UK - Le Maitre have introduced a new range to their Prostage II brand of pyrotechnics. The "VS" - Virtually Smokeless range has the distinct advantage of a very low smoke output, greatly enhancing the resulting visual effect, says the company.

"We are absolutely delighted with the result" says Rick Wilson, sales director of Le Maitre. "The VS range is in line with our continuous strategy of introducing the best range of visually stunning pyrotechnics in the market. The drastically reduced smoke levels ensure that spectators get to see the effects at their very best"

"We have introduced three products to date - VS Flames, VS Flares and VS Starbursts, and there will be more to follow over the coming months".

The VS Flares produce an intensely coloured 1-2ft flare that burns for a maximum duration of 30 seconds and are available in red, g

The Netherlands - American DJ has unveiled the Micro Wash RGBW, a mini PAR can that's powered by seven bright 1-watt LEDs (2 red, 2 green, 2 blue, and 1 white).

"The Micro Wash RGBW is a scaled-down - but not scaled-back --version of a larger LED colour-mixing par can," said Sebastian Mobers, sales manager Europe for American DJ Europe. "It's got all the features and amenities that you'll find on a professional LED stage par, only it's mini sized -and mini-priced.

"With lighting being more widely used today in entertainment, decorative and display applications, we're finding that there's a growing demand for professional-style fixtures that are smaller in size than conventional units. The Micro Wash RGBW fits right into this trend. Its compact size makes it great for spaces and applications where standard par cans would be too large, yet you get a full-feat

Czech Republic - Robe has introduced an App available as a free download to run on iPhone and iPod Touch.

The Robe Product ReferenceApp contains comprehensive information and statistics covering the full Robe product range, including an entire catalogue of 'key data' in the form of one sheet with all the essential technical information you need to know about Robe. The App also has user manuals, DMX charts, gobo layouts, etc. and allows users to download and hold as much reference information as they need.

Photometric charts, video demonstrations and assorted other information will be added in the coming weeks.

It is intended as "an invaluable tool for lighting designers, operators, programmers and technicians who are on the move, enabling them to have the crucial facts and figures at their fingertips wherever they are". These can then be used for a myriad of

USA - Luxeon A from Philips Lumileds received the Technical Innovation Award at Lightfair International. The award is given to the product that represents the best leap forward in lighting technology.

Luxeon A provides consistent quality of light from LED to LED, something that both luminaire manufacturers and the lighting design community can count on today and into the future, says the company.

Hot tested and specified at a junction temperature of 85°C ensures the LED's real world operating conditions performance and simplifies the design process. Freedom From Binning eliminates colour bins, typically a burden on luminaire manufacturers. All Luxeon A emitters fall within a single three-step MacAdam Ellipse at 2700K and 3000K and deliver superior quality of light with colour consistency from unit to unit that has never before been possible.

Luxeon A joins past winners o

UK - out post distribution, the exclusive UK distributor of Mediaport?s Punchlight automated cue light and timecode display system is now stocking the new Studio Display XXL.

Coming in at 1.72m long by 33cm wide, the XXL display is billed as the largest automated timecode display system in the world.

Aimed at large post production houses or anywhere that needs to display timecode from a long distance, the Studio Display XXL is compatible with all existing Punchlight hardware allowing automated display of MIDI timecode from Pro Tools LE & HD, Cubase, Nuendo, Logic Pro, Digital Performer and Samplitude.

Combine the system with a MIDI to SMPTE timecode convertor and the display will also show timecode from other systems.

The Studio Display XXL will, like the smaller Studio Display XD, Studio Display XT and Studio Display USB, also show bars and beats, feet and frames and samp

UK - The Bose Professional Systems Division has introduced the RoomMatch series of array module loudspeakers and PowerMatch PM8500 configurable professional power amplifier. Using new Bose technologies and innovative designs, these products are designed for venues including arenas, performing arts centres, and houses of worship.

"Our engineers challenged conventional wisdom for both loudspeaker and amplifier design," said Akira Mochimaru, general manager, Bose Professional Systems Division. "The result is a new approach for the industry, one that lets sound designers and integrators meet the acoustic challenges of any fixed-installation sound system with more flexibility and far less compromise to audio performance."

