It’s been water, water everywhere recently for D J Willrich Ltd (DJW), as the Hampshire-based AV and multi-media specialists have recently completed work on the saltwater Bournemouth Oceanarium in Dorset and the freshwater Lakeside Aquarium at Newby Bridge on the shores of Lake Windermere.

Working within a deadline of just three weeks, DJW installed in the Bournemouth Oceanarium three Sony plasma displays, three touch screen quiz-based interactives and, with the help of strobe lighting and Bose speakers, the sound of a rainforest thunderstorm that automatically comes to life every 20 minutes.

Visitors to the Lake District are obviously used to it raining more frequently there since DJW’s thunderstorm sound simulation at the Lakeside Aquarium proved to be so popular that it now runs every three minutes! In addition to this, DJW has also installed two Sony plasma displays, lighting and sound controls, plus an AV theatre featuring a 2 metre screen and projector showing images of the surrounding Lake District hills, lakes and wildlife.

As well as having water in common, Bournemouth and Lakeside both have BSS 9088 Soundwebs and a 9010 Jellyfish remote - the Jellyfish being essential to enable staff to control the audio systems from the office. "The Soundwebs are crucial to the easy operation of the audio systems within the two aquariums," said Kevin Southwell, project manager. "It means that staff can vary sound levels from their main office depending on whether it's a quiet or busy day. They also have an easy facility for using radio microphones in areas where live commentary is provided at feeding times, as well as having aquarium-wide paging via the existing phone system."

(Ruth Rossington)


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