Steve Purkess
display technology and playback services for the show , working with Total Fabrications for the structural elements and artist and creative director Tal Rosner for the content .
Centre stage on the stadium floor was the bullring , made from a specialist outdoor and waterproof LED , which staged the large mechanical bull . It measured more than 260m in circumference , incorporating ramps for vehicle access in several locations and a removable section allowing larger scenic access .
A fired-up Westlife performance
Phil Allen
“ A lot of the hardware has been affected by supply line issues .”
– Steve Purkess
“ In the lead up to the event , we were looking at whether it was waterproof and how to deal with water runoff on the floor , but when it came down to it , it was heat that was the problem ,” says CT head of sport Steve Purkess . “ Thankfully we considered that , so the product was rock solid , and we had very few failures related to heat . It ’ s all about preparing properly and considering the airflow around these displays when you ’ re delivering them .”
Sports Technology ( ST ), a wholly owned subsidiary of CT , was the official large video screens and audio services provider for Birmingham 2022 . Its technology at the Games included interactive athlete entrance LED screens which displayed unique graphics and information for each athlete , as well as leader boards showing scoring and broadcast feeds around Alexander Stadium .
This year , ST launched a new signal distribution platform , TFC FLOW . Purkess says the system allows transmission of multiple signals for data , intercom , video , and audio ( DIVA ) over one IP based workflow across all 19 venues .
The DIVA concept was launched by ST in 2015 and , following deployment at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games , it was adopted by the IOC as a default for future Olympic Games .
“ We decided to deliver the DIVA requirement by creating a high bandwidth network to sit around the site so all the signals were encapsulated as SMPTE 2110 [ the standard for professional media delivery over an IP network ].”
Purkess says the TFC FLOW system is already creating significant interest across multiple markets and will be deployed at more major events during 2022 .
He concludes , “ There is a lag with the development of technology at the moment because a lot of the hardware that is used in our industry has been affected by supply line issues and semiconductor shortages . It is just as hard to deliver things the way they used to be with crew shortages and lack of experience in the market .”
Despite the ever-present supply chain challenges and need to plan for considerations such as extreme weather conditions , the UK ’ s event tech suppliers continue to ensure the shows go on and look better than ever .
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