Sound & Video Contractor - November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021 // VOLUME 39 // ISSUE 11

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NOVEMBER 2021 // VOLUME 39 // ISSUE 11

contents

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FEATURES 28 | P hoenix Rises

Rady Shell Is A Next-Gen Live Venue With Bennett Liles As live events emerge from lockdown, a unique and tech-driven venue proves that the return to live is also the reinvention of live.

Supplement

35 | Hybrid Studios Virtual production blends live and distance experiences for corporate and education.

4 | O n the Circuit

By Chief Editor Cynthia Wisehart

12

Case Studies

6 | Events: Virtual Stage 8 | Events: Back in Business 10 | Events: Spatial Staging Tech Showcases

18

12 | Line Arrays

By Bennett Liles

18 | Signal Distribution

By Cynthia Wisehart

Open Mic

49 | Planning Spaces

By Mark Peterson and Kay Sargent

Sound & Video Contractor, Volume 39, Issue 11, (ISSN 0741-1715) is published monthly by Future US, Inc., 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036. Periodical Postage Paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Sound & Video Contractor, PO Box 1051, Lowell, MA 01853. Canada Post International Publications Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40612608. Canada return address: Pitney Bowes International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. ©2021 Future US, Inc.

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on the circuit

Volume 39 Issue 11

November 2021

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T

By Cynthia Wisehart

Find me online

oday as we go to press, the Event Safety Alliance announced the postponement of their hybrid 3-day December 2021 event to March 22-24, 2021 on the campus of Rock Lititz in Lititz, Pennsylvania. The Alliance will provide a 15% discount on in-person registrations through December 31, 2021.

This discount will be applied automatically at purchase.

At a time when event safety is a going concern, the Alliance and its partners Intact Insurance Specialty Partners and Take1 Insurance have a lot of education to offer. However the real-world, in-person concerns of their members take precedence, says Event Safety Alliance President Jim Digby. “We take the opinions, and the health and safety, of our members very, very seriously.”

According to Digby, the move to March 22-24, 2022 at Rock Lititz will allow ESA to deliver the full in-person summit experience. The program will include both in-person and virtual attendance options.

The Event Safety Alliance has long been a leader in planning for life safety, natural disasters, and other perils of the live event industry. Over the past nearly two years, they have seen their mission expanded by the unique, unprecedented, and evermoving target that is Covid. The planned agenda reflected those changes along with other time-honored and emerging concerns of event safety. Agenda sessions are planned on topics such as: insurance policy exclusions and limitations; how to explain safety requirements to guests; labor shortages; codes and standards; safety training; sustainability; harm reduction; fire; cyber security; accessibility; neighbor relations; and climate change among others.

So here’s the pitch from me. These can be very interesting topics if they are important to your business. Please consider registering before December 31st for this event if this is something you support. As any event professional knows, early registration dollars help drive the event program and determine what can be planned and actually executed.

The Alliance is also planning interim virtual programming to be delivered in December.

For those of you who are enjoying the return to producing, working, and attending live events, I just say Hallelujah, stay safe, and let your creativity lead you—we’re not going back, we’re going forward.

cynthia.wisehart@ futurenet.com www.svconline.com/proavtoday and www.rebelmouse.com/ SVC_Online

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FOLLOW US @SVC_Online https://www.facebook.com/svconline CONTENT VP/Content Creation Anthony Savona Content Director Cynthia Wisehart, cynthia.wisehart@futurenet.com Contributors Bennett Liles Group Art Director Nicole Cobban Art Editor Rob Crossland Production Managers Nicole Schilling, Heather Tatrow ADVERTISING SALES VP/Market Expert, AV/Consumer Electronics & Pro Audio Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 Sales Janis Crowley, janis.crowley@futurenet.com, 845-414-6791 Debbie Rosenthal, debbie.rosenthal@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 Zahra Majma, zahra.majma@futurenet.com, 845-678-3752 SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to www.mysvcmag. com and click on About Us, email futureplc@ computerfulfillment.com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 1051, Lowell, MA 01853.

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the buzz CASE STUDY / EVENTS

VIRTUAL STAGE WorldStage has expanded its expertise in xR production with the opening of xRStage Times Square @ New 42 Studios. The venture is a partnership of WorldStage and New 42, a performing arts nonprofit which operates New 42 Studios, an array of 14-column-free rehearsal studios, at 229 West 42nd Street. xRStage Times Square is the latest WorldStage LED Smart Studio location offering a production facility with a dynamic LED stage and fully immersive xR production capabilities. Extended Reality (xR) is an exciting new production technology that combines live-action camera tracking and real-time rendering to create immersive and interactive virtual environments. To date, WorldStage has built studios in Secaucus, New Jersey; Nashville, Tennessee; two in the San Francisco Bay area, as well as several from the wire in tradeshow environments.

For more case studies, visit Already well-known for its 14 svconline.com/the-wire.

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rehearsal studios, ten of which fit the entire footprint of a Broadway stage, New 42 Studios has attracted theater, film and television clients as well as nonprofit performing arts companies in the two decades since its founding. Now, the addition of xRStage Times Square will provide those clients with new production opportunities and serve a growing roster of customers eager to take advantage of advanced technologies for their projects.

New 42 partnered with WorldStage to utilize the LED volume for their June celebration in Times Square called “Let’s Get This Show on the Street.” “xRStage Times Square is a very flexible space that suits many different uses,” notes Shelly Sabel, Creative Director at WorldStage.

“With its adaptable seating configurations and LED volume, the space can serve fully immersive xR productions, projects requiring LED backdrops, pre-recorded presentations, live

broadcasts and hybrid events with live and virtual audiences.”

The studio has customizable room layout options for bleacher seating from 64-140 people, plus lounge, banquet, classroom and meeting seating. The dynamic LED stage features a ROE 3.1mm c3ONE LED back wall (19.67’ x 15.73’) and angled side walls (13.77’ x 15.73’) for a total of 48’ of horizontal space. The studio also incorporates an interactive 5.1mm LED i5Floor.

The studio has a built-in production booth and a broadcast-ready video village located on stage and, like WorldStage’s other xR production stage locations, offers a complete camera and video package, full lighting and rigging, audio, and a webstreaming package. xRStage Times Square also provides all the services and amenities needed for any production, including dressing rooms, green room and catering space.

the buzz CASE STUDY / EVENTS

Jesse Turner

BACK IN BUSINESS In a summer of Covid and wildfires, the Main Stage at the spectacular Gorge Amphitheatre in George, WA hosted the three-day country music Watershed Festival with over 26,000 in attendance and a Brandi Carlile homecoming with a crowd of 15,000 in attendance.

For both events, Carlson Audio, Seattle, provided a d&b audiotechnik J-Series loudspeaker series.

“Our production manager Morgan Hodge used both d&b ArrayCalc and NoizCalc to predict how the PA would react in a venue that presents several challenges,” states Jesse Turner, front of house engineer and crew chief. “The Gorge is an asymmetrical natural amphitheater that has evolved over the years but is basically a stage built on the side of a cliff overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. We created layers in ArrayCalc to be able to have a symfrom the wire metrical sounding system for FOH For more case studies, visit but also utilize the advancements svconline.com/the-wire.

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that ArrayProcessing has given us in system clarity and control.”

Whereas d&b ArrayCalc software simulates the coverage of the loudspeaker systems inside the venue, NoizCalc is used to accurately predict noise emissions outside the venue to help plan for the environmental impact of outdoor events.

The d&b configuration for the Watershed Main Stage PA includes 20 x J-Series in AP per side, 16 x J8s with 4 x J12s at the bottom.

12 x J-tops were used per side for out fills, 10 x J8s with 2 x J12s at the bottom; 24 x B2 subwoofers split into left and right stack to accommodate video and staging, 6 x Q7s were used for front fill; 3 delay towers of 8 x Vs-Series, 4 x V8s over 4 x V12s. The rig was all powered by 98 channels of D80 amplifiers and 36 channels of D20s. “All amps were connected via a DANTE network through 1 DS10 amplifier per side of the stage and Dante AVIO adapters for the Dela systems on the hill allowing us to quickly change con-

figurations since some artists specified varying signal path requirements; for example, stereo subs,” Turner said.

Monitor Engineer for the Watershed Festival manned a DiGiCo SD12. “The festival rig had Shure PS 1000s for IEMs, and d&b M4s for floor monitors,” states Vince Agne.

“Sidefills were 4 x d&b Q1s over a pair of V-SUBS on each side and drum subs were Q-SUBs. All speakers were powered with D12s. Even though The Gorge Amphitheatre is a big stage, there is not much room for wing space. When you get 3-4 country band monitor rigs setup, all of a sudden you have a monitor engineer that is part of the show on stage. Having a d&b rig flown in the air, subs and wedges that are light/easy to move, but can still put out some SPL, and two racks of D12s to power it all, we were able to make our footprint very small.

Through The Gorge winds, 100+ degree days, smoke from nearby wildfires, everything worked without a hitch.”

the buzz

Jay Blakesberg

CASE STUDY / EVENTS

SPATIAL STAGING The North American leg of “An Evening with Michael Bublé” tour resumed in August with 23 shows in A-level arenas through late October. The tour continues to rely on a Meyer Sound reinforcement system as provided by global production company Solotech, and once again the massive system is deployed in a novel “dual hybrid” configuration comprising both typical end-stage arrays as well as center-hung arrays over the B-stage that essentially function as an in-the-round system.

What’s new this time around is the from the wire introduction of the Spacemap Go For more case studies, visit spatial sound design and live mixsvconline.com/the-wire.

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Michael Bublé

ing tool, which smoothly and transparently tracks Bublé’s voice as he strolls between the two stages, maintaining precise aural localization at all seats with synchronized, incremental changes in level and delay across multiple loudspeaker arrays.

“We came up with the basic solution late in 2018 because Michael wanted to eliminate the distracting delay between his inear monitors and the main arrays when he moved out to the B-stage,” explains tour FOH Engineer Craig Doubet. “Spacemap Go was still in development at the time, so working with Meyer Sound we pieced together an interim solution using custom hardware and

software. It worked, but now with Spacemap Go it is easier to use and the imaging is more consistent as Michael moves down the catwalk.”

Spacemap Go employs a free iPad app for wireless access to all level and delay functions of the GALAXY Network Platform.

Working with an intuitive touchscreen interface, users can dynamically move sounds in three dimensions, with spatial sound mapping scalable from recording studios up to large arenas.

“With Spacemap Go, everything has been streamlined, which enables us to have more customization of the process,” continues

the buzz Doubet. “For example, now the delay functions are fully integrated with the panning.

