France Celebrates July 14 With RockNet

The French integrator BS Technology has used a Riedel RockNet digital audio network at the July 14 Bastille Day celebration in Paris.
Apex, Riedel Communications' partner in France, Belgium and Luxembourg, delivered the RockNet equipment that was used for the installation.
July 14 is the most important national holiday in France. For over 200 years, people have celebrated the storming of the Bastille and the start of the French Revolution. Part of the celebration includes a military parade on the Champs-Elysées with brass marching bands from the French military. More than 100,000 spectators joined this year's festivities.
A Riedel RockNet installation distributed the audio signals for the event. The digital RockNet network provided the analog in- and outputs over RN.301.MI and RN.302.LO modules. The redundant ring topology over CAT-5 provides maximum reliability and secures the network against single points of failure.
To bridge the distance between the various RockNet modules RockNet RN RN.351.FI and RN-352.FO fiber connectors provided the connection for a fiber link. 1.6 kilometers of fiber cabeling was used. All signals were mixed over Digico SD7, two Digico SD8 and a Yamaha PM5000 mixing consoles. 200 speakers were installed along the Champs-Elysées.
Christophe Labonde of BS Technology said: "RockNet works great. The opportunity to provide signal transport over long distances without loss of audio quality is an advantage that no other solution can provide. The reliability of RockNet and its high quality converters were also reasons why we chose Riedel's digital audio network solution for this event."
Furthermore, a Riedel Performer Digital Partyline intercom installation provided the communications infrastructure for the BS Technology team. Performer combines the advantages of digital intercom applications with the ease of use offered by regular analog partyline installations.
(KMcA/BMcC)