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When BBC Scotland opened its new headquarters at Pacific
Quay, Glasgow earlier this year Medialon Manager was
installed to control the interactive exhibits,
projections and signage information systems in the BBC
Public Visitor Centre. Medialon provides master
supervisory control as well as AV and show control for
the Centre.
The space features information displays and interactive
facilities, enabling visitors to learn about the
exciting opportunities offered by digital technology and
to find out more about the BBC.
The BBC AVIT installation, designed by Derek KEMP
Associates, has been supplied and integrated by
Electrosonic Limited's Scotland-based division AVC, with
project management by AVC's Douglas Bolton. Automation 4
Ltd, through it's Technical Director David Birchall,
specializes in show-control system development, GUI and
interactive application development, was sub-contracted
by AVC to deliver the Medialon programming.
The BBC Scotland Visitor Centre exhibits include two HD
and SD cinema pods; 12 TFT screens as a Pre-Show where
visitors are queuing; a six-screen, rear projection
video display wrapped around the building’s glass-fronted
entrance, which displays live video, still pictures and
news from RSS feeds; two banks of glass rear-projection
screens showing live BBC content; an 82-inch touchscreen
LCD table for interactive BBC services and Google Earth
interface; eight interactive presentations played on
vintage TVs and radios tracing BBC broadcasts through
the ages; 10 interactive touchscreen PCs presenting
digital broadcasting evolution; and eight Internet
stations.
The public space is also used for live events such as
concerts and live radio shows. A number of the exhibits
have been designed to be removable allowing the space to
be reconfigured as needed. To provide maximum
flexibility for the configuration of the space a zoned
PA system was installed along with a direct interface
into the BBC lighting system's Congo Junior programmable
desk.
Medialon Manager is used as the main controller for the
entire system. Following AVC's brief, Automation 4 Ltd programmed a number of preset ‘themes’ that can be
recalled manually or triggered automatically by a
scheduler.
Editable themes allow a limitless number of different
moods to be created depending on the use of the space.
The Cinema Pods are one of the most popular exhibits. A
group of visitors can select a playlist of video clips
from the BBC's content library via a Medialon
touchscreen panel. When “play” is touched, the roof of
the cinema pod is lowered on theatrical hoists, the
lighting dims and the show begins. Once all of the clips
have played, the roof and lights rise and the cinema
returns to its ready state. The lowering of the roof
seals the cinema room from external lighting and
prevents the sound from leaking to other areas. It also
adds to the experience and builds excitement prior to
the show starting.
“The major technical challenge with the project was
integrating the system into the existing BBC network,”
notes David Birchall. “All of the PCs are members of the
BBC national domain. For security reasons the desktop
build of each PC was limited as were the access rights
and availability of standard Windows software
components. Since Medialon Manager is a Windows-based
software solution, it was ideally suited for the
application.
“Typically show-control systems are installed on closed
workgroup-based networks with little or no consideration
of security settings’ access rights,” he continues. “A
more structured and engineered approach to the design
and implementation of the system was required for this
project as a result.
In addition, since a number of components of the system
are removable/ reconfigurable, consideration had to be
made regarding the various states that the system could
be set to. For example, much of the code that made the
connections between Medialon Manager and the devices was
written to allow automatic connection and disconnection
to the exhibits based upon their availability on the
network.”
Among the functions performed by Medialon is power
on/off; volume control; media selection from the VLC
software video client, Flash-based applications, HD
media servers, and IP set-top box control; audio matrix/PA
system control; theme selection (lighting, audio, media,
volume, LED message display); scheduling of themes and
events; projector lamp-life monitoring; ambient light-level
detection; and interface to the Cinema Pods’ mechanical
hoist-control system, fire-alarm system and
building-management system.
Medialon controls a wide array of equipment, including
six Panasonic PTDW5000E projectors; six Panasonic
PTD7700E projectors; two Sim 2 Domino 80 projectors; two
Electrosonic HD FrEND High Definition media servers; two
Arcam Solo Movie Amplifier/DVD players; a BSS Sound Web;
14 GMV IP set-top digital TV boxes; two Apart MBR150
Power Amplifiers; a Congo Junior Lighting Desk; a pair
of theatrical hoists; 30 custom interactive Macromedia
Flash applications; a 40-inch Loewe LCD TV; ambient
light sensors; and four Polycomp scrolling LED signs.
“Medialon is the market-leading show-control system that
can be used to control all of the devices in this
project from a single system,” Birchall concludes. “With
the Medialon Manager system and extensive use of the LLC
MxM we were able to implement a complete control system
that would talk to all of the devices whatever the
protocol used.”
"When AVC Electrosonic won the tender to design, supply
and install the AV/ICT systems at BBC Scotland's new
headquarters, we were aware of the challenges ahead.
Both Graven Images and Derek Kemp Associates are known
for their innovative designs, and with the BBC as their
client we expected the creative and technical boundaries
to be pushed. AVC Electrosonic is set up specifically to
handle with this kind of work, and our ability to
deliver technically complex systems, whilst keeping a
close eye on the aesthetic elements, played a major part
in our selection as AV/ICT contractor.
The site contains a high-density of widely varying
AV/ICT hardware, most of it incorporated into bespoke
exhibition display units. It was crucial that we
identified a truly flexible central control system that
would enable operational personnel at the BBC to drive
the systems easily via an intuitive front-end. Also,
much of the hardware forms part of, or is attached to,
the BBC's network, so the control system had to be
intelligent and secure enough to interact with the BBC
WAN, without risk. Having looked at the options
available to us, Medialon Manager was the clear choice.
Electrosonic's close relationship with Medialon, and
Medialon's willingness to assist as far as possible with
system design, made the specification and procurement
process very straightforward. On a complex project such
as this all advice and experience is welcomed and
Medialon proved themselves to be an efficient and
supportive supplier. AVC Electrosonic will continue to
use Medialon product when powerful, flexible show
control is required.
The final results on site have exceeded the BBC's
expectations and the effort put in by everyone involved
in the project has been well worth it. BBC Scotland has
a superb showcase for its products at Pacific Quay, and
a presentation system that will keep pace with the
constantly changing needs of one of the world's leading
broadcasters. Drop in and take a look next time you're
in Glasgow – you'll be impressed!" said Douglas Bolton
from AVC.
Derek Kemp from Derek KEMP Associates concludes
“Medialon has allowed us the range of user interface we
required for such a technical client. Complex, exhibit
by exhibit control is available from the Medialon
server, whilst simpler theme and volume control is
available on remote PCs for day to day operation. AVC
and Automation 4 Ltd have delivered a robust and flexible
system which myself and the client are delighted with”. |