Before, we had to do a manual switch when Michael moved along the catwalk. Now we have incrementally stepped delay changes following the level panning as Michael moves toward the B-stage, all under realtime fingertip control.”

Spacemap Go ensures that the aural imaging will translate accurately in all seating areas, as explained by Meyer Sound Technical Support Specialist Josh Dorn-Fehrmann, who assisted in the programming.

“Craig wanted to make sure the audience at the extreme sides would experience this effect. So as Michael walks toward the B-stage we use Spacemap Go to crossfade across five different GALAXY outputs with varying delay times. The delay times change smoothly without artifacts and allow the audience covered by the side fills of the main stage to accurately image Michael’s voice as he moves away.”

“For the audience it’s a beautiful thing,” says Doubet. “When Michael is moving, his voice tracks his position, and when he’s at the B-stage his voice is anchored there for everybody. That’s important because Michael wants that sense of intimacy and presence to connect with his audience. You don’t get that strange disconnect that happens when he’s right in front of you and his voice is coming from far away arrays.”

Two GALAXY 816 Network Platforms at the system’s front-end control Spacemap Go functions, connecting via Milan AVB to nine GALAXY processors dedicated to loudspeaker processing.

The four main stage arrays deploy a total of 60 LEO and LYON line array loudspeakers along with 12 1100-LFC and four 900-LFC low-frequency control elements.

Front fills are eight MINA and two JM-1P loudspeakers.

The center-hung arrays function as a massive delay cluster when Bublé is on the main stage and becomes the primary system when he moves to the B-stage. This system comprises ten LEO and 52 MICA line array loudspeakers, plus stage-facing arrays with 16 LEOPARD line array loudspeakers active only when Bublé is underneath on the B-stage. The B-stage sys-

tem also includes 12 700-HP subwoofers, two 900-LFC elements and seven MINA loudspeakers for front fill. As has been the case for more than a decade, the Bublé tour system was supplied by Solotech.

“The Spacemap Go solution itself is extremely cost-effective,” notes Doubet, “but in this application there’s no way around the fact that we are carrying a lot more PA to make it work. I’m not sure to what extent

other acts will adopt it, but Michael thinks it’s worth it to have that intimate audience connection and annoyance-free monitoring everywhere he goes.”

While Doubet focuses on his mix, operation of the Spacemap Go transitions is handled by Systems Engineer Fred Cantin. Other key team members are Production Manager Craig Finley and Monitor Engineers Marc Depratto and Renato Petruzziello.

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TECH SHOWCASE

LINE ARRAYS

By Bennett Liles

AltasIED EL1503-B

For some time now, line arrays have proven a powerful tool in sculpting sound coverage with consistent frequency response, high SPL, and suppression of unfavorable lobes. Proper rigging also reduces setup and strike time along with enhancing safety. Originally used almost exclusively for touring operations, line arrays now enjoy a solid market position in permanent installations with both passive and self-powered units. The products shown here illustrate how far line array technology has come and the promise it shows in the reemergence of live events.

For a precise sound pattern down to 300Hz and very unobtrusive appearance in small rooms, the AtlasIED EL1503-B full range line array system is a very effective solution.

Its fifteen proprietary 3in. drivers are mounted in a sealed Baltic birch enclosure finished in heavy duty black Duracoat. The LF response can be extended by addition of the A-Line ELW110A-B/ELW110X-B low frequency speaker system. The EL1503-B is designed to be run by the ELW110A-B powered low frequency driver and amplifier combination.

Capable of 4-ohm and 8-ohm operation, each column is connected with NL4 Speak-ON terminals for quick and secure hook-up.

Bose The versatility of line arrays is showArenaMatch AM40

cased in the Bose Professional ArenaMatch AM40 with its DeltaQ replaceable waveguides for variable directivity. Each array element uses a 14in. neodymium woofer and six Bose EMB2S titanium-diaphragm neodymium compression drivers to deliver high SPL for long throw applications. The ArenaMatch line can take it all outdoors featuring a water-resistant woofer cone coating, three-layer stainless steel grille, industrial polyurethane exterior coating, and a protective molded input cover.

Coverage is tailored with a selection of 10, 20 and 40-degree modules. Installation options include bi-amp capability, passive crossover, and 70/100V transformer inputs. They are also EN54 certified for fire detection and alarm systems.

Available in a number of variants to suit specific environments, the Clair Brothers i212 is a three-way active line array element with a frequency response of 45Hz to 20kHz. The cabinet houses two 12in. woofers, four 6in. mid-range drivers and two 3in. voice coil diameter HF drivers. Operating at a nominal 8-ohm impedance, the unit’s power handling is 1800W (LF), 720W (MF), and 320W (HF). The standard dispersion is 90 degrees horizontal x 10 degrees vertical but there is also a 120 degree horizontal by 10 degree vertical option. The cabinet connects on two EP-8 terminals and there is integral bimodal rigging capability.

The DAS Audio Aero 50 three-way large

Clair Brothers i212-1

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TECH SHOWCASE

DAS Audio Aero 50

format line array module teams two 15GNR 15in. neodymium woofers, four 8in. midrange drivers, and two M-75N 1.5in. exit HF compression drivers for big sound in big venues. All of these elements are housed in a birch plywood enclosure with a painted finish and the splay angles are adjustable in small increments for custom tailored coverage. For maximum effectiveness it is recommended that the DSP-4080 digital processor be used with the Aero 50. Each unit is also fitted with a PL-50 front dolly panel attached by means of the rigging hardware and it is quite useful in the rigging process.

At press time, the d&b auudiotechnik XSL System debuted, the smallest member of the company’s SL System. Smaller, lighterweight, and more energy efficient, the com-

EAW RSX212L

d&b auudiotechnik XSL System

pany says it brings the directivity of the SL System for the widest range of applications as stand-alone, self contained, delay, or fill systems, including applications. Touring (XSL) and installed variants (XSLi) both feature two-way active design, high SPL and cardioid low frequency performance and integrate with GSL and KSL siblings.

The EAW RADIUS (RSX Series) features some very high tech control features including OptiLogic that provides automatic array self-detection and instant optimization for rapid and simplified setup and tuning. The EAWmosaic app can be used for total system optimization from anywhere in the venue, plus intuitive room design and prediction.

The RSX212L uses a pair of 12in. woofers and two 1.5in. exit 1.7in. voice coil compression drivers for HF coverage. These produce a nominal beam width of 90 degrees horizontal and 12 degrees vertical with an operating frequency range of 50Hz to 19kHz. There is integrated Dante networking with loop-thru on all models including analog redundancy capability.

In June, EAW unveiled the EAW NTX Series line array. The NTX201L is a 2x10”

articulated array with an integrated 1600 W two-channel amplifier and universal PFC power supply. The NTX210L operates in the 55 Hz – 18 kHz range with a max SPL of 140 dB, and additionally has a 90° horizontal and 12° vertical nominal beamwidth. The NTX201L uses EAW’s OptiLogic technology, providing automatic array self-detection via onboard infrared sensors and accelerometers, and optimization including air loss compensation and more. The NTX series features integrated Dante networking including analog redundancy capability, allowing the analog input to be set to automatically enable if the Dante signal is lost.

Small to mid-size venues and large rooms with coverage gaps to fill can have extensive use for the JBL Professional VTX A8 line array element. It consists of two 8in. Differential Drive woofers, four 3.5in. midrange drivers, and two 2in. HF drivers all housed in a black finish birch plywood cabinet with an IP55 rated full-face, enclosed grille and 110-degree dispersion. Rapid installation is assured through the auto-locking rigging mechanism and it integrates seamlessly with JBL system control and prediction software.

EAW NTX Series

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TECH SHOWCASE

JBL VTX A8

Frequency response extends from 19kHz all the way down to 50Hz at a maximum SPL of 139dB. There are also four integrated recessed handles for a safe grip.

K-Array has introduced its K-Gear line of audio products including the compact GF82 line array column speaker with eight 2in. ferrite magnet woofers in an IP56 rated ABS enclosure suitable for indoor or outdoor K-Array use. Capable of handling up to 100W GF82 RMS power, the unit has a frequency range of 160Hz to 20KHz at a continuous SPL of 96dB with a coverage angle of 10 degrees vertical and 90 degrees horizontal. The column can be installed to virtually disappear into the architecture while delivering superior sound. The LF can be further extended by matching the GF82 with a K-Array GS6 subwoofer.

The L-Acoustics A10 Focus passive 10in. line array system is designed for medium throw applications and it pro-

vides a vertical coverage pattern of 10 degrees.

There is adjustable horizontal directivity of 70, 90 or 120 degrees along with a range of accessories for vertical or horizontal installation. Performance can be further enhanced with Soundvision’s sophisticated optimization tools. The KS21 subwoofer can be ground stacked or flown with A10 units to extend LF down to 31Hz. The 49lb. unit can handle max SPL or 140dB with its single 10in. LF driver and 2.5in. diaphragm HF compression driver.

The A10 wide model generates an enclosure directivity pattern of 30 degrees.

Designed to serve in sound environments between large, deep throw venues and very shallow audience seating, the Martin Audio TORUS T1230 has a vertical pattern of 30 degrees and an adjustable horizontal dispersion of 90, 60 or 75 degrees. The passive unit uses manually adjustable Dynamic Horn Flare and it can optimize its coverage when powered by iKON amplifiers and used with DISPLAY 3 software. Each plywood enclosure includes

a single 12in. LF driver and three 1.4in. HF drivers. They can be arranged in several configurations and can be supplemented with SX subwoofers. The finish is available in standard black or in custom white.

A prime combination for line arrays is structural strength, lightweight and powerful sound output. The perfect blend of these parameters is reached with the Meyer Sound LEOPARD, the best-selling member of the LEO family. Available in two coverage patterns, 110-degree horizontal and 80-degree horizontal LEOPARD-M80 variant, the types may be combined for asymmetrical coverage where needed. These self-powered units simplify setup and rigging. The 900-LFC LowFrequency Control Element can be used to extend the LF response down to 30Hz and the Galileo GALAXY processor provides corrective equalization and creative fine-tuning.

In September, the MSE Audio SoundTube LA880i-II and LA808i-II line array speakers debuted an updated aluminum casing.

