Optocore network units played a key role in Kuwaits 50th Constitution Day celebration which took place recently along nearly 5km of beach in the heart of Kuwait City. The final act of the show lasted almost an hour, with a total of 77,282 fireworks, which broke the Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display ever.
World Record for largest firework, Kuwait
French-based rental company, Gilles Bouvard Events and Entertainment (GB4D) was contracted by the Kuwaiti government to deliver the audio and lighting system as well as video transport for one of the largest shows ever staged in the Middle East. The biggest challenge facing GB4D was the coverage distance along the beach and the associated problems posed by a sand and water environment.
Since production had stipulated that sound and light needed to be delivered to any point along the beach, the obvious solution was to use an Optocore redundant fibre based ring topology a solution which Gilles Bouvard has been adopting successfully for the past two years. This provided not only sound to each of 52 Line Array towers along the 5km stretch, but also control of amplifiers and DMX lighting commands.
GB4D Team onsite, final check, Kuwait
The Optocore system was also in use out at sea. Here GB4D designed a second ring system to provide audio and Ethernet transport to the five cube-shape platforms (24m x 24m x 24m) which were each equipped with lights to create a great visual effect. And the only way to reach these cubes with control signals was by using Optocore fibre. In addition there were seven pontoons spaced 250m from each other all set at a distance of 400m from shore to sea.
A further challenge for GB4D was to provide video transport to the multiple screens with two independent SDI channels transported along the beach. With 30 years experience in the sound and lighting business, Gilles Bouvard found that Optocores sister company, BroaMan, offered a perfect solution for his project with a ring topology that would distribute two channels to all remote locations.
The cube-shape platforms at daylight, Kuwait
As a result Bouvard needed only a 4-core fibre between each location, which saved not only the cost of classic copper cabling, but also assuring the best quality of sound, control and video.
The two Optocore rings ran on different protocols. The first, small ring was based on the 2.14 protocol, since GB4D used older equipment, DD6NEs and a YG2 card. This was used to provide LAN connections to all five platforms on the sea as well as audio signals to the Yamaha 01V96 console which was placed on the fifth platform. One DD32R-FX was installed in the FOH position and provided a connection to the second, larger ring. Elsewhere, DD2FR-FX and DD4MR-FX provided spare fibre MADI and BNC MADI links to the cubes.
DD32R-FX in action, Kuwait
The larger Optocore system was installed on the beach. The main requirement for Optocore was to distribute audio signals to the L-Acoustics loudspeakers from FOH as well as DMX for the lighting and Ethernet to control L- Acoustics amplifiers. Loudspeakers were installed in the delay towers 100m apart to cover the whole area with sound, while Optocore X6R-FX-8MI/8LO units were installed in every third tower 20 in total covering the whole distance.
The FOH engineer had complete control over the Optocore patching and every input from the console could be sent to any loudspeaker. Multiple signals were provided from two FOH consoles the main mix from a Midas Pro6 and additional multiple aux outputs from a Soundcraft Vi6 (one aux per each delay group). Each console was integrated into the Optocore network with a DD2FR-FX. The ring was also equipped with an DD32R-FX unit, which provided AES connection to the smaller Optocore ring.
The master control installation at the beach, Kuwait
GB4D took full advantage of the Optocore 2.21 protocol. The big ring provided not only around 500 audio inputs, but doubled as a transport platform for all control protocols DMX and Ethernet-based loudspeaker management system. Each tower was equipped with steerable lighting, controlled from a FOH light console (with Optocore providing DMX transport through RS485/422 ports on each unit). To monitor and control powered loudspeakers, GB4D used the Ethernet switch which is built into the Optocore platform, thereby reducing the cable count to a minimum with just one fibre between each location.
A BroaMan video and data distribution system was also adopted and GB4D purchased 4-core fibre cables for the show, which allowed the BroaMan and Optocore rings to share the same cable infrastructure. Although the two systems worked independently, the cabling cost was highly reduced.
Speaking of his network design, Bouvard said, I like technological challenges and could see the BroaMan and Optocore combination as a real solution for network management of audio, data for light, video and remote control of amplifiers. We were price efficient cable-wise, packing the whole system in just four fibre strands between locations.
This had been the biggest project ever undertaken by GB4D. Having the new Optocore 2.21 protocol, with 768 audio tracks on a 2 Gb backbone, he said, could easily allow reconfiguration to accommodate any changes. This was highly significant when managing a 5km site.
Summing up, he said, With no network there is no show. You can deploy all the speakers or projectors in the world, but without control and signal, nothing happens. With Optocore / BroaMan I knew in advance what result I would get. The result was stunning and everyone deserves
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
When Canada qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026, OneSoccer knew this wasn'...
04/07/2026
Celebrates company's 80th anniversary
Rhodes have recently revealed that they will be producing a limited run of electric pianos in celebration of their...
04/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Cameras Empower Youth Broadcasting Program
Brie Clayton July 3, 2026
0 Comments
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and Blackmagi...
