GHMT certification for Sommer Cable RJ45 ONESIZE socket CAT.6a

This is the age of Data Convergence for our Industry indeed. So many data flows of all kinds, Digital Audio (Dante, AES67, and more), Art-Net or sACN, Intercomms, HD Video, every kind of information with flowing Gigabytes of 0 and 1 flowing down the line all have to rely of some tiny Ethernet sockets and plugs here and there and everywhere.
The age of P.O.E. has come as well, from nifty small Dante converting boxes to bigger digitalized and self-powered bells and whistles, so better be on the safe side and go for the best for your connections, guys.

Considering all this, the German manufacturer Sommer Cable has designed something really strong for installers with the new, high-quality CAT.6a RJ45 module (10 Gbit) in the Keystone SnapIn format with its very short design depth.
It is suitable for tool-free assembly and full support of Power over Ethernet (POE+) applications.

To ensure the highest possible quality standard, Sommer cable had the module included in the GHMT Verification Program. Hence it’s also the ideal solution for installation environments requiring certified products.

This can be further enhanced by choosing the CPR certified SC-Mercator CAT.7/Cat.7a network cable recommended by Sommer cable. But owing to its large cross-sectional area (up to AWG 22/7), the module can be used with almost all CAT cables. It is available both as a practical set of 8 or individual units – incl. dust cap and cable binder.

More information and comprehensive technical details on the Sommer Cable WebSite.

 

5-Star Immersive Sound by Amadeus at Domaine des Etangs

Domaine des Étangs is the biggest 5-star ‘hotel resort’ in France. Located in Massignac, it spans a thousand acres of unspoiled natural land including forests, pastures, and ponds. The Domaine des Étangs (‘Pond Domain’) offers outstanding hospitality experiences.
The audio installation had to be up to this highest possible standard, while being carefully hidden for the visual comfort of the top notch customers. Amadeus acheived this goal so well that we had to add arrows in the photos to point out where the speakers are!

General view of the main building of Domaine des Etangs.

This unique site hosts an eleventh-century castle, fully renovated and decorated with contemporary works of art, detailed landscaping, six tenant farms, a former dairy (La Laiterie), a vegetable garden, a wellness center, Gallo-Roman baths, two swimming pools, a floating tennis court, and a top-rated gastronomic Michelin-starred restaurant.

Built of stone and wood, La Laiterie is a new Art gallery space.

Built of stone and wood, La Laiterie is a new gallery space within the Domaine des Étangs complex that is dedicated to exhibitions about the ‘Meeting of Art and Nature’.
“Actually, we collaborated in advance of the sound system installation with Amadeus experts.
We were able to get rid of the speakers’ common aesthetic nuisances and at the same time ensure a sound quality at a level rivaling the most famous concert halls,” says Manuel Gomez, architect and music lover, who was in charge of the renovation work for La Laiterie at the Domaine des Étangs.

Another part of the Art exhibition at Domaine des Etangs.

Designed in a circular layout to get the best envelopment for visitors and to adapt to the geometric, technical, and aesthetic constraints in the Laiterie galley, the sound system comprises 44 speakers made by Amadeus and the HOLOPHONIX spatial sound processor.

“The specification was very complex. Mrs. Garance Primat, the owner of the Domaine des Étangs, is a great music lover and a contemporary art collector; she wished to turn this former 18th-century barn into a place where past, present, and future art would meet to serve culture and presentation,” asserts Gaëtan Byk, Marketing Manager for the Amadeus brand. 

Gaëtan Byk, Amadeus’ Marketing Manager.

“This space had to be able to host art exhibitions, events, acoustic or amplified music, electroacoustic music creations, etc., without having to modify, reconfigure or move speakers according to the application.
The sound system had to be as versatile, scalable and integrated as possible. It appeared obvious to develop our project around the HOLOPHONIX processor,” revealed Byk.

Mezzanines excluded, the hall is 23-meter long and 9-meter high (75×30 ft).
Thirty-two (32) Amadeus PMX 5 coaxial speakers are integrated at inferior purlins at mezzanine height: ten evenly-spaced speakers lengthwise and six speakers across the width.
Eight low-frequency Amadeus ML 12 SLIM bespoke subwoofer speakers are integrated into the low section of the walls, spread out with four speakers on each side lengthwise along the walls. In addition, a new purpose-designed ‘slim bass’ speaker, named UFD 215, is integrated under each mezzanine.

Here’s what Amadeus call “total integration”, this is why they had to send us some photos with arrows showing WHERE the speakers are (pretty much, indeed) recessed and integrated.

The audio system is built around the spatial sound processor HOLOPHONIX. The integrated hardware and software product was designed by Amadeus in collaboration with the STMS (Sciences et Technologies de la Musique et du Son), a laboratory founded in 1995 and hosted in the IRCAM premises, in association with CNRS, the Sorbonne Université, the Ministère de la Culture, and the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique.

The basic audio configuration uses three virtual sources, and synthesizes the signal on all loudspeakers, according to the WFS (Wave Field Synthesis) principles. The first source is stereophonic, it processes the output signal of the Lumin U1 player/streamer, used to play high-resolution music tracks.

Michel Deluc, Amadeus’ R&D Manager.

“Most audio signals come from sources like TIDAL or Qobuz. They are played in native PCM format, with sample frequencies of 44.1 to 192kHz, with 16-bit or 24-bit resolution.
The AES/EBU digital audio signal is then ‘transcoded’ in Dante, to preserve the digital chain and processed at 192kHz – the HOLOPHONIX processor is set up to work with this sampling frequency, within a 64 I/O limit,” explains Michel Deluc, Amadeus’ R&D Manager.

The two other sources for HOLOPHONIX are monophonic, they synthesize the audio signal coming from Shure ULXD4D digital wireless microphone receivers. They can easily be moved in real time, to follow the actual position of the persons using the microphones.