While there are no acoustic changes to the sound quality of the speakers, they now come with aluminum cabinets for a contemporary look and cleaner aesthetic. SoundTube LA880i-II’s LAPS (Line Array-Point Source) 3-way design provides a very short near-field extent as well as far-field performance. Measuring only 7.91” x 40.87” x 11.99”, the LA880i-II features eight 4.5-

Martin Audio T1230

L-Acoustics A10 Focus

Meyer Sound Leopard

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TECH SHOWCASE

NEXO GEO M12

inch woofers, eight 2-inch midrange drivers and one 2.5-inch planar magnetics (ribbon) high-frequency driver for a highly smooth high-frequency response. Recommended in spaces that have a large reverberation time, the SoundTube LA808i is designed to increase the directivity of low frequencies in SoundTube’s Line Array system. With identical dimensions to those of the LA880i, it can be used only in conjunction with the LA880i 3-way line array and placed directly above or below the LA880i (or both). When a single unit is added to the LA880i, the directivity of low frequencies is increased by up to an octave lower than with the LA880i alone.

The NEXO GEO M12 has made its mark in the installation and touring markets with its integral rigging hardware, choice of two vertical dispersions 10 and 20 degrees) as well as adjustable 80 to 120 degree horizontal directivity. Each 75lb. cabinet houses a 12in. neodymium LF driver and a 1.4in. titanium diaphragm HF driver. These produce a frequency response of 50Hz-20kHz and peak SPL of 140dB. This model can be easily flown along with the MSUB18 sub bass cabinet to extend bass response down to 32Hz. The NEXO NS-1 software can be used to predict the coverage and best angle between boxes, including stack applications.

The Presonus WorxAudio TrueLine V5 line array provides high output in a very compact form for small churches and other sound environments using two 5in. cone LF drivers and a medium format 1in. exit compression driver coupled to a stabilized proprietary FlatWave Former wave shaping device. These are mounted in a multi-ply plywood enclosure with a multi-layered catalyzed Polyurea finish available in black or white.

The unit’s frequency response is 65 Hz to 18 kHz (+/-3dB) and it can output a maximum MSE Audio SPL of 125dB. The LF section has 250W SoundTube power handling capacity and the HF compo-

THE SOUND SOLUTION PRECISE DIRECTIVITY AND EXCEPTIONAL FIDELITY

See us at Rocky Mountain AVX 2021! booth #907

renkus-heinz.com

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TECH SHOWCASE QSC KLA12

WorxAudio V5

TOA HX-7W

RenkusHeinz VA101i-7

RCF HDL50-A 4K

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nent is 75W. The grille is 16-gauge perforated steel with a black powder-coated finish.

Combining the power to reach deep into rear seating areas with very easy rigging, the QSC KLA12 active line-array system features a highly efficient 500W x 500W power amp module in its lightweight ABS enclosure.

QSC’s unique SOLO (Single-Operator Logistics) rigging system allows multiple configurations to suit the desired coverage area. The 12in. LF driver extends frequency response down to 44Hz while the 1.75in. diaphragm compression driver pushes the highs out to the back of the house. The KLA12 has a 90x18degree nominal coverage pattern and five boxes can achieve 90x90-degree coverage.

GuardRail circuitry protection prevents the amplifier module from clipping.

For large venue installations and high profile events, the RCF HDL 50-A 4K 3-way line array module can work indoors and outdoors pushing 143 dB SPL from a 4000W RMS Class-D four-channel amplifier. Two 12in. neodymium woofers handle the lows and the mid frequencies are filled by

four 2in. voice coil 6in. water resistant fiber doped cones. Crisp highs are produced by two ND 840 large format compression drivers. All of these are mounted in a rigid plywood cabinet featuring polypropylene side panels with integrated handles to lower the total weight.

Integrated rigging hardware allows J-shaped and spiral arrays starting with 0.5-degree splay angles. Up to 20 HDL 50-A 4K modules can be fastened on a single flybar.

Internationally known for their modular designed versatility, the Renkus Heinz VA/ VX101-22 array elements are solidly based in the Varia Series that includes three full-range array modules and a 15in. subwoofer. The most versatile of these is the VA/VX101-22 with 22.5 degrees of vertical coverage and it can be used horizontally or vertically. All three Varia modules have a standard 90-degree waveguide but 60 and 120-degree units are also available along with revolutionary 60 to 90-degree and 120 to 90-degree transitional waveguides. The transitional waveguides produce a trapezoidal coverage pattern. Used with the powerful VA/ VAX15Si sub, the Varia units allow a fullrange sound experience.

The TOA Electronics HX-7 is a two-way indoor line array element with wave front control technology for medium sized rooms, gymnasiums and sports venues. Several of them can be stacked vertically. Also available as the HX-7B-WP and HX-7W-W weather proof models in black and white finish, this speaker unit is designed to also work with the matching FB-150 subwoofer for extended bass response. The bass reflex system operates on 8 ohms with a 75 Hz - 20 kHz frequency response in a Polypropylene enclosure and it exhibits a 100-degree horizontal directivity pattern. It connects with two Speakon NL4MP terminals or with

TECH SHOWCASE

Yamaha screw terminals. Two speaker VXL1B-16 & systems can be operated in parVXL1W-16 allel by connecting them in a cascade configuration.

The natural follow-on for the smaller al-4 and al-8 systems, the VUE al-12 uses new transducers and system designs to extend their precision control to large indoor venues and stadiums. Capabilities are also enhanced by onboard SystemVUE networking by 3in. beryllium compression drivers, Kevlar/Neo transducers, precision amplification and DSP. The system includes the al-12 Acoustic Elements and rack-mount V3 Systems Engines.

The system is available in standard blocks, with sixteen al-12 Acoustic Elements and an eight VUEDrive V3 Systems Engines comprising each block. For even more powerful bass response down below 40Hz, the al-12 can be used along with the al-12SB subwoofer system and its two 18in. neodymium woofers.

VUE Audiotechnik The Yamaha VXL1B-24 and VXL1W-24 are black and white al-12 slim line array loudspeaker units with 24 1.5in. drivers and a frequency response of 77 Hz to 20 kHz (+/-10dB). Perfect for tight spaces and wide rooms, these models have 170-degree horizontal dispersion and selectable 20 or 40-degree vertical coverage. Wall mount brackets are provided and there is hardware available for multiple installation scenarios. There are also the VXL1-8 and VXL1-16 with eight and sixteen speakers each. The 2.1in. columns with curved grille surfaces fit just about anywhere and installation is very simple and easy. They can be stacked and mounted horizontally or vertically.

The low saturation ST-L1 transformer can be used for high-impedance (70V/100V) applications.

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TECH SHOWCASE

SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION

By Cynthia Wisehart

Signal distribution is the heart of AV and it’s really where AV professionals prove their worth. Here are some of the options out there for getting signal from A to B, from traditional to AV Over IP.

The Adder Technology ADDERLink XD600 series of point-to-point KVM extenders comprises the XD614, XD641, and XD642 models, with features such as single-, dual-, and quad-head connectivity; emulated USB, copper, and fiber support; MST functionality; visually lossless 4K/60 video; and ultra-low latency. Models include: ADDERLink XD614 KVM Extender, a quad-head KVM extender

AJA BRIDGE LIVE v1.12

ADDERLink XD600

with inbuilt DisplayPort MST technology and HD resolution; ADDERLink XD641 KVM Extender, a single-head KVM extender designed to deliver 4K/60 KVM extension over a copper or fiber link; and ADDERLink XD642 KVM Extender, a dual-head 4K/60 KVM extender with emulated full and high speed USB2.0 and support for audio.

In September, the AJA Video Systems BRIDGE LIVE v1.12 debuted. It’s a new software update for AJA’s turnkey multi-channel live video solution for remote production, contribution, collaboration, streaming, and delivery. The release features bi-directional NDI (Network Device Interface) input, output, and transcode; HLS output; video preview; and user interface updates for more intuitive configuration. The bi-directional NDI support makes it easy to encode SDI inputs for NDI output to the network and/or to receive NDI for outputting SDI. The ability to also transcode H.264/H.265 streams to NDI and/or transcode NDI inputs to H.264/H.265 enables a host of new workflow possibilities. Bringing bi-directional NDI I/O and HLS output to BRIDGE LIVE supports broader hardware

Altinex TP315-101

and software integration.

AJA Video Systems also has the first 12GSDI embedded audio-to-Dante audio bridge.

Targeted at live event and Pro AV workflows, the AJA OGDANTE-12GAM is an openGear, Dante audio embedder and disembedder, with dual 12G-SDI ports, 64 channels of audio, and DashBoard control software integration.

The high-density solution bridges 12G/6G/3G SDI sources with embedded audio to and from the Dante audio ecosystem. OG-DANTE12GAM features industry-wide compatibility with openGear frames, allowing for up to 640 channels of SDI/Dante audio bridging within a single 2RU frame housing ten cards.

The Altinex TP315-101 HDMI over AnyWire transmitter carries 1080P HDMI signals up to 300 meters using a simple 2-conductor cable; the transmitter can use up to four receivers connected directly through unbundled wire or in a daisy-chain pattern. There is also an IR pass-through for receiver end to transmitter end control. For transmitter output confidence monitoring, a video output is provided to support a local monitor.

AJA OGDANTE12GAM 18

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TECH SHOWCASE

Apantac OGw-KVMIP-Tx

Apantac has a unique KVM over IP solution for the popular openGear platform – the Apantac OG-KVM-IPTx. This KVM over IP card is compact, modular, hot swappable, and hot pluggable. Up to twenty OG-KVM-IP-Tx boards can fit into a single 2RU frame with built-in redundant power supplies and network management.

Since it is based on the openGear standard, system integrators can also mix and match different cards from multiple manufactures in a single frame. When combined with the Apantac KVM over IP receiver and an offthe-shelf Gigabit Ethernet switch that supports IGMP and Jumbo frame, Apantac’s KVM over IP solution allows multiple users to have access to multiple computers with both fiber and copper outputs.

The ARISTA Alvista RS-124-A07 1U rackmount dual HDBaseT transmitter/receiver system is available in three configurations depending on input requirements. The RS124-A07 is designed for flexibility for transmitting video and audio over long distances, such as in projection-mapping environments, extending audio, video, IR control, Ethernet, and power over a single CATx cable. It supports video resolutions up to 3840 X 2160 (4K UHD) video; the system incorporates 10.2 Gbps of bandwidth on all channels, along with 3D

and deep color resolutions. The RS124-A07 is HDCP compliant and Blu-ray ready, and has an EDID pass-through. The RS-124-A07’s receiver module is powered by PoE, as is the transmitter module, which provides up to 36 watts of power via PoE. In July, ATEN announced the launch of its next generation of control boxes, the ATEN VK1200 and VK2200. Equipped both with a quad-core CPU and 2 GB/1 GB ARISTA Alvista

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TECH SHOWCASE

ATEN VK series

memory, the VK2200 and the VK1200 provide real-time response and status updates and can process complex, high-loading events with customized GUI designs, as well as multiuser access control to connected devices.

