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Avolites media server selected for new lighting installation at Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
03/10/2025
Neushoorn upgrades with Robe
12/09/2025
Robe for De Roma
15/08/2025
AVC and Elation revive Croatia’s Kazaliste 21
Kazaliste 21 (Theater 21) in Sisak, Croatia, has reopened its doors with an Elation lighting system by Audio Video Consulting (AVC), marking a major milestone in the theater’s post-earthquake recovery. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the region on December 29, 2020, caused significant damage to the venue, temporarily silencing a key hub of local arts and culture.
The newly renovated theater is a modern performance venue, hosting theater, music, and puppet productions, operated by Dom kulture Kristalna kocka vedrine - City Theatre Sisak. At the heart of the 200-seat theater is a new Elation lighting rig and Obsidian control solution, designed and installed by Zagreb-based integrator and audiovisual installations specialist AVC who oversaw the project from initial concept to full implementation.
The Elation lighting replaces much of the theater’s outdated tungsten fixtures and includes eighteen KL PAR FC full-color-spectrum LED PARs, twelve KL Fresnel 8 FC LED Fresnels, and four Fuze SFX LED spot/effects fixtures. The KL PAR FCs are positioned around the stage as front, side, and top light, while the KL Fresnel 8 FC units serve as LED substitutes for the 2K tungsten fixtures previously used.
The multi-purpose Fuze SFX’s eighteen gobos and dual prisms allow for mid-air FX and precise image projections. Positioned on two trusses, they are often used as backlight for specials. The theater is particularly happy that they no longer need to change gels for backlight, sidelight, or overhead positions.
The new system is controlled via an Obsidian Control Systems NX1 console, providing Onyx control in a compact design, with an NX K control surface extension. The theater’s outdated control hardware has been replaced in an upgrade that marks a significant technological leap beyond submaster-only operation. Cue-based programming now enables a wider range of creative possibilities.
AVC spent a week on-site teaching the theater staff to operate the NX1 and the Onyx platform, complemented by online tutorials. The Elation lighting install was completed early in the summer and debuted with a production of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince” (pictured), directed by Helena Petkovic with lighting design by Vesna Kolarec.
(Photos: Elation/Kazaliste 21/Zoran Luketic)
Dalhalla invests in new Robe iForte moving lights
Dalhalla is an open-air amphitheatre set in the former Draggängarna limestone quarry in central Sweden. The venues’ summer seasons feature a range of music and artists - rock and pop, musicals and sometimes opera performances. Dalhalla invested in twenty new Robe iForte moving lights, delivered for its 2025 season which has just concluded.
The iFortes have replaced eighteen Robe MMX Spots that had been in service since 2012. These are now redeployed in another venue operated by Dalhalla’s management company, Rättvik Event in nearby Falun, which runs for the winter season. Dalhalla still has twelve of Robe’s first generation of LED theatre luminaires - DLS Profiles - on the front truss of its main house rig of nearly 200 fixtures, which were purchased in 2014. Before this, they utilised other classic Robe products - like ColorSpot 2500s and ColorWash 1200s and LEDWash 600s - all of which are now installed in a local hockey arena, and there’s also a small club venue with old Robe ColorWash 250s.
Last year and in 2023, Dalhalla rented in iFortes, mainly to illuminate the environment - the 60-metre drop quarry walls and its turquoise base lake - for specific shows. The venue is 400 metres long and 175 wide. Dalhalla’s current roof was installed in 2009 and provides a decent amount of shade during the daylight, so onstage illumination is important for all productions. The sun sets around 11 p.m. for most of the summer months, so effectively the whole season is “daylight” shows.
So far, the new iFortes - delivered to Dalhalla by Robe’s Swedish distributor Bellalite - have been utilised as part of the upstage house lighting system which is used by most artists playing Dalhalla. If needed to light the quarry, they can be de-rigged and repositioned to illuminate the vast limestone walls. Technical production for all Dalhalla concerts is co-ordinated by a team of eight led by the venue’s head of technical, Anders “Hebbe” Herbertzon, and since 2022, the technical equipment has been fully owned by the venue.
The 4800-6500 capacity venue - depending on standing/seating configuration - is located about 7 km north of Lake Siljan and Rättvik in Sweden’s Dalarna region. The quarry ceased limestone mining operations in 1990 and its conversion into an event space started in 1994, a passion project driven by the late opera singer and cultural visionary Margareta Dellefors, who died last year aged 98.
(Photos: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke/Daniel Eriksson/Bino Rindestig & Erik Larsson, Gävle Symfoniorkester)
Pin Point Lighting modernizes middle school auditoriums with all-LED Elation systems
Perkiomen Valley Middle School East and Perkiomen Valley Middle School West, near Philadelphia, have unveiled new auditorium lighting systems built almost entirely around Elation LED fixtures. The installations were designed and executed by Pin Point Lighting of Aston, Pennsylvania.
The dual auditorium projects mark the first collaboration between Pin Point and the schools, which approached the company to bid after researching the technology and identifying Elation fixtures as their preferred choice. Jason “Toecutter” Olson of Pin Point led the installation, working closely with long-time industry colleague Tom Brandis of Elation manufacturer’s representative The Healy Group.
“The district had really done their homework; they did their own research and came in knowing what they wanted”, says Olson. “They wanted professional-grade lighting systems designed to support everything from school productions to community events. Because they are multiuse auditoriums, they wanted flexible, adaptable lighting rigs and Elation was their choice.”
Each auditorium is now fully equipped with LED lighting, replacing outdated halogen PAR 64s, Fresnels, and Cyc lights. The installations mark the second round of LED upgrades in the auditoriums, which are now 100% LED. The new rigs feature thirty KL Fresnel 8 FC full-color LED Fresnels (fifteen per auditorium), eight Fuze Profile automated framing fixtures (installed in the East auditorium), six Fuze Max Profile high-output framing fixtures (three per auditorium at FOH), plus existing Elation Colour 5 Profile ellipsoidals and additional LED ellipsoidals.
“The Fuze Max Profiles at FOH can illuminate the entire stage from the proscenium edge to the backstage”, explains Olson. “The Fuze Profiles in the East auditorium are mounted on stage electrics and side torms and provide coverage for the back of the house, the stage, and other areas of the auditorium.” The existing Colour 5 Profile ellipsoidals are used for specials.
