AV-Medientechnik News

Vitec powers matchday innovation at BayArena

Vitec’s IPTV and digital signage solution at BayArena - home of German Bundesliga football team Bayer 04 Leverkusen - has uprated the stadium’s media infrastructure, enabling seamless, low-latency video delivery and future-ready digital signage across one of Germany’s most modern football venues.

The flexible, scalable platform supports a wide range of content sources and legacy hardware, to ensure the desired experiences for fans, VIPs, and staff alike, while laying the groundwork for next-generation fan engagement and operational efficiency.

The club’s technical team, TecArena Plus, identified the need to upgrade their aging video head-end infrastructure. The previous system had reached end-of-life, prompting the search for a solution that could support a wide range of content sources and deliver seamless, low-latency video to hundreds of screens throughout the venue.

TecArena Plus faced several challenges in its search for a new head-end system. The stadium required a platform capable of ingesting and distributing satellite, SDI, HDMI, and IP sources, including live match feeds, broadcaster signals, as well as custom event content. With approximately 600 screens and displays, ranging from concourse video walls to VIP lounge TVs, the solution needed to be flexible and compatible with both legacy and future hardware.

Operational efficiency was also a priority, with the team seeking a system that was intuitive for technical staff and robust enough to support evolving digital signage and fan engagement initiatives. After an evaluation of available technologies, TecArena Plus chose to deploy a suite of Vitec equipment: eight G4512 RF gateways for satellite broadcast distribution, a C1210 chassis, sixteen Diamond OG encoders for SDI live input sources, two OG-X chassis, four Diamond-H encoders for SDI and HDMI live input sources, and a Prism transcoder for IP video sources. The system is supported by a three-year Gold Support package.

An 80x80 SDI video router distributes signals to all encoders and enables seamless switching between live match feeds, broadcaster content, and in-house productions. Content is distributed to approximately 600 screens, including multi-screen walls in concourses, VIP lounges, meeting rooms, and press areas. While legacy media players remain in use, the infrastructure is ready for future upgrades. The system delivers a minimum of HDMI (Full HD) resolution, with the capability to ingest and downscale 4K sources as needed, and potential to upgrade to 4K in future.

Diamond-H encoders provide sub-second latency for live events, improving the experience for VIPs and event guests. The user interface is also more intuitive than the legacy system, streamlining content management for technical staff. The infrastructure is future-ready, supporting advanced digital signage, personalised fan experiences, and scalable upgrades as new technologies emerge.

Installation was rapid, with the system operational within three days during the offseason, due to pre-configuration by Vitec Germany. Bayer 04 Leverkusen and TecArena Plus are exploring new ways to leverage the Vitec platform, including advanced digital signage, personalised VIP experiences, and further integration with fan engagement technologies.

(Photos: Bayer Leverkusen 04/Vitec)

www.vitec.com

TVOne Calico Pro anchors City National Bank’s new Financial Center headquarters

When the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off this summer, employees at City National Bank’s new Financial Center headquarters gathered in the breakroom, which featured a 32-foot by 9-foot, 0.9 mm pixel pitch direct-view LED video wall, driven by a Calico Pro video processor from TVOne.

The wall is the centerpiece of the recently completed first phase of a building-wide AV deployment by integrator Avology. Working closely with City National Bank, its architects, consultants and trade partners, Avology delivered complete audiovisual integration services - including system engineering, project management, installation, programming, commissioning, testing and end-user training - under the leadership of CEO Jorge Miralles and COO Andrew Menendez.

“The first phase of the project included audiovisual systems deployed across more than thirty conference rooms, huddle spaces and training rooms, all designed to provide a consistent Microsoft Teams Room experience and intuitive presentation capabilities throughout the building”, says Menendez.

The breakroom, though, was conceived as something more: the building’s town square, hosting company-wide meetings, employee communications, live presentations and major events. Driving its DVLED wall is the Calico Pro C7-Pro-2200. “The Calico Pro provides the processing performance required to drive the high-resolution DVLED display while enabling multiple content sources to be displayed simultaneously without compromising latency”, says Miralles.

That processing headroom lets City National Bank switch between a wide range of content on the same canvas: corporate branding, executive presentations, live events, financial dashboards, digital signage, Microsoft Teams meetings, employee communications and live television broadcasts. “Its layout management functionality also provides the flexibility to adapt content configurations in the future without replacing hardware”, notes Miralles.

Following commissioning, Avology trained City National Bank staff on room operation, presentation workflows and general system functionality. “The systems were designed to be intuitive, allowing employees to operate meeting rooms and presentation spaces with minimal training, while AV support personnel retain access to centralized management tools for future configuration requirements”, says Menendez.

As additional phases of the headquarters are completed, Avology will continue deploying AV technologies using the same scalable design philosophy to ensure a consistent experience throughout the building.

(Photos: TVOne)

www.tvone.com

Christie and CES Plus to install latest technology in select Marcus Theatres premium large-format auditoriums

CES Plus and Christie have announced that Christie 4K RGB pure laser projection will be installed in auditoriums across Marcus Theatres, the fourth-largest theatre circuit in the U.S. The technology will enhance twenty UltraScreen and five SuperScreen DLX premium large-format (PLF) auditoriums to combine giant screens with immersive sound and premium amenities.

Under the partnership, CES Plus will serve as the technology partner responsible for project design, equipment procurement, installation, calibration, and ongoing remote service - replacing aging lamp-based projectors with Christie RGB pure laser cinema systems. CES Plus will provide turnkey project management and post-installation support to ensure consistent performance across the Marcus Theatres circuit.

“Marcus Theatres will be the first exhibitor to implement a large-scale rollout of Christie VDR technology in their PLF auditoriums for ultra-high-contrast images, far exceeding industry standards, and including the capability for more than double the typical 3D brightness normally seen in cinemas around the world”, comments Dr. Don Shaw, executive director of Cinema, Christie.

(Photos: Marcus Theatres)

www.christiedigital.com

www.ces.plus

LiveU delivers record-breaking LIQ and cloud service deployment for World Football Championship 2026

LiveU announces it has set historic performance records during the 2026 World Football Championship. Spanning six weeks, sixteen stadiums in three host nations, and 104 matches, the operation represents the largest and most complex broadcast footprint in LiveU’s history. LiveU served as the IP backbone and remote cloud production (REMI) ecosystem for a significant share of non-rights and unilateral coverage across Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

To meet this demand, broadcasters, production houses, football federations, and digital content creators - including independent creators and IRL streamers covering the event on their own channels - as well as public safety institutions, deployed a record 1,700 portable field units. The operation supported 31,000 live transmissions and 17,000 broadcast hours for customers in 45 countries, representing 695 TB of data.

Coverage spanned pre-match briefings, official training sessions, press conferences, in-stadium editorial positions, fan zones, team hotels and IRL creator streams from city centers and public viewing areas. Leading broadcasters also deployed LiveU technology across additional camera positions to capture unilateral feeds for richer multi-angle coverage.

The multi-site broadcast effort was anchored by the company’s LU800 multi-camera field unit and intelligent production unit LU900Q, both powered by the smart routing capabilities of LiveU IQ (LIQ) AI-driven connectivity technology. The combination enabled low-latency, 4K-ready content to be delivered directly to millions of viewers worldwide.

“The sheer scale of this cross-border deployment reflects a joint collaboration with our global customers and partners to push the boundaries of live sports productions”, says Gideon Gilboa, Chief Business Officer and GM Americas at LiveU. “We didn’t just supply equipment; we worked in partnership with our customers in advance to design and refine workflows to meet their operational needs and budgets. By shifting heavy infrastructure to the cloud, our customers could expand their tournament footprint and capture more angles. LIQ and the LU900Q both demonstrated LiveU’s focus on robust, high-performance field connectivity.”

According to LiveU, broadcasters leveraging LIQ during the tournament achieved up to 35 percent higher average bitrates and maintained near-zero packet loss, even within those highly congested environments. LiveU notes that LIQ’s performance in the US market made a measurable difference for broadcasters operating across multiple cities and time zones.

LIQ was complemented by LiveU Mobile Data, LiveU’s cellular connectivity offering, connecting teams to multiple networks. All LiveU rental units came with Mobile Data as default, saving international teams from the hassle of sourcing local SIM cards in the US.