VK2200 features dual, isolated LAN ports – Control Atlona ATLAN and LAN. The Control LAN allows OME-EX-WPmanaged devices to be securely protected KIT-LT within a separate network, independent from the corporate network, for fulfilling highsecurity and stability demand. The LAN can be connected to ATEN Unizon, a centralized platform streamlining daily AV/IT management. These control boxes create a secure smart office or meeting room by controlling all room peripherals, from AV and lights to drapes with the push of customizable preset settings and a mobile app; presets allow a single room to be reconfigured with a single touch.

In August, Atlona introduced the Atlona AT-OME-EX-WP-KIT-LT, a cost-effective wallplate HDMI and USB extender for classrooms and small meeting places. The new transmitter/receiver kit extends 4K/UHD HDMI video, embedded audio, power, control signals, and USB data over HDBaseT for video conferencing, distance learning and other applications. The newest extension product in Atlona’s Omega Series it offers the core functionality of Atlona’s AT-OMEEX-WP-KIT in a lower-priced configuration optimized for small spaces with shorter extension requirements. The OME-EX-WPKIT-LT extends 1080p60 HDMI and USB data signals up to 230 feet over HDBaseT, while 4K/UHD HDMI video—at 60 Hz Black Box with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling, or 30 MCX G2 Aurora IPX- Hz with 4:4:4—can be extended up TC3A Series

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to 130 feet. HDCP 2.2 compliance enables the transport of protected content. The kit’s included AT-OME-EX-TX-WP-LT transmitter features a space-efficient, U.S. single-gang wallplate form factor with interchangeable black and white trim kits, enabling inconspicuous, flush-mount installation into walls and floor boxes or furniture such as lecterns and desks. The corresponding AT-OME-EX-RXLT receiver measures just one inch high and can be installed discreetly behind a display or above a projector with included surface mounting hardware. The OME-EX-WP-KITLT’s USB 2.0 extension capabilities make it ideal for soft codec and web-based conferencing applications. Supporting a host PC and one peripheral device at the transmitter plus two ports for peripherals at the receiver, the extender can easily integrate a PC and speakerphone or microphone near the presenter with a camera or soundbar at a wall-mounted display elsewhere in the room. The kit can also provide AV and USB extension for a touchenabled display, enabling remote PC control at a lectern or other location.

In June, Aurora announced the integration of Semtech’s BlueRiver AVP2000 AV Processor into its Software Defined Video over Ethernet (SDVoE)-based Aurora IPX-TC3A Series offering low power AV over IP (AVoIP).

Enabled by the ASIC (versus a field-programmable gate array), with power consumption as low as 6 watts, the product series features a fanless operation and renders perfect image quality with no frame latency. Semtech’s BlueRiver AVP2000 complements the Aurora IPX series due to its low power consumption and small size, enabling Aurora’s IPX TC3A Series to achieve up to one-fifth of the usual industry power consumption, one-fourth of the size, and one-half of the weight of competing 1G AVoIP solutions. Moreover, the AVP2000 includes an in-line AV processing engine for broadcast quality scaling, allowing for both near-zero latency switching and extension, plus image format conversion, up to 4K60 4:4:4.

In September, Black Box announced the Black Box MCX G2 series, the next generation of the company’s MCX multimedia distribution and management system. The MCX G2 series features the performance of the ­original S9 and S7 series but adds several features

TECH SHOWCASE Crestron DM-NVX

including outstanding sourceto-screen latency (less than 18 microseconds), one-port or two-port encoding devices, a video loop-through connection, USB-C and three-port USB 2.0 connectivity, and PoE capability. The Black Box MCX takes advantage of SDVoE and modern 10 GbE infrastructure to allow AV and data payloads to exist on the same IT networks.

Rather than deploy an entirely new network, users can take advantage of the softwaredefined solution to leverage existing infrastructure for delivery of better-quality audio and video, which can translate to greater customer satisfaction and faster time to revenue.

DVIGear DNS-20 Server

The Crestron DM-NVX-360 and DMNVX-363 AV-over-IP models are designed to support the latest industry standards and formats, including AES67, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and POE+. The format-agnostic DM NVX platform features advanced encryption and security standards. This latest evolution of the DM NVX platform employs Crestron’s Pixel Perfect Processing technology and supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision.

In September DVIGear released the DVIGear DNS-20 Server, the newest member of its DisplayNet family, which provides the interface layer required to manage and control a DisplayNet system. Compatible with all current DisplayNet endpoints, the DNS-20 leverages the very latest SDVoE technology to

manage, control and distribute uncompressed AV signals with resolutions of up to 4K /60p over a 10GbE Ethernet network. With its small form factor and diverse feature set, it’s envisioned for integrators looking for value, flexibility, ease of installation and robust security. The DNS-20 is a Small Form Factor (SFF) embedded Linux server. Equipped with a quad-core Intel processor, it operates on less energy, less heat, and minimal noise. The DisplayNet API Engine is pre-installed on the DNS-20 and supports the use of DisplayNet Manager, a web-based software application for system setup and configuration.

The G&D VisionXS line of high-performance KVM extenders support a bandwidth of 10Gb and video transmission for resolutions

TECH SHOWCASE Hall Research ECHO

up to 4K. Initially, the German manufacturer will ship extender modules for KVM over IP; the roadmap includes solutions for classic KVM systems for direct transmission. VisionXS extenders can be combined with G&D’s matrix systems and are fully compatible with existing models. Initially, a high-end system for DisplayPort UHR with a transmission bandwidth of 10G will be launched, followed by devices for HDMI and DVI. The VisionXS series relies on G&D’s High Dynamic Image Processing; the dual-head modules allow the transmission of two video signals via one transmission cable.

Secure and reliable operation is ensured by AES-128 encryption and the regular exchange of security keys. VisionXS KVMs is designed to extend fast videos and frequently changing image content with significantly less compression than previous models, and its compact size makes it well suited for applications where space is a critical factor.

The Hall Research ECHO series of extension products allows a single HDMI 2.0 source to display remotely at up to eight different locations via HDBaseT technology.

HDMI resolutions up to 4K@60 (4:4:4) can be extended up to 70 meters, while resolutions up to 1080p can be extended 100 meters over a single Cat 5e or Cat 6 cable. The ECHO family supports HDCP 2.2 and 1.4 content protection,

G&D VisionXS

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IHSE Draco SIRA nected via two DisplayPort connectors and one HDMI 2.0 interface. Multiple incoming KVM streams are supported and allow optional display capabilities to arrange multiple images in a single quadview arrangement. and HDR10. The ECHO family also extends The Draco SIRA User Station provides flexRS-232 serial data, and bi-directional IR for ible remote access to all servers and devices control of remote devices. All senders include connected to a Draco tera matrix. The TCP/ a local HDMI output, EDID routing control, IP protocol is isolated from the matrix by the de-embedded analog audio, and Power over use of a secure and encrypted interface over Cable (PoC) to power remote receivers. The the connected network. These units can operECHO-4S and ECHO-8S have built-in HDMI ate as standalone units and combined together splitters to extend a single video to four and to create a secure IP-KVM system using the eight receivers respectively, plus RS-232 highest level of encryption and network secuand IR loop output for daisy-chaining. The rity interfaces.

Shown for the first time at InfoComm ECHO-RX2 receiver has a built-in HDMI splitter for connection to a secondary display, 2021, the Just Add Power MaxColor 4K60 RS-232 and bi-directional IR for control, and transmitter and receiver series natively supde-embedded analog audio output. When used ports 4K60 in and out, allowing end users with an ECHO-1S, install the power supply at to play 4K Ultra HD video from the groweither sender or receiver—whichever is more ing number of 4K sources and devices. With MaxColor, 4K 12-bit video can be distributed convenient.

The IHSE Draco SIRA User Station is a over existing Cat 5/Cat 6 cable, eliminating remote extension appliance for KVM net- the expense of upgrading to fiber and buying works that integrates with Draco SIRA CON network switches. In addition, the series supUnit for IP access, allowing secure access to ports MPEG downstreaming for connected any IHSE KVM matrix system. The appliance devices, such as a laptop or a mobile device.

MaxColor features instant seamless provides keyboard and mouse connecswitching, 4K up- and downscaling, tivity as well as analog audio output.

J+P all audio formats, seamless HDR Up to three 4K displays can be conMaxColor management, and Dolby Vision for 4K60 the best viewing experience. Also making its debut, the Just Add Power AMP software for environments with existing infrastructure or special network requirements that don’t allow for a dedicated AV distribution switch. AMP consolidates and streamlines the process of setting up individual Just Add Power devices — discovering them on the local network, presenting them in a list, and allowing installers to name them, configure their IP addresses, and assign channels to transmitters —

TECH SHOWCASE KanexPro SW-HDSC 42D4K

while assisting with updates when new firmware is released. Once the Just Add Power system is configured, AMP provides a user interface to control source switching.

The KanexPro SW-HDSC42D4K presentation matrix extender receiver has four video connector inputs with the ability to extend up to 70 meters. The matrix has three HDMI inputs and one USB-C input, plus two outputs, including a single HDMI output with external audio and an extender output with one HDMI loop output. Additionally, the SWHDSC42D4K features one MIX audio input and one MIC audio input for global audio compatibility. Designed to be the central component for an AV system, the SW-HDSC42D4K claims true 4K scaling up to 4K@ 60 Hz at 4:4:4. The built-in extender output enables the transmission of HDMI 2.0 signal over a CATx cable to ensure pristine, original image quality. The SW-HDSC42D4K can be controlled

and customized by any third-party control system, including Web GUI, RS232, IR and CEC. The new Kramer VP-427X2 4K receiver/ scaler features dual HDBaseT inputs and a local HDMI to facilitate multiple-device connectivity for automatic signal switching in meeting and conference spaces. The VP427X2 ensures 4K picture quality is delivered through up/down/cross-scaling to the display’s native resolution, or any resolution up to 18G 4K. The VP-427X2 has been designed to deliver an intuitive user experience by automating meetings to ensure smooth switching between multiple inputs and is ideal for BYOD environments such as meeting rooms, as well as for signal extension in auditoriums and lecture theaters. Ethernet, RS-232 control, and data tunneling allows simultaneous remote control of the device and display settings. Plug-and-play automation and autoswitching enhance usability and connectivity,

Kramer VP-427X2 4K

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TECH SHOWCASE

Matrox Extio 3

Lightware 4K HDMI

and support for an occupancy sensor and CEC controls with a timeout period support sustainability initiatives. VP-427X2 is simple to set up and intuitive to use. It features Kramer’s Pix–Perfect Scaling Technology to ensure precise pixel mapping and high–quality scaling.