The HOLOPHONIX processor ensures a specified coherency between all speakers, each one receiving a dedicated audio signal. Several standard presets for HOLOPHONIX were designed on location according to the rooms’ specifications to enhance the system versatility and adaptability according to the needs of the installation or event.

The Amadeus Holophonix processor.

The HOLOPHONIX processor creates an extremely advanced platform which is able to mix, reverberate, and spatialize sound contents played from various devices using several different spatialization techniques in two or three dimensions.

The hardware offers a quasi-unlimited number of spatialization buses, each one able to run one of the different sound algorithms available, including: Higher-Order Ambisonics (2D, 3D) Vector-Base Intensity Panning (2D, 3D), Vector-Base Amplitude Panning (2D, 3D), Wave Field Synthesis, Angular 2D, k-Nearest Neighbor, Stereo Panning, Stereo AB, Stereo XY, and Binaural.

List of Amadeus products installed in the “Laiterie” gallery space:

  • 2 x Amadeus PMX 15 (1 x 15” LF; 1 x 3” HF)
  • 2 x Amadeus UDF 215 (2 x 15” LF)
  • 32 x Amadeus PMX 5 MK4 (1 x 5.25” LF; 1 x 1.75” HF)
  • 8 x Amadeus ML 12 SLIM (1 x 12” LF)

List of Powersoft items installed in the “Laiterie” gallery space:

  • 4 x Powersoft Ottocanali 4K4 DSP+DANTE
  • 4 x Powersoft Ottocanali 8K4 DSP+DANTE

More information on the Domaine des Étangs resort and on Amadeus’speakers and HOLOPHONIX concept.

 

A little teasing for SGM at PL+S 2019: innovative Led Sky Tracer

Beautiful SGM stand decoration.

Around the imposing LED-based decor, futuristic looking indeed, proudly standing in the center of the SGM stand, several projectors shake and dance. One of them instantly draws our attention as its enormous parabolic reflector does not go unnoticed. It is a moving head comprising an optical system totally new for this brand.

Overview of the future SGM product and its very narrow beam.

We could grab very little information about this brand new device, at least for a good reason, as the model exhibited was a prototype and will apparently be subject to significant modifications before being put on the market, and whose G7 Beam reference could well be changed.

First and invariable element, the type of device, related to the category of effects projectors (a SGM first since 2012), combining two light sources.


Close-up view of the optics combining a large stick of light with a powerful effect of strobe and blinder.

One generates a thick beam with sharp outline and around 2.5° angle, the other is in the center of the light output and is dedicated to the creation of overpowered strobe or blinder effects. “The latter system is patented,” says Ben Díaz, Sales Manager at SGM . ”

This source blinder / strobe source, coupled with its cooling system, allows an impressive 50 000 lumens light output.
We also learned that the LED sources dedicated to the Beam part, as well as the other effects part, will all be matrix controllable.

A neat design with many handles for easy handling.

In continuity with the other products of the range developed since three years, this fixture will be available in two versions:
the “classic” in the Entertainment category for current applications (touring, rental), and the “POI” (stands for « Permanent Outdoor Installation ») aimed at architectural lighting proudly boasting its IP66 feature.

The development of this unprecedented effects moving head should be completed anytime, we’ll then give you a complete report, with definitive name and reference.

More info on the SGM Website.

 

Yamaha delivers at Palmeral Resort: Days To Remember

Covering 81 hectares of Spanish countryside, Palmeral Resort is a stunning location for weddings and other family celebrations.
Aiming to create memorable experiences and lasting memories, a zoned Yamaha audio system ensures that guests enjoy the perfect soundtrack to their event.

Situated at Talavera de la Reina in the province of Toledo, 140km south west of Madrid, Palmeral Resort is set amongst palm trees, fountains, attractive gardens and a lake. Featuring a chill-out terrace, festival tent, outdoor lounge, swimming pool, disco, children’s area and indoor facilities comprising a main lounge, spacious restaurant, attractive bridal suite, reception areas and highly attentive staff, all guests are assured of an enjoyable and memorable experience.
The resort’s management needed to deploy great sound in all areas, but with the versatility to manage each area independently or as groups, depending on the needs of each event. El Palmeral owner Esteban Robledo is a young entrepreneur who is very tuned in to new technologies and knew that the solution was a network-based system.

“In a resort covering such a large area and with so many different zones, the use of analogue technology would obviously have been a mistake. Digital audio networking gave us the opportunity to centralise the control and the possibility to manage the entire system by one person,” El Palmeral owner Esteban Robledo says. “It also reduced the complexity of the installation and would make considerable economic savings, not to mention the opportunity of expanding the installation using the same design philosophy.”

With the variety of areas that needed to be covered, and the distances between them, Talavera de la Reina-based A/V specialist Telsokit chose a Yamaha solution, with an MRX7-D matrix processor as the core of a system covering 12 different zones and with 50 audio inputs.

Chosen for the versatility of its open-architecture DSP and being more than capable of meeting all the client’s needs, the MRX7-D is supported by two MTX3 matrix processors, with two Tio1608-D I/O Rack units for additional inputs and outputs. The entire system is powered by five XMV8280 amplifiers. “One of the main installation requirements was to route audio from one area to another in a simple and fast way, allowing us to join or separate the zones, according to the needs of each event,” says Telsokit CEO Miguel Angel Aguado.

Throughout the resort, a total of 72 VXS8 surface mount and six VXC5F ceiling loudspeakers distribute ambient music from three MusicCast WXC50DS wireless streaming amplifiers, with a separate WXC50DS providing content for the children’s area. In addition, three laptops connected via Dante Virtual Soundcard supply high quality audio, with none of the background noise typical of analogue audio connections to computers.
Three wireless Line6 XD-V55 microphones are included in the system, which can be used for a wide variety of uses. The MRX7-D’s Dan Dugan automixing ensures that more than one microphone can be used without any need for manual mixing. To deliver the powerful sound needed for the disco, DXR12 full-range, powered loudspeakers and DXS15 compact powered subwoofers were installed.