“When it was announced that Boston would be a host city, we knew this event would be massive”, says Adam Liberatore, Chief Photographer, WFXT Boston 25 News. “As rights holders, we immediately planned for a collaboration with LiveU to assist with giving us the bandwidth necessary to put on an in-stadium newscast. The LU800 helped turn this platform into a mobile newsroom with one unit handling up to four video sources. The LU800 and LIQ connectivity helped our lean production crew make this global event memorable for our viewers.”

Field transmission was only half of the story. Broadcasters heavily relied on the LiveU EcoSystem, a unified suite of cloud-native tools spanning the entire live production workflow, to execute sophisticated REMI workflows without sending massive production trucks to every venue. LiveU Central gave operations teams a single point of visibility across every unit in the field.

LiveU Ingest automated file-based recording and metadata tagging for rapid highlights and LiveU Nexus handled ingest, conversion, and distribution of live streams from traditional encoders to social media. LiveU Matrix routed live camera feeds to global newsrooms, production hubs, and distribution partners.

With deployments built around remote production, it reduced the need for massive on-site crews, for example cutting travelling headcount by around forty percent, according to LiveU. The team was on the ground in all key locations. When urgent deployments arose, LiveU teams bypassed shipping entirely, hand-delivering equipment directly to stadiums and production hubs to keep broadcasters on air.

LiveU’s partnership with One Media was central to managing that complexity in Mexico, where close to 200 systems were coordinated, staged, and tested more than a month before the opening match. The guiding principle was simple: the operational complexity was LiveU’s to absorb, not the customers, to ensure every client - whether running a full REMI workflow from their home country or streaming from a pop-up fan zone position - could focus entirely on editorial output.

“The 2026 World Football Championship was a true proving ground for modern sports broadcasting, demanding unmatched logistical agility and flawless network resilience”, says Gilboa. “By combining our purpose-built hardware, open architecture, and global footprint with AI-driven cloud orchestration, we showed that broadcasters don’t need a heavy physical presence on-site to deliver coverage. We’re already deep in preparations for 2030 - Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and Uruguay present an even greater logistical challenge, and we intend to meet it the same way.”

www.liveu.tv

Brompton Technology powers virtual production workflow for ITV’s “Believe Me”

Brompton Technology’s LED processors provided the processing backbone for the virtual production workflow used on “Believe Me”, ITV’s four-part true-crime drama produced by Etta Pictures, part of ITV Studios.

With a significant proportion of the drama taking place inside a black cab travelling through London at night, virtual production specialist Fivefold Studios developed a controlled LED workflow that could support the story’s creative, technical and performance requirements. The production used a 30-m-wide by 4-m-high ROE Visual BP2V2 LED wall driven by four Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 processors.

Filming the scenes conventionally on a low-loader would have required extensive night shoots on London streets and, according to the Fivefold team, could have taken between three and five times longer. “The controlled environment also helped protect the performances from the practical pressures of shooting such disturbing material at night on the streets of London”, explains Tom Murphy, Head of Production at Fivefold Studios.

“Many of the key dramatic beats depended on traffic lights changing and the cab following specific routes”, he continues. “Being able to programme those events, trigger them on cue and repeat them accurately allowed us to remain faithful to the script in a way that would have been extremely difficult on a low-loader.”

Fivefold became involved early in the process, with initial discussions beginning in early 2025. Three months before the shoot, the company worked with the production’s heads of department to test and validate the colour and image pipeline at its R&D Hub. The facility replicates the complete production workflow on a smaller scale, allowing technical questions to be resolved and creative approaches tested before the full-scale stage and crew were required.

At the centre of this preparation was the ability to establish a reliable 10-bit image pipeline with an accurate reference for the displayed image and its colour transforms. Using the same Brompton workflow during research and development and on set enabled Fivefold to refine the setup in advance, providing a more controlled and predictable starting point when principal photography began.

Working closely with cinematographer Bryan Gavigan, the gaffer and the DIT, Fivefold aligned the LED imagery with the physical lighting and camera requirements. “Our main job was to ensure that the background never took the audience out of the moment or the performance”, Murphy notes. “That meant getting the brightness, contrast, colour, perspective and scale right, while maintaining a detailed record of every setup so that the production always had a faithful reference.”

Lighting fixtures could also be driven by the video playback, enabling synchronised effects to be mapped to specific areas of the content and reproduced consistently between takes. Detailed records were maintained for every setup, scene and take, providing the crew and production with an accurate reference should a sequence need to be revisited.

An iPad-based interface allowed the virtual production supervisor to remain alongside Ford and trigger events, reset the sequence to its starting position and reproduce cues efficiently. For the actors, the real-time environment provided visible movement and lighting to respond to naturally, reducing the need for additional direction and helping performances remain synchronised with the world outside the vehicle.

The controlled workflow also expanded what the production could achieve beyond the cab sequences. One opening shot, featuring a bus crossing a bridge and passing the London Eye, was written into the drama because virtual production made the sequence achievable with significantly less practical risk.

Fivefold has used Brompton processing across the majority of its productions to date, while several members of its team have worked with the technology since 2020.

(Photos: Fivefold Studios)

www.bromptontech.com

Infileds DBmk2-Serie macht Studio von Kanal 75 fit für den Broadcast-Betrieb

Kanal 75 produziert mehr Live-Übertragungsstunden als jedes andere Produktionsunternehmen in der nordischen Region und liefert an jedem Tag des Jahres mehr als vierzehn Stunden Live-Sportprogramm für Zuschauer in Schweden und international.

Als das Unternehmen beschloss, eines seiner Produktionsstudios in Stockholm zu modernisieren, bestand die Aufgabe darin, eine in die Jahre gekommene Miet-LED-Wand durch eine permanente Installation zu ersetzen, die sowohl den täglichen Broadcast-Betrieb als auch die kreativen Ambitionen des Produktionsteams unterstützt. Die DBmk2-Serie von Infiled erwies sich dabei als passende Lösung.

Die bisher genutzte, 2 x 6 Meter große Miet-LED-Wand entsprach nicht mehr den Anforderungen von Kanal 75. Christian Bruns, Studio Manager bei Kanal 75, leitete die Suche nach einer neuen Lösung, die den Anforderungen einer hochfrequenten Live-Broadcast-Umgebung gerecht werden und dem Kreativteam gleichzeitig mehr Freiraum für die Entwicklung neuer Formate bieten sollte, darunter Live-on-Tape-Produktionen und experimentelle visuelle Hintergründe.

Nach Demos auf der International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) und der NAB Show sowie der Empfehlung eines langjährigen Kontakts aus der Broadcast-Branche entschied sich Bruns für die DBmk2-Serie und arbeitete während des gesamten Projekts eng mit dem schwedischen Team von Infiled zusammen.

Die neue Installation besteht aus einer 2 x 8 Meter großen gebogenen LED-Wand, bei der flache und 10°-gebogene Panels der DBmk2-Serie kombiniert wurden, um an einem Ende der LED-Wand einen sanften 90°-Bogen zu erzeugen. In Kombination mit einem Novastar-MX40-Pro-LED-Prozessor verleiht dieses Design dem Studio mehr räumliche Tiefe und sorgt für eine immersive Bildwirkung. Gleichzeitig bietet es größere Flexibilität bei der Positionierung der Kameras für unterschiedliche Programmformate.

Per Quick-Lock-System wurden die Cabinets sicher miteinander verbunden, während der Verstellmechanismus für die Krümmung eine exakte Anpassung der gebogenen Bereiche ermöglichte. Zusätzlich sorgten vormontierte Magnete an der Ober- und Unterseite jedes Cabinets während des Aufbaus für zusätzliche Stabilität. Mit einem Infiled-Techniker, der während des gesamten Projekts vor Ort war, wurden Installation, Kalibrierung und Inbetriebnahme innerhalb von zwei Tagen abgeschlossen.

Mit der DBmk2-Serie kann das Team von Kanal 75 nun nahtlos zwischen Live-Videosignalen, grafikintensiven Sendungen, Standbildern und experimentellen Hintergründen wechseln, ohne das Studio neu konfigurieren zu müssen.

(Foto: Kanal 75)

www.infiled.com

Redge Technologies delivers record-breaking streaming performance during this year’s World Cup

Redge Technologies has delivered its largest streaming project to date, achieving record-breaking Content Delivery Network (CDN) performance throughout this year’s World Cup tournament, culminating in a peak of 6.3 Tbps of simultaneous CDN traffic during the final.