Perkiomen Valley Middle School East, with seating for 800 and four overhead electrics, benefits from the larger system, while the West auditorium features three overhead electrics. Both auditoriums include fly rail systems and now enjoy expanded lighting positions due to new rigging and pipe added by Pin Point. Beyond fixture installation, Pin Point upgraded dimmer systems, revised plots and patches, and delivered 3D plots. The work was completed in June 2025, ready for students’ return to school in the fall.
(Photos: Pin Point Lighting)
Avolites media server selected for new lighting installation at Rio Hotel & Casino Las Vegas
An Avolites Ai media server is at the heart of the new lighting installation that wraps both towers at the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. This is being used to map, help control and schedule over three miles - and 351,032 pixels - of “illuminative possibility”, designed by the creative lighting team of Chris Kuroda and Andrew “Gif” Giffin, using Clear LED’s X-Bar 25 mm product which wraps 360 degrees around the buildings.
Kuroda and Giffin programmed a series of cues, scenes and sequences that run automatically, bringing an organically engineered lighting aesthetic to the architecture of this iconic Vegas hotel and casino. Ruben Laine from Australia and US-based Creative Integration Studio was asked to devise a control solution that treated video as lighting.
This involved outputting lighting in a video-centric format, enabling micro-manageable levels of detail to be accessed for each vertical LED strip, with some over 4,000 pixels long. The Rio’s lighting scheme is part of an ongoing multi-million-dollar refit to the resort being managed by Dreamscape Companies. The new LEDs replace 3.6 miles of old neon that had been in residence since the 1990s.
The overall project is the brainchild of Marty Millman, VP of Development and Construction at Dreamscape. He didn’t want new lighting that resembled any other generic or clinically pixel mapped building installation fed with video content - he wanted something unique, different and stand-out. A major Phish fan for many years, Millman reached out to the artist’s long-term lighting creative team of Kuroda and Giffin, challenging them to produce the specific look he envisioned for The Rio, having been inspired by their lighting designs for the band. Their work for the artist frequently uses linear stage/theatre style light sources - like Robe Tetra2s and TetraXs - as a dynamic structural base to their familiar rig of automated trusses, simultaneously adding another layer of kinetic movement.
Kuroda and Giffin have programmed hundreds of thousands of lighting cues for the assorted Phish tours and projects, using lighting consoles and effects engines, which give the animation a special crisp. This was exactly what Millman wanted, and a workflow that is second nature to Kuroda and Giffin, who were delighted to take on the mission but quickly realized that the enormous number of pixels involved meant that DMX driven directly from a lighting console was not an option.
Ruben Laine immediately grasped that they needed “video playback” (that did not involve video content). Using the Avolites media server and Ai was one of Laine’s first thoughts. He specified this product for the task, in combination with the real-time graphics rendering of Notch. Laine, who has used the Avo AI media servers for over ten years, collaborated with the Avolites team in the UK to add a new function to the AI server’s “Follow-on” actions that allows for “randomized specificity” as a custom play mode to manage all the media, control and scheduling using a Notch block that Laine built, giving lighting control across the entire surface of the buildings.
This custom scheduling - allowing randomization - enables the playback of a long “base look” followed by a series of random sequences before returning to the base look again, and repeating the process, which also means that the same series of sequences will never get repeated and become predictable. The programmed lighting scenes are divided into two categories - “base looks” that are subtly animated, and “shows” that are faster, bolder, and higher contrast. A “base look” plays for five minutes, followed by a one-minute show - all randomly selected - followed again by another randomly selected base look, then another one-minute show.
The lighting programming itself was more loosely timed on a clip-by-clip basis with no two clips the same length, so using tools like Calendar or Macro Script made it impossible to use anything else. They started lighting programming with the linear elements in Notch, treating each vertical line as its own layer or canvas, complete with dedicated intensity controls and a “form” to allow for solids, gradients, or patterns, plus full transform controls like position and scale, as well as different color and alpha controls. This meant that a single layer could maneuver complex gradients using one element, and these layers were then stacked.
A second independently controlled layer allowed Giffin to get “really funky” with lighting programming, stacking two-dimensional controls, giving a set of twenty “super layers” to cover the entire array of layers, rendering underneath the 200 linear layers with similar but more complex controls and effects. Finally, by including animatable masks, the individual architectural segments and features of the buildings could be highlighted, which maintained Rio’s architectural identity.
“We wanted to achieve this without the building getting lost in the glamour and glitz of its shiny, new technicolor veil”, says Kuroda, adding that “the genius” of this control methodology “was that it allowed our familiar tools and lighting programming workflow to be used during the creative process”.
Ideas were discussed just like they were standard lighting cues, creating and manipulating them on the fly using a lighting console and lighting console logic, relying on many of their concert lighting tricks like color wipes across the whole canvas, narrow bands of white leading in a new color from “rocket tips”, or creating shapes with the negative space and animating them into numerous forms. With around fifty or sixty slow-moving looks and another fifty or sixty fast-moving ones, they needed a server that would pick these to play randomly over the course of a year, so that nothing was repeated regularly.
This Notch and Q Series/Ai combination also crunches 2,000 universes of pixel data into eight DMX universes of externally exposed ArtNet channels. Each sequence is played back from the console and ArtNet, recorded into Notch, then rendered at sixty frames per second for the smoothest possible motion across each pixel on The Rio’s facade.
The Q Series media server outputs the rendered clips into Clear LED’s signal processors which are then pushed down a few miles of fiber optic cable. “Q Series/Ai was without a doubt a crucial part of this adventure - from our original concept of running the show as live Notch blocks, through every creative, technical, and executive challenge, to the final execution”, says Laine. “Using Q Series/Ai allowed us to effectively map the building in just a couple of hours.”
(Photos: Creative Integration Studio/Eliska Sky/Ultra Vegas Drone Services)
Multisenses modernisiert Beleuchtung der Tonhalle Düsseldorf
Die Multisenses GmbH hat die Saalbeleuchtung der Tonhalle Düsseldorf vollständig erneuert. Insgesamt 260 Leuchten in tuneable White (2.700-6.500 K) wurden im Sonderbau nach Vorgaben der Bartenbach GmbH gefertigt, um die historische Anmutung der Saalarchitektur zu bewahren, ohne die Positionen der bestehenden Leuchten zu verändern. Gleichzeitig erfüllt die neue Lichtanlage die Anforderungen an Flexibilität und Nachhaltigkeit.