Bespoke control panels were created in the ProVisionaire Touch app, for iPad-based system-wide control of input sources and volume levels, and ProVisionaire Control Kiosk on a Windows PC with a higher level of access, zone switching and paging.

Five DCP4S1V surface mount controllers have also been installed throughout the resort, allowing staff to locally choose the audio source and adjust the volume for each main zone. “One of the most important features of the system is the ability to control everything from a tablet or PC, meaning the vast majority of expansion work is at software level. This allows the customer’s needs to be easily adapted, without having to add additional hardware,” says Miguel Angel.

But this is just the beginning for Palmeral Resort, as Esteban Robledo explains: “This is a medium term project and our facilities are going to grow year by year. The decision to install a Yamaha audio solution helps to ensure that the results from now through to our maximum development will be a success,” Esteban Robledo concludes.
“We are very grateful for the dedication, understanding and paxtience that the staff from Yamaha and Telsokit have shown. It is a pleasure to work with such professional people.”

More information on Yamaha Pro Audio and Telsokit.

 

Huracan-X, a storm named Ayrton

First ever Ayrton projector equipped with a 1,000 W LED module, the Huracán-X is a monster of brightness, loaded with new technologies in the sheer management of colors and effects.
Stuck on his Prolight + Sound display pod, he kept his talents secret in the public eye. Yvan Péard, director of development, took the time to unveil most of them to us.

The Huracán-X colossus, unveiled at Prolight + Sound in sneak preview.

Yvan Péard asserts : «The Huracán is like modern watchmaking. It is slightly bigger, thicker and larger than the Khamsin and it uses the base of the Ghibli with a 1,400 W PSU.»

With its 44 kg weight, a more spacious center distance to fit the new effects discs, a 178 mm lens and a size that exceeds 80 cm high (with head pointed upwards), the Huracán is indeed an Ayrton giant, but remains comparable to large discharge projectors already known to the Pro lighting market.

Just as its power, its native 1000 W of white LEDs and its top notch cooling need a lot of energy to express themselves. And its 1,400 W of power consumption is not too much to deliver the announced record light output of 50,000 lumens.

But far from being only a light cannon, this record projector boards a yet unseen total control on color and animations.

Yvan Péard : «We have patented its system of complex substractive color mixing based on the classic CMY one, plus a complementary Color Temperature one, combining 3 correctors CTO (O=Orange), CTB (B=Blue) and CTP (P=Pink) or Minus Green».

Clearly, the three classic CMY color mixing flags are doubled with their complementary linear correctors CTO, CTB and CTP (minus green). To understand this new system of 6-color mix (!), the following video compares the three primary discs and three pastel correctors.

The three CMY primary flag are in fact replaced by azure blue, violet and mustard, to obtain very deep red, green and blue color mixes in addition to very soft new blushes. Each color component is shot in this video in progressive crossfades over 20 seconds.


A wheel of 6 very specific colors completes this complex process, as well as two DMX channels of pre-programmed colors in E-Color code, a common European standard for gels. The first E-Color channel is visually calibrated using as a reference a halogen profile equipped with the requested gel, the second in HMI 5600K. Each time the DMX value will be identical to the reference color code.


Yvan Péard : “We will develop the algorithms that should allow people who have color triangles on their console, GrandMA, ETC … to fully exploit the possibilities of this machine. It is an ambitious system, one of the keys of the Huracán, which is reserved for high-end machines. To do this we use E-Color references in 3200K and 5600K daylight. A titanic job indeed!”

High-end is the perfect term for the gobos and effects management. On the two wheels of 7 rotating HD glass gobos, 2 slots are reserved for interchangeable cassettes. Each cassette is composed of a reverse gobo double gobo, to create 3D projections by playing on the focus.

The picture you get is hypnotic, with its geometric petals winding endlessly in arpeggios of multiple hues.


In addition, two prisms, a linear 4-facet and a circular 5-facet, are added before getting to two new patented effects discs. The first is reserved for complex graphic animations, the second launches a real carousel of colors.

Yvan Péard : “The multi-positioning effect wheel simulates water, fire, the sun in the center and all the perspectives… where you want it.
The aim of this invention is to precisely position this effects wheel in the beam in order to obtain a multitude of graphic effects such as horizontal, vertical or axial scrolling, with the possibility of navigating between all these positions.”

If these continuous animations are largely known, with a marked vertical passage, it is more rare to be able to use it horizontally, and to our knowledge never yet in a circular way.


Yvan Péard : “We also have a glass effects wheel, a combination of Cyan Magenta Yellow that mix together… We will be able to scroll thru the colors in a non-focused way. These can be mixed with the six colors of the mixing system to make colors appear and disappear. A real floral explosion.”

Very Pop Art, the possible combinations happily collide the typical oil bath effects from the sixties and the geometric deconstructivism of the chosen gobos.



To perfect this almost idyllic picture, an iris, two frosts and a framing system of four fully closing blades are integrated before the last centerpiece of the Huracán: an impressive zoom that increases the beam from 6.2° to 62°.

Here, in wide beam!

Scheduled for Q3 release, this Profile represents the quintessence of Ayrton, or to let Ayrton’s teams say things more frankly:

Yvan Péard : “In the spirit it’s a Bad Boy*… tough delivering. We’ve never made such a ballsy fixture before!»
*Bad Boy: cult, non-compromising projector manufactured by PRG, exclusively used on their own big operations such as Olympic Games Opening Ceremony or Eurovision Song Contest.

More information on the Ayrton Website..

