Disused in recent years, the auditorium will now be employed for internal staff, receptions and outside events. Accommodating a variety of potential applications was among the challenges facing installer Tyco Integrated Systems (TIS), which specified equipment from Crestron, Electro-Voice and Eiki, among others.
For the audio system, Tyco selected an Electro-Voice line array system, augmented by a series of column speakers, to provide crisp, clear and even sound distribution throughout the venue. The resulting specification includes 12 XLE181 Electro-Voice passive line array loudspeakers and four RX118 EV subs, one EV N8000 DSP, one EV MI-1 8-channel mic/line level input module, two AO-1 EV 8-channel line level output modules, and three EV CPS2.12 power amplifiers with remote modules.
To enable the use of the stage area for presentations, Tyco selected a short-throw dual projection system to avoid creating image shadow, which can be the consequence of a long-throw projection solution. In a move that is said to have marked the company’s submission out from the competition, Tyco was the only bidder to propose short-throw dual projection.
The solution devised by Tyco features two Eiki XG250 4000L projectors with AH-23511 short zoom wide angle power lens, along with a Major Pro-C Screen International 600 x 450cm screen and the VIOSO Dual-Channel-Blackbox edge-blending software solution.
VIOSO Blackbox enables up to four individual projectors to create one seamless image with perfect edge-blending and, in the case of the Islington Council theatre, “allowed a unique positioning of two projectors in a very steep angle above the projection screen,” TIS’s Keith Blackwell told IE. “By using this position different problems could be avoided such as, for instance, the speaker being ‘disturbed’ by a projector light. The different media sources are connected via a switcher to the VIOSO Blackbox (two FHD-DVI-connections), allowing all inputs to be corrected on the screen. As the camera calibration can be carried out by the [venue] staff, the maintenance cost for this solution is very low.”
Overall control for the installation is provided by a Crestron TPSI-AV2PAK-6X system, enabling integration to DMX stage lighting and Exor house lighting systems. Four LG 42” 42LH3000 LCD widescreen TVs – all mounted on Unicol portable trolley stands – are also part of the venue’s high-spec new A/V configuration.
