# Sochi Olympic Opening Ceremonies Live Chat



## dvsDave

​
Friday Night at 7:25pm (Eastern) we'll have a live chat right here on ControlBooth.com to talk about what should be a very unique show. Just tune to NBC, login and post in this thread! The thread will go live at this time, with the page auto-updating (no refresh required).


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## josh88

I'm glad they actually gave some air time to talk about designing the ceremonies a bit tonight. It was a quick segment but still a nice nod.


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## zmb

Heads up for non-East coasters, it is being time delayed across each time zone so I'm not getting it either until 730 Pacific Time. Check your local listings.

Should be interesting to watch. No one's ever going to be able to match what China did in 2008.
If you need a quick laugh, head over to @SochiProblems. Anyone have a doorknob they could spare?


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## gafftaper

Word on the radio this morning is that the rings start out as snow flakes then somehow transform into the rings. However one of the rings didn't work. Should be fun to watch and discuss what went wrong. Unfortunately I'm working late tonight so I'll be watching on DVR late tonight.


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## gafftaper

Sochi: Our hidden show surveillance cameras prove people are wasting water on purpose... :shock:

Don't miss this story.


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## josh88

gafftaper said:


> Unfortunately I'm working late tonight so I'll be watching on DVR late tonight.



My current show opens tonight and I don't have DVR so I'm going to have to try to find it somewhere online. Or finding a stream to watch while I run my soundboard.


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## dvsDave

Here we go!


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## dvsDave

Lots of talking so far, lots of thinly veiled comments about Russia's internal politics, their readiness/completion of the Olympic Village, and international relations. An interesting interview with President Obama.


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## rsmentele

Let's get on with the show already!


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## lighttechy

Less talking, more lights, sound, and pyro!


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## dvsDave

It's time to play the music,
It's time to light the lights,
It's time to meet the Russians on NBC Tonight!


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## dvsDave

Anybody found a stream or a recording?


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## dvsDave

Unreal projection and these sets are ENORMOUS!!!


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## wolfman005

So is that a record for the most projectors used on a project?


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## masterelectrician2112

Looks like one of the rings got stuck. Unfortunate.


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## lighttechy

No one will ever outdo the sheer size of the Beijing Olympics, and the...theatrics (HAH!) of the London Olympics, but this could be the BIGGEST in terms of sheer size.

And there goes the rings!


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## dvsDave

Ouch, that had to be heart-wrenching for the designer.


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## rsmentele

The rings were cool though!


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## wolfman005

Were those expanded/changed just by pulling the suspension system wider?


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## dvsDave

I doubt it. Those were large enough to have motors embedded. Ohh.. did any anyone see the red dotted person in the bottom right miss their mark for the expanded flag and have to backtrack?


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## rsmentele

Oh snap one of the little man missed its mark!


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## wolfman005

Wonder when those vest will start changing colors...


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## llecount

dvsDave said:


> I doubt it. Those were large enough to have motors embedded. Ohh.. did any anyone see the red dotted person in the bottom right miss their mark for the expanded flag and have to backtrack?


LOL yep!


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## dvsDave

BTW, talk about cost overruns! I hadn't realized this 40,000 seat stadium is being used _solely_ for the opening and closing ceremonies! :shock:


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## gafftaper

I also heard this morning that a stray dog wanders into the opening ceremony, briefly disrupting it. Curious to see if that makes it to NBC.


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## lighttechy

The projections are certainly second to none.


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## wolfman005

So where are the Sharpies at?


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## dvsDave

What is up with the outfit of the girls holding the country name signs? That's an insane headset... thing.


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## wolfman005

Hunger Game wannabes...


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## dvsDave

Did Bob Costas just say "Flash-Cubes"?


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## rsmentele

I thought the same thing


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## lighttechy

Yes....yes he did...


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## wolfman005

Why would the arena temp be 50*? I assume they meant 50*F?


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## dvsDave

Just saw an iPhone from the Belgium delegation! Perhaps Samsung didn't actually ask athletes to cover up their iPhone logos


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## HiThere

you cant use Celsius on u.s. tv it will confuse the populace


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## wolfman005

They translated the Russian...


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## dvsDave

Apparently the ceremony is split between a small opening segment, then the parade of nations, then the rest of the performance.


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## wolfman005

Not sure if it lets you stream, but in Facebook a few of my friends are "Watching the Olympics on GetGlue"


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## rsmentele

American Olympians get paid if they win a metal?! What!! I better start training..


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## wolfman005

Can someone explain the music?


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## zmb

wolfman005 said:


> Not sure if it lets you stream, but in Facebook a few of my friends are "Watching the Olympics on GetGlue"


My morning radio show said that they were on some sketchy corners of the internet to get a live stream as it was occurring. Must go along that anything that connects to a cellular or WiFi network there being blasted with malware.