True Plug-And-Play Geo M10 Line Array for Orbital Sound: Nexo delivers

Talk about fast delivery, here! With less than 30 hours from load-in to showtime in a 600-capacity theatre, Orbital Sound’s Mike Thacker needed true plug-and-play functionality from his audio production package of Yamaha control systems and NEXO GEO M10 mid-size line array.

Groundstacks of 4x GEO M10 cabinets, on top of 3x NEXO GEO M15 subs. Left, some ID24 as frontfills.

Mike Thacker is Orbital Sound’s Head of Education, commissioned to creatively design and facilitate the audio systems for a production of ‘Starlight Express’ by the Coventry Youth Operetta Group. The assignment was a challenging one.
The 65 young artistes of the YOG, many of them wearing radio mics, would be performing on roller-skates, dancing and singing on a track that encircled the stalls of the Albany Theatre. “Yes, right in front of the PA,” explains Thacker. “My main concern was whether we would be able to get enough gain before feedback.”

Super-compact indeed! Nexo ID24 speakers as frontfills.

The one-man audio crew took just 90 minutes to load in and rig the main PA, groundstacks of 4x GEO M10 cabinets, on top of 3x NEXO GEO M15 subs.
At front-of-house, Thacker was using a Yamaha CL5 digital console and Rio3224-D2 I/O rack units, running a Dante audio network. Frontfill was provide by NEXO’s super-compact ID24 speakers, and there were a number of PS Series cabinets on stage for foldback.

“Setting up the GEO M10 line array was very simple. I was surprised at how quickly I was able to fit it up and leave myself time to concentrate on the mix. Actually, there were no problems at all with feedback. The NEXO PA is so nicely focussed that all I had to do was point the boxes into the auditorium where the sound was needed, and use a little bit of EQ. No requirement for delay or extra speakers around the theatre. The snap-on horn flanges are a great asset; being able to instantly change the horizontal dispersion between 80 and 120 degrees without having to use a different cabinet is a real-life USP.”

Impressive sound coverage.

In-house technicians at the Albany Theatre were noticeably impressed by the sound coverage achieved for the seats in the circle, usually a problem area for the venue, but easily reached by the top module in the NEXO GEO M10 groundstack.
“The 22 radio mic inputs plugged into the Rio3224-D2 I/O rack, and everything, including the amplifiers, was controllable from front-of-house, where I was using NEXO’s remote control software, NeMo on iPad and OSX.

The whole system was running off a NXAMP4x1Mk2 and a NXAMP4x4, and needing only two amplifiers was a big plus, considering there was so little space in the theatre. “I was particularly impressed by the power in NEXO’s M15 subs, ideal for a small musical production that has rock AND roll! The sound quality was fantastic, and, speaking as an operator, it was pleasing to have the NEXO and Yamaha systems working together very, very well”, Mike Thacker concludes.

Mike joined Orbital having spent 13 years operating shows in the West End (hence the Starlight Express connection) and on tour. As a production engineer Mike has worked on numerous shows over the years from large scale musicals to much smaller productions. When not working on productions Mike is an avid landscape photographer. Mike is a committed believer in audio education and training.

More information on Nexo GEO M10 and Orbital Sound.

 

Ayrton appoints NMK Electronics as distributor for Gulf countries

NMK Electronics Ent, has been appointed by Ayrton as its new exclusive distributor for the Gulf countries : Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.

NMK Electronics Ent, established in Sharjah in 1987, is now located in Dubai where it has grown into a leading distributor of professional lighting, sound and AV products in the Middle East. Together with its portfolio of reputable brands, a dynamic team and strong financial foundation, the company has achieved a market leading position and has prepared itself for new ventures that will propel the company to new heights in the coming years.

Darren Caithness, NMK Electronics business manager.

“The lighting industry has changed rapidly over the last few years with the introduction and acceptance of LED fixtures as suitable replacements to conventional lamp-based fixtures,” states NMK Chief Operating Officer, Alex Kemanes.
“Ayrton is on the rise globally, taking a large portion of the market share of the entertainment lighting industry by consistently developing state-of-the-art lighting fixtures which reduce operating costs while maintaining high lumen output. Our team was very impressed with Ayrton’s current portfolio and future roadmap.

“Our appointment to work with Ayrton in the GCC will further cement NMK’s already prestigious name in the live events industry as a distributor of premium brands. Many regional lighting designers and event companies have been very keen to use Ayrton fixtures but never really had the opportunity to test them in a real environment. We will now be able to give our clients hands-on experience with the fixtures to understand more about the Ayrton philosophy.’

“Partnering with NMK in the GCC region is a great move for Ayrton,” says Zane Cretten, international sales for Ayrton. “The company is a premium brand distributor with a great knowledge of the GCC market having been in the industry for thirty-three years.
Adding Ayrton to its basket on top of its audio and video brands increases its offering to the market and ensures NMK customers have easy access to Ayrton’s state-of-the-art LED fixtures. We can look forward to a lot of success in the GCC region with NMK as our long-term exclusive distributor.”

More on the Ayrton website and the NMK Electronics website

 

First AUDAC online seminars

Pro audio manufacturer AUDAC has introduced a series of online seminars aimed at professional audio engineers, systems integrators and technicians. Ever since the beginning of AUDAC 25 years ago there has been a strong emphasis on delivering the best audio experience to audiences worldwide.
These online seminars are the next step in the support they offer to all users and installers of their products.

Follow AUDAC online seminars on all types of platforms.

‘With these first online seminars we have taken a new look at what educational tools we have to offer to the installers of our innovative audio solutions.” said Tom Van de Sande, CEO at AUDAC. ‘We noticed that we are getting a lot more momentum all over the world, which is why we had to adapt our educational offer so that we can easily reach these new users as well.”

Preliminary registration requested.

These videos are the start of a complete database of online training video’s that will highlight all functionalities of the most inspiring AUDAC products.
AUDAC will work with two different levels: Level 1 is an introduction to the AUDAC range and will be available to everyone. Level 2 will be a hands-on training of our different products and functionalities and will be available to anyone with a login to their specially designed training platform.

