W-DMX™ REACH NEW HEIGHTS IN SINGAPORE

Wireless Solution Sweden AB recently saw their award-winning W-DMX™ reach new heights. The Singapore Flyer is the world’s largest observation wheel on the southeast tip of the Marina Centre in Singapore. Reaching a groundbreaking height of 165 meters (541 ft), the wheel exceeds the height of the London Eye by 30 meters (98 ft). Opened to the public on March 1, 2008.

Lighting Designer Douglas Brenan of Project Lighting Design (PLD) envisioned a dynamic display of light and changing colour with an eco-friendly solution. PLD worked together with Philips SSL Solutions for the lighting design. Philips SSL Solutions, who acquired Color Kinetics, recommended Color Kinetics LED modules to don the spokes and capsules. The biggest challenge was getting the DMX signal to the units. This required some innovative wireless technology. After careful planning, W-DMX™ by Wireless Solution was chosen as the most reliable choice. The LED modules consist of 280 4-Foot Color Kinetics iColor Accent Powercore, 112 2-Foot Color Kinetics iColor Accent Powercore, 224 Color Kinetics iColor Blast, 12 Powercore, and 1 Color Kinetics Light System Manager. 4 W-DMX™ BlackBox Transmitters were placed to handle 4 DMX Universes, together with 28 W-DMX™ BlackBox Receivers. The W-DMX™ Generation 3 system includes the world first Wireless Co-Existence tool, allowing the user to choose settings on the W-DMX™ products so it works in harmony with all other wireless networks in the area. This unique feature was launched on W-DMX™ products in March of 2007. Because the wireless system was installed on a moving object, it required advanced cell planning by a Wireless Solution radio technician. It involved thousands of channels of DMX and it was essential to make sure that all LED had 100% signal when the wheel was moving and to make sure all wireless systems worked flawlessly without interference from each other or other public wireless equipment. “Working on a large moving structure made this a very challenging project,” says Tony Symms, Project Lighting Manager for Creative Lighting Asia, who supplied the equipment, “All installation, testing and commissioning work had to be organized with the main contractor to get the wheel into the right position when required. We also had a very limited working period, as we could only work from late at night until early morning, in order to prevent delaying other work and the completion of the wheel.” Symms continues, “The Singapore Flyer installation would have been impossible using cable. W-DMX™ also gave the lighting designer new possibilities, for both indoor and outdoor installations, that were simply not possible in the past. We are all extremely pleased.”