The milestone was reached while Redge delivered traffic simultaneously across all three of its VDP regions - Poland, Israel, and France - marking the first time the company has sustained record-level traffic across all three regions at once.

Redge launched 4K/H.265/HDR streaming in production for IPBC (Kan) and deployed its proprietary Multi-CDN solution, CDN Selector, at scale for the same client. The company also acted as operator of three CDNs for IPBC (Kan), delivering approximately 3 Tbps of combined traffic through a combination of two Redge CDN instances and AWS CloudFront.

Alongside this, the company sustained record traffic simultaneously across all three VDP regions and ran a new version of its CDN infrastructure in production, reaching a peak load of 150 Gbps from a single node. During the World Cup final alone, Kan’s digital platforms, including Kan Box, the Kan app and Kan’s website, logged approximately 5.4 million views, with peak concurrent usage reaching roughly 410,000 simultaneously active devices, the highest figure recorded since the broadcaster’s founding.

Redge Technologies’ infrastructure supported record-breaking traffic for a range of major clients throughout the tournament, including Play (Play Now), TVP (TVP VOD), WP (WP Pilot), TVN (player.pl), and IPBC (Kan). For each of these clients, the World Cup generated the highest traffic volumes they have ever recorded, with Redge’s platform supporting that growth without disruption. Some of the applications reached number one in both the Apple App Store and Google Play during the tournament, reflecting the scale of viewer engagement the platform supported.

Despite the unprecedented scale of the tournament, Redge did not record a critical incident across any match throughout the entire competition. Traffic across all CDN nodes was protected throughout the tournament by Redge Guardian, the company’s own DDoS mitigation solution.

www.redge.com

LiveU powers cross-venue coverage of Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

LiveU’s LU900Q intelligent production unit played a central role in the host broadcast operation for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland (July 23 to August 2, 2026). The host broadcaster Actua Sport deployed a total of fourteen LiveU units, including the LU900Q, around multiple venues - covering ten sports and six Para sports, with approximately 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories. LiveU Matrix was also deployed in the cloud for IP distribution to leading broadcasters across the globe.

Producing a multi-venue event across a city presents a connectivity challenge that no fixed infrastructure can fully solve in advance. ENG crews moving between the venues and various side events faced networks that ranged from stable to heavily congested - particularly around busy public venues at peak competition times. Actua needed a production solution that could adapt in real time.

As a longstanding LiveU partner, Actua built its deployment around the LU900Q, bringing together native LiveU IQ (LIQ), advanced 5G architecture, and dual-Mimo antennas to deliver broadcast-grade contribution across demanding multi-venue environments. Unlike conventional setups that lock crews into a fixed set of mobile network operators, LIQ dynamically and intelligently switches eSIMs between mobile operators. Across four venues and ten days of competition, it helped keep broadcast-grade video moving even as network conditions changed around the production.

Using the LU900Q, ENG crews could move between stadiums and social event locations to contribute live and near-live content, from press conferences and athlete arrivals to warmups and side-event coverage, back to the broadcast operations center. With live moments possible at short notice, crews needed to stay ready to deploy at any time.

The mobile set-up allowed crews to get closer to the action and capture angles fixed infrastructure couldn’t reach. Actua also deployed multi-cam LU800 units across all Glasgow venues as an additional backup layer for the contribution network, with two more LU800 units delivering 24/7 beauty shots from remote locations directly to rights holders.

The deployment supported Actua’s wider host broadcast operation, with 650+ staff producing 1,400 hours of content, including a 24/7 official Games Channel, a real-time Content Hub offering all produced content worldwide and a daily 52-minute highlights program.

What makes an event like this genuinely difficult is that you are operating across multiple venues, with network conditions that can vary significantly, under conditions that change by the hour”, says Franck Choquard, Director of Actua Sport. “The LU900Q gave our crews the confidence to go live from anywhere, whether in the venues, backstage or elsewhere in the city. We also knew LiveU’s setup would let us scale easily during the games to capture the best content and share it with the participating rights holders.”

Once content reached Actua’s Broadcast Operations Center in Glasgow, located within BBC Scotland’s permanent broadcast facility in Glasgow and linked to Actua’s facility in Geneva, LiveU Matrix handled IP distribution. Rights holders across multiple countries received live feeds via SRT, with Actua able to route content to any taker with a single operation.

Multiple takers across the UK and other countries used those feeds for linear TV transmission, OTT platforms, and social media distribution. With its scalable architecture, Actua could combine LiveU Reliable Transport (LRT) and SRT delivery through LiveU’s cloud infrastructure.

Beyond day-to-day distribution, LiveU Matrix also served as an additional contingency layer: with all content routed through the cloud, Actua could maintain full distribution to rights holders even in the event of disruption at the broadcast operations center.

(Photo: LiveU)

www.liveu.tv

Palmer Digital Group selected as approved digital menu board supplier for Burger King franchisees

Palmer Digital Group (PDG), a supplier and installer of indoor and outdoor digital kiosks, drive-thru digital menu boards and canopy systems, has been selected as an approved supplier of outdoor digital menu board systems for Burger King franchisees across the United States and Canada. The agreement allows franchisees to purchase PDG’s single- and triple-panel outdoor digital menu board (ODMB) systems as they modernize drive-thru operations with new technology.

The new partnership represents another major milestone in PDG’s continued expansion within the quick-service restaurant (QSR) market. Installations are already underway, with the first locations opening in Wisconsin and approximately eighteen orders already placed. PDG expects roughly thirty Burger King locations to be operational by the end of the third quarter and approximately fifty by the end of 2026.

Burger King franchisees will have the flexibility to choose either professional installation by PDG’s nationwide installation team or complete installation themselves after receiving training from Palmer Digital Group. Because many franchise groups already maintain experienced construction teams, PDG developed an installation-friendly design to simplify deployment.

Training for self-installation is led by Patrick Profitt, PDG’s Vice President of Project Management and Field Operations, through an online session that walks installation teams through every step of the process. Beyond installation, PDG provides deployment services including site surveys, concrete foundations, conduit installation, high- and low-voltage electrical work, trenching, indoor display installation and ongoing break-fix support, to give customers a single source for every stage of the project.

The Burger King systems will utilize LG 49-inch outdoor displays integrated into PDG’s modular outdoor digital menu board enclosures. The modular design allows individual components to be serviced or replaced without replacing the entire structure.

The agreement also creates significant long-term growth opportunities for Palmer Digital Group. With approximately 6,000 Burger King restaurants across the U.S. and Canada eligible to purchase through the approved supplier program, PDG sees substantial potential as franchisees continue upgrading their drive-thru technology.

(Photo: Palmer Digital Group)

www.palmerdigitalgroup.com

TNDV powers broadcast of Pickleball Slam 4

When viewers tuned in to watch Pickleball Slam 4 live from Seminole Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, on April 16, 2026, they saw a fast-paced national broadcast showcasing some of the sport’s biggest personalities. Behind the scenes, the production was the latest chapter in a relationship that stretches back more than sixteen years between mobile production specialist TNDV (a division of Live Media Group) and sports production company Ohlmeyer Kusserow Group (OKG).

Tasked with producing and directing the live broadcast for a major US sports broadcaster on behalf of client Horizon Sports & Experiences and GSE Worldwide, OKG once again turned to TNDV for technical production support. The partnership dates to 2010, when OKG founders Lou Kusserow and Chris Ohlmeyer launched their company and selected TNDV to support some of their earliest tennis broadcasts.

“Sixteen years later, we rarely call anyone else”, says Kusserow, who directed the Pickleball Slam 4 broadcast from inside TNDV’s flagship Exclamation mobile production unit. “We trust Rob and his team completely. They understand how we work, they hire great people, and they consistently deliver.”

TNDV deployed its Exclamation truck for the main live broadcast and its Modulation truck for satellite uplink and transmission support. The production marked TNDV’s first pickleball event and required a workflow tailored to the pace and presentation style of the rapidly growing sport. Unlike traditional tennis broadcasts, Pickleball Slam 4 emphasized player interaction and personality as much as game action.

TNDV and OKG collaborated on a camera strategy designed to capture both the speed of play and the exchanges between competitors throughout the event. “Pickleball moves incredibly fast, and there’s a lot more conversation between players than you see in many sports”, says Rob Devlin, President of TNDV. “We spent time studying previous productions and finding ways to streamline the technical approach.”

