Due to the pandemic and travel restrictions, Integrated Systems Events, AVIXA & CEDIA announce ISE Live & Online in Barcelona, Munich, Amsterdam and London, supported by a comprehensive digital offering.
Integrated Systems Events Managing Director Mike Blackman explained “We have reached this decision following extensive discussions with our exhibitors over the last few months, and more explicitly, these last 10 days.
Mike Blackman
All along there has been a clear demand for a four-day ISE show in Barcelona in June. However, uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and international travel remains, which means we are unable to run ISE 2021 in its traditional format.
Our exhibitors have made it clear that there is a desire to get the industry together, but on a local level. In response, we are targeting Europe’s key markets across the AV sector and aim to deliver a quality audience who want to meet potential suppliers, existing customers and network with their peers.”
More information will be released on both the digital and the local events in the coming days – in summary:
ISE Live & Online Schedule
1-2 June, Fira Barcelona (Tue/Wed) 8-9 June, MAC Forum, Munich (Tue / Wed) 15-16 June, RAI, Amsterdam (Tue/Wed) 23-24 June, Evolution, Battersea, London (Wed/Thurs)
“For 2021, we have a rich and exciting digital offering” said Blackman. “We are proud to be working with CISCO on this innovative approach. We will be bringing ISE to four cities in June and continuing with our popular RISE Spotlight programme throughout the year. Working with the industry in this way, we will be providing meaningful opportunities for sales teams to meet their customers, for people to experience product innovations, and of course, for networking.”
David Labuskes
“COVID has taught us all to listen more attentively,” said David Labuskes, AVIXA CEO. “Listen to our neighbours, our family, our co-workers, our customers and our market. I believe this approach reflects what we’ve heard, a strong desire for prudent and safe face-to-face gatherings that can reinforce business connections and initiate growth. We are honoured to be in a position to offer these to our community.”
Giles Sutton
Giles Sutton, joint CEO of CEDIA added: “Everyone in the industry is missing the human interaction that is such a vital part of our industry – the opportunity not just to see, hear and touch new products and innovations in our sector but also everything that ISE brings in terms of learning, networking and that all important sense of community.
The ISE team has worked tirelessly to ensure that guidelines could be in place to protect our exhibitors and visitors on-site. However, there remains uncertainty around current travel restrictions and the ability for our global audience to take part in person.
The success of ISE has been built on broad industry support and that is the reason why we have taken these decisions this week. We look forward to a debut show where our community can all be together again in Barcelona in February 2022.”
Mike Blackman concluded: “We have been humbled by the many messages of support that we have received from our customers and partners who have appreciated the steps we have taken. We look forward to continuing to serve the industry in the year ahead and cannot wait to come back together in Barcelona, delivering the ISE show in February 2022.”
Liberty University has invested in a complement of 20 Ayrton Khamsin-S LED profile luminaires for the new Liberty Arena on the Lynchburg, Virginia campus. Liberty Arena seats 4,500 spectators and is the home of the university’s men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams whose games are broadcast on ESPN+. Liberty University previously purchased Ayrton Mistral fixtures for a multi-use event space, which hosts a wide array of entertainment programs and gatherings.
“We wanted bright LED fixtures that would really pop and enhance the fan experience in our new dedicated sports arena,” says Amy Caun, lighting director and Tier 2 production technician in Liberty’s Event Production department. Designed for scenic applications, the Khamsin-S is equipped with a new LED module delivering powerful metallic white light with a record-breaking output of 40,000 lumens and a colour temperature of 6500 K.
“We like to stay with one product line, and ACT Lighting arranged a shoot-out with Khamsin and another Ayrton fixture,” she explains. “We were really impressed with Khamsin’s design, how sleek and compact it is for such a powerful fixture. Khamsin also had great saturated colours, and, being an LED fixture, we don’t have to worry about lamp life.”
In addition to the Khamsin-S fixtures, the new arena boasts a Daktronics center video board stanchion display, court table and 360 degree video ribbon display plus four 4K laser projectors for court projection, all of which play a role in creating an immersive fan experience.
“Before a game starts all of these elements work together to excite and engage fans and players alike,” says Caun. “We’ve designed each of these elements to complement each other and together create a thrilling environment.”
During the starting lineup the Khamsin-S units, which are mounted on truss on either side of the court, illuminate the players and court and build excitement. Custom gobos featuring the Liberty Flames logo and mascot project onto the court and seating. The Khamsin-S are also deployed going in and out of halftime and for celebratory effects after a win.
“Although the coronavirus pandemic means there are currently very few fans present during games, that actually has given us time to really dial in the production in the new Arena,” notes Caun. “Once more fans are able to attend again, we know they’ll enjoy a high-quality, in-person experience and the Khamsin fixtures play an important role in helping us create a thrilling game experience.”
The Khamsins were purchased from Whitlock, now AVI-SPL. Ayrton is distributed exclusively in North America by ACT Lighting, Inc. www.actlighting.com
More information on Ayrton Khamsin-S, Mistral and the extensive portfolio of innovative Ayrton LED fixtures can be found on the Ayrton website
Broadcasting in Hannover dates back to 1924, moving to the current site in 1950 with the construction of what was then the most technically advanced broadcast station in Europe. The original, 350-seat Kleiner Sendesaal concert hall was joined by the 1250-seat Großer Sendesaal in the 1960s, home to the renowned NDR Radio Philharmonic orchestra.
Both venues are used for over 100 live concerts, shows, awards ceremonies and similar events every year, many broadcast live or recorded for later transmission. With the needs of guest artists, production riders and audience expectations rising, both venues have recently had their audio specifications upgraded, including the installation of a Yamaha RIVAGE PM7 digital mixing system in the Großer Sendesaal. The Landesfunkhaus Niedersachsen audio team has worked with Yamaha digital mixers since the mid-1990s, initially with an 03D and 02R, later adding an 01V96, LS9-32, M7CL and PM5D.
The development of the CL and QL series was crucial for the venue because, in addition to the widely-accepted Yamaha menu structure, routing audio via Dante made the implementation of larger productions easier. The RIVAGE PM series further improved the team’s options for operation and audio routing.
