'Deutsche Oper am Rhein' upgrades lighting technology

Düsseldorf Opera House used their summer break 2003 year to realise phase two of their modernisation process and expand the lighting control system. With moving lights, colour changers and dry-ice machines now an established part of theatre life Düsseldorf's goal was to have as much flexibility as possible in their Ethernet/DMX control network.
The core of the new lighting control system are two transtechnik Lichtsysteme Prisma NT consoles and the Libra operating system for controlling the moving lights and colour changers. The new solution also features a 24.3" TFT channel monitor and a Digiplus digital auxiliary console for the programmable controllers in the building, operating over a Profibus DP signal. This system offers simple and safe operation and regulation of the main switches of the houselights, power sockets and other light sources that need to be controlled.
The dimmer room of the Düsseldorf Opera contains 16 dimmer cabinets, each with a main processor and an auxiliary processor for reliable and redundant control of a total of 660 2.5 kVA channels and 48 5 kVA channels. The entire lighting control system is networked using Ethernet/DMX technology for versatile and safe operation, allowing the lighting director to constantly monitor the whole system.
Michael Schepers, the head of the project at transtechnik Lichtsysteme, describes the use of this network technology as particularly future-oriented. There are, for example, eight E-Gates plus units (for conversion between Ethernet and DMX) installed in flightcases. This allows DMX sockets to be placed at precisely the location required for a production. One E-Gate pro is located directly on the revolving stage in order to integrate DMX-controlled equipment there. The E-Gate itself is controlled using wireless Ethernet technology.
The intuitive Libra console makes it much easier to control equipment that is difficult to parameterise, allowing the lighting engineers to concentrate on their really important work.. A "Pace Book 600" is also able to access the network using wireless Ethernet.