Case Study: Preiļi Castle Rises Like a Phoenix, now with AREC!

Dear ADENA Partners, our case study this month is about the digitalisation of Preiļi Castle in Latvia, a project funded under the Interreg VI-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme. Thanks to our partner Sensuslab, the castle now uses the AREC Media Capture System to attract visitors, promote tourism, and host a variety of events. Find out more about this project and how our products are being used in the story below.

Preiļi Castle is a historic site located in Preiļi Municipality. It was first constructed at the end of the 14th century by the Livonian Order. The castle was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt over the following centuries, with its fourth and most recent iteration being constructed in the early 19th century. This version of the castle was destroyed by fire in 1978, but recent restoration work, funded by the municipality, the European Regional Development Fund, and other sources, has successfully returned the building to its former glory.

Preiļi Castle’s historical importance and potential were recognised by the Interreg VI-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme, a cross-border initiative co-funded by the European Union that aims to promote socioeconomic development, tourism, and living and working standards. As part of this programme, a project titled ‘Digitalisation of the Historical Path of Preiļi Castle and Utena Manor to Promote the Development of Tourism Services in Cultural Heritage Sites of Latvia and Lithuania’ was approved at the end of 2023. The project aimed to create and equip a modern conference hall to support the activities of representatives from the education, culture, and tourism sectors, fostering cooperation and expanding opportunities for events and initiatives at the site. The project entered its implementation phase in July 2024 and is scheduled for completion by the end of November 2026. However, the audiovisual installation at Preiļi Castle was completed earlier this month, in June 2026.

Since the hall would be used for online, hybrid, and in-person events and would often require changes to its configuration, the user required a straightforward solution that would be easy to adapt on the fly and equally effective in every scenario. The solution needed to support multiple video inputs and cover all aspects of media production, including production monitoring, PTZ camera control, and management of content displayed on local monitors. Knowing that AREC devices fulfil these requirements perfectly, our partner Sensuslab designed a solution around the LS-410 Media Station, the DS-9CU Speaker Tracking Station, the DS-X09 Media Decoder, and the A-BR02 HDMI-to-USB Bridge.

LS-410 Media Station

The LS-410 Media Station is a four-channel recording and streaming device that combines all other AV devices in the conferencing hall for media production, monitoring, and control through a single system. This includes the DS-9CU Speaker Tracking Station, network cameras, a computer running Cisco Webex or other conferencing software when required, and a Biamp Tesira system, which sends all audio to the LS-410 via Dante. In the conference hall, the Media Station records these audio and video sources in a mixed-video format, with fully customisable layouts and design elements. At the same time, the LS-410 records each video source individually, one source per channel, providing original footage for post-production if required. The mixed video can also be livestreamed to two platforms of the user's choice, making events held at Preiļi Castle easily accessible to audiences worldwide.

DS-9CU Speaker Tracking Station

The DS-9CU Speaker Tracking Station is a nine-channel video mixer, switcher, and tracking solution that can operate either automatically with integrated microphone discussion systems or manually through its web interface and API commands. In the conference hall, the DS-9CU is used in manual mode for three main purposes:

• Connecting additional video sources to the LS-410.

• Controlling the PTZ functions of these video sources.

• Managing the LS-410’s recording and streaming layouts, as well as the overall production.

To switch between scenarios, the user simply clicks a button on the station’s web interface. The station then displays the selected video source, recalls the corresponding PTZ preset, and activates the associated theme on the LS-410.

Furthermore, different room configurations and event scenarios can be stored directly on the DS-9CU. Whether the hall is being used for a concert, presentation, or exhibition, with or without chairs and tables, the user can load the appropriate preset for the occasion with a single click.

A-BR02 HDMI-to-USB Bridge

To ensure the same viewing experience for participants joining through Webex and other conferencing platforms, the mixed video output of the LS-410 Media Station is converted into a webcam signal by the A-BR02 HDMI-to-USB Bridge. This allows the user to combine multiple cameras and content sources within a single conferencing window while also taking advantage of the other features offered by AREC devices.

DS-X09 Media Decoder

Lastly, the DS-X09 Media Decoder is used to display video from the LS-410 and other network video sources in the conference hall on a connected display for the local audience. The decoder can also provide an additional streaming output to any RTMP(RTMPS)-compatible platform, such as YouTube or Facebook, further increasing the visibility of hosted events.

With the new technology in place, Preiļi Castle is well-positioned to attract more visitors and strengthen its role as a leading event destination in the region. Is your company working on the renovation of a historical site as well? Contact us to discuss how AREC solutions can help bring your project to the next level.