What a musical-fountain tender specification should contain
The specification is the core of the contract that defines the system. When the items below are written clearly, bids from different vendors compare on the same scale. As a reference mid-size example: 150 units = 75 motor-pump drivers + 75 RGB lights across about 10 buffer lines.
| Specification item | What to state |
|---|---|
| Unit (jet) count and type | How many motor-pump drivers and how many RGB light units are required; each unit individually addressable. |
| Pool architecture | Units split across buffer lines (at most 30 units per line), all connected to a single Main controller. |
| Pump and VFD | Every pump driven by a variable-frequency drive (VFD); water height and flow variable per unit. |
| RGB lighting | Colour and light effects synchronised to the show; defined daytime and night-time behaviour. |
| Control and programming | How shows are produced; time- and calendar-based automatic playback (schedulers). |
| Remote management | Monitoring and commands over the internet; a site gateway (optional Raspberry Pi) for audio and remote control. |
| Security and ownership | Post-handover kill-switch, transfer of authority, and protection against unauthorised copying. |
| Backup and restore | All settings and shows backed up to the cloud and restorable in a single operation. |
| Origin and language | Country of manufacture and interface language (Turkish/English/Arabic). |
| Warranty and service | Warranty term, spare-parts supply, remote support and fault-response time. |
The specification should not carry "show-programming specialist labour" as a separate line-item; with AI-assisted systems this cost disappears entirely.
Dry-deck or basin fountain for public squares?
Public squares use two basic formats. A dry-deck fountain has jets flush with a walkable surface and no visible basin; it is the dominant municipal format in Turkish city squares. A basin (ornamental) fountain holds water in a visible pool in the classic style.
- Dry-deck (plaza fountain)
- Pedestrians can walk across it and water drains beneath the deck; no standing water or edge barrier is needed. It coexists with events and foot traffic; when the jets are off, the square is used as an ordinary square.
- Basin (ornamental) fountain
- Offers a visible water surface and classic aesthetics; requires a basin, an edge and a safety margin. Preferred where water should be constantly visible, in seating and viewing areas.
Arcus control hardware and AI work identically in both formats. The choice is a plumbing/architecture decision; the control system and show design do not change.
How Arcus meets each specification item
Below are the direct counterparts on the Arcus platform for the technical requirements in the specification.
| Specification requirement | Arcus counterpart |
|---|---|
| Show programming | The AI reads the whole song offline (beats, sections, build-ups, drops, energy) and composes an anticipatory, authored choreography, then validates it in a real-physics 3D simulator. |
| Setup and configuration | Self-serve configuration in a browser design studio; you build the system online and receive a quote. |
| Remote management | An optional Raspberry Pi gateway adds internet, audio and remote control; operator control via the phone app. |
| Automatic playback | Time- and calendar-based schedulers run shows without an operator present. |
| Security and ownership | Post-sale kill-switch, ownership/authority transfer and protection against unauthorised copying. |
| Continuity | Settings and shows backed up to the cloud and restored in a single operation. |
| Origin and language | Built in Turkey by İkaz Elektrik; interface in TR/EN/AR. |
AI removes the "programmer" line-item from the specification
The hidden cost of classic musical-fountain projects is show programming.
A specialist spends 2-4 hours to a week hand-programming a single 3-minute show, writing 1,500-6,000 DMX commands. This is a recurring, specialist-dependent, hard-to-repeat item for every new song. Arcus does the same work in minutes with no specialist: municipal staff upload the song, the AI composes the show, and it is previewed and approved in the simulator.
For the specification this has three consequences: the programming-labour line drops, new shows are produced without limit or cost, and the system does not depend on a single specialist. If you already have a fountain whose pumps can be driven by a VFD, you can buy just the Arcus control boards and AI to make the existing system dance to music, with no need to replace plumbing or the basin (retrofit).
To request a project and quote, configure the system online; a transparent quote is generated by scale. Pricing is not fixed or public — a quote is issued per project.