Systems integrator Amptown System Company (ASC) specified the RIVAGE PM7 system, thanks to its channel count, sound quality and support for flexible two-user operation. In particular, the convenience of two-person operation lets engineers mix a large production, with an orchestra and band, from one control surface. The high number of mix channels, first-class effects and dynamics processors were more reasons for purchasing the system.
Another important factor was the ability to quickly and easily exchange configurations between Yamaha digital consoles of different series. With other Yamaha digital mixers at Landesfunkhaus Niedersachsen, this has greatly accelerated the in-house workflow and ensures visiting engineers can save time creating their mixes. ASC also provided training for Großer Sendesaal staff on the new system, ensuring the team was quickly up to speed with the RIVAGE PM operating system.
Danish rental operation Live Company made a massive investment in Robe Esprite and LEDWash 300X moving lights, together with a RoboSpot remote follow spot system, in March 2020 just before the pandemic hit effectively closing the live concert and event industry worldwide.
From left to right Peter Clausen with Mikkel Bedsted.
“We felt it was a bit like some ironic sort of April Fool’s joke,” commented Live Company’s Peter Clausen, one of the owners together with Mikkel Bedsted and two other business partners. However, they are extremely pleased with their kit, and the Esprites have been busy despite a challenging year working at a fraction of the normal pace as Live Company is lucky enough to have had a steady flow of work throughout the pandemic.
Live Company purchased the 22 x Esprites – with Robe’s Transferable Led Engine light source a great asset for any rental house – for Cirkusrevyen, Denmark’s premier revue show which is staged at a big top venue in Dyrehavsbakken, a northern suburb of Copenhagen. Live Company was appointed lighting vendor for the first time in 2020 having supplied the season’s chief LX and lighting console operator since 2017.
‘My Name is Greta’ photos are by Mikkel Bedsted
In 2020, due to a couple of important anniversaries, Cirkusrevyen lighting designer Malthe Haugaard, who likes working with Robe products very much, wanted to change up the rig, and was keen to try out the Esprites. Over the past four years, a variety of Robe fixtures – including Pointes, MegaPointes, DL4S and DL7S Profiles – have been used in the Cirkusrevyen show, and for the 2019 season, LEDBeam 150s and MegaPointes were utilized in numerous imaginative ways.
“This time we wanted a fixture with a wide zoom that could also produce punchy beams for the big dance production numbers,” explained Malthe, recalling how he, Peter and Mikkel had visited Robe at the Prolight+Sound expos in Frankfurt and Plasa London that year (2019), assessed the new products on offer and decided to go with Epsrites.
While the 2020 season was cancelled due to the pandemic – it has currently been rescheduled to run May to August 2021 with a slightly different cast, so the fixtures will still get their chance to shine! “We often use these trade shows as meeting places and melting pots for discussion and for assessing products being brought to the market,” comments Peter, adding that Robe’s Danish distributor Light Partner is also extremely proactive at demonstrating any new technologies.
‘My Name is Greta’ photos are by Mikkel Bedsted
“Robe makes very reliable and stable products that have a decent amount of longevity,” stated Peter, “the ESPRITE is a good example of a luminaire designed to be relevant for a long lifespan and deliver great value”. Live company’s Robe investments started in 2012 with LEDWash 300s to cover their work in all sectors and particularly for theatre and musical productions, as well as for their value as solid dry hire assets. Initially, they had three different Robe products in stock – LEDWash 300s, DL4S Profiles and LEDBeam 150s, to which 36 x LEDWash 300Xs were added plus the 22 x Esprites and the two RoboSpot systems for Cirkusrevyen.
‘My Name is Greta’ photos are by Mikkel Bedsted
The Epsrites had some work during 2020, including in performances of “Mit navn er Greta” (My Name Is Greta) a new work scheduled to play at the Aveny-T theatre in Copenhagen directed by Emil Rostrup, starring Karla Løkke and based on the work and achievements of climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Lighting was designed by Jim Falk who used seven Robe Esprites controlled by one RoboSpot BaseStation running in conjunction with a grandMA2 ultra light console. He needed a fixture that was powerful and flexible as the show design concept is based on digital scenery and a setup whereby one person could control several lights, so RoboSpot was a great solution, positioned in the wings by the fly bar control.
‘My Name is Greta’ photos are by Mikkel Bedsted
“Epsrites are a great fixture,” stated Jim, a freelance LD who is using them for the first time together with a single Robe SilverScan which is rigged mid-stage-centre above the main performance area. He wanted this particular fixture for the wide-angled reach of the mirror movement as the venue’s over-stage trim height is relatively low and observes that he can also see SilverScans being used similarly in much larger spaces.
Working alongside Jim on the production’s creative team is playwright William Lippert, sound designer Viktor Dahl, video designer Adam Ryde Ankarfeldt, set designer Jon Stephensen and costume designer Michael Nøhr. After a run at Aveny-T, the show is currently scheduled to play for three months and then tour around Jutland, although this might change as everything stays fluid during the continuing pandemic.
For more press info about Robe range of products you can visit the Robe website
Italian audio manufacturer Powersoft has announced a further 12-month warranty on their renowned rack amplifiers for all customers who register their product for free to MyPowersoft, Powersoft’s online portal. This free extension brings the total warranty length, including the four years standard warranty, to five years.
As of the Monday 22nd of February 2021, all customers buying Powersoft amplifiers on or after this date will need to register their product on MyPowersoft within 30 days of purchase to benefit from the extended extra year warranty. All customers who have previously purchased a rack amplifier prior to this date, that is still covered by the standard four years warranty, can extend their warranty by a year by registering their product into MyPowersoft by the 23rd of April 2021.
Iacopo Vannucchi, Powersoft’s customer care and service centre manager, commented, “In the last year, we’ve all seen and experienced unprecedented struggle within our industry. This is our way of offering a helping hand during these trying times.” MyPowersoft is Powersoft’s online portal, in which users create profiles which enable them to take full advantage of their products and the exclusive benefits that come with the account.
