Times change, and so do our needs and wants. The entertainment industry never keeps still, which means that you always have to go with the times if you don’t want to be left behind. Therefore, in its striving for fun and practicality, SRS Group, together with Paul van Schaik, have developed a network switch with expansive functionality and a stunningly simple interface – the SRS LIGHTING VLAN-toolbox. In a beautiful union of new and old age, the first devices were installed in De Kleine Komedie – the oldest surviving theatre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
THE SETUP
The installation features three VLAN-toolboxes in total and spans across the entire theatre. The smaller, 1U, VLAN-toolbox is located in the front of house (FoH) and, conveniently, is the only one connected to a laptop. In a setup featuring over 20 devices and fixtures, it is truly incredible how only the minimal use of a laptop is needed to manage a network like this. At the same time, the SRS LIGHTING switch is also connected to an audio desk and a light desk, which allows for communication of audio and video protocols further down the network, created by the three VLAN-toolboxes and everything that is connected to them.
The first and smallest 1U VLAN-toolbox is linked with a bigger, 2U one via fiber optic cables. This second switch is located in the dimmer room and has 7 moving light heads connected to it. One of the advantages of the VLAN-toolbox is the ability to work with different protocols; therefore, when the fixtures can work directly with sACN, there is no need for sACN-DMX nodes, and the signal gets transferred directly from the light desk through the VLAN-toolbox to the fixtures.
Other than the ten fixtures mentioned in the previous paragraph, the dimmer room VLAN-toolbox is also connected to the second light desk and a sound amplifier, hence expanding the network further. Additionally, both this switch and the one in the FoH are connected to five intercoms to make sure that the theatre staff can communicate with each other at all the critical moments. Finally, the VLAN-toolbox is also connected to a network of 12 SRS NDP dimmers, which, other than dimming, can also be used to power the MHs.
Lastly, the third VLAN-toolbox, located under the roof, is connected to 15 more moving light heads and is linked to the dimmer room switch via fiber optic cables. Connecting the light heads directly to the VLAN-toolbox has another notable advantage. In systems linked through nodes, if one fixture is disconnected or switched off, the entire network stops working. This issue is eliminated in the VLAN-toolbox network, where the entire system keeps functioning even if one of the light heads is off. Thanks to the fiber optic cable linking of the two 2U switches, a speed of 20Gb/s can be achieved, allowing for speedy data transfer with no delays.
In conclusion, this setup shows how versatile the VLAN-toolbox is, working with and managing all sorts of protocols, such as sACN, Dante (primary and secondary), Intercom, and many others. It will be a great addition to any installation and will make data networking as simple and convenient as never before. With that being said, SRS Group hopes that the VLAN-toolboxes at De Kleine Komedie enable the theatre to produce and perform many more shows, ranging from timeless classics to modern pieces, drawing together the old and the new.