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Optocore Extends Coldplay Signal Coverage
When Coldplay's Viva La Vida world touring production moved out of arenas and into the larger stadiums this summer, rental company Wigwam Acoustics were eager to extend the production's Optocore optical fibre network.
They wanted to create a far-reaching digital transport that would carry the signal over distances up to 300 metres from the FOH processors to C Stage - one of two satellite audience tiers being used by the band for their acoustic set during the show.
With a long history of using Optocore systems in their digital desks, they contacted the German company's International Sales Manager Mike Case - and soon an Optocore DD32E/DD6NE network had been added to the LX4 Optical Digital Multicore (and FOH I/O) already in use.
As Wigwam's digital specialist, Alex Hadjigeorgiou explained, only Optocore could provide this solution. "Huge distances weren't really an issue until the band started playing stadiums - prior to that everything was daisy chained via the FOH position. However, it quickly became obvious that in the big American arenas / stadia the distances would be too great to run the system in its existing format - hence the introduction of fibre."
But it was when production moved across the Atlantic to Wigwam Acoustics - and Rob Priddle joined system tech Tom Smith as stadium specialist and Wigwam crew chief - that things really took off.
Optocore's DD32E/DN6E, a synchronous, dual-redundant ring network, was duly specified to take AES/EBU outputs from the FOH Dolby Lake processors, which were providing system EQ and zoning control, and distribute the signals over 120 metres to the processors optimising the d&b J series PA system at the stage end.
The DN6E's also facilitated Ethernet computer control, enabling all three processors on the network from the FOH position, as well as the d&b amplifier control network; additionally, the devices functioned as the word clock distribution system from FOH to stage.
Thus by the time the tour arrived at Wembley Stadium for the first of two consecutive concerts, Rob Priddle and FOH engineer Daniel Green (mixing from a Digidesign VENUE with full Pro Tools multitrack support) had an expanded site wide network.
At the same time the LX4 system ensured that the acoustic instruments and vocal mics could be transported across 300 metres. "We also used the LX4B to send signals to local IEM units under C Stage, with the addition of Shout circuits - enabling the crew at C Stage to continue communicating with the monitor engineer and stage tech," Priddle explained.
The LX4B was further used for transmitting MIDI data from C Stage to the main stage keyboard rig, allowing Coldplay front-man Chris Martin to play a remote keyboard on C Stage, while all the voice banks came from main stage.
Summing up, Alex Hadjigeorgiou, commented: "We had to find something that would allow us to run both the AES feeds and Lake network control across huge distances, and being able to use these transport devices between the Lake processors in the local racks at either end took the pressure off; it formed the entire infrastructure and the Optocore fibre-based system was the only one that would extend this far."
He said the decision to use Optocore had been proven over time. "And with Mike Case's arrival at the company really gave me the confidence to be able to pursue this route.
"Mike brings with him a great track record in getting new technology into the workplace rather than just the marketplace. This is a very importance difference as just because a product exists in the marketplace does not necessarily mean it is road ready, or that we would want to place it on a high profile gig such as this."
In picture: Coldplay system tech Rob Priddle at Wembley Stadium.
30th September 2009
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