d&b Venue database.

Preamble

The requirements outlined below serve to set a minimum standard of quality. This is necessary to make the models meaningful for fellow system engineers who have not been to that particular venue yet.

Which venues are relevant?

There are two criteria in particular which make a venue relevant forthe database:

• The venue frequently hosts touring productions for which a temporary audio system needs to be pre-planned and deployed.
• The venue is sufficiently complex that an appropriate ArrayCalc model cannot be created in very few minutes.

These conditions are typically met in venues of a capacity of 1000-2000 and above, but exceptions of do of course apply.

Accuracy

• The venue model should be accurate to within better than 20 cm and use symmetry where possible to enable the use of ArrayProcessing.
• Reasonable simplification of geometry should be used. I.e., blocks of seating with a continuous slope should be represented as one continuous plane.
• Obvious primary obstacles such as video cubes in arenas should also be approximated as the respective element type.

Origin

• The origin must be set so that it can be clearly and easily identified in the actual venue.
• E.g., at the kick-off point or center of room in arenas and stadia,at the front edge of a permanent stage or the center of the proscenium arch in theaters.
• It should be clearly indicated in the Comments field in the venue editor which actual point in the venue the origin refers to (e.g. whether the DSC refers to the permanent part of the stage or possibly the raised orchestra pit) and how it can be identified/found at the actual venue.

Rigging information

• If no additional comments are given, it is assumed that audio rigging points can be created anywhere around a typical stage position within reason.
• If there are mandatory-use house trusses, please include as structure elements.
• Similarly, if there are mandatory rigging points for audio (often the case in smaller houses where bridles or pre-rigs are not possible) please identify as small, labelled structure elements, if possible.

Transparency/Lock setting

The default setting for transparency is “ON”. Users of the venue file shall adjust as necessary at their discretion. All venue elements shall be locked to prevent accidental movement.

Colour palette

The venue file must follow a fixed colour code for different height levels as given below. If it is meaningful to subdivide e.g. the ground or main floor, different shades of the respective colour shall be used. If the colour palette does not suffice, the colours are repeated in the same order.