Besonderes Augenmerk lag auf der Dimmung: Die Tonhalle verlangte eine stufenlose, flackerfreie Steuerung, insbesondere im kritischen Bereich der unteren fünf Prozent. Zum Einsatz kam erstmals der ISYGLT Ana-V2, der eine geräuschlose analoge Dimmung garantiert und die Akustik des Konzertsaals nicht beeinträchtigt. Jede Leuchte kann jetzt individuell per DMX adressiert und separat angesteuert werden. Ergänzend dazu wurde die gesamte DMX-, Netzwerk- und Steuerungsinfrastruktur erneuert.
Neben Bartenbach als verantwortlichem Lichtplaner waren zahlreiche Partner in das Projekt involviert, darunter die Lightpower GmbH, die Werning Theatertechnik-Theaterbedarf GmbH, die HOF Alutec Metallverarbeitungs GmbH & Co. KG sowie die Seebacher GmbH mit ISYGLT.
(Fotos: Multisenses GmbH/Tonhalle Düsseldorf)
Robe LEDBeam 150s for Cape Town’s Baxter Theatre
The Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa, has five performance spaces plus a garden, which is also used for shows, and is located in the Rondebosch suburb on the edge of the University of Cape Town (UCT) campus. It is the city’s second largest performing arts venue - after the Artscape Theatre Centre - and has a vibrant programme embracing drama, dance, music and other genres of live theatre and performance.
The theatre has invested in Robe LEDBeam 150s fixtures - supplied by the Cape Town branch of Robe’s distributor DWR - following a decision by the technical crew and the venue’s production manager Marisa Steenkamp. The fixtures are constantly in active use across the different show and rehearsal spaces, helping facilitate the theatre’s diverse production schedule, which includes the annual Baxter Zabalaza Theatre Festival showcasing upcoming local talent. Many of their own produced shows also go on to tour internationally.
Benny Arendse from the tech crew explains that before they bought their own LEDBeam 150s, fixtures would sometimes be rented in if required, as was the case for a production of “Othello” lit by Patrick Curtis last year. It was after this that they decided to buy their own. There are also some older Robe products in the house - two 600E Spots and four 600E Washes - which were among the Baxter’s first moving lights, and more recently, they invested in five Robe Spiider LED wash beams.
Pictured (left to right): Baxter Theatre’s Franky Steyn, Julian Baeties and Benny Arendse. (Photos: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke)
Historic St. George Theatre upgrades with Ayrton lighting rig
Staten Island’s St. George Theatre recently invested in 33 Ayrton Khamsin fixtures and eleven Ayrton Huracán Washes for the performing arts venue’s latest equipment upgrade. The 1,900-seat theatre opened in 1929 as a movie and vaudeville house, and it was renovated in 2004 and has been hosting educational programs, architectural tours, television and film shoots, concerts, comedy, Broadway touring companies and children’s shows.
The theatre’s most recent upgrade, to replace outdated lighting fixtures, saw fifteen Ayrton Khamsin units mounted on the FOH truss and sixteen Khamsins spread on the third and fourth electric and upstage truss; two more are on hand as spares. Eleven Ayrton Huracán Wash fixtures are on the downstage truss and second electric. Barbizon Lighting - New York sold the fixtures to the theatre. David Winnick, Systems Integrator with Barbizon’s System Division, has been freelancing at the St. George for the last few years and assisted with the project.
A multi-million dollar grant from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs enabled the theatre to revamp all of its theatrical lighting. Michael Abrams, a lighting designer, programmer and master electrician, designed the new rig and served as the theatre’s Head Electrician for the install. The Khamsins’ main function is “primarily ‘flash’ or ‘specials’”, he says.
As for the Huracáns, he explains: “With my old system, I didn’t have any strips for our cyc or full black, so I used washes to light it but, of course, there was still a circle beam. With the Huracáns, even though I also purchased strips, I have the opportunity to light them from the front and shutter without spill. We have also used them for downlight or backlight specials, while still being able to use the Khamsins for the crazy stuff.”
He notes that the new fixtures are so bright that he typically runs the rig at fifty percent to achieve “a tolerable level for guests and still have a bright light. I would rather have something too bright and bring it down than not have enough output”.
Barbizon Lighting also replaced the theatre’s GrandMA2 console with a GrandMA3 full-size with 8-port and 4-port nodes and an RPU. “Incoming tours and shows are most often running on the GrandMA3 platform”, says Winnick. IATSE Local One stagehands performed the install, including Marvin Bernabel, Carolyn O’Brian, Sheldon Lewis, Phil Tabbitas and Phil Tabbitas, Jr. At the St. George Theatre, Pete Mastropaolo is the Operations and Production Manager.
(Photos: Ayrton/St. George Theatre)
Neushoorn upgrades with Robe
Neushoorn - Dutch for “rhinoceros” - is a music venue in the heart of Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, complete with two halls, a cafe area that’s also used as a performance space, rehearsal rooms and studios, plus strong educational ties with local vocational college Firda, which focuses on music, drama, theatre and the arts, running both technical and creative courses.
The venue received a tranche of funding at the end of 2023 to upgrade its technical infrastructure, which has included purchasing a bunch of new Robe LED fixtures that are primarily rigged in the Main Hall, including 22 Paintes, twelve LEDBeam 350s, four LEDBeam 350 FWs (fresnel wash - for smoother edges and enhanced colour homogenisation), six Spiiders, eight TetraXs and sixteen LEDBeam 150s. These were delivered during 2024 by Robe’s Benelux distributor Controllux.
The fixtures were on a list compiled by technical consultant and lighting designer Sebastiaan Groen (also a former employee), Neushoorn’s head of lighting Jorden Boersma, and their overall head of technical, Michiel Cornelisse. The latter also co-ordinated and oversaw the budgeting; he was already familiar with the needs of the venue, being a professional sound engineer and through his connection as the principal sound engineering teacher at Firda.
The venue’s two halls are the Main Hall with a capacity of 750, and the Small Hall, which can host around 350 people depending on the configuration. The cafe can further accommodate 150 people, and these spaces often run simultaneously, producing over 500 shows and events a year. Additionally, Firda uses the venue for teaching assorted course modules and for their own productions.
Neushoorn previously had an installation of Robe’s first-generation DL series LED theatrical luminaires with seventeen DL4Xs, which arrived in in 2016. These fixtures have been moved to the Small Hall. Most of the new lights are rigged in the Main Hall, including a floor package comprising Spiiders, Tetras and four of the Paintes, and the sound system there is Funktion-One. The Small Hall has been revamped with the seventeen DLX Spots, four of which are in their floor package, together with the same quantity of new LEDBeam 150s.
Lighting control in the Main Hall is an Avolites Arena console, with a T3 for the area running the latest Titan Mobile software. Boersma will typically light around fifty percent of the shows coming through, and the rest will bring their own LDs or operators.
