Datapath sets a new standard in immersive experiences

$Datapath at Oceanic Refractions$

Oceanic Refractions is a multimedia installation that has required 16 Projectors Panasonic (PT-RZ970 and PT-DZ780), a media server Screenberry and four video wall controllers Datapath. With this equipment, a video display has been created on two cylindrical screens of 360 degrees and an octagon-shaped dome.

$Datapath at Oceanic Refractions$ Datapath combines power and performance in the 360 Degrees Oceanic Refractions in Berlin. This driver, together with a Screenberry media server, set new standards for Immersive sensory experiences.

This multimedia installation, located in the vaulted room of the event venue Silent Green in Berlin, immersed viewers in the issue of climate change and its impact on the Oceania community.

Oceanic Refractions wove a narrative through testimonies from native Oceanians, accompanied by the sounds of their natural surroundings, from the bustling life of coral reefs to the serene whisper of mangroves. The Auditory Journey was enhanced by videography of 360 Degrees, the kinetic seats that mimicked the movement of the ocean and the olfactory effects that transported visitors to Fiji's shores, Kiribati and the Duke of York Islands in Papua New Guinea.

Olan Clarke (FrameWorks), a designer and integrator of multimedia systems from Ireland, used the latest technologies to create this multisensory environment of 360 Degrees. Specified 16 Panasonic Projectors, aligned and controlled by a single Screenberry media server, to create a video display on two cylindrical screens of 360 degrees and an octagon-shaped dome. A quartet of Datapath Fx4 units split the media server signal into 16 WUXGA outputs.

The combination of the server and the Video Wall Controllers Datapath, used to manage playback on all three screens, simplified setup and ensured a seamless extension of the immersive environment from floor to ceiling. Rising costs and energy efficiency were additional benefits.

"We have worked in collaboration with Front Pictures, the developers of the Screenberry media server, for many years in innovative and inspiring projects. This latest solution demonstrates that multimedia installations can be made simpler and more reliable through the use of Screenberry and Datapath products. With Oceanic Refractions, visitors to Berlin's Silent Green venue are immersed in an incredible and realistic experience of 360 Degrees, while learning invaluable information about how to preserve and maintain the world's ocean ecosystem.", says Andy Lee, Datapath International Sales Manager.

To project the images in two circular panoramas, each of 10 meters in diameter and 3 meters high, Screenberry lined up 8 Panasonic Projectors PT-RZ970 using a combination of automatic and manual calibration. To map the vaulted ceiling of 10 metre, The media server automatically calibrated an array of 8 Panasonic Projectors PT-DZ780.

$Datapath at Oceanic Refractions$

Media Server

Previous generations of multi-projector systems were built around the paradigm of one computer per projector. However, This approach has significant disadvantages, including a relatively large budget for computer hardware, More possible points of failure, difficulties in implementing adequate failover solutions and increased electricity consumption. Another disadvantage of clustered systems is the discrepancy in video playback speed on different computers, which can result in irregular and choppy playback.

An alternative to the multi-server system is a single-server approach. Screenberry's video engine uses every bit of power from the media server hardware to process very-high-resolution media in real time. As a result, It can handle many more screens per machine than most other solutions available.

"We are delighted to offer our customers powerful tools, reliable and, at the same time, Profitable. Datapath's video wall drivers help us create Screenberry-based configurations with maximum efficiency and flexibility. Oceanic Refractions is the perfect example of how a project can benefit from this approach.", comments Yuri Kostenko, CEO of Front Pictures.

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