UK - Students studying the Live Sound module at the University of Glamorgan recently enjoyed an interactive workshop with Yamaha's Commercial Audio Digital Systems Manager, Nick Pemberton.

Nick brought along five high end Yamaha M7CL mixing desks for the students to get their hands on - giving them some really valuable first-hand experience with the latest industry equipment.

The M7CL series is a digital live-sound console, it includes an array of advanced concepts such as the Centralogic control interface that makes it as easy and intuitive to use as an analogue console. The M7CL is the ideal digital mixing console for medium size live sound applications that have previously been handled by analogue gear, says the company.

Award Leader Stuart Green commented: "The feedba

Germany - Visual Productions will be showing Cuelux software lighting control running on Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows and Ubuntu Linux at ProLight&Sound.

The Mac computers will highlight Cuelux' Plug&Play MIDI feature, including connection to a Behringer BCF2000 MIDI desk with motorized faders: a suitable package for any LJ / DJ or Club to use.

The Windows version will be running on a touch screen computer showcasing the true nature of this touch screen designed software.

The Linux system will run the stand lighting which consists of a number of Lightcraft LED fixtures supplied by VP's German distributor LMP Lichttechnik.

Visual Productions will also be showing new hardware at the show. A new version of the DIN Rail DMX Splitter now features RJ-45 connectors. This further reduces the time required for an installer to create DMX networks on site.

(Jim Evans)

UK - Fibre Optic Systems (FOS) has recently completed the stylish illumination of the Odeon cinemas' northern flagship venue at Odeon Metrocentre, Gateshead. FOS worked in alliance with Leeds-based contractor, Morfitts, and all products were supplied via the city's Litetask to a very tight schedule.

Morfitts won the contract based on the success of a previous Odeon refurbishment and competitive pricing. Morfitts' project manager, Tony Horsman, explains: "We contacted Fibre Optic Systems because we've worked with them before and we know we get a good service from them and reliable back up whenever we need it. It was a very tight schedule, so we had to pull all the stops out with everybody to deliver - that is why we used suppliers and manufacturers we could trust implicitly."

The newly built cinema features a LED-illuminated, glass staircase which dominates the foyer

USA - Billy Elliot, the musical which has become a success in London, Sydney and New York, is set to go worldwide this year, with shows in Korea and Chicago already agreed. By the end of 2010 there will also be a touring production moving to a different US city every three or four weeks.

Until now, productions have always included set pieces which revolve and emerge through trap doors, requiring extensive digging through the floor of theatres, which will not be possible on tour, so the set has been suitably modified. Lighting designer Rick Fisher also took the opportunity to consolidate some of the lighting on the show. He explains, "We needed to be able to keep the get in and get out times as short as possible, so that the first performance in a new venue could be within the week of moving.

"We've packaged the lighting to stay on the trusses as far as possibl

UK / USA - Christie has confirmed full production, shipping and installation of the latest generation of 4K-ready DLP Cinema projectors, the Christie Solaria series, beginning with the Christie CP2220. The new product series will be showcased in its entirety at ShoWest (15-18 March, 2010, Las Vegas).

The Christie CP2220 digital cinema projector features Texas Instruments' next generation Series 2 DLP Cinema technology. Shipments began early January to North and South America, Europe and Asia and are now installed and showing feature films worldwide, including Australia, Canada, Korea and the United States. With orders arriving daily.

"Our manufacturing facilities are in full production ensuring that we keep pace with this overwhelming demand for the new Christie Series 2 projectors," said Craig Sholder, vice president of entertainment solutions at Christie. "Wit

Germany - The resurgence of the Studiomaster professional audio brand continues with new product lines, being launched at ProLight&Sound, where the company has doubled its stand space this year. The new products include portable PA, compact sound installation, PA and line array systems. Also being launched is a new multi-pattern tube condenser microphone, a first entry for Studiomaster into the professional recording microphone market.

Portable PA is a traditional Studiomaster product sector where it enjoys a long history of product innovation, especially in compact and powered mixer systems. The company is launching the new Stagesound series in Frankfurt, a modern, high quality, powered mixer and two-way cabinet portable PA series. Two models, the Stagesound 8 with a six-input, 2 x 100 watt powered mixer and 8-inch speaker cabinets, and the Stagesound 10, offering an eight-inpu

UAE - Nicolas Kyvernitis Electronics Enterprises, distributors of Neutrik products in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman has supplied United Motors with a considerable amount of Neutrik etherCon couplers for the Ethernet communication between the two carriages of the RTA's articulated busses.

The etherCON Series is a ruggadized and lockable RJ45 connector system, optimised for pro audio, video and lightning network applications. The chassis connectors are shaped to fit into standardized panels out of the entertainment industry.

"Although our primary focus is supplying the professional audio, video and lighting market segments with the best connectors in the market we have been able to tap into some other segments with Neutrik," commented Richie Hiranandani, marketing manager. He added, "Neutrik's focus on high quality and reliable products make th

UK - The organisers report "excellent attendance" at ISCEx2010 in Watford last week. All possible exhibition spaces were taken up and the seminars were filled with keen listeners almost to bursting.