Pictured (left to right): Twan Schipper from Controllux, Neushoorn’s Jorden Boersma, Michiel Cornelisse and Sebastiaan Groen, and Controllux’s Maikel Sakkers. (Photos: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke)
Ashton Bentley delivers seamless BYOD meeting experience at Halkin Mainframe, London
Ashton Bentley, a Kramer company, has played a central role in transforming the meeting room experience at London’s flexible workspace Halkin Mainframe. Six new meeting rooms at the venue now feature a dual conferencing setup that combines Zoom Rooms with BYOD connectivity, powered by Ashton Bentley BX USB-C Breakout Hubs.
Housed in a historic building that has been reimagined for modern working, Halkin Mainframe offers a mix of private offices, open plan coworking, creative breakout areas, and a multi-functional event space. The meeting rooms provide tenants and guests with professional, technology-enabled spaces that can adapt to different styles of collaboration. Discreet, under-desk BX Hub units allow users to connect their own device securely and immediately access the room’s conferencing ecosystem.
“We selected Ashton Bentley due to the success and reliability we’ve had with them on previous projects”, says Jack Cornish, Technical Director at Tateside, the project’s integration partner. Alongside Neat Board Pro systems running Zoom Rooms, the BX Hubs ensure every meeting room at Halkin Mainframe is platform-agnostic, giving users the choice between native Zoom experiences or instantly switching to Teams, Webex, Google Meet, or any other platform from their own device.
(Photos: Kramer/Halkin Mainframe)
dBTechnologies liefert PA-Lösung für Multifunktions-Venue De Kei in den Niederlanden
Im Rahmen eines Modernisierungsprojekts wurde im De Kei, einem kleinen Theater- und Kulturzentrum in Reusel (Niederlande), ein PA-System von dBTechnologies installiert. Die multifunktionale Veranstaltungsstätte ist auf unterschiedlichste Formate ausgelegt.
Die neue Audiolösung wurde in Zusammenarbeit mit dem lokalen AV-Integrator GISB Audiovisueel und dem dBTechnologies-Team realisiert. Im Mittelpunkt des Konzepts steht die Benutzerfreundlichkeit: Die Lösung sollte sowohl für Laien als auch für professionelle Anwender geeignet sein. So können spezialisierte Techniker eine professionelle Show umsetzen, während die lokale Theatergruppe alles eigenständig bedienen kann.
De Kei bietet ein flexibles Raumkonzept für Theaterproduktionen, musikalische Darbietungen und Vorträge. Um den unterschiedlichen Anforderungen gerecht zu werden, lag der Fokus bei der Systemplanung auf Sprachverständlichkeit und Musikalität. Die neue Beschallung umfasst zwei aktive Vio-X12-Fullrange-Lautsprecher als Front-of-House-System, kombiniert im Stack mit zwei Vio-S118R-Subwoofern für eine erweiterte Bassabdeckung, sowie sechs kompakte Vio-X205-2-Wege-Lautsprecher als Infill- und Delay-Lösungen.
„Die Vio-Systeme sind ideal, um in einem so intimen Raum eine gleichmäßige Abdeckung zu gewährleisten, ohne den Raum zu übersteuern“, sagt Roel van Gisbergen, AV-Spezialist bei GISB Audiovisueel. „Ihre kompakte Bauweise und Flexibilität machen sie zur perfekten Wahl für den Einsatz als Main-System sowie für Delay- und Frontfill-Anwendungen.“
Feinabgestimmt wurde das System mit Hilfe der Aurora-Net-Software von dBTechnologies, welche eine präzise Ausrichtung und Optimierung aller Komponenten ermöglicht. „Wir haben ein multifunktionales Preset erstellt, um einen reibungslosen Wechsel zwischen verschiedenen Veranstaltungsarten zu ermöglichen“, erklärt Christian van de Pas, Systemingenieur bei dBTechnologies. „Ob Rede oder Konzert - der Sound bleibt stets ausgewogen und transparent.“
(Fotos: GISB Audiovisueel)
Paragon 360 installs EAW sound system at Hammons Field in Springfield, Missouri
Hammons Field, home of the Springfield Cardinals, has upgraded its audio system, now featuring Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) loudspeakers, designed and installed by audio, video, and lighting (AVL) integrator Paragon 360.
Hammons Field is a 6,750-seat minor league baseball stadium with an additional 2,500 general admission spots and serves as the Double-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. The venue also hosts the Missouri State University Bears and features fan-favorite spaces like the Redbird Roost, the Champions Club, a spacious main concourse, private suites and new third-level executive suites.
When it came time to modernize Hammons Field’s original audio system, installed when the stadium opened in 2004, the Springfield Cardinals wanted more than just a routine equipment swap. They needed a solution that would preserve the stadium’s existing speaker locations while delivering a boost in clarity, output and coverage.
“From the beginning, this audio upgrade needed to be a direct one-to-one replacement of the old system”, says Rich Nelms, account representative at Paragon 360. “We wanted to find a speaker that provided better coverage, higher output and better pattern control. The EAW MKD series ended up being the perfect choice.”
The new system, which debuted just in time for opening day, features fourteen EAW MKD1296 3-way full-range loudspeakers run bi-amped for the main seating areas. To round out the coverage, EAW MKC80 and MKC120 2-way coaxial point source loudspeakers were used as fill speakers and deployed throughout the upper decks and club spaces.
Eighteen MKC80 speakers were used for the outdoor suite seating and seven for the Redbird Roost seating. Six MKC120 speakers were used for the Redbird Roost common area and seven were used across the stadium entrances. All the speakers were hung using the appropriate EAW U-Bracket.
(Photos: EAW)
Barcelonian fitness studio equipped with Electro-Voice and Dynacord gear
Lapso Studios’ boutique fitness studio in Barcelona has installed a new sound system from Electro-Voice and Dynacord. The studio offers classes over three disciplines - cycling, functional fitness and barre. It required a club-style solution to ensure its clients were motivated.
“There are elements that we use in the room such as sound, microphone, lights as well as a motivational instructor to facilitate the class”, explains Lapso Trainer Ishaq Vadillo. “Sound is one of the most important things because if there is no sound, there’s no music, there’s no microphone and the class really depends on the clarity of the sound. People don’t really remember what you do, but people always remember how you made them feel. That’s the philosophy we like to implement here at Lapso.”
