’re watching it on a screen”, says Stuart Harris, founder and director of Motion Mapping. “We wanted a place where people could come in, experience immersive environments directly, and understand what’s technically and creatively possible.”
Rather than presenting isolated demos, the Centre integrates multiple technologies into cohesive spatial narratives. Visitors encounter projection-mapped surfaces, mixed-media environments, interactive installations, and responsive architectural elements, each designed to show how immersive technology can operate at scale across commercial, retail, cultural, and entertainment contexts. “We don’t sell what we do, we let people experience it”, notes Harris. “Once people experience immersive technology in a physical space, their understanding changes immediately.”
While LED remains a dominant format in many AV installations, Motion Mapping has positioned projection as a central design tool within the Centre. The installation demonstrates how projection can extend beyond flat surfaces to interact with architectural features, glass, objects, and layered materials. “There’s still a perception that projection has to be flat and in a dark environment”, says Harris. “We’re showing that projection can be used dynamically, in bright spaces, on complex surfaces, and in combination with other media.”
Hybrid environments throughout the Centre combine projection, LED, vinyl graphics, switchable glass, and physical props, illustrating how mixed-media workflows can create depth, theatricality, and spatial continuity. “LED and projection don’t have to be separate”, adds Harris. “When you integrate them, you move from displaying content to designing environments.”
The immersive room’s video infrastructure at the Centre is driven by the Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2. “For us, Hippotizer is a natural platform”, says Harris. “We’ve been using it for a long time, so it’s intuitive. Using Hippotizer’s Shape feature, we can map a room in twenty to thirty minutes, which fundamentally changes how quickly immersive environments can be designed and deployed.”
The Boreal+ MK2 Media Server acts as the backbone of the immersive area’s content pipeline, managing multi-surface projection mapping, real-time playback across multiple outputs, integration with interactive systems and sensors, synchronization of mixed media formats, and rapid reconfiguration for different experiential scenarios. “What used to feel like a science project is now something we can deploy reliably”, continues Harris. “Hippotizer allows us to connect triggers, cues, and interactions seamlessly, so environments respond instantly to user behavior.”
The Centre showcases a range of interactive technologies integrated into the media server workflow. These include QR-based web interactions, RFID triggers, electromagnetic sensors, and responsive surfaces, with real-world brands and products to play with. Rather than treating interaction as an add-on, Motion Mapping uses Hippotizer as a central layer, connecting physical inputs to visual outputs in real time. “Interactive states across the space feed data into a central dashboard”, explains Harris. “That data can be viewed remotely and integrated with other systems, such as POS or analytics platforms.”
This approach demonstrates how immersive environments can function not only as creative experiences but also as measurable, data-driven platforms. Motion Mapping’s installation also highlights applications of immersive technology across retail, brand experience, and entertainment. One example is Motion Mapping’s immersive retail installation for Ikea; another is an automatically triggered video for Doritos to make its products palpable. These live demonstrations bridge the gap between conceptual design and practical implementation.
“When the whole room becomes a canvas, anything is possible”, concludes Harris. “People don’t just imagine immersive environments, they experience them. And once they’ve experienced them, their expectations of space, media, and storytelling change. With the right media server architecture, interaction systems, and creative strategy, they are scalable, measurable, and commercially viable.”
Hong Kong investment bank modernises meeting-room AV systems with Lightware technology
A global investment bank, with offices at Two International Finance Centre in Hong Kong, has partnered with systems integrators Global Vision Engineering (GVE) to modernise its meeting-room AV systems to support the organisation’s hybrid workflows.
After reviewing several technology vendors, the bank selected Lightware as its preferred signal management solution, citing reliable USB-C performance and interoperability with the bank’s global Cisco conferencing standard. “The bank appointed us to design and implement the system architecture, using their preferred Lightware products”, says Chris, Project Manager at GVE. “The bank needed USB-C signal transmission and Cisco integration, and Lightware delivered both.”
The main focus of the project was to create a unified experience built around bring-your-own-meeting (BYOM) usage while adhering to the bank’s corporate security standards. Users needed to walk into a room, plug in a single USB-C cable, and be able to instantly share content whilst also powering their device. In addition to BYOM, the bank required native Cisco Webex functionality. Employees needed to switch between a laptop-driven meeting and a Webex call, without navigating complex controls. Lightware’s integration partnership with Cisco ensured this interoperability worked smoothly.
Finally, the system also needed to be intuitive for everyday users whilst offering enough customisation to meet sophisticated corporate standards. For example, Lightware’s Advanced Room Automation (Lara) platform allowed GVE to create a tailored user interface for the in-room Cisco Navigator touch panels, enabling manual source selection to meet a specific internal requirement. “The ability to customise the control UI directly through Lara was a game-changer for the client”, comments Chris.
In total, the project encompassed fourteen rooms, ranging from small and large meeting rooms to a multifunctional room, which acts as a subdivisible meeting space. Lightware’s partnership with Cisco enhances the use of the bank’s Cisco room devices by expanding connectivity and control. Source switching, AV transmission and room control are all managed through the Cisco Room Navigator panel in each room.
The six small meeting rooms use the Taurus UCX (UCX-4x2-HC40), selected for its compact footprint and ability to support the bank’s Type-C BYOM standard. Here, USB-C and HDMI inputs from BYOM users connect them instantly to the room peripherals, including the Cisco Room Bar Pro, a 55’’ display and other devices such as wireless keyboards and mice.
