Although our name is very "Meta" and unmistakably self-explanatory, the subject matter is more Beta. So there is a lot of technical insight involved, which not every tender writer is blessed with.
We give more insight and clarify the specifications (Article 2.76).
What does this entail and what is our know-how?
In terms of content, it concerns indoor, but also outdoor design + technology. With an emphasis on audiovisual constructions, permanent or temporary (incl. decoration/decor) technology, and other stage/theatre technology. But also architectural (light) and interior design and advice.
Specifically it concerns; working out the details, working out the technical specifications so that they meet the user's needs. We also like to work together with other designers and technicians to achieve a unified result.
Always in conjunction with EU Procurement Law and other directives.
Our target group is actually every company or institution, since everyone (to a greater or lesser extent) watches and listens. Investments in sound & vision are therefore universal, just like design and infrastructure. But of course we are referring to large-scale investments, by among others:
In the past a huge amount of power was needed when designing a lightplan, the kilowatts of lamps were crazy and abundant. There were Harting multi-cables with wrist-thick dimensions and gigantic dimmer racks. But with the arrival of LED technology and smart connections, this is largely a thing of the past. However, drawings of diagrams are still required; UTP, VIDEO, AUDIO, IMAGE, DANTE, IPMX, DALI, LIGHT and (PoE) POWER. We have a lot of insight and experience in this area and are aware of the latest solutions and techniques that sometimes work better or are less reliable than expected. Load and safety must always be taken into account.
To give technology a place in a space, a mounting construction is needed, sometimes a simple bracket, cable duct or a piece of 50mm round aluminum, but sometimes a grid is hung with or without an automated flying trussing framework, incl. all quality marks such as T.U.V. and NEN. Every pipe, cable, cord and wire or "custom build" objects can be subjected to a test or receive a quality mark. The digital control of a system is often done by an I.S.O. and/or VCE/VBT certified master/technician or programmer. The same applies to the total assembly and design (almost everything hangs above people). Safety is essential.
LED images and projection are actually the same and can also have the same purpose, yet there are small differences, projecting on a white ceiling is easier than mounting an LED (screen or matrix) system. Visually, projection is also softer and nicely dimmable. And there are programs such as Madmapper where the illusion of 3D and holograms can be created. Most people are visually oriented and the fastest method to convey a message is through images, content and footage are also important here. We have people in our expert team who have a lot of experience with this (from the advertising world).
And we have extensive experience with (theatre) lighting plan designs, architectural lighting and work lighting.
A lot of lighting and image technology comes from France, Italy and Asia (The Lumière brothers).
Narrowcasting, broadcasting and streaming, registration and video conference (incl. tracking), all applications where cameras and software or screens with (PR) content are used. Audiovisual technology is all around us and is part of the work or leisure spaces, part of modern day life. Communication between sending and receiving is no longer done with SCART or cinch video connections, but with (integration and wireless) networks and with converters to a digital signal, regardless of whether this is a stream, an organization platform or a screen nearby (narrowcasting). The latest development is remote video production and automated tracking.
When designing a building or a space, many things have to be taken into account, is something physically possible at all, does the construction allow it, where are the opportunities, what is aesthetic? Everything that has to do with acoustic panels, design, ambiance (what does the background music sound like, is it in Major?, incl. the lighting) has an influence on the whole. A smooth square "box" is a disaster for the acoustics. What “look & feel” are you going for and what philosophy do you follow and what is compatible with the whole? Questions that we are happy to answer with you, our team of experts can measure the space and calculate the best solution with software (Smaart).
Both hearing and the voice are part of audio, you can even feel sound in some cases. Ambience is not just elevator music or a pleasant buzzer at the entrance. Audio design and the ease of understanding a voice plus how pleasant the installation or temporary PA sounds, can have an effect on the state of mind of a person. An integrated and solid Intercom/EVAC system can also be part of a (built-in/ethernet integrated) sound installation. It is important when (re)designing the entire building including the entire installation, to check the effect on the audio components and the acoustics. Audio or Audire in Latin means “I hear you”. And of course the golden rule remains "garbage in, is garbage out".
Although we also have experience with programming a wide range of entertainment, from singer-songwriters to burlesque acts, from speakers to mime artists and from clothing designers to hard-core theater makers, we are referring to programming the technology. As mentioned before, there are 1001 routing and software programs. A few notable ones are; Dante, vMix, Q-SYS, SQ MixPad, Cuety, Soundweb, Audinate AV, GrandMA, Chamsys MagicQ, VLink, Araneo, AVB/Milan, SMPTE-2110, SDVoE and Obsidian’s NETRON. We can also support you with all this and train you in software setup & programming.
Sight lines, a planned seating plan, escape routes, directions, maximum load, (escape) route directions, all things that are important to create a pleasant and safe environment. Nobody wants a follow spot hanging in the image of a projector (or vice versa), nobody wants to indicate every time where the toilets are and absolutely nobody wants accidents.
Here too, we can provide profound advice and draw knowledge from a 30 years track record.
If external parties use your building, technical documents are required in addition to any house rules. For example, a tenant would like to know what equipment is in the house, how the fixed technology is hung and what other possibilities there are, what the (stage) dimensions and capacities are, etc. etc. We can put these documents (floor plan, stage, fly framework, screens, lighting plan in the grid, specifications of the audio installation plus a microphone list) in a clear PDF form for you.
The total project must of course connect to each other (integration), an indoor drainage pipe next to a sensitive condenser microphone causes problems, refrigerators on the same power supply as the ambiance installation speakers cause annoying interference, lamps that shine their light where it should remain dark, internet browsers that suppress important AV connections. In short, implications due to incompatible constructions and installations can be prevented (perhaps by new developments). Of course we are also prepared to be present at other tender registrations for the total build, to give advice on these possible implications.
Audiovisual technology does not always fall under the same tender scope of, for example, the ADW hardware agreement. Often a separate tender is necessary to acquire these resources (AV Resources). However, BIO, data encryption, GIBIT guidelines and the privacy law must be taken into account. In addition, rooms and halls must comply with certain rules, are there maximum noise standards or is there a time period for evacuation in the event of calamities? Often there must be a calamity plan, calculations of fire delay on materials and illuminated (emergency) exits that open or close at the right time.
The certification of cables, slings, lifting straps, constructions, fire extinguishers, cloths, etc. There is an institute for everything, we have these contacts ready and are experienced with them and can call them in for you and have a cost estimation made before the tender starts (important information for the tender specifications). Sometimes a check-up is necessary, for example the lifting straps* every five years etc.
(* depending on the use, visual inspection by your own personnel remains important).