The Lightware HDMI20-OPTJ-TX90 and HDMI120-OPTJRX90 4K HDMI 2.0 compatible fiber optical extenders carry HDMI 2.0 class 4K signals with embedded audio to up to nearly 3000ft. and a full HD signal over 8000ft. over one multimode fiber cable. The hardware features a solid machined aluminum body and firmware can be updated through USB. The Matrox Extio 3 series of IP KVM extenders deliver 4K@60Hz 4:4:4 UHD or quad 1080@60Hz 4:4:4 performance over standard Gigabit Ethernet at unprecedented low bitrates. Extio 3 IP KVM extenders can be configured as a point-to-point or networked KVM extender, extending multiple video, keyboard, mouse, USB 2.0, and audio signals using a single fiber optic or copper cable.

Ready compatibility with standard network switches significantly diminishes the total cost of ownership to deliver a scalable KVM matrix switching solution. Featuring four DisplayPort connectors, Extio 3 also extends multi-display desktops with a single pair of transmitter and receiver devices.

The Neutrik NA2-IODPRO Dante Interface features two inputs switchable between Mic, Line, and AES/EBU signals, plus two outputs switchable between analog Line and AES/EBU. Two Dante ports provide for either redundancy or device daisy chaining. With its small size, metal construction, and removable rubber protector, the NA2-IO-DPRO offers a rugged, reliable solution for a wide range of applications.

The Opticis HDFX-500-TR supports the HDMI 2.0 standard and transmits 4K@60Hz 4:4:4 up to 656 ft. over one LC multi-mode fiber (OM3) without any data compression. The transmitter supports 3D content and complies with CEC, EDID, and HDCP. It also supports HDR within its maximum bandwidth of 18Gbps. It features a high-retention HDMI connector to prevent accidental disconnection if subject to any vibration or movement.

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TECH SHOWCASE

People readily think of RGB Spectrum’s options for video wall distribution over IP; in May the company expanded the range with the RGB Spectrum Zio Media Server for mission-critical applications. The Zio server simultaneously can record, store, and distribute streams of high-resolution, realtime imagery via H.264. It handles multicast encoding and decoding at origination and destination, and comes in several hardware configurations depending on the number of simultaneous streams required.

A set of audio distribution “problem solvers” from RTI consists of digital audio converters (DACs), a delay module, and an extender kit. The products are purpose-built to resolve common audio challenges. New RTI DACs include the ADA-1 Dolby Digital-toAnalog Downmixer and the VDM1x HDMI Downscaler With Downmixer. The ADA-1 decodes audio signals from sources with S/ PDIF coaxial or TOSLINK optical outputs— such as Blu-ray players and media streamers—and converts them to standard stereo output for analog sound systems. The VDM1x is well suited for multi-zone installations featuring a mix of both HD and 4K sources and displays. In addition to downscaling or upscaling for displays of different resolutions, the unit down-mixes incoming Dolby Digital to stereo PCM audio. To address lip-sync issues and the challenges of long-distance signal distribution, RTI offers the ADM-1 Audio Delay Module and AXP-1 Digital Audio Extender Kit, respectively. To compensate for delays caused by differences in the audio processing speed of output devices, the ADM-1 allows integrators to delay audio from 20ms to 340ms using a 16-way selector dial. The AXP-1 seamOpticis lessly transmits audio over HDFX-500TR

distances surpassing 650 feet using a standard Cat-5e/6 cable. The unit supports coaxial and S/PDIF digital audio signals, stereo and multi-channel digital audio, two-channel PCM sources, and 5.1 compressed audio.

The SnapOne Binary 520 Series 1080p HDBaseT conference room extender and scaler can convey HDMI or VGA with s­ tereo

Neutrik NA2-IODPRO

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TECH SHOWCASE

Vanco EVEX4K70 Teradek Spark 4K

SnapOne Binary 520

audio signals over distances up to 230 ft. along with bidirectional IR, RS-232 and IP over a single Cat-X cable. Priority can be given to either HDMI or VGA video input via DIP switch settings. For more installation versatility, a single 12VDC power supply can operate the transmitter and receiver units. Source equipment can be operated on the same link with system’s bi-directional IR, RS-232, and IP capability. For longer runs, the Binary 560 series carries up to 18Gbps of 4K@60Hz 4:4:4 and bi-directional IR and RS-232 up to 330 ft.

It also supports 2-channel PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos, DTS, DTS-HD Master Audio, and DTS-X. A front panel DIP switch provides control for different modes of operation.

Last month, the Teradek Spark 4K debuted, the company’s first wireless transmission solution for the A/V industry. Spark 4K offers 4K HDR video transmission for up to 500 feet with no perceivable delay over the 5Ghz band.

As light as a baseball and as small as a cassette tape, Spark 4K’s

RTI Problem Solvers

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transmitter and receiver units complement most A/V gear and workflows for tabletop or camera mounting. Dual-powering options and internal battery life of over two hours provide mobility. Its multicasting abilities send multiple video feeds to receivers that are HDMI-compatible with computers/laptops, projectors, switchers, monitors, TV screens, and LED video walls.

In August, the Vanco EVEX4K70 4K HDR Extender debuted. This extender delivers 4K HDMI signals at 60Hz, 4:4:4 sampling, HDR and PoE up to 230 feet (70 meters) over a single Cat6 cable. The EVEX4K70 also features bidirectional IR, allowing control from the display or the source. The EVEX4K70 includes two units: a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is equipped with an HDMI loop-out for local monitoring or use with other distribution products. The receiver features digital optical audio output to break multichannel audio out to an amplifier, sound bar or audio distribution product.

Bidirectional PoE allows the transmitter and receiver to be powered using a single power supply, located at either the transmitter or receiver. The EVEX4K70 supports a wide range of display UHD resolutions with HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 compliance. The extender automatically adjusts for compatibility and gain, eliminating the need for EDID and EQ adjustments. It also supports multiple audio formats, including Dolby TrueHD 7.1CH and Dolby Digital 5.1CH. In June, the ZeeVee ZyPer4K-XS smaller footprint encoder and decoder models debuted to bring the performance and reliability of

SDVoE and AVoIP signal distribution solutions to space constrained and noise sensitive environments for corporate, higher education, performing arts, yacht and government applications, among others. The ZyPer4K-XS platform allows for the distribution and switching of uncompressed 720p, 1080p HD, Ultra HD and 4K resolution content, audio and control via off-the-shelf 10Gb Ethernet switches. Its IP-based architecture enables the switching from one source to another without any frame loss – even at 4K resolutions. It also offers a 1GB utility port and USB human interface device class (USB HID) support for devices such as keyboards, mice, game controllers and alphanumeric displays. In addition to their reduced form factor, these encoders and decoders offer extra features including a lightweight and durable chassis that enables them to be placed virtually anywhere. Built-in support for 10Gb Power over Ethernet (PoE) and fanless thermal management are among the features.

ZeeVee ZyPer4K-XS

PHOENIX RISES Technology transforms a return to live events With Bennett Liles

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he $85 million Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, new home to the San Diego Symphony, makes a powerful statement visually and with its immersive sound. Opening as live events emerge from lockdown, it’s a unique and tech-driven venue, reminding audiences that the return to live is also the reinvention of live. Technology that was available pre-pandemic has seen expanded interest—Rady is the first outdoor Meyer Constellation installation, and the lighting and projection are integrated architectural design elements. As with many venues, audiences are returning to spaces and experiences that are defined by AV in striking new ways.

T

SVC: We’re joined by Solotech Senior Engineer Aaron Beck with the story on how they got the systems in and working at the Rady Shell. Before we dig into this project, how’s it going for Solotech?

Aaron Beck: You know, like several of us in the industry, the fact that Solotech has two divisions, live production and integration, really helped us get through. The sales and integration side is construction-based and construction didn’t really shut down. We had several active projects and some new projects that kept that side going the whole time. We’re now close to 14 offices across the world. In the United States we have six offices; three in Florida, a Nashville office, a Vegas office and an LA office for the Solotech. U.S. corporation, and our headquarters are up in Montreal.

The project for the San Diego Symphony sounds like something major even for your company. Can you set the scene?

It’s right on the Bay, just to the west of the convention center in downtown San Diego.

It’s a project that the symphony has had on their minds for many, many years. Up until recently they would set up a portable stage around Memorial Day and keep it up through Labor Day and do summers outside with the symphony. But they really had a vision and a dream to build a permanent world-class outdoor venue for the symphony and the timing was right to make it happen.

This is the Rady Shell in Jacobs Park, San Diego and it was designed to complement the existing convention center nearby?

Yeah. The convention center is just to the west

of it and has a similar type stretched plastic roof. I think the architect kind of tried to tie the two together. But yeah, that’s kind of just to the west of the convention center there.

This is primarily the home of the San Diego Symphony but a wide range of other performances go on there and it has to be adaptable to suit all those events. How big of an audience area is there?

I think for the symphony for the most part they’re going to be at 3,000-5,000 seats.

There’s a lawn area in the back that you can bring a blanket and sit down. They’ve got regular rows of chairs. They’ve got some seats that have a little table in between them. And then down front they’ve got round tables with four chairs so it’s really nice to sit with a cocktail, or a glass of wine, or a meal and enjoy the

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Power and Control The PA system comprises two main arrays of 16 L-Acoustics K2 per side, flanked by two hangs of eight cardioid-configured KS28 subs per side and a center array of nine K2s. Another 16 KS28s, also in cardioid configuration, are located underneath the stage. Six towers comprise the surround elements of the 7.1-type system design: two side-surround towers per side (for a total of four) hold four A15 Focus speakers each, with the rearmost tower on each side also holding six Kara II with mechanically adjustable HF-steering fins. Two rear-surround towers are fitted with four Kiva II and two SB15m subs each. The system is powered by two dozen LA12X amplified controllers, with system processing by L-Acoustics’ LA Network Manager.

San Diego Symphony Audio Director Joel Watts says that this sound system is highly unique and particularly effective for amplifying a symphony orchestra in an outdoor environment. “In a space like this, where the seating goes back a full 200 feet, the only way to fill it with acoustical music, is with amplification. But it has to be done in such a way that everyone hears only the music, never the speakers,” he explains. “And that’s especially true of a surround system like this.” Watts also points out that the asymmetric configuration and precise placements of the speakers allow the orchestra to achieve full impact without exceeding the noise restrictions. “We have full dispersion to one side of the system and virtually none to the other side, thanks to the fins on the K2,” he says. “It focuses the sound and keeps it on the seats. It never crosses the lease line.”

music. That’s their take, but I think it could be adapted for up to 10,000 if they were to do traditional seating across the whole area.