By registering a product to MyPowersoft, users can check their product’s history and current warranty status. Users also benefit from direct technical and commercial support from the team, as they can request and track their product repairs.
Other benefits include access to the Power-Sharing and Comparison tools, examples of Powersoft designs, and webinar session access with Powersoft’s audio experts.
“We want to provide our customers peace of mind that we have their products covered for years from the first day of purchase, and we’re going to continue to do so long term,” Vannucchi said. “This extra year brings our product warranty for our rack amplifiers to half a decade, free of charge. This warranty is a testament to the reliability of our amplifiers and the trust we place in them.”
So Midwest, Inc. provided turnkey creative and technical services for Self Destructor, the new music video for rock band Chevelle. Executive producer and production designer, Robb Jibson, selected Ayrton Perseo fixtures for the video, which So Midwest concepted, designed, directed, produced and edited.
Ayrton Perseo
Focusing on science deniers and written before the coronavirus pandemic, Self Destructor is the lead single from the band’s upcoming, space-themed ninth studio album, Niratis (an acronym for Nothing is Real And This Is a Simulation).
“Coming up with a theme of a visitor from space carrying a glowing energy orb that would ultimately suck the band inside its energy, we back-tracked the story to come up with the script and the shot list,” says Jibson of the concept, which combines performance footage with clips of Chevelle on a night hunt for the spaceman.
Jibson chose a complement of Perseo-S fixtures for the project, the first compact multi-function luminaire with an IP65 enclosure rating developed by Ayrton for intensive outdoor use. He was impressed by Perseo’s output per watt and IP rating since So Midwest was shooting in late November in Chicago.
“We were able to run them off a really small and quiet generator,” Jibson recalls. “The Perseos could sit in the mud and get rained and snowed on; we could have many per circuit and deliver a ton of output with really crisp optics!”
The Perseos were used to create otherworldly lighting effects for the nighttime pursuit of the spaceman. “We wanted the forest scene to have this really volumetric vibe, smoke and light with the naked foliage creating these sweet breakups,” Jibson notes. “We wanted to follow the visitor as he hid the energy orb. Having this thicket of trees allowed us to place the Perseos roughly 125 feet apart, six to a side, and really illuminate the scene in a fun way.”
He reports that the fixtures performed “flawlessly and looked really great on the Sony FS7 camera with no shutter or frequency refresh issues like fixtures with crappy PSUs. I’m happy that Ayrton has a fixture like this in the market. Perseo enables you to do things that just a few years ago you couldn’t do without more pain, much more power and after-rental cleaning charges to the dismay of the production houses. “We had fun on the video and were excited that our touring client Chevelle enlisted and trusted us to handle this vital part of their image. We like to think we put a live production design spin on it,” Jibson says.
Josh Stone directed and edited Self Destructor with Rudy Schieder the director of photography. Floyd Dillman was the unit producer, Tyler Roach the gaffer and lighting programmer, Nick Maty the lighting tech and Josh Gordon the production assistant who was also conned into being astronaut #1. Matt Barker handled the post VFX and colour grading. “Matt Brotz of LEC – Live Events Chicago, the production company called upon to support this project, has been an earlier adaptor of quite a few products from us, and the Ayrton Perseo fixtures were no exception,” adds Aaron Hubbard, regional sales manager at ACT Lighting.
ACT Lighting, Inc. is the exclusive distributor of Ayrton fixtures in North America.
More information on Ayrton Perseo and the extensive portfolio of innovative Ayrton LED fixtures can be found on the Ayrton website
Deux T1215 ouvrant verticalement à 15° et en bas de l’array, un module T1230 qui offre le double, une façon très simple de couvrir verticalement 60° tout en gagnant un contour appréciable dans le grave. Naturellement 2 dB séparent les deux modèles avec 128 dB de SPL Max pour T1215.
It took three years of work for engineers at Martin Audio to imagine, calculate, model and finalize Torus, the company’s first constant curvature array.
For applications that typically require a throw between 15-30m (50-100ft), a full-blown line array is not always practical, optimal or affordable. Conversely, a point source solution may not be sufficient in coverage and SPL. Torus is a constant curvature array designed to fill that gap, combining optimised coverage, SPL profile and cost efficiency.
However, Dom Harter, managing director, said, “It is much more than just another constant curvature array. Torus was in development for three years in an exhaustive bid to further the acoustic concept and performance achievable.
Dom Harter le directeur général de Martin Audio lors du lancement virtuel mais pour autant officiel de Torus et Display 3.
“Typically, constant curvature arrays have adjustable horizontal dispersion but their performance can vary considerably in terms of tonality and effectiveness of coverage when different dispersions are selected.
Equally, many lack sufficient sensitivity in the mid-band frequency, critically important for voice projection and clarity. They also can suffer from comb filtering. Torus fundamentally addresses these areas and more.”
Each Torus cabinet is designed for a flexible horizontal dispersion pattern and this can be manually adjusted between 90°, 60° or 75° (asymmetrical) via the unique Dynamic Horn Flare™.
Une vue en détail du Dynamic Horn Flare alimenté par trois moteurs de 1,4” à dôme en polymère HT, un guide pouvant être réglé manuellement entre une ouverture symétrique de 90 et 60° ou bien asymétrique de 75°.
This not only moves and locks the waveguide but also adjusts the horn mouth, including the low diffraction termination into the baffle, to ensure correct geometry and optimal performance in each of those settings.
The Dynamic Horn Flare™ is moved by a rotating mechanism accessible from the front grille so is easy and intuitive, while leaving the grille design to be both smart and fully protective of the drivers within.
Un des quatre mécanismes permettant de modifier la dispersion et accessible sans besoin d’outil depuis la face avant de l’enceinte.
A vertical pattern of either 15° or 30° is achieved via two separate cabinet types: T1215 and T1230, respectively. These cabinets can also be combined to fit venue and coverage requirements.
Torus features a phase plug mounted in front of the 12” neodymium driver to increase mid-band sensitivity and allowing the crossover point to be pushed slightly higher before three 1.4” HF polymer dome neodymium compression drivers takes over.
