UK - The A.C. Entertainment Technologies' (AC-ET) stand at PLASA Focus: Leeds will feature a selection of the leading brands for which AC-ET is the exclusive UK wholesaler - and will witness the first UK trade show unveiling of the new Jands Vista L5. The L5 includes a 21" HD Wacom pen tablet display, which makes it easy to manage today's lighting rigs of moving lights, media servers and LEDs. To celebrate the launch, enter the competition to win a MacBook Pro running the Vista v2 software and find out more about the L5 at www.jandsvista.com/L5.
Also showing is the Chroma-Q range of LED lighting solutions. Latest additions include the new Studio Force D (6,100K CCT daylight) and V (3,000K-6,100K CCT variable) white light sources.
UK - Harting says its new Ha-VIS preLink interconnection system (above) offers a new installation concept for data network cabling according to ISO/IEC 1180.1, and is suited to heavy-duty applications in theatre backstage and upstage areas.
Due to be showcased at PLASA Focus: Leeds, the new connection technology simplifies cabling, saves installation time and enables extensions and conversions without incurring significant interruptions to existing operations, the company says. Installation flexibility is enhanced by easy replacement and 'drag through' in narrow ducting of the small cross-section preLink cables, allowing future-proof upgrades from Cat 5 100 Mbit/s to Cat 6 EA 10 Gbit/s performance.
Harting offers a patch panel for installation in 19" cabinets or frames in accordance with IEC/DIN EN 60297-3-100 (DIN 41494-1). A mix of up to 24 individual Ha-VIS preLink(R)
UK - At PLASA Focus: Leeds, Green Hippo will be releasing a service pack for their current 3.1 build of award winning Hippotizer software. The release includes improvements to many of the popular components and contains over 80 minor fixes over the current release. New features and New Hardware will also be on show, including I/O panels and the latest in 3G HD/SDI input cards as well as requested features such as keystone on each layer and a new Tap Tempo feature in Beat bridge. Several new effects and Generators have also been added.
See Green Hippo at PLASA Focus: Leeds - Stand S-E1 (with AC-ET)
UK - At the upcoming PLASA Focus: Leeds show, PixelRange will highlight its new range of fixtures featuring quad RGBW high intensity LEDs and new optics which provide exceptional colour mixing from the vast palette of colours achievable - from pastel shades to deep saturated hues. The fixtures are robust units, built to withstand the most harsh touring conditions, the company says.
Also on show will be the SmartLine battens - available in 4 and 6ft lengths and featuring individually mappable LEDs - and the PixelLine battens, available in 2, 4 and 6ft lengths, and fully programmable in blocks of 6 LEDs. Both SmartLine and PixelLine feature the brand new, space-saving fold flat yoke.
Also on display will be PixelSmart - a new generation PAR can-style fixture featuring 12 quad LEDs plus 13 XPGs, all individually controllable; QPar is a PAR can-style fixture featuring 12 quad LEDs
Germany - Fohhn Audio will preview the latest additions to its range of compact line array systems at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt (Hall 8.0, Stand K90). Taking centre stage this year will be the German loudspeaker manufacturer's new PT-6 plug & play compact line array and the Linea Focus Modular, latest addition to Fohhn's flagship electronically steerable Linea Focus series.
The PT-6 high-performance line array unit has been specially developed to offer both powerful coverage and easy set-up, says the company. Sporting a twin coaxial speaker construction, it contains 6 x 6.5" long excursion neodymium and 3 x 1.4" compression drivers with a specially developed HF phase EQ.
The PT-6 can be stand-mounted, stacked or flown and used in a wide range of venues such as festival tents, clubs, open-air events and concert halls. For more power and greater flexibility, up to
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ETC Halcyon Silent
High End Systems Halcyon Silent builds on ETC’s legacy of fanless automated fixtures by incorporating features from the highly sought-after Halcyon family. Halcyon Silent perfectly balances silent operation with brilliant output of 18,400 lumens and high-impact features.
