Belgium - Barco has launched a mobile, self-contained outdoor LED solution, which incorporates a rotatable 9sq.m LED display mounted on a trailer. The new B-10 is a cost-effective mobile LED solution incorporating Barco's SLite 10 outdoor LED screen modules. As a fully self-contained unit with display, image processor and internal power supply, the B-10 can be set up by one person and can be ready to operate in less than 15 minutes, say the company. With its 360° rotatable screen, the B-10 can also easily be positioned or repositioned throughout an event to face the audience, regardless the setting. In addition, the B-10 has an adjustable tow-bar, which allows it to be used with any car or truck with a towing capacity of 3,5 ton and above.
As a cost efficient, self-contained mobile LED display solution, Barco's B-10 offers all companies - large or small - the opportunity to own their own LED screen. Its mobile nature allows the screen to be used at any type of event at any time. Short set-up and tear down times allow the user to maximize the utilization rate of the B-10, ensuring optimum return on investment.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Le Maitre were called upon by United International Pictures/Nibbs Events to turn Leicester Square into an alien attack zone for the premiere of the new War of the Worlds movie on 19 June. A six-man crew of pyrotechnicians worked over two 12-hour days and used a range of different special effects on the set in the centre of Leicester Square. The park was turned into a dramatic bomb site for the stars and guests to walk through before entering the Odeon cinema though a tunnel.
The set was designed to look like the fall out from an alien attack, with piles of rubble, overturned cars, a demolished archway, broken lampposts, park benches and a phone box. Le Maitre used CO2 Jets in the craters on the ground, which fired throughout the show. The craters also held the Dragon gas flame effects, which spewed flames in random bursts. The Pyrotek Dragons were also used on the balconies on the front of the Odeon Cinema, creating 28ft of flame on either side. Dragon heads and some smaller flambeaux flame effects were used to simulate small fires around the park and in the wrecked cars.
The show began when Concussion effects were fired from the roof of the Odeon: this was the cue to fire pyrotechnics from the craters, including Stage Gerbs, Mines, Comets, Theatrical Flashes, Microdets and Robotics. The spooky atmosphere was created with smoke from a G300 and a Mini Mist, and with low-lying fog from the Freezefog.
(Lee Baldock)
New Zealand - Historically, theatre lighting designers have been unable to produce crisp shutter cuts or pattern projection in very long-throw situations. The problem being, the only luminaires available to date either utilize plastic lenses which cannot maintain the desired light output and beam quality or they have beam angles which are just too wide. This issue has been addressed by Selecon, the company claims, by a new lighting tool. The Pacific 5° High Efficiency Fixed Beam has been designed as a no-compromise long-throw lens tube for the Selecon Pacific range.
Featuring a dual glass lens design using a 300mm front lens, this luminaire delivers more light than the Pacific 5.5°-13° Very Narrow Zoomspot (200mm front lens) with an unmatched beam quality. Shutter cuts are knife-edged (or with a well controlled soft cut - adjustable using the rear lens); high contrast pattern projections.
Also from Selecon is the new Pacific Dowser drop-in accessory, which dims discharge lamps (575W MSR, 250ST, CDM) delivering a similar response to that of a tungsten lamp. The fixture offers a very low operating noise due to absence of cooling fans, as well as a smooth dimming action. Touch panel DMX address includes programmable stand-alone function, display brightness selection, and line termination switch. The slowest fade time is defined by the control console, while the fastest fade to black-out time is given as 0.35 sec. The slide-out modular design of the unit makes cleaning and maintenance simple, say Selecon.
(Lee Baldock)
UK - Lighting designer Peter Barnes wanted to create plenty of visual eye candy for both cameras and the live audience - with what was primarily a daylight show in London.He wanted the brightest and highest impact LED fixtures with which to do this, and chose 120 PixelLine 1044s and 14 of the new PixelLine 110ecs. Barnes created zigzagged LED borders to the onstage trusses and used the 110's at the bottom of the PA scrims firing out into the audience.