The production utilized nine Sony HDC-4300 broadcast cameras, two jib cameras, and three Panasonic UE150 robotic cameras positioned throughout the venue to provide dynamic coverage and player-focused perspectives. A wireless camera captured player entrances and feature elements, while all four competitors and the referee were equipped with wireless microphones to bring viewers directly into the action.

At the center of the workflow was Exclamation’s Evertz Nexx routing infrastructure, which managed video and audio signal routing, audio embedding and de-embedding, transmission feeds to the Modulation uplink truck, and in-house IMAG feeds displayed throughout the venue. TNDV also relied on DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde color charts to match camera systems and maintain consistent image quality across the production.

Communication was equally critical. Kusserow directed the broadcast using an RTS/Clear-Com communications system that connected production personnel, on-air talent, venue staff, technical crews and event stakeholders throughout the facility. 

“This was one of those productions where everyone was pulling in the same direction”, says Devlin. “The venue was great to work with, the OKG team had been planning the show for months, and our crews worked seamlessly together. When you have a relationship that spans more than a decade and a half, there’s a level of trust that allows everyone to focus on making the show look great.”

(Photos: Live Media Group)

www.livemediagroup.com

Infiled-WP-Serie realisiert großformatiges LED-Display in Pariser Westfield Forum des Halles

Mehr als 64 Millionen Menschen besuchen jedes Jahr das Westfield Forum des Halles unter dem markanten Canopée im Zentrum von Paris. Der Komplex vereint über 150 Geschäfte, das meistbesuchte Kino der Welt, zahlreiche öffentliche Kultureinrichtungen und vieles mehr. Der Place Carrée bildet innerhalb des Einkaufszentrums einen zentralen Knotenpunkt. Einkäufer, Kinobesucher und Pendler, die zwischen der Pariser Metro und den RER-Linien umsteigen, passieren diesen Bereich täglich.

Als Westfield beschloss, das bestehende LED-Display durch eine größere und leistungsfähigere Lösung zu ersetzen, war ein System gefragt, das sich in einem der meistfrequentierten öffentlichen Innenräume der Stadt behaupten kann. Für die Definition der Projektanforderungen beauftragte Westfield das französische Planungs- und Beratungsunternehmen Scenarchie, das auf audiovisuelle Gestaltung, Szenografie und digitale Umgebungen spezialisiert ist.

Scenarchie legte die technischen und räumlichen Anforderungen für das neue Display fest und stellte sicher, dass sich die fertige Installation harmonisch in die Proportionen und Besucherströme des Place Carrée einfügen würde. Anschließend folgte ein wettbewerblicher Auswahlprozess. BTB Audiovisuel, ein französischer Systemintegrator und AV-Partner von Infiled in Frankreich, beteiligte sich gemeinsam mit Infiled an der Ausschreibung und setzte sich gegen mehrere Wettbewerber durch. Als Systemintegrator übernahm BTB die vollständige Installation vor Ort.

Das Projekt brachte eine besondere Herausforderung mit sich: Da der Place Carrée tagsüber von tausenden Besuchern frequentiert wird, konnten sämtliche Arbeiten ausschließlich während der Schließzeiten zwischen 22 Uhr und 7 Uhr durchgeführt werden. Innerhalb von acht Nachtschichten demontierte das Team die bestehende LED-Wand, verlegte die Strom- und Glasfaserverkabelung, integrierte den Controller in ein Technikrack und passte die vorhandene Unterkonstruktion an die Abmessungen des neuen Displays an.

Mit einer Breite von 8,4 Metern, einer Höhe von 4,7 Metern, einem Pixelpitch von 2,5 mm und einer Auflösung von 3.360 x 1.890 Pixeln musste das Display über die gesamte Fläche hinweg optimal ausgerichtet werden. Da es aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln und Entfernungen innerhalb des Einkaufszentrums sichtbar ist, hätten selbst kleinste Abweichungen zwischen Cabinets oder Modulen die Bildqualität beeinträchtigen können. Um diese Anforderungen zu erfüllen, entschied sich BTB für die WP-Serie von Infiled.

Das fertige Display wurde mit einem NovaStar-H-Series-Controller sowie sechs CVT10-S-Glasfaser-Einheiten ausgestattet. Das 16:9-Panelformat ermöglicht eine proportionale Darstellung über die gesamte Bildschirmfläche. Mittels ultraflacher Cabinets und des nahezu nahtlosen Erscheinungsbildes fügt sich die WP-Serie den Wünschen des Auftraggebers entsprechend in die bestehende Architektur ein.

(Foto: Infiled)

www.infiled.com

Wisycom solves RF challenges across miles of live action for Gravity Media

When live cycling races and international marathons stretch for miles across cities and countryside, there is no margin for RF failure in live broadcast. As Chief RF Communications Engineer at Gravity Media, Glenn Willems is responsible for ensuring long-range RF communication in some of the most demanding live broadcast environments in the world, so that the events reach viewers without interruption.

These productions often require communications links spanning extraordinary distances, sometimes placing the RF team more than 100 miles away from the action. Throughout the racing season, which runs from February through October, Willems and his team support major cycling events such as the Tour of Italy, Tour of Denmark and numerous international marathons, including those in Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

To meet these challenges, Willems frequently turns to Wisycom, integrating a range of the company’s RF over Fiber and wireless solutions into Gravity Media’s workflows. “The wireless part of the communication is absolutely critical”, he says. “It’s all live television, so our broadcast simply has to work.”

Wisycom solutions often play a role in creative, problem-solving scenarios, such as during the Berlin Marathon, where Willems was tasked with enabling a reporter to conduct live interviews while riding a bike alongside runners. “It was a rather particular request”, he laughs. “We had to find a way to get that wireless microphone signal into our transmission system while everything was moving.”

The solution involved using Wisycom MCR42 camera receivers, integrated directly into the video link system. “If you looked at it, you might realize we weren’t operating like a professional scripted TV or film production team”, Willems admits, “but it worked extremely well. That’s the kind of outside-the-box thinking we often need, and Wisycom made that possible. Thanks to the MCR42’s multiband and multi-compatible capabilities, we were even able to integrate third-party microphones without issue. That flexibility meant we could adapt quickly, which is crucial in live broadcast environments.”

Beyond wide-ranging racing applications, Gravity Media also regularly relies on Wisycom for large-scale and non-traditional infrastructure deployments, utilizing the brand’s MFL RF over Fiber system. “The MFL is a modular system, so you can mix and match and configure it the way you like”, Willems notes.

The Gravity Media team also deployed the MFL system on a major stadium installation, where the TV compound was seven- to eight-hundred meters from the field of play. The system links the OB vans to the field of play via fiber. “Fiber virtually has no losses, which means every fraction of a dB is preserved”, says Willems. “That directly translates into range and stability. For us, every fraction of a dB counts. As long as your connectors are clean, fiber is also plug-and-play. People think it’s black magic, but it’s actually incredibly robust.”

(Photo: Gravity Media/Wisycom)

www.wisycom.com

Absen powers one of the world’s most ambitious 3D immersive LED installations

Absen has delivered a landmark COB (Chip on Board) LED installation at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, powering the Swinburne Virtual Universe (SVU), a purpose-built 3D immersive environment that is believed to be the largest truly wraparound LED screen ever constructed for public education.

Spanning over 106 sqm across a seamless canvas, the installation uses Absen’s KLCOB1.5 Pro V2 technology to transport visitors from a Melbourne campus to the furthest reaches of the cosmos. Officially unveiled in April 2026, the Swinburne Virtual Universe places visitors at the centre of a futuristic space surrounded by high-contrast LED screens that deliver 3D imagery and interactive animations.

Audiences can be flown around a virtual solar system, witness planetary close-ups as if aboard their own spacecraft, and explore deep space environments powered by supercomputer simulations and real astrophysics data. The SVU is driven by Nvidia GPU technology and real-time rendering engines, with content generated directly from Swinburne’s OzStar and Ngarrgu Tindebeek supercomputers.

Delivering an experience of this ambition demanded display technology capable of meeting an exceptional set of requirements. The installation needed to produce 3D imagery across an unusually wide, low-profile screen geometry, maintain colour accuracy and uniformity at close-viewing distances, and perform without interruption across long, continuous operating periods. At the same time, the surface had to withstand the demands of a high-traffic public environment, be robust enough for interaction, and remain visually seamless across every viewing angle.