The on-table Cisco Navigator panels include a custom user interface, programmed by GVE to provide a one-touch option for source selection (USB-C, HDMI or President PC). The Navigator panel, connected to the other devices via the Client LAN (PoE), acts as the single point of interaction in the room, providing plug-and-play efficiency.
Seven large meeting rooms are equipped with Taurus TPX bundles (UCX-4x3-TPX-TX20 and UCX3x3-TPX-RX20), enabling USB-C signal transmission up to 100 meters. These rooms have an additional USB-C input option and the addition of a professional audio system, comprised of a Shure ceiling array microphone, four ceiling loudspeakers and a 75’’ screen.
The UCX-4x3-TPX-TX20 and UCX-3X3-TPX-RX20 transmitter and receiver pair allows multiple HDMI and USB host connections directly at the display’s side - such as a room PC, wireless presentation system, webcam, or speakerphone - while still supporting long-distance signal transmission over a single CAT6 cable.
The multi-functional space is a divisible zone that can be configured as a combined room or two separate rooms combining smaller rooms. This required a more robust switching architecture capable of supporting a wide range of use cases while maintaining full USB-C BYOM compatibility.
GVE deployed a 24x24 MX2M-FR24R-RFP modular matrix. The system uses TPX input cards connected to Taurus UCX-2x1-TPX-TX20 transmitters, while TPX output cards connect to HDMI-TPX-RX107A-SR receivers at each room’s display. This architecture creates a large, flexible matrix where Taurus transmitters act as inputs and TPX receivers as outputs, enabling USB-C signal extension of up to 100 metres across the space.
Using UCX transmitters with MX2M TPX cards and HDMI TPX receivers reduces the number of extenders required, whilst MX2M’s built-in redundancy features ensure reliability for the bank’s most important meetings and events.
(Photos: Lightware Visual Engineering)
Polar supplies Avonic camera systems for AV2000 installation in Northumbria University’s lecture rooms
Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK, hosts around 38,000 students, who study a wide range of subjects including engineering, computing, business, law, design and the arts. The University recently sought to invest in PTZ camera systems for two large lecture theatres at its £100 million City Campus East.
The theatres, in the CCE1 building, host up to 400 attendees and are designed for both teaching and commercial hire, supporting conferences, talks, and large-scale events. The camera solution was to provide automated presenter tracking and high quality capture for live-streaming and recording.
The University consulted with Yorkshire-based integrator AV2000, AV specialists in the education, healthcare, and corporate sectors, who recommended an Avonic solution supplied by Polar, its UK distributor. Over the course of its three-year contract as Northumbria University’s exclusive AV integrator, AV2000 has transformed and enhanced numerous teaching spaces across the campus.
AV2000’s Andrew Cripwell oversaw the project. “We recommended the Avonic product based on a hands-on evaluation of its qualities at ISE 2024 in Barcelona and its endorsement by Polar”, he says. “The University had expressed an initial preference for a different brand, but a further proof of concept demo by Polar persuaded us that the Avonic solution was best. The quality of its optics and strong reputation in the field convinced us that Avonic’s CamDirector Teacher Tracker software used with its PTZ cameras was a perfect fit for the Northumbria University project.”
Avonic’s CamDirector Teacher Tracker is AI software which tracks a lecturer with PTZ cameras, resulting in an automatic multi-camera registration of lectures. The software is trained to detect a single presenter in a lecture room environment, and autonomously switches between overview and close-up shots depending on their movement.
Northumbria University purchased the CD-Trac1 CamDirector Teacher Tracker Software Licence, and AV2000 equipped each lecture room with a CD500 CamDirector Teacher Tracker Software AI processing unit to process, analyse, and transmit video generated by two Avonic CM-70 20x zoom PTZ cameras it controls.
Each system includes a plug-and-play CAP100 HDMI to USB 3.0 converter, which converts any HDMI input into an H.264 encoded USB 3.0 stream. Any source connected to the CAP100 can be used in multiple applications such as video conferencing such as Skype for Business, Zoom.us, WebEx, and more.
“The hardware installation was straightforward, with Avonic providing guidance on optimal camera positioning”, continues Cripwell. “Their remote support sessions ensured that the project progressed with minimal disruption. Similarly, working with Polar has been a consistently positive experience. From early-stage recommendations through to deployment, they’ve been collaborative and proactive.”
(Photos: AV2000/Avonic/Polar)
Christie Jazz Series projectors power L-shaped screen at Building Centre
Three Christie Jazz Series 1DLP laser projectors power a 15-metre-long (49-foot) by 2.8-meter-tall (9.2-foot) display at the Building Centre in London. Jazz Series 4K1600-JS projectors illuminate the L-shaped screen, which offers a backdrop for presentations, product launches, film screenings, and brand storytelling at the hub’s main gallery area.
The project is a collaboration between ARC Audio Visual & IT Solutions Limited, distributor Audio Visual Material (AVM), and Christie. The Building Centre’s main event space, a hub for exhibitions and industry gatherings of up to 350 guests, presented a unique set of requirements due to its size, architectural features, and the diverse nature of events it hosts. The installation posed several challenges, including strong natural light from large windows and the logistical complexities of installing advanced AV technology in a busy, historic venue.
The Building Centre required a solution to replace a single projector set-up, and it had to offer flexibility for a wide range of uses. It needed to support everything from technical CAD walkthroughs and architectural presentations to dynamic video content and live event streaming. Ease of use and remote administration were also priorities, enabling the Building Centre’s in-house team to manage content and AV operations confidently, regardless of the event’s complexity.