I think there’s something like thirteen thousand square feet on the stage.

Yeah, it’s big. I think the stage is around 90 feet wide, about 60 feet deep, and about 35 feet tall inside the shell there. They talked about wanting a venue that was really flexible. It’s certainly home of the symphony, but I think the goal is that they’ve got guest artists in there two to three nights a week. And instead of just running from Memorial Day to Labor Day, I think the hope is that they could be

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doing shows as early as some point in March and run all the way until November because of the weather in San Diego certainly can support that. We tried to make sure the system was designed with enough flexibility and could support everything from the symphony all the way up to a pretty loud rock performance, if needed.

Any way you look at it, fitting out this fantastic new venue was a major undertaking even for a big AV company. What did they need you to do?

We were certainly the integrator for the audio, the video and lighting infrastructure, and

the lighting control network onsite. It has an L-Acoustics main performance system. It also has a Meyer Sound Constellation system on stage specifically designed for the orchestra.

They really wanted to make sure the orchestra members themselves felt like they were in a performance space and not just outside. The Meyer Sound Constellation system allows them to really hear themselves and basically it’s created an electronic orchestra shell on stage, so it creates those reflections that they would hear on stage. And then in terms of control there are three DiGiCo consoles; there’s Shure wireless. All of the audio travels around the site on an Optocore fiber optic network.

So those are some of the main components of the audio system. The video system is a mix of some Sony and Panasonic cameras that feed through some Blackmagic switchers, and there are three large Planar LED screens for the audience--two IMAG screens left and right and then a center screen that can be taken up and down based on the event. And then like I said, the lighting control is all ETC for backbone and for DMX control and power.

That’s top of the line equipment. Why did you decide to go with three DiGiCo mixers?

You have one at front of house, another one for stage monitoring and how do they use the third one?

Yeah, so the SD7 is the main front of house desk for the symphony. Then on stage there’s a SD10 that has a monitor console if they’re going to do a pop act. And then we have a smaller SD12 that lives at front of house as a utility mixer. There are some pretty stringent noise requirements around the site, both for onsite and for what sound pressure level reaches Coronado Island, which is just to the west. So the thought is that if there’s a guest artist, the guest console would always feed through the SD12, which would give the onsite staff member ultimate control of level and if it needed to be turned down certainly they could do that pretty quickly. In terms of noise and restrictions there’s a total of three NTi measurement microphones, two on the island itself and then one on Coronado across the bay. So the onsite audio team can get a text alert if those three positions reach a certain SPL limit.

They’re really able to keep track on what the system is doing across that big property.

That’s a huge job, keeping in mind all the vastly different types of performances they have to be able to accommodate.

It’s a lot. It’s a big site. One of the funniest things that I’ve seen onsite is a lot of the crew has the little powered scooters just to be able to get around quickly because it will take you five minutes to walk from the stage to Building B, which is in the back of the venue under the lawn where the video control suite is. So yeah, it’s a lot to keep up with outside in an environment right on the water; it’s going to take some upkeep to keep things going.

There’s a team. Jason Rothberg is the production manager/technical director. Joel Watts is the audio director for the site.

And you have the SD racks that support the mixers?

Yeah. There are three fully-loaded SD racks with the 32-bit input cards on stage. Everything is running at 96kH. Shawn Murphy, the consultant and sound designer for the sym-

Designed in collaboration with Australia-based company Fabritecture, the shell’s interior lining is a perforated PVC that allows sound to pass through it while concealing the enormity of the shell’s structural frame and its acoustical equipment, while the outer shell is lined with Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a far more opaque material chosen to absorb sound for the most optimal acoustics. The two fabrics work together to clad the tensile structure in complex curves while sheltering performers across its 4,800-square-foot stage. The rim also can act as a projection screen.

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Constellation First To create an optimum acoustical listening environment that can be fine-tuned for various performances, a Meyer Sound Constellation acoustic system has been installed inside the shell — making it the first Constellation system designed for stage acoustics in an outdoor venue.

“The sound onstage is unbelievable,” said San Diego Symphony Music Director Rafael Payare. “We can hear each other wonderfully and you feel like you are in one of the top-notch concert halls of the world.”

Equipping the shell structure with an active acoustic system for monitoring was strongly recommended by Shawn Murphy, an Oscar-winning film score mixer (and frequent FOH engineer for high-profile outdoor orchestral events) who served as special consultant to the symphony. Meyer Sound’s Constellation team designed the acoustic system, with complementary physical acoustics entrusted to Salter, the project’s acoustical and AV consultant.

Because many performances at the venue — most notably amplified pop or rock — would not use the Constellation system, the Salter team was given a two-fold brief: design a baseline acoustic that would support Constellation but would also provide a good environment when Constellation was off.

“As far as the acoustic signature inside the shell, it is quite similar to a large Hollywood sound stage,” says Salter Vice President Jason Duty, who took over as principal acoustician on retirement of David Schwind. “It has a mixture of diffusive and absorptive elements, but little for reflection across the stage because that is handled by Constellation. We didn’t want it totally dry, as they wanted the stage to have a bit of life when the system was off. We definitely understood what the Constellation team was looking for.”

For Duty, the shell structure’s size, location and variety of performance styles made active acoustics the preferred solution. “Constellation is incredibly helpful in situations like this. The venue is right on the harbor, and having the control to let musicians clearly hear players on the other side of the stage is beneficial. In addition, there is the flexibility to adjust the acoustics to what you are hearing in the moment.”

As installed, the Constellation system comprises 25 UPM-1XP and 22 UPJuniorXP remotely selfpowered loudspeakers, with 12 UMS-1XP remotely self-powered subwoofers to extend the reverberation envelope to the lowest registers. DSP for driving the system is supplied by an eight-module DMitri digital audio platform, with two modules dedicated to hosting the patented VRAS variable room acoustic algorithm. Ambient sensing for the regenerative reverberation is provided by 20 Schoeps MK41 microphones with CMC6 preamps.

For music director Payare, the technical wizardry results in one simple outcome: a better environment for playing music. “From the very first rehearsal we had at The Shell, it was fantastic,” he told the Union-Tribune. “The Shell has a mind-blowing, organic quality. You actually can hear the (different sound) balances and perform the way you would in a concert hall, not an outdoor venue.”

phony was really particular to make sure that we maintained 96k throughout the system and it really does sound fantastic.

For playback getting that set up for immersive sound is a pretty tall order, especially outside.

Yeah, they just didn’t want to do a traditional left/right. So the six towers out on the lawn gave us the ability to hang the L-Acoustics A Series as side surrounds. And then the two towers in the back gave us the ability to do rear surround. And specifically, I think, those will get used a lot for when they do the movie nights, whether it’s an orchestra playing the soundtrack live to a movie or a recording, the ability to have that surround system makes the venue even more unique. Another way we’re achieving that sense of immersion is by taking some of the reverb returns from the front-ofhouse console and sending them to the surround speakers.

For the low end I think they have something like sixteen of the L–Acoustics K28 subs installed under the stage?

There are sixteen under the stage and eight flown per side, so it’s a total of 32. And really it could be done with less, but having that quantity really gave us the ultimate control in terms of steering and control of the low end to try to make sure we kept it on the site and we weren’t just throwing low end energy everywhere around the venue.

That’s the tough part. Controlling the low end being much less directional.

Yeah.

So why was the L-Acoustics K2 system chosen? For controllability or was it the outside weather factor?

It was a little bit of everything. Certainly it’s one of the most rider-friendly systems out there, and knowing that the venue was going to be used for guest artists and touring played into it. Several of the symphony team had experience with the product before so they were aware of it. And then in terms of technical specs the asymmetric L-fin really was one of the deciding factors that allowed us to kind of keep the box aimed where we wanted it to, but then also control that high

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The shell’s interior is covered with a white scrim material, so the flown K2s and KS28s are custom white.

And who used that to design the whole sound setup?

There were a couple of people. Tom Schindler at Salter was one of the consultants who worked closely with Shawn Murphy for the symphony and then Frankie Desjardins out of our Montreal office. The three of them came up with the overall design concept for the main system and then certainly Meyer Sound and their engineering team and Constellation team came up with the overall design for the onstage Constellation system for the musicians.

frequency spill off the site. And then certainly just the being outside we felt like its durability would be a really good long term investment. Having the venue be so close to saltwater can be pretty harsh on sound components, and the temperature swings here can also be dramatic.

And I notice the speaker housings are in a distinctive white finish.

They are. The white exterior wrapping material is a kind of plastic cloth and the interior is covered with a white scrim material. Anything in the shell, against that white canopy, the requirement was to do white so it blended in as much as possible.

So the flown K2s, the flown KS28s are all custom white finish.

The only other place I think they have that is the Hollywood Bowl.

I believe that is correct.

You mentioned at the beginning that you set up an Optocore fiber network to connect all

of the audio control points.

Yeah. With the site being as large as it is we felt like fiber optic transmission was the way to go both from a distance and a future proof.

And then the Optocore system really gives the end user the flexibility to change patching via the software so if a guest artist is coming in and they need to repatch things, it’s really easy without going to an analog patch bay. You can open the Optocore software and quickly change and reconfigure the system as needed.

What was the L-Acoustics app that was used to design the system?

Soundvision is their modeling software.

Solotech did the lighting--that must have been an interesting job because of the whole shell having a translucent material all over it.

Yeah, but certainly the white background really allows the colors to pop and to give them a lot of flexibility. For the opening weekend they rented a projection system and they did projection-mapped content on the front and top of the shell itself and it really kind of gave a unique experience to that opening weekend.

Thanks for giving us the story on how you got it all done.

Yeah. Thanks for your time today. Super proud of our team for the project. And if you’re in San Diego it’s definitely worth checking out, enjoying a concert in a fantastic venue.

Additional Credits Tom Schindler of Salter took charge of AV system design, with Joshua Grossman contributing on behalf of Schuler Shook Theatre Planners and Lighting Designers. System integrator for the project was Solotech. Architect Greg Mueller of the San Diego-based firm Tucker Sadler Architects was lead designer and architect of record, and Soundforms and its London partners Flanagan Lawrence, Expedition and ES Global designed the performance shell. Rob Webster of Gardiner & Theobald provided design and construction project management, and Vice President of Venue Operations Travis Wininger served as a project liaison on behalf of the San Diego Symphony.

