The decision to specify Avo dimmers was made collectively by BBC NI's lighting directors Philip Brines and Jim Devlin and their colleague, electrical supervisor Colin Irwin.
"We needed something that was flexible, compact robust, reliable and portable," explains Irwin. "Avolites also came highly recommended by everyone we spoke to, and we wanted a future-proof product to keep the lighting department up-to-date for several years in the future."
As soon as the dimmers arrived at the Belfast HQ, they went straight out on the Royal Maundy Service, broadcast from Armagh and attended by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, the first time the service has been held outside the UK mainland. Since then they have been constantly in action on a variety of shows and events including the NW200 motorcycle race and current affairs question show, Let's Talk. They will also be used on a series of concerts staged throughout the year.
(Jim Evans)