Terry Baldwin, president of ISCE, said, "What a day! I thought this year's exhibition was probably the very best yet. There was a full house regarding seminars and an excellent number of casual visitors. Well done to Ros Wigmore for organising the event and to the many exhibitors without whom it wouldn't have been the same."

Nicky Spiers, of Voice Perfect, said: "This year's exhibition was Voice Perfect's first with the ISCE. We were pleasantly surprised by the friendly and relaxed environment that they created which allowed us to demonstrate our new products to interested members. We met many friends, old and new and hope to have at least re-established co

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China - The founders and owners of Czech Republic based lighting manufacturer Robe Lighting - Josef Valchar and Ladislav Petrek - have invested in a new LED screen manufacturing startup - Vuepix - together with Australian entrepreneur Cuono Biviano, the owner of sales and distribution company ULA.

The Vuepix factory is based in Shenzhen, China, and the new brand will be distributed globally through another new company, Visual Lighting Solutions. This will provide general distribution and service of the new LED screens manufactured in China via Robe's worldwide dealer network.

Valchar states, "We have been keeping a careful eye on the convergence of the mediums of lighting and video over the last five years, and have already brought a number of highly successful Robe 'digital lighting' products to the market. With this trend of integration very much 'ongoing', the next log

Mexico - Mexico City and Monterrey were the targets for MA Lighting Latin America to present the brand new grandMA2 as well as share the knowledge of the new console series. 70 people from the entertainment industry were attended the events, with Audio Systems and Serpro receiving training in Monterrey and new Mexican MA Lighting dealer Showco trained in Mexico City.

MA Lighting's regional sales manager Daniel Ridano comments: "Our guests were very keen to know more about the grandMA. Networking, full-tracking-backup-mode fiber optics e.g. are concepts not very well known and are even quite new in Mexico - and concepts which MA has developed to perfection. The flexible and sophisticated hard- and software raised a few eyebrows and was received with enthusiasm."

(Claire Beeson)

USA - Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd, the UK manufacturer of Focusrite and Novation brands, has announced the formation of Focusrite Novation Inc, establishing a dedicated American presence for the UK company. Phil Wagner, who held a similar position as President of Solid State Logic Inc, will head the new company.

Phil Dudderidge, Focusrite managing director states: "We want to increase the recognition of and support for the Focusrite and Novation brands in the vital U.S. market. Creating Focusrite Novation Inc. enables us to enhance our presence with increased levels of dealer support and various forthcoming marketing initiatives. We are extremely pleased to have Phil Wagner come on board as President of our wholly owned subsidiary."

Focusrite Novation Inc. will concentrate on growing Focusrite and Novation's expanding product slate with the addition of sales mana

On Broadway - A musical celebrating musician Ray Charles will open on Broadway in November, it has been announced. Unchain My Heart will be produced by Stuart Benjamin, who also made the 2004 Oscar-winning movie Ray which starred Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx. The musical was originally staged at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2007 with the title Ray Charles Live! A New Musical. The Broadway cast has yet to be unveiled. In 2004, Foxx was named best actor at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of the late musician, who was a pioneer in the genre of soul during the 1950s. The film also won the Oscar for sound mixing.

Performing Rights - The royalties that UK songwriters, composers and music publishers get from online sales are growing faster than the decline from CDs and DVDs. That is the finding of PRS for Music, the not-for-profit body which ensures such gro

USA - After four subpar audio installations at the Payne County Courthouse in Oklahoma, Judge Worthington and the courthouse administration approached Aspen Custom Electronics with a special request to upgrade the courthouse audio system for good. Using an arsenal of AKG equipment which includes the WMS450 Wireless body pack, a DMM 4/2/2 Audio Mixer and two GN30 Goosenecks, Aspen Custom Electronics installed a clear and powerful audio system.

According to Matt Hall, project manager for Aspen Custom Electronics, the courthouse's audio system required so many revisions because of its many acoustical anomalies. Built in 1917, it was designed to provide optimal voice projection without the use of a PA system, so even the smallest sounds reverberate throughout the room, and a good portion of the front is covered in marble. What's more, the witness is able to turn up to 180 degrees wh

Belgium / Germany - Five new products will make their ProLight&Sound début as ADB Lighting continues to expand its product range.

The list is headed by the ALC4 modular LED Cyclorama light, previewed at IBC 2009, which has already been specified in large numbers for the current Jean Michel Jarre European tour as well several major television studios. The first Cyclorama fixture of its kind, the ALC4 is capable of providing over 1m shades of colour, including pure yellow and soft ambers, for extra ease of use the ALC4 provides seven user-selectable white light presets from 2700K to Daylight 6500K.

The Warp Daylight Follow Spot, a versatile Follow Spot version of the standard Warp Daylight fixture, has been developed in response to market demand by ADB Germany.