04/07/2026
iZotope Joins Boris FX
Boris Yamnitsky July 3, 2026
0 Comments
iZotope, the team behind RX and Ozone, is joining Boris FX. A letter from founder Boris...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
03/07/2026
New bundle & three Single Packs
Continuing to expand their already sizeable orchestral collection, VSL's latest release introduces three new Single Pack...
03/07/2026
Venue installs new ATC-equipped control room
LSO St Luke's, a unique music venue that also serves as the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, have rec...
03/07/2026
Caden Pearson appointed new Commissioning Editor for NITV
3 July, 2026
Media releases
National Indigenous Television (NITV) has strengthened its commitment...
03/07/2026
1 February 2023
SHARE Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email
Munich, Germany, 1st February 2023: Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software technology for digit...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
03/07/2026
Death Star
Andy Marken July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Look, I can't get involved. I've got work to do. It's not that I like the Empire; I hate i...
03/07/2026
Berklee's New Visual Identity: Honoring Our History, Building for What's...
03/07/2026
Scripps Research scientists awarded $2M to advance global disease surveillance Two Gates Foundation grants will expand wastewater surveillance and AI-driven dis...
03/07/2026
Joan Pulupa joins Scripps Research faculty to study the organization of DNA in brain cells and its links to neurodegeneration Using smell-sensing neurons and ad...
02/07/2026
Entering her senior year, this hometown girl is paving a career in live sports production gaining experience in replay and audio and as a TD
In the live-sports...
02/07/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
02/07/2026
BLAST, a competitive entertainment company focused on esports, has announced more than $133 million in revenue for 2025, representing more than 40% year-over-ye...
02/07/2026
Riedel Communications has announced official SKAARHOJ panel support for SimplyLive production workflows, enabled through the SimplyLive 2.1 release. The integra...
02/07/2026
The Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic has deployed LiveU video-over-bond...
02/07/2026
Gravity Media USA has announced the appointment of Brittney Boston as Head of Business Development, effective July 1, 2026. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Bosto...
02/07/2026
TwelveLabs, a video intelligence company, has announced $100 million in Series B funding co-led by NEA and NAVER Ventures, with participation from Amazon, Radic...
02/07/2026
The Pro Padel League (PPL) has announced a broadcast partnership with USA Sports that will air five PPL championship matches on CNBC during the 2026 season, the...
02/07/2026
LiveLike, a digital fan engagement platform, has announced eight confirmed FIFA ...
02/07/2026
Cobalt Digital has received Future's Best of Show Award, presented by AV Technology at InfoComm 2026, for its blueCORE family of standalone signal processor...
02/07/2026
Synamedia has announced the appointment of Dr. Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transition...
02/07/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) and Sony Group Corporation have announced an expanded collaboration for the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC), taking place in Paris, Fra...
02/07/2026
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. ( Z') has announced exclusive broadcast and digital rights for the Bundesliga in India for five years, beginning with the...
02/07/2026
An effort uniting News, Sports, Local, and Telemundo, the 50+-camera live produc...
02/07/2026
Zoey Deutch, John Slattery, Ken Marino, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Ben Wang appe...
02/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
02/07/2026
A new era in unmixing and spectral editing
The latest version of Steinberg's spectral audio-editing software has just arrived, building on the strength...
02/07/2026
Aims to simplify additive synthesis
Sine Machine is the debut launch from Melatonin, a Vienna-based developer who have spent the past six years creating wha...
02/07/2026
Products to remain fully active & supported
Following the news of Native Instruments joining the inMusic brand line-up, Academy and Emmy Award-winning visua...
02/07/2026
What you missed!
Last weekend, Saturday 27 June 2026, saw the debut of Sound On Sounds new GearExpo UK event, the largest dedicated pro-audio event to take ...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Following the successful launch of its inaugural APAC Mentoring Programme last month, the Rise AV APAC Regional Council will bring the conversation around mento...
02/07/2026
Blackmagic PYXIS 6K Used to Shoot Director Takahisa Zeze's Cry Out
Brie Clayton July 2, 2026
0 Comments
Highly mobile camera supports tense and de...
02/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions acquires BFE, expanding its lead in European broadcast, medi...
02/07/2026
Berklee Alum and Faculty Perform at Boston Public Library's 250th Anniversar...
02/07/2026
Broadcast Solutions GmbH, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, is acquiring BFE Studio und Medien...
02/07/2026
Cinegy GmbH, the premier provider of software-defined television technology, has extended the ingest facility at leading Brazilian sports company LiveMode, work...
02/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
02/07/2026
Standalone processors acknowledged for the innovation and value they bring to Pro AV
Cobalt Digital, a leading designer and manufacturer of signal processing ...
02/07/2026
Synamedia announced today the appointment of Dr Tzvi Gerstl as Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transitio...
Optocore network units played a key role in Kuwaits 50th Constitution Day celebration which took place recently along nearly 5km of beach in the heart of Kuwait City. The final act of the show lasted almost an hour, with a total of 77,282 fireworks, which broke the Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display ever. 