Spain - Prolifts S.L. has released two new VMB TL-A line array lifts which will be presented at Prolight & Sound this month. The launch of the TL-A150 and TL-A300 means that the company now offer five different Solutions for lifting line arrays and has taken their porfolio of lifts to a total of 17 different models.
The TL-A150 lifts 150kg (331 lbs) to a height of 5.3m (17.4') whilst the TL-A300 lifts 300kg (662lbs) to 5.8m (19'). Both lifts maintain compact features with the TL-A300 boasting a stowed height of just 1.58m and includes the ALS (Auto Lock Security) system, a safety feature which automatically locks the lift masts as they rise. The two new lifts also have the new SRS (Sequence Retianer System) built-in to them. The SRS means that the sections of the lift rise and descend in sequence, one after the other.
The masts are manufactured from aluminium to keep the weigh
Turkey - Late 2011 saw the annual finals of the Hal?c? Computer Aided Composition Contest held at the Babylon venue in Istanbul. Ensuring that the finalists' live performances sounded their best was a DiGiCo SD9 console.
Sponsored by Hal?c?, one of Turkey's leading software companies, the contest has been run for the past 18 years. Open to all amateur and professional composers, the competition's main aim is to give entrants the opportunity to showcase their songwriting talents to both the national and international music industry.
Sixteen finalists were selected from 78 entries, who then performed live at Babylon in front of a distinguished jury of Turkish music, arts and technology professionals.
Elit Light & Sound Technologies, DiGiCo's Turkish distributor, supplied the SD9. "The snapshot feature made mixing 16 different performances very straightforward," says
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Create new traditions – Cameo P6 - High Output Full-Spectrum Ellipsoidal
Cameo's P6 is a future-proof LED profiler with a powerful 600 W RGBACL engine and 16,000 lumens. It’s an energy-efficient replacement for 2.5 kW halogen profile lights in theatres and venues. With excellent light quality and natural colour rendering, it fits perfectly in theatres, musicals, TV studios, congresses, and live events.
With an LED life of 50,000 hours and low power use, the P6 cuts energy costs and supports the EU’s ‘Green Deal’ goals for climate neutrality by 2050. It also meets updated eco-design rules for lighting.
UK - Crestron is set to open its new experience centre at its UK headquarters in Cobham this summer. The new centre will launch with an open day for integrators, architects, end users and consultants looking to gain both information and training in the latest industry leading solutions for the residential market.
On 13 June, Crestron will open its doors to the experience centre and is extending an open invitation from 10am to 6pm to all customers. Along with refreshments being available throughout the day, the sales team will be on hand to guide visitors through the full range of Crestron products which, as part of the experience centre, will be on full display.
"Our HQ in Cobham is just a short hop from Junction 10 on the M25 and close to London. With our new centre we are offering our dealers and integrators a home-away-from-home to highlight working Crestron solutions
Europe - Innovason has been busy over the last few weeks with a highly successful Eclipse workshop tour that has taken sales director Marcel Babazadeh all over Europe. Babazadeh has been accompanied by his team of demonstrators as well as a number of distinguished guest engineers and artists in order to present hand-on workshops on topics ranging from PA for philharmonic orchestras, working with Eclipse and digital microphones and digital workflow generally.
Depending on who was the special guest for the workshop, topics varied from place to place. In Hungary, Innovason's special guest was Tonmeister and engineer, Carsten Kümmel. Innovason distributor, Microsound organised a workshop/seminar in the Millenaris Park Theatre in the centre of Budapest.
"Carsten ran an excellent workshop on the use of Eclipse for classical concerts using the examples of the Classic Open Air f
UK - Following the success of last year's event, the 2012 Black Light Open Day promises to be bigger and better than ever. The Open Day brings together all the latest AV, sound, lighting and stage technology under one roof. It will take place on 30-31 March at Black Light's headquarters at the West Shore Trading Estate in Edinburgh.
"We've already got over 30 of the biggest names in the industry confirmed," says Black Light's head of company development, Phil Haldane. "That means that this year's Open Day will be our most exciting yet. It will be a great chance for everyone to come and see the hottest new equipment in action, quiz the experts and, of course, meet friends and colleagues."