The system was designed, supplied, and installed by ARC, with its consultancy, project management, engineering teams, and trainers overseeing the post-installation works. Christie assisted with both the pre-sales meetings, explaining the technical nuances to the client, and was on-site to oversee the final commissioning of the projectors. Since launch, the new display, which spans two walls of the exhibition space with a 90-degree corner, has been used for a series of presentations, showcases, and design-led events.
“We have worked with Christie, via AVM, for twenty years and they are our go-to partner on projects requiring high-end projection”, says Ralph Ellingham, Managing Director at ARC. Danielle Williams, commercial director at AVM, adds: “I’m incredibly proud of how the team came together to deliver this project. Completing such a complex upgrade within just eight weeks was no small feat, but the collaboration between AVM, Christie, and ARC ensured everything was delivered on time.” The Building Centre is now the UK’s only venue with dedicated 4K ultra-high-resolution screens for the built environment sector.
(Photos: Christie Digital Systems)
MVP upgrades OB truck with Calrec Argo M
To keep pace with a rapidly evolving live sports market, Balkan broadcast facility provider Most Valuable Production (MVP) has upgraded its flagship HD1 outside broadcast truck with a Calrec 36-fader Argo M console with internal DSP. As part of the company’s strategic shift towards IP-ready workflows, the upgrade gives MVP’s 17-camera expandable truck the capacity to handle increasingly complex production demands.
MVP, founded in 2015, operates four outside broadcast units, producing live sports content for clients throughout Europe. Ivan Nikolic, MVP’s Owner and Managing Director, is responsible for overseeing the company’s strategy and technical development. “We produce a high volume of live sports content every year and Calrec helps us deliver consistent quality while handling more complex productions with the same crew resources”, he says. “The whole industry is moving towards more flexible, distributed, and IP-based workflows, and Argo M fits perfectly into this strategy.”
With system integration support from Calrec’s Croatian distributor Kapetanovic Systems, the upgrade had an immediate impact at a match during one of Europe’s most prestigious football tournaments within days of installation. Nikolic says the console is now part of MVP’s core setup for upcoming sports productions.
“Our long-term audio strategy is focused on scalability, IP readiness, and consistency across all our OB units”, he says. “Calrec’s equipment makes it easier for us to adapt to these requirements. Kapetanovic Systems played a key role in the integration ensuring a smooth and efficient process, and the support from Calrec before, during and after installation was excellent.”
(Photos: Calrec)
RTVE selects Alfalite Neopix for its first broadcast deployment
Spain’s national public broadcaster RTVE has upgraded one of its main television production facilities in Madrid with the installation of two Alfalite Neopix 1.5 Matix AlfaCOB LED screens, marking the first-ever deployment of Neopix technology in a broadcast environment.
The installation comprises two custom LED displays: a 7 x 2-metre curved screen and a 9 x 1-metre secondary display, both designed to meet the requirements of daily television production. The screens will serve as the primary visual background for news, current affairs and interview-based programming. The project was delivered in collaboration with Datos Media Technologies, Alfalite’s technology partner.
This latest installation builds on a collaboration that began in 2021, when Alfalite first supplied LED technology to RTVE as part of a wider studio modernisation programme. In 2023, that programme included the deployment of 964 Alfalite ModularPix Pro 1.9 Orim LED modules across multiple RTVE production facilities in Madrid and regional centres, in a project also integrated by Datos Media Technologies.
(Photos: Alfalite)
Christie Captiva 1DLP projectors selected for Planet Ice Bristol
Christie projectors are helping to power an immersive, interactive holiday experience at Planet Ice Bristol, England. At “Enchanted Christmas”, Christie partner Attraktion! installed ten Captiva DWU500S 1DLP ultra short throw projectors to power interactive content across the exhibit, mapping onto floors, ceilings, and scenic elements to immerse visitors in the spirit of the season.
The hour-long family attraction begins with guests checking in and receiving an elf alter ego, where they are briefed on their mission to save Christmas at the North Pole. The journey features interactive stations and games, opportunities to explore global festive traditions, songs from around the world, and encounters with a host of seasonal characters.
In the “Gift Express” room, Christie Captiva projectors transform three walls into a canvas where children can help catch flying gifts and wrap them, immersing participants in the festive mission. Meanwhile, in the “Twinkle Studio”, the projectors bring children’s creativity to life by displaying their decorated presents and ornaments as interactive projections around the cosy living room that respond to touch. The experience also features a snowball fight with Jack Frost, a sleigh ride with Santa, and concludes with a brief VR segment.
Attraktion! completed the technical build on the first floor above the venue's main ice pad, re-using the footprint from its prior “Jurassic Immersive Experience” and redesigning and recalibrating content for the Christmas storyline. The projectors are mounted unobtrusively above exhibits, projecting onto floors, scenic surfaces, and set pieces. Media servers handle playback, with Unity and Unreal Engine powering interactive elements alongside motion-tracking sensors.
(Photos: Christie Digital Systems/Immersium Experiences)
Hippotizer drives projection design at Helsinki’s Finnish National Theatre
The new Finnish National Theatre production “Muistopäivä” (Day of Remembrance) features a projection design driven by Hippotizer media servers. The play shines a light on Finnish citizens who defected to the Soviet Union in the 1930s, and vanished during the Stalinist purges. It blends documentary material, poetic theatricality, a stark installation-like stage design and a haunting visual world.