Contact [email protected] for more information.

More information on Audac products.

Capture lighting design software: new 2019 version

Le stand Capture aux couleurs de la version 2019.

The Swedish software wizard has done it again this year! Present on a lot of Prolight+Sound stands this spring (ADB, Avolites, ETC, WholeHog…), Capture was THE lighting visualizer this year.
We met Vasilis Ziogas there, who recently joined this company, and he introduced to us the 2019 version of Capture, available since end of March. This new a très récemment rejoint la société nordique et nous a présenté la version 2019 de Capture, sortie le 26 mars. Cette new iteration is the culmination of a year of development.

A second display organisation for the 4 basic windows plus 6 independant ones.

The beginnings of the new rendering core engine appeared in the 2018 version. We then went from open GL on all OS to Direct X on Windows and Metal on Max OS. Along the various updates being made, improvements were put in place until one last big change in the 2019 release, allowing the operator to work faster. The interface shows a new organization of the main workspace with 6 independent windows.

The GUI interface is compatible with OSX’ Dark Mode.

For a quick and permanent access to the essential, they keep the tabs Selected Item, Layers, Filters, Materials, Fixtures and Universes. All elements of the interface are now memorized when they are closed in order to be reopened in the exact same configuration.

The management interface of the projectors in the Live window has been completely overhauled. Fixtures control without console, nicely simplified, is now more visual, much more practical and suitable for projectors using a large number of parameters.

The new interface to control the selected fixtures.

The Fixture Controllers in the Live view is simpler and faster, thanks to the new tools.

One will visualize much better each element of each parameter (color weel, gobo wheel…) and the Pan/Tilt control using two distinct faders.
Very practical tools such as partial or total reset of the projectors or the transparency level of the interface have been added.

More colors and more details to make the presentation clearer.

The elements import from the library has been improved. You can directly visualize in the windows in wireframe mode the what you insert into the drawing, and you can directly link together the truss elements or hang the projectors to the truss, without having to lay down the object into the drawing first.

You can now visualize all the elements when you insert them into the drawing.

The Mapping part has not been left behind. You visualize the truss height and you can change the color of the text for each layer. The measurement tools have been improved as well as the Report window.

To end up this not restricted list of new features, let’s notice that the visualisation part also has a say in the general picture. To start with, the speed of use has been multiplied by 2 to 3, depending on the hardwares’ configurations. A white balance has been added, too, and the deactivation of one or more layers improves the rendering. The visualisation of the Strobe functions has been reworked and the colors and intensity of incandescent sources have been corrected.

You can adjust the white balance of each camera.

Capture carries on surely and without skipping any step. Many major brands are not mistaken and good news for the Swedish brand should be formalized soon. 2019 should be, for Lars Wernlund (technical director, creator of Capture) and his team, an important year.

More information on the Capture Website.

 

The Empire Strips Back in America

Hugely successful Australian burlesque Star Wars parody “The Empire Strips Back” has just completed its most extensive North American tour to date, also visiting Canada for the first time, complete with a suitably boisterous lightshow designed by Peter Rubie, featuring 30 x Robe Spiider LED wash beams as the core moving light fixtures.

Photo Peter Rubie

The show has stormed its way into intergalactic reviews and delighted audiences since it launched at the Vanguard Theatre in Sydney in 2011. A colourful, highly visual action-packed performance offering up an array of elaborate body costumes including alien creatures, a fully robotic remote controlled R2-D2 and a life-size Jabba the Hutt operated by four puppeteers.
Peter has been involved with the show for the last four years, taking over from original lighting designer Ross Graham. Since then, it has evolved into the performance spectacle it is today including brand new acts and songs, and in 2018, a complete refresh of the lighting rig!

Photo Peter Rubie

It was at this stage that Peter decided to use Robe’s latest generation Spiider – a fixture known for its power, smooth colour mixing and fantastic range of hues.
Peter wanted Spiiders in the rig to help add some of the theatrical detail needed – in addition to all the big beamy rock ‘n’ roll style colour and movement cues. They are positioned on a 5 high by 6 wide staggered grid above the stage which also has a wall effect from the front, a powerful look that Ross created when the show first started touring.

“The Spiider has a beautiful quality of light at the right brightness” he commented, adding that while they can do all the rich bold saturates that are fundamental to the primary style and vibe of the show, they can also produce all the pastel shades and subtleties needed. The Spiiders also opened up a range of other possibilities whilst still being able to reproduce the original looks “minus the LED ‘smarties’” by turning off the outer ring of LEDs and zooming right down to a tight 4 degree beam.

This is great for the rock and pop numbers, with the advantage that the fixtures can also cover the entire stage for more scenic moments. Flashy-trashy-fun moments abound explained Peter, including a mash-up dance-off between Han Solo and Chewbacca, a scene where the Spiiders excel themselves and he maximises the front lens pixel macros to create multiple fun looks. Talking about the Spiider’s flower effect, Peter feels it’s essentially like having another light in the rig.

Photo Peter Rubie

He’s built a custom profile for the Spiider in his grandMA2 console which enables him to treat the flower as if it is an individual fixture. “At its simplest this is like someone had added a classic shimmer effect light inside the central chip, given it some steroids plus colour mixing and control for the rotational direction, speed and focus!”

When combined with other LEDs on the rig, this can be used for a gentle breakup coming from overhead whilst also bathing the scene in colour. This looks especially good in haze. The point where that audience sees C-3PO for the first time and and the flower effects flick on and glisten through the highly reflective gold suit worn by the dancer is met with audible ‘OOOHs’ from the crowd every night! Those moments are always a joy for any lighting designer!
“The individual chips also have a good hard-edged focus” he elucidates, “you can use the centre chip in standard mode focused tight for a profile-style edge”. He adds that on more than one occasion lighting professionals have sworn they saw moving spots in the rig, which really appeals to Peter who likes to try and be different and think out of the box when creating exactly the right ambience for the scene.