Le 12” partiellement recouvert par une pièce de mise en phase, une solution intelligente pour obtenir du gain dans le médium et ainsi profiter de petits moteurs dans leur zone de confort pour générer un haut sans aucune coloration.
The sonic performance is not compromised even when driven at higher SPL, and a lot of very clean and undistorted high frequencies are generated.
Pour découvrir Torus avec un film :
Display 3
Torus is also the first product to take full advantage of Display 3, Martin Audio’s all new prediction and optimisation software, and the second big announcement from the event.
Display 3 is set to be a powerful tool for both live and installation projects. It works seamlessly with Sketchup for sophisticated venue modelling, or allows for more simple venue and shape creation.
Martin Audio Une version bêta déjà bien aboutie de Display 3 !
Initially, Display 3 will natively support prediction and optimisation of Torus, with line arrays being imported from Display 2. Over time, however, Display 3 will incorporate all Martin Audio line array, point source, ceiling and subwoofer solutions for a complete self-contained system design, prediction and optimisation platform.
Et pour avoir un aperçu des fonctions de Display 3 en…3 minutes, cliquez ci-dessous :
Summing up, Harter said, “These two major announcements show both the resilience and the ambition of the company. Through the pandemic we had a proactive approach with the continuation of R&D investment and the belief that companies that consistently add value to their customers will have a brighter future. The introduction of Torus enables Martin Audio to compete in more applications and Display 3 will develop further to be a leading 3D design and prediction software that enhances the working lives of installation and live event professionals.”
Torus will start shipping worldwide from April and similarly, Display 3, still beta, will have a public release at that time.
Technical production and LED screen hire company, iMAG, has recently pioneered a state-of-the-art mobile Virtual Production facility, offering a 360-degree workflow, from in-house drawing team and rigging, to full LED set up controlled by Brompton Technology Tessera processing. iMAG has joined forces with film production company Treehouse Digital, which works with major episodic streaming companies such as Netflix and Amazon, as well as on films and commercials, for the project, combining their extensive experience in filmmaking with iMAG’s hardware, knowledge and expertise gained through years of working in high pressure live environments.
“The true-to-life colour accuracy and image bit depth of High Dynamic Range (HDR) is becoming extremely popular, particularly within virtual production,” says iMAG MD and Technical Director, Alex Strachan. “We had already invested in ROE Visual LED panels and Brompton Technology processing for our live work. Now, having purchased a Brompton Hydra measurement system, our entire fleet of LED panels is Brompton HDR-ready, which means we can offer our clients the absolute best in terms of image quality.”
iMAG’s system is ‘tour ready’, allowing it to be transported either in full, or to specific dimensions, to any desired filming location. The largest set up has been deployed at the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC), and comprises a 20m by 5m curved LED backdrop using ROE Black Onyx 2.8mm with a ROE MC7 ceiling for ambient lighting, all controlled with Brompton SX40 processors.
“Our aim is to be a one stop shop. In virtual production, every single element matters,” concludes Strachan. “There is a clear appetite for high-quality, lifelike visual content for the world’s major productions and now for smaller-sized projects, too. Our top of the range LED equipment combined with Brompton processing, and our flexible virtual production set up, means that we are ready to support any project, big or small.”
More information about Brompton technology range of products can be found on the Brompton Website
Martin Audio is pleased to confirm that the previously announced SXCF118 and SXC115 compact, high performance cardioid subwoofers are now shipping.
28 dB de réjection arrière à 75Hz et 140 dB de SPL Max pour le SXCF118.
The SXCF118 combines maximum low frequency output with exceptional pattern control. It features an 18” (460mm) forward facing driver and a 14” (356mm) rear facing driver, each driven independently by separate amplifier channels and DSP. Each driver has its own chamber with optimised bass reflex porting. This arrangement produces a cardioid dispersion pattern which maximises the front radiation, while reducing unwanted radiation behind the subwoofer.
The SXC115 follows similar principles and contains a 15” (380mm) front facing driver and 12” (300mm) rear facing driver, each driven, again, independently by separate amplifier channels and DSP.
Même réjection arrière pour le SCX115, 28 dB at 75Hz, et avec une réponse en fréquence quasi identique, le 115 rend juste 3 dB de SPL Max au 118.
Each driver, similarly, has its own chamber with optimised bass reflex porting. It is the perfect accompaniment to WPM or alternatively can be used with a pole mount for Martin Audio point source loudspeakers.
Dom Harter, le Directeur Général de Martin Audio.
Stated Martin Audio MD, Dom Harter, “We are delighted to actually start shipping these innovative cardioid subwoofers to customers.
Demand has been strong and our initial production run has all been allocated, but fresh order demand will start to ship from our UK factory from late February.”
Following the postponement of Showlight 2021, Showlight announces that a one-day Virtual Showlight will be held in its place as a temporary interlude on Tuesday 25 May 2021 from 15.00 to 23.00 BST.
The date coincides with the final day of the original event and the time has been chosen to best accommodate USA and European delegates, the night owls further east, and (with apologies!) the sleepless in Australia and New Zealand!
Virtual Showlight will host an online presentation of papers, each up to 30 minutes in length, from international keynote speakers, plus a live Panel Discussion. Q&A sessions will follow each paper with delegates able to message their questions via the chairperson.
The remainder of the time will stay true to the spirit of Showlight with scheduled breaks between sessions providing opportunities for delegates, speakers and sponsors to network in ‘breakout rooms’ where they can spend the time mixing and mingling with others, both socially and within interest groups, in a virtual way.
Virtual Speakers Wanted!
Showlight is therefore issuing a fresh call for papers to anyone involved in lighting – be they lighting designers, lighting directors, directors of photography, architectural lighting designers or associated crafts like programmers and manufacturers to submit papers ideas suitable for presentation in the virtual conference on 25 May 2021. Full technical support will be given in advance, so don’t be daunted by the virtual platform!
Showlight aims for variety, across topics relevant to all aspects of the lighting industry today. The Committee wants to hear about your experiences, your ambitions, your inspirations, your concerns, your successes and your failures. They are not looking for simple product promotion.