Working in collaboration with the National Archives of Finland and private collections, Finnish National Theatre’s head of lighting and video, Ville Virtanen, had access to more than 147 GB of historical material - letters, diaries, interrogation records, photographs, police files, and personal documents. “Only a fraction ended up on stage, but the material shaped everything”, he explains. “We wanted the audience to feel that these were real people - not abstract history. Using a Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 enabled us to integrate archival textures, handwriting, and documents into a unified, layered visual world.”
The set, designed by Janne Vasama, is intentionally minimal yet visually striking: a glossy, blood-red plexiglass floor; a full-width descending black wall composed of sliding doors; a medium-grey upstage projection screen; and a black tulle between stage and audience for layered projection effects. “I was given free hands with the lighting and video design”, says Virtanen. “The set is essentially an empty stage, but the reflections from the ultra-glossy floor became so visually strong and expressive that they shaped the entire aesthetic. In fact, some rehearsal videos were removed and replaced simply with reflections - they were that powerful.”
The performance space presented significant challenges for projection mapping. A recently added projection “nook” in the back wall positioned the main projector too high, with auditorium lights casting shadows across the image. “To solve this, we hung a second projector above the stage, closer to the screen”, says Virtanen. On projection duties are an Epson EB-PU2216B with ELPM15 lens and a Panasonic DLP PT-DW6300K with ET-DLE080 lens. Virtanen is using multiple Hippotizer viewports per projector, and blended and keystone-aligned outputs for a seamless full-wall image.
“The Boreal+ MK2 made it possible to unify two very different projectors into one large, consistent canvas”, he says. Through MA3 integration, projector lamp and shutter control is routed via the Hippotizer in PJLink, with additional safety controls enabling operators to switch camera inputs instantly if wireless transmission were ever to fail.
A live wireless Sony PXW-Z90 camera, transmitted through a Teradek Bolt 500 Pro, feeds directly into the Hippotizer with almost no latency. “We delay the audio by only about 14.6 ms, which keeps picture and sound perfectly synchronized”, Virtanen says. “That low latency is essential, because almost all the live footage is shot somewhere other than the stage itself.”
After each performance, audiences exit through a foyer installation - currently designed using three projectors - where the names of 5,000 identified victims in 1938 are projected across the walls. “Muistopäivä” was written by Elli Salo and directed by Riikka Oksanen and premiered on November 19, 2025.
(Photos: Green Hippo)
Ryder Cup nutzt BIG-Digital-Kioske mit BrightSign-Playern
Der Ryder Cup ist das größte Mannschaftsevent im professionellen Herrengolf. Teams aus den USA und Europa treten vor über 200.000 Fans an drei Tagen gegeneinander an. Die Ausgabe 2025 fand im September auf dem Bethpage Black Course in Long Island, New York, statt.
Bisher wurden große LED-Videowände verwendet, um alle Ergebnisse, Faninformationen und Live-Übertragungen anzuzeigen. Es gab jedoch nur begrenzte interaktive Lösungen für Fans, die eine angemessene Höhe und Augenhöhe boten, um wichtige Informationen klar und zugänglich im Freien darzustellen.
Das Netzwerk tragbarer, doppelseitiger BIG-Digital-Kioske - ausgestattet mit Digital-Signage-Media-Playern von BrightSign - nutzte nun API-Integrationen mit der PGA of America, um Live-Ergebnisse, Abschlagszeiten/Paarungen und Spielerstandorte bereitzustellen. Jeder Kiosk verfügte über interaktive Elemente und QR-Codes zum Herunterladen von Inhalten, einschließlich der offiziellen Ryder Cup Mobile App.
Die Kioske boten den Zuschauern zudem praktische Informationen, etwa die Verbindung zu WLAN-Netzwerken und die Lage von Erste-Hilfe-Stationen, Ausgängen, Hospitality-Bereichen sowie Essens- und Getränkestationen. Zum Einsatz kamen Rolo-Outdoor-Werbetafeln sowie - in der PGA of America Members Lounge - freistehende Ruby-Indoor-4K-Touch-Kioske.
(Fotos: BIG Digital/BrightSign)
Philips MediaSuite TVs with integrated Google Cast installed at The Europe Hotel and Resort in Ireland
The Europe Hotel and Resort, a 5-star retreat in Killarney, Ireland, has selected PPDS’ Philips MediaSuite TVs with Google Cast to deliver tailored entertainment and seamless one touch access to favourite streaming platforms inside its 180 newly upgraded guest rooms and suites.
With a diverse customer base, each accustomed to their own preferences around how and when they choose to access their favourite media content - whether linear (terrestrial), catch up or streaming via an account - the hotel owners sought a future ready TV solution that could be tailored around the unique needs of every guest.
To achieve this, the team at The Europe Hotel and Resort turned to international hospitality technology integration specialist VDA Telkonet who specified 65’’ Philips MediaSuite TVs for the upgrade program. Primed for integration with the hotel’s existing technology architecture, the TVs fit the The Europe Hotel and Resort’s IPTV network and PMS, delivering on the personalised welcome and experience the team desired for its guests.
The Philips MediaSuite TVs also answered the brief on both size and functionality, bringing integrated Google Cast with no external hardware required, allowing guests to control their viewing experiences by accessing content via their preferred streaming accounts - such as Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, YouTube and more - on their phone.
