Adobe’s annual European conference returned to London ExCeL in the summer of 2023, following a four-year hiatus. Under the creative leadership of award-winning events agency, Taylor Bennett Partners LLP, the 2023 edition of the event was set to be memorable, with the integration of innovative digital signage and a showstopping curved LED screen, the largest ever built at an event.
Taylor Bennett Partners LLP contracted events production experts, Encore, to provide full technical production for the event, whilst video technology specialists, 80six were tasked with implementing the much-anticipated LED solutions.
“Encore has been involved with the production of Adobe Summit since 2012,” explains Dave Barton, Head of Video UK at Encore. “Our work encompasses signal distribution across the whole event, and we’ve been utilising Lightware products for over a decade to help us provide the best possible visitor experience at Adobe Summit.”
The key zones at this year’s summit included the Community Pavilion, the Plenary Stage and a party area, which hosted the Summit Bash. With an emphasis on providing rich visuals across all zones, Barton’s team oversaw the design, delivery and integration of video distribution technology throughout the site. Lightware’s range of OPTC Fiber and Modex Extenders alongside MX2 series matrices, in 8x8, 16x16 and 24x24 variations, proved pivotal for the distribution of uncompressed signals across all zones.
Including a 250-panel wide curved LED screen, thought to be the UK’s largest temporary curved LED installation at an event, the Community Pavilion was a focus for the Encore team. Whilst a bespoke scaffolding and truss solution allowed the LED screens to be mounted at different angles, the ability to play perfectly timed and high-quality video on the screens required robust and reliable signal distribution from Lightware’s MX2-8X8-HDMI20-L Matrix. Rendered content from Disguise Vx4+ media servers was sent to Lightware’s MX2 matrices which then routed the content to Brompton Tessera SX40 processers, responsible for optimising the content and outputting it to the LED screens.
“With the sheer scale of distribution required on a project like this, we need to be prepared with a trusted solution, such as those from Lightware,” states Barton. “With the best kit, we’re always ahead of the curve and the ease of installation, management, user-friendly GUI and redundant power supplies of the MX2 range give us the confidence to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible in video distribution.”
On the guest speaker stage, Encore relied on Lightware’s TPS (HDBaseT) extenders for signal projection. “Using Cat5 cables with the HDBaseT extenders, we know that embedded audio and HDCP encryption is taken care of,” explains Barton. “This also allows us to feed a network connection back to the desks as well, so guest presenters can access the network from their devices if required.”
With the demands of this complex event, a fail-proof solution was essential. “For us, the most important feature is the redundancy and reliability that Lightware products offer,” continues Barton. “With Lightware, you can turn up on site and get straight to work, without worrying about your technology letting you down.”
The support of Lightware’s team has also been pivotal in Encore’s commitment to the brand. “If we have any issues whilst on site, the Lightware team are easy to reach and quick to provide support to get projects back on track efficiently,” states Barton. “This adds another layer of reliability and is a key reason why Lightware is our go-to for our distribution.”
Showcasing a range of Lightware solutions, Adobe Summit EMEA 2023 remains a testament to the power of implementing the right tools for the job. Despite the complexity of the project, Encore ensured seamless video distribution by designing a system based on Lightware technology, further strengthening their long-standing relationship with the brand.