As in previous years, the day will feature a wide range of exhibitor stands at which visitors will be able to talk to manufacturers and suppliers and see their products 'in
UK - Nick Gray of UK creative lighting design practice Renegade once again designed lighting for the main British Fashion Council (BFC) Courtyard Show Space at Somerset House for London Fashion Week (LFW) 2012.
Working for his client Bacchus, he also lit the new Embankment Gallery Space at Somerset House and the Portico Show Space. Offsite, Gray designed lighting for the high profile Burberry show in Kensington Gardens.
This is the sixth season that Gray has lit the BFC Space, which features up to six shows a day for the five day LFW event including some of the highest profile designers like Marios Schwab, Bora Aksu, Mark Fast, Jasper Conran, Issa London and many more.
His imaginative input has brought a fresh and new look which is flexible and adaptable to accommodate a dynamic selection of shows, simultaneously giving the all-important runway light coverage for the photogr
UK - Berkshire-based distributor Selectronix Ltd, recently donated waterproof Vents free-of-charge to Sport Relief. The vents were used on enclosures housing recording equipment for the John Bishop's Week of Hell TV programme.
The IP67 waterproof Vents clip into enclosures, allowing air to flow through the membrane without letting dust or water ingress. Technicians were concerned about pressure build-up inside the enclosures due to changes in temperature which create differences in pressure; this pressure build-up can ultimately damage the seals of the enclosure, leading to failure of the sealed enclosure.
"The Vent will allow this pressure difference to equalize inside with outside," says the company. "It also reduces condensation build-up by allowing moisture to escape out of the sealed enclosure."
Norway - Australian location recorder Daniel Blinkhorn has been using DPA 2006A twin diaphragm omnidirectional microphones, supplied by local distributor Amber Technology, for his location recording work in the polar archipelago of Svalbard, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
Blinkhorn travelled to the region on a traditionally rigged tall ship, working on creative field recordings for sound installations and electroacoustic compositions as well as a feature for ABC radio's 360 programme and his own research into composing with environmental sound.
"It's an area renowned for its visual and cinematic beauty, and sound plays an integral role in the uniqueness of its appeal," says Blinkhorn. "There's a great deal of sonic activity within the archipelago, both animal - aquatic and birdlife: walrus, arctic fox, deer, polar bears etc - and aqueous: ic
UK - Audio console manufacturer DiGiCo commissioned 5 Star Cases to build a special exhibition promotions 'Sideboard' for their busy upcoming 2012 trade show and event circuit.
The brief was that it must accommodate a screen measuring a minimum of 46 inches, complete with Blu-ray player, laptop docking station, coffee maker and an integrated loudspeaker system.
5 Star's team began the initial design by sketching a few variants from which DiGiCo could choose a definitive version.
The overall design selected was a long 'Sideboard' type layout, housing all the necessary equipment including power sockets.
At the heart of it is an electric TV lift sourced from Penn-Elcom, featuring 730 mm of vertical travel and a wireless remote control. This device is the basis for an inbuilt 47" LG LED screen giving a 1080p full HD display.
UK - Set in stark contrast with the widespread cutback in library services by cash-strapped local authorities is a rising tide of local communities determined that these hubs of town and village life should not suffer the fate of red telephone boxes and disappear forever from Britain's cultural landscape. It is a fight that is seeing communal spirit making a dent in an all-pervasive economic nihilism.
The former coal mining town of Newbold Verdon, Leicester, has the first fully funded library built by the National Lottery, where its manager, Christina Baker, has successfully created a community hub in a village without a community hall, by bringing in Stage Electrics to install a lighting, PA and video projection system in a bold attempt to breathe new life into a social facility often viewed as outdated. "It's hard work but the rewards are worth it," she says proudly
USA - On Tuesday 21 February 2012, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama marked Black History Month at the White House with a celebration of that most American of roots music - the Blues.