Photo Peter Rubie

He likes the glossy finish to the Spiider lens: “It has a certain lustre to the eye, but not the massive glare you get from other wash lights of similar brightness. So, the disc of the LEDs is not constantly catching your eye from the truss or side stage, and your focus can properly stay on the actors and the action”. When the new rig was initiated, he added some moving LED bars which formed a continuation of the Spiiders over the stage.

The biggest challenge with lighting the show was covering the diversity and dynamics of the performance and getting the sheer amount of looks required to light and the different characters and scenes in a rapidly moving show that goes “from the sublime to the ridiculous” in a high energy romp of singing, dancing and fun!
Princess Leia performs a delicate ballet style number to a Lana Del Rey number one minute and then launches into a no-holds-barred rock-out Christina Aguilera rock track.
Some acts have minimal settings and rely entirely on lighting to set the ambience and convey the mood, whilst others are crammed with set pieces and props.

In the US, the lighting equipment was supplied by Felix Lighting. “They have been a dream to deal with” states Peter, “from helping us choose the right supporting power systems and cabling in unfamiliar territories to running to our aid whenever we had a problem and having consistency and support on the tour across all of the states has been very comforting”.
In Australia, the lighting vendor was Chameleon, who pulled out all the stops to purchase the Spiiders in time for the most recent tour there … which were delivered by Robe’s distributor Jands.

More on the Robe website

Lunatec Sp. Z o.o. appointed as exclusive distributor Ayrton for Poland

Ayrton announce a further expansion of its international distribution network with the appointment of Lunatec Sp. z o.o. as its new exclusive distributor for Poland, which takes place with immediate effect.

Headed by CEO Michał Bisikiewicz and sales manager Adrian Gediga, Lunatec is a newly formed company with a wealth of industry experience. Bisikiewicz has over 20 years of experience in the sales and rental of high-end professional lighting equipment to the Polish market in television and broadcast.
While Gediga brings an equal pedigree from twenty years experience in Germany, including his time at VisionStage, the erstwhile Ayrton distributor for Germany. They have worked together many times over the years so when Ayrton approached them with the view of changing its distributorship in Poland, they found the proposition very interesting.

Michał Bisikiewicz, CEO of Lunatec, and Linnea Ljungmark, international sales for Ayrton.

“Ayrton has always been a stand-out company and its presence at Prolight+Sound, Frankfurt showed it has the full spectrum of products with a beautiful homogeneity across them all,” says Bisikiewicz. “But when Ayrton released its Ghibli profile spot, followed by Khamsin, our decision was made.
Here was a product that could do everything and showed Ayrton was moving in a good direction; it caught the attention of all the big companies in Poland. We were approached by Michael Althaus, Ayrton’s global sales director, who explained Ayrton’s road map for the future, and we are convinced that Ayrton is the No1 for products, without equal.”

Lunatec Sp. z o.o. was formed with the sole purpose of distributing the full range of Ayrton products across the whole of the Polish market, including theatre, broadcast, entertainment, festivals and Poland’s many rental houses.

“It is lighting designers who create the market, and Polish rental houses are keen to keep up with the latest equipment of the highest quality to service their ever-changing needs,” continues Bisikiewicz. “We are now in a position to service those customers with the best products and after-sales service and are excited at the prospect of the busy time we have ahead.”
“I think the fact that Lunatec was founded to distribute Ayrton says it all,” says Linnea Ljungmark, international sales for Ayrton. “We have the moving lights and they have the local network and energy to strongly move forward – a perfect match!”

– Lunatec Sp. Z.o.o. can be contacted at: ul Puławska 38 – 05-500 Piaseczno – Poland

Tel: +48 501 607 318 – Email: [email protected] – Website: Lunatec

For more information on Ayrton, visit their website here

X-Vision Series by Theatrix: video converters for live applications

The very first presentation in France of the X-Vision range of video converters happened on the SATIS show, kind of equivalent to IBC exhibition, but aimed at Europe’s French speaking AV industry, with a vast majority of French attendees, and some more from Belgium and Switzerland.

A nice collection of smart and compact X-Vision video converters by Theatrixx.

As Erik Guertin, Theatrixx’Sales Representative for Europe, speaks a perfectly fluent French (with a slight Quebec accent though, always a pleasure for French ears !), it was easy for him to fully support his new French sole distributor, Dream Team Services.

This 100 % manufactured in Canada range was actually launched 3 years ago with a great success elsewhere in the world, even winning a Best Debuting Product Award at LDI’2016, but didn’t get any French debut until recently.
Theatrixx, founded in 1999, has been well-known for many years in North America for his own custom designed and manufactured Power Distributors, and distributor for Ayrton, High End Systems, JB Lighting, RGB Link, Analog Way, and more.

Right, convincing Prolight+Sound 2019 visitors: Erik Guertin, Sales Manager for Theatrixx.

Theatrixx Technologies designs custom equipment that offers solutions to the video, lighting, audio, power and cabling challenges.

Their in-house designers have extensive experience and understanding of the specific needs of the event business.
They create innovative devices and systems to meet the highest standards, built to withstand the daily hazards of life on the road and demanding installations. All products meet or exceed UL and CSA standards, and now CE to target the European markets.

The French Satis exhibition, specialized in Broadcast, installation and 360° VR.

Satis in Paris was therefore an important step, before ISE Amsterdam and Prolight+Sound in Francfort, with booths each time bigger and bigger, and attracting a larger number of visitors on each leg of this European campaign, if we may call it that way.