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## josh88

As far as I know you can't watch anything on get glue, it's just a check in system that gives you stickers. They just logged into it most likely.

I just got here and haven't seen many shots but are there tons of empty seats? It looks pretty sparse in some areas.


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## wolfman005

Does anyone know about the seats being pixel mapped? 

The empty seats are for the athletes walking in


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## josh88

That would make more sense then


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## dvsDave

My boys just said the Netherlands contingent is like CB, Orange and Black. Awesome.


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## dvsDave

The pixel mapping is actually accomplished by wireless LED medallions that all the spectators were asked to wear. An inscription reads: “Participant of 2014 Olympics Winter Games Ceremonies.”



It is activated as a wireless device (there is a tiny infrared bulb on the front of it). It flickers red, white, blue and other colors at different moments. It is white plastic on front and grey on back.


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## dvsDave

BTW, to disable email notifications while you are participating, at the top right of the thread, you can click "unwatch thread"


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## dvsDave

Wow.. HUGE American contingent!


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## dvsDave

Alright, we are wrapping up the parade of nations. Almost time for the actual performance to begin!


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## wolfman005

Are the arena announcers actually live? Or pre-recorded?


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## josh88

I loved the video of about Russian might and ability through the years that ended with the stadium covered in snow with it all whipping about.... And then the transition back to reality with no snow anywhere near the arena.


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## dvsDave

Look at how many fixtures are embedded into the horses frame! 

WOW!!!!! 120 Projectors working together to create the projection on the floor!


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## wolfman005

So projecting onto the floor is apparently new technology but I thought they did this for the Olympics ceremony?


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## masterelectrician2112

Yeah I heard that comment too. Projection of that scale is not really a new technology. I think that was another instance of nontechnical people explaining technical things to nontechnical people.


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## HiThere

i want to know the horsepower of the computers controlling that projection and that number of projectors.


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## wolfman005

Wonder how many amps that building pulls...


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## dvsDave

Actually, the Beijing Olympics used approximately 150 Christie Roadster S+20K and Christie CP2000-ZX model projectors. Not sure if they were all used at once like tonight, but 120 simultaneous projectors working in concert is still a heck of a technical feat.


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## wolfman005

Imagine the edge blending...


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## HiThere

blend alll the edges!!!!!


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## wolfman005

Those boats are incredible!


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## dvsDave

HOLY CRAP. The ship/sea projection is jaw-dropping, and did you see how the actors moved in and out of the scene! Seamless!


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## masterelectrician2112

That was an interesting design choice with making the ships 2d. It looked good from the top, but not close up.


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## josh88

I did really like the idea of them just walking on the deck and then vanishing into the hold was a great trick.



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## dvsDave

Pyro from the stage floor! The alignment of the projection to the real world space is amazing!!!


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## wolfman005

Did anyone notice that projection is being used to illuminate that giant marching group? I think it's projection...


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## dvsDave

The last time Wolf Trap used their trap system was for the Russian Bolshoi Ballet. It seems that the tradition of trap systems in Russian theatre lives on!!


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## wolfman005

I wonder if they found a way to SMPTE timecode the dancers/actors...everything is so synchronized


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## dvsDave

The columns look like they are being projected onto, or being projected upon from within. Not sure.


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## masterelectrician2112

I would say that the dancers just have a high degree of precision. I don't think they are time coded in the sense that you're thinking.


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## lighttechy

It looks like they are being projected onto for at least certain sections of them...but I think they are projected up through them for the tops and bottom


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## NewChris

That's amazing that they have follow spots. Are they preprogrammed or manual?


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## wolfman005

The only downside to the projectors all being mounted on the sides are the long shadows


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## HiThere

im really enjoying the long lived camera shots with slight soft transitions between them much more pleasant than the 3 second then jump cut that you see in most us live events


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## josh88

"Imperial Russia is about to be washed away by two things. The Russian revolution and this commercial break."


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## wolfman005

I think they are manual but maybe they are using that new tracking system from Cast? Blacktrack or something?


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## dvsDave

"Imperial Russia is about to be washed away by two things. The Russian revolution and this commercial break."


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## lighttechy

Right before they cut wide the spot on the female lead lagged just a tad so it could be manual?


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## HiThere

in Soviet Russia commercial breaks you


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## wolfman005

That train...


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## lighttechy

wow...


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## josh88

The end of industrialization before the drafting projection was cool, the sort of time stop, great effect and lighting.


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## wolfman005

I love the blue-print/wire frames


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## dvsDave

holy cow, the industrial age was mind-blowing!


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## dvsDave

BTW, was it just me, or did a couple of the upwards shots of the train make it look like an AT-AT?