In addition, MediaSuite TVs provide guests with access to the Google Play store and its apps, catering to every guest’s needs using the TV to access local area information, weather, news, games, music, and more. Philips MediaSuite TVs can receive regular software updates, allowing the hotel to benefit from latest features and functionality.
“One of the things we were looking for, first and foremost, was a larger TV with enhanced features, particularly the built-in casting facility”, says Michael Brennan, Managing Director at The Europe Hotel and Resort. “The MediaSuite TVs delivered on everything we needed for our guests: quality of picture, a new guest information system, built-in casting, and links to our property management system, as well.”
(Photos: PPDS)
Carnival Cruise Line bringt Pixera an Bord
Das Kreuzfahrtunternehmen Carnival Cruise Line nutzt die Medienserverplattform Pixera von AV Stumpfl, um visuelle Inhalte in den Entertainment-Bereichen an Bord zu steuern. Vier der insgesamt 29 Carnival-Schiffe nutzen bereits Pixera, weitere sollen in den kommenden Monaten folgen, als Teil einer Strategie, die Video- und Show-Control-Infrastruktur der Reederei zu modernisieren und zukunftssicher zu machen.
Zu den vier Schiffen, die mit Pixera ausgestattet sind, gehören auch die neuesten Flottenmitglieder, die „Carnival Encounter“ und die „Carnival Adventure“, die im März 2025 ihre Jungfernfahrten ab Brisbane bzw. Sydney absolvierten. Auf den modernisierten Schiffen erleben Gäste Pixera in unterschiedlichen Entertainment-Bereichen, von den Haupttheatern und Lounges bis hin zu kleineren Venues wie Comedy-Clubs.
Nach langjähriger Erfahrung mit anderen Media-Servern sei für Carnival unter anderem der Hardware-unabhängige Ansatz von Pixera ausschlaggebend gewesen. „Pixera gibt uns die Flexibilität, unsere speziell angefertigten Server zu nutzen, was für unseren Workflow essenziell ist“, erklärt Grant Kruger, Entertainment Technical Fleet Supervisor - Lighting bei Carnival Cruise Line. „Wir betreuen den gesamten technischen Betrieb auf 29 Kreuzfahrtschiffen intern, von der Wartung der Fixtures bis hin zu den Media-Servern.“
Die Pixera-Software erfülle auch die Anforderungen der Reederei in Bezug auf fortschrittliches Tracking und Automation, so Kruger. Von besonderer Bedeutung sei dabei die nahtlose Integration mit wichtigen Drittanbieter-Protokollen: „Es gibt nicht viele Media-Server, die sowohl PSN (PosiStageNet) als auch Notch unterstützen. Unsere Automationssysteme senden PSN-Daten an die Media-Server - wir brauchen also Echtzeit-Tracking, und Pixera liefert das.“
Mittels Show-Management- und Timeline-Tools von Pixera könne das Carnival-Team zudem Projektordner von einem Schiff auf das nächste übertragen und mit geringem Programmieraufwand anpassen. Lichtdesigner und -programmierer des Upgrade-Projekts ist David Horner von VC Live Ltd.
(Foto: Carnival Cruise Line)
Riedel liefert Kommunikations- und Netzwerkinfrastruktur für FISU Games
Riedel Communications war offizieller Partner der FISU World University Games 2025 im Rhein-Ruhr-Gebiet und lieferte Managed-Technology-Service, der die Kommunikations- und Netzwerkinfrastruktur für alle Veranstaltungsorte und das International Broadcast Center (IBC) umfasste.
Das Riedel-Team sorgte für Konnektivität und Koordination bei einem der größten Multisport-Events des Jahres, einschließlich der Eröffnungs- und Abschlusszeremonien. Die in mehreren Städten der Rhein-Ruhr-Region ausgetragenen Spiele erforderten ein skalierbares Backbone-Netzwerk, um reibungslose Produktionsabläufe in 23 Sportstätten und der IBC in Essen zu ermöglichen. Riedels Managed-Technology-Team lieferte Internetkonnektivität, Intercom- und Funksysteme sowie Remote-Monitoring und operative Unterstützung.
„Unser Team hat eine Netzwerkinfrastruktur mit rund 53 Kilometern temporärer Multicore-Glasfaserkabel eingerichtet, die alle Veranstaltungsorte über ein zentrales Glasfasernetz miteinander verbanden“, erklärt Lukas Stellmacher, Senior Project Manager bei Riedel Communications. „Im IBC haben wir ein spezielles Network Operation Center (NOC) eingerichtet, in dem Experten alle Systeme in Echtzeit überwachen und verwalten konnten.“ Binnen acht Wochen sei das gesamte Netzwerk implementiert worden.
Im Zentrum stand ein kollaboratives Kommunikationssystem, in dem Riedel-Technologien eine Schlüsselrolle spielten. An allen Veranstaltungsorten und im IBC wurden Artist-Intercom-Systeme, Bolero-Beltpacks, SmartPanels und MediorNet-Nodes vom Riedel-Team und anderen Gewerken der Broadcast- und Eventproduktion eingesetzt. Für bestimmte Wettbewerbe wurde auch Riedels Bolero-S-RefComms-System im agilen Standalone-Modus implementiert, um klare Kommunikation zwischen den Schiedsrichtern zu gewährleisten. Die Systeme wurden nahtlos in ein einheitliches Netzwerk eingebunden, das verschiedene Produktionsbereiche verknüpfte.