The KLCOB1.5 Pro V2 was selected to meet these demands. With its ultra-fine 1.5 mm pixel pitch, the product delivers the detailed resolution essential for immersive close-range 3D content, producing deep blacks and high contrast.

At this scale and geometry, maintaining seamless uniformity across the entire surface is critical to the immersive effect. The KLCOB1.5 Pro V2’s monolithic construction and engineering ensures a smooth, uninterrupted canvas that supports the visual integrity of the 3D content, regardless of viewing position within the space.

The facility will serve undergraduate students, school groups, families and the wider public, as well as acting as a creative and technical resource for Swinburne’s Film, Games and Animation programmes. It is part of an expanding portfolio of astronomy assets at Swinburne, including its partnership with the W. M. Keck Observatory.

“We are proud that the KLCOB1.5 Pro V2 was selected to power this remarkable installation and help deliver an experience that brings the universe closer to audiences of all ages”, comments Ruben Rengel, Vice President at Absen.

The Swinburne Virtual Universe will progressively open to schools, families and the broader community, serving as a hub for science communication, research translation, and public engagement with space science. For Absen, the project adds to a growing global portfolio of COB LED installations in education, cultural and public environments, reinforcing the technology’s place at the forefront of large-format immersive display.

(Photos: Absen)

www.absen.com

Hippotizer MX Series media servers support immersive storytelling at National Cowgirl Museum

The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, is celebrating more Women of the West through new immersive storytelling experiences powered by Hippotizer MX Series Media Servers from Green Hippo.

The museum honors the Women of the American West through exhibitions, archives, and immersive storytelling. While video and projection have long been part of the visitor experience, the museum’s expansion aims to significantly elevate the flexibility and creative potential of its visual environments. The museum’s archives currently house more than 4,000 artifacts and information on more than 750 remarkable women.

Fort Worth-based integration specialist Electro Acoustics & Video Inc. led the design with the Hippotizer Meuse MX Media Server. The project forms part of the museum’s 16,000-square-foot expansion project, centered around refreshing its immersive projection-driven attractions.

“We focus heavily on video and projection elements throughout the museum”, explains Hunter Atchison, Associate Director of Operations at the museum. “Our new space features nine projectors surrounding the room projecting content in a panoramic format.”

Previously, the space featured looping panoramic ranch footage from Texas and Colorado alongside horse show visuals. While popular with visitors, the legacy system offered limited flexibility and proved difficult for the museum team to maintain and customize.

“Our goal with the new system was to create something far more fluid and adaptable”, says Atchison. “We wanted a space that could transform depending on the experience we want to create. Hippotizer is giving us the ability to customize the room and use it however we want, depending on the event or experience.”

The museum’s existing external video contractor first recommended looking into Green Hippo solutions, leading the Electro Acoustics team to connect with Green Hippo’s Scott Kehoe. “Scott was very helpful and even set the client up with a demo system for a few months to make sure they liked the system”, says Ryan Walker from Electro Acoustics.

That collaborative approach continued throughout the installation and integration process: “The system was being controlled by an outside control system, and Green Hippo was willing to meet with our programmer to discuss how everything was going to work together”, says Walker. “They worked with us every step of the project.”

The decision to implement Hippotizer Meuse MX now affords the museum’s team better management of visual content across the nine-projector environment while opening up new possibilities for exhibitions, events, and donor experiences.

During the daytime, the panoramic environment supports the museum’s immersive exhibitions and interpretive storytelling experiences. In the evenings, the same space transitions into an events venue for weddings, donor receptions, and private functions. Museum staff can transform the room with projected visuals ranging from mountain landscapes to coastal scenes, while also incorporating custom event-specific content.

The panoramic event space is part of a broader expansion project designed to seamlessly connect the museum’s original building with newly developed galleries and attractions. Across from the projection space, the expansion includes an 18-horse carousel installation, while adjoining gallery areas host rotating exhibitions including costumes from Miranda Lambert’s recent tour.

(Photos: Green Hippo/National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame)

www.green-hippo.com

Palace Cinemas installs Christie RGBH hybrid laser projection at Pentridge

Palace Cinemas Pentridge, a 15-screen multiplex located in the historic area of Coburg in Melbourne, Australia, has deployed Christie’s CineLife+ Series RGBH cinema projector, the CP4420m-RGBH, in the complex’s largest auditorium, which offers a 12-metre-wide (39-foot) silver screen, Dolby Atmos surround sound, and 220 luxury recliner seats.

The projector is housed in a discreet ceiling enclosure to preserve the venue’s architectural integrity. This marks the first deployment of Christie’s RGBH cinema projector in Australasia, building on Palace Cinemas’ existing investment in Christie cinema technologies across its circuit, including RGB pure laser projection with Real Laser illumination and RBe projectors powered by Phazer technology. The project was delivered by Hoyts Cinema Technology Group.

(Photo: Christie Digital Systems)

www.christiedigital.com

Brasilien startet mit MPEG-H Audio in die Zukunft des personalisierten Fernsehens

Das örtliche Sendernetzwerk Globo in Brasilien hat anlässlich der Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft 2026 den neuen terrestrischen TV-Standard DTV+ (auch bekannt als TV 3.0) mit der Technologie MPEG-H Audio im regulären Betrieb gelauncht. MPEG-H Audio wurde maßgeblich am Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen (Fraunhofer IIS) mitentwickelt.

Zuschauer in Brasilien profitieren damit vom modernsten TV-Audio-Standard auf dem Markt und erleben erstmals ein Fernsehen, das sich an ihre persönlichen Vorlieben anpasst - interaktiv, individuell und deutlich immersiver als bisher. Ein zentraler Bestandteil dieser Entwicklung ist die Audiotechnologie MPEG-H, die es während der WM ermöglichte, den Ton des live übertragenen Fußballspiels selbst zu steuern: Zuschauer konnten beispielsweise die Stadionatmosphäre verstärken, den Kommentar leiser stellen oder alternative Audiooptionen auswählen.

Globo, das größte Medienunternehmen in Südamerika, hatte kurz vor Beginn der Weltmeisterschaft den regulären 24/7-Betrieb von DTV+ aufgenommen und die Spiele anschließend über das neue System übertragen. Erstmals wurde damit die vollständige Sendekette aus Produktion, Übertragung und Empfang im Regelbetrieb live eingesetzt.

Die kommerzielle Einführung von DTV+ markierte den Übergang von regulatorischen Vorbereitungen und Testphasen hin zu einem kontinuierlichen Rundfunkbetrieb im Free-TV. Der Rollout startete in den Metropolregionen Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo und Brasília und soll schrittweise auf weitere Städte ausgeweitet werden. Bis 2030 soll die Abdeckung fünfzehn Ballungsräume erreichen.

„Das ist Fernsehen, das sich den Menschen anpasst - nicht umgekehrt“, sagt Harald Fuchs, Leiter der Abteilung Mediensysteme und Anwendungen am Fraunhofer IIS. „Brasilien zeigt, was heute technisch möglich ist: ein hybrides System aus klassischem Antennenfernsehen und Internet, das Interaktivität und Personalisierung in den Mittelpunkt stellt.“

DTV+-Empfänger sind bereits im brasilianischen Einzelhandel erhältlich, weitere Fernseher und Set-Top-Boxen sollen in Kürze auf den Markt kommen. Ein wichtiger Baustein ist dabei die Standardisierung: Alle DTV+-Empfänger unterstützen MPEG-H Audio, auch über HDMI-Schnittstellen, sodass kompatible Soundbars und Heimkinosysteme eingebunden werden können. Zahlreiche Hersteller haben sich dem MPEG-H-Audio-Trademark-Programm angeschlossen. Dadurch werden Interoperabilität und eine nahtlose Integration garantiert.

Zum Start von DTV+ im regulären Sendebetrieb hat Globo eigens einen Showroom für Interessierte in Rio de Janeiro eröffnet.

(Foto: Fraunhofer IIS)

www.iis.fraunhofer.de

Brompton processing powers Lamda’s professional-grade virtual production studio

Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processing platform is at the core of a virtual production studio at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (Lamda). Supplied and integrated by Universal Pixels, the installation forms part of a strategic investment by Lamda in emerging screen technologies, and is already reshaping how the school trains the next generation of creative professionals.

