GUADALAJARA, Mexico – PRG expanded its rental inventory with 60 new RockNet devices made by Riedel Communications and quickly put it to use at the XVI Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, where PRG is provided technical support for the opening and closing ceremonies.
Riedel noted that PRG was able to use the gear to address some of the key challenges posed by the ceremonies, including the need to bridge up to 300 meter distances between individual positions at the stadium, and the need to integrate the master control room, located on the first level of box suites.
The audio system for the ceremonies, designed by Pat Baltzell, used 158 of RockNet's 160 channels and employed 56 various RockNet devices, according to Riedel. The system combined the PA drive system, inputs and monitor sends located at the two stages, the master control room and the audio house and monitor mix positions into one single network. RockNet fiber converters bridged the large distance to the master control room.
A total of six digital Yamaha mixing consoles were also equipped with RockNet-Interface cards, fully integrating them into the RockNet infrastructure. Riedel reported that the system was free of interference and noise bleeds, even though, in most cases, the audio cabling was adjacent to the lines for electrical power, lighting dimmer cables and hundreds of other video and signal distribution cables.
Riedel also touted the flexibility of its system, which lets users change the programming and routing via computer using Riedel's RockWorks software instead of having to pull additional wire around the stadium. And the company reported that its RockNet was able to distribute SMPTE and FSK timecode to control cues for gear throughout the stadium from the audio playback room without any problems with signal bleeding to adjacent channels.
For more information, please visit www.riedel.net.