Für die Produktionskommunikation wurden 2.000 Motorola-MXP600-Funkgeräte in einem Tetra-Netzwerk mit zwanzig DAMM- und Motorola-Systemen eingesetzt. Diese Konfiguration unterstützte 300 Funkgruppen in 28 Zonen und ermöglichte zuverlässige Kommunikation für Mitarbeiter und Sicherheitspersonal. Riedels Juggler-Technologie verband die Tetra-Funkgeräte, Bolero-Drahtlos-Intercoms und Artist-Intercom-Systeme zu einer interoperablen Plattform.
Darüber hinaus verantwortete das Riedel-Team umfassende IT-Dienstleistungen. Ein zentrales IT-Netzwerk verband alle Standorte und unterstützte Intercom, Internet-Access-Points sowie spezielle Anwendungen wie Audiodeskription, die zentral aus dem IBC ferngesteuert und überwacht wurden. Das Team stellte außerdem 450 Laptops, fünfzig Tablets und 130 vernetzte Multifunktionsdrucker in allen Betriebsbereichen bereit, welche die technologische Grundlage für logistische und administrative Arbeitsabläufe bildeten.
(Fotos: Riedel Communications)
Ledcon wird Partner der 2. Basketball-Bundesliga
Die 2. Basketball-Bundesliga und die Ledcon Systems GmbH haben eine langfristige Partnerschaft geschlossen. Der Spezialist für LED-Videotechnik mit Sitz in Rheine wird die Liga künftig als offizieller Partner unterstützen.
„Mit Ledcon gewinnen wir einen Partner, der perfekt zu unserer Liga passt“, sagt Christian Krings, Geschäftsführer der 2. Basketball-Bundesliga. „Moderne Bild- und Präsentationstechnik ist ein wesentlicher Bestandteil des Sporterlebnisses und steigert die Attraktivität für Fans und Partner gleichermaßen.“
„Basketball steht für Dynamik, Schnelligkeit und Emotion - genau das möchten wir mit unseren LED-Lösungen sichtbar machen“, ergänzt Udo Bloms, Geschäftsführer, Ledcon. „Gemeinsam wollen wir die mediale Strahlkraft des Basketballs weiter stärken.“
(Foto: Felix Krueppel)
Christie GS Series projectors power Ghostly Manor attraction at Paultons Park
Christie 1DLP laser projectors are delivering immersive visuals at Ghostly Manor, a new dark ride at Paultons Park in Hampshire, UK. Designed and installed by Lagotronics Projects, the £3.5 million attraction combines physical sets, projection mapping, and interactive gameplay to create a thrilling ghost-themed adventure. Six Christie DWU1100-GS and two DWU1400-GS laser projectors bring the haunted scenes to life.
Ghostly Manor uses a new ride format, Gameplay Theater, created by Mack Rides and Lagotronics Projects. Continuously rotating vehicles, each seating eight passengers back-to-back, reveal new environments with each turn. Guests are equipped with Phantom Phasers, onboard interactive “blasters” that allow them to capture ghosts across eight unique scenes. The format allows for high guest throughput in a small circular footprint to maximise efficiency and reduce queuing, and the ride concludes with a score scene displaying guest performance and photos.
With the vehicles located close to the screen, the team had to install projectors from a high angle to avoid casting shadows from the players, while avoiding warping and blending artifacts. Christie provided technical support, and 0.37-0.4:1 ultra short throw lenses were used with each projector to achieve the desired result, projecting onto surfaces approximately 10 m wide by 3.5 m high (32 ft by 11.5 ft). The ride was built on the site of a former 4D theatre.
(Photos: Lagotronics Projects/Paultons Park)
Unicol mounts support major video wall installation across UK Bingo sites
Unicol Engineering, a provider of audio-visual mounting solutions, has supported a major nationwide LED video wall installation across multiple bingo sites throughout the UK. The project, delivered by AV integrator Willow Communications, saw Unicol’s Spirit dvLED Video Wall Mounts installed at venues operated by Mecca Bingo, Buzz Bingo, Club3000 and Deluxe Bingo in locations including Leeds, Northampton, Sheffield, Ipswich, Broadstairs and Wakefield.
The installations feature a variety of LED video wall configurations, ranging from compact 2,560 x 1,440 mm displays to expansive 12,000 x 2,000 mm installations. With configurations from 4 x 3 panel arrays up to substantial 24 x 4 arrays, all utilised Hisense’s XIM, XIH and RNM ranges of dvLED panels.
Unicol’s Spirit dvLED Video Wall Mount proved essential in accommodating the diverse requirements across the various venues. The mounting system’s built-in adjustment capabilities, providing 20 mm of movement both horizontally and vertically through its wall-tie bracket design, meant installers could work with different wall types and overcome on-site challenges. Over 410,000 metres of Unicol’s 40x40 aluminium extrusion was used across the installations.
Willow Communications drew on over 35 years of experience in AV installations to deliver the complex multi-site rollout within tight timeframes, all while minimising disruption to venue operations. “The final result looks great. It’s clean, sharp, and just works”, states James Pearson, Project Manager at Willow Communications. “It was a solid team effort between us, Hisense, and Unicol.”
(Photos: Unicol Engineering)
Brompton Technology empowers S4 Studios’ virtual production workflow for Discovery’s “Expedition Files”
S4 Studios, a creative design and production studio specialising in Virtual Production, Visual FX and Motion Graphics, has partnered with Brompton Technology to deliver a virtual production workflow for Ping Pong Productions’ “Expedition Files”, a new series from the Discovery Channel. With the support of Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED video processors, S4 Studios achieved an ambitious production pace, completing up to 25 shots per day, while maintaining real time control across their LED stage.
