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For Immediate Release Q-SYS Brings Singapore's Universal Studios to LifeEAS Place QSC Advanced Platform at Hub of Site-Wide DesignInfoComm Las Vegas, June 9, 2010 - Southeast Asia's first Universal Studios theme park opened this Spring, boosting Singapore's attempts to become a top regional tourist destination. Part of Resort World Sentosa, the park was built by Malaysia's Genting Bhd for $4.4 billion. Joining the other Universal Studios sites in Hollywood, CA., Orlando, FL. and Osaka, Japan it incorporates 24 attractions, of which 18 are original or specially adapted for the park. Each of the seven uniquely themed zones is based on a blockbuster movie or television show, featuring their own specific attractions. With Universal Studios taking up 20 hectares (50 acres) of Resort World Sentosa's massive 49 hectares, (120 acres) excellent site-wide communications were essential. Singapore based Electro-Acoustics Systems, the regional QSC distributors, were appointed to supply and install the entire sound reinforcement and background music system — and wasted no opportunity to put the company's new Q-Sys complete integrated system platform to the test. A centralized processing architecture consisting of a QSC Audio Q-Sys Core 4000 system (the largest available) lies at the heart of the design. The audio DSP resides on a local network based on L2/L3 switching technology, for which the Core 4000 performs all the audio routing, audio playback (up to 128 tracks) and processing in addition to managing all the control functions throughout the entire signal chain — from audio inputs to loudspeakers. With this centralized architecture, input and output connections can be installed close to their sources and destinations using Q-Sys I/O Frames, for which any input can be routed to any output without convoluted signal paths. Each of the Park's 41 I/O Frames house up to four I/O cards that can enable up to 16 channels of input or output in a single unit. In the event, two Q-Sys Core 4000 systems were specified and installed to provide both Core and network redundancy. While the main Core 4000 system can support this, having had additional network switches and cabling added, in the event of network failure the Q-Sys components switch instantly and automatically to the back-up network, enabling the secondary core to take over. Further redundant I/O Frames have been added in high-priority areas. Q-Sys itself relies on Q-LAN, a proprietary, standards-based, low-latency Gigabit Ethernet network. This provides the audio routing between devices to ensure that all signals are transmitted from source to destination in less than one third of a millisecond. Q-LAN is combined with 32-bit floating point distribution and A/D and D/A converters, resulting in total system latency of less than 2.5 milliseconds. The facility managers were all provided with system design training, although Q-Sys is intuitive to operate, without complicated, multi-level menus. This was the first major project in Singapore to be installed with a Q-Sys set up, and in the countdown to final commissioning, the EAS software engineers were relieved to find that the designs were compiled and deployed very quickly. Q-Sys is backed up by trouble shooting and measurement tools: for instance a test probe gives an RTA display of the signal at any point, and by using a measurement microphone, FFT-based real-time analysis and impulse response are also provided for on-site acoustical measurements. Across the site, loudspeakers (many concealed or camouflaged) are powered by a total of 147 of QSC's CX amplifiers purpose-designed amplifiers — selected as they can interface with Q-Sys via their HD15 Data Port connection and thus allow remote monitoring and control. Divided between the 13 control rooms, these reliable workhorses have been designed specifically to meet the needs of sound contractors in fixed installations, combining QSC's PowerLight® technology to deliver high output, with versatile loading options and high thermal capacity. Of these amplifiers, the 81 CX702 and CX1102 class H models offer low impedance capability, while the CX204V, CX302V, CX602V and CX1202V models provide direct 70 volt capability ranging from 250 watts to 1000 watts per channel. Deployment of the CX series amplifiers also saved the EAS engineers valuable site time, since they weigh less than 10kg and their design also includes a 1dB detented gain control for easily repeatable settings. Music tracks are played out to the various zones around the site by a Medialon Manager, which controls the playback and connects to all the devices via an Ethernet network. Pre-recorded music can be triggered using the scheduler (to ensure daily consistency). Although Q-Sys has delivered a park-wide secure audio routing, processing, control and monitoring solution, EAS systems engineer KK Tan admits that deployment of the system had been very much a last minute decision, and one which owed much to the collaboration with the system engineers at QSC's Boulder office. "In fact we had started off with a preliminary design using multiple BASIS units riding on a CobraNet backbone," states Tan. "Then Richard Zwiebel (QSC Vice-President, Systems Strategy) visited our office and gave us a sneak preview of Q-Sys. Within that half hour's presentation, I was totally blown away and I knew immediately that I had to have it for this project!" After further discussion with the Q-Sys engineers (including Kevin Gross who provided advice on Q-LAN topology) they decided to go ahead — even though the system still had to be launched. "We collaborated with Denver every step of the way — for instance when we needed to get some special DSP blocks incorporated into the Q-Sys Designer," notes KK. Visitors to the many themed rides, of course, will be blissfully unaware of this. But thanks to Q-Sys' advance signal transport — and all the advanced programming and customizing that went on behind the scenes — they will receive all the audio effect enhancements and high intelligibility communications necessary to make the experience a memorable one, as Universal Studios Singapore unveils the southern-most world class theme park on the planet. QSC Audio Products, LLC is a leading manufacturer of power amplifiers, loudspeakers, signal processing, digital signal transport, and computer control systems for professional audio markets worldwide. For further information contact: publicity@qscaudio.com QSC Audio Products, LLC 1675 MacArthur Blvd. Costa Mesa, CA 92626 USA. Telephone (800) 854-4079 (USA only) or (714) 754-6175 Fax (714) 754-6174 E-mail publicity@qscaudio.com Web www.qscaudio.com Current News |
