De Aar Regional Hospital

On the 15th of April 2010, Ms. Hazel Jenkins, the Premier of the Northern Cape Province, and Mr. Mxolisi Sokatsha, the MEC for Health in the province, laid the first brick at the new Regional Hospital in De Aar. At that time, my customer contacted us to assist with the design and procurement of an audio-visual and conferencing system for the main meeting venue, as well as the cafeteria and smaller venues in the complex.

From the outset, we collaborated closely with the consulting engineers in Kimberley. Despite budget constraints, we had the freedom to choose systems that would be the best fit for the venue and function, without worrying too much about the total budget. The original brief was to fill the 50m x 25m space with brilliantly audible sound tailored for speech and conferencing. Another requirement was to accommodate 60 participants in a conference setting with a large enough screen and self-managed projection system.

Additional features were also introduced, such as 240V power and network points at all seats, along with a voice paging system and a high-Z, 100V background music system in the cafeteria.

We immediately began planning the AV components for this venue and proposed an 8-a-side Martin Audio O-Line micro line array system, with two dual 10” Martin Audio Subs powered by the Martin Audio MA range of 4-channel amplifiers and processed through the Allen&Heath IDR8 matrix/audio processor. Due to the low channel count, consisting of 4 x Clock Audio UHF radio microphones, a set of gooseneck microphones on the lectern, and a pair of outputs from the conference system, we opted for the Allen&Heath ZED14 mixer.

 Vivitek Large Venue Projectors - Grandview

The conferencing system comprised Taiden HCS4100 flush-mount delegate units, totaling 60, and one tabletop chairman unit for the lectern, adjustable as needed. The Taiden system provided a perfect all-round solution for recording, discussion, and general conferencing. Switching between its internal modes allowed for a seamless transition from a loosely controlled discussion to a strictly time-allocated address system. With the clever Martin Audio O-Line setup isolating sound in hard-to-avoid areas and the high-quality Taiden directional microphones with individual gain control, the likelihood of feedback occurring was minimal, both now and in the future.

The projection system featured a large Grandview Cyber 200” motorized screen and a 6000 ANSI Lumens Vivitek DU 6 Series projector controlled by a Neats QUEBEC controller, capable of turning the projector on and off and selecting the last connected device to project. Installing the 25kg machine over 8m high in a challenging, inaccessible roof proved to be a challenge, but the overall result was magnificent.

We installed the complete system over six days on-and-off, as the site allowed, and officially signed off a fully functional, fully commissioned, and tested venue on behalf of our customer in 2017. This project perfectly encapsulates our work from inception to commissioning, demonstrating enthusiasm and approachability at every step, utilizing the budget to its fullest, and creating a reliable and functional space for meetings and presentations.

Audio and Conferencing Consulting, Supply and Install

We Consult, Supply and Install, functional and practical Large Venue Solutions. Video Converencing in Very Large Venues, Sound and Interactivity - Contact us today for a consultation on your project.