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HYBRID STUDIOS

VIRTUAL PRODUCTION FOR WORK AND LEARNING * I NCLUDING ATLONA • CLOCKAUDIO • EPOS • HALL TECHNOLOGIES MERSIVE • SENNHEISER • SONY • TOA • YAMAHA UC

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HYBRID STUDIOS

HYBRID STUDIOS

By Cynthia Wisehart

T

here has been a lot of creativity in pandemic. One of the most dramatic examples is the rise of virtual production and hybrid studios. These studios and workflows grew out of an initial need to keep moving under extraordinary circumstances. However the investment that’s been made in them suggests that in many vertical markets a more permanent hybrid future will be the norm. Or at least that’s the business plan. Here’s a look at some of the facilities that have opened.

MONTEREY CONFERENCE CENTER CANVAS STUDIO As we go to press, California’s Monterey Conference Center (MCC) and Montreal-based Immersive Design Studios are debuting the 10,000-square-foot CANVAS Studio. Able to accommodate 125 inperson attendees via theater-style seating and 30,000 virtual guests, the space was created to be an immersive, interactive, and engaging environment for both in-person and virtual attendees and speakers.

Located on the second floor of the MCC inside the Steinbeck Ballroom, the circular studio is equipped with 360-degree wraparound screens and Immersive’s CANVAS software platform. This software enables two-way interactivity that allows speakers to see thousands

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of remote attendees up on the screens simultaneously, as well as zoom in on any individual for spontaneous and personal interactions. From Immersive’s view, everyone benefits from the two-way interactivity and dynamic energy that simply can’t be replicated in a traditional livestream. Users can reach vastly larger audiences and new markets around the globe at a fraction of the resources it takes to organize a fully physical event.

The business model is based on a one-year trial period, an opportunity for Immersive to show off it’s capabilities and for the city of Monterey to learn more about the market for hybrid business events.

HYBRID STUDIOS

WORRE STUDIOS, LAS VEGAS

Immersive Design Studios also supported the opening of Worre Studios in Las Vegas, a 25,000 square foot state-of-the-art production stage, equipped with a 360-degree LED wall that is powered by CANVAS. The platform was also used to allow Tony Robbins to transform his signature Unleash The Power Within (UPW) events for 30,000 people from more than 100 countries amid the COVID era. It supported interactivity and realtime translation.

While the CANVAS studio at Monterey Conference Center took longer to realize than initially planned, the multi-million dollar Worre interactive studio was reportedly built in just two months. It’s a stage-inthe-round footprint, surrounded by a 360-degree 1.9mm 4K LED interactive screen system and supports up to 250,000 attendees in real-time. Half of the LED walls are on a track system so producers can easily expand the wall to allow room for adding a live audience component to the virtual event. The space utilizes state-of-the-art camera and audio equipment, including a jib camera, as well as the Evertz broadcasting system, and can

customize features based on the event.

Hosts can also visually expand the virtual audience field to talk to attendees directly, see and hear their reactions, and have constant interaction, one of the primary goals of the platform which was designed to make livestreaming bi-directional. The translation platform can translate both to attendees and back to the host in multiple languages.

“What we thought would be a temporary answer during the pandemic, ended up being the perfect solution to reshape what’s possible for live and virtual events, making them even better than imagined. We are now ready to share the studio with the world,” said founder and CEO Marina Worre.

Located in the Southwest part of Las Vegas and easily accessible to public and private airports, Worre Studios can host educational events, trade shows, concerts, product launches, and more.

“We have had some music industry executives looking at making the in-studio hybrid portion a super VIP ticket,” shares Worre, “so if you think of it like a concert, the general admission tickets are joining virtually, and the VIPs pay a premium to be in person.”

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HYBRID STUDIOS

PRG VIRTUAL PRODUCTION STUDIO, LOS ANGELES

This virtual production studio recently made the decision to level up their audio capabilities by incorporating the new L-Acoustics L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology at its xR Stage. This technology pairs with PRG’s extended reality setup to offer an array of tools for multi-sensory immersive experiences. The Los Angeles studio, which includes an immersive loudspeaker configuration and processing hardware, can now support sound creators to design immersive audio with a 3D control interface and audio processing. Creators can use L-ISA Studio software from any computer, listen to and prepare their content in binaural sound using headphones, and then bring their creation to the PRG Los Angeles Virtual Production Studio where it will seamlessly translate to L-ISA hardware. Using L-ISA technology, creators can enhance the audio experience by simultaneously streaming binaural, 5.1, and 7.1 listening formats with the push of a button; no additional mixing required. xR Stage is a next-generation tool where teams can create and deliver content for virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and cinematic reality (CR). Users can generate new environments by bringing digital objects into the physical world and vice versa. Combining this next-generation process with the audio capabilities of L-ISA technology advances content production to new levels of immersion.

On June 10 at Hawthorne Hangar in Los Angeles, PRG and L-Acoustics worked with aerospace company Archer to deploy binaural sound

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for the company’s reveal of its cutting-edge, all-electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, Maker.

“In this deployment, the in-person audience and those at home wearing headphones both experienced live xR and binaural sound in unison, which is a real multi-sensory trip. It gave viewers the same feeling as a theme park ride,” explains Hallaert. “We were able to do that because, beyond the advanced gear, we also provided technicians that have the expertise in content, lighting, and tech to make these tools work seamlessly together.”

HYBRID STUDIOS MCCORMICK PLACE, CHICAGO

Chicago’s McCormick Place is the largest convention center in North America. Its 4,249-seat Arie Crown Theatre sat unused due to the pandemic. So McCormick formed a “pandemic partnership” with Freeman in the summer of 2020 to repurpose the space and create the Arie Crown Theater (ACT) Hybrid Production Studio for digital and hybrid meetings and events.

The new studio comes equipped with a 400-square-foot 4K LED video wall, set design, and the ability to capture content using virtual environments and augmented reality while connecting with audiences worldwide via live streaming. A team of experienced professionals from McCormick and Freeman is also available to help support event organizers in the production process. The venue can support pre-recorded and live content, non-live and hybrid events, and can integrate speakers from across the country and across time zones with the ability to combine pre-recording and live.

DIY Pop-Up Studio Leaning on prior experience delivering live courses from the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Applied Physics Laboratory, Nathan Graham, director, Center for Digital and Media Initiatives and his team partnered with Johns Hopkins Engineering faculty to envision a new approach to live online course delivery.

“Specifically, we were asked to create 35 studios in two months for rooms that ranged from 10x10 to 35x20 with different ceiling height, lighting, and acoustics,” Graham said. “These studios would not be permanent installations in the room and might move by the next semester.”

The instructional studios started with a mobile standing desk, which serves as the command center for instruction. The desk has a room controller, document camera, and an interactive display with an adapter for laptop content share. Behind the desk is a whiteboard with a whiteboard camera. In front of the desk is an AV cart that includes a shotgun mic pair, LED light panels, two large displays, one off-lens teleprompter, and PTZ camera.

The studios put the instructor in control of the meeting using a Zoom Rooms controller— allowing them to easily switch among multiple types of ­content simultaneously: main camera, document camera, laptop content, digital annotations, and whiteboard writing.

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HYBRID STUDIOS ATLONA AT-WAVE-101 This standalone touch-free wireless presentation and collaboration platform is designed for easy content sharing from iOS, Android, Mac, Chromebook, and Windows devices; it supports four simultaneous presenters. The WAVE101 directly supports all popular, device-native, wireless casting protocols including AirPlay, Google Cast, and Miracast; content encryption and randomly-generated PIN codes are designed for secure wireless sharing. The compact device can be installed discreetly near a display for easy, ad hoc content sharing or used in conjunction with a switcher to enhance a new or existing AV system with wireless, multi-participant BYOD connectivity. For educational environments, the browser-based Instructor Mode enables easy management and moderation of multiple active and queued student presenters and supports YouTube live streaming for remote learning, with integrated playback of locally stored images, and media files to incorporate lesson materials.

PRODUCTS

HYBRID STUDIOS

PRODUCTS HALL TECHNOLOGIES EMCEE200 The Hall Technologies EMCEE200 seamless multiview presentation switcher scaler is ready for multi-source conference presentations with its “CONFIDENCE” and “PRESENT” HDMI outputs in different window layouts. The EMCEE200 offers audio embedding/de-embedding, picture-inpicture, recording and 4K capture, HDBaseT 3.0 and amplifier plugin module support in addition to dual mic mixing. The front panel has controls for input selection, preset store and recall, volume levels and menu navigation.

CLOCKAUDIO CCRM For conference room applications where having microphones on the table is not desirable, Clockaudio has the CCRM 4000 motorized ceiling microphone. Designed for suspended ceiling installation, it drops down at the optimal position and it can be retracted when not in use. This ability makes it especially useful for minimizing background noise pickup in rooms with high ceilings.

For very large rooms, up to 99 units can be daisy chained with the height of each one individually set and there is a plenum version available. Versions include a model incorporating a single element (C3 capsule) and a tri-element (C303W-RF). Included are an 18VDC power supply, ceiling tile mounting bracket, and safety cable.

CAPTURE TO STREAM IN 4K CAPTURE TO STREAM IN 4K

RECORD TO EXTERNAL STORAGE DEVICE

RECORD TO EXTERNAL STORAGE DEVICE

DEDICATED CONFIDENCE AND

DEDICATED CONFIDENCE CUSTOM PRESENTATION MONITOR OUTPUT AND PRESENTATION MULTIVIEW MONITOR OUTPUT LAYOUT

CUSTOM MULTIVIEW LAYOUT

DUAL

MIC MIXER DUAL MIC MIXER

SEAMLESS SWITCHING

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EMCEE200 PRESENTATION SWITCHER

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HYBRID STUDIOS MERSIVE SOLSTICE Mersive Solstice has always offered touchless collaboration, content sharing, control, and markup for meeting and learning spaces. However, in 2020, Mersive launched three major new product initiatives that further enhance Mersive’s ability to support the hybrid workplace: Solstice Conference enhances collaboration among onsite and remote participants through touchless videoconferencing; Solstice Active Learning enables video routing for confidence monitors in large spaces where participants need to spread out; and Solstice Cloud allows organizations to monitor and manage the return to work through remote deployment analytics, alerts, and management capabilities.