The Lapso team turned to local systems integrator Fentum Pro to find the right solution for its two fitness studios. “We try to solve issues with creative technical solutions that use sound and light to make immersive experiences”, states Daniel Scholten, CEO/Technical Director at Fentum Pro. The main challenge in the two studios was acoustic. Both workout spaces are surrounded by mirrors, leading to a difficult environment for sound.
“You have to consider the coach, and the clarity of voice under load of the system”, explains Jordi Raluy, Technical Director at local Electro-Voice and Dynacord partner, Acson Comercial. “We looked at the best speaker models for this project. They needed to be very directional and have the best gain before feedback.”
Electro-Voice EVC Series loudspeakers and subwoofers were chosen. “In the room, you find 12-inch and 8-inch loudspeakers, as well as 18-inch subwoofers, all driven with Dynacord L Series amplifiers”, says Raluy, adding that the Dynacord amplifiers’ FIR filters and presets were particularly important.
Adding control to the system is the MXE5 Matrix Mix Engine used alongside Sonicue Sound System Software. “We used the Dynacord MXE5 processor extensively”, says Scholten. “We had to program everything properly in Sonicue to cancel all the undesired frequencies we have. It was very helpful for us to find a solution this way.”
A further advantage came from creating a simple way for the instructors to control the system from their equipment at the front of the class. “We created an interface in the tablet where instructors can control the sound and the lights from the same GUI”, explains Scholten.
(Photo: Electro-Voice/Lapso Studios)
Indonesia’s Superhouse Paskal Bandung upgrades with Martin Audio WPC
Holywings is an Indonesian lifestyle and entertainment group with a selection of bars, clubs and live music venues spread across the island’s key cities. Many of the venues under the Holywings banner feature Martin Audio solutions, provided and installed by partner GMT Group.
Their latest sound system upgrade - at the HW Superhouse Paskal Bandung live music bar - is no exception, although in this instance it is a new-generation Martin Audio WPC line array that provides the main stage hangs rather than the point source that populates many of the other venues. The system was conceived by Satrio Prisetya, Marketing & Technical Director of GMT Group.
Superhouse Paskal Bandung is a near 400-capacity, open-plan venue with its stage set centrally. The venue combines live band performances with DJ sets, to create a club atmosphere. Working with PT.Goshen Swara Indonesia, Martin Audio’s Indonesian distributor, GMT Group recommended this solution based on all performance requirements.
As a result, four WPC elements per side are paired with two SXH218 subwoofers per side in stereo stacks. These are supported by a pair of X15B outfills and four Torus T1230 for delay, with a further pair each of SX218 and X118B subs for delay.
(Photos: Martin Audio/GMT Group/Superhouse Paskal Bandung)
SJC and WSDG partner for Ponte Vedra Concert Hall renovation
The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall (PVCH) has established itself as a port of call for touring musical acts passing through northern Florida since its founding in 2011. In May of 2024, 501(c)(3) organisation SJC Cultural Events Inc. committed to a renovation of the hall. As part of these upgrades, SJC brought on acoustic designers WSDG.
“We couldn’t have imagined how much it was going to grow when we founded the space in 2011”, says SJC CEO and President Gabriel Pellicer. “At the time, we simply believed we could create a cultural enhancement for the community that could also serve as a valuable touring stop for artists moving up and down the Florida coast. After fourteen years, it had become clear that we were overperforming in terms of the level of artists we were able to attract and the quality of shows we were able to put on. We’d always known that we wanted to do more with the venue, so the time was right to give it a chance to properly grow.”
In addition to size expansions in both the stage and seated capacity, technical and acoustic upgrades were top of the list. WSDG partnered with local Ponte Vedra Beach architectural firm Fisher/Koppenhafer Architecture and Interior Design as well as Owner and Systems Designer Stephen Unklebach of AVL Productions, and fellow acousticians Rulon International and EZ Acoustics, all local Florida businesses.
The WSDG design team - consisting of Sergio Molho (Partner, Director of Business Development), David Molho (Partner, Project Engineer) and Luis Hermida (Project Engineer, Acoustics) - was tasked with ensuring that the venue’s character was preserved, while making critical improvements in speech intelligibility and audibility. As much of the music performed at the Concert Hall is organic, roots music in the folk, bluegrass, and blues traditions, enhancing the acoustical characteristics of the hall to elevate the experience of these genres was a key aspect of the project.
The WSDG team created a 3D model of the live music venue and proposed a series of acoustic solutions that would be undetectable to the untrained eye while still providing the desired outcomes. As the venue’s ceiling utilises an open cell foam for thermal reasons, WSDG took advantage of this existing feature to solve certain low-frequency acoustical issues. Subtle, flutter-free diffusion was introduced along the side and back walls to control first-order reflections toward both the stage and audience.
Electroacoustic requirements provided by AVL Productions for a new L-Acoustics line array were also taken into account for improved low end. “We implemented a solution that was largely invisible and took advantage of the venue’s existing infrastructure where possible to keep costs reasonable”, says Sergio Molho. “The diffusion on the walls was a fairly simple change, but it made such a big impact on the overall quality of the acoustics in the room and allowed us to hit our targets.” Michael Livingston, PVCH Senior Production Manager, adds: “Sonically, WSDG was able to achieve exactly what we were hoping for - improved control of the acoustics to suit the new line array and ensure improved intelligibility all around.”
The completed renovations for the main concert hall have increased its capacity by nearly 25 percent, allowing it to now support a standing room of 1,100 or seated capacity of 615. The increased stage size now can better accommodate the larger groups of performers that PVCH has been regularly attracting.
(Photos: SJC Cultural Events/WSDG)
FC Barcelona training pitch equipped with Philips Urban LED wall
PPDS, the global provider of Philips Professional Displays and complementary solutions, has announced the installation of a Philips Urban LED wall at Spanish football club FC Barcelona’s Tito Vilanova training pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva campus.
Together with FC Barcelona’s commitment to installing advanced and sustainable technologies in its new Camp Nou stadium - for which Philips Professional Displays is the Official Digital Display Supplier - the Club also prides itself on developing and implementing the latest training methods and innovations, with an ever-growing emphasis on technology to help stay on top.
Ahead of the 2025/2026 La Liga season, FC Barcelona sought new opportunities to upgrade Pitch 1, with the introduction of a display system to bring new visual capabilities and detailed analysis to the touchline for both coaching and playing staff. Now known as Camp Tito Vilanova, Pitch 1 is the first team’s official training area, featuring an 11-a-side (105 x 68 metres) pitch, a 4,643 sqm warm-up area, and a 1,400 capacity terrace.
