Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement
What...
In 1963 the Pioneer Settlement Museum created the first outdoor museum in the
country. Its success started a landslide of similar properties nationwide. In
1971 it was again breaking new ground wit h the launch of Australia's first
Sound & Light show, something never before seen in the Southern Hemisphere.
Why...
For a few years
prior to 1971, some of the great interpretive and electronic heads got together
to create a show that was unlike anything that had been seen before; the transport
of visitors on a vehicle around a seven-acre site telling tales and stories
through the use of audio and lighting. While it was cutting edge technology
in the early 1970's by the end of the 1990's it was starting to become difficult
to handle and maintain. The fact that it was still functioning and making a
profit almost 30 years after its inception is a credit to the insight and inventiveness
of its creators and the very inventive "shoe-string" running repairs of the
Museum technician responsible. A small grant application through the Regional
Tourism Program under the Federal Department of Industry Tourism and Resources
made the upgrade and expansion possible.
Out with the old...
The system
had a few minor overhauls in its thirty years but to joke that the system was
close to "clockwork" wouldn't be that far from the truth! The first system was
a reel-toreel tape recorder whose tape had small clear windows physically edited
into the tape to allow an optical sensor to trigger the next tape series. It
was then up to the driver to drive to the next section of the site, get off
the transporter and press a button to start the next section of the show. An
upgrade to a TASCAM 3 track cassette system removed many of the difficulties
of using reel-to-reel, and removed the many unsightly posts and button systems
around the site. The 3-track system had the major advantage of having one of
the tracks radio linked to the transporter through a transmitter and receiver
system, while the other audio track switched to the various areas around the
site. The third or signal track triggered the lighting "go" signal through a
uni-selector "clock" dial. This dial also switched the audio from a single point
through a single amplifier at the central point. This system worked well for
many years, but lacked any flexibility. To add, change, and /or move anything
on site meant completely re-recording the tape, changing circuit boards and
re-soldering resistors on timing cards; a fairly time consuming and imprecise
procedure. It also meant once the start button was pressed, the driver chased
the show for 45 minutes, with any small hiccup or delay putting the show out
of sync.
Selecting the new...
The parameters for the new design were discussed with management and electrical consultants and were set for the upgrade as follows. It had to be modular, with separate "sections" triggered by the driver as in the original set- up, without the unsightly posts etc. It had to be flexible, with the ability to be added to, taken from, and changed with a minimum of difficulty, and in a way that would allow growth, expansion and the addition of new modules. It also had to be robust enough to withstand the harshness of an outdoor environment, and be able to switch and/or trigger audio as well as lighting.
The Runners up...
The search for the appropriate system turned up quite a few different systems that, while not perfect for the desired outcome, did show promise and possibilities for their use elsewhere within a museum environment. PLC's are small self-controlled processors that switch lights on and off in a programmable timed sequence; excellent for automation, but they don't allow slow or partial fade in and out. While not too expensive, their main strengths lay in their ease of use and alteration, and their ability to switch almost anything; speakers, lighting, or complex series of items. The other runner-up was a DMX theatre lighting based set-up, which covered all the requirements except that it was a specially designed system. It had all the necessary flexibility yet the audio capabilities were not an "off the shelf" type hardware design. While many systems are unique and designed especially for a single application, we were worried about being tied in to a particular "single source" for future changes, repairs,
problems etc.
The
envelope please...
In the end, we decided on a Dynalite system, supplied through Lightmoves in
Noble Park Victoria. The Managing Director, Braham Ciddor, spent many hours
on site discussing and selling the system and its abilities, not to mention
solving some very difficult problems, like minimum moving parts, digital audio
rather than CD, transmitting info across a 75 metre wide river, all of which
were overcome in the process. Lightmoves provided a number of different proposals,
until the final one was within parameters and within the budget allowed. (no
jokes about Heinz 57 varieties permitted!) Without getting too technical, the
Dynalite system is Architectural Lighting control, with computer control utilizing
ControlSoft software and has the ability to trigger and switch audio playback
from the hard drive of the computer with better than 1/10th of a second accuracy
while simultaneously (almost) changing definable lighting states stored in the
Programmable Dimmers. In simple terms, the software is a list of commands to
play a file, turn on a light, switch/alter/change an intensity, all in an integrated
sequence. Triggering of these modules is through a simple "TV style" remote
control carried by the driver and operated through Infrared receivers placed
strategically around the site. Each dimmer has 12 channels, and a large number
of dimmers can be "daisy-chained" together. Our 7-acre site means we have 6
modules distributed around themed zones that are part of the show. In an indoor
museum situation, one computer and ControlSoft programme would more than adequately
handle literally 100's of systems, but externally, and for modularity, it was
cheaper to have 6 of these systems than to dig and bury control and power cabling
across the 7 acres.
