Eco theme park Xcaret adds ADJ panels
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The new setup not only improved the clarity of the video content shown as part of the venue’s resident production but has also proven to be far more reliable than the previous system, following over a year of continuous use across daily shows.
Opened in 1990, Xcaret is a visitor attraction on the Riviera Maya that celebrates Mexico’s present and rich past. Located on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, 5km south of Playa del Carmen and 75km south of Cancún, the park showcases an area of natural beauty. Beneath a jungle canopy are a network of underground rivers and cenotes (flooded sinkholes) as well as ancient Mayan buildings, while on the coast is a beach, lagoon and coral reef. Visitors can explore these captivating surroundings both on land and in the water, while also enjoying a variety of attractions, exhibits and displays.
Each evening, the park hosts a theatrical production called Xcaret México Espectacular, which features more than 250 performers supported by approximately 150 backstage crew. The two-hour presentation takes the audience on a journey through 500 years of Mexican history using drama, song and dance.
The venue for the spectacular is the Gran Tlachco Theatre, a purpose-built arena-style venue with the capacity to seat an audience of 6000. Although the central theme of the show remains constant, it has developed considerably over the years, including an increase in the use of technology to enhance the storytelling.
“During the remodelling of the theatre, about 10 years ago, we decided to include video content as part of the show,” explains José Manuel Rodríguez Vázquez, technical manager at Xcaret Park. “There was a desire to display introductory text before each act, to give a little context of where it comes from and what is going to be presented. So it was necessary to place a screen in the centre of the theatre above the stage. Initially, we used projectors because the LED screens available at that time did not meet the expectations of the producers of the show.”
“With the projectors, we had failures and breakdowns very often, sometimes every week,” says Erwin Nava, head of video at Xcaret Park. “They really weren’t suited to the weather here, even when we put them in airconditioned boxes.
“The projector system also involved a lot of waste,” adds José. “We were regularly having to buy new lamps and throw away the old ones. As we are a sustainable company, we don't like to have to throw away things like batteries or lamps.”
In 2021, Jose, Erwin and their team revisited the possibility of using LED video panels for their video needs. After evaluating a variety of potential solutions, they selected ADJ’s AV4IP panels and placed an order for 500 units. These were used to construct four large rectangular displays to replace the previous canvas screens in the central video cube. This new system provided a significant increase in brightness as well as a host of other benefits.
The screens are used extensively during the production, for displaying pre-produced video and scene-setting text, as well as for live video feeds of the performers that ensure even those sitting at the back of the auditorium have a great view of the action. Having now been in use for over a year, the ADJ LED screen system has proved to be exceptionally reliable, despite the difficult operating conditions and gruelling schedule of daily performances.
“One of the reasons we chose ADJ over all the other vendors was because of the response time of its technical service,” states José. “We present this show every day, so we expect the response from our suppliers to match our needs. In the time we have been using the LED screens, they have proven to be the ideal solution, they have proven to be the best choice we could make.”