To summarize, the X-Vision range of converters now comprises 13 models since ISE, with several strong points common to all models:

  • Ruggedness and thickness of the chassis plates (6.35 mm !)
  • Hence strong an easy thermal dissipation, with noiseless operation
  • Magnetic plate to stick them up rapidly on a metal rack or elsewhere
  • Extensive LED indicators, showing all types of very useful status of Data and of the box itself
  • Hanging point for hook, and slits for Velcro strop attachment
  • Packed and de livered in strong and compact Nanuk® case

This 12+ converters’ range is split into three Series, each one is clearly identified by a color stripe on top of one face of the unit:

SDI Series Series (each with twin parallel output)

  • SDI > HDMI
  • HDMI > SDI
  • HDMI > SDI, bi-directional
  • SDI Embedder (Audio + HDMI)
  • SDI De-Embedder (Audio + HDMI)
  • SDI 1:4 Distribution amplifier (with re-clocking)
  • SDI Repeater

Fibre Series

  • SDI > Fibre (single or multi-mode fiber)
  • Fibre > SDI (single or multi-mode fiber)

HDBT Series

  • HDMI > HDBT (up to 4k / 2160p)
  • HDBT > HDMI (up to 4k / 2160p)

To end up this general overview, here are the 2019 new models:

  • Distribution amplifier HDMI 1:4 (with re-clocking)
  • Streaming server H264 for live Internet Broadcast (Direct Streaming on the Web)

The in/out mains connectors are waterproof Neutrik type True1, for outdoor use, certainly not for IP65 underwater or thorough extreme conditions, but enough for an several days outdoor festival, sport event, or else…
They still can, thanks to their thick casing and design, undergo certain extreme conditions. For instance, during 2017 World Ski Championship in Norway, some of these nifty but strong boxes stayed on during several days and nights, at negative Celsius temperatures, without any failure (nor sneezing!).

The Motherboard Rack and the “Slide-In” versions of the X-Vision modules for fixed installations.

For permanent installations in OB vans busses or technical rooms, the same housings exist in a slightly slimmer format, with external DC power supply, and slip into a 19″ Motherboard Rack, set in place their place quickly and firmly thanks to magnetic guides and quick connectors, to guarantee signal conversion without any alteration.

The warranty for all modules described above is 5 years, just make sure to register your product at Theatrixx or at your agreed local distributor.

More information on the Theatrixx Website..

 

Combination of Robert Juliat Dalis for RTL TVI and Filipe Dos Santos

The Robert Juliat Dalis, a “green” eco-friendly solution for the RTL-TVI Virtual Studio.

Belgian television station, RTL-TVI, owned by the RTL Group, is the most popular television channel within French-speaking Belgium. Amongst its highlights is its coverage of the Football Champions League which it broadcasts from a versatile virtual studio in Brussels, filmed against a green screen background created by Zero Density (www.zerodensity.tv).

For the creation of this virtual studio, Filipe dos Santos, director of photography at RTL Belgium, searched for a high quality, low energy lighting solution which would allow him to create a green screen environment suitable for the high standards of broadcast and the exacting demands of a highly technical augmented reality system.

After an extensive research, Dos Santos chose a combination of Robert Juliat Dalis 860 Cyclights, Dalis 861 Washlights and Dalis 862 Footlights due to their control and light quality, quietness and low running costs. The Dalis units were supplied by AED Distribution, Robert Juliat’s exclusive distributor for the Benelux countries.

Seventeen Dalis 860 Cyclights are rigged in the grid and used to light the backdrop green screen and the presenters who are situated 1m-1.50m in front. The Dalis 860 fixtures successfully deliver a seamless wall of light with no unsightly overspill.

The Wash 861, as all the rest of the Dalis range, comprises 6-color LED sources and 2 whites (2200K and 6500K).

Four Dalis 861 Washlights are used to maintain uniformity at the angles to cover this critical area with even light. Finally, seven Dalis 862 Footlights are sited at the front of the studio space at floor level to light the presenter at the front section of the green screen area who moves around freely within the augmented reality environment.
A solution from Zero Density is used to embed images for the augmented reality environment. It is very demanding when it comes to the quality of the green screen, so the lighting system needed to be very high quality and with the ability to accurately adjust the white balance and re-saturate the green as necessary.

Dalis proved ideal for this because of its ability to fine tune the balance between cool and warm whites, allowing Dos Santos to match the backdrop and front lighting precisely. “This studio is visited by many people, and all of them have been inspired by the way Dalis 862 helps us to erase the green shadows under the chin,” he says. “The Dalis CRI is already at 97, and I can get an even better white light by mixing the colours rather than using a source of pure white lights.”

The Dalis 862 wall washer in ground position.

The degree of control was also a vital factor in achieving perfect consistency and uniformity of light across the background screen. “The 4-group control mode is a real benefit in the Dalis 860 because it gives a better accuracy and control over the adjustments to complement the front lights,” he says, “and to enhance that all-important green backdrop.

An LED solution was preferred, not only for reasons of environmental sensitivity, but also for the almost silent nature of the Dalis units: “The air conditioning system allowed only for a limited level of heat emission, so an LED solution with lower heat emissions was preferable to a conventional tungsten cyclight,” says Dos Santos. “But Dalis is also silent compared to other equivalent solutions on the market, so we had no need to add sound absorption equipment in the studio.”
With its low power consumption, reduced costs in materials and air conditioning running costs, and ability to produce the finest whites and colours with great accuracy, Robert Juliat Dalis has provided RTL TVI with a truly green solution in every respect.

More information on the Dalis range of fixtures can be found on the Robert Juliat website

 

Theatre Cravey equipped with Chauvet Professional by Concept Group

© Mairie de La Teste-de-Buch

Over one million visitors a year journey to Dune du Pilat (South West France) this 110 meters high sand dune (Europe’s tallest) and gazed out onto the Atlantic or the majestic Arcachon Basin.
Not long ago, Jean-Jacques Eroles mayor of La Teste-de-Buch, a small community that borders the famous site had an inspired idea. His dream was to give his city a cultural center that would be in keeping with its position as home to one of France’s most popular tourist destinations.