RoomMatch modules overcome the acoustic performance limitations of conventional line array and point-source loudspeakers, says the company. Av

France / Sweden - Wireless Solution Sweden's W-DMX technology has been adopted by another OEM partner - the French lighting company Ayrton which incorporates the technology on some of its newest LED fixtures.

The new WildSun 500 has a factory installed W-DMX receiver. It's the first compact 4:1 zoom LED wash moving-head luminaire which provides a 10,000 lumen beam, advanced 4 in 1 RGBW full colour mixing and efficient 11° narrow beam. WildSun 500 is designed for TV studios, concerts, convention halls, theme parks and any other entertainment applications.

In addition, Ayrton also makes two static waterproof LED projectors factory fitted with W-DMX receivers, the Icecolor500 and Icecolor 1000.

These new products from Ayrton were launched at the 2011 Prolight + Sound Exhibition in Germany last month.

Florent Francois, chief product engineer for Ayrton commented, "We

UK - The APM series are digital paging microphones equipped with a condenser microphone with cardiologic characteristics, mounted on a 30 cm long gooseneck.

By means of a built-in compressor / limiter, the output level of the microphone signal is constantly maintained. The status of the reproduced signal is indicated on the front panel, to reassure the speaker that the message is clear and audible in all situations.

Andrew Richardson, managing director of Adam Hall UK states, "The APM Series offers amazing clarity with almost true to voice quality that will suit many applications such as public building, fire departments, warehouses, business offices and sports sites."

Each console has three standard buttons (except the APM01 which has only PTT) with pre-assigned functions: PTT (Push To Talk), Select all and Clear. All other buttons can be freely programmed, using

UK - PR Lighting has announced the release of the new PR-5000 Spot and PR-5000 Beam based around a 1500W Osram or Philips discharge lamp.

Commenting on the new series, PR Lighting chief R&D engineer, Steve Tulk, stated: "The PR-5000 Spot, Beam, and later the Wash [which is yet to be released] comprise the beginning of PR Lighting's third generation series of moving heads.

"We analysed the strengths and weaknesses of our mature product lines and designed the PR-5000 series with those in mind. Among the list of achievements in this new series are: a carefully chosen set of functions, very high light output, amazing zoom range, faster and quieter movement, improved cooling system and improved reliability. We feel this series fits the bill perfectly for lighting designers needing higher power units."

Other features of the PR 5000 Beam include a 6° beam angle,

USA - Community Professional Loudspeakers is now offering their R.5 weather-resistant loudspeakers in both standard black and white finishes.

All R.5 models, including the short throw, two-way R.5Z, the medium throw, three-way R.5HP, the full range, two-way R.5COAX and the R.5SUB 12-inch subwoofer, can now be ordered in black, white or the original neutral light grey finish.

(Jim Evans)

China - Multiform will be releasing the latest addition to their range of Professional LED lighting fixtures on the booth of their international distributor Adelto at the China International Exhibition Centre in Beijing.

The new MultiWall Gll - HP5 light batten is designed for indoor or outdoor use with an IP20 / 65 rating. It incorporates 62 x 1W - R,G,B,A & W LEDs to provide the widest range of colours. Fitted with XLR and PowerCon connectors , a conversion kit is supplied to replace these with PG9 fittings for outdoor use.

The 62W - 3150lm MultiWall GII - HP5 provides 3 - 7 Ch. DMX control using RGBAW or advanced HSL colour mixing, plus 19 preset colours, 23 crossfades and Sound to Light.

The large, user friendly LCD display also allows control of White Balance, Dimmer Curve and Modulation Frequency. The DISSIMAX cooling system provides for the first time, extended life-t

UK - A powerful and versatile yet lightweight and energy-efficient new tool for those working in lighting for television, film and exhibitions is now available in the UK exclusively from White Light.

The Galaxia Softlight is a flat panel style softlight fixture that generates white light using an LED light source; the fixture has a colour temperature that is variable from 2700K to 6500K with a high colour rendering index of 90-95. The Galaxia is just 40mm thick (94mm including rigging yoke), and is available in two versions - the standard 60x60cmversion and a 'half panel' 60x30cm version. In both cases softlight output is emitted from the fixture's entire front face; beam control accessories such as barn doors are available if required.