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## wolfman005

I don't even know what to say anymore.


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## dvsDave

love the "grinders"


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## josh88

In soviet Russia, only men and women can get married, the babies are delivered by milk men and everybody has twins.


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## wolfman005

Wish a I would have learnt Russian


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## dvsDave

What I want to know is how they are getting the flag above the stage to blow in apparently gale force winds.


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## wolfman005

A museum by my house has a wind exhibit where they have a flagpole with air jets built into the flagpole.


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## josh88

Also, isn't this stadium enclosed? There's a solid roof on it? Because the fireworks outside aren't doing much but putting on a show for the aerial camera.

Though one of hype announcers did say there was a slight breeze, so maybe it's not enclosed completely. I'm admittedly not as up on these Olympics 
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## wolfman005

I want one of those giant jellyfish glow hat thingies.


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## dvsDave

That's a SHITE TON of EL Wire.


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## HiThere

is it el wire or black light


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## josh88

The jellyfish just went into hyperspace.


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## HiThere

ah...... el wire


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## wolfman005

El wire. I don't see how they could have turned them on and off with black light.


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## wolfman005

Why do the flag bearers have ear pieces?


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## josh88

Given the limp mess of the Olympic flag next to gale force Russia until the air was turned on, air jets seem like a good answer. The close ups also show the holes in the pole.


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## wolfman005

For those skaters not to fall that floor must be pretty flat. Any ideas of what it's made of?


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## dvsDave

There are a LOT of elements being flown at the moment, this is incredible!


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## rsmentele

The figures remind me of a Christmas display


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## wolfman005

Not just flat out flying either. All of them have roll, yaw, and pitch control in addition to XYZ movement.


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## wolfman005

Pyro time!


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## llecount

Ok now that was pretty cool how they did the torch.


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## wolfman005

I have some great ideas for my high school which is hosting a special Olympics.


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## dvsDave

Very cool torch! Sweet pyro!


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## rsmentele

I didn't think the old guy was gonna make it....


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## dvsDave

I can't wait for my new t-shirt to arrive!


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## dvsDave

So, recap. Were the Sochi Opening Ceremonies better than London or Beijing?


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## josh88

The projections were awesome, the flying elements were great and the scale of scenic elements were great. Overall I liked London better. I felt like a lot of the "chaos" looked better with London. Some of the red on red industrial stuff got muddy and then all of the road and newspaper projections got a bit busy for me, London had it organized in a way that looked cleaner visually. But the aerial coordination and the scale made for some great moments. 


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## lighttechy

I doubt anything will top Beijing for long while, simply because they put everything into their Olympics. The size, complexity, and coordination are really second to none. That said, it's exactly why London chose to make their ceremony the way they did. They knew it, and they didn't try to compete with it in the same ways. I was impressed with the ring forging from London, but the show wasn't as "big" as either Beijing or Sochi. Sochi is definitely bigger "feeling" to me than Beijing, but only in the scale, they went for a very large feel with minimalist elements (the elements themselves not always being minimal by any means).

Pity it will probably be remembered for its failures rather than the technological marvel that it is.


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## zmb

First, everyone's camera flash shows up on TV but isn't doing squat for the audience's photos.

Loving the bright colors for the intro sequence after the Parade of Nations. That projected floor is flat out neat.

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## zmb

Those are some impressive strobes too. Effect works on the whole room im in.

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## gafftaper

Just got home at 10:30 pm in time to see the EL wire jellyfish hats. This ceremony is going on forever!


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## MarshallPope

Does anyone have a (legal, of course...) source to watch this online? I had a show tonight, and now I'm not finding it on NBC or anywhere.


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## JohnD

This just in......the snoflake snafu was all the stage managers fault.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olymp...-about-opening-ceremony-glitch-223348111.html


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## wolfman005

To add to what John provided here is the Huffington Post edition.


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## wolfman005

So the guy who was supposivly responsible for the snowflake malfunction is dead? 

Is this a reputable site?


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## josh88

Daily currant is satire, like the onion.


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## techieman33

wolfman005 said:


> So the guy who was supposivly responsible for the snowflake malfunction is dead?
> 
> Is this a reputable site?



If you look at the other trending headlines on the right side of the screen it's pretty obvious that it's not legit news.


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## rsmentele

It really is too bad it didn't work as planned. I thought the effect was very cool, not as impressive as the creation of the rings in London, but still cool.


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## dvsDave

FYI, the LED effects in the audience appears to have been a technology from PixMob. http://www.wired.com/design/2014/02/super-bowl-audience-became-human-video-screen/

It appears that they use really powerful infrared video projectors to project the infrared code onto the stadium seats to trigger the medallions light up. VERY COOL.


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