QSC Q-Sys installed at historic Forte di Bard museum

Italy’s Forte di Bard recently opened the doors of its high-tech multimedia museum, having installed QSC’s Q-Sys Integrated System Platform to control its state-of-the-art audio-visual presentations.

The fortress, which was completely restored in 2006, now hosts all manner of events, from ballet and theatre performances, to summer pop concerts. However, the latest step of its continuing expansion is the new museum, which is dedicated to the history of the site. Its interactive multimedia exhibition features synchronised audio-visual presentations delivered via conventional video screens, interactive touch-screens and video projection.

The design and installation of the new museum was handled by IBR Sistemi, who, with the help of AudioLink, QSC’s exclusive distributor in Italy, specified Q-Sys as the ideal solution to control the technological requirements of the Forte di Bard.

At the centre of the network, a Q Sys Core 3000 unit handles 68 channels of audio and controls a total of 125 peripheral devices, ranging from the touch screens and their associated computers to video players, video screens and projectors.

Additional Q-Sys I/O Frames equipped with DataPort I/O cards allow centralised control of the CX Series amplifiers located all around the exhibition. Meanwhile, the I/O Frames’ GPIO ports allow the Q-Sys Core to directly control the lighting system and the motorised screens used for larger video projections. And by connecting a second Q-Sys 3000 Core to the network, the installers were able to ensure complete system redundancy and offer the guarantee of no disruption.
With structural changes to the historic venue out of the question, AcousticDesign Series AD-S32T and AD-S52 loudspeakers were chosen to provide sound reinforcement, while AD-S28Tw subwoofers were discreetly deployed.

The Q-Sys Designer software design environment was aimed at providing optimum efficiency when it came to assembling the network. The completely modular nature of the Q-Sys control system and I/O peripherals made it simple to accommodate the necessary hardware within the space available. Furthermore, with the audio delivery hardware in place, the system was fine-tuned in situ via a wireless remote control.

Claudio Donato of IBR Sistemi said: "We are very happy to have used QSC technology on this project. It all comes together as a true system. In particular, we’ve found Q-Sys to be an extremely powerful and flexible platform – easy to integrate into our interactive system and very innovative."

Stefano Cantadori, head of AudioLink, added: "Q-Sys is incredibly flexible. With the two QSC Cores in place, we can now put I/O in every other zone of the Forte di Bard and build many independent, fully redundant systems. We can connect all those systems together, provide VoIP and audio playback, and control just about any gizmo that can be connected via LAN. It is the future, now. Our customers are only just beginning to realize the full potential of Q-Sys, its ease of expandability and the vast range of applications the system can handle."