In Performance at the White House: Red, White and Blues brought together some of the greats of the genre, including B.B. King, Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, duo Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi, Warren Haynes, Keb' Mo' and Shemekia Copeland for a once-in-a-lifetime concert.
Sound reinforcement was via an EAW system provided by Anderson Audio of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the long-time sound reinforcement provider for this auspicious series of concert events.
The event was produced by public television station WETA; Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of The Grammy Awards; and Robert Santelli, executive director of The Grammy Museum, for AEG Ehrlich Ventures. The event was also broad
USA - Recognising the growing importance of video in lighting design, Elation Professional is sponsoring a seminar on the subject conducted by internationally acclaimed lighting designer Dave Maxwell. Entitled The Fusion of Lighting and Video, the seminar will be held on Monday 23 April at Sound Check Xpo in Mexico City, Mexico.
"The convergence of lighting and video has been one of the major developments in our industry and it touches virtually every aspect of lighting design in stage, touring and display applications," said Eric Loader, director of sales for Elation Professional. "We can't think of a timelier topic for a seminar, and we can't think of a more qualified and respected professional to conduct it than Dave Maxwell."
Maxwell has been widely hailed for fusing a diverse mix of elements into his work, including lighting, video, graphics, co
Germany - Sports fans the world over associate the name 'Bayern Munich' with soccer; yet in basketball, too, having won the German championship already in 1954 and 1955, the club is capable of great things and ambitious of a tradition to compare with that established in the beautiful game by the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, and Oliver Kahn.
Bayern's basketball team re-entered the Bundesliga - Germany's top division - in March 2011, and since then the sport has experienced a renaissance in and around the Bavarian capital. To accommodate the team's ever-growing army of fans, in May 2011 the club decided to stage home basketball matches in the Rudi-Sedlmayer Hall, which, after extensive modernization and rebuilding, was renamed the Audi Dome prior to welcoming its quota of 7,200 spectators to the official opening at the end of September.
UK - The DiGiCo SD7 console installed at the Royal Shakespeare Company's refurbished Swan Theatre, Stratford upon Avon, in 2011 has proved such a success that, when the Company needed an additional mixer for its touring shows and West End transfers, another SD series console was their first choice - this time an SD9.
"We have a long relationship with DiGiCo and needed a console to transfer shows that currently exist on an SD7, but would be playing in smaller venues," says Jeremy Dunn, head of sound at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford. "We looked at all the usual comparable desks, but the audio team were very keen to stick with DiGiCo software and their way of working."
The smaller footprint and ease of transferring shows programmed on the SD7 were important for Dunn and his technicians, but he is also impressed with many of its other facilities.
Scandinavia - Swedish rock band Takida has embarked on its sellout spring tour of Scandinavia, The Burning Heart, with Midas PRO2 consoles being used for FOH and monitors. Leading Scandinavian hire company Starlight, which purchased the PRO2s from Midas' Swedish distributor Intersonic, is the first company in the region to use a dual system on a tour.
"Overall the system is very stable, and I really feel I can fully trust it," says monitor engineer Robert Egnelius. "The POPulation and MCA groups are two excellent features I use a lot, they make accessing channels very quick and effective. As well as being easy to use, the PR02 sounds very good and has wonderful EQ and dynamics. I like the patching, and the fact that I have control over what to patch to the outputs. The assignable XLRs on the network effectively give me 16 XLR outputs on the control surface
Austria - High End Systems equipment aided an annual event in Austria that kept the artists and the audience alike up much of the night. The benefit concert, Let's Spend the Night Together, was held just days before Christmas in the town of Graz. It featured the coming together of the theatre, Orpheum Graz, promoter Vojo Concerts and event supplier Preworks to financially help those organizations in need with donations from the show.
Preworks has over the years supplied High End Systems equipment, and because they are an HES Authorized Reseller, they usually can provide the newest technology in the HES line of luminaires and control products available.
For this event on 17 December, LD Rolf Schreiber specified seven Technospots along with two DL.3 Digital Light fixtures and two Axon media servers. For control, he chose two Road Hog Full Boar consoles with four Road Hog