Perched on a rocky promontory high above this small northern Italian town, Forte di Bard (Fort Bard) has been a site of strategic significance since the pre-Roman era. Today its importance is cultural rather than military. Completely restored in 2006, the stunning courtyards of this fortress complex now play host to theatre and ballet performances, summer pop concerts and literary events, while its imposing walls house major touring exhibitions of art and photography.
The new museum is dedicated to the history of the site and its fortifications. This state-of-the-art interactive multimedia exhibition features synchronised audio-visual presentations delivered via conventional video screens, interactive touch-screens and video projection.
The installation called for a multimedia control system that could coordinate all the audio and video as well as the lighting and more, across the various rooms and display systems. IBR Sistemi of Genoa handled the design and installation, and with the help of AudioLink, QSC's exclusive distributor in Italy, chose Q-Sys as the solution to control the advanced technological needs of the Forte di Bard.
Every element of the Forte di Bard exhibition is controlled by Q-Sys. At the centre of the network, a Q Sys Core 3000 unit handles 68 channels of audio and controls a total of 125 peripheral devices, ranging from the touch screens and their associated computers to video players, video screens and projectors. Additional Q-Sys I/O Frames equipped with DataPort I/O cards allow centralised control of the CX Series amplifiers located all around the exhibition. Meanwhile, the I/O Frames' GPIO ports allow the Q-Sys Core to directly control the lighting system and the motorised screens used for larger video projections. And by connecting a second Q-Sys 3000 Core to the network, the installers were able to ensure complete system redundancy and offer the guarantee of no disruption.
Making alterations to the existing historic structure was obviously out of the question. AcousticDesign Series AD-S32T and AD-S52 loudspeakers proved ideal - compact and easily mounted on lightweight frames suspended from the ceiling. Where further sound reinforcement was required, AD-S28Tw subwoofers were discreetly deployed. The Q-Sys Designer software design environment made assembling this sophisticated network a stress-free experience. The completely modular nature of the Q-Sys control system and I/O peripherals made it easy to accommodate the necessary hardware within the space available. And with the audio delivery hardware in place, the system was easily fine-tuned in situ via a wireless remote control.
(Lee Baldock)