To support their vision, the club teamed up with PPDS, together with local LED integration expert LED Dream, for the project, installing a 5.5 x 3 metre Philips Urban LED 7000 Series LED wall located just beyond the touchline, tailored precisely around the club’s night and day needs. The LED wall provides coaching staff with multiple live views of the action, together with detailed real-time player analysis and instant reviews/replay capabilities.
With 6,000 nits of brightness, the 3.9 pp LED wall is capable of standing up to the rigours of all weather and lighting conditions in the Catalonian capital, whether heavy rain, direct sunlight or floodlight glare. The 7000 Series also includes an IP66 rating, resistant to dust and corrosive airborne salt spray from the nearby Mediterranean sea.
(Photo: PPDS)
Polar designs and supplies Primacoustic solution for GHA installation at London health and well-being centre
Based in Clapham, South London, Seven Lion Yard is a holistic health and well-being centre providing psychological and wellbeing services to address both mind and body under one roof. Its team of clinical psychologists is committed to supporting adults, children, families, and organisations, using mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork, to help individuals become more attuned to their emotional responses.
The four-storey facility, which opened in 2024, includes consulting and treatment rooms, and a large top floor studio. An interior focused on calm, restoration, and relaxation characterises the building, although following the centre’s opening, its team became aware of the need to combat the reverberant effects of its high ceilings and reflective surfaces. The acoustic properties of the centre’s spaces were detrimental to discreet one-on-one therapies and group activities.
Determined to improve the environment, Founder Madeline Jago contacted Polar to discuss a solution for the centre with the aim of significantly calming its lively acoustics. Polar’s Integrated Solutions division recommended Primacoustic panels as the optimal way forward and created a design that would impact the problem. Local integrator GHA Group, based only minutes away in Battersea, was engaged to install the treatment. With almost fifty years experience of installation and hire in the AV business, GHA’s team provided efficient delivery without disruption to the work of the centre.
GHA installed thirty Primacoustic Broadway Broadband Absorber panels throughout the centre. Designed for acoustic treatment where maximum control over primary reflections is required, and made from high density six pound per cubic foot glass wool, these 2’’ thick 24’’ x 48’’ panels improve intelligibility where the reverberant field and echo is excessive.
“The acoustic panels installed in our consulting rooms have made a noticeable difference in dampening sound and reducing echo, which has helped create a much cosier, calmer atmosphere”, says Madeleine Jago. “The improved acoustics also support confidentiality, preventing sound travelling between rooms.”
(Photos: GHA Group/Polar/Primacoustic)
Tone Proper transforms Crystal Ballroom with PK Sound system
Portland, Oregon’s Crystal Ballroom, one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier historic venues, recently underwent a transformative audio upgrade. Audiovisual supplier Tone Proper implemented PK Sound’s T8 robotic line source modules, T18 subwoofers and Tx26 point-source loudspeakers.
Crystal Ballroom’s historic interior is filled with reflective surfaces, including floor-to-ceiling windows and a combination of lath and plaster construction. While contributing to the charm of the venue, these same attributes create a challenging acoustic environment. “The space wasn’t designed for amplified sound and certainly not for the modern events they host now - but that’s exactly why PK’s T8 was the right choice”, says Nick Moon, owner of Tone Proper. “It’s the only solution we found that gives us the precision and flexibility to contain the sound where we want it and keep it away from where we don’t.”
To address Crystal Ballroom’s broad use - from intimate corporate events to full-scale concerts - Moon installed a complete system by PK Sound that included two T8 robotic line arrays comprised of eight boxes per side, twelve T18 subwoofers and a pair of Tx26 loudspeakers for front fills on the balcony. Due to the multi-axis robotic control afforded by the T8 solution, the vertical and horizontal dispersion of each element can be configured in real time, allowing the coverage pattern to be precisely adapted to each event’s needs without manual intervention.
“You can put the array up flat and, using PK’s integrated Dynamics software, shape the waveguide coverage after it’s in the air”, says Moon. “That means you don’t have to pull the system down to make changes. You can literally tune the room from the ground during soundcheck.”
While the Crystal Ballroom installation is a fixed system, Moon was so impressed with the PK Sound setup that he has added a second full rig to Tone Proper’s rental inventory, making the technology available for touring acts and mobile productions. “It’s flexible enough to be used on the fly, you don’t have to have everything figured out in advance”, he says, adding that ACT Entertainment, the brand’s North American distributor, also played a critical role in supporting this installation. Tone Proper is exploring additional ACT brands for further venue enhancements, including lighting and control systems.
(Photos: Kat Nyberg/McMenamins)
Hangzhou Butterfly Theatre invests in DiGiCo Quantum 225
Yue Opera is a popular Chinese opera genre that features women in all roles. For Hangzhou Butterfly Theatre’s premier of “My Grand View Garden” the audio team chose to invest in a DiGiCo Quantum 225, supplied by Rightway Audio Consultant (RAC), to deliver the required clarity and immersive experience.
The Zhejiang Xiaobaihua Yue Opera Theatre have enjoyed extraordinary success over the last decade, engaging new and younger audiences in the classic Yue Opera genre. Founded in 1984, the troupe is dedicated to modernizing, innovating and raising awareness of the art-form. A key feature of the genre is articulation and pronunciation, the predominate dialect is the traditional Wu, rather than modern Mandarin, so the choice of audio equipment is important.
The theatre utilises the Quantum 225 and an L-Acoustics L-ISA system to draw the audience into this lyrical story. Supporting the audio team were System Engineer Wang Jianghua and Project Engineer Hao Fange. The pair supported the onsite engineers and liaised with DiGiCo to ensure everything was as desired for the performances.
(Photos: DiGiCo/Hangzhou Butterfly Theatre)
Elation’s new KL Cyc light installed at Wilminktheater in Enschede
Immediately after receiving the first production batch of the new KL Cyc light at Elation’s European headquarters in Kerkrade, The Netherlands, Bert Schmeits, Elation’s Key Account Manager Benelux, and Dutch distributor Rolight decided to find a suitable venue to test the new fixture. The Wilminktheater in Enschede, located in the same city as Rolight, provided the ideal stage to put the KL Cyc through its paces.
“We were given access to the stage at the Wilminktheater to experiment with the new cyc light”, Schmeits explains. “In order to properly assess how the fixtures behave when multiple units are placed next to each other, I brought four of them with me.” The theater’s 11-meter-high backdrop was illuminated from above using four KL Cyc L units placed two meters away, side by side at one-meter intervals, and operating at fifty-percent intensity. The coverage impressed the theater’s lighting technicians, prompting a follow-up shootout against competing fixtures. The KL Cyc lights excelled in this direct comparison, verifying their capability.
