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Video and AV

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USA - The fourth of July - American Independence Day - means major celebrations across the USA, no more so than in Boston, Massachusetts where a huge firework display was set to a live soundtrack by the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra.

With up to one million spectators gathered along the banks of the Charles River, visual relays by large screens were needed for the spectators to enjoy the full impact of the event - and Lighthouse HD ready LED screens were deployed.

Since 2003 the celebrations have been televised across the US on the CBS network, the television coverage now dictating the overall appearance of the event. Thus the large format screens placed on both side of the orchestra stage have needed to be high resolution in order to look good on domestic television screens. CBS then decided to broadcast the event in high definition format in 2007, hence a higher resolution

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Hong Kong - Taking place in June and July respectively, two of Hong Kong's highest profile events of 2007 used Lighthouse LED screens for visual backdrops.

Provided by Lighthouse's rental partner AV Promotions, a vast 45 panels wide by 10 panels high (28.8m x 4.8m) Lighthouse 6mm indoor screen was the centrepiece of a massive celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The event took place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and featured performances by many well-known Hong Kong artists, such as singers/actors Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau alongside Chinese performers including the pianist Lang Lang. The climax of the event saw Hu Jin Tao, the State President of China invited to the stage to sing with all the performers.

Also provided by AV Promotions, 288 panels of Lighthouse 6mm indoor screen were used at t

Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

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UK - Leading VJs and DJs, and an audience of thousands, descended on Manchester Central (formerly known as the G-Mex Centre) for two nights during July for the Industrial Resolution - the event featured a monumental visual arts installation displayed on what is claimed to be the world's largest high-res digital screen by Harkness.

Commissioned by Manchester International Festival, Industrial Resolution brought together visual artists from Microchunk, led by director Todd Graft, to perform custom-designed, multi-media to the soundscape of DJs, including 2 Many DJs, Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, Laurent Garnier, Layo, Sasha, and many more.

The focal point of the visually stunning show was the shaped Harkness screen - 48m wide by 18m high over a 25m radius and with a total area of more than 800sq.m - specially constructed for the event to form a spectacular backdrop for th

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UK - At the PLASA Show this year, Anglo-French large format projection specialists E//T//C Image will demonstrate its versatile proprietary control software - OnlyView. This deals practically and flexibly with all the major challenges of large format projection programming including complex masking and soft-edging of the images, says the company.

The company has projected onto some of the most iconic buildings in the world including Buckingham Palace and Nelson's Column in London, St George's Hall in Liverpool, Edinburgh Castle, Scotland; The Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, Dubai International Financial Centre, Malta's Fort St Angelo in Valetta Harbour, the Château des Duc de Bretagne in Nantes and many more.

E//T//C has also provided large format projection solutions for some of the highest profile global events including the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2002 Manchester

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France - Jean Louis Pernette, managing director of Avab Transtechnik France, has been connected with the Avignon Festival for the past 25 years, and each year the amount of technology involved increases.

The festival, which has been running for over 60 years and runs throughout the whole of July, showcases French and foreign contemporary drama as well as dance creations. In addition to the official festival venues, some 900 performances by 300 troupes are held as part of the fringe festival.

The centre of the festival, as far as Pernette is concerned, is the Cour d'Honneur (Courtyard of Honour) at the historic Palais des Papes - the Palace of the Popes which has walls up to 5.5m thick, which explains why it is in such a good state of repair - it was virtually impregnable to attack. It also explains why one of the pieces of technology which lighting director Philippe Catalano c

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UK - XL Video supplied a portable truck-based 40sq.m LED screen to the World Scout Jamboree's Gilwell Park - 'The home of scouting' and Scout training in Chingford, Essex, as part of the World Scout Jamboree event, and the Scout Association's Centenary celebrations.

The screen was located in The Paddock area of the park, close to the site of the original Scout camp there - the Scout Association has owned the site since 1919 - and near to the famous Gilwell oak tree and White House.

Working closely with Gilwell site technical manager Alex Woods, XL was contracted over a year in advance for this event which was project managed for them by Al Green, a keen Scout in his youth.

Each day of the 12-day Jamboree event, up to 8,000 Scouts and support personnel were bussed in to Gilwell Park from the main Jamboree site at Hylands Park, Chelmsford.

