Working with Scheiner Interaktive Medien of Langenfeld, who were responsible for the AV design and project management, Electrosonic supplied and installed all of the audio-visual systems in ‘Opel in Berlin’. On the ground floor the visitor can surf the world of cars in the Auto-Media Café, where there are 10 interactive displays, with Intranet and Internet connection, using 15" LCD Monitors and Trackball. Then they can follow the fascinating development process of a new car- ‘from the first vision to the latest Vectra’. Here there is a 15" 3D display, three Touchscreens, six LCD displays and an interactive LCD. The whole area uses eight channels of Electrosonic Video Server.
In the car showroom area, Electrosonic installed a 42" plasma display, a 15" LCD touchscreen, also served by an Electrosonic video server, together with four channels of Electrosonic ESTA Tapeless Audio. Also on the ground floor is the range of safety components which are built into Opel cars, displayed on seven 15" LCD displays, using six channels of Electrosonic Video Server. ‘From Turbo Power to Joystick’ is what is described as dynamics and passion on the racing circuit, with three 42" plasma displays, two 15" LCD monitors, two Sega Play consoles, all with three channels of Electrosonic video server.
On the upper floor is 100 years of Opel pioneering technology - ‘From the First Machine to the Opel GT’ - this uses two 15" LCD touchscreens and a Gobo Projector. In the upstairs Cinema there are four short films starring Opel, produced by Linda Film of Aachen, who were also responsible for the software production for all of the AV displays. Here Electrosonic installed two Barco SIM6 Soft Edge Projectors with a Vector image processor, using eight channels of Electrosonic video server. The entrance to the Cinema has two 15" LCD monitors.
On the façade of the building are four screens, each 4.6m x 2.9m, which are used during the evening and overnight. The main source is a 4-channel Electrosonic video server. Other sources, such as TV programmes, can be displayed in various sizes and positions on the screens, with an Electrosonic Vector image processor handling the processing of the image format and sources.
All of the control technology for the whole complex is housed in a 19" equipment rack in the central control room. The connection of the displays to the control room is over a CAT5 network with approximately 300 connection points, which are separated out to the exhibition area. Over this network the displays are connected to the video and PC sources, which are located in the control room in environmentally protected surroundings.
All the systems are networked together and can be updated and monitored remotely. An Electrosonic Escan system manages the equipment and presentation times automatically.
(Lee Baldock)