The studio is centred around a 7 m wide by 3.5 m high LED volume of Aoto RM 2.3 panels on a gently curved structure using 2.5° panel increments, and driven by a Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 LED processor alongside two Tessera XD 10G data distribution units. Running in conjunction with Unreal Engine, the volume renders real-time environments ranging from photorealistic exteriors to fully abstract sci-fi worlds. It sits alongside a dedicated 30-camera Vicon motion capture volume with a sprung floor.

Rather than treating the technology as an add-on, Lamda has made the LED volume a genuine academic priority. It features across the school’s full range of programmes, from its Foundation in Stage and Screen (CertHE) and BA Professional Acting through to MA/MFA courses in Classical Acting, Musical Theatre, and Professional Acting. The new studio serves as a shared space where acting, directing, and production and technical arts students work together, mirroring real-world virtual production practice.

With LED volumes now standard on high-end film and TV productions, from prestige streaming drama to commercials, students working inside Lamda’s volume engage with the same workflows, technical language, and environmental demands they will meet on professional sets, long before they graduate.

“This technology opens the door to XR or mixed reality, to new ways of making films, and to extending the physical stage and the spaces in which we work”, says Charles Douglas, Assistant Professor of Acting and Directing with Emerging Technologies and Head of Screen & Audio Training. “Using it in practice is one thing, but it’s also an invitation to reimagine the frame of what we do. That’s an important departmental mandate for us, to catalyse a new chapter of performance and storytelling.”

Brompton’s API has also become an integral part of how students are taught to work on set. Through an integration with BitFocus Companion, test patterns can be triggered via a Steam Deck, enabling students to quickly identify hardware or cabling issues and move efficiently through the troubleshooting process.

The colour consistency of the Tessera platform give Lamda the confidence to use the volume not just for student projects, but for professional-grade output: the system supports graduate films, commercial digital assets, and collaborative research productions with equal consistency.

That professional reach is already evident in the work produced. A short film made in partnership with Media Trust, funded by The Crucible Foundation and based on stories from Prison Reading Groups, was shot entirely within the volume and features actor Ralph Ineson.

The space has also played a central role in the Lamda x Lyric Future Technicians Programme, a widening participation initiative delivered with the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, through which a cohort of young people from West London recently got hands-on experience with professional filmmaking infrastructure. For many, this was their first encounter with this level of technology.

(Photos: Brompton Technology)

www.bromptontech.com

Marshall and Terlecki/de Jong create hidden camera stage design

Massachusetts-based tour design company Terlecki/de Jong concealed a CV228 HD Lipstick Camera from Marshall Electronics into a 1950s Electro-Voice 664 microphone to capture intimate live visuals for indie pop artist Del Water Gap’s “Chasing the Chimera” tour.

Terlecki/de Jong Co-founder, Designer and Creative Director Maxwell Fitzgerald Terlecki and his business partner Travis Gunnar de Jong specialize in designing immersive visual environments for touring artists. For the Del Water Gap tour, Terlecki sought a way to incorporate video elements without introducing a visible camera element that might disrupt the stage aesthetic.

“I bought a Marshall CV228 Lipstick Camera because it’s incredibly small and has a very low profile on stage”, says Terlecki. “People often mount them on mic stands, but I wanted to push it further and completely hide the camera inside the housing of a microphone.”

The camera was installed inside the classic microphone, allowing it to be in plain sight while remaining virtually invisible to audiences. “From the audience perspective, all you see is what appears to be an ambient microphone on stage”, explains Terlecki. “In reality, there’s a camera hidden inside of it, capturing the shot. It’s kind of hidden in plain view.”

The live camera feed is projected onto a large canopy element above the stage, creating a dramatic visual focal point. Designed by Terlecki/De Jong and fabricated by the soft goods company Sew What?, the canopy envelops the performance area while serving as a projection surface for real-time visuals. “We have a projector at front of house that sends the image up to this canopy above the stage”, adds Terlecki. “The CV228 camera gives us an intimate shot of the performer that expands into a huge image overhead.”

For the “Chasing the Chimera” tour, the visual team processes the feed through Resolume software, stripping the color entirely to create a high-contrast black-and-white look. “We remove all saturation and then just play with a little contrast and exposure”, says Terlecki. “That’s really it.”

Terlecki first discovered Marshall’s lipstick cameras while designing visuals for punk band Amyl and the Sniffers, for whom multiple units were deployed across the stage. “We used five Marshall lipstick cameras on that tour”, he reports. “I already knew how small they were. That’s what made me start thinking about more creative ways to hide them on stage.”

For Terlecki, minimizing visible production gear is an important part of stage design. “From a design standpoint, the more you can get away from seeing equipment on stage, the better”, he says. “If you can hide cables and cameras - anything that distracts from the performance, you end up with a much cleaner and more immersive visual experience.”

(Photos: Marshall Electronics)

www.marshall-usa.com

DMC Production reimagines live OB with Calrec

DMC Production has turned to Calrec in its quest to redefine outside broadcasting with a flexible approach to live production that reverse engineers the conventional broadcast workflow. Working in collaboration with Calrec and Grass Valley, DMC has unveiled AR 1 and AR 2 - two identical, scalable software-defined remote production vehicles that represent an outside broadcast framework the company describes as “reverse remote production”. The units were designed and delivered by systems integrator Broadcast Solutions.

Calrec’s ImPulseV Virtualised Audio Mixing Engine plays a key role in the vehicles’ software-based architecture, replacing the traditional hardware-heavy OB model. The guiding principle is simple: all production-critical processing happens at the venue - video switching, replay, signal processing, multiviewers, recording and audio mixing, all running within a pure cloud-native Grass Valley Ampp environment with remote operation from any of DMC’s broadcast centres.

By keeping the raw production feeds at the venue rather than backhauling them to a central facility, the remote vehicle becomes the local production edge. The major benefit is bandwidth efficiency; a large multi-camera production can be handled over a lightweight 100 Mbit/s internet connection. DMC has worked with Calrec to develop an audio network that connects everything seamlessly and delivers low-latency control with a familiar interface.

Jens Envall, DMC’s Chief Innovation Officer, says this is the first step in a larger deployment model for DMC Production. “The aim is not just to build one or two vehicles, but to establish a repeatable and scalable production concept where software, IP connectivity and professional broadcast control surfaces work together in a practical live production environment”, he states.

At the heart of the installation is Calrec’s technology partnership with Grass Valley’s Ampp, which was announced in April 2026. In the first phase of the integration, DMC is using Calrec’s ImPulse1 processing core until the fully integrated ImPulseV Ampp platform comes online, but Envall is already planning for more native control integration within the Ampp environment.

DMC has also installed a 48-fader Calrec Argo M console at its remote production facility in Munich, Germany. The ecosystem is connected and managed using Calrec’s remote production capability, True Control 2.0, enabling seamless integration between the Argo M control surface and the OB units across any geographic boundaries.

It means an audio engineer can manage the entire mix remotely across a low-latency connection while production-critical processing remains in the Ampp-based remote production vehicles at the venue. Each vehicle also includes Calrec Type R for local monitor and in-ear mixing, together with the required IP I/O infrastructure.

DMC produces a broad mix of live sports, studio, entertainment and event-based coverage. “The demand from the market is changing quickly”, says Envall. “Customers want high-quality production, but they also want more flexibility, shorter setup times and more efficient use of resources.”

“Many rights holders and broadcasters no longer think only in terms of one main programme feed”, he continues. “They want clean feeds, ISO feeds, highlights, digital clips, social-first versions, venue feeds and sometimes additional language or commentary options. Because the vehicle can generate clean programme feeds locally, we can create a more flexible output structure from the venue. That can then feed traditional broadcast, OTT, social media, rights holders, venue screens or partner platforms.”

“This is not a standard installation where we are simply replacing one traditional audio console with another. We are building a new workflow, and that requires a close dialogue between engineering, product and operational teams”, Envall concludes. “Calrec has been very supportive throughout the project. That ongoing relationship is important because this is the first step in a scalable model. We need partners who are willing to develop with us, not only supply equipment.”

www.calrec.com

www.dmcproduction.com

Christie projection helps bring story to life at new Montana Heritage Center

Christie projection technology is helping visitors experience Montana’s history in a new and immersive way at the recently opened Montana Heritage Center in Helena, Montana, with AV design and integration by Electrosonic.

The 150,000-square-foot museum and cultural destination combines large-scale projections, LED displays, interactive touchpoints, spatial audio, motion sensing, and storytelling to create a visitor experience that spans Montana’s earliest peoples through the present day.