The screen was used interactively t

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UK - Christie Digital has strengthened its UK sales team in order to consolidate the rapid development in its five core markets. Key to the new initiative is the introduction of a UK channel sales manager focused on supporting sales growth for Christie and Christie Partners offering systems from Christie's Business Products Portfolio.

Joe Graziana joins the company having previously worked for a Southern-based solution provider for four years and is now directly responsible for all UK channel sales activities in the installation market.

Darren Banks has spent eight and half years in the AV industry and takes on the role of Business Development Manager, but will also have responsibility for developing sales in the North of England and Scotland, across all five key markets.

Adding further weight to the team is the appointment of Pam MacDonald as UK customer service co-ordinato

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Hong Kong - With the 2008 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing next summer, a series of sporting events entitled Good Luck Beijing began in July of this year to mark the final, year-long countdown to the Games. One of the most high profile events was the HKSAR 10th Invitation Cup Eventing Competition in Hong Kong and Lighthouse Technologies and the leading LED media design company Demiurge Unit took part.

Held at the equestrian venues in Shatin and the Beas River Country Club on 11 and 13 August, the event was divided into two classes for international competitors and Hong Kong riders to compete in dressage, cross-country and jumping. It was also part of the celebrations to mark the passing of a decade since the establishment of Hong Kong being a Special Administrative Region of China.

Featured prominently at this high profile event was the Multimedia Information Systems

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UK - PSCo is launching a revolutionary lifting solution in the UK, enabling easy, fast and cost effective installation for the 103" Panasonic Plasma.

PSCo has partnered with German manufacturers Mediascreen to launch this flight-case based system which can position the 103" up to 3m in the air at the touch of a button. The Screen Lifter is a specially designed portable installation, handling and display system, which is now available for both trade rental and sale from PSCo.

The sheer size of the new Panasonic 103" Plasma screen has presented an installation challenge for early purchasers of the system. Until now the 8ft wide, 220kg screen has required bespoke lifting for both permanent and temporary installations, be that a domestic environment, an exhibition or a luxury retail outlet.

However, The Screen Lifter houses the 103" screen in a flight case on

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UK - Audica Professional is launching the new MICROseries WMR wall-mount remote control at PLASA 07, with UK and Ireland distributor CUK Audio.

The 85mm square front-panel WMR is designed to fit a standard UK lighting switch back-box or pattress, and is wired to the MICROzone amplifier/controller using Cat 5 cable with RJ45 connectors. Providing full control for a remotely located MICROzone, the unit duplicates the front panel functions for source selection, mute, standby and volume. It also houses an infrared receiver to allow for use of the IR remote control unit supplied with the MICROzone.

"The future of installed sound for background music and AV is with a greater emphasis on style and ease of use," comments Audica's Derek West. "With more and more systems being computer and media player driven, the end user no longer wants visible hardware - just simple, c

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UK - Matrix Display has been awarded a contract to supply interactive whiteboards to Scotland's third largest council. The £1.5m deal with Dumfries and Galloway is, to date, the largest interactive whiteboard project delivered to any UK local authority, says the company.

Matrix Scottish area manager Adrian Robertson comments: "This is a fantastic opportunity for us and will enable Matrix to make its mark north of the border and prove we can deliver large-scale bespoke installations.

"The first phase - comprising 550 whiteboards - has already been delivered and we're now looking at linking all schools in Scotland to the Glow digital network, which is a major priority for all Scottish local authorities."

Matrix has, for the past two years, been named audiovisual reseller of the year and has again been nominated for the 2007 awards. The Scottish operation's

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UK - Blitz, part of the Blitz Charter Group, was commissioned for the second consecutive year by fashion footwear label Lacoste to provide AV design, equipment and support to showcase its Spring/Summer 2008 shoe collection which was launched at the Science Museum in London.

Following a successful partnership with Lacoste in 2006, Blitz says it was delighted to have the opportunity to showcase its technical abilities once again in providing a total AV solution at the event.

The Science Museum's impressive 26 x 9m IMAX screen provided the backdrop for the Lacoste images. Blitz combined the use of theEncore and Watchout systems with four new Panasonic HD DW10000 projectors and added LED Par 90 lights to powerfully project Lacoste's images throughout the event.