Typical subjects might include:
– Innovative and interesting designs – Unusual projects large or small – Solving the impossible – Your unique corner of the lighting world – The future and the past – where should we be going and what should we have learnt – Issues that are affecting our industry and how we work
Showlight is always on the look out for new speakers, so if you prefer to submit your ideas for the full Showlight event as soon as it returns, they are also happy to hear these – just specify on your submission if you are applying for Virtual Showlight or Full Showlight.
If you would like to become part of Virtual Showlight 2021 by presenting a paper, please send us the following at[email protected] with:
– Name(s) – Company – Mobile number – Email address – A brief summary of the paper you are proposing – Is your proposal for Virtual Showlight or Full Showlight?
Please note: all papers will be considered by the Showlight Papers Committee, and if selected you will be contacted for further details, and with technical requirements and accommodation information. We look forward to receiving your exciting ideas.
Virtual Sponsors Wanted!
Sponsorship opportunities are available to facilitate this unique online event with the chance to host your own breakout room between papers sessions. Please email [email protected] for more details. Showlight was grateful to those sponsors who have already signed up early in support of Virtual event: Robert Juliat as headline sponsor, ACT Lighting, Inc., Altman, Ayrton, ETC and Robe.
Tickets by voluntary donation
Tickets for Virtual Showlight will be issued on a first come, first served basis. Announcements will appear in the press and via the Showlight mailing list as soon as the ticket desk opens. In the current climate, Showlight has chosen not to charge for tickets but to leave it to the discretion of the delegates to add voluntary donations, with all proceeds going directly to selected industry charities, including Backup and Behind the Scenes.
Full Showlight will return!
Virtual Showlight has been planned as an enjoyable day to touch base with colleagues and celebrate the lighting industry. However, Showlight also confirms, Virtual Showlight is a temporary solution only, and the full Showlight event will return as soon as possible.
“While a virtual event cannot match the magic of the original gathering planned for Fontainebleau, we are determined to maintain the spirit of this unique colloquium until that happy time when we can gather together safely in person,” says Showlight Chairman, John Allen. “Virtual Showlight is a temporary, yet ingenious and enjoyable, solution to the restrictions caused by the COVID pandemic which also gives us the opportunity to raise money for our industry charities. Be assured Showlight will return as a live event in its full and wonderful form once it is safe and practical to do so. Until then, we look forward to seeing you online on 25 May 2021.”
Don’t forget to sign up to the Showlight Mailing List (www.showlight.org), Facebook and Twitter pages to keep up to date with developments and be the first to hear when speakers are announced and tickets become available.
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is the world’s leading gardening charity and for more than two centuries, has been the passionate force at the heart of horticulture. The RHS inspires millions of people to get involved in gardening, whether that’s through visits to one of the four UK gardens, inspirational flower shows, or seasonal events.
One very popular event in recent years has been the Glow illuminations over the festive period. Illuminate Design, the AV integrator from Witham in Essex, is currently responsible for the lighting of the gardens in Wisley, Hyde Hall and Harlow Carr. In selecting the proper lighting products to illuminate areas up to 150 ha in size, the Illuminate Design team procured more than 500 spotlights from Cameo.
The Cameo QSpot 40i.
The main lighting component for the extensive gardens, with their countless tree and plant species, as well as various buildings, are the 280 Q-Spot 40i outdoor spots with 40 W RGBA LED. The team led by Illuminate Design Managing Director, Robin Shephard-Blandy, uses the spots to precisely illuminate objects and, when required, highlight them in radiant colors.
The Flat Pro Flood 600 outdoor floods with RGBWA LEDs act as the wide background brush strokes. More than a hundred Zenit wash lights 30 of Type W600 and 75 of Type W300 deliver even more power and flexibility. Illuminate Designs also found the perfect placement in the gardens for Flat Pro 7 and Flat Pro 12 RGBWA outdoor spotlights.
The Cameo Flat Pro Flood 600.
The Cameo Wash Zenit W600.
“A few years ago, we became aware of Cameo when we were looking for spotlights for fixed installation projects,” explains Robin Shephard-Blandy. “Cameo has always offered us something more than the conventional options. That’s why it was obvious for us to shortlist Cameo when we were again looking for a range of spotlights for temporary installations.
The Cameo range is very extensive and offers us almost everything we need, from the small Qspot 40i to the powerful W600 floods. We are particularly satisfied with the high light output and uniform color mixing. Spots, floodlights and wash lights are all used both separately and in the DMX network.
The Zenit W300 and W600 also come with the integrated W-DMX transceiver to illuminate small shrubs, art installations and even the huge redwood trees spread over the entire site.“ As a result of its past achievements, the Royal Horticultural Society has now extended the successful collaboration with Illuminate Design by a further three years.
The following products are used in the gardens of the Royal Horticultural Society :
– 280x Cameo Q-Spot 40i RGBA LED outdoor spotlights – 91x Cameo Flat Pro Flood 600 IP65 outdoor floodlights – 75x Cameo Zenit W300 LED outdoor wash lights – 30x Cameo Zenit W600 LED outdoor wash lights – 24x Cameo Flat Pro 12 RGBWA LED outdoor spotlights – 24x Cameo Flat Pro 7 RGBWA LED outdoor spotlights
Further information about the RHS and Cameo range of products :
Sensitive to the hiatus in the large-scale, live touring market, DiGiCo has designed the Quantum225 to be agile and flexible allowing the system to adapt to the demands of our changing world.
Specified with the new DQ-Rack with integrated Dante and you have a perfect system for AV installation and the demands of an AoIP networking environment. Alternatively specify with the MQ-Rack and get the familiar MADI connectivity for your touring infrastructure allowing Quantum225 to integrate with your existing infrastructure.
The Quantum225 includes 72 inputs channels with 36 busses + Master Buss and a 12×12 Matrix. There are four MADI ports and dual DMI ports for added connectivity, 8 x 8 analogue and 4 AES channels for local I/O, built-in UB MADI, optional optics and Waves SoundGrid, plus dual PSU.
Le DQ rack, D c’est pour Dante.
