The ceremonies were held in the new Kintele stadium which seats 6000 people and celebrated the richness and diversity of African culture with bright costumes, music and fireworks.
Y and Co, the France-based rental company that specialises in audio solutions for events and broadcasts, supplied and installed an Eclipse HX Median digital matrix platform running version 8.5 software, and embedded with three MVX-A16-HX 16-port audio and data frame card, an IVC-32-HX IP interface frame card, and six CCI-22 two-wire partyline interfaces. V-Series V12LD and V24LD panels and the Agent-IC mobile app were provided to the production team for communication.
The new stadium had a fibre-based network with switches that run all around the stadium for sound, lighting, intercom, and video connections. The Y and Co had to use this network to provide communication all around the stadium. With the IVC-32 card enabling IP connectivity from the Eclipse HX system to virtually any remote location, the installation team was able to place a flightcase on site equipped with a V-Series control panel, a 2-wire/4-wire interface and a 30V power supply, achieving a local wire intercom system without deploying kilometers of cables.
"The new key feature in version 8.5 is the possibility to connect a V-Series control panel using a simple VLAN connected on the IVC-32 IP card, as well as the ability to add two additional 4-wire connections," said Philippe Leblond, senior lead intercoms, Y and Co. "In addition, with the two existing relays in the panels I was able to locally trigger a TW mobile or any other transmitter. These two 4-wire connections became two real ports on the matrix."
Another major new feature that proved extremely useful was the Agent-IC app, which enabled users on an Eclipse HX intercom system to gain remote access via their iPads or iPhones. The production team, which was spread out at different locations around the stadium, used Agent-IC on their hand-held devices to communicate with the productions desks.
"The new version of Eclipse HX Median brings a powerful set of tools to production teams, enabling them to keep in constant contact which is imperative during live events," said Richard Palmer, regional sales manager of Clear-Com. "We're very proud that our systems played a part in bringing the 11th African Games to life."
(Jim Evans)