Andy Simister, president of Lacoste Footwear comments: "The entire team at Blitz contributed to the phenomenal suc

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Germany - When the 62nd edition of the International Motor Show (IAA) opens its doors on 13 September, Element Labs' Stealth LED display solution will be there to add glamour to the booths of some of the world's foremost automotive manufacturers. IAA Passenger Cars is the biggest trade show for cars and accessories in Europe. It is held every two years and in 2005 the show attracted 900,000 visitors, with attendance expected to be as high again this year.

Over the past few years, Element Labs Stealth LED displays have appeared on many of the world's biggest car shows. From Frankfurt to Paris and Detroit, Element Labs has created backdrops to help manufacturers launch their latest, flashiest models and concept cars to an audience of industry press, visitors and prospective customers alike.

At this year's IAA, just over 600sq.m of Element Labs StealthLED displays will again form

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Australia - Enttec Pty and CAST Software have released a wysiwyg driver for DMX USB Pro. The companies report that testing is now complete of a new, inexpensive driver that enables wysiwyg users to plug their DMX consoles into an Enttec DMX USB Pro, which acts as the interface to their computer.

The DMX USB Pro is already supported by over a dozen software packages, ranging from lighting control programmes (ShowCAD, LightFactory, MagicQ, FreeStyler) to Media Servers (Arkaos, Resolume), visualizers and miscellaneous other software programmes (Virtual Magic Sheet, Capture).

While wysiwyg supports numerous lighting consoles directly through Ethernet, relatively few third-party developers create hardware interfaces that are compatible with the programme. CAST Software has included the relevant library file in wysiwyg Perform Release 20.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - 3M Visual Systems has announced the addition of a new DLP (Digital Light Processing) projector to its existing range of high lumen digital projectors that are fully compatible with both 3M Vikuiti Rear Projection displays and 3M Digital Signage software. This high brightness projector is rated at 3800 ANSI lumens, is designed for Vikuiti Rear Projection displays up to 60-inches diagonal and comes with a three year (or 4,000 hours) standard warranty.

"Our new DX70 projector is perfectly suited to digital signage installations where a display may be required to run all day, such as reception areas and canteens in businesses, schools and hospitals, as well as shop windows and airport displays," said Paul Gardner, business development manager, 3M Visual Systems. "The product complements and strengthens our existing portfolio, at the same time widening our reach t

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UK - Blitz has partnered with Blue Box Entertainment to provide the interactive video system for Eurobeat - Almost Eurovision. The musical, written by Craig Christie and produced by the Glynn Nicholas Group, recently won the award for the Best New Musical at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Mel Giedroyc, of 'Mel & Sue' fame, hosted the show where the audience vote for their favourite song by sending a text message and the winner is then announced live on stage.

Blitz worked alongside Blue Box Entertainment to create "an affordable, yet stunning end product" and provided a full range of services for the show. The AV equipment included a simple-to-operate video system to playback the VTs and project the PPT/PC images live onto the screen. Blitz's project manager, Mark Lewis offered technical advice to ensure that the interactive video system created maximum imp

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UK - XL Video supplied 254 panels of Barco MiTrix video screen and Catalyst media server control for the 2007 Nationwide Mercury Music Prize Awards, staged at London's Grosvenor House.

It was the first time that scenic video has been used on the event. The MiTrix was specified by lighting and visual designer Nigel Catmur, who has lit the show for the last four years, and wanted to introduce a new contemporary look. The show was broadcast "as live" on BBC radio and television, and was won by The Klaxons with their album Myths of The Near Future.

With 11 of the 12 nominated artists performing live, the video element added to the dynamics and presentation of the show, ensuring that each band's set looked different.

Richard Turner came onboard as video designer and programmer to work with Catmur in producing special content for the show. They also collaborated c

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International - The first digital edition of Lighting&Sound International magazine goes live today, on the eve of the 2007 PLASA Show.

Timed to coincide with both the PLASA 07 and the re-launch of the popular LSI Online website, L&SI's digital edition will offer an easily navigable and fully searchable on-screen version of the familiar magazine, accessible for subscribers anywhere there is Internet access, as soon as the magazine is published.

The digital edition will allow PLASA Media to significantly increase the global circulation of Lighting&Sound International magazine.