The Quantum225 also incorporates now familiar features from the existing Quantum Range including Mustard Processing channel strips, Spice Rack plugin style native FPGA processing options, Nodal Processing and True Solo. There is a 17-inch, full colour, daylight bright, TFT multitouch screen with the Quantum Dark application, seen before on the Quantum338, combined with 41 mini TFT’s located across the surface to provide unrivalled user feedback and interaction.
What is unique to Quantum225 is a custom designed, multi-purpose mounting bracket that attaches quickly and easily to the left-hand panel of the console. This can accommodate an additional channel or overview screen, a KLANG:controller, or be further expanded to fit either a laptop or a script particularly useful for theatre applications. The bracket can be installed at two angles with quick release to cater for all preferences or applications.
Le MQ rack, le M c’est pour…MADI !
The new compact, 6U DQ and MQ racks have been designed from the ground up specifically for modern application demands. They feature 48 mic/line inputs, up to 24 analogue outputs or up to 8x AES outputs.
Clever audio design allows the user to reconfigure 4 of the analogue line outputs to be either analogue outputs or dual AES outputs. This I/O flexibility and other configuration changes are managed from the racks very own TFT Configuration screen. Standard features included Dual PSU and 48k or 96k operation.
This framing spot fixture, equipped with an 800 W white LED source, is a practical, complete and cost-effective solution for the profile market. It has already established itself in the inventories of large international rental companies. Letʼs take a look at it!
The ERA of the high-power LED spot…
Martin Era 800 Performance
The ERA 800 carries the “Performance” moniker, which has always been Martinʼs trademark designation for fixtures with motorized framing shutters. This unit is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Slim and sleek, its long head, terminating in a 160 mm diameter lens, is supported by a relatively small base that provides the Era with all the stability it needs.
There are two sturdy handles at the top of each yoke arm that work in conjunction with the handles on the base to provide a secure grip. It is so practical that we would like to find them on every fixture. On the other hand, as on all Martin fixtures, only the tilt is lockable. The unit weighs 41 kg, which is quite reasonable for a fixture of this power and size.
[private]
The connection panel.
On the base, the panel with the connections features XLR5 DMX input and output, as well as PowerCON True1 input and throughput link. As each ERA 800 unit can draw about 1200 W, we could consider using the power link connector for a second unit on a 16 A circuit.
The absence of an RJ45 socket rules out direct Ethernet control, so the fixture can only be controlled via DMX. Nevertheless, this is how it would be used 99% of the time…
Martin offers only one DMX mode. Thank you! Thank you Martin! With the ERA, we donʼt have to wonder what mode the fixture up in the rig is in… One fixture, One mode… Zen! Our ERA occupies 42 DMX channels. Channels that require precision are doubled for 16-bit control, and thatʼs it: this is a positive feature of the Era!
Accessing the menu.
On the opposite side of the base is the display with its large backlit screen and navigation keys, and a USB connector for software updates. DMX addressing, manual test functions, dimmer curve selection, component status information… everything is there except the possibility to toggle the display orientation by simultaneously pressing the two arrow keys. Here, instead, you will have to scroll through the menu, head upside down, until you find in the options the one that inverts the display. What a pain!
Underneath the base, the omega brackets and safety cable attachments.
The rigging system is a classic pair of omega brackets that are fixed under the unit with classic camlock systems. An important detail: Martin has maintained the same center distances on EVERY fixture of this type since the last century… If you lose an omega bracket and you still have an old Mac 600 or a Mac 250+ in a corner somewhere, you can recycle its omega bracket. It works! Thatʼs cool!
As the two brackets are quite close to each other, it would be preferable (if not indispensable) for Martin to supply brackets that allow an offset (they were one of the first manufacturers to have thought of this!). There are four dedicated slots to allow you to attach the safety cable wherever you want.
Photometric measurements
The derating does not exceed 4%, which is excellent.
With the fixture running at full power, we start by tracing the derating curve, to check the efficiency of the cooling system of the LED engine. The attenuation reaches only 4% after 5 minutes of heating and then stabilizes. This is an excellent result.
With the light output thus stabilized, and the fixture placed at 5 m from the target, we can start our illuminance measurements at the three usual angles: the tightest sharp-focus beam angle, at 20°, and at the widest sharp beam angle.
Tight beam
At the tightest zoom setting that provides sharp focus, we measure a field diameter of 1 m, which gives us a beam divergence angle of 11.5°. The angle of the beam can be reduced down to the 7° declared by the manufacturer (6.64° to be precise), but the projection is not sharp. So at 11.5°, we measure a center illuminance of 45,100 lux after derating (47,050 lx cold) which corresponds to a flux of 32,870 lumens (34,280 lm when cold). The intensity curve is smooth.
20° Beam
At our reference value of a 20° beam divergence, the center illuminance at 5 meters is 14,900 lux (15,540 lx when cold) and the flux reaches 35,420 lm (36,950 lm when cold). We observe a nice flat intensity curve, without hot spots, particularly favorable for beautiful and uniform projections.
Wide beam
At the widest zoom setting that provides a sharp focus, the field diameter reaches 5.1 meters, corresponding to an angle of 54°. At this beam angle, we measure a center illuminance at 5 meters of 2,160 lux after derating (2,250 lx cold) which corresponds to a luminous flux of 33,660 lm (35,100 lm cold). The flux remains almost constant (±1,000 lm) over the entire zoom range, even in a tight beam with the tested angle of 11.5° avoiding large light losses.
Dimmer
The dimming curve from 0 to 100%.
The dimming curve from 0 to 10%.
The light of the ERA
Our ERA 800 Performance offers a consistent and uniform beam. The distribution of the light is among the best of its kind. The flux is absolutely right. It is a unit that delivers a beautiful white light at 6500 K, with a CRI of 70, which is perfectly suited to most applications.
The zoom from the tightest (not sharp) to the widest.
The 35,000 lumens of flux at 20° allow it to handle some very serious applications. The optical system is particularly efficient, and we measure a zoom range from 11.5° to 54°.
