Pro AVL MEA September-October 2020 by Blank Canvas Publishing Ltd

ProAVLMEA September–October 2020 MICA (P) 060/05/2020

LIVE SOUND LIGHTING RECORDING INSTALLATION AV BROADCAST POSTPRODUCTION September–October 2020

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST Keeping events running in South Africa

BROMPTON COMPANY PROFILE CAPTURING THE VOICE OF A NATION

ASSESSING VIRTUAL EVENTS

Singapore: MICA (P) 060/05/2020

www.proavl-mea.com

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Contents Volume 19 Issue Five September–October 2020

EDUCATION Genelec’s G Learning Lab comes online

DISTRIBUTION VV & Sons represents PreSonus Commercial division

APPOINTMENTS Cherian George joins Fohhn Audio AG

Editor’s note

SPECIAL REPORT Phil Ward assesses the global broadcast supply chain

Email: sluckhurst@proavl-mea.com

NEWS NEWS Global AV report shows future promise

FEATURES WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS IACQatar on the lack of live events

SPOTLIGHT ON COMMS CTME’s newest division is taking comms seriously

VOICE OF A NATION Renovating the Jordanian Parliament with Girhoma

VIRTUAL EVENTS DLC’s honest assessment of taking events online

COVER: SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST MGG enters pandemic survival mode

BUSINESS LETTER FROM AMERICA Dan Daley considers safe studio reopenings

LETTER FROM EUROPE Phil Ward explores the virtual crowd concept

COMPANY PROFILE Brompton takes the LED export market by storm

TECH The importance of digital signage in workplaces opening back up

NEW PRODUCTS The industry’s most comprehensive product news 49 ANALYSIS Genelec’s new logistics centre: a masterpiece of sustainability

inside 8

By the time you next read this column, CABSAT 2020 will have passed and GITEX Technology Week will be just around the corner. It’s unbelievable to think how fast this year has flown by with all of the disruptions faced. Typically by now, our editorial team has already visited the majority of Middle East territories and is brimming with interesting projects to discuss. It’s an aspect of the job that we all miss dearly and, as convenient as a quick Zoom call may well be, it’s just not the same. Sadly, I think it’s unlikely I’ll be attending either CABSAT or GITEX this year, making it one of the only times Pro AVL MEA hasn’t had a physical presence at the broadcast exhibition since we first started attending 15 years ago. For an even longer period, we’ve been lucky enough to have enjoyed the support of Raymond Boey, our Singapore office manager, at Blank Canvas Publishing, who is retiring after 18 years of working on Pro AVL Asia and Pro AVL MEA. With the exception of our general manager Richard Lawn, Raymond is the only member of our production staff to have worked on every single edition of our magazines since the company was created in 2002. Several in our industry have likely known Raymond even longer, dating back to his time on Pro AVL Asia’s predecessor, Pro Sound News Asia. More undescriptive black boxes have crossed his plate than any man should have to deal with in a single lifetime. His retirement couldn’t be more deserved. Raymond’s hospitality and kindness whenever one of our team visits Singapore has equalled his calm, professional hand, steering us through the sometimes obstacle-strewn channel of publication, printing and distribution. Raymond, you will be greatly missed, but definitely not forgotten. While conventional projects have started to resume in the last few weeks, it will still be a while before many reach completion. There’s therefore a much larger selection of insight and opinion in this issue. Each tackles a different Covid-impacted sector of the industry and offers some very valuable comments. Nevertheless, our industry and the wider world is slowly returning to normality. I’m hopeful that by early next year, I’ll be back around on the ground.

Contacts GENERAL MANAGER Richard Lawn T: +44 1892 676280

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Sue Gould T: +44 1892 676280

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Caroline Moss T: +44 1892 676280

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Karen Wallace T: +44 1892 676280

VIDEO EDITOR Chris Yardley T: +44 1892 676280

rlawn@proavl-mea.com

sgould@proavl-mea.com

cmoss@proavl-mea.com

kwallace@proavl-mea.com

cyardley@proavl-mea.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER Adrian Baker T: +44 1892 676280

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

SINGAPORE OFFICE Raymond Boey T: +65 6457 2340

SALES ASSOCIATE Carolyn Valliere T: +1 562 746 1790

CIRCULATION Marne Mittelmann F: +65 6491 6588

cvalliere@proavl-mea.com

circulation@proavl-mea.com

abaker@proavl-mea.com

Jessica Ubhi T: +44 1892 676280 jubhi@proavl-mea.com

rboey@proavl-mea.com

COVER: MGG Productions PRINTER: Times Printers Singapore LICENCES: Singapore: MCI (P) 060/05/2020 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright owners.

www.proavl-mea.com

@ProAVLCentral

PUBLISHED BY: 17 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2DU, UK

@ProAVLMEAMagazine September–October 2020 PRO AVL MEA 3

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NEWS

Global AV industry set to contract by US$20 billion in 2020 due to pandemic WORLD

AVIXA’s 2020 AV Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA) repor t predicts the global pro AV industr y is set to decline from US$259 billion in 2019 to US$239 billion in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the 2020 IOTA also shows the industr y regaining its pre-Covid levels in 2022 before growing to US$315 billion in 2025, a 5.8% five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR), driving revenue of US$56 billion beyond its 2019 level. “The Covid-19 pandemic has broadly impacted the near and longer-term outlooks for economic growth and business activity,” said Sean Wargo, senior director of market intelligence, AVIXA. “Those who have followed AVIXA’s previous forecasts will note the new estimates represent a significant downward revision. Regions and industries are being impacted at different degrees and are on different timetables for recover y. For example, Asia Pacific will weather 2020 better than others, because it was the first to be impacted by Covid-19 and the first to re-open its economies.” A 7.4% CAGR is forecast for APAC for the five-year period, compared to 4.7%

IOTA regional revenues for the Americas and 4.5% for EMEA. In 2025, APAC pro AV revenue will amount to US$126 billion, compared to US$108 billion for the Americas and US$81 billion for EMEA. The corporate market – capturing US$52 billion in global revenues in 2020 –

remains the largest for pro AV products and services. Although a much smaller revenue opportunity at US$7.3 billion, the energy and utility business will generate much higher growth, with revenue rising at a CAGR of 10.4% due to investments in smart grid and sustainable energy sources.

Conferencing and collaboration remain the largest solutions area, generating US$38 billion globally in 2020. As employees return to work in a limited capacity, AVIXA analysts anticipate more need for collaboration among on-premise and remote working. The fastest-growing solution with an 11.4% CAGR is security/ sur veillance/life safety, with government and militar y, education and corporate generating the most demand due in par t to pandemic response, and city sur veillance a significant market for security cameras. Among product segments, streaming media, storage and distribution (SMSD) is projected to be the single largest component of pro AV revenues, generating US$68.5 billion in 2020, at 9.6% growth, one of the highest of the categories. The 2020 IOTA repor t, produced by AVIXA in conjunction with global research firm Omdia, can be found at avixa.org/IOTA. Regional IOTA repor ts for the Americas, APAC and EMEA will be released in the coming months. www.avixa.org

Clair Global acquires Eighth Day Sound USA

Two world-renowned touring and sound reinforcement companies have joined forces to focus on building industry capabilities during the pause created by Covid-19, as Clair Global announces the acquisition of Eighth Day Sound Systems, with a specific goal of supporting dedicated relationships for touring customers from both rosters. Prior to the industry slowdown, Eighth Day president Tom Arko and Clair Global owner Troy Clair discussed a union that would improve and strengthen future touring support. Scheduled to be announced in early April, the declaration was delayed because of the pandemic’s worldwide impact on the industry. With offices in Cleveland, Los Angeles, London, and Sydney, Eighth Day Sound will also complement the installation division of Clair Global. A joint statement issued by Clair and Arko stated: “First and foremost, our hearts and thoughts are with our colleagues and families affected by this sudden work stoppage worldwide. While the impact is huge, we encourage all to stay healthy and focus on the future. We’ll get through this and return to work when we can safely gather again for production events.” Sharing the same philosophies, the two family-owned companies combine to offer a broad range of premier speaker brands,

as well as the increased availability of a more extensive audio equipment base and flexibility from an expanded global presence. The two companies will continue their long-term relationships with manufacturers, which span many years.

“It was a good idea then and an even better idea now,” continued Arko from his headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. “By using this available time, we’ll emerge prepared with all the needed resources to serve a global customer base effectively.

We see it as one world, one focus and one company. Perhaps more importantly, the union ‘keeps it in the family’, with both companies entirely family-owned and operated. Because of our respected mutual values, I have no doubt the passion for the audio industry will continue in this new venture and become a better solution to meet the needs of the industry ahead.” The Eighth Day Sound brand will be maintained and will conduct business under the same management and with the same staff. Founded in 1980, its pedigree stretches back almost as far as that of Clair Brothers, which started business in the mid-1960s. The company will become a standalone brand under the Clair Global umbrella, joining Britannia Row Productions in the UK, JPJ in Australia, and AudioRent Clair AG in Switzerland. Based in Pennsylvania, Clair Global is a participant in the Rock Lititz live events production community. “No one can predict the future, but we believe in the future of live events,” commented Clair. “Once it is safe, we fully expect there to be an even greater demand for live entertainment, and we will be prepared to serve that demand.” www.clairglobal.com www.8thdaysound.com

4 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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NEWS

Ateme announces plans to acquire Anevia WORLD

Ateme and Anevia have entered into exclusive negotiations to transfer their interest in the share capital of the company to Ateme. As a result, an “information-consultation” procedure with employee representative bodies of both Anevia and Ateme will be launched. The combination of the two companies will create a major player in video broadcasting infrastructure, with combined revenues of more than €80 million. The terms put Anevia’s enterprise value at €19 million. “A merger with Anevia and its highperformance solutions for optimising video flow delivery is a key step in our expansion

strategy in our customers’ value chain and the conquest of new markets,” commented Michel Artières, Ateme chairman and CEO. “Both companies share the same values of respect

billions of consumers. The shared vision of the two companies and their strong culture should enable us to rapidly create significant value for our customers, employees and shareholders.”

and innovation. Based on our mission to deliver the best quality of experience, our ambition is to become the reference video solution for

Upon completion of the “informationconsultation” procedures, Ateme will acquire all Anevia shares held by the majority

It’s expected that nearly half of the losses will come from Germany. The company cites both the long-term effects of the pandemic, such as the cancellation of live events, as well as “accelerated dynamics” in the consumer headphones market which has declined by

30–40% in recent months, as the reason for the decision. “We look back on a rather mixed fiscal year 2019. In addition, we face major challenges this year due to massive changes in the consumer market and the declining demand for audio products because of the Covid-19 crisis,” stated Daniel Sennheiser, co-CEO of Sennheiser. “In order to position the company for a successful future, we will adapt our organisational structure to the changing conditions and align it with the new requirements.” “We will continue to focus on our core competencies and further strengthen both our consumer and professional divisions by transferring operational responsibility completely to these two business areas,” added Dr Andreas Sennheiser, co-CEO of the company. “Sennheiser has always stood for excellent sound quality and extraordinary audio experiences since its foundation 75 years ago – this is what we will continue to stand for in the future.”

shareholders, including those to be issued upon exercise of securities giving access to the company’s share capital. “Anevia’s management is delighted with this project to combine with Ateme, the leader in video distribution infrastructure,” added Laurent Lafarge, chairman and CEO of Anevia. “This combination is a tremendous opportunity to accelerate development in a buoyant market, thanks to a value proposition which is rich and strong in innovation.” www.anevia.com www.ateme.com

Sennheiser to cut 25% of jobs by 2022 Andreas and Daniel Sennheiser

WORLD

Amidst the publication of its 2019 financial report, Sennheiser has announced plans to cut approximately 650 jobs by the end of 2022 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The German audio manufacturer currently has a total workforce of just over 2,800 employees.

The changed organisational structure will result in job cuts throughout the company, particularly in corporate functions such as supply chain and operations. Measures under consideration include not filling open positions, a voluntary redundancy scheme and severance options, in addition to opportunities for partial and early retirement. “We are a family-owned company and every single one of our employees is part of the team. With this in mind, these have been very difficult decisions to make and it is important to us primarily to avoid redundancies and to find individual solutions together with employees,” said Dr Andreas Sennheiser. Looking at the company’s 2019 financial results, it was the EMEA region that continued to produce most of its turnover, but the biggest growth in percentage points, at 10.6%, was the APAC region, driven mainly from China, Japan and South Korea. www.sennheiser.com

Powersoft sales to benefit Crew Nation support initiative WORLD

Powersoft has pledged to donate 5% of proceeds from all its touring amplifier platforms sold between 27 July and 15 October to Crew Nation, the fund launched by Live Nation to support touring and venue crews whose livelihoods have been destroyed in the wake of Covid-19. “Like every person involved in the industry, we know how difficult the last months have been for professionals in the live events industry; in particular the touring and venue crew who are completely dependent on live shows to survive,” said Powersoft’s brand, communication and trade marketing manager, Francesco Fanicchi. “We spent time doing research to find the right organisation to partner with, and eventually we came to realise that Crew Nation would be the perfect channel. Although it is difficult to make any assumptions on sales levels during this period, we will use our marketing

capabilities to promote this operation to industry professionals in the hope that we will raise a significant contribution to Crew Nation.”

The campaign will be spread across media including web banners, newsletters, social channels and the international trade press. “As an Italian company, we

are at the forefront of this unprecedented situation,” added Fabrizio Romano Bolzoni, sales manager, rack amps. “We want to make ourselves engines and promoters of commendable initiatives to support the people in our sector, and we asked our worldwide sales networks to promote this initiative as much as they can, in order to raise awareness for something that is really impacting the live music industry.” Live Nation kickstarted the Crew Nation fund – powered and administered by the Music Forward Foundation charitable organisation – by contributing an initial US$5 million and committing to match the next US$5 million given by artists, fans and employees. Artists including Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Metallica and John Mayer are among those who have already shown their support and donated. www.powersoft.com

6 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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NEWS

Qvest Media Group acquires dimensional WORLD

Qvest Media Group has announced its acquisition of digital agency company dimensional GmbH. Qvest says the acquisition will allow it to further expand its range of services in software development,

while it also gains valuable expertise in user interface design, user experience design and agile development in areas such as cloud applications, digital asset management and mobile apps. “Our corporate development has extended beyond the broadcast and media industry to any kind of digital environment and the sustainable implementation of digital transformation processes through individual software solutions,” commented Peter Nöthen, CEO of Qvest Media Group. “With the acquisition of HMS, a manufacturer of software products, we laid the first cornerstone for the expansion of our core competencies in software development in 2018. We are very pleased that we can pursue this path consistently and drive it forward together with dimensional.”

“The integration into the Qvest Media Group opens up great opportunities for us both geographically and in terms of clients and markets,” added André Schnitzler, MD and co-founder

of dimensional. “It gives us access to an international network of branches, associated partners and sales organisations. We complement the Qvest Media Group’s profile per fectly and our existing clients benefit from this as well. For this reason, we are very much looking forward to supporting the Qvest Media Group’s activities in the area of software solutions with our experienced team.” In the course of the acquisition, Qvest Media Group GmbH will acquire 100% of the shares in dimensional GmbH. All employees will be taken over and the company will continue to operate under the name dimensional GmbH.

mc256 chosen for Africa’s first S12T OB RWANDA

A Lawo mc256 console has taken pride of place inside the first S12T Streamline OB van to arrive on the African continent. The truck was designed and built by German systems integrator Broadcast Solutions in under three months for the Rwanda Broadcasting Authority (RBA). It offers up to 14 workplaces and up to 12 cameras, which is unique in this segment. “We were looking for a flexible OB truck that is easy to deploy and to operate,” explained Arthur Asiimwe, director general at RBA. “The vehicle’s fast delivery time and perfect price–performance ratio were further decisive criteria for contracting Broadcast Solutions with the production and delivery.” Broadcast Solutions installed the Lawo mc²56 audio console with 32 channel strips and a Lawo Nova73 compact core router to

provide a “flexible user interface with a host of control options”. The mc²56’s audio quality and full support of the open Ravenna/AES67 and ST 2110 standards were additional reasons for RBA to select the Lawo desk. “Lawo is delighted with RBA’s choice of an S12T truck and the decision to equip it with an mc²56 console alongside other top-spec gear,” stated Ralf Schimmel, Lawo’s sales director for the African continent. “Lawo’s mc² series has been a staple for OB trucks built in Europe and now Africa is following suit. That this should be in Rwanda, which has been avidly adopting technological evolution, comes as no surprise.” www.broadcast-solutions.de www.lawo.com www.rba.co.rw

www.dimensional.de www.qvestmedia.com

ISE 2021 to go-ahead, posing “low” risk for attendees WORLD

Having carried out a risk assessment for the upcoming Integrated Systems Europe 2021 exhibition, the organisers have stated that the show poses a “low” overall risk of transmission and further spread of the Covid-19 virus. The measures for ensuring a healthy and safe environment for ISE 2021 have been published by Integrated Systems Events and are available as a set of guidelines for exhibitors, ISE and Fira de Barcelona staff. The show will take place at the Fira de Barcelona, Gran Vía on 2–5 February 2021. “We have understandably had many questions from exhibitors and others about how ISE 2021 will be affected by the continuing public health situation,” stated Integrated Systems Events managing director, Mike Blackman. “A Guide to Safe Exhibiting explains the

M w

adjustments that we and our exhibitors will need to make to ensure that the show is as safe as it can possibly be. The situation continues to evolve and we will update the guide if any changes to the strategy are required. We remain committed to holding ISE 2021 at the Fira next February as an in-person event.” A Guide to Safe Exhibiting is organised into four sections: Actions by Fira de Barcelona and ISE; Stand Design; Stand Management; and Visitor Guidance. Each section contains essential measures in the areas of health and safety; traffic flow and visitor management; staff, stand personnel and supplier working; and social distancing. www.iseurope.org www.firabarcelona.com

Lawo’s mc256 console takes pride of place

Believe in Music to replace NAMM 2021 WORLD

Originally scheduled to take place at the Anaheim Convention Centre, The NAMM Show has been replaced with a virtual format in light of the pandemic. The new online event, named Believe in Music, will be held over the week of 18 January 2021 and feature a mix of programming and professional education, as well as a marketplace to connect buyers and sellers. NAMM says that while this won’t be a virtual tradeshow, it will meet the needs of its member companies through thought leader-led education for all segments of the industry, networking and AI matchmaking, and business-focused opportunities. “With a robust marketplace to launch new products and share your brand story, Believe

in Music will also feature networking and matchmaking for our buyers and our sellers, education for all segments of the industry, and live music and concerts,” commented Joe Lamond, NAMM president and CEO. www.believeinmusic.tv www.namm.org

8 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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NEWS

Modern Touch forms partnership with Animative Group

can properly integrate our expertise and services with a view to offering advanced collaboration to both sets of customers, with a service that we feel will benefit all involved.” “We are very excited to be once again working with Modern Touch,” said Karoly Molnar, CEO, Animative Group. “We truly believe clients will benefit from this partnership as our models align to focus on providing clients with the latest and best of international technologies.”

EGYPT

Modern Touch has announced that it has entered into a partnership with Animative Group of Budapest, Hungary, to deliver engineering, design and AV solutions. Founded in 1985, Cairo-based Modern Touch has been the Meyer Sound distributor for Egypt since 1999, providing AV solutions to conference centres, hotels,

schools, hospitals, temples and shopping malls. “We have collaborated over the years with Animative Group, bringing together each of our services to the other’s clients,” explained Modern Touch managing director, Magued Makram. “Because of this, it made sense to create a partnership whereby we

Electrovision selects Orbis for Trita

www.animative.co

Magued Makram

www.moderntouch-ent.com

IRAN

Electrovision has completed a 58-seat conference hall fitout for Trita’s newest building located in Pardis Technology Park in Tehran. Trita is a recently established pharmaceutical company with the main focus on the implementation of technology-oriented projects in the pharmaceutical field. For the project, the SI called on its portfolio of products from beyerdynamic, Datavideo, Electro-Voice and Panasonic. Electrovision was tasked with the design and implementation of the audio and conference systems, an image system with auto-tracking capabilities, and an interior lighting system

and the decoration. “We considered the best audiovisual equipment to achieve a modern and well-equipped conference hall. For the architectural portion of the project, a beautifully engineered design was implemented, taking into account acoustic principles,” explained Electrovision‘s Arash Sadri. The conference system installed by Electrovision comprises a beyerdynamic Orbis CU with two MU 23 chairman and 56 MU 21 delegate units. It’s joined by a pair of Datavideo PTC-120 PTZ cameras and an HDR-70 recorder, serving as the hall’s main image system. Two Panasonic PT-VW350

beyerdynamic Orbis units provide conferencing capabilities projectors and 30 LED lifts are responsible for showing images and required data. Additionally, four Electro-Voice ZX1i speakers powered by a Dynacord PM-502 power

mixer reportedly ensure loud and intelligible speech. www.electrovision.ir

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NEWS

CTME opens dedicated space for virtual events UAE

Creative Technology Middle East has built a new virtual studio in the UAE to facilitate the production of live events remotely. The xR Virtual Event Studio is a multifunctional space that provides a full turnkey audio, visual and lighting solution that meets all local OHS and Covid-19 guidelines and can accommodate a wide range of productions, from corporate meetings and live panel discussions to product launches, film, TV, entertainment and more. The tailor-made space offers several advantages for those looking to host presentations, virtually, under socially distanced restrictions. High-resolution wallto-floor LED screens allow clients to create their own virtual stage design or use one of the many ready-made virtual environments. Presenter foldback screens help guide the way through a presentation, while multiple

screens are set up to show any source, from show graphics, notes and presentations, to live Q&As and polling. The virtual studios enable the inclusion of presenters and performers based anywhere around the world through prerecorded elements or live video conferencing platforms. Furthermore, integration of CT’s Riedel communication system into any video conferencing platform facilitates seamless communication between local crew, remote presenters, stage management and all other essential participants. At the core of the studio is a high-quality, jib-based HD camera system with star field tracking technology. Real-time tracking data is fed into disguise GX2-C media servers to give the physical camera position within the virtual world. Utilising the GX2-C’s on-board render engine, Notch, the CT team is then

TIG launches Virtual Experience Space EMEA

EMEA sales agency Technological Innovations Group has launched a Virtual Experience Space to showcase the portfolio of AV, UC, IT and control solutions it represents. The platform is described as an immersive online space on TIG’s website that has been carefully designed to deliver a lifelike experience for consultants, integrators, specifiers and end users.

“[Our] brands have been carefully selected for their contribution to the creation of tomorrow’s smart spaces – whether they are in the workplace, a university, a hotel, a hospital or any other home, leisure or business environment,” commented TIG’s CEO, Robin van Meeuwen. “Our Virtual Experience Space will exhibit the best AV, UC, IT and control solutions for the constantly evolving way in which we live and work. It

provides a solutions-based approach to answering how we can future-proof our smart space deployments, with a focus on efficiency, adaptability, safety and security. We look forward to welcoming our valued partners and customers to this revolutionary digital space.” By embarking on a walk-through tour of the vir tual space, accompanied by vocal

explanations, visitors will understand how the ecosystem of solutions available from TIG integrate to transform smar t spaces in a variety of environments. Visitors will also benefit from technical specialists on hand to suppor t them, by recommending the most appropriate suite of solutions. www.tig.eu/experience-us

able to render out the full 3D environment, live to the LED screens, and seamlessly extend into the virtual space. “As a global operation, we’re well-placed to stream securely from anywhere and at any time,” read a statement. “Encoding and delivering your show to one, or many, online platforms simultaneously, to existing

platforms or to fully customised endpoints, we offer a wide range of solutions to bring your event online. Furthermore, our videoon-demand solution also allows you to keep your event available online for your audience to view anytime.” www.ctme.co

TJK makes The Switch to bring horse racing to local audiences TURKEY

The Jockey Club of Turkey (TJK) has called upon solutions from The Switch in order to deliver live horse racing streams from the UK to its growing audience of fans in Turkey. TJK is able to ensure uninterrupted

live feeds from races at venues such as Newmarket and Ascot reach its 600,000 local customers by capitalising on The Switch’s video distribution network. “Our customers want to feel like they are at the racecourse, experiencing the action as it unfolds and not missing a single moment,” stated Murat Kuyumcu, technical director at TJK. “Working with The Switch means we only have to deal with one service provider to meet our needs, instead of coordinating multiple services. We also benefit from their unmatched experience in supporting live content and their robust network performance for smooth delivery of live feeds through our channel.” The club receives feeds picked up from London’s BT Tower via The Switch Access

service. These are then livestreamed over the club’s dedicated online channel to its 2,800 betting shops around the country. The agreement with The Switch allows TJK customers to watch and place bets on live UK race broadcasts across the flat racing season. “The agreement with TJK demonstrates how The Switch can leverage our extensive global reach to pick up livestreams and seamlessly deliver them to any location,” added Nicholas Castaneda, senior vice president of sales, The Switch. “Horse racing continues to be a major audience and revenue driver across the world and

Nicholas Castaneda our deep understanding of handling timesensitive live content means we can ensure high-quality feeds are delivered without a hitch.” www.theswitch.tv

10 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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DM NVX is AV-over-IP. ®

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crestron.com/nvx All brand names, product names, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Certain trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography. *JITC and FIPS 140-2 security certifications

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NEWS

Oman Airport Authority opts for wireless conferencing with Taiden OMAN

A Taiden conferencing system is being used by the Oman Airport Authority to facilitate its conferencing and meeting requirements. Supplied by Thomsun Trading and integrated by Unicorn International LLC, the system was selected as it fully met the client’s requirement for a wireless solution with good aesthetics and quality. “We were invited to participate in the closed tender for this project since we are a known provider of ELV solutions locally,” explained Unicorn’s AV pre-sales specialist, Sudhakar Udhayan. The company was selected for the project having proved its capabilities by providing numerous client references and full technical details. The solution Unicorn opted for comprises Taiden’s HCS-5300MC/80 main unit connected with a single HCS-5380C_B digital IR wireless chairman unit and 15

HCS-5380D_B delegate units. A pair of Taiden HCS-5300CHG/08 charging units capable of accommodating up to eight devices at a time are also present, together

with a pair of wall-mounted HCS-5300TD_S/80 infrared receivers. Joining the Taiden solution is a Mipro ACT32HC wireless microphone system.

IABM sees cloud adoption soar WORLD

A report published by the IABM has found that the Covid-19 pandemic has rapidly accelerated the adoption of cloud-based technologies. The Cloud Adoption Trends report, produced by IABM’s Business Intelligence Unit, notes that 45% of respondents have already adopted cloud technologies compared with 39% a year

ago – and the survey data was obtained early in the pandemic. “The Covid-19 crisis has re-shaped the media ecosystem,” said Per Lindgren, CTO at Net Insight. “In line with the findings of the IABM Cloud Adoption Trends report, we’ve seen numerous companies ramping up to cloud to gain more autonomy and

elasticity while optimising their costs. In this context, open, interoperable and secure cloud and IP solutions are needed and are helping media companies to create profound and durable changes in the way they produce and distribute content.” “The report is built on feedback from end user broadcast and media companies and

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic being in full force at the time, Thomsun was able to ensure that all equipment arrived onsite in time for Unicorn to meet its project deadline. “We received this order at the beginning of March,” explained Thomsun’s technical manager, Ragesh C. “Taiden suppor ted us in this order by preparing the items within a week’s time but, although most work in China has resumed, our hurdle was in shipping the items from China to Oman. Securing space on a cargo flight was ver y difficult. As far as system configuration was concerned, it was almost plug and play and Unicorn completed the process in no time.” www.thomsunmusiconline.com www.unicornllc.com

gives a clear indication of the unstoppable move to the cloud across every segment of the BaM Content Chain,” said IABM head of insight and analysis, Lorenzo Zanni. “This shift has been accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic: cloud has rapidly moved from being seen as too risky by some organisations to becoming the natural way to mitigate the effects of mandatory remote working. I don’t expect a return to the old ways in the future as these companies are clearly beginning to reap the long-term benefits the cloud can bring.” www.theiabm.org

Darwish gets into shape with RoomMatch in Doha QATAR

Darwish Technology has outfitted a pair of CrossFit gyms in Doha with Bose audio solutions. Starting off with Doha’s CrossFit TXXIII, the systems integrator was given free rein to select the products it deemed most suitable to the project; however, as the management wanted a high-performance audio solution for the high-energy workout areas, Darwish opted for Bose RoomMatch Utility cabinets for the primary areas. “The project team of T23 approached us and requested we provide a sound system design using whatever products we felt were the most appropriate,” explained Darwish Technology’s Karam El-Hariri. “The client did not want pendant speakers in the training

area as he was looking for a much higher performance. We opted for RoomMatch Utility (RMU) for the main training area and pendant speakers for the additional areas such as the kitchen, toilets, waiting area and reception. We chose RMU because we wanted powerful and clear sound that would provide the best experience during workouts.” The system design was created by Darwish using Bose Modeler software. “It is very user-friendly software,” added El-Hariri. “We did a few presentations and then implemented changes as per the client’s recommendations. It was very easy for us to make choices and see those results in the software.”

The new audio setup incudes seven Bose RoomMatch Utility RMU208 90° x 60° cabinets, ceiling-mounted in the workout areas, in combination with four MB12 modular bass loudspeakers. Six 70V/100V DS16F ceiling speakers cover the additional areas. Control and processing are from a Bose ControlSpace 4120 processor installed with a Dante network card, while power is from four PM8500 configurable amplifiers and a single PM8250. A single Bose ControlSpace CC64 and five CC16 wall controllers provide remote zone control and source selection. Following its successful completion at CrossFit TXXIII, Darwish was enlisted

by the client to perform a similar audio upgrade at sister outlet, T23 Unloaded, also in Doha. “This is a prestigious project for one of the highest-end gym facilities in Doha. While it was a typical project for us, providing a design while keeping in mind the client’s requirements and budget, is always challenging,” concluded El-Hariri. “The feedback we received from the client is that he is very happy. He loves the sound quality and appreciates our decision to go with Bose.” www.cft23.com www.darwishholding.com pro.bose.com

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PT SportSuite livestreams 3 Team Cricket SOUTH AFRICA

Sporting events around the world are gradually starting to emerge from lockdown but, with spectators currently not allowed in the stands, livestreaming has become essential to keeping fans connected. Earlier this summer, Cricket South Africa debuted a new 3 Team Cricket (3TC) format, with PT SportSuite bringing coverage of the historic event to remote audiences via three AJA Helo H.264 streamers/recorders. Held at SuperSport Park in Centurion, South Africa on Nelson Mandela International Day, the event provided a launchpad for the new 3TC format, which includes three teams,

playing two halves in one match. Drawing in a number of South African cricket heavyweights, the match attracted a broad audience, who were encouraged to donate to the Hardship Fund, an initiative to help those in the cricket community affected by the pandemic. To facilitate a live event stream, PT SportSuite connected two AJA Helo units to an onsite OB truck via SDI and streamed footage over IP to an AWS cloud-based media processing and content distribution infrastructure. Given the production was mobile and lacking network infrastructure, the team configured the Helos for redundant

The 3TC streaming portal

Catching the livestream of the game inputs, assigning each to a different cellular broadband provider. A third Helo was positioned at the PT SportSuite Cape Town office for automatic failover in case of emergency. “Helo was so easy to use and incredibly reliable,” shared Clinton Bosch, PT SportSuite’s chief technology officer. “Our team hadn’t ever set up an encoder before but was able to get all three Helos up and running quickly and without complication, and, throughout the stream, the devices never skipped a beat. The UI is so straightforward, and we love how Helo also gives us the ability to set up, configure and control each device and monitor the stream from a standard web browser if we want, which will be useful for projects moving forward.”

Looking ahead, PT SportSuite expects the demand for similar applications in sports to grow in the coming years. “We’ve entered into a new era of sports consumption, in which fans – for the immediate future – can no longer be physically present during matches,” Bosch concluded. “To adapt, sports organisations are looking to find new ways to connect with fans and monetise content across various consumer viewing platforms from OTT to broadcast and

digital. With tools like Helo, helping them deliver will be easier, more affordable and less time consuming.” www.aja.com

UAE

In addition to its thrill-seeking rides and the world’s fastest roller-coaster, the family-friendly theme park hosts weekly live event shows and performances around the park. Often these shows happen simultaneously and, for this, the park required multiple high-powered audio systems that were quick to set up, while providing the coverage needed for larger crowds. Ferrari World selected three complete systems of K-array KRX802s. All three systems function individually, acting as three separate, high-powered line arrays, each capable of covering up to 800 people. One of the main advantages of the KRX system that made it suitable for this project was its scalability and the option to combine the three individual systems together to form

WORLD

Dragon-KX12 12-inch tops a bigger line array of up to nine cabinets per side along with six double 18-inch subwoofers. This allows the system to cover much larger areas of up to 2,000 people. “The quick setup time, easy packing and storing options and high-quality line array output made this system the perfect solution to a highly demanding and versatile entertainment facility,” commented a spokesperson from Procom. www.k-array.com

AVI-SPL has announced the launch of its Enterprise Accounts Management programme, a dedicated partnership programme with the group working handin-hand with organisations to strategically deliver workplace collaboration success across their enterprise. The global

great foundation for our new Enterprise Accounts Management programme.” Similar to the Global Accounts programme, AVI-SPL’s Enterprise Accounts Management programme will provide designated customers with exclusive teams committed to implementing,

systems integration group provides digital workplace services for organisations. The programme is a model on AVI-SPL’s Global Accounts Management programme, which has proven highly successful since its launch in 2017. “AVI-SPL is committed to enhancing our customer relationships and strategically aligning with their business requirements to ensure successful unified communications platforms and practices,” said Joe Laezza, senior vice president of AVI-SPL’s Global Accounts programme. “Our Global Accounts programme delivers on the mission of establishing trusted advisor relationships and is a

standardising and enhancing their organisation’s digital workplace infrastructure, technology and associated services. The areas of expertise the designated customer’s personal team will focus on guiding includes the establishment of enterprise-wide AV and UC standards, curate and guide planning around technology roadmapping, project deployment management, priority service management and the organisation of key metrics and business intelligence to improve the organisation’s business outcomes. www.avispl.com

www.procom-me.com

14 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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Navor being Turke With v throu Navor

Connecting to the onsite OB truck

K-array keeps Ferrari AVI-SPL launches World Abu Dhabi covered Enterprise Accounts Management programme K-array loudspeakers have been installed by Procom Middle East at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Located on Yas Island, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is the world’s first Ferraribranded theme park and has the record for the largest space frame structure ever built for an amusement park.

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Navori delivers scalable digital signage solution to Istanbul Airport TURKEY

Navori Labs digital signage products are being used at the new Istanbul Airport in Turkey to greet travellers in its main terminal. With vertically oriented videowalls and displays throughout the terminal’s large, open spaces, Navori QL digital signage software powers all

audience measurement systems. These integrations, along with detailed content playback reports, help Mediaport evaluate campaign success, and build future media plans, based on ad impressions and other audience criteria.

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Steinberg UR22C Recording Pack dynamic media content, including digital outof-home advertising to monetise the network. Mediaport Marketing, Istanbul’s digital advertising operator, selected an on-premise QL software solution based on its technical benefits, including multi-player synchronisation and third-party software integration. “Navori provides us with the best solutions and tools for our business needs,” said Mehmet Emre, director of digital operations at Mediaport. “We needed a flexible, scalable, agile and multi-platform solution that empowers us in our business processes. Security is very important for us since we are operating in airports, and Navori delivers. Navori’s partnership is very strategic in growing and developing our businesses mutually.” For content delivery, multi-player synchronisation provides a seamless experience for travellers with several videowalls and displays in their fields of vision as they move through the terminal’s open spaces. Ads are delivered within a mix of dynamic content – videos, images, multi-layered templates and data feeds – that bring news, weather, entertainment and promotional content to travellers. Professional rendering ensures that common media is synchronised across all 726 Samsung SoC displays – with built-in Tizen 4 or Windows-based QL Player software – down to 1/20th of a second. Navori enables the rendering through its “time stamp streamer”, which synchronises each QL Player’s clock with Navori’s QL Server, regardless of the player’s OS. The QL Player software ensures seamless transitions between video, multi-layered templates and other dynamic HTML5 content. Beyond connecting with external data feeds for screen content, the solution’s third-party software integration capabilities extend to

The on-premise server architecture optimises performance and security through a highavailability configuration with load balancing, failover capabilities and end-to-end content encryption. While Mediaport preferred the on-

The UR22C Recording Pack is the complete package for recording high-quality music, podcasts or interviews and for live streaming audio.

Yamaha HS Series Monitor Speakers HS Series speakers were designed to give you the most honest, precise reference possible, providing an ideal sonic platform to build on throughout the mixing process.

premise architecture to meet these stringent requirements, operators can remotely monitor performance, update content and maintain systems – including device OS and media player software updates – through a webbased user interface. “Mediaport required a digital signage network that can reliably serve as many as 200 million passengers annually once the entire airport is open, and sought a Samsung-certified digital software solution,” said Jerome Moeri, CEO at Navori Labs. “As the main terminal building occupies a 1.4 million square metre area alone, the early phases of the rollout have offered a reliable proving ground for their exacting network requirements. Through close collaboration with our partners at Mediaport and Samsung, we carefully customised an addriven network solution that will scale to their needs and deliver the reliability and technical capacities they desire from a wide-scale digital signage software solution.”

RØDECaster Pro

RØDE AI-1 Complete Studio Kit

RØDE’s AI-1 Audio Interface is stacked with incredible technology to ensure recording on your computer is easy, versatile and sounds superb. The Complete Studio Kit comes with the AI-1, RØDE’s peerless NT1 large diaphragm condenser microphone, a shock mount and all cables.

It features four high-quality XLR microphone inputs and four headphone outputs, and with intuitive controls, automatic level setting and one-touch recording to a microSD card or computer, you can literally be making a podcast within minutes of taking it out of the box.

www.thomsunmusiconline.com info@thomsun.ae

thomsunmusiconline

+97142693359

thomsun

ThomsunmusicME

www.navori.com

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NEWS

Bose Professional connects with ME distributors online ONLINE

AWS rolls out Twitch streaming tech to wider audiences

The 5th Bose Professional annual Connect Event for Middle East distributors was held vir tually this year as a result of the pandemic. Approximately 60 people tuned into the online festivities which included an update on the Bose

The awards recognised four winners across various categories. Eight Bose Professional Excellence awards were presented in total. The winners included aDawliah, Modern Home, NMK Electronics and Universal Electronics.

Professional strategy for 2021, a chance for par ticipants to network with each other and the manufacturer, and the presentation of a number of awards recognising distributors’ effor ts in 2020. A complete bespoke vir tual set was created by the Bose Professional Middle East office, while attendees joined the event from aDawliah Electronic in Saudi Arabia, Universal Electronics in Kuwait, Modern Home in Qatar, NMK Electronics in the UAE, Ashrafs in Bahrain, OHI in Oman, Spectrum in Jordan and Antaki Group in Lebanon.

“This was our 5th annual Connect Event for Middle East distributors; however, this time it was held virtually and I am very pleased that the event was successful and received positive feedback from all our distributors,” commented Bose Professional Middle East regional manager, Nittin Dargan. “In addition to a FY21 strategy update, we recognised the distributors for different achievement categories and it’s great to see how technology can connect us even during these times. I’m really looking forward to the great teamwork ahead.”

WORLD

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched the Amazon Interactive Video Service (IVS), a fully managed service that enables the setup of live and interactive video streams for web or mobile applications in “minutes”. This is the same technology powering gaming streaming service, Twitch, and promises a low-latency round trip – the time it takes for video to go from the camera to the viewer – of less than 3s. “Customers have been asking to use Twitch’s video streaming technology on their own platforms for a range of use cases like education, retail, sports and fitness,” said Martin Hess, GM at Amazon IVS. “Now with Amazon IVS, customers can leverage the same innovative technology that has taken Twitch over a decade to build and refine. Any developer can build an interactive livestreaming experience into their own application without having to manage the underlying video infrastructure.” “With Amazon IVS, handling live video streams is very simple, which means

we can devote more time to producing engaging content and features that allow viewers to interact with creators in real time,” added John Katsavrias, senior development manager, Amazon Live. “Amazon IVS enabled us to move quickly to unlock our creators’ ability to livestream so they can produce awesome content that inspires customers and helps them discover new products.” One example of a company benefitting for the platform is 17Live, an interactive live video app that connects entertainers around the world with its fans. “Integrating with Amazon IVS allows us to help our entertainers engage larger audiences with more interactive experiences and expand into new geographies,” commented Eric Hsu, VP of engineering at M17 Group. “The endto-end service allows us to address our scaling, quality of service and expansion challenges.” www.aws.amazon.com

www.pro.bose.com

Voyager brings AI to The Voice Lebanon LEBANON

Since beginning life in the Netherlands in 2010, the popular TV singing contest The Voice has been successfully exported around the world. In Lebanon, Visuwalls was approached to provide set design, props, LED walls and motion graphics for this year’s series and suggested the use of Augmented Reality in order to add an extra

creative dimension to the show. Visuwalls’ team of 3D artists took several of the assets that had been created for the motion graphics software and converted them for Voyager, Ross Video’s graphics rendering solution that is based on Unreal Engine. “We had previously seen Voyager being used in an esports environment, with the

camera flying around virtual renders of the team players and game characters in the stadium, and we thought it would be cool to do something similar in a broadcast environment,” commented Nicolas Malbon, Visuwalls’ head of media servers and augmented reality. “The production company in charge of The Voice loved the

idea and we ended up creating animated augmented reality elements to complement many of the songs being sung by the contestants over the series.” Gideon Ferber, director of Virtual Solutions for Ross, points to the competitive nature of prime-time TV around the world as a key selling point for Voyager. “The broadcast market is increasingly crowded and, while successful shows like The Voice will consistently attract healthy audience figures, content creators are always looking for ways to differentiate their programmes and make them more visually creative. Voyager does exactly that and is both highly flexible and cost-effective. We were delighted to work with Visuwalls and The Voice Lebanon team and we look forward to seeing how they use Voyager in future series.” www.rossvideo.com

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AFTER THE SILENCEâ&#x20AC;¦

TOGETHER, WE WILL RAISE THE ROOF

UNTIL THEN, PLEASE STAY #SAFEANDSOUND

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NEWS

Seeing isn’t believing for RME users

TURKEY

Tired of working with audio interfaces that weren’t accessible with his screen reader but still a lover of his RME Babyface Pro, Turkish visually impaired musician Can Kirca recently teamed up with Alexey Zhelezov of the Heidelberg University in Germany to create AZS OSC (open sound control) for Windows, a software application that makes RME’s interfaces accessible to visually impaired and blind users by connecting to their screen readers. Kirca uses a text-to-speech engine designed to verbalise every button pushed and text appearing onscreen for visually impaired and blind users. “Unfortunately, most audio interfaces are not accessible with screen readers,” Kirca explained. “I had just bought an RME UFX+ audio interface and it has some buttons on it, but it’s not possible to read the screen or use a magnifier because the screen and text size are very small.” In addition to the UFX+, TotalMix FX – RME’s proprietary mixing software which

Can Kirca comes with all of its interfaces – was found to also be inaccessible for Kirca. “When I went to use TotalMix FX, it was not possible to root channels, enable phantom power, control volume and such because it is

a completely graphical interface,” Kirca furthered. Togther, he and his sighted colleague Zhelezov teamed up to change that, discovering that RME products were

compatible with OSC, a protocol that allows users to connect and manage devices via the network. “A user is able to manage their device by typing demands instead of clicking them,” Kirca said. “For example, when you type ‘/vol’, it allows you to set a value for volume. You don’t need to use a mouse for any graphical interface.” Kirca reached out to RME to receive the full command list which consisted of about 300 commands. “We have developed a new application which consists of three views – buttons, sliders and faders,” Kirca explained. “It’s about 100KB, it’s free and screen readercompatible because all the buttons and sliders are labelled. You can use your computer keyboard to navigate between options.” Now, visually impaired and blind users can manage all controls on RME devices with the AZS OSC application. www.cankirca.com/rme-accessibility

Brainstorming Kuwait’s Rafa Nadal Academy opening

KUWAIT

Mena, a sport services provider and systems integrator in Egypt and Kuwait, was recently involved with the live broadcasting of the opening ceremony

of the Rafa Nadal Academy in Kuwait. More than 1,500 people attended the ceremony and watched the game onsite while it was simultaneously broadcast live

by Kuwait Spor t TV for millions of viewers at home. Mena provided augmented reality content and graphics for the broadcast using Brainstorm’s Aston software. Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal is taking his tennis methodology to the Middle East with the recently inaugurated Rafa Nadal Academy. Its objective is to become a leading tennis centre in the Middle East and to suppor t the Kuwait Tennis Federation in the development of a programme that drives the spor t with a formative project. For the opening event, Kuwait Spor t TV contracted Mena, Brainstorm’s official reseller in the region. “Aston gave us the ability to create, modify and animate all required templates and create the augmented reality scenes in combination with InfinitySet, Brainstorm’s vir tual set solution,” explained Maged Mahmoud,

Mena’s project manager. “As we weren’t able to use a tracked camera due to scheduling constraints, we took advantage of the Aston Locator feature, which allowed us to do last-minute modifications to avoid changing camera position. All graphics were controlled and sent to air via Brainstorm’s OnDemand, which is an amazing and easy-to-use playout solution for live production, including live replacing of templates and texts.” Omar Al-Zanki, Mena’s general manager, added: “It was a pleasure to work with Brainstorm. InfinitySet and Aston are wonder ful software applications that allowed us to do whatever we wanted without any limitation. Another important factor was the flexibility offered by the Brainstorm team: they were always available to support us at any time.” www.brainstorm3d.com

18 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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More entere under the lig challe to goo light s “The in our techn “After becam be on negat if we l to hav exper and e The Savuk Africa show exerci the sh my ow webin he sa strate partic the ch de J show panel lightin Micha lightin and li van N review who a to ass “We lo (place and c accen utilisa Jannie a who interp Taylor As th comp design and a on wh maxim which Muir-M Rosso Lomb each was a de Jag judges indep same Leon inform the to owner Node comp to sta and p

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DWR keeps SA’s live designers busy during lockdown SOUTH AFRICA

More than 100 days after South Africa entered lockdown, the events industry is still under severe restrictions. Jannie de Jager and the lighting team at DWR, therefore, decided to challenge lighting designers to put their skills to good use during the lockdown by designing a light show using the MA2 PC platform. “The lockdown has been very hard on people in our industry, especially for the freelance crew, technicians and engineers,” explained de Jager. “After a couple of days into lockdown, it quickly became apparent that boredom was going to be one of our greatest enemies and would negatively affect the mental health of everybody if we let it. We are very privileged to have some very talented and experienced lighting designers on staff and everybody got behind the idea. The team chose Johnny Clegg and Savuka’s 1982 hit Scatterlings of Africa and de Jager developed a 3D show file with fixtures patched, for the exercise. “I had a lot of fun working on the showfile, which did a lot to beat my own boredom in between training webinars that we were also hosting,” he said. “I placed fixtures in a very strategic way to intentionally stretch participants and the majority rose to the challenge.” de Jager received 14 completed show files for consideration. The panel of judges included theatre lighting specialists, Kevin Stannett and Michael Taylor-Broderick, architectural lighting specialist, Johnny Scholtz and live events specialist, Vincent van Niekerk. All of the files were reviewed independently by the judges, who applied pre-determined criteria to assign scores to each show. “We looked at the use of generics (placement and focus thereof); timing and choice of cue changes (what was accented and when it was accented); utilisation of the rig designed by Jannie; and choice of stage looks as a whole, including colour choices and interpretation of the song,” explained Taylor-Broderick. As this was a product-related competition, he took note of designers’ use of the MA2 software and assessed their work based on who used the platform to its maximum potential. The five finalists, which included Benjamin Leletsana Muir-Mills, Jade Manicom, Leon Rossouw, Marius B Coetzee and Ryan Lombard, were all within a point of each other in the final scoring. “It was an extremely close finish,” said de Jager. “Interestingly, all of the judges submitted their scorecards independently and they all had the same five finalists.” Leon Rossouw was contacted to inform him that he had been awarded the top spot and was the proud owner of a grandMA2 onPC 4port Node 1K. “The MA Time Coding competition was a great way for me to stay busy during the lockdown, and provided an opportunity to learn

new things, especially around pixel-mapping,” he commented. Leon collaborated with his wife, Soné Rossouw, on the project. Soné reflects that the competition provided a great opportunity for her and Leon to spend quality time together, doing something fun and creative but also learning new skills. “Working together using a product as amazing as the MA console and MA PC platform was incredible and provided an opportunity to enjoy collaborating at a time where most people were struggling with social isolation,” explained Soné. Jannie de Jager with Leon and Soné Rossouw

www.dwrdistribution.co.za

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NEWS

Dubai thanks frontline workers with drone light show UAE

Drone light show specialist AO Drones recently took to the Dubai Skies to pay homage to the emirate’s frontline workers for their service during the Covid-19 pandemic. Conceived and produced by AO Drones’ Marco Niedermeier, the event combined an aerial display from AO Drones’ fleet, plus a special message from emergency service vehicles arranged to spell “Thank You” in both English and Arabic. The whole event was captured in a short film, shot in the style of a dramatic action movie, and shared widely on social media. To realise the event, Niedermeier called on the help of friends from Dubai’s event production network, including Done Events, GTV Film Productions and Brand Dubai. Together they secured support from the Government of Dubai and authorities including the Dubai Police Force, the Roads and Transport Authority, the Media Office and others. “Everybody was keen to be involved,” commented Niedermeier. “We all wanted to say thank you.” Dubai’s Covid-19 lockdown meant that all planning meetings were carried out via video conferencing platforms and onsite operations were

with aerial views of the “thank you” messages on the ground, and the grand finale of AO Drones’ aerial display, performed by a fleet of 120 precisely choreographed drones operated by Niedermeier. “It was amazing to see the reactions of the people. Most of them had not seen a drone show before,” he commented. “His Highness Sheikh Hamdan posted the film

on social media so, immediately, the word spread around and weeks later people are still talking about it. We have had nothing but great feedback, and everyone involved was so happy to have been able to do something so memorable for our frontline workers.” www.ao-technology.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2lF8Yy22pA

A fleet of 120 precisely choreographed drones took to the sky conducted in accordance with safe working guidelines. The film of the event began with aerial shots of messages of support spelled out on iconic Dubai landmarks, before following the emergency vehicles along Sheikh Zayed Road – closed to public traffic for the occasion – to converge on the show site. The film culminated

AO Drones’ aerial fleet formed messages in the sky, while Dubai’s emergency service vehicles gave thanks on the ground

Amagi helps A+E transition to the cloud EMEA

Beamed into the Afterlife with Claypaky UAE

The Afterlife series of electronic music festivals debuted in Dubai for the first time in 2020. The event, which was held at the industrial warehouse space Hanger 4, saw more than 100 Claypaky fixtures deployed to deliver the event’s signature lighting look. Lighting designer Pascal Bach of VEM Visionemotion GmbH created the lighting design and handled the operation of lights and lasers during the show, while the equipment was supplied by LighTech Audio Visual Rental. “The main part of the design was a 60m truss in the centre of the 100m hangar,” explained Bach. “The truss was filled with 50 Sharpys and additional wash lights. The idea was to create a massive array of light beams that behaved as one single object in an organic way. In general, the Afterlife shows are more relaxed and focused on nice looks and moods, instead of crazy and hectic effects. People should feel the music in combination with the visuals and

lights, without everything making them crazy.” The setup contained 50 fixtures on the main centre truss and 25 more on each of the two side trusses. In addition to the Sharpys and wash fixtures, 30 Claypaky B-EYE K10s were used to create a side glow and illuminate the hanging Afterlife man, the iconic visual element of the show. “Sharpy is a widely used fixture and was the only one available in the quantity I needed for a reasonable price,” Bach noted. “It also had everything I required for the show. It needed to be small, fast and not too heavy. Furthermore, it has a nice colour selection, thin beams and a frost. There aren’t so many fixtures on the market that can produce a super strong, thin beam in a small body like Sharpy does.”

