CPL Invests in Latest coolux Media Servers

Central Presentations Ltd (CPL), the West Midlands and Bristol, UK-based AV rental specialist is the first UK rental company to take delivery of the latest coolux Pandora's Box quad head media servers.

These four DVI output units are to replace their existing Pandora's Box units, which were also among the first in UK rental stock when purchased five years ago.

The new units were specified by CPL's Nick Diacre, and supplied via UK distributor, TMB. The latest CPL investment was timed to coincide with a large automotive industry event for which CPL is the video supplier at the NEC in Birmingham, after which they will be going directly on to another show where sophisticated video mapping is required.

With media server technology developing so rapidly in the last five years, Diacre explains that they looked at all the options when it came to the scope of CPL's projects, a lot of which are based in the corporate presentation sector and involve detailed graphics, wide screen work and projector mapping.

"It was easily the best control option for the type of work that we do," states Diacre who is one of the company's video and projection control specialists.

Pandora's Box offers very fine mapping tools and strong warping components. It can also take mesh files generated in 3D Studio and map video content precisely to the required 3D objects.

The unit also includes two capture cards -- which include twin DVI as well as twin HD-SDI inputs. Pandora's Box is capable of playing back 4K video files, and gives the user a highly scalable 3D environment all in one unit, reducing the need for multiple servers to run large shows. The new system will compliment CPL's Christie Vista Spyder processing systems. "The quad head capabilities are definitely what we need," confirms Diacre.

He adds, "The timing is also spot on" for the investment as the technology is at the start of its life cycle, and therefore its utility can be maximized and there is also plenty of headroom for future expandability. "All in all, it's a great product, and there's nothing else currently on the market that can touch the complexity and refinement of the warping and mapping engines," concludes Diacre.

His comments are echoed by CPL's managing director, Matthew Boyse, who says, "We already know how robust the product and architecture is from our experience of five years constant usage, and it's a great endorsement to be a very early adopter of the brand's latest technologies for a second time.

Diacre has also invested time visiting coolux GmbH's HQ in Cologne, Germany to undergo all their official product training.