The Galaxia can be controlled via DMX512 or using a compact hand-held controller which can be used to set up colour temperature and output lev

Belgium - ArKaos has announced the release of GrandVJ 1.5, which includes major new features and enhancements.

GrandVJ is a real-time video mixer software allowing VJs to compose up to eight layers of video on the fly.

The new GrandVJ 1.5 brings video mixing to the next level with the addition of two major new features: Transitions and ArKaos Connect VST plus several other great enhancements, says the company.

With the addition of 37 transitions, it's "even more fun to mix with GrandVJ 1.5". The transitions are distributed across the following groups: eight Fades - three Blinds - six Masks - four Distortions - three 3Ds - two Pixelisations - seven Rectangles - one Slide - one Swipe - two Waves.

Each transition can have up to four parameters plus a fade time, all of which can be controlled through MIDI. In Synth Mode, the new transitions add fade in/fade out betwe

Australia - ARX has added to their USB Audio knowledge base with the addition ofa new informative Q & A page at www.arx.com.au.

Covering USB Audio use generally, as well as ARX's USB Series specifically, informative topics include: Rules for audio via USB on computers ; My USB Interface works fine during the soundcheck, but 'goes to sleep' before the show; The output of my USB Interface is not loud enough or is noisy; The USB Input to my Computer is too hot and is overloading my recording software.

(Jim Evans)

UAE - The Best Pro Audio Technology of the Year Award was been awarded to Audinate's digital networking technology Dante at this year's PALME Middle East exhibition in Dubai.

"As there are a lot of great other technologies in the audio industry, it is quite an honour to be recognised for the advancements of our digital media networking solution", comments Audinate's CEO Lee Ellison. "We believe that our recognition is a result of the many OEM partners who have embraced Dante for their products as the networking solution of choice for today's networks and as they move to AVB."

(Jim Evans)

UK - At this year's ABTT Show, Sennheiser UK will highlighting its 2000 series range of wireless microphones and in-ear monitor systems. Of particular interest to visitors will be the new Channel 38 compatible 2000 series GBw range variant, which tunes between 606 and 678MHz inclusive, says the company.

Sennheiser's 2000 series has become popular for theatre applications, with its range of wireless transmitters and receivers offering a comprehensive selection of components for vocals, instruments and in-ear monitoring.

The heart of the 2000 series is its true diversity receiver, available as a 19-inch rack mount unit with single channel (EM 2000) or twin channel (EM 2050) design. With multiple UHF frequency ranges, each with a switching bandwidth of up to 75 MHz, the range offers great flexibility, aided by professional frequency management which takes place directly through W

New Zealand - With the release of its latest addition to the Philips Selecon has released the Wing range of Wall Washers which deliver a homogenous, glare-free beam, which will evenly light walls of 3m+ high with no UV or Infrared radiation to cause damage to precious artworks or exhibits, says the company.

For the first time, Light Emitting Diodes can be used in 'real' lighting applications, providing "vast improvements in reliability, long-life and low maintenance". The Wing LED is available in two modules. The first is a Warm White (50,000hrs, 69lm/watt), dimmable via local touch switch (cycle up/down) control or via Dali control, which delivers a high quality white light.

The second is a RGB/Tuneable White (35,000hrs, 29lm/watt) controlled via DMX (RDM address) - 'tune' the colour temperature and intensity to meet the requirements of your space or dynamically mat

USA - Genelec will be showcasing the 4040A, a new model in their 4000 Series range of active two-way loudspeakers at Infocomm 2011. The new model, in common with the existing models in the range (the 4020A and 4030A), is designed for the professional installation market, while incorporating new features for use in applications such as larger conference rooms and auditoria.

"We were delighted with the reception the 4000 Series received at ISE 2011," says Terho Savolainen, marketing manager, Genelec Oy. "The excellent response confirms our belief that many in the AV sector are looking to achieve audio excellence in their installations. This new model builds on the strengths of the existing products in the range and adds features that extend the reach of the product to meet the demands of larger and more complex installations.

"Integrators working on demanding

USA - Chauvet has announced the release of its latest addition to the COLORado series: the COLORado Batten 144 TOUR. This features 144 x 1W RGBWA LEDs with mixed 15 and 30° optics for an even wash of colour across backdrops of varying sizes. The linear wash light is one meter long and can be broken down into three LED blocks for more control to match the layout of existing lights or to create large runway effects.