A+E Networks UK has transitioned its broadcast operations to the cloud using Amagi solutions and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The complete set of A+E Networks UK’s 30 channels broadcast across EMEA will now be delivered and managed by Amagi. Based in the UK, A+E Networks is a joint venture between Sky and Hearts. The company has partnered with more than 360 pay TV operators to broadcast channels throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa, in total reaching 58 million homes across 100 countries. “This partnership is an important milestone in our goal to create an effective, scalable and future-facing operation in the cloud that is well-positioned in our supply chain,” said Matt Westrup, vice president of technology and operations, A+E Networks EMEA. “With the level of visibility, agility and control that the cloud offers, we can now manage our broadcast operations in EMEA remotely and this has been a huge

advantage for us, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.” To achieve this, Amagi deployed Cloudport, its cloud platform built on AWS cloud infrastructure, to support end-to-end broadcast workflows and managed playout services. Initially set up as a business continuity playout option, the operation was transitioned to be the primary facility in a matter of weeks. More than 50,000 hours of content was ingested onto the cloud and playout and delivery of 30 channels were managed over IP, satellite and fibre infrastructure. The service is equipped with SLA-driven 24x7 monitoring using advanced technology tools, and L1, L2 and L3 support personnel. Amagi has a 60-plus-strong Network Operations Centre that allows for end-to-end monitoring and management of the entire broadcast infrastructure. www.aenetworks.tv www.amagi.com

www.claypaky.com

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NEWS: EDUCATION

Genelec’s G LearningLab comes online

ONLINE

Jannie de Jager bringing some tranquility to DWR’s online sessions

DWR webinars a hit during lockdown SOUTH AFRICA

Forced to put a halt to its regular in-person initiatives when South Africa entered lockdown, DWR Distribution has been busy in recent weeks with a multitude of online activities. While there was already no shortage of training videos and webinars provided by international suppliers on the DWR Distribution Facebook Group page, DWR’s Jannie de Jager and Dylan Jones wanted to create a platform where training and personal contact with the industry could continue, motivating all parties to share knowledge. The only obstacle was navigating the best way to do this.“We definitely had to get used to the world of streaming,” de Jager explained. “Because the lockdown happened so fast, I initially felt like we weren’t 100% prepared for what we were going to be doing during this time and initially there was a lot of trial and error. Dylan and I quickly investigated streaming options in order for us to take the training online, and, while you’d imagine this to be an easy task, it involves

quite a bit of admin. Nevertheless, we quickly adapted and made the best out of it.” While de Jager has focused on MA Lighting Crash Course sessions and facilitating popular Q&A live sessions with the DWR team, the sales team has also contributed by hosting webinars, with highlights including Vectorworks and Green Hippo training with Dylan Jones, rigging and safety discussions with Robert Izzett and a DiGiCo session with Kyle Robson. “The benefit of training online can be summed up as convenience,” Jones elaborated. “People can attend from the comfort of their homes and have the best view in the house from a shared screen, a chat window and the option to go over the session again in a recorded format. There are always new people attending from around the world, and we have one student from Durban who has attended nearly all of the webinars. It’s very inspiring to see someone taking advantage of this time.”

The Genelec G LearningLab education programme has begun with a series of tutorials on the manufacturer’s GLM loudspeaker manager software. Titled 6 steps to creating your Sonic Reference, the sessions will also be used to unveil the newest version of the GLM software, GLM 4. G LearningLab sessions are available on the Genelec website. “Audio quality is at the heart of the content creation process, so a fundamental understanding of how to equip a room with a truthful, accurate monitoring system is essential,” commented Genelec managing director, Siamak Naghian. “G LearningLab is the culmination of over 40 years of expertise in educating our partners and end users, and I can’t think of a better way of celebrating that than by shining a spotlight on the new GLM 4.” The six sessions include GLM-specific tutorials to guide attendees through every stage required to set up, calibrate and

control a studio monitoring system so that it provides a sonic reference. The first two – GLM Foundations and Getting Started with GLM – took place in August, with the remaining sessions taking place weekly throughout September. Delivered in English, each will be repeated at different times of day to enable those in other time zones to participate and attendees will be actively encouraged to ask questions and participate in a Q&A session at the end of each tutorial. The sessions are aimed at both current GLM users and those who want to learn more about how the software can improve their workflow and audio quality. They will cover all aspects of GLM use – from simple room acoustics and monitor placement, through basic and advanced GLM features, and the use of GLM as a systems monitor controller, finally culminating in a deep technical dive into how exactly GLM works. www.genelec.com

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www.dwrdistribution.co.za

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NEWS: EDUCATION

Bluesound creates in-depth tech talks

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Bluesound Professional has created a series of in-depth video and podcast content titled Surroundscapes that details novel ideas from a selection of invited experts who are using AV technology in innovative ways. The series is targeted at commercial AV integrators and business owners interested in creating immersive experiences. Hosted

by VP and GM of Bluesound Professional, Graeme Harrison, the series is described as being “part AV tech nerd talk and part psychosocial experimentation”. The goal is to help audiences discover the sound and visual stimulus techniques used in public spaces to engage people and drive business outcomes.

“Surroundscapes has been many months in the making and I’m extremely excited to be able to share what we’ve been working on,” commented Harrison. “Our first set of guests include forward thinkers like Julian Treasure, renowned expert in sound and communications and five-time TED Talk speaker, and Rob Anders from Niio, a digital art platform that powers some of the most inspiring multimedia art installations in the world.” Created for mobile consumption, the sessions are presented as a quarterly miniseries, with each mini-series comprised of 5–8 episodes of audio podcasts and video presentations focused on a specific topic, under the central theme of the “future of business”. “Initially, we were thinking only of a podcast, but it quickly became apparent that it would be difficult to show the breadth of innovations our guests were involved in without a video element,” said June Ip, VP of marketing for Lenbrook International, the parent company of Bluesound Professional. “We therefore decided to create two streams of content – a podcast for listeners who are

NewTek offers on-demand training

on the road a lot like installers and business owners, and video presentations for those who want to take in a multimedia experience.” The Surroundscapes Podcast is an interviewstyle content series hosted by Harrison, where he and an invited expert guest explore the use of AV technologies in shaping human perceptions and experiences of space, and their impacts on consumer and audience behaviour. Meanwhile, the Surroundscapes Video Segment features some of Harrison’s podcast guests narrating a presentation, taking the viewer through the thinking, design, implementation and impact behind some of the most sensational projects. The first mini-series acknowledges the challenges that many retail and hospitality businesses face post-pandemic and explores the role that multisensory experiences could have in convincing consumers to return to the sector. The second mini-series is scheduled to launch in November 2020. www.bluesoundprofessional.com

WORLD

NewTek has announced the launch of NewTek University. The platform will offer a range of educational courses to both resellers and end users, ranging from operating guides to classes on selling its solutions. All of the learning materials will be available online and on-demand, with new content being added to the existing library throughout the year. “NewTek University provides our resellers and end user communities with comprehensive training available nowhere else in the market. Certification in using, demonstrating and selling products from the very people who make them is truly valuable,” said David Paige, senior

director of Professional Services for NewTek. “We recognise the unique challenges of the way people are having to work now and our online courses and certifications are designed to ensure users remain at the forefront of our newest technology without having to leave their home.” Currently available courses include: Live Production with NewTek TriCaster, NDI and Performance Media Networking, Selling NewTek Technology, NewTek Product Automation Class and NewTek 3Play Operation Class. www.newtek.com

