For the future, ring topology presents a commercial choice. A network can be installed just for the opening and closing ceremonies or permanently fixed for anything that might kick off, and nobody knows this better than German fibre-optics pioneer Optocore. At Berlin’s
300
Olympic Stadium – an art deco classic updated for the 2006 World Cup – 180 loudspeakers, 83 amplifiers and a wireless microphone installation demanded a network able to deliver the audio and data signals over very long distances. Optocore’s solution was to install two DD32 digital I/Os in the roof and two DD32s in the
control room, connected by redundant fibre-optic rings. Bidirectional control data is sent from the roof to the control room and back using the DD32’s RS485 interface, and even the wireless microphone receivers are controllable from the room.
Nexo GEO S12 cabinets
Just part of the audio setup at the Stade de France Analogue I/O is handled by
seven X6 A-D/D-A modules, while digital data reaches the DD32 devices via SubD25 ports. Furthermore, full integration with the VA system is achieved by Optocore’s interface versatility, with announcements possible to any specific corner of the stadium as well as wider addresses to the whole of the interior.
On the other hand, for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Athens Olympics in 2004 similar Optocore systems were temporarily installed and then removed – placing them back into the rental revenue stream. So, from a business perspective, does a company like Optocore prefer to make these solutions for the sprint or the marathon? “Hard to say,” reflects Optoocore’s Tine Helme. “Both are good, but we are very committed to the permanent market – the R Series was made for this sector. So, permanent installation has the edge.” www.allen-heath.comwww.auvitran.comwww.communitypro.comwww.dasaudio.comwww.electrovoice.comwww.harmanpro.comwww.meyersound.comwww.nexo.frwww.rcf.itwww.soundtech.co.uk
RAISING THE ROOF HATS OFF TO ONE INDOOR STADIUM IN SPAIN
Indoor arenas are a different matter, but the Fernando Buesa Arena in Vitoria, in the Basque region of northern Spain, deserves special mention. Audio-masterminded by D.A.S. Audio’s sound projects department, a recent refurbishment was completed only when the entire dome was removed by a huge crane and placed on a new auxiliary building nearby. Once the work had been completed, a new dome weighing over 200 tons – reinforced to handle large video screens and flown loudspeakers – was lifted and put back into position. Although the Fernando Buesa Arena is technically a multipurpose venue, first and foremost it’s the
home of the local basketball team, Baskonia. With expanded seating to accommodate up to 15,290 people, new audiovisual equipment includes a scoreboard, screens and sound reinforcement equipment based on D.A.S. Audio’s Aero line array. Covering the stands there are 40 Aero 12A units and two DSP-2060 digital processors, while on the court itself are four BiDrivers, one high- power SLA-2600 amplifier and one DSP-26 digital processor. Installed by local contractor Ingevision, it’s a solution that pushes the modern stadium button: enhanced enjoyment of – and fuller immersion in – all the sporting action.