CLOCKAUDIO TIM-100 The award winning Clockaudio TIM-1000 tracking intelligent microphone (TIM) follows the room presenter with its Adaptive Proximity Tracking (APT) technology while filtering out steady state room noise and running on PoE+. It supports DANTE and AES 67, accepts API commands via UDP and it is Dante Domain Manager ready. The ceiling mount version is the TIM-1000-CM and the pole mount model is the TIM-1000-PM.

www.toaelectronics.com

IR-310M

Infrared Wireless Microphone

AM-1

IR-200M

REAL-TIME STEERING ARRAY MICROPHONE

meetingIO Series

IR-802PA

IR-820

IR Integrated Wide-Dispersion Ceiling Speaker

INFRARED WIRELESS CLASSROOM SYSTEM EDUCATION MADE SIMPLE

Infrared Wireless Microphone (Hand-Held)

AVAILABLE IN BLACK OR WHITE

PRODUCTS SONY VERSION 3.0 PTZ The Version 3.0 update for the BRC-X400, SRG-X400, and SRG-X120 cameras, will support the SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) protocol, bringing high-quality video transmission with low latency. The SRT Alliance, which Sony joined in January 2021, offers an open-source protocol that combines encryption, packet loss recovery, and jitter prevention technologies to preserve video stream quality and integrity.

SRT harnesses the latest developments in real-time IP communications, enhancing conventional network error recovery methods to deliver stable, low-latency media streams. Sony also launched its new “Virtual Webcam Driver for Remote Camera.” The application turns remote cameras into web conference and lecture tools that achieve professional quality The application is compatible with the Window and Mac operating systems. It can be installed on any PC and paired with Sony’s BRC-X400, SRG-X400, SRG-XP1 and SRGXB25 cameras as well as the REA-C1000 edge analytics appliance. Up to five cameras can be connected to one PC.

TEAMCONNECT CEILING 2

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Experience brilliant audio with even more precise noise exclusion and voice highlighting all the way to the back row with TruVoicelift.

HYBRID STUDIOS

HYBRID STUDIOS

PRODUCTS EPOS EXPAND VISION 3T Designed for Microsoft Teams rooms, the Epos EXPAND Vision 3T all-in-one video collaboration solution is quick and easy to set up and once it is ready to go it provides automatic software updates and remote device management. There is a wide-angle 4K camera, intelligent picture framing, voice tracking and noise cancellation. No PC is needed and a meeting can be joined with a single touch.

SENNHEISER TEAMCONNECT A popular conferencing microphone system for rooms housing up to 16 participants, the Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 mic array is suited to the collaborative work or education space. Mounted like a ceiling tile, its 28 capsules are linked through DSP matrixing so that they beam the pickup toward the presenter wherever he or she may be located. The output is via 3-pin Phoenix connector for analog and two Dante digital ports. Setup is done with the Sennheiser Control Cockpit 4.0 app.

The Ultimate Collaboration Solution for the Hybrid Workplace Agnostic Room Conferencing Seamless support for all major conferencing services provides meeting flexibility without vendor lock-in.

One-step Meeting Start A one-step start regardless of conferencing service provides a consistent and easy way to get any meeting started.

Wireless USB Connectivity Users access and control room cameras, mics, and more wirelessly from their laptops.

Try Solstice now by signing up for a free demo at www.mersive.com

HYBRID STUDIOS

PRODUCTS TOA LENUBIO

The TOA Electronics LENUBIO (AMCF1) integrated audio collaboration system offers any conference room its steerable microphone array, DSP and 2-way active speakers. As the mic array tracks the presenter’s voice, built-in Acoustic Echo Cancellation and Ambient Noise Cancellation eliminate feedback. LEDs show presenter position, mute status and gain level. Features include USB ports for direct integration with computers and webcams, Bluetooth, codec input/output, stereo audio in/out, and contact in/out.

YAMAHA + MERSIVE The companies have partnered on a touchless, easy-to-use Bring Your Own Meeting (BYOM) room solution that pairs Yamaha’s ADECIA Ceiling Microphone and Speaker Solution and Yamaha UC Strategic Partner Mersive Technologies’ Solstice wireless collaboration system. When enabled with Solstice Conference, Solstice adds rich content sharing along with agnostic room support for any PC-based video conferencing application. Solstice seamlessly and wirelessly integrates Yamaha ADECIA audio solutions into a video conference with enterprise-grade security and cloudbased deployment management, monitoring, analytics. Together, this solution delivers a new class of video conferencing room system that results in more collaborative meeting and learning experiences between onsite and remote participants.

HDVS-CAM-USB

OME-MS42-KIT

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HYBRID STUDIOS

PRODUCTS

YAMAHA ADECIA The Yamaha ADECIA ceiling solution is a family of communication products designed to work seamlessly together to provide a complete and customizable audio solution for any meeting or learning space. It includes the multi-beamforming RM-CG ceiling microphone and RM-CR audio processor, as well as Yamaha’s long-trusted PoE switches and VXL Series line array speakers. Yamaha’s ADECIA Ceiling solution clearly picks up several people speaking at the same time and ensures that voices, not noises, are captured in enclosed or open conference spaces of varying sizes. Its multi-beam and audio postprocessing technology creates virtual personal microphones that follow speakers moving around the meeting area.

The narrow beams and audio postprocessing focus on voices rather than sounds for clarity. The complete solution immediately detects all components of the system and optimizes them for the room environment, accounting for the location of speakers and microphones, reverberation, and echo behavior. With USB, Bluetooth, Dante, and analog connections, this flexible system can fit a variety of meeting spaces.

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (REQUESTER PUBLICATIONS ONLY) 1.

Publication Title: Sound & Video Contractor

2. Publication No.: 711-250 3. Filing Date: 22/9/2021 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 12 6. Annual Subscription Price: Requester 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: Future US Inc., 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036-8002; Contact Person: Cindy Cardinal, 847-438-4577 8.

Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: Future US Inc., 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY

9.

15. E xtent and Nature of Circulation

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

a. Total number of copies

8653

8510

7911

8079

b. Legitimate paid and/or requested distribution (by mail and outside the mail) (1) Outside-county paid/requested mail subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541

(2) In-county paid/requested mail subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541

(3) Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid or requested distribution outside USPS

(4) Requested copies distributed by other mail classes through the USPS

c. Total paid and/or requested

7911

8079

568

183

d. Non-requested distribution (by mail and outside the mail)

(1) Outside-county non-requested copies stated on PS Form 3541

(2) In-county non-requested Copies stated on PS Form 3541

10036-8002

(3) Non-requested copies distributed through the USPS by other classes of mail

Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and

Managing Editor: Publisher: Carmel King, 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036-8002; Editor: Cynthia Wisehart, 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036-8002 10. Owner: Future US Inc. (Future PLC), 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036-8002 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months 13. Publication Title: Sound & Video Contractor 14. 48 IssueSVC Date for | Circulation NOVE M BData: E R 2September-21 02 1 | SVCO NLINE . COM

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

(4) Non-requested copies distributed outside the mail

e. Total non-requested distribution f. Total distribution g. Copies not distributed h. Total i. Percent paid and/or requested

568

183

8479

8262

174

248

8653

8510

93.3%

97.8%

16. Electronic Copy Circulation a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies b. Total Requested and Paid Print Copies c. Total Requested Copy Distribution d. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both Print & Electronic Copies) 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership for a Requestor Publication is required and will be printed in the November 2021 issue of this publication.

18. Signature of VP, AV Technology Group: Carmel King, September 22, 2021. I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

OPEN MIC

PLANNING SPACES

By Mark Peterson and Kay Sargent

project requires that company stakeholders, a design team, and a technology consultant work in tandem to address the project’s needs and goals. Often, this ambiguous group is less than defined. Typically, on a technology project, stakeholders should include professionals from multiple departments, like end users, facilities managers, administrators, technical support, training, security, and information technology. While all these areas will work together to achieve a project’s goals, it’s important to note that organizing stakeholders upfront is imperative to a project’s success. Simply gathering all these professionals into one meeting won’t provide the solution.

Stakeholders need to be divided into two camps: a user research group for gathering requirements and feedback, and a steering committee to review results, approve budgets, and proceed with expanded initiatives. This organization of stakeholders allows for a proper needs assessment while providing a system of checks and balances.

Beyond internal departments, the stakeholders ideally include the architect and designers. The ultimate goal is to maximize end user’s productivity and creativity. To ensure the technology going into each space matches that goal, it’s helpful to develop a core technology “kit of parts” that can be applied as the foundational technology across all the varied space types. Through the proofof-concept phase, stakeholders can identify challenges within the organization’s internal processes needed to support the solution, which is crucial in developing a way forward.

A

Collect Data It’s not enough to know meeting spaces are needed; we need to collect and assess material related to the gathering, congregating, and meeting requirements of the occupants and their guests. This may include understanding: y the type of gathering being held y the frequency of gatherings y the number of participants y the type of activities and engagements conducted during the session(s) y the tools needed y need for and type of information sharing y privacy requirements y target protocols and procedures y food and beverage requirements

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By bringing stakeholders into a project as early as possible, a complete discovery phase can be performed. This helps identify spaces, systems, equipment, and even processes that might need attention or require direction to move a project forward. Stakeholders should remain engaged throughout the project, and even post-construction to capture any lessons learned or steps for a future project.

Many companies are adopting a new hybrid model that blends remote work with shared workplaces. Rethinking where we work, and the purpose of place, requires that we also address the logistics of how to do so successfully.

In a hybrid model where people have a choice where they work, we need to ensure we are creating compelling spaces that are enticing enough that people want to be there. We need to create “stickiness,” spaces that attract people and make them want to stay. To make spaces desired destinations, we need to consider offering better technology, more intuitive work points, access to services and amenities, and create meaningful spaces for gathering with clients and colleagues.

As the future of work is reimagined, we need to rethink how we gather, connect, and meet to ensure we are creating effective environments. For many that means creating a greater variation of meeting/gathering spaces. That starts with acknowledging that there are a wide variety of meetings today. According to David Pearl in his book ‘Will There Be Donuts?’ we need to first focus on the purpose of the meeting and what we are trying to achieve.

Are we: Passing on, sharing, or disseminating info? Educating?

Getting buy-in? Coming to a consensus? Co-creating? Once we know the purpose of our meetings, then we need to visualize that there are at least seven types of meetings: Information sharing, making decisions, selling, discussions, problem-solving, innovating, and social.

Once we know the purpose and type of gathering, then we can set the stage and consider the furnishings and tools required to accommodate the need. In addition to the setting, we also need to rethink the role of technology. Not all rooms need a screen, and in some cases, they need a much bigger, more interactive platform. Aligning the tools with the purpose of the activity is essential to ensure not only functionality but fiscal responsibility.

Mark Peterson, principal at technology consulting firm Shen Milson & Wilke (SM&W). Kay Sargent is senior principal and director of WorkPlace at architectural design firm HOK.