The color mixing is really nice and any hue can be obtained without difficulty. Here, there is no particular bias or exaggeration, this is classic and effective. The blues can be deep or vivid, the reds are quite satisfactory, and the pastels are clean. The only precaution you need to take for an absolutely perfect color mix in the beam is to use a beam that is focused close to sharpness.
The CMY mixing and the concerns when using hues in an unfocused beam.
On a unfocused beam, we can rapidly notice the phenomenon of color flags entering a good part of the beam. This is not a fundamental problem, far from it. You just have to be careful with your beam choices if you donʼt want to be caught off guard. The linear CTO, which is rather yellow and very soft, is very nice.
The color wheel offers six saturated and dense filters (red, green, blue, orange, congo, and a very nice sort of lavender) that pleasantly complement the CMY.
The filters of the color wheel.
Gobos and effects
The ERA 800 Performance features two gobo wheels and one animation wheel. The first wheel has six indexable rotating gobos, and the second wheel has seven static gobos. They are really very cool, and diverse. Several types of “colanders”, a true “cone”, a “window” which could prove to be very impressive in the theater, the “Sonar” gobo – with its well-known off-center cones that delighted the many fans of the Viper – are also included. In short, itʼs a delight for texturing the beams or for projecting effects.
The gobos. The rotating gobos above and the static ones below.
The animation wheel adds a little something extra with its unlimited rotation of more or less parallel striations. As on other machines, the stripes only move up and down (forward and reverse) through the beam.
To supplement and enhance the effects of the gobos or simply to animate the beam, two different prisms can be applied. They provide either a beam split into four sectors or a linear array of six sectors. They are effective and can be indexed, but cannot be superimposed one over the other.
The two prisms.
Two frost filters – here again, either one or the other – allow for a fairly significant softening of the beam, with two different levels. They are progressively inserted and the final effect is quite pronounced. Personally I like them very much.
The two frosts.
The framing module meets all the current expectations for this type of feature. The insertion of the shutter blades can come as a surprise because the second (blade angle) parameter of each shutter starts with the blade diagonal to the direction of insertion, but thatʼs just because the parameter starts from an absolute zero DMX value that sets a maximum “negative” angle to the blade itself. In reality, once you get past this surprise, any positioning is possible, just like on any other module.
The motorized framing module.
High precision, an amplitude of movement that allows the entire beam window to be moved, rotation through ±60° for positioning in all orientations – and even a bit more – all of this is enough to create attractive shapes, beautiful framing and even striking beam effects. With a little frost, itʼs perfect. The sharpness is rough for two blades out of the four, but this is the case with all shutter blades that provide total closure. Nothing extra, nothing less. Overall it is an excellent profiling module.
Disassembly. Letʼs strip it all down!
The fixture laid bare.
The unit is relatively easy to maintain and disassemble for maintenance purposes. The head is enclosed by two large cowls held in place by captive, quarter-turn, Phillips-head screws (which are secured by small wires that snap into place by means of a spring-loaded lug), the yoke arms are also fitted with a cover on each side, and the lower part of the yoke is closed with two half-covers. The base is more difficult to disassemble.
You will need a Torx T-25 screwdriver if you want to carry out a complete disassembly of the unit. But thatʼs really EVERYTHING. The choice of the Torx comes from the manufacturerʼs desire to prevent the user from troubleshooting certain issues on site with his Leatherman. Well, personally, Iʼm not a fan of this principle… We have to spend so much time on the road doing maintenance on our equipment that Iʼm not happy with any approach that is intended to put a restriction on the user… Weʼre talking about professional equipment, handled by professional technicians, so tinkering with the Leatherman is not recommended, but hey… at least for the whole fixture itʼs the same Torx 25…
Inside the head, the rear section is occupied by the LED engine, enclosed at the heart of the cooling system. We can only see it through the big lens that concentrates the flux to the optical path. Four big fans (two bringing in the air and two extracting it) organize the air flow through the heatpipe radiator. The front part of the head contains the effects, with ventilation and filtering to ensure a well regulated temperature and a minimal accumulation of dust.
The output lens of the LED source module.
The rear of the source module with the cooling system of the LED engine.
Next come the zoom carriage and the focus carriage, before the 160 mm diameter output lens. The frost filters and the two prisms are mounted on the focus carriage. They are inserted from the sides – where they are parked in a recessed position – into the beam when they are in use.
The zoom and focus carriages, with the prisms and frost filters.
The range of operation of these effects is quite limited in depth, which avoids having to make a big compromise between the amplitude of the zoom/focus and the use of prisms and frosts… On the other hand, the frosts and prisms cannot be superimposed upon each other. But is this a real problem? I donʼt think so.
The space between the source assembly and the optical system from which the beam is emitted is dedicated to two modules, one with the colors and effects and the other with the motorized framing system. Both can be removed relatively easily, after a bit of sometimes meticulous disassembly, but quite in line with the classic methods of routine maintenance.
The CMY+CTO side of the colors/effects module.
The gobo side of the colors/effects module.
The shutter side of the framing module.
The side of the framing module with the control electronics.
The modules are very densely packed, but well designed. The maintenance of this type of assembly is always delicate, but in this case, they seem to be well studied to allow the cleaning or replacement of some parts without losing too much sweat.
And the parts not in the head?
The yoke incorporates, along with some electronics, the pan and tilt drives with their big and powerful stepper motors, but the interesting thing is that the access to the belts is quite straightforward. Replacing the tilt drive belt, for example, does not require any disassembly. The access is not obstructed by any structure or wiring. All you have to do is release the system that keeps the belt tensioned to completely free it and replace it.
The bottom of the open yoke. Above is the access to the pan axle.
As for the pan drive, it is more tricky, but it is nevertheless more accessible than on many other fixtures. When you remove the covers from the base of the yoke, you have access to almost everything. This is a very positive point, if only for inspection in case of problems. The base contains the power supply, the display and the board that handles the software of the unit…
Conclusion
Even though it doesnʼt feature any significant unique innovations, the Era 800 Performance is nonetheless an excellent fixture, befitting the current high-end market. A simple and complete spotlight with rather interesting price positioning, which proudly meets any demand for a powerful, versatile and professional profile fixture on a technical rider. Its 35,000 lumens of flux and its beautiful uniform beam are enough to bring everyone into agreement. Welcome ERA!