Barnes also used PixelDrive for controlling the content running through the Pixel fixtures. The ability to drag, drop, rotate and resize video sources via PixelDrive proved invaluable for his design, as none of the battens were rigged straight. The batten's own onboard effects made it possible to have fast strobe sequences, as seen with The Who and Paul McCartney.Show lighting director for the BBC was Bernie Davies with all lighting equipment for the Hyde Park show supplied by PRG London.
Pixel team's Chris Ewington and Radical Lighting's Simon Carter supplied the latest software and to celebrate the Live 8 occasion, they added some additional new functionality and features, which will now come with all PixelDrives.
Sound Trigger: enables any attribute of the fixture - pulse, colour, strobing etc - to be connected to a sound trigger. PixelDrive offers user-definable sound triggers that synch precisely with the music, using elements of the sound frequency spectrum, e.g. bass, hi-hats, guitar, etc.
Particle Generator: This functions similarly to visualisation programmes on media players, producing movement via osc
UK - James Thomas Pixel Fixtures were utilized in a number of non conventional ways at Glastonbury 2005, including the architectural illumination of the Festival's Pyramid Stage, seen - literally - in a completely new light for the first time!
These various lateral applications of Pixel fixtures illustrated their energy-saving properties, adaptability and low heat emissions. The latter specifically enabled them to be encased in plastic and other impromptu weatherproofing materials to protect them from the swamp like conditions, in abundance at this year's Festival!
Pixel's Chris Ewington and Pyramid Stage LD Andy Porter (AKA Fraggle) had been speaking about architecturally lighting the Pyramid for the last couple of years. In 2004, Fraggle used PixelPAR 90s to illuminate the internal structural detail of the lighting rig. This year, with the new 110ec PixelLine wash fixture coming on line he developed the scheme further. He placed 18 PixelLine 110ec's around the base of the stage washing the skin of the Pyramid. The internal trussing of the structure was again lit - with 24 PixelPAR 90s.
The Pixel fixtures were controlled by Fraggle's laptop running JTE's PixelDrive software. He used the Scheduler in PixelDrive to switch on in the mornings and run throughout the day, gradually fading in as darkness fell. The lights draw very little power so the cost of leaving them on all day was not an issue.
The Pyramid was lit in solid red on the Friday for the White Stripes and in blue on Saturday for Coldplay's headline slot. On the Sunday, for Basement Jaxx's closing he
Denmark - Martin Professional's line of popular, award-winning MAC moving heads is expanding with the launch of the new MAC 700 Profile which squeezes as much into the fixture as possible, while maintaining the same fixture size as the MAC 550. In fact it is designed to fill the gap between Martin's 575W MAC 550 and the 1200W MAC 2000 Profile, although this 700W profile spot is packed with more features than either.
The combination of efficient 700W double-ended lamp and new glass reflector technology produces a remarkable light output. A full CMY color mixing system and eight-position colour wheel are included. All colors on the wheel are replaceable and the CMY color mixing system, animation wheel and a 'Quiet Mode' option make the MAC 700 ideally suited to the theatre market.
A gobo animation system is included, that which was pioneered by Martin in the MAC 2000 Performance and can also be found in the MAC 550. Effects such as rising flames, drifting clouds, driving rain, turbulent water and much more are achievable. Added to that are two gobo wheels, a six slot plus open, rotating gobo wheel with 16-bit accuracy; and a nine slot plus open, fixed gobo wheel. Both feature a set of gobo designs and all replaceable.
Featuring a fully motorized zoom capable of beam angles from 14 to 30 degrees, unlike step zoom systems which offer only two or three different beam angles, the MAC 700's fully motorized zoom can achieve any beam angle within the range.
Lenses inside the MAC 700 come with optical coatings to decrease light loss and to provide a better projection q
UK - Avolites once again proved to be the most popular festival console of choice at Glastonbury, with numerous desks used to run lighting in a huge variety of areas across the site. On the Acoustic stage, two Diamond 4 Elites were used by LD Rob Sangwell and programmed by Gary Churchill, running Martin MAC 2K Profiles, 2K Performances, 2K Washes, 550s and 250 Entours. The Acoustic stage used Avolites dimming plus Avo DMX buffer boxes and Fineline supplied all lighting.
Gary Churchill said: "The D4 is great. I have used it before a couple of times but here I've really had a chance to put the desk through its paces. I like the wide choice of faders and the fact that you can put any playback anywhere you like and have direct access to all the fixtures onstage." He added that the Elite was also a handy size, and could easily be moved by one person and lifted by two.
In addition to the Acoustic, Fineline also supplied lighting for the Jazz World Stage, designed by Kris Lundberg, who chose an Avo Sapphire console for his control platform which controlled a combination of High End Studio Beams, PC Beams and 250s plus conventionals.Other Fineline supplied stages included the Circus tent, where LD James Loudon used an Avolites Pearl, programmed and operated by Pearl owner Jan Osborne of Lampiez.
In the Theatre tent - rapidly repaired after being damaged in the electrical storm preceding this year's event - LD Hal Himsworth was in control with another Pearl and over on the outdoor Circus Stage Andy Melony used a Pearl as did Simon Johnson in the Cabaret tent.<
USA - ETA Systems, a manufacturer of high quality power protection, distribution, and lighting control products for the audio/video industry, has announced that it has been acquired by Powervar Inc for an undisclosed amount. The company's products are sold to broadcasters, recording and production studios, theatres, auditoriums, churches, schools and live performing artists, through distributors, contractors and retail cutlets throughout the US, Europe, and Asia.
Powervar Inc is a privately held corporation based in Waukegan, Illinois, manufacturng high-end power quality solutions for mission critical applications in healthcare, manufacturing, and other industries. Its customers are manufacturers and resellers of high technology systems used in healthcare, digital printing, semiconductor manufacturing, retail POS, and other commercial applications. The company received a 2004 Frost and Sullivan award for customer segment penetration in the healthcare marketplace. Victor Pavona, ETA National Sales Manager states, "We did our homework. When we approached Powervar, we already knew that they had an excellent reputation for products and service. We think this will be a win/win for everyone involved."
Powervar will operate ETA Systems as a wholly owned subsidiary of Powervar and will continue to do business under the ETA Systems name. Powervar's president and CEO, George Lannert says: "Our intention is to manufacture ETA's products at our Waukegan facility while maintaining the ETA business model, product family, sales force and distribution channel.&quo
UK - In the space of just seven days, White Light exhibited at the ABTT Show in London, held a moving light shootout allowing lighting designers to make a real-world comparison of some of the latest automated fixtures, and then rounded things off by holding a Graduates Open Day at its Wimbledon headquarters.
Spread across two stands at ABTT this year, White Light showed items from its extensive hire and sales stocks, including theatre lanterns from Arri and trussing from Prolyte for which White Light has recently been made a distributor; these join products from Robert Juliat, Rainbow, Look Solutions and ELC which White Light already distributes in the UK. The company's award-winning Digital Festoon System was also on show.
The day after ABTT, White Light held a Moving Light Shootout at the Royal Opera House's Linbury Studio, where lighting designers had the opportunity to compare the latest 'theatrically-oriented' moving lights: the Clay Paky Alpha Wash Halo, the ETC Revolution, the Vari-Lite VL1000TS, the ADB Warp as well as the venerable Vari-Lite VL5 and VL5B. "All of these lights use a tungsten bulb as their lightsource," comments White Light's hire director Dave Isherwood, "making them ideal for theatrical lighting designers looking for a unit that can blend in with a conventional lighting rig. They all also claim the advantage of low running noise, and it was fascinating to be able to compare them side-by-side in a real theatre environment rather than individually in a demonstration studio."
Those making the comparison included lighti
USA - Apollo Design Technology Inc has appointed Jeffrey Mateer as product development manager for all Apollo product lines. "I have known and respected Jeff for many years," said Apollo founder and president Joel Nichols. "His knowledge and abilities made him an ideal choice for this key position. His extensive experience in the industry, combined with his skills, will contribute significantly to Apollo's future product direction."
Mateer brings more than 20 years of industry experience to Apollo. His career has included general manager positions at Light & Sound Design, Nashville, and most recently, at Light Source Inc in Detroit. Mateer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Long Beach. He says: "I've enjoyed a long business relationship with Joel and his Apollo team and have always been impressed with their accomplishments. While I am grateful for my previous work experiences, I look forward to contributing to Apollo's continued growth, positive reputation, and strong market position."
(Lee Baldock)
USA - Science fiction becomes science reality this Autumn and Strong Entertainment Lighting will Power the Future. Strong's 10,000W Britelight Super 10 will be the energy source powering several competing space elevator climbers up a crane-suspended vertical ribbon. The Elevator: 2010 Climber Competition, being held in Mountain View, California from 30 September - 2 October, challenges teams from all over the world to design and build a space elevator climber prototype.
"With a 75-year heritage of success, we¹re looking to the future. We have been lighting NASA's Space Shuttle launch pad for more than five years and now we have the opportunity to light a new way to the stars," said Paul Rabinovitz, Strong vice president. "Because space elevators were once considered science fiction, Elevator:2010 is truly a revolutionary effort and we are excited to be the lighting source that powers the competition."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
Germany - Reinhold Trilling, director of lighting and set design for TV shopping channel QVC in Düsseldorf, found his visit to the ETC stand at Showtech 2005 very worthwhile: he won an ETC Source Four Revolution automated luminaire in a free draw.
Trilling said: "I would never have imagined that I'd win. This Revolution's going to get a real workout with us at QVC!" The two QVC studios broadcast live, 24 hours a day, year round, so flexibility and dependability - hallmarks of the Revolution - will be appreciated by QVC say ETC.
Opinion about this year's Showtech fair in Berlin has been unanimously positive. Show organizers reported a 4.8% rise in attendees this year, many of whom visited the ETC stand and saw the unified European product portfolio, which includes the ETC, Transtechnik, IES and Avab lighting brands.
Interest was particularly high in ETC's Congo lighting control console, which is fresh off its beta test debut at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 in Kyiv and now shipping to customers worldwide. Four Congos handled a massive display of lighting effects. Showtech visitors were eager to demo the new hybrid console, born of the union of ETC and Avab design minds.
Crowds also gathered at the IES sine wave dimming display on the ETC stand. Prospective customers were impressed by IES's long installation record in TV studios across Europe and the exceptional efficiency and cost savings of sine wave technology. Whether centralized or distributed, IES sine wave dimming provides quiet operation and extended lamp life to any production environment
Germany - When BMW launched the new 3-series at its flagship showrooms on Kurfürstendamm, Berlin's most exclusive shopping area, they wanted a store display that would stop passers-by in their tracks. Like all car showrooms, the windows are large and imposing, and BMW didn't want to block the showroom from the view of window shoppers, yet the display needed to be bright enough to create drama at night. The solution was the new PhantomFrame system from G LEC, with its transparency and high intensity LED pixels.
Each of the lightweight, 1m x 1m units of PhantomFrame supports 16 clear polycarbonate tubes, each housing 16 high intensity LED pixels spaced 60mm apart. The space between the tubes is just air, allowing the window shoppers in Kurfürstendamm to see the PhantomFrames as well as the full range of the new BMW 3 series in the showroom behind.
Lars Wolf, managing director of G-LEC, said: "The G-LEC display was on 24 hours a day for five weeks, but because our system offers total transparency, the vehicles were also always on display."
(Lee Baldock)
UK - An Avolites Pearl 2004 console and Robe fixtures are at the heart of a new lighting installation at Villa Marina, the Isle of Man's leading live music and performance venue. Villa Marina opened last year after a £14 million refurbishment project. Its production facilities have been designed to offer cutting edge technology aimed at encouraging top international acts to play the Isle of Man, without the hassle and expense of bringing in their own production.
The initial phase of installed technical infrastructure at the venue involved the design and specification of a JBL VerTec line array audio system, ready for the grand opening last year. A year down the line, it was the turn of lighting to take centre stage.
In the interim period, explains Villa Marina's chief lighting technician Alex Davidson, they utilized a hired lighting rig. This gave them the ideal opportunity to research the best fixtures available on the market, and the ones most suited to their needs.
Villa Marina's technical manager Seamus Shea initially saw Robe fixtures at the PLASA 2003 exhibition. The deal to supply the lighting rig was then cut between Villa Marina's Steve Dawson and Robe UK, and Davidson was asked to specify their exact requirements.
"I needed the most dynamic fixtures available" says Davidson, "To cater for the massive variety of acts we get over here. It's anything from a piano soloist to a 150 piece orchestra, from stand up comics to rock bands to singing competitions - plus all the major high profile touring stars." Villa Marina's schedule fea
USA - Genlyte Controls is now accepting reservations for the Level 1 Systems Technician Training Class, which is set to take place from 20-22 July 2005. The class is designed to introduce field service technicians to a variety of architectural and theatrical dimming and controls products from Entertainment Technology and Lightolier Controls, say Genlyte. It will cover basic programming and troubleshooting of Capio Plus, Intelligent Raceway, IPS Distributed Dimming Products, Vista DMX control, Horizon DMX interface and control, Marquee lighting control console, Pathport, System Networking, and LYTEmode Systems.
Skills necessary to participate include an ability to solder, read schematics, interpret shop and job drawings and program lighting consoles, as well as a basic working knowledge of DMX512 control wiring and computer networking. Attendees should also have basic computer skills, an understanding of the Windows operating systems, and a laptop computer with an operating system of Windows 2000 or better.
Taking place from 9:00am - 5:00pm, at the Genlyte Controls home office, 19011 Petal Street, Dallas, Texas, 75238, the training class is free to attendees and lunch will be provided each day at the factory. Attendees will be responsible for airfare, hotel, meals, and any other incidental expenses. Early registration is recommended. To reserve your space or for additional information, please contact Vonette Thorner at the e-mail address below.
(Lee Baldock)
Italy - Studio Due's CS 1 line of projectors has been enhanced with two new options which allow more versatile use, say the company. Available in the halogen lamp version or the discharge lamp version, the new options are designed to produce a diffuse white light (with various beam/lens options). Unlike the company's motorized projectors created for high power stage use, this CS1 offers a range of white light, combined with noiseless operation, due to its innovative construction and the lack of cooling fans. The fixtures are especially suitable for exhibitions, theatres and museums and other environments requiring precise beam positioning.
For applications requiring colour, Studio Due has designed an external colour changer, in collaboration with another Italian lighting manufacturer, Luci Della Ribalta (LDR).
(Lee Baldock)
Germany - Opened on 7 May 2005, the MARTa Herford museum in Herford, Germany aims to provide new inspiration for art, design, architecture and business both in and around the region. The extraordinary building complex is over 8,000sq.m and houses a novel combination of a Museum, a Forum, a Centre and a Café. Zero 88 Chilli Pro Dimmers are used to control the all lighting throughout the complex, integrating with Zumtobel Staff luminaries, Luxmate control system, and Soundlight system accessories to provide a complete building management solution. The Zero 88 dimmers were chosen in part for their convection-cooled design, which eliminates fan noise, and for their reliability. The range of dimmer sizes, ability to control different loads and RCD protection were also key factors in their selection.
The Museum itself is in front of the complex and consists of a 22m high dome and five smaller galleries which are flooded with light from the lofty skylights. Opposite the Museum is the Forum, which covers almost 380sq.m and can seat 199. The Café-Restaurant has a copper-clad bar and glazed front looking onto the river bank. It has two floors, and serves breakfast, lunch, evening meals and late-night drinks; the terrace can be used in fine weather.
The current exhibition '(my private) HEROES' tells of artists, heroes and stars and images of them in art from the 19th century until the present day. Its runs from 7 May - 14 August 2005. Michael Stark of Carl Stark Elektro GmbH, Mettingen, provided the installation of the museum's lighting system, with the the Chilli
Sweden - Over the last two months Wireless-DMX products from Wireless Solution Sweden AB have been involved in several high profile projects. These include Swedish Television for primetime programs, Royal Opera Houses in Sweden, England and Denmark plus Chinese W-DMX distributor Leifull installed W-DMX for Guangzhou television's 2000 channels of DMX. Infact over 600 units of W-DMX will be delivered before the end of the summer 2005.
To meet the demand of increasing market for both Architectural and Event lighting, Wireless Solution Sweden AB has hired a new European sales manager. Isac Alkstrand previously worked as an area manager in the medical business and has much experience in the field of international business, he will be taking care of all distributors in Europe.
W-DMX Black Box Mk2 is the second generation of transceivers for Wireless DMX 512, a small unit that can handle up to 512 DMX Channels with a built-in power supply of 90-250V giving an option for low voltage power. Also a large range of different antennas is available for various applications. W-DMX Black Box Mk2 is also available with built UPS function of 5-8 hours use and an IP65 version for outdoor architectural applications. W-DMX transports DMX 512 wireless "without interference", according to the manufacturer, with features including: True plug and play, support for up to 16 DMX universes with built in features including: battery backup, WYSIWYG, talkback, wireless software updates to fixtures and standard protocols (based on protocols of adaptive frequency hopping technology and
UK - Stardraw.com recently announced that it has incorporated support for WebBrick technology from UK-based home automation products and solutions company O2M8 into its award-winning application, Stardraw Control.
Stardraw Control generates standalone, customized control programs that can manage and monitor any type of addressable equipment from any manufacturer using any protocol over any communications infrastructure. This approach frees systems integrators from closed or proprietary architectures and applications, offering instead the ability to create a single application that can control many different products with as much or as little complexity as the end user needs.
O2M8 Ltd is a UK-based company creating innovative smart home products and solutions using standard technologies and open source software to reduce costs and drive growth in the smart home industry. WebBrick is a web-enabled control and monitoring unit that incorporates a range of interfaces including eight configurable trigger inputs, eight TTL or open collector digital outputs, four digital monitor inputs, a multi-temperature sensor input bus, a rotary encoder input, an analogue input and two analogue outputs. A web server and network interface allow for easy configuration, control and monitoring by other nodes on the TCP/IP network. The WebBrick is now fully supported within Stardraw Control.
John Guyatt, O2M8 managing director, is enthusiastic about the development: "I'm excited about improving the user interface choices for WebBrick technology" he commented. "There is no
UK - Lite Alternative has installed a full WYSIWYG design suite in its premises to complement the company's lighting design and production services. Having used WYSIWYG to create over 40 different shows during the past four-years, company hire director Jon Greaves recently decided to upgrade the lighting team's software licenses to the WYSIWYG Perform suite so that they could benefit from the new-to-2005 unlimited DMX channels version to pre-cue outputs from any console.
Featuring advanced CAD tools, 3D rendering and comprehensive paperwork and pre-cueing. LD Paul Normandale is currently using WYSIWYG Perform to create new show designs for Keane, The White Stripes, Sigur Ros and Beck. He commented: "I use WYSIWYG to establish the basic building blocks of my lighting designs and get clients' feedback from the renderings. With the upgrade to Perform unlimited I can now see exactly how my designs are going to look before I get anywhere near the venue, which is extremely beneficial. It's particularly handy when I'm adding fixtures on the road as shows scale up."
Lite Alternative's WYSIWYG facility includes desktop and touring laptop PCs running WYSIWYG Perform, 42" Plasma displays and a large format printer.
A.C. Lighting is a dealer for Cast's WYSIWYG software range.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
USA - Robe moving lights have been specified and installed at several clubs and venues in Kenny's Alley at the landmark 'Underground Atlanta' retail and entertainment complex. Lighting, sound and AV design and production company, Active Production & Design, undertook all the installations. The entire complex includes over 100 retail stores, restaurants and nightclubs and the entertainment district, Kenny's Alley.
Active Production has worked with owners The Masquerade Corporation for over 10 years, helping with many club designs, consultations and installation projects. This specific undertaking was the largest to date for the client - involving five venues. The Masquerade Corporation asked the company to come up with a series of creative technical solutions and cutting edge designs to suit the five very different venue environments.
