Event AG renews AV equipment in The Hall with Blackmagic

To update the space, an audiovisual solution has been developed that relies on the transmission of signals by optical fiber and on digital cameras and live production equipment of Blackmagic Design.

The modern center The Hall (Zurich) has witnessed a variety of presentations, as concerts, Conferences and live productions. Among the organizations that hold live events on the grounds, is the International Christian Fellowship Church (ICF).

In order to meet the various requirements and needs, a few years ago, The Swiss systems integration company Event AG planned and developed an audiovisual solution for the space, that relies on the transmission of signals over fibre optic cables and on the digital cameras and live production equipment of Blackmagic Design.

During the pandemic, There was a boom in demand for studios and transmission capacity at an unanticipated level when the center was designed.. This highlighted the need for a multipurpose control room and more production space..

The digital communication agency FE Motion and the ICF church decided to expand their production space in order to meet the demand.. "This included the installation of a virtual stage with screens and augmented reality technology based on Unreal Engine and capture and playback cards DeckLink 8K Pro by Blackmagic Design", Explains Simon Bachofen, Project Coordinator and AV Production Manager at Event AG.

Live productions

In the course of upgrading equipment, Other production devices were also verified and renewed.

ICF's multi-camera system was upgraded to 11 units URSA Broadcast G2 for live events. Live signals are transmitted to the main gallery of the venue, which has recently incorporated two mixers ATEM Constellation 8K exclusively for this purpose.

"The URSA Broadcast G2 model offers a modern cinematic appearance with pleasant colors and lower noise", clarifies Bachofen. "See also, interchangeable lens mounts and USB-C memory recording make cameras and space more versatile.".

The main space of the event hall also features a new 3D camera cabling system EagleEye, which includes a URSA Broadcast G2 camera, while all main and control signals are transmitted via fiber optic cables.

On the most important occasions, For example, Weekly Church Meetings, The contents are transmitted, are recorded and played back in a 4K display of of 120 square meters, that is transmitted from a processor ship E2 Event Master up to multiple monitors installed inside and outside the complex.

When organizing signals, a switching matrix is used Universal Videohub 288, other Universal Videohub 72, plus three units Smart Videohub 12G 40×40. likewise, Capture and playback cards are used DeckLink and UltraStudio on various computers for alpha channel and main signal.

On the other hand, the ICF performs smaller productions throughout the week, Using a mixer ATEM Mini Extreme ISO and several Blackmagic cameras Pocket Cinema Camera 6K.

"ICF productions rely almost exclusively on volunteers., A constantly changing team. Therefore, The system has to be easy to set up and use.", Says Mark Rychlik, technical director of ICF. "We have been employing the current dynamic since 2017, so it is very natural to use Blackmagic products and choose them in this update. Their devices and solutions allow us to grow and incorporate units as needed.".

The ICF, who has acquired most of the cameras, Funded by donations. "For this reason, We are looking for a solution that offers good value for money", confirms Rychlik. "But since the organizers of other events also have the possibility to rent the equipment., Our recommendations had to be versatile enough to adapt to the needs of studio and live productions.".

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