Hippotizer makes Princess Cruises’ ambitious AV smooth sailing

The High Seas – Princess Cruises’ brand new Sun Princess ship set sail on its maiden voyage in mid-2024 with a totally re-imagined AV system. Multiple LED walls are installed throughout the vessel, all of which are driven by Hippotizer Media Servers.

The 4,300-capacity Sun Princess, with its unique multi-levelled Dome, is the largest in Princess Cruises’ fleet. Innovation is carried through to the video elements on the ship, including in The Piazza, The Arena Theatre, The Dome, the Princess Live venue, The Landing, and at the Lido Pool. In total, two Hippotizer Tierra+ MK2, two Mayon+ MK2, one Karst+ MK2 and two Amba+ MK2 Media Servers are installed to run the video walls.

“This new ship is different from other AV systems as there was a drive to add large inviting spaces, without bulky obstruction items such as projectors and screens that would break the clean line of venue design,” says Matt DeJong, Fleet Supervisor Lighting/Video at Princess Cruises. “The solution and desire for large video surfaces resulted in the specification of LED walls with a relatively slim form factor and I made the choice for Hippotizer to run them due to its unified user interface and scalability based on the needs of the space.

“Additionally, the option to add components to meet use makes Hippotizer a clear winner. The MK2 range provided further performance and reliability, and it was important the servers were 100% reliable, especially as many are expected to run 24/7 for constant screen imagery.”

At the heart of the ship is The Piazza, which features a large LED wall comprised of three sections. “This screen runs 24 hours a day and displays atmospheric, time- and location-specific content, as well as being used for nightly entertainment” explains DeJong. “We’ve installed a Hippotizer Tierra+ MK2 here with two capture cards and external LTC Device from CB Electronics for syncing media with show control. The Tierra+ MK2 is also responsible for driving the RGB architectural system from an ETC Atlas Pro, which provides a DVI input where the whole room is mapped to respond with specific content.”

DeJong utilised the Hippotizer SHAPE feature to track the position of the screens, so the LED panels move “through” the content. This allows the content to be displayed if the screen is open or closed and creates a seamless transition when the screens move. “We use Macro Manager to work out the 24-hour content, which is set with OSC messages from a grandMA3 console,” adds DeJong. “The Hippotizer is controlled primarily from an MA3 Lite in the room via sACN. It is connected to the ETC Atlas Pro for the Arch lighting.”

Over at The Arena Theatre, an LED wall made up of nine segments is rigged to move upstage/downstage and rotate, configured based on the need of the given production – many of which are Broadway or West End calibre. “I knew the media was going to play a big role in defining this space and providing a lot of the imagery and scenery for the shows,” explains DeJong. “The large format of the LED wall, along with the demanding performance needs of the room, meant that I selected a Hippotizer Tierra+ MK2, fitted with two capture cards and external CB Electronics LTC reader. Hippotizer VideoMapper is used to adjust viewport sizes for the screens when in cabaret mode. For control, we installed a grandMA3 Full Size.”

LED panels were also built into scenic risers in The Arena Theatre, with a key show requiring a large pixel map for custom shaped scenic pixel light boxes. A Hippotizer Mayon+ MK2 is dedicated to this job, chosen “for its output capabilities and overhead.” The Pixel map is connected directly to the 10G port on the Mayon+ MK2 and distributed to the set via the show network.

The ship’s unique glass Dome features another large LED wall at the centre of the curved structure. By day, it displays atmospheric content but can also be used as a stage backdrop, for performances such as Cirque Eloize and for nightclub events. A Hippotizer Karst+ MK2 takes control of the video in this space, fitted with one capture card and external CB Electronics LTC reader for show sync. The 24-hour content runs with Macro Manager, and OSC messages from another MA3 Lite console. It’s primary controlled from sACN from the lighting desk.

In other areas of the ship, such as the Princess Live ‘entertainment corridor’ which host music acts and live entertainment, a Hippotizer Amba+ MK2 runs the long, letterbox sized LED wall. On lower guest deck The Landing, one side of the room features an LED wall that follows the curve of the room. This screen displays messages during port days, and regular 24-hour atmospheric content when not in port. This server is a Hippotizer Mayon+ MK2 with a capture card, and it is controlled from two points, a QSC touch screen in the venue, and an MA3 on PC via sACN. Even the Lido Pool offers a large outdoor screen, with a Hippotizer Amba+ MK2 driving synced content for shows and controlled via a grandMA3 Command Wing XT via sACN.

“Once we knew where all the screens were going, I immediately knew we would be using Hippotizer. It’s ease of use, while enabling complex results, its reliability, and the support provided by Green Hippo is phenomenal,” says DeJong.

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