IBC’s Big Screen Auditorium: Cutting-edge technology and engineering excellence for IBC2016 Conference

Amsterdam, the Netherlands, September 7, 2016– IBC’s Big Screen Auditorium this year will be the most complex installation ever, featuring HDR and HFR 4K 3D laser projection and immersive audio.

The IBC Big Screen Auditorium is the home of the IBC Big Screen Experience, which is at the heart of the IBC2016 Conference where more than 300 speakers will share insights on key issues at the heart of the entertainment, media and technology sector. “IBC is hugely appreciative of its long-term supporters who each year provide cutting-edge technology and engineering excellence to transform the RAI Theatre into a highly advanced cinema presentation auditorium and conference theatre”, said Julian Pinn, Executive Producer, IBC Big Screen Experience.

Picture:

  • For the very first time, the Auditorium will be featuring a pair of Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range 6P laser-illuminated 4K projectors capable of 31 fL (108 nits) in 2D and 14 fL (48 nits) in 3D with an unrivaled projected contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1 and able to support all of today’s DCI frame rates.
  • Also for the first time, the Auditorium will feature a pair of Christie Mirage D4KLH60 High Frame Rate 6P laser-illuminated 4K projectors capable of an unrivaled projected specification of 4096 x 2160, 120 fps, 3D. Whilst the maximum is 12 laser modules per projector, Christie will use 9 per projector for IBC in order to achieve 28 fL (96 nits) in Dolby 3D—which is approximately 5 times bright than a standard cinema setup.
  • Another first: we will be featuring the 7th Sense Design Delta Media Server, capable of playing content at 120 fps, 4K, 3D as demanded by Mr Ang Lee, who will be previewing clips to the delegates of his latest work, ‘Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk’ as part of his IBC Big Screen Keynote presentation.
  • To complete our picture-perfect image, Harkness Screens is providing a 17.00m wide x 6.69m high Matt Plus screen featuring their 4K Digital Perforation Pattern with its reduced moiré fringing and improved sound transmission.

 

Sound:

  • The audio setup this year will be Dolby Atmos immersive audio, powered by QSC, and designed and built by a collaboration between Dolby, QSC and Terry Nelson of IBC’s Technical Resources.
  • The QSC stage system is in L-C-R configuration but uses a double centre channel array for greater headroom.
  • The LFE channel also features large headroom and comprises two line arrays of four twin 18” cabinets each. The arrays also use ‘delay shading’ to electronically steer the LF into the audience for a more controlled response.
  • The time-aligned surround channels are augmented for Dolby Atmos with overhead speaker arrays, extra ‘wide channels’ to provide for a smooth continuation from the screen to the room, and bass-management to two additional rear twin 18” subwoofer systems.
  • The Surround 5.1 and 7.1 sources are from a selection of Dolby CP750 and Dolby DMA8+ processors that are patched into a Cadac CDC8 digital console to allow for fast selection of sources and total control. The Dolby Atmos signal is controlled by the Dolby CP850 processor and routed via AES-67 to the Q-SYS digital network system and DSP technology with a Core 500i central controller and DPA networked amplifiers located as close to the loudspeakers as possible.

 

Fun totals:

  • Number of projectors: 5
  • Length of loudspeaker cabling: nearly 1km
  • Power of audio amplification: 51.4 kW in 8 ohms
  • Number of surround loudspeakers: 46
  • Number of mixing console channels: 128
  • Days of installation: 5 – 6 days of 6 engineers
  • Days of preparation: innumerous
  • Value of equipment: well into the millions!

For more information about the conference sessions held in this unique Big Screen environment, please visit IBC.org/conference

Registration for IBC2016 is now open at IBC.org/register