As part of the museum’s audiovisual ecosystem, Christie Captiva and GS Series 1DLP projectors deliver imagery throughout key exhibit spaces, helping transform galleries into dynamic environments that respond to visitor movement and engagement.

Developed through a collaboration of technology and exhibit partners, including AV and technology services company Electrosonic, the museum features a variety of interactive experiences. Visitors can hear the voices of Montana’s sovereign nations through multimedia exhibits, explore mining history within a simulated mine environment, and experience projections and soundscapes that bring historic events and landscapes to life.

Among the museum’s highlights is Washington Way, an immersive entrance experience featuring coordinated projection, LED pillars, and a luminous ceiling environment that welcomes visitors into the Homeland Gallery. Throughout the museum, Christie projection works alongside LED displays, audio systems, and interactive technologies to create seamless storytelling experiences.

The Heritage Center’s exhibits are designed not only to educate but also to evolve. The museum’s integrated technology infrastructure allows content to be refreshed and expanded over time, ensuring future generations can continue to engage with Montana’s history through new stories and perspectives.

Electrosonic served as the audiovisual design and integration firm for the project, collaborating with RLMG, Main Street Design, Available Light, Cinnabar, Cushing Terrell, Sletten Construction, and Christie to deliver the museum’s immersive experiences.

(Photos: Christie Digital Systems)

www.christiedigital.com

Arri Alexa 35 Live provides Hollywood look for Eurovision

For the first time in Eurovision’s 70-year history, the contest was captured not with standard broadcast cameras, but 24 Arri Alexa 35 Live cameras with Super 35 sensors. These cameras were chosen by Austrian state broadcaster ORF to deliver a Hollywood-inspired cinematic look.

“During a test in Sweden we placed the Arri cameras next to the main broadcast camera of our Swedish colleagues and we saw different color nuances with the numerous light, fire, and special effect elements”, says Michael Kögler, Head of Directors at ORF. “These are things that people watching at home will see -things they have never seen in this context before.”

The ability of the Arri Multicam System to implement bespoke creative looks was embraced by the delegations. During preproduction Arri prepared a “look book” of around fifty music video-inspired looks, from which the delegations made selections in collaboration with the event’s lighting designer and vision mixer.

Only one country chose to stick with the show LUT; all the others chose an Arri look and the winning delegation, Bulgaria, used two different looks during its performance. “Every country had its own lookup table that could be loaded into the cameras instantly, and you could switch between the different looks”, says Bernhard Popovic, Camera Operator.

With so many looks being used during the final show, Arri set up a workflow that enabled automated look-switching on a shot-by-shot basis. This facilitated what looked like 25 unique music videos, but shot in real time and output live with no postproduction and no additional complications to the broadcast workflow. The addition of cinema-style looks on top of creative lighting design and traditional live painting enabled subtler nuances of color and was especially beneficial to skin tones.

After all the preparation, the look building, and the many rehearsals, the 2026 Eurovision grand final was broadcast live on May 16, 2026. The new cinematic aesthetic was as noticeable to the audiences at home as it was to the creatives and technicians in Vienna. “I believe this will change the future of television”, states  Kögler. “There are possibilities for a completely different visual language, a completely different representation for various events - and not just for live entertainment, but also for sports events.”

www.arri.com

Telmic und Partner realisieren Broadcast und Streaming auf Expo 2025 mit Blackmagic Design

Telmic, ein auf die Planung, Herstellung, Installation, den Betrieb sowie die Vermietung von LED-Displays, Beleuchtung und Bühnentechnik für Fernsehen, Theater, Konzerte und Events spezialisiertes Unternehmen mit Sitz in Japan, hat bei der Expo 2025 in Osaka einen Workflow von Blackmagic Design genutzt, um die Live-Produktion, Broadcast-Ausspielung und YouTube-Streams für Veranstaltungen auf dem Expo-Gelände zu realisieren.

Für die Expo 2025 arbeiteten Telmic und Sansei Technologies, die Muttergesellschaft des Unternehmens, gemeinsam an der Ausstattung der Expo Hall „Shining Hat“: Geliefert wurden Rigging-Systeme, Beleuchtung und Videotechnik. Das kreisförmige Theater mit rund 1.900 Sitzplätzen wurde für eine Vielzahl von Veranstaltungen genutzt, darunter Eröffnungs- und Abschlusszeremonien, Musikaufführungen, Theaterproduktionen und Foren.

Der zweigeschossige Stahlrahmenbau verfügte über eine Gesamtfläche von mehr als 8.000 Quadratmetern sowie über eine kreisförmige Bühne mit einem Durchmesser von achtzehn Metern. Sechzehn Projektoren ermöglichten 360-Grad-Projektions-Mapping im gesamten Raum. Darüber hinaus wurde auch die Expo National Day Hall „Ray Garden“, in der teilnehmende Länder, Regionen und internationale Organisationen ihre „National Days“ und „Special Days“ veranstalteten, mit Technik ausgestattet.

Die Expo Hall „Shining Hat“ war einer der größten Veranstaltungsorte auf dem Expogelände. „Für den Live-Broadcast und das Streamingsystem beauftragten wir Japan Broadcast Solutions mit der Auswahl der Komponenten sowie mit dem Systemdesign und der Installation“, sagt Kenjiro Negishi aus der Business-Development-Abteilung bei Telmic. „Ein vergleichbares Videosystem haben wir in der benachbarten National Day Hall umgesetzt und zugleich Live-Produktion, Broadcast und Streaming realisiert.“

Ryo Enami von Japan Broadcast Solutions ergänzt: „Die National Day Hall verfügte über drei große LED-Wände, für die wir ein entsprechendes System zur Auslieferung von Inhalten entwickelten. Für die Expo Hall entwickelten wir ein Live-Broadcast-System, das Videosignale an den Media-Server, der als Kern des 360-Grad-Systems des Projektions-Mappings diente, übertrug. Unter Berücksichtigung von Anforderungen wie 4K60p-Support, Kompatibilität mit B4-Zoomobjektiven und integrierter Streaming-Funktionalität haben wir das System überwiegend mit Blackmagic-Design-Produkten realisiert. Wir waren zudem für die technische Unterstützung in der Expo Hall verantwortlich. Da beide Hallen nahezu identische Systemkonfigurationen nutzten, konnten wir eine zuverlässige Backup-Struktur gewährleisten.“

Jede Halle wurde mit drei identischen Blackmagic-Setups ausgestattet, bestehend aus URSA-Broadcast-G2-Kameras, Zoom Demand, URSA Studio Viewfinder G2, Camera Fiber Converter und Studio Fiber Converter. Für das Mischen kamen ein Atem-4-M/E-Constellation-4K-Live-Produktionsmischer und ein Atem 1 M/E Advanced Panel 10 zum Einsatz, ergänzt durch ein Atem Camera Control Panel zur Kamerasteuerung. Zur Aufzeichnung und Wiedergabe wurde HyperDeck Studio Pro 4K eingesetzt, während das Streaming über den Streaming Encoder 4K erfolgte.

„In der Expo Hall haben wir zusätzlich ein Atem Micro Panel eingesetzt, um die Signalumschaltung für Großbildanzeigen zu unterstützen“, sagt Enami. „Für das Live-Streaming war eine separate Signalumschaltung unabhängig von den Inhouse-Bildsignalen erforderlich, weshalb wir einen Atem Mini Extreme ISO verwendet haben. Da internationale Teams und Veranstalter eigene Media-Server, PCs und Kameras mitbrachten, haben wir zahlreiche Blackmagic-Mini-Converter, -Teranex-Mini- und -Teranex-AV-Geräte eingesetzt, um verschiedene Ein- und Ausgangssignale sowie Formate zu unterstützen. Die URSA Broadcast G2 mit B4-Mount ermöglichte uns zudem den Einsatz von großen Teleobjektiven.“

Aufgrund der Größe der Expo Hall „Shining Hat“ kamen zahlreiche Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G für die optische Signalübertragung innerhalb der Halle zum Einsatz. Ein Blackmagic Videohub 10x10 12G wurde für das Routing der Rücksignale zu den Monitoren in der Halle verwendet.