“During the test, we set up the fixtures, and when we switched them on, I was immediately impressed by the output and color rendering”, shares Robin Eijlders, owner of Rolight. “Originally, we thought the fixture would be mainly suitable for the front edge of the stage, but we quickly discovered it could do much more than that. It turned out to be a true horizon fixture, which completely exceeded our expectations.”
The Wilminktheater and Muziekcentrum Enschede is a cultural facility for the municipality of Enschede and the surrounding area. The company, which operates four buildings with five stages in the center of Enschede, invested in 36 KL Cyc L units, most of which are installed on their main stage with additional fixtures placed in an older theater space.
“The new system is not only lighter and more efficient, but it also offers far greater intensity and flexibility than our previous halogen system”, says Paul de Vries, head of the Wilminktheater’s lighting department. The former setup weighed around 500 kilograms, while the new Elation system is 330 kilograms with rigging. “The speed, intensity, and range of color options are all huge improvements”, de Vries adds. “We used to be limited to four colors with the old system, which required constant effort to change gels. Now we can offer a wider variety of color choices.”
Wilminktheater is a busy theater with a large variety of productions across its stage each year, from plays and ballet to concerts and opera, including the startup of productions of the Dutch Touring Opera. They have also been creating many of their own productions in recent years.
(Photos: Rolight)
Robe for De Roma
De Roma - originally Kinema Roma - is one of Antwerp’s best-known music venues, and has recently added new Robe moving lights to its house rig, comprising twelve LEDBeam 150s, twelve LEDBeam 350s and twenty-four TX1 PosiProfiles, all specified by lighting technicians Hans Lodewijckx and Roy Nonneman, and supplied by Controllux, Robe’s Benelux distributor.
Lodewijckx and Nonneman both work there full-time, and Lodewijckx is now in his third season back at De Roma. Prior to this, he had worked there fifteen years ago before leaving to gain more experience in the world of freelancing. When he returned in 2022, the decision had already been made to upgrade the stage lighting to LED sources. When he had originally left De Roma, the venue’s first moving lights - Robe 600E Spots - were installed, and these were still working when he came back. Six Robe LEDBeam 150s had also been added to the rig in that time, and they still had the nineteen old 2K profiles on the front bridge.
When looking at new LED replacement fixtures, Lodewijckx and Nonneman were free to make the choice. Controllux account manager Philip Spittael demonstrated a range of Robe products, and they also looked at three other brands and packages for comparison, before making the decision to go with Robe. Robe’s TX1 PosiProfiles replace the front 2K profiles, providing a more flexible alternative source with greater output and a suitable CRI for key lighting. The LEDBeams - both 150 and 350 - are all included in De Roma’s standard production rig.
De Roma produces around 20-25 shows a month. They also present regular film screenings sometimes with multiple movies in a day. The venue is at the heart of Borgerhout’s social and cultural activities offering rock, pop, jazz and other genres with both local and international artists. There is also a restaurant on site and a smaller intimate venue for 50 to 100 people plus a foyer space that can fit 300 when needed. The main venue capacity is 2000 standing and 1250 in seated format.
Pictured: Roy Nonneman, Philip Spittael, Hans Lodewijckx (left to right); Lake street Dive in concert. (Photos: Nisran Azouaghe/Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke)
Meyer-Sound-Systeme in Austins Jupiter Supper Club installiert
Der neue Jupiter Supper Club in Austin (Texas, USA) verknüpft Kulinarik mit Live-Musik. Jede der vier Räumlichkeiten - Nova Lounge, Library Lounge, Bar und Terrace Restaurant - ist mit Meyer-Sound-Systemen ausgestattet, die individuell passend zu der Innenausstattung des Clubs lackiert wurden. In der Nova Lounge, wo Konzerte stattfinden, wurde ein Constellation-Raumakustiksystem installiert. Diese Lounge bietet Sitzplätze für maximal dreißig Gäste.
„Wir wollten eine Umgebung schaffen, die wir frei nach unseren Wünschen gestalten können, ohne Einschränkungen oder zukünftige Umbauten. Constellation macht es uns möglich“, sagt Bill Perkins, der den Jupiter Supper Club gemeinsam mit Lara Perkins erschaffen hat. „Aktuell haben wir neun Presets, aber da werden sicher noch weitere dazukommen - es ist eine Spielwiese.“ Mit dem neuen System kann die Nova Lounge an unterschiedliche Genres angepasst werden - von Jazz-Combos über Singer-Songwriter bis hin zu DJ-Sets.
Alle Systeme wurden von Ford AV in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Meyer-Sound-Designteam entwickelt und integriert. Das Constellation System in der Nova Lounge besteht aus Ashby-8C-, UP-4slim-, MM-10-, Acheron-, USW-210P-, Ultra-X20- und MJF-208-Lautsprechern sowie einer Reihe von verdeckten Mikrofonen, die von der neuen integrierten digitalen Audioplattform Nadia-CP gesteuert werden.
„Das Setup, das wir für die Lounge zusammengestellt haben, ist einzigartig“, sagt Jon Atkinson, AV-Audioingenieur bei Ford. „Der Raum ist so klein, dass die Künstler hier komplett akustisch singen können und das Soundsystem das Publikum trotzdem ohne übermäßige Lautstärke mitreißt. Als wir das System zum ersten Mal vorführten, waren die Musiker verblüfft - so etwas hatten sie noch nie gehört.“
In der Library Lounge, der Bar und dem Atrium Dining Room sorgen UP-4slim-Installationslautsprecher, Ultra-X22-Point-Source-Lautsprecher und zahlreiche Ashby-Deckenlautsprecher für nahtlosen Klang. Die Systeme werden über die Galileo-Galaxy-Netzwerkplattform verwaltet.
(Fotos: Andrés Sauceda/A Waking Eye)
K-array audio solutions enhance spaces across China
Integrator HKBN JOS (Shanghai) Company Limited has chosen K-array’s Kayman KY102 loudspeakers for the Yintai in77 shopping mall. The KY102’s beam steering technology provides audio in an open-air public space. A skybridge between mall buildings covered with LED advertising screens on three sides now delivers K-array audio whilst minimising noise pollution to nearby apartments.
Global technology provider Huawei selected Tornado KT2C ceiling loudspeakers for their flagship stores across China. “These loudspeakers blend into the spatial design, delivering enveloping soundscapes whilst being perfectly integrated with the ceiling fixtures”, says Jason Zhao, General Manager at K-array China.