Installation...
Installation was a nightmare! The estimated 2 weeks, stretched to 4 1/2! Savings were made in time AND money in many places that were easier than expected. The reverse was also true! A 40- year-old site with little or no underground plans turned up many of the long forgotten wires and systems long buried without notation. Pipes, communications, concrete slabs and old electrical systems just to name a few, plagued the installation of speakers and wiring, and gave the local electricians and plumbers a lot of extra work. Removal of unsightly and intrusive technology in the form of speakers, lights and poles was also a priority to help bring historical integrity back to the site. The control systems installation was carried out by Billy Charnock Electrical of Swan Hill who had most of their staff on site for most of the time. Billy Charnock himself spent many hours of his own time here in preparation for a sound, safe and visitor sensitive installation.
Part of the
design and installation parameters was to design and create 2 new sections;
a sensitive yet informative Aboriginal section across a river on an adjacent
island, as well as a finale based around a 100 ton D3 class locomotive and the
more than century old PS GEM paddlesteamer. Without giving anything away, the
ControlSoft/Dynalite system gave the ability to create effects that are simple
in design and delivery yet look difficult and complex to the viewer. Also re-
introduced were so me of the original soundtrack sections which had been digitally
re- mastered by Doron Kippen at Music & Effects in Melbourne, as well as re-creation
of three or four of the old segments. One of the unexpected benefits was the
possibility of creating a third new section utilizing new and old sounds, old
hardware and new control. This new section was based around the hardship of
the pioneers and particularly focused on the plight of women of the time in
a poignant delivery.
Back
to the Future...
The modularity and flexibility of this system is its main strength. The addition
of extra dimmers, each with 12 channels/lights, can be achieved by a simply
plugging in the new dimmer and making changes to the program. Large additions
to the show can be made by putting in a completely new module. An autonomous
unit placed within the rest of the show would simply mean altering the track
that the transport vehicle takes, and altering the sequence of the modules in
their delivery. This system has many uses and possibilities for daytime too.
With the addition of a few more speakers, day time soundscapes have been made
possible, not to mention the possibilities of playing, creating or adapting
the soundtrack to specific audiences. The creation of a foreign language version
for example, is incredibly easy simply by recording the sound track in the language
required and configuring it to a different button on the remote control. Complete
flexibility gives the ability to create totally different shows, with different
themes and outcomes, all with their own button on the remote. The end results
are only limited by the imagination. This augurs well for the changes in customer
needs and expectations for the next 30 years!
Prognosis...
Feedback form visitor exit surveys is very positive, many often mentioning the seamless operation and equally, many others mentioning the plight of the women or indigenous difficulties, but like all cutting edge technology, the prognosis for the system is unknown. The inclusion of quality existing technology used in innovative ways, sourced and installed by reputable firms, stands the system in good stead for continuous trouble free operation. The extensive research, planning and preparation will hopefully see the new system continue to operate "almost" faultlessly as it has for the last 6 months. The word "almost" was used, because no one can foresee all possibilities. For example, a spider seeking refuge from the rain, crawled into one of the light sockets one evening and shortcircuited one complete module. The problem was solved on the fly (!) while the show was in progress and visitor enjoyment wasn't compromised. This has of course lead to the practice of placing insulation tape around all plug-and-socket joins throughout the system, something comple tely unforeseen. I am sure there will be other unforeseen things that come along and thwart the process, but hopefully they can be dealt with a smoothly and quickly as this one.
Conclusion...
The system will grow, it is planned to grow, and we will adapt it as it evolves.
Visitors will be enthralled, school children will be educated, and with our
upgrade, we and the early settlers, will remain ... Pioneers in Sound & Light!
The Author...
 |
John Watson |
Back to the Projects page 
Lightmoves Home page
contact
Lightmoves