© Mairie de La Teste-de-Buch

Earlier this year. Mayor Eroles’ vision was turned into reality when his city’s old and fading Pierre Cravey Ballroom was reborn as the modern Le Theatre Cravey.
Contributing to this transformation was a new lighting system designed by the Bordeaux-based Concept Group that features CHAUVET Professional Ovation and COLORado LED fixtures.

“We had to rethink the entire technological core of the building,” said Stéphane Pouydesseau of the Concept Group, which also was responsible for installing an all new audio system at Le Theatre Cravey. “Our team worked very closely with the facility’s stage manager Frédéric Nadeau to define the audio and lighting products that were most appropriate for the building’s needs.

The list of essential lighting products included 10 Ovation E-930VW ellipsoidal fixtures and 10 COLORado 2-Quad Zoom wash units. “The ellipsoidal and washes are an important part of our lighting package,” said Stéphane. “They are used from different positions depending on the show being performed.”
Indeed, a wide variety of shows are now being performed at Le Theatre Cravey, which is more flexible, thanks to its expanded stage and seating arrangements. The stage in the old ballroom measured 12 x 8 meters, compared to the new theatre’s 21 x 10 meters stage. While the former ballroom had a capacity of 700, the new theatre can be configured to accommodate audiences ranging from 480 to 1,000 people.

Ovation E-930VW

COLORado 2-Quad Zoom


Given the flexibility of the new theatre, the versatility of the Chauvet Professional fixtures is very appreciated. For example, the Ovation E-930VW fixture projects light in nearly any temperature of white with high CRI and CQS, and for times when a splash of color is called for, it can also provide full control of each color LED.
The COLORado fixture’s 14° to 44° zoom range allows it to cover a wide variety of different sized spaces. For added flexibility, the Concept Group included 20 different sized lenses for the Ovation ellipsoidal in the specification for Le Theatre Cravey.

© Mairie de La Teste-de-Buch

“Flexibility was a key reason why we choose the Chauvet fixtures,” said Stéphane. “As far as the Ovation ellipsoidal fixtures were concerned, the range of white temperatures and the fluidity of the setting we critically important. For the COLORado pars, the aperture of the Zoom and the quality of the colors made the big difference.”
For the Concept Group, helping Le Theatre Cravey move to the new era of LED technology was extremely gratifying. “We were happy to bring the building to a new age” said Pouydesseau.

More information on the Chauvet Professional website

House of Blues: Santana intimate with multitude of Elation extra gear

Michael Ledesma is one of our industry’s most renowned and longest serving lighting designers. He has been lighting the most enduring and beloved Carlos Santana, for the last six years on the guitar legend’s House of Blues residency in Las Vegas.
For the latest run of House of Blues dates in May, Ledesma supplemented the house lighting system with a multitude of gear, including Elation Professional SEVEN Batten™ color-changing LED battens, Arena Par Zoom™ LED Par lights, and Protron Eclypse™ hybrid LED luminaires, with upstage Elation EVHD™ panels LED video screens. Innovative Concert Lighting supplies the gear for Santana’s shows at the House of Blues.

Carlos Santana’s House of Blues.

“An Intimate Evening with Santana: Greatest Hits Live” plays at the House of Blues in Vegas for eight weeks each year and is booked through 2020. Ledesma, who has been lighting shows for over 40 years for legends such as Paul Simon, Kenny Loggins and Gloria Estefan, complements the guitarist’s impressive playlist of Latin rock and blues hits through his signature use of vivid color and layers.

Much of that color comes from 16 linear SEVEN Battens that the LD uses as floor uplights to throw low front light on the band, as well as color onto patterns covering the drum and percussion risers. “It provides a good frontlight but isn’t overwhelming,” LD Michael Ledesma says of the linear lighting effect that houses 25W 7-color multi-chip LEDs. “The colors are good and the video guy has enough output from those to get a nice picture.”

Michael Ledesma, LD for Santana.

Providing more color and trimmed at about 24 feet are 16 Arena PAR Zoom RGBW wash lights with 10 to 60-degree zoom, used as overhead wash to cover the 40 ft wide by 30 ft deep stage.
“The Arena Pars are awesome,” Ledesma says. “The best thing about them is their zoom. I can zoom them out really wide and they will wash all the way to the audience or I can run them narrow and they are great beams. They do double duty.”
Also in the rig are a pair of Protron Eclypse, Elation’s new hybrid LED luminaire that Ledesma uses as a wash and strobe effect and 22 of which will see service on Santana’s upcoming tour.

Video strips left and right of a center screen are made up of high-definition EVHD3™ LED video panels, two strips of four panels on each side. The backdrop panels are 3.9mm pixel pitch, black-face LED display panels with a modular front maintenance construction that makes them easy to service.

Santana plays the Blues, and Elation has all the hues needed, indeed.

Besides the Elation gear, the HOB house rig of LED washes and 700W moving heads is also augmented with discharge and LED moving heads.
Furthermore, as behind-the-scenes lighting tools help a show run smoother but often get little credit, Ledesma commends Elation eNode 8 Pro™ and eNode 4™ Ethernet to DMX routers, which he uses for DMX distribution and are ideal for large pixel-mapped DMX systems.

The ten-time Grammy-Award, three-time Latin Grammy-Award-winning rock icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is also a top touring act, spreading his infectious brand of music on both U.S. and international tours. In June, Santana kicks off his “Supernatural Now” U.S. tour with a rig that also includes Elation lights so watch this space!
The tour celebrates two important anniversaries in the band’s history: the 20th anniversary of their blockbuster Supernatural album and the 50th anniversary of their legendary performance at Woodstock.

Getting reddish for the show.

More information on Elation lighting products.