Filmed at Brandon Studios in Burbank, California, “Expedition Files” follows host Josh Gates as he investigates historical enigmas and unsolved mysteries from around the world. The shoot required constant environment changes, rapid turnaround, and seamless coordination between physical and virtual elements, a perfect challenge for S4 Studios’ real time production pipeline.
“On most shoots, LED processors only control brightness and color temp”, explains Geoffrey Kater, Owner and Senior Creative Director at S4 Studios. “Brompton’s color science gives us more - input switching, NIT levels, ShutterSync, phase, fade-to-black, freeze functions, all mapped to a Stream Deck for real-time changes. That kind of flexibility became a vital part of our on-set workflow.”
The S4 Studios’ production team includes Lead Unreal Engineer Macario Alvarez, a seasoned developer with years of experience across top-tier game studios, and Supervising Engineer Ben Betts, a specialist in LED wall systems with more than thirty years of on-set playback engineering for motion pictures. Together, they support a creative-to-delivery pipeline for film, television, and commercial content. “None of this could have been achieved without the creative team at Ping Pong Productions that brought this project to S4 and had the vision to utilize complex Virtual Production technology for this show”, says Kater.
The studio’s client portfolio includes Discovery Channel, History Channel, EA Sports, Paramount, Warner Brothers, BBC Worldwide, NBC Universal, Walt Disney Television, Lionsgate, PlayStation, along with a wide range of advertising agencies and music labels.
For “Expedition Files”, S4 Studios deployed Assimilate Live FX instead of Unreal Engine, opting for layered 2.5D environments with camera tracking to maximize speed and responsiveness. The LED volume, featuring ROE Visual BPv2 (Black Pearl) panels and driven by Brompton’s 4K Tessera SX40 LED video processors, enabled fast setup changes without sacrificing creative flexibility.
“This show required us to move fast, with six or more setups per day, for up to 25 shots”, explains Kater. “There’s no room for technical downtime. With Brompton, we could instantly shift between setups, freeze frames using Frame Store, adjust brightness, color temperature, LUTs, mapping or switch inputs with zero disruption. It’s a game-changer.”
Brompton’s SDI/HDMI multiple input capabilities also played a key role. “We had one system running Live FX with camera tracking and another for standalone video playback”, says Kater. “With Brompton, we could prep new scenes on a second machine, and switch inputs instantly when ready, with no repatching and no lag.” Working closely with their stage partner Brandon Studios, who invested in Brompton Tessera hardware, S4 Studios built a custom Stream Deck interface for managing the processors during live shoots.
“We created layouts that let our engineers control the processors directly, switching sources, toggling profiles, applying screen effects, all at the push of a button”, continues Kater. “We also built profiles for different setups within the Tessera software, so loading a new scene was just one click. That kind of repeatability is massive when you are doing shot after shot.”
This level of real-time responsiveness allowed S4 to choreograph entire scenes, from Arctic shipwrecks and jungle expeditions to the fog-filled streets of 19th-century London, using physical props, layered media, and camera tracking.
(Photos: Brompton Technology/S4 Studios)
TV Skyline chooses Wisycom for ADAC 24-Hour Race
TV Skyline, one of Germany’s leading broadcast providers, supports a wide range of productions across Europe and beyond. From Bundesliga and Champions League matches to large-scale entertainment and music events, the company is experienced in complex live broadcasting. For many years, TV Skyline has helped deliver broadcast coverage at the ADAC 24-Hour Race at the Nürburgring. Renowned for its technical challenges and vast terrain, the event requires a robust and highly flexible RF system.
The historic ADAC 24-Hour Race at Nürburgring is one of the world’s most legendary racing events. Starting in the afternoon on a Saturday and concluding 24 hours later, the annual endurance race garnered around 300,000 attendees on-site this year alone. The track, reaching almost 22 kilometers long with nearly 300 meters in elevation change, holds around 120 cars in participation - ranging from amateur to major teams - all sharing about thirty pit spaces. “It’s a logistical beast”, says Daniel Jäger, Sound Engineer, TV Skyline. With unpredictable weather, dense crowds and a tight race environment, the Nürburgring presented significant RF and operational hurdles. “It’s more like a motorsport festival”, says Alexander Wenke, TV Skyline’s OB Truck Manager. “For 24 hours, the drivers and crew need to perform without fail.”
TV Skyline brought two OB vans to the site: one to handle the international feed and another for national coverage in Germany. The main OB van managed approximately seventy cameras stationed along the track, with about 100 microphones capturing audio. Given the size of the area, a conventional wireless setup wasn’t an option. “That’s why Wisycom’s fiber-based RF solutions were essential”, says Jäger. “It allowed us to connect multiple antennas across vast distances and operate as if it’s one big RF zone. Otherwise, we would have needed individual receivers everywhere, which is not efficient.”
The company deployed Wisycom’s MFL fiber links, MRK980 receivers, MTK952 transmitters, MTH400 handhelds, MPR30 IEM belt packs and RPU500 portable transmitters. For camera receivers, they used MCR42 and MCR54 units, providing a backup layer to ensure audio integrity. “Each of the two camera presenters had a sound technician, who each mixed their respective presenter and guest microphones on location and sent it to the OB van via RPU500. This eliminated latency and ensured the talent could hear themselves, which is crucial in the noisy pit lane”, Jäger explains. “While this could be made easier by just using the back-up receivers on the radio cameras, the moderators would not be able to hear themselves due to the latency.” Wisycom’s ISO frequency technology was also critical. “It let us transmit the same frequency across multiple antennas, so our talent can roam freely without losing signal or needing to switch packs”, adds Jäger. “It was seamless.”
