ARRI Solutions increases the efficiency of Aragón TV

The Spanish regional broadcaster Aragon TV trusts in the consulting and design of the lighting network of ARRI Solutions to raise the quality of production for its coverage of the 2023 local elections.

Desde su lanzamiento en 2006, Aragón TV ha mantenido su compromiso de mantener informadas a sus comunidades locales sobre temas que afectan directamente a sus vidas cotidianas. Con sede en el corazón de Zaragoza, la principal ciudad de la región, la instalación de producción central de Aragón TV consta de tres estudios, desde los que se emite una programación diaria en directo.

Aragón TV aprovechó la oportunidad para llevar a cabo un proyecto de modernización total; comenzando la transición a 4K HD su Etudio 3, actualizando los flujos de trabajo de transmisión IP e instalando el primer fondo de gráficos LED of the channel. To achieve this, it was essential to ensure that its electrical and lighting design generated more efficient workflows, increase reliability and have a substantial impact on operating and maintenance costs.

ARRI Solutions provided consulting for a network of robust and flexible lighting and a workflow studio configured through a lighting system completely based on IP.

“The transition to end-to-end IP, down to the last device, offers important technical and operational advantages, due to its clear and intuitive configuration,” he explains. Alejandro Sánchez-Cuerda, Senior Solution Architect, ARRI EMEAI, who led the Aragón TV project. “Any broadcast engineer can quickly select, set up and connect additional devices to the network, adjust existing configurations or quickly troubleshoot the entire studio infrastructure.”

Complementing the network redesign, the team also developed a effective and discreet truss concept, an updated electrical and power distribution, as well as the installation of a range of ARRI lighting fixtures for the new studio, in collaboration with ARRI's Spanish distributor, Video Cine Import.

Studio Versatility

“The ARRI Solutions team designed a truss system that incorporates internal channels to house all the cabling, Ethernet and power lines, giving the studio a very sleek and seamless look,” he explains. Carlos Martin, Head of Technical Production at Aragón TV. "This means we can use even more studio space for productions, and teams can also set up requirements for each program quickly and easily. It's a very practical innovation that allows our teams to spend their time producing content instead of lengthy technical preparation."

The 22 meter x 15.5 meter studio includes a three-segment LED wall of Alfalite, which is used as a background for all of Aragón TV's informative programming, along with two smaller LED panels that can be moved and synchronized with the broadcast on the main background. A fleet of ARRI SkyPanel luminaires is mounted to the ceiling structure to provide accurate color reproduction and soft, versatile lighting throughout the facility.

“A key challenge in the lighting design “It was how to prevent the natural white lights from spilling onto the LED background, something the team was able to incorporate into the studio lighting plan,” continues Sanchez-Cuerda.

“This is our first installation of LED luminaires, and they provide huge creative benefits to our directors, who can create different effects for all our content, whether news, lifestyle or current affairs," Martin continues. "ARRI Solutions not only understood how we wanted to use the facilities in terms of content, but also the importance of physical lighting design, to effectively complement a virtual studio environment effectively. Achieving this balance allows us to produce a variety of interesting and informative programs for our audience.”

Spain's regional elections provided the first major broadcast opportunity from the new Studio 3. Aragón TV produced a range of content in the studio, including debates between candidates, targeted news reports and analysis of election results across the region.

"The new facilities provided the perfect platform for an important news event for our viewers and ensured that the production values of our coverage were of the highest quality. We are proud to provide such an important public service to our communities. The hard work and attention to detail that the ARRI Solutions team provided throughout the project means that we can serve and inform the residents of Aragon from a state-of-the-art studio," concludes Martín.