Background music is also essential in restaurants such as “Song” in Guangzhou. Ultra-flat Vyper-KV52 II passive loudspeakers remain unobtrusive, whilst ensuring sound clarity and focused audio coverage. Additionally, ultra-mini Lyzard-KZ14 I loudspeakers are employed in each private dining room, maintaining minimal visual impact due to their form factor.
K-array’s solutions are being used in educational settings as well, such as in the renovation of Pingtan Primary School’s auditorium. Python-KP102 I loudspeakers, measuring one metre long and under eight centimetres wide, were rigged discreetly to the walls. “With their output and wide dynamic range, these loudspeakers can cater to a diverse range of activities”, says Zhao. The school hosts academic conferences, daily assemblies and music performances, amongst others.
Corporate settings in China are also using K-array’s solutions. Fujian steel manufacturing company Sanbao Group utilised various loudspeakers from across the K-array portfolio in their conference and reception rooms. Wall-mounted brackets allowed for integrating the loudspeakers into the workspace, whilst providing clear sound and speech reinforcement for important meetings.
(Photos: K-array/Pingtan Primary School/Sanbao Group/Song Restaurant/Yintai in77)
Conference Center in Salt Lake City chooses Robert Juliat for lighting upgrade
The Conference Center, the premier meeting hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, has invested in 85 Robert Juliat Dalis 864 footlights with a 4-colour mixing system to enhance performances in the 21,000-seat auditorium.
“We purchased eight of the white version Dalis 862 LED asymmetrical footlights about ten years ago and have had zero problems with them, so we decided to buy additional units of the colour version”, says Braden Howard, Lighting Specialist III, who serves as the resident Lighting Designer at The Conference Center. The new fixtures were obtained from Barbizon Light of the Rockies, Utah.
“The Dalis 862 footlights are part of the rig for events held in the space, but for the upgrade we decided to go full colour”, Howard continues. “Now, we can use them wherever we need them, for scenic lighting or, in a semi-permanent position, lining the edge of the stage.”
The new fixtures are expected to be installed in September. Their first usage will likely be the annual “Luz de las Naciones”, a multi-night celebration of traditional and contemporary Latin American music staged in November. “We can use the new lights to uplight solo singers for the camera, and to act as shin busters for the dancers throwing colour on their costumes”, says Howard.
Following that event will be the 2025 Christmas special where the Dalis 864s are expected to be deployed in a similar way plus as scenic lighting. “We have a fully built set for Christmas”, Howard notes. “We can move the Dalis footlights around, so we can put them on different levels of the set and, since they have a low profile, they will be hidden. Their finish doesn’t catch a lot of light either, so they seem to disappear in the dark.”
Pictured: Tabernacle Choir 2024 Christmas Concert. (Photos: Intellectual Reserve)
Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center enhances therapy services with Marshall cameras
The Scottish Rite Childhood Language Center (SRCLC) in Richmond, Virginia, a nonprofit clinic dedicated to supporting children with communication disorders, has upgraded its therapy observation system by installing advanced PTZ cameras from Marshall Electronics. The center has outfitted its therapy rooms with five CV612-TWI PTZ Cameras and installed one CV630 PTZ Camera for centralized monitoring by the executive director.
“This was a much-needed upgrade as our cameras were at least twenty years old, if not older”, says Susan Combee, Executive Director, SRCLC. “The new system is so much better.” The center works with children experiencing speech, language, fluency, voice and apraxia disorders. The new Marshall camera system has improved the ability for parents to observe therapy sessions in real-time, improving continuity of care from clinic to home.
“Families can now follow their child’s session from multiple angles. Sometimes the kids are at the table, on the floor or moving a lot”, explains Combee. “This level of visibility helps to understand the therapy techniques and reinforces carryover at home.” Each therapy rooms’ camera feed is visible within dedicated observation rooms that are equipped with monitors, controllers and headphones, allowing for clear audio and uninterrupted viewing. The camera control features let parents/guardians pan, tilt and zoom to follow the action.
In her own office, Combee uses a large central monitor to oversee all therapy rooms at once, not only to ensure operational efficiency, but also to bolster safety and staff support.
(Photo: Marshall Electronics/SRCLC)
Alfalite LED technology powers new virtual production studio at ITS Apulia Foundation in Bari
Alfalite has announced the inauguration of a new Virtual Production XR studio at the ITS Apulia Foundation’s Apulia Digital Lab in Bari, Italy, featuring Alfalite’s VP XR solutions. The project was carried out in collaboration with Alfalite’s local partner Broadcast Digital Service (BDS), which was responsible for the supply and commissioning of the systems.
Located at the Fiera del Levante and forming part of the innovative Apulia Digital Lab, the new facility is one of the most advanced digital production environments in Southern Europe. It offers students, creators and audiovisual professionals a full XR stage equipped with the latest virtual production technologies, and is part of a broader initiative to foster innovation in the fields of cultural industries, entertainment, and ICT.
At the heart of the Virtual Studio Production (VSP) lab is a curved LED volume built with Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.9 Orim VP XR panels, covering 48 sqm (12 x 4 m), and a 10 sqm LedSky ModularPix Pro 3.9 HB VP XR ceiling for immersive lighting and reflections. The LED installation is fully integrated with a professional Red camera, a Mosys camera tracking system for precise real-time synchronization, and a Movella motion capture system that enables dynamic character animation and XR performances. Together with Unreal Engine 5 real-time rendering and a complete broadcast and lighting setup, the studio delivers a robust and versatile platform for extended reality, VFX, and virtual set production.
“This project is a clear demonstration of how LED technology can empower education, creativity, and innovation”, says Silvia C. Natal, International Sales Manager at Alfalite. “We’re proud that our Modularpix Pro LED panels were selected for such a visionary initiative, which brings virtual production within the reach of students and professionals alike.”
The Virtual Studio is part of an EUR 8 million investment by the ITS Apulia Foundation into next-generation digital infrastructure, including AI computing clusters, cybersecurity labs, and advanced audiovisual environments. With a training model closely tied to industry demands, the ITS Apulia Academy boasts an employment rate nearing 87 percent and forms a bridge between education and the evolving needs of the media and ICT sectors.
The VP XR studio is now fully operational and will serve as a platform for a wide range of content creation, including film, television, advertising, animation, and immersive media projects, while fostering new skills and professional opportunities in the region.
(Photos: Alfalite/BDS)