Also showing is the full production version of ADB's new flagship dimmer, EurodimTwin Tech, which allows users

UK - DB Systems (DB) reports that it has purchased approximately £100,000 of new equipment, including seamless LCD panels and 3D Pyramoid units, which are a form of 3D holographic projection.

DB has also made a further investment in Microsoft Surface units, which the company originally introduced to the UK event and exhibition market at the end of 2009. Microsoft Surface is a revolutionary multi-touch system that allows several users to simultaneously touch up to 52 points on the screen. Users can also operate a variety of programmes and features to perform numerous functions at any one time, such as maximising and minimising windows, viewing product data, as well as animation and video content.

The investment in new equipment has come as DB prepares for a busy spring calendar of events. Over the next three months, DB will be supply AV & IT services to 14 events. DB will

UK - Showsec continued its long-term partnership with the 2010 International Live Music Conference. Communication was a recurring theme as company directors sat on three expert panels debating issues and discussing best practice.

The four-day London conference began with a production day, attended by several hundred international suppliers to venue, tours and festivals. Showsec managing director Mark Harding participated in a panel about how to deal with emergency incidents arising from inclement weather.

Every year there are a significant number of casualties caused by bad weather related incidents at outdoor events and members of the panel recounted personal instances and experiences as to how to avoid or overcoming these. Responding to questions from members of the audience, Harding explained the value of effective planning and communications infrastructures from managing s

Australia - Darren McKenzie from Melbourne-based production The Loft Productions used ARX's USB - DI USB Digital to Analogue transformer isolated interfaces at the recent Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena.

McKenzie described the USB DIs as being ideal for the "on air play out" from the commentators computers and audio feed located in the Pit commentary position below court level. The transformer isolated outputs ensured noise free performance when connected to the complex broadcast audio system used at the Open.

The commentary was streamed via the USB DIs to the 'Tennis Radio Network' and then up-streamed globally though the world wide web to an estimated on line audience of around 2m tennis fans.

(Jim Evans)

UK - With the Soundcraft Vi Series now established on both the touring, broadcast and installed sound scenes, Soundcraft has taken this platform to another, more affordable level with the release of the new Vi1 console. Many users have asked for a smaller, lower-priced desk that still has the acclaimed Vistonics user interface, says the company.

A complete standalone the new console package features 32 channels of analogue input to 27 analogue outputs, plus six digital inputs, four Stereo FX Returns and six digital outputs in one chassis. As standard, Input to mix capacity is 46chs, but by adding a stagebox (compatible with the existing Vi racks), simultaneous channel count increases to 64. Channels are routable to 24 multifunction busses, plus LR and Mono Mix busses.

Up to eight of the busses can be configured as Matrix mixes, each with up to 16 sources.

The surface is just

USA - At ShoWest 2010 in Las Vegas, Dolby Laboratories announced it is working with Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios to deliver a new audio format, Dolby Surround 7.1. Disney and Pixar have stated that Dolby Surround 7.1 will be launched in select theatres with the release of Toy Story 3 in 3D this June.

"For 40 years Dolby has not only provided content creators with the tools to create a more realistic audio experience, but has also enabled the exhibitor to deliver audiences the ability to experience the content as the creator intended," said Page Haun, senior director, marketing, Cinema market segment, Dolby Laboratories. "The release of Toy Story 3 in a discrete 7.1 mix will raise the bar for movie theatre owners and their patrons."

Dolby Surround 7.1 brings a more exciting sensory experience to audiences for 2D and gives co

USA - The BankAtlantic Center (BAC) in Sunrise, Florida is using dynamic visuals from Martin Professional to enhance the fan experience and expand the venue's marketing platform with the added benefits of attracting larger crowds and ultimately greater revenue.

BAC is a state-of-the-art, 20,000 seat capacity arena that is home to the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League, as well as the Lingerie Football League's Miami Caliente. The venue also hosts a number of other major events every year.

The expanding cost of stadiums and arenas necessitates keeping the seats full by maximizing the marketability of a venue. But with other high profile teams like the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, Miami Heat and several top college teams in the region, not to mention great weather and endless beaches, BAC has a lot of competition for the entertainment dollar.

"Martin solut

Switzerland - TiMax2 SoundHub recently helped launch several new models from Spanish car manufacturer Seat, taking control of the multichannel sound system plus a variety of talent and content sources on their lavish stand at the Geneva Motor Show.

TiMax was specified by Pere Capell of BTM Sound in Gerona as the system matrix to tie together a complex hook up of the exhibition stand's distributed presentation system and a full concert sound system used in the press launch which featured a live performance by Grammy Award-winning Latin pop diva Shakira.

The press launch system consisted of five Meyer M'Elodie line arrays and two M1D arrays including subs, which the TiMax delay-matrix blended with a distributed system consisting of fourteen Meyer CQ1 and nine Meyer UPA powered enclosures. TiMax also provided grouped system EQ and level-profiling across the booth's multiple overl

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