Available free to industry professionals worldwide, the digital edition will boost readership, particularly in developing markets where the cost of subscriptions has previously been an obstacle, and equally in far-flung territories where

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UK - The new look PLASA07 opened for business this morning, 9 September, following a rush of last-minute registrations and confirmation of a substantial number of major product launches scheduled over the four days of the exhibition.

This year's show features a new layout, new features, over 50 new exhibitors, plus an expanded educational programme with many sessions free to visitors. These include special interest sessions from BEIRG, InfoComm International and the Theatres Trust, plus specialist sessions from Cirque Du Soleil, Duran Audio and Wireless Solutions. Additionally, the organizers have invested a range of visitor facilities including wi-fi lounges and meeting rooms.

The PLASA Awards for Innovation will be announced at 6pm this evening in the Central Bar area, located between Earls Court 1 and 2.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - The Green Hippo stand has relocated to the newly opened Earls Court 2 at the PLASA Show this year, where all the team are present, including two of the newest members. Simon Harris, who joins from Avolites, has been appointed to look after Training and Business Development in addition to taking over some of Nigel Sadler's territories. Daniel Brown joins straight from University and is a new addition to the programming team. The rest of the team comprising James, Nigel, Sean, Kitty, Tom and Jean-Luc will all be there to offer the customary combination of Green Hippo hospitality and expertise.

Green Hippo have been working alongside designers create a new look casing for all Hippotizers. This case is a response to all the feedback they had over the years concerning the physical elements of the systems. "We believe that this case will elevate the Hippotizer's status as a

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UK - Following discussions between PLASA Events and A.C. Lighting, an agreement has been reached that will see A.C. Lighting sell its A.C. Lighting North Trade Show to PLASA Events.

The agreement reflects the intention of both organisations to work together to ensure the entertainment, event and production industries in the north have a single industry-led event that serves their needs.

A.C. Lighting, a long-standing member of PLASA, started their event in 1999 and quickly established it in the industry calendar, developing it further in recent years to provide a strong focus for the region.

A.C. North 2008 will be the last trade show organised under that name by A.C. Lighting. Immediately after its close, PLASA Events will take over the management and ownership of the event and will look to build on the regional platform established by A.C.

The move fits the strategic aim

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UK - The 2007 PLASA Awards for Innovation, announced last night in a special presentation ceremony at the PLASA Show, reflect the ever-more dynamic, diverse and creative health of the global entertainment and installation technology industries.

65 products from 10 different countries were entered this year, and covered a broad range of lighting, audio, rigging and staging, AV, effects, software and accessories - amply reflecting the industry's diversity and global nature.

"The energy, ideas and innovation that feature at PLASA start from the imaginative minds that make up the industry," said PLASA CEO Matthew Griffiths. "The talent in this business is formidable, and it's that talent that we're celebrating."

During the ceremony, attended by special guests from across the industry, eight awards were presented.These went to:

beyerdynamic (GB) Ltd - Hea

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USA - The 2007 Worldwide Partner Conference, better known as WPC07, a computer industry gathering, took place in Denver, Colorado in July. 12 Martin Maxedia digital media servers were used to provide digital content to a remarkable 36 plasma screens, two LED curtains and centre LED Wall.

"We used a Matrix Preview monitor so that I could preview all outputs during programming, rehearsals and show," commented Thomas Walls, Maxedia and Maxxyz programmer at Stardust Productions. "The networking was a godsend. I was given custom content what seemed like every hour or so and with 12 servers online, the networking made my life a breeze."

When all was said and done, approximately 68 gigabits of custom content was used on the show. Mike Amelang of Flying Spot created custom content on-site which Walls immediately loaded into the Maxedia systems. Several other types

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UK - Brian Dempster has been appointed head of the systems integration division of Blitz Communications. This new division is dedicated to developing the company's permanent AV installation business.

Dempster has a lifelong electronics passion and his AV career journey plays testimony to this. After four years with Sony (UK) professional and broadcast division he joined Marcom Systems as technical general manager and progressed to become technical director. Dempster went on to spread his wings as a Freelance AV consultant, providing systems design and project management, to a wide range of blue chip companies for 13 years.

Paul Hutton, managing director at Blitz comments, "We have gained a fantastic reputation in this market with most of our existing business coming through referrals. We have a unique position in the market as a company that can provide permanent installa

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  5. Richard Porter joins E//T//C UK
  6. New Professional Denon DVD players
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