Large Cineplex Integration

The challenge confronting Nordisk Film and QSC was the need to implement a scalable, flexible digital audio system that was capable of managing the distribution of high quality digital audio to multiple theatres in a large Cineplex from a central location.

1. Centralized control - Nordisk Film wanted a solution that would allow the remote management of multiple theatres within the Cineplex from a network operation center.
2. Simplified infrastructure - The expansive layout at Nordisk Field’s meant large distances between the Cores and the projection rooms, which could only be achieved through the use of a Q-LAN network.
3. Integration with Laser Projectors - Nordisk Film wanted to integrate the AV system with Barco’s new Integrated Cinema Media Processor (ICMP) servers – the first project of its kind to do so.
4. Cost Savings - The innovative Q-SYS system design required only a minimal amount of equipment to achieve the performance objective, which has allowed QSC to deliver a cost-effective solution at a lower price than with a conventional sound installation.

Nordisk Film Biografer operates one of the most technically advanced cinema complexes in the world at the 115,000 m² Field’s shopping and entertainment center, located in Copenhagen. Owning 17 cinemas in Denmark and 18 in Norway, and with over six million visitors every year, the company has achieved such dominance in the Danish market that approximately one in every two cinema tickets sold is in a Nordisk Film facility.

To further its reputation for providing an exceptional high-tech movie-going experience, Nordisk Film has embraced the convergence of IT and AV infrastructure made possible by QSC’s Q-SYS platform to radically change the way movies are delivered to its cinemas. The company is the first of its kind to implement a networked audio solution for the nine individual cinemas at the Field’s mall to be delivered from a central location, eliminating the need for equipment replication and complicated control systems. Integration with the Barco laser projectors in each theatre was also a key requirement, so that control of all the programs in the Cineplex could be centrally managed and monitored by a remote network operations center (NOC).

Nordisk Film has benefited from the improvements in sound quality provided by a complete QSC turnkey audio infrastructure – comprising DSP, audio distribution, amplifiers, and loudspeakers installed in all nine locations – from the largest 423-seat Dolby Atmos-equipped immersive sound theatre to the more intimate 84-seat theatres.

At the heart of the Q-SYS system are four centrally located 500i Integrated Core processors, dedicated to specific groups of theatres and serving all nine screens simultaneously. Designed to enterprise-class standards of quality, Q-SYS Cores are essentially Intel® servers running the rock-solid Linux operating system, which means that the platform will benefit from gains in processing power and speed as the worldwide computer market drives continued advances in processor performance.

The cinema servers are connected to the Cores directly with CAT7 cable over the Q-LAN network. In each of the cinemas, a pair of I/O-22 network peripherals – designed specifically for installations where the audio source and destinations are physically separated –  feed audio to the networked QSC 4-channel Digital Processing Amplifiers, and these are conveniently integrated into the projector pedestals to save space. Additional I/O-22 peripherals are used to provide analog outputs for booth monitoring and HI/VI (hearing/visually impaired) audio. TSC-3 touch screens are provided in each theatre for remote control of lights and sound.

To accommodate the 7.1 surround sound configuration in all the theatres, a full complement of QSC SC-434 four-way, SC-423C three-way, and SC-2150 three-way screen channel loudspeakers provide front sound reinforcement, with SB-7218 dual 18” subwoofers delivering low frequency effects. The surround sound channels utilize models from QSC’s AP Series and SR Series purpose-designed wall-mounted loudspeaker ranges.

The entire system is centrally controlled by the highly flexible software-based Q-SYS platform, making it very easy to implement and manage on a day-to-day basis. “One of the great things about Q-SYS is that you can change the design at any time because it is all configured in software,” says QSC Sales Engineer Paul Brink, who consulted on the project and helped commission the system. “Then it’s just a matter of compiling the design and making sure signals are routing to the correct amplifiers and loudspeakers.”

Commissioning the system was achieved in a fraction of the time required for a conventional setup. “Routing of the Q-SYS audio system in software over the network took barely half an hour, a process that would have taken over a week in a conventional setup,” says Brink. “The soldering iron is still in the car!”  

Simplified Hardware
All the signal management is done entirely within the Q-SYS platform; no other external sound processors were required thus reducing equipment count and simplifying the infrastructure.

Cost Savings
The space-efficiency of the four-channel DPA-Q amplifiers allowed the projection booth installations to fit easily into the projector pedestals, saving space, time, and money.

Better Audio Quality
Nordisk Film has benefited from the enhanced quality audio chain afforded by QSC’s integrated Cores, DSP amplifiers and purpose-designed cinema loudspeakers.

Flexibility
While the Q-SYS platform is appropriate for virtually any type of small to medium cinema installation, the system’s software-based approach made it a perfect fit for Nordisk Film’s considerably larger and highly specialized multi-complex.