„Bei der Eröffnungszeremonie wurden die beiden Veranstaltungsorte über ein Glasfasernetzwerk verbunden, um Video- und Audiosignale zu übertragen“, sagt Negishi abschließend. „Dadurch konnte eine Performance realisiert werden, bei der ein Solo der Nationalhymne in der Expo Hall mit einer Orchesterbegleitung aus der National Day Hall synchronisiert wurde.“

(Fotos: Blackmagic Design)

www.blackmagicdesign.com

www.telmic.co.jp

Calrec expands broadcast ambitions for Savannah Bananas

The genre-defying Savannah Bananas baseball team has placed Calrec at the heart of its growing broadcast story. Adopting an agile, distributed ecosystem built to scale, the team’s production arm Banana Ball TV (BTV) has installed three 36-fader Argo M consoles, three Type R systems, and True Control 2.0.

Spread across two main control rooms at BTV’s remote facility in Savannah, Georgia, and with flypacks positioned out in the field, Calrec’s audio network sits at the core of a significant expansion of BTV’s REMI capabilities. Designed to extend capacity and accommodate future growth, it makes BTV’s workflows more fluid.

“We’ve seen lots of expansion for the 2026 World Tour season, and part of re-building our facilities from 2025 to 2026 was to expand capabilities and increase overall efficiency”, says Savannah Bananas’ Head of Technology Matt Webster. “The Calrec consoles are all being used to support REMI broadcasts; we have Argo consoles in our main control rooms and we deploy the Type R frame in the field in our mobile units and flypacks.”

“This gives us a combination of analogue, embedded SDI, MADI and Dante, and all the audio is given a first pass mix and level set before it is embedded in our video transmission system back to Savannah”, he continues. “We ensure lip sync is correct on-site, so when it comes back into the control rooms, we just focus on mixing the broadcast as if we are doing it at our home stadium.”

“We also have remote control of the consoles via the Calrec Assist GUI for changing things on the fly”, he adds. “The most challenging part of any audio console is how you have to interact with it if you are not standing directly in front of it, but nothing beats having access to a web page; it means we can access any console from inside the stadium to make changes, and I can also work remotely to support all our shows from home and fix issues that arise quickly.”

Access to Calrec’s True Control 2.0 protocol, which provides even greater levels of remote control and flexibility to scale up when required, gives scope for BTV to further develop its workflows. Webster says he plans to introduce it more as the season progresses. “We want the technology to outpace production”, says Webster. “It’s all about scale and simplicity, and Calrec allowed us to achieve this in our second generation of REMI workflows.”

“It brings us a level of consistency that we have been looking for”, he furthers. “And it is simple enough for any audio operator to just jump in and start driving. All our production staff are able to move from room-to-room and from site-to-site and not have any compromises or workflow limitations.”

Webster notes that BTV’s focus is on creating an environment that is always positive and fun, above being a competitive sport: “In many ways, Banana Ball is designed for casual sports enthusiasts and people who like a good entertainment performance first. But it also caters to diehard sports fans that want a legitimate competition to get behind, and follow through a season to the end.”

Calrec’s Regional Sales Manager, Rob Lewis, adds: “Everything about the Savannah Bananas approach is hybrid. Its mix of non-stop entertainment with traditional live game coverage has captured the hearts of casual and hardcore baseball fans alike. Its reach is growing fast. Every broadcast is available free on YouTube, while an exclusive ESPN and Disney+ deal means all 25 televised games are available to stream.”

“It makes perfect sense that its audio workflows should embrace that same philosophy with a hybrid approach to full remote and distributed workflows, and Calrec’s ecosystem is aligned to knock it out of the park”, Lewis concludes.

(Photos: Calrec Audio Ltd.)

www.calrec.com

Orlando Science Center reimagines dome theatre with Christie RGB pure laser projection

Orlando Science Center has unveiled its newly renovated 8-story dome theatre, The Dome by Dr. Phillips Charities, featuring a Christie RGB pure laser projection system that transforms the former IMAX venue into an immersive theatre with 8K content for educational programming, presentations, live planetarium experiences, and special events. Christie partner SSIA Technologies consulted and installed the systems.

At the heart of the installation are eight Christie Griffyn® 4K35-RGB projectors configured in a fulldome projection system that delivers high-resolution imagery across the theatre’s newly resurfaced dome. The Dome also includes an inset Christie CP4435-RGB pure laser cinema projector for 3D science, nature and space movies.

“One of our primary goals was to replace our aging film projection system”, says Stephen Holt, Vice President of Facilities & Exhibits, Orlando Science Center. “Working with our consultant and project partners, we identified a projection and audio solution that would allow us to create immersive experiences for years to come. The result is a venue that can support everything from live planetarium shows and giant-screen films to educational programming and special events.”

Installing the projection system presented some challenges. Four Griffyn projectors and the CP4435-RGB cinema projector were housed within the theater’s existing projection gallery, while four additional Griffyn units required custom placement at the front of the dome to ensure complete image coverage. The installation team also worked within tight physical spaces while coordinating with ongoing construction activities throughout the renovation. The project was completed in time for the theatre’s public opening.

The renovated theatre seats more than 300 guests and serves as a multipurpose immersive venue rather than a traditional planetarium. While astronomy programming remains an important part of the theatre’s mission, the upgraded projection system enables a broader range of educational and entertainment experiences. The Science Center also invested heavily in content creation as part of the project to ensure visitors would immediately experience the full capabilities of the new venue.

“Technology is only as good as the content it presents”, says Annette Sotheran-Barnett, Co-CEO/Founder at SSIA Technologies. “Orlando Science Center recognised that from the beginning. They made content development a priority, creating experiences that showcase both the technology and the stories being told. When audiences see real-time astronomy visualisations and immersive fulldome content running on this system, they immediately understand what’s possible.”

(Photos: Definition Studios/Giant Screen Films/Roberto Gonzalez/K2 Studios)

www.christiedigital.com

Kramer supports Colombian university’s initiative centralising AV across multi-campus environments

Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina’s “Rauda” initiative is transforming AV management across multiple campuses, using centralised AVoIP and cloud-based control to deliver more consistent, scalable learning environments and illustrating powerful global trends in education and proAV.

Universities are under increasing pressure to deliver consistent, technology-enabled learning experiences across multiple campuses, often while managing growing AV estates with limited IT resources. Recent data indicates that 25 percent of faculty in North America and Europe have considered leaving an institution over poor technology; for students, that number rises to 33 percent.

For Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina in Colombia, an institution founded in 1893, addressing these challenges became a priority. It responded by launching Rauda, an ambitious initiative designed to centralise and standardise audiovisual infrastructure across its campus network. With locations in Bogotá, Pereira and Valledupar, the university had developed a diverse AV landscape over time, designed to support both in-person and hybrid learning for undergraduate and graduate students across a wide array of disciplines.

The institution relied on a mix of technologies, including classroom touchscreens and commercial displays in halls and reception areas, with systems managed independently. This fragmented approach made it difficult to maintain consistency across learning environments and shared spaces, along with limited visibility into system performance and slowed response times when issues arose.

To address this, the university launched Rauda, an AV network initiative designed to centralise and standardise AV infrastructure across its campuses while creating a more efficient foundation for future growth. The goal was not only to improve day-to-day operations, but also to enable more consistent experiences for both faculty and students.

Working with system integrator Merge, Fundación Universitaria del Área Andina implemented the first phase of the Rauda project by deploying a centralised AVoIP architecture across its sites. Classrooms, auditoriums, meeting spaces and digital signage endpoints were connected into a unified network, allowing content to be distributed and managed more flexibly across locations.

A key focus of the project was the ability to monitor and control systems in real time from a single platform. By introducing centralised management tools alongside its AVoIP infrastructure, the university gained improved visibility into performance across its AV estate, enabling faster diagnostics and reducing the need for on-site interventions.

Centralised control has helped streamline support workflows and reduce incident response times, while delivering more consistent and reliable AV performance across campuses. According to the university, this has translated into improved availability of learning spaces and a smoother experience for both staff and students.

The new infrastructure has also unlocked additional capabilities, particularly in the area of digital signage. The university can now manage and update content in real time across high-traffic areas, supporting more agile and targeted communication with students and visitors.

The completed project leveraged a range of solutions from Kramer, including: KDS-EN7 encoders and KDS-DEC7 decoders for content distribution; Via Go 3 devices for wireless presentation and collaboration; KC Virtual Brain 5 and Panta Rhei for system management, monitoring, and control; VSM on Cloud for centralized, cloud-based management; dedicated network infrastructure built around Netgear M4250 switches; and TP-583TXR units for transmission support.

(Photo: Kramer)

www.kramerav.com