The Nürburgring environment is notoriously hostile to wireless systems. The pit lane alone spans nearly 400 meters, with concrete and metal structures throughout the facility, all while dozens of teams run their own RF gear with no official coordination. “There’s no clear RF spectrum”, says Jäger. “Some amateur teams bring outdated or unregulated gear, and the environment changes daily. What worked Tuesday might be unusable by Thursday. Wisycom handles it with resilience and headroom.”
Despite the scale and complexity, the TV Skyline crew, including eighteen engineers on-site, deployed the system with precision. “We have it down to a process now”, says Stefan Thenmayer, Head of Audio at TV Skyline and A1 for the race. “We use Google Maps to plan antenna placements, coordinate what’s needed with the team and adapt to whatever the broadcast station requires. The system is versatile enough to work over both fiber and RF cable, which makes setup much easier.”
(Photos: Wisycom)
BES helps The Star Theatre in Singapore modernize video ingest workflow with AJA and ToolsOnAir
Systems integrator Broadcast Engineering Services (BES) has upgraded the legacy video ingest system at The Star Theatre/The Star Performing Arts Centre in Singapore with a new HD and 4K recording pipeline, comprising AJA Video Systems’ Io 4K Plus and Io X3 I/O devices integrated with ToolsOnAir’s Just:in mac multi-channel video recording software.
“The Star came to us looking to revamp its HD recording pipeline, but with support for 4K, as it anticipates future client demand for higher resolution files”, explains BES Project Director Brian Li Chuan. “Having deployed AJA’s I/O devices and Just:in Mac across other installs, we knew the combination would suit their needs. Beyond meeting their technical specifications, the setup was attractive to their team because it would allow them to ingest multiple HD and 4K ingest sources using a Mac Studio.”
The technology deployed across productions at The Star varies depending on the artist, group, or event. With fifteen cameras in-house, the venue AV team typically leverages anywhere from two to all fifteen cameras and a switcher for each event, from which HD signals are sent through to Io X3 devices and ingested into Just:in Mac for recording. Occasionally, clients bring their own cameras and ancillary equipment, in which case, the signals are patched into the theatre control room and similarly fed through an Io X3 and recorded via Just:in Mac. If a client requests 4K, The Star can ingest signals through its Io 4K Plus units. After each event wraps, its team hands over the files to the client, so they can use the recordings however they see fit.
“Having a single interface powered by AJA I/O gear and Just:in Mac, where The Star’s AV team can manage multiple concurrent camera recordings, has been a game changer”, says Li Chuan. “It’s now easier for one team member to stop, start, and pause recordings from one central interface, whereas before the team had to switch between multiple PCs to do each recording. With Just:in Mac, The Star’s AV team can also listen to audio feeds coming through the recording system from different sources to ensure everything is in sync. The Io X3 and Io 4K Plus also make it easy to select and assign various recording profiles across sources, including MP4, Apple ProRes, and more.”
Anticipating what comes next, BES and The Star are exploring how the facility might transition from baseband video to SMPTE 2110 in the future.
(Photos: AJA Video Systems/BES)
Lightware reimagines Japan’s Xross Theater with advanced video distribution technology
Lightware’s MX2-48X48-HDMI20-A-R matrix switcher has become a pivotal component in bringing the Koishikawa Xross Digital Museum to life. This immersive theater - located at Toppan Koishikawa in Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan - is designed to transport visitors into 360° environments, with the use of ultra-high-resolution displays and next-generation AV integration, made possible through a collaboration between For-A Co., Ltd., MTC Japan and Lightware Visual Engineering.
The theater boasts a 16K Crystal LED screen, along with a Leyard ceiling LED screen and an LED floor screen, designed to fully immerse audiences. Toppan required a system that could support HDMI 2.0 distribution across a 64x64 matrix, providing seamless 4K 60P RGB 4:4:4 video quality. As there were no domestic manufacturers that offered a 64x64 HDMI matrix that supported 18 Gbps with non-blocking and met RGB 4:4:4 specifications, MTC Japan, the project’s AV integration partner, turned to Lightware.
“We needed a high-capacity solution that could handle the 18 Gbps data stream efficiently, and Lightware’s MX2-48X48-HDMI20-A-R was the only matrix switcher capable of meeting these requirements”, says MTC’s Junji Matsuoka. “The high-level video distribution capability of the MX2 was a game changer. In addition to offering a 64x64 HDMI 2.0 matrix, the MX2’s seamless integration with control systems through Lightware’s LW2 protocol simplified what could have been an intricate setup.”
At the heart of Xross Theater’s AV system is a PC server developed by Toppan that outputs eight signals, all routed through Lightware’s matrix to the video wall processor. On the output side, the MX2-48X48-HDMI20-A-R distributes signals to the RGBlink X8 processor with 24 inputs, which handle the 16K projections on the Crystal LED screen.
“The biggest challenge was coordinating all the moving parts and ensuring seamless integration”, says Yu Nakamura from Toppan Inc. “Lightware’s MX2 played a key role in overcoming these hurdles. It gave us confidence that the video distribution would be executed, which was crucial for the immersive environment we wanted to create.”
(Photos: Toppan Inc.)