Chauvet says the low profile and low heat emission of COLORado Batten 144 TOUR make it a versatile unit which can be placed in tight spaces. It also has an integrated shield which can be implemented when the fixture is placed in a direct line of sight to prevent unnecessary glare. Plus, the fixture's feet double as hanging brackets which can slide to the left or right for increased mounting flexibility. COLORado Batten 144 TOUR can easily be used for foot lights, t

UAE - Optocore distributors, Thomsun Trading, has reported an enthusiastic response to the German manufacturer's new generation products from the Middle Eastern market.

Exhibiting at the recent PALME Show in Dubai, Optocore product specialist, Alok Ghurde says his company has helped to create an awareness in the region - at both this expo (for the live, rental and installation markets), and CABSAT (for broadcast).

"We have been showcasing and promoting Optocore at each of these two shows ever since we started distributing the brand," he said. "Our initial successes have been in the live/rental market, where Optocore is especially suited - but we've recently been working on several exciting projects in the broadcast, as well as the install market, where Optocore has been prominent with high profile success worldwide. We hope to have breakthroughs in this region v

UK - Calibre UK's LEDView510 video wall processors offer excellent image quality to LED screens - with particular focus on the rental and staging markets, which use large video walls, often on location or in architecturally stunning settings, the company says. The LEDView510 offers "extremely high-quality, low latency image processing at a competitive price point".

The LEDView510 is a flexible routing switcher and interface for connecting LED screens to almost any HD and SD video source; it takes the feature set of that product and adds a number of key enhancements, most notably a multiple-unit mode with auto-zoom functionality. This allows several LEDView510s to be connected together, each powering its own LED screen. A wall of up to four screens high by four screens wide can be created, with a maximum screen resolution of 7680 x 4800. "With low latency and genlo

UK - Christie has extended its Mirage Series projector line with the launch of the Christie Mirage WU-L.

The Christie Mirage WU-L delivers "high resolution and rich pixel density, as well as continuous system calibration, in a small footprint unit capable of advanced 2D-3D visualisations". Targeted to the professional market, the Christie Mirage WU-L is suitable for all applications from entertainment, to museums and education, scientific research, manufacturing, and oil and gas exploration facilities, says the company.

The 1-chip DLP with RGB LED is the first Mirage Series projector to use solid-state LED illumination, providing precise, lifelike, vibrant colours and consistent performance over an estimated 60,000-hours (approximately 6.5 years) life cycle.

"The Christie Mirage WU-L is an ideal solution for visualisation professionals whose prime concern is t

UK/The Netherlands - This year's ABTT, held on 15-16 June at London's Royal Agricultural Halls, sees Alcons Audio once again making an appearance with its comprehensive range of loudspeaker solutions and controller-amplifiers.

Alcons offers a complete portfolio from point-source, through line-source to line-array solutions, all based around proprietary and multiple-patented pro-ribbon transducer technology.

Point source systems on show - the traditional way of reinforcing theatre sound - include the VR8 compact monitor on display, as well as the SR9 front-fill, both two-way passive systems, featuring a 4" pro-ribbon HF driver.

Line source solutions are represented by the QR36 pro-ribbon column array system, a modular array concept comprising loudspeaker modules, one metre in length that can form long arrays for ultimate controlled projection.

Line-array comes in the f

UK - Following in the footsteps of the PixelRange PixelPar, PixelRange has announced the launch of QPar, a fully-programmable, plug and play, high powered colour-mixing LED wash fixture.

QPar features 12 high-intensity, QUAD colour, RGBW CREE LED's. The unit offers "outstanding longevity (Lumen maintenance: 50,000 hours L70 at 50°C (full output)) with very low consumption (8W at standby, 112W at full intensity)".

QPar features a 10° beam angle as standard via a toughened glass front lens though further light-shaping diffusing lenses are available to provide variation. A choice of dimming curves include tungsten, television and fine - all controlled via DMX. External control requires DMX512 digital signal via 5-pin XLR.

IP20-rated, QPar can be floor or truss mounted using dual yokes - making it suitable for lighting stages, backdrops, sets, cycloramas, struc

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