La toute nouvelle salle de projection et de mixage de Netflix à Los Angeles équipée d’Ultra Reflex.
Meyer Sound has introduced Ultra Reflex, a patent-pending solution for optimum reproduction of discrete screen channel audio on large-scale direct view video displays. The complete system for each screen channel comprises a high frequency component reflecting off the screen that is coupled seamlessly with a direct radiating low frequency component.
Le bon vieux temps avec un vidéo projecteur pour l’image et un écran trans-sonore pour permettre la reproduction du son.
Le procédé Ultra Reflex avec le « composant haute fréquence » dont l’émission est réfléchie par la surface de l’écran (en bleu) et les plus classiques renforts de grave et subs infra en radiation directe (en vert).
The patent-pending solution encompasses proprietary acoustical designs, DSP technologies and optimization techniques. The result is full bandwidth reproduction together with extremely low distortion, pinpoint directionality, and extraordinarily flat amplitude and phase response for tonal accuracy.
Un gros plan du « composant haute fréquence », en clair, l’enceinte en charge de la localisation d’un des L, C ou R au sein de l’image.
With Ultra Reflex, audiences throughout the viewing space experience accurate and stable sound localization, crisp dialog, high-fidelity music scores and powerful effects audio quality that ideally complements the newest image technologies.
Audio challenges have inhibited wider acceptance of larger direct view displays because, unlike with acoustically transmissive projection screens, loudspeakers cannot be located directly behind the visual image. Placing screen channel loudspeakers around the display perimeter compromises uniformity of coverage, stability of image localization, and overall audio fidelity.
Miles Rogers
The innovative Ultra Reflex solution preserves the audio advantages of a behind-screen system while also improving breadth of coverage for a wider “sweet spot” in the viewing space.
“The introduction of direct view displays in the cinema industry created the need for a unique solution for LCR screen channels,” says Miles Rogers, Meyer Sound business development manager, cinema & content creation markets. “Ultra Reflex is the culmination of prediction software, loudspeaker technologies, and the lifelong vision of John Meyer to create solutions for the most demanding audio professionals.”
For the initial launch period, the new Meyer Sound Ultra Reflex solution is paired with Sony’s Crystal LED. This synergetic arrangement allows early adopters to experience the ultimate in high-contrast, high resolution video complemented by leading-edge audio technology. The displays are installed and in use by leading companies and professionals across the world.
La dalle LED Sony Crystal de 518 x 274 cm ciblée par les 3 nouvelles enceintes Meyer visibles en haut de l’image et tirant dans sa direction.
Les plates-formes d’optimisation DSP GALAXY ™ 816 et les alimentations intelligentes MPS-488HP délivrant le signal audio et 48 V sur des câbles composites.
The first joint installation for the two technologies is at a reference-level screening room and lab on the Netflix campus in Los Angeles. Designed to replicate both critical viewing and audio mixing as well as accommodate VIP screenings, the room features a 17’ wide by 9’ high HDR-capable 4K Crystal LED from Sony. Proprietary DSP for optimization is supplied by a GALAXY™ 816 Network Platform.
The innovative screen channels are part of a complete Dolby Atmos® system that has quickly recallable snapshots for theatrical or 9.1.6 home entertainment playback modes. The balance of the system comprises a total of 37 self-powered Meyer Sound cinema loudspeakers, including HMS Series lateral and overhead surround loudspeakers bolstered by USW-210P™ subwoofers for surround bass management and X-400C™ cinema subwoofers with VLFC™ very low frequency control elements for bass management and LFE.
A short film to better understand how Ultra Reflex works:
Hosted by Ana Brenda Contreras, Victor Manuelle and Yalitza Aparicio, the 21st Latin Grammy Awards were celebrated in late November to honour the cream of the Latin music scene. This year saw a rather different format from the usual star-studded occasion due to the dictates of the COVID-19 pandemic: to ensure the safety of the artists and the production team, the nominees were showcased to the world in a remote, live broadcast by Univision from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, with breakout performances streamed from other cities throughout Latin America.
Despite the lack of a live audience, this year’s performances were no less glamorous, and the stellar line up – which included the likes of Bad Bunny, Camilo, Kany García, J Balvin, Jesse & Joy, Natalia Lafourcade, Ricky Martin, Fito Páez and Carlos Vives all competing for Album Of The Year – were presented in their best light, bringing some much-needed joy and warmth to its worldwide viewing audience. The Awards show’s lighting designer and director, Tom Kenny, operating from the Miami base, chose to enhance the appearance of the artists with the elegance and subtleties of a number of Robert Juliat Dalis 860 LED fixtures.
Nine of the 8-colour LED battens were arranged at ground level in a horseshoe configuration bordering the front of the performing area, from where they were used as footlights and for low level front lighting.
With ‘Music Makes Us Human’ as the evening’s theme, Kenny used the Dalis fixtures to bring a warmth and depth to the performers’ faces; Ricky Martin’s set included a duet with Carla Morrison with whom he performed Recuerdo, followed by his own solo performance of the award-nominated song, Tiburones. “The Latin Grammys draws a massive TV and online presence so every artist is on top form and really looking for the high standards the production brings every year,” says Kenny. “Ricky Martin has always been passionate about his performance and puts a lot of energy and rehearsal into his songs. We introduced the Robert Juliats Dalis 860 to him on previous shows, so I had them ready for him at this year’s mega show in Miami on November 19th.
“The warmth, shape and colour temperature that these units produce not only soften and gave him a beautiful glow, but the ‘old-world-meets-new’ look of each fixture added to the theatrics of the song. He loved them so much he didn’t want to stray too far from their beautiful aura!” The Robert Juliat Dalis 860 fixtures were supplied to the Latin Grammy Awards by PRG.
More information about the complete Dalis family of LED fixtures and all Robert Juliat luminaires can be found on the Robert Juliat website
What we liked:
what we didnʼt like:
