Jireh Supplies Inc announced that it is now the exclusive North American distributor for The Effects Company from the UK, and proudly showcased the full product range on stand. There were also live demonstrations of the spectacular CO2 Jet system and Cirrus Lowsmoke. Gene Byce, of Jireh Supplies was very excited about the potential of all The Effects Company's products, particularly their quality and ease of use.
Rane was demo'ing its Scratch Live system - an interesting product with some pretty clever technology. The Scratch Live interface connects almost any computer to an ordinary pair of turntables or CD players. It can then faithfully track every subtle movement of the stylus on the included control records. The same movement is then instantly applied to any digital audio file in the user's collection, producing a sound and feel that is indistinguishable from vinyl. All Rane products are manufactured in the USA.
At A.C.T. Lighting the folks from MA Lighting (distributed in the US by A.C.T) were on hand to explain the latest refinements and additions to the grandMA console. The grandMA version 5.3 features a full blind editor, which works parallel to the live programmer. In addition, the console now supports WYSIWYG autofocus functionality via Ethernet directly. Keeping up with the times, MA has released the grandMAVideo, a new media-server application for all grandMA consoles, and coming soon is dimMA sine-wave, a new module with IGBT technology; the dimMA sine-wave modules will feature 4x3 kVA and 2x6kVA dimmer channels and will be based on pulse-width modulation with 40 kHz for extremely smooth waveforms. Also distributed by A.C.T. is the Frog 2 console from Zero 88. In this edition of the Frog line, there are no restrictions imposed by the hardware design. Multiple playback, user-definable controls, user-selectable screen views, and touch-screen menus allow you to choose an operating environment to best suit your needs.
With media servers being one of the buzz words at the show, TMB was showcasing the Hippotizer range from Green Hippo, which received much attention at PLASA this year. In addition, G-Lec announced the appointment of TMB as its exclusive sales partner in North America and launched its first for-sale unit, the LightFrame. The TMB stand was also the base for the men of Carallon, namely Nick Archdale and Richard Mead, the former Flying Pigs who have been keeping themselves busy since leaving the High End Systems fold earlier in 2004. Their new Pharos solid state architectural controller was receiving an excellent response at LDI, Mead told us. The system offers a cost-effective solution for controlling entertainment and LED lighting in architectural environments. Pharos offers real-time control of playback selection and lighting levels; playback of scenes, sequences, effects video clips and text; control of any DMX512 (RDM) or, optionally, DALI lighting fixtures; supports RGB and CMY colour-mixing, conventional dimmable fixtures and ballasts and automated moving lights. It also offers support for MIDI, RS232, USB, digital inputs, Lonworks etc and is compatible with third-party wall panels and touch-screens.
Vari-Lite introduced its new VL2500 spot and wash lights, however it was the VL3500Q that was one of the stars of the show. Even the normally understated Philip Norfolk became animated when it came to discussing this fixture: with 50% audible reduction in noise output from the standard VL3500, it is ideal for theatre use, perhaps even FOH. It has an incredibly even field of intensity and very fast colour mixing potential: however, the shutter system must truly be the highlight of this fixture, with a nine-motor system it can go incredibly small and still remain very sharp - and the shape is totally repeatable.
UK - This year's AES Convention in San Francisco played host to a couple of high-profile presentations of the TiMax Audio Imaging DSP delay matrix and showcontrol system. At the Live Surround Symposium, chaired by Fred Ampel in the historic Merchants Exchange Building downtown, around 150 attendees listened to presentations from various audio luminaries on live surround in theatre and orchestral productions, ambisonics, soundfield microphones and live sports broadcasting. The session ended with a live band mixed by Buford Jones on the new DiGiCo D1 console matrixed via TiMax to a nine-channel Meyer CQ2 surround system.
In his Delay-Imaging presentation, TiMax creator Robin Whittaker demonstrated to audience members how audio wavefront arrival time differences significantly influence the perceived localization of multiple audio sources, a phenomenon discovered by Helmut Haas in the 1950s. In live audio demos, precise control and management of source delay offsets was shown to significantly improve voice and music mix intelligibility, a perceptual outcome known as the Cocktail Party Effect. Several case studies have explained the benefits of this sort of control in real life operatic and orchestral sound reinforcement, say Out Board.
The creation of animated surround effects soundscapes for theatrical, corporate and special events was demonstrated with the help of cannon fire, Harley Davidsons and a helicopter fly-by played off the new TiMax PC audio playback system.
For a slightly different flavour, TiMax was installed in the new Polo's Blue Cube club, which ho
UK - Out Board's new DM-Series of direct control chain-hoist controllers have been achieving growing success with UK and international re-sellers, the company reports. Italian distributor Audiolink has recently sold one of the eight-channel DM8 units to major sound and lighting rental company Agora for rigging their lighting and PA systems including their V-Dosc line-array. Audiolink has also put four DM4 four-channel units into stock in anticipation of rapid demand for compact modular direct hoist control.
Pete Brotzman's Crystal Pro Audio sales company has also supplied two DM8s to the Croation production company Lite-Prom to manage direct control CM hoists used for PA and general rigging purposes, while in the UK A.C. Lighting reports positive client feedback on the four-channel DM4 which the company has recently started selling, following substantial sales this year of six-channel CM6 low-voltage hoist controllers.
Low-voltage control CM-Series re-seller business includes 12-channel CM12s with splitter boxes and remote handsets to Elstree Light & Power (ELP) as part of an extensive rigging refurbishment for London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, plus various quantities of CM4 units via Tomcat in the UK, Spanish distributor Pro-Lighting SL and Swedish distributor Intersonic. UK rigging company Vertigo has also just purchased a pair of CM12 units to add to its extensive rental inventory of Out Board CM controllers.
The Out Board CM-Series low-voltage controllers for CM Lodestar hoists are available in compact 4-, 6-, and 12- channel variants, along with various re
A few blocks away from the convention centre, in the Continental Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel, L-Acoustics mounted the launch of what the latter-day pioneer of the technology called the "next generation" of line array - so expectations were high. Kudo (below right) was duly unveiled, and described by technical support manager for touring, Paul Bauman, as "something a bit different from the usual line source array".
Kudo apparently gets its name from 'K-Louvre Modular Directivity', a patent-pending technology designed to enable users to change the coverage pattern of the array mechanically - either vertically or horizontally. It incorporates the company's now-famous WST waveguide fundamentals, and comprises a medium-format, active 3-way system with two12", four 5" and two 1" components. But uniquely, K-Louvre itself is a system of control panels that slide across the front of the cabinets 55° inwards or 25° outwards.
"It's intermediate between V-Dosc and ARCS in terms of SPL," said Bauman, "and is not intended as a replacement product. Like V-Dosc, it can be used as a variable curvature, vertical line source array, at angles between 0° and 10°. At the same time, we can adjust the coverage horizontally using the K-Louvre technology. Like ARCS, we can fly it horizontally as a constant-curvature line source array, 10° per enclosure, thereby utilizing K-Louvre to adjust the coverage vertically."
Either way, Kudo is a product that places versatility at the top of the agenda, and Bauman's list of potential applicati
Enttec, the Australian manufacturer whose Datagate was a nominee at the PLASA Show's Awards for Innovation this year, was also at LDI. The company's Nicolas Moreau reports that the response to Datagate has been good since PLASA. Sharing the company's stand at LDI was another Antipodean lighting innovator, Martin Searancke, who demonstrated his Light Factory PC-based lighting control software. His motivation in developing this system was a realization that most software on the market tended to cater for moving lights; he was also conscious, he explains, of other packages' poor use of 'screen real estate'. Light Factory, he says, is "a no-compromise approach of traditional dimmer control and fully featured moving light support". Introduced just one year ago, Light Factory is now in its third version and has established a respectable core of users in that time.
The reissued Furman Sound's Q-Series II Equalizers comprise the Q-2312 two-channel, 31-band, 1/3-octave graphic equalizer; the Q-1311 single channel, 31-band, 1/3-octave graphic equalizer; the Q-2151 two-channel, 15-band, 2/3-octave graphic equalizer; the Q-2152V long throw, two-channel, 15-band, 2/3-octave graphic equalizer with VU meters; and the Q-1312V long throw single channel, 31-band, 1/3-band octave equalizer with analogue VU meter.
Compulite was showing its Vector lighting control series, offering advanced console design for handling conventional and automated fixtures, dual processor design for high performance and stability, a familiar Windows XP environment, VX Works real-time operating system, and an interactive toolbar for rapid programming. The Vector comes in three colours (Red, Green, and Blue), each of which has specific capabilities.
Sweden - Located in a historic food market on the picturesque riverside of Uppsala, Saluhallen is a new venue which functions as a food market by day before reverting to a chic nightclub complex after dark. All the leisure hospitality areas are operated by Svenssons Krogar (responsible for a number of bars and restaurants in the city), with the signals digitally processed and routed using the BSS Soundweb DSP platform.
The system design was carried out by BSS' Swedish distributors, Septon Electronic AB, in collaboration with local contractor Scenteknik AB, who were responsible for the installation. Septon's solution was to specify two SW9088iis networked signal processing devices and an SW9026 audio switcher to cover a total of seven zones (two bars/dancefloors, two restaurants, two VIP rooms and an outdoor patio), with access to 12 sources via custom wall panels.
Contained in the Soundweb system is all processing, routing and source selection, along with EQ, crossover, limiting and most of the level control. Soundweb also provides automatic priority for DJ over background music sources as well as a Fire Alarm Mute Override. Audio feeds include four-zone music server, two CD changers, two CDJs and a series of plug-in points. There is also provision for a third DJ set-up on the patio. Keeping faith with Harman Pro brands, Crown Xs 900, Xs 700 and CH1 amplifiers have been selected to power an all-JBL Control speaker system, including multiples of Control 30, 29AV, SB210, 25AV, 25T and 23T - and an SMS1 Soundzone Music System.
(Lee Baldock)
The new, low profile S3S stage from Milos is made of lightweight aluminum. It can be used with standard, adjustable or telescopic legs. Their cell 300 series of clamps are designed for 60-63.5mm tubes, while the cell 400 quick clamp series are used with tubes 38-51mm. Their M520 folding truss come in triangle or box format, and reduces storage and transportation volume by 70%.
Holowalls' stand was one of the most eye-catching at the show: the refracted colours generated by these films is highly effective - especially when demonstrated with the aid of a Martin Atomic Strobe!
XL Video is now carrying the new Hibino Chroma Tek 6mm LED indoor panel, which features 12bit color depth, a brightness of 1,200 NIT and can be configured into a variety of shapes. XL also carries Barco products, including the Barco MiPix pixelblocks, as well as plasma and portable video displays. XL provides have offices in the U.S., the U.K., Belgium and Germany.
Andy Graves was on hand at Pulsar to demonstrate the company's increasingly wide range of LED fixtures, which are finding their way into more and more applications - including club and bar installations, architectural lighting, and television and stage environments. The range was recently enhanced with the addition of a range of 17 decorative MR16-sized fittings for interior design applications. The fittings are based around the ChromaMR16 Heart, which has 18 high-power LEDs and is supplied with 3m of lightweight ChromaFlex cable. Other recent additions from Pulsar include the ChromaBatten200 and ChromaFlood200 - both 200W fixtures rated IP65 for exterior use.
Goddard Design Co, responsible for the Lil'DMXter amongst other products, has developed an interesting software accessory for the LDs or board ops - the Virtual Magic Sheet. Now, instead of having pages of channel lists on the monitors, you can display them on the screen as a graphical representation of the lighting plan. Creating a live Magic Sheet at the designer's production desk or on a laptop computer anywhere in the theatre, it's driven via a Wi-Fi link to the DMX output of any control system. Channel numbers can be placed anywhere on the screen with a simple drag-and-drop interface; labels and arrows and other graphic shapes can then be added to organize the drawing. You can then plug in any console's DMX data stream and watch your plan come to life! Everything from intensity, to colour - at last a simple tool that offers the designer the ability to view lighting control data on his or her terms, with as many parameters featured on the screen and moving as the LD requires.
ETC's stand had hints of decadence with a huge baroque proscenium arch set into it, displaying the company's sine wave dimmers in the 'back stage' whilst control and lighting equipment was mainly displayed in the resulting 'FOH' areas. The stand also naturally echoed the company's Hopper-inspired headquarters unveiled in June this year. ETC launched its Smartfade products onto the American market, the newest addition to its Smart Solutions compact lighting control range. Designed to give users at all skill levels the tools to program a lighting show, SmartFade has three operating modes:
Two-Scene, Normal, and DMX Backup. There's no learning curve for novice or first-time users: the simple two-scene mode provides a concise, easy-to-operate 12- or 24-channel, two-scene preset console with a manual or timed crossfade section, bump buttons with master and a grand master. The Normal mode is designed for more experienced users, providing 48 or 96 channels with 288 or 576 memories and 48 sequences for expanded control functionality. The DMX512 input facility enables SmartFade to provide seamless, reliable backup for any DMX512 lighting console. In DMX Backup mode, SmartFade provides 24 or 48 backup looks of 512 channels each, with backups recorded as dimmer snapshot.
Also high on the agenda was the Sensor+ SineWave dimming products, which offer precise voltage, temperature and load reporting for each dimmer, powerful functionality of the Sensor+ CEM+, direct Ethernet control input as well as two DMX inputs, total short-circuit and overload protection and no harmonic distorti
The new DL2 is the latest in High End's line of digital lighting. The DL2 combines intelligent lighting with digital video and wireless DMX control to give designers the ultimate in flexibility. The DL2 has an internal, Windows-based media server that features rotation and movement synchronization and movie playback synchronization between units. High End also premiered the new Axon V2, a WindowsXP-based media server. The Axon V2 features movie playback synchronization between multiple Axon V2s and the DL2, rotation synchronization of X, Y and Z axes, as well as montage edge blending, remote configuration and tiling with different viewpoints. Axon V2 is applicable for use with soft LED curtains, plasma monitors, LED displays, LCD/DLP projectors and High End's own DL1 as well. Catalyst, High End's premier media server, is now currently available in three software-only versions to meet a variety of budget and production needs. Catalyst Pro 3.3 is the very latest version on the market; Catalyst DV features four object layers; Catalyst Express features a single layer output for lower budget applications.
Cirque Du Soleil now has six touring shows worldwide and five resident productions in the US - three of which are in Las Vegas, with a fourth, 'Ka', due to open this month at the MGM Grand. So this was a home-from-home for the company's technical and human resources representatives who were exhibiting at LDI to raise the profile of its technical recruitment program. This is an increasingly vital requirement of this huge entertainment concern, which now employs around 2,700 people worldwide. Among those which Cirque is particularly keen to reach are experienced automation technicians - essential to so much of their performances.
LDI is now prefaced with 'ETS' for the 'Entertainment Technology Show' in a conscious move away from the show's established 'lighting' focus. This year's show was a good, positive exhibition with satisfied exhibitors seeing a good level of business, albeit with a bad level of catering. But let's get on to the business in hand . . .
Digital Art System's newest product was the Easy Stand Alone Ethernet DMX-512 interface (IP version). This product makes it possible to work either locally or via the Internet. The interface can establish a connection to a server and look for any new updates. The lighting designer only needs to put a new show on the server and the interface will download it at the next connection. The interface can be connected to a WebCam, allowing the installer to update a design and see the changes in real time. The product took a PLASA Award for Innovation at this year's PLASA Show.
Chainmaster was on hand with its North American distributor, Show Distribution. Frank Hartung, the company's managing director, noted that Chainmaster chain hoists and controllers have been installed at the Deutsche Staastoper in Berlin, the Theaterhaus Gesnerallee in Zurich, the De Harmonie concert hall in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, and the Theatre aan het Vrijthof in Maastricht, also in the Netherlands. Chainmaster Variolifts were also used on Sting's Sacred Love Tour 2004.
UK - A.C. Lighting has supplied theatre equipment to The Broadway and Artsdepot newly fitted theatres in London. The company won competitive tenders after being approached by Roger Fox of Theatreplan Consultants (The Broadway) and Chris Baldwin of ACT Consultants (Artsdepot).
The Broadway is Barking and Dagenham's newly re-developed live performance arts venue, presenting a mixed programme of high quality, professional music, dance, drama, comedy, children's and family shows. Tim Foster Architects were commissioned to re-design the original Broadway as part of a regeneration programme of the town's city centre. The new 950 capacity venue opens its doors this Christmas with Dick Whittington and his Kool Kat - an updated version of the London classic.
The Broadway's lighting rig, which includes several products from A.C.'s exclusive product range, comprises of Chroma-Q scrollers and PSUs, Tourflex Datasafe scroller cables and Vision Par 64s. Other equipment included ADB Fresnel lanterns, ETC Source 4 Zoom Par lanterns, DMX cabling and Socapex Multicore extension cabling, 12-way IWBs and an Avolites Pearl lighting console.
The theatre's audio system comprises of custom 19" racks containing various playback, effects and processing units, XTA GQ600 dual graphic equaliser, Midas Venice 32 channel sound desk, Dynacord monitor speakers, eight way stage box, various mic equipment, and cabling.
The Broadway's technical manager, Jon Brighton, commented: "With the very short lead time A.C. Lighting were given, it is amazing that all the kit we ordered t