When it came to picking lighting fixtures, the decision was for Robe, "chosen for its fantastic value, versatility and robustness as an install product range," says Active's club designer Matt Clouser.
The two largest venues - Future and Latin Sol - both feature 12 Robe DJ Scan 150s covering the dance floor to create a colourful array of moving 'dancey' effects. Latin Sol also features 16 Robe 160 XT recessed fixtures, discreetly rigged from the ceiling and blending subtly into the decor, their lightsources blasting movement and texturing across the dancefloor and stage.
The Robe fixtures were all supplied via local dealer Scott Hough from Griffith Sales. "The new light fixtures were delivered on time and all worke
UK - ETC has always had a busy, but not large, stand at ABTT and this year Mark White, manager for UK and Ireland, decided the company needed a bigger area to demonstrate its wares. This meant a move into what has traditionally been one of the show's quieter halls, but ETC's presence soon drew the crowds say the company.
The main attraction was ETC's Congo lighting control console - field project manager Jeremy Roberts was so busy doing demonstrations that he hardly had a break during the entire two days. Other products drawing attention were the Source Four Revolution, SmartBar, SmartFade and SmartPack Wallmount with SmartLink and wall stations. However, ETC also said that visitors to the stand were equally delighted with a very British glass of Pimm's No.1, mixed by ETC project manager Iain Quinn.
(Lee Baldock)
USA - Elation Professional has introduced the Vision Scan 575, a 575W DMX professional scanner designed for big concert halls, arenas, stage tours and major theatrical productions.
Equipped with a powerful 575W Philips lamp and a high-output luminous-parabolic dichroic reflector optical system, the Vision Scan 575 offers users three beam angle positions - 18°, 20° or 22° - with bright output at each setting. For example, at 18° the output is an impressive 12470 lux.
A moving mirror fixture, the Vision Scan 575 is capable of quick movement and beams can sweep across a wide area, with movement of 170° pan and 80° tilt. It's equipped with an iris, and a frost filter plus it features two independent gobo wheels. The first wheel takes three lithographic, one glass and three metal rotating/indexing gobos, and the second holds seven static metal gobos. Gobos can be overlaid to provide a vast array of combinations, and there's also gobo scrolling and a gobo shake effect. All gobos are easily interchangeable.
Another effect is a three-facet prism, which rotates in both directions at variable speeds. The Vision Scan 575 can produce eight colours plus white, as well as split colours, and also colour scrolling. Equipped with 16 DMX channels, the Vision Scan 575 can be operated with any standard DMX controller, or it can be run stand-alone in sound-active mode. Special DMX control options include: 16 pan/tilt pre-programmed movements via DMX; built-in programs via DMX; and pan/tilt/gobo/colour and prism set to sound active mode via DMX. Up to 16 Vision Scan 575 units
USA - In May, TMB shipped the 100th ProPower Rack Panel Distribution (RPD) System. The system was sold to Ed & Ted's Excellent Lighting, Inc. in support of an intensive summer of concert and corporate events, commencing with the Eminem North American Tour.
TMB's ProPower RPD features a comprehensive range of cULus Listed panels. Included are virtually every type of connector, voltage range, or special purpose power distro device used in the live event and entertainment industries. Over 150 panels are available, with more being added regularly. Panels and their positioning in the rack are selected by the user and the RPD system is built exactly as specified. RPD rack systems are normally shipped within ten days, completely ready to use. In addition to Power Distribution panels, an entire family of panels has been engineered using the ETC SmartPack dimmer modules and ProPlex Data Distribution Devices.
"Our new customized RPD System does more than route power. It allows us to configure the rolling rack to match our existing gear, including our standard cables and connectors," says Kevin Forster, Ed and Ted's Account Executive. "From experience, we know that well-designed power distros mean faster and easier setup, minimal failures, and a more reliable system."
Event production firms and theatrical equipment providers are being expected to furnish ever-increasing amounts of power for lighting, video, audio, projection, rigging, staging, and effects. Every power distribution application is unique. ProPower RPD has Panels designed for input and p