Since his first steps in the entertainment world, Diego Zuñiga Tapia has forged an unusual but profoundly consistent trajectory. His initial foray was in the sound field, but over time, and out of necessity within the company where he worked, he migrated to video. It was precisely from this technical trench that he began to feel drawn to the visual power of light on stage. The creation of environments through lighting immediately captivated him, prompting him to study independently and become actively involved in lighting design since 2009.
Despite not having a formal mentor, Diego trained as a self-taught designer, facing the limitations of access to technical training in Costa Rica. Always striving to stay up-to-date, his evolution as a designer has been constant. For him, the harmony between the elements on a stage is essential to achieving a coherent and emotionally effective visual experience.
During his recent work on a demanding international tour, Diego found the Avolites T3 console to be a fundamental ally. The combination of extreme portability with the power of the Titan operating system was a paradigm shift: “Having all the power of TITAN in such a compact piece of hardware has been wonderful. The tools for swapping fixtures and modifying shows are fast, intuitive, and allow for seamless continuity between shows.”
The T3’s versatility allowed him to adapt his work to changing scenarios with tight setup times. The ability to travel with the equipment as a carry-on reduced the margin of error and increased efficiency. Diego highlights the physical layout of the control as another significant improvement over previous models: “I had a Titan Mobile, and I feel that with the T3, the order of buttons and commands is more in line with fluid and fast programming.”
During the tour, he operated the T3 in conjunction with the T3-Wing, allowing him to have all the necessary resources at his fingertips for programming and operation without compromise. Furthermore, the console’s connectivity was tested at more than 140 shows in different countries: “The network connection is solid, without any issues. I’ve used both physical DMX and protocols like Art-Net and sACN with complete confidence.”
For the most complex shows, Diego integrated SMPTE-triggered timecode into Titan software version 17.1, achieving perfect cue synchronization with audio and video. Although he hasn’t yet used timecode in version 18, he’s already begun exploring its new tools, such as Prism Zero+, a solution he finds versatile, easy to integrate, and robust within the Avolites ecosystem.
Another key aspect of his experience has been Synergy, Avolites’ multimedia content integration tool, which, for Diego, greatly expands creative possibilities: “It’s a great single tool, especially when there are many video assets with which we can harmonize the lighting.”
Evaluating his overall experience with the T3, Titan v18, Prism, and Synergy, Diego clearly states that it is a comprehensive and powerful solution for designers on tour: compact, intuitive, robust, and adapted to the dynamic needs of live shows. “I do recommend it. It’s a system that fits perfectly with everyday life in Latin America, with solid connections and a very efficient workflow.”
Regarding technical support, his experience with the team at JUAN MENDEZ, Avolites’ distributor in Costa Rica, has been highly positive. He highlights the friendly and efficient service provided by Juan Méndez, who is always available to resolve any issues. He also maintains close contact with Francisco Yáñez Valdivia, Avolites’ Territory Manager, whom he describes as “an accessible and committed person who responds quickly and clearly whenever needed.”
For Diego Zuñiga, Avolites’ present is already impressive, but the future promises even more: he hopes the company will continue to focus on continuous evolution, adapting to the changing needs of the industry, just as it has done so far.