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NEWS: DISTRIBUTION

Atlona targets ICT community in MEA with Trident

Atlona has partnered with Trident Technology Services as a representative in the Middle East and Africa. Trident will focus on growing Atlona’s demand and market share with ICT professionals that now require networked AVover-IP solutions for enterprise-level projects. Trident has been a longtime representative of Panduit, which acquired Atlona in early 2019. It is among the largest sales and marketing representatives for global ICT manufacturers in the region, with four corporate offices and localised sales and support channels in key metropolitan areas. “We have watched the evolution of AV, IT and telephony converging into one platform, and working with Atlona and Panduit will maximise our penetration into the data network infrastructure,” commented Bassel Alhalabi, managing director, Trident Technology Services. “The ICT community is only starting to learn about AV technology and how it can

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help win new business. Atlona’s strengths in AV-over-IP distribution, collaboration and control – and its interoperability with Panduit’s network infrastructure solutions – will help

us create stronger demand for complete networked solutions that are scalable, flexible, reliable and of exceptional quality.” Alhalabi, who previously was a Panduit business director in the MEA region for 11 years, adds that working with Atlona brings new opportunity to expand Trident’s footprint into the AV industry. “We view this as an opportunity to develop partnerships

Trident managing director, Bassel Alhalabi with an expanded community of integration and consulting partners that are seeking knowledgeable IT partners, especially in

the corporate, education, government and healthcare verticals.” Alhalabi also anticipates opportunities for cotraining and education initiatives with Atlona – as well as through Trident’s own programmes – both online and in-person as businesses gradually reopen. He expects to demonstrate Atlona products alongside Panduit solutions in Trident showrooms, beginning with its Egypt and Saudi Arabia offices. “Trident’s reputation in the ICT community is unsurpassed in the MEA region, and their value-added expertise will substantially raise Atlona’s profile throughout the MEA region,” said Thorsten Goecke, Atlona’s director of sales for the EMEA region. “We look forward to working together and introducing Atlona to new customers throughout the region.” www.atlona.com www.itrident.com

LEA Professional seeks growth throughout EMEA with Blue5 Technology

MEA

Smart amplifier manufacturer LEA Professional has secured a partnership with Blue5 Technology to support its growth presence in the EMEA region. Blue5 Technology is a newly founded company started by David Budge. Budge has over 20 years’ experience in the pro audio industry gained from previous roles at Harman and most recently as Africa export sales manager for Bose Professional. Blue5 will be responsible for LEA’s full suite of products, including the recently launched Cloud platform. “AV customers across all verticals are seeking specialised solutions and are moving away from institutionalised corporations towards entrepreneurial, dynamic partners with market-proven depth,” commented Budge. “LEA Professional is a global player in AV but retains the entrepreneurial culture and

“LEA Professional is embracing new technologies that we are not seeing from others in the industry,” added Budge. “Progressive integrators are looking for cloud-based solutions that can provide

customer focus. It is exactly the right partnership AV customers need in these times of change. LEA Professional has the ability to be agile and they’re not held back by the restrictions that come with a large organisation. Instead, they can work closely with customers and ensure they are giving them exactly what they need.”

them with recurring revenue options. Being able to diagnose a problem remotely – whether in a pandemic or not – is an

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important time and cost-saving tool for installers.” The manufacturer has been quickly growing its distribution network since first unveiling the brand at NAMM 2018. “We are very pleased that Dave Budge has formed Blue5 Technology and similarly pleased to partner with him to serve our customers in EMEA,” said Scott Robbins, LEA Professional’s VP of global sales. “We have been growing significantly over the last several months as demand of our Cloud-enabled Connect Series products reaches new heights and as many more integrators become comfortable with our technology and brand. We look forward to working with Dave and his team as we expand further in the EMEA markets.”

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24 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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VV & Sons to distribute PreSonus Commercial MIDDLE EAST

Dubai-based distributor VV & Sons has been appointed to represent PreSonus Commercial Division products in the Middle East. Commercial Division products include PreSonus StudioLive mixing consoles and AIR loudspeakers and its portfolio of WorxAudio sound reinforcement solutions. Desert Beat Trading will continue to serve as PreSonus’ MI retail partner in the UAE. “PreSonus offers a very impressive, superiorquality line of solutions that enhances the user experience with sophisticated digital and analogue audio for a diverse range of applications,” commented VV &

PreSonus’ presence to the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain.” “I am delighted to have such a longestablished, respected and renowned partner as VV & Sons,” added Eugene Greenan, PreSonus’ EMEA general manager. “The PreSonus brand has grown significantly in the GCC region over past years, and I firmly believe that this new partnership will bring us to the next level in terms of exposure and brand building within the mixer installation and live sound market.” Sons professional division head, Vikesh Thamban. “VV & Sons is the ideal partner to provide the technical expertise and

design consultation to ensure customers understand the PreSonus portfolio. We’re extremely excited to be able to expand

www.bhatia.com/group_companies/vv-sons-pro www.presonus.com

DWR expands trussing SOUTH AFRICA

South African Prolyte distributor DWR Distribution has expanded its inventory of trussing products as a result of the new partnership between Prolyte and Area Four Industries. This means that DWR can now offer and maintain Litec, Tomcat and James Thomas Engineering trussing products.

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Fabio Prada, Area Four sales and marketing director “For us, it means the opportunity to offer an additional service to our industry,” said DWR’s Robert Izzett. “With access to the full Area Four Industries truss product range [except for Milos, which has a different distributor], we can assist the African market with any new products or spare parts they may require, which includes a variety of modernised motors from group brand Exe Technology.” “DWR is not only a distributor for us at Area Four, but a serious and professional partner,” said Area Four sales and marketing director, Fabio Prada. “We are confident that the partnership will enable us to share projects that do not stop with the distribution of products to the South African market, but that can act as a platform for a more capillary presence on the entire African continent.” www.areafourindustries.com www.dwrdistribution.co.za

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NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

Cherian George joins Fohhn Audio AG Ross Video promotes Cottam MIDDLE EAST

Cherian George has joined Fohhn Audio AG as regional director, Middle East and India. He joins the German manufacturer having spent a decade at Honeywell, where he was instrumental in launching the pro audio portfolio in 2019, as well as previous stints working for Bosch and Electro-Voice. “I’m excited to join the Fohhn team,” said George. “It’s important after spending 13 years in the industry to choose your next company carefully. After much deliberation, I was sure that I wanted to join a company

that was serious about quality audio. I have known the Fohhn team for a while now, and what has amazed me time and time again is their commitment to quality. I too believe that ‘the future of the line array is straight’ and it was important to join a company that not only produced state-of-the-art products but also nurtured a sound culture. I hope to bring my experience in the region to help expand the business of Fohhn Audio AG in the Middle East, India and the ASEAN territories.”

Cherian George

www.fohhn.com

TIG names Anoop Nair Middle East BDM MIDDLE EAST

Sales agency Technological Innovations Group (TIG) has announced that Anoop Nair has joined the company as its new business development manager for the Middle East. Anoop will play an important role in driving the agency’s growth in the region and will be responsible for targeting customers with bespoke solutions from TIG’s AV/UC portfolio. He reports to Middle East regional sales manager, Renaat De Wilde. “We’re thrilled to welcome Anoop and his superb expertise of the AV industry to our team,” said De Wilde. “He will nurture

our existing relationships in the region and develop a successful action plan that drives new business in multiple sectors, including corporate, hospitality, education and healthcare.” “After two decades of serving the AV industry in the Middle East and working closely with systems integrators, I am excited to move into the next chapter of my career by joining TIG,” added Nair. “TIG provides a plethora of opportunity to serve the industry and clients with world-class, value-adding technology solutions that are customised,

WORLD

Ross Video has promoted Kevin Cottam to vice president, global sports and live events. With a background in sports and live production, Cottam began his TV broadcasting career in 1996 with CTV News, moving onto CTV Sportsnet (now Rogers Sportsnet). He began freelancing with Ross Video in 2006 as a demonstration artist and trainer, joining full time in 2011 as a business development manager and working with professional sports teams for gameday productions, as well as high-profile entertainment productions. “I’m delighted to take this next step in my career with Ross, and I look forward to further developing our amazing global customer base in sports and live events,” Cottam commented. “Our team has delivered unprecedented growth over

Anoop Nair scalable, user-friendly and match any budget.” www.tig.eu

Venuetech Luke Hanrahan to grow appoints latakoo presence in EMEA Malak Hashmieh EMEA

In a move to strengthen its presence in the EMEA market, latakoo has announced the appointment of reporter/presenter Luke Hanrahan as broadcast specialist for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The appointment is part of a growing global sales team as latakoo expands its video transfer and workflow product portfolio to support production companies as well as its traditional broadcast production customer base. Hanrahan is based in London and will continue to work on-air

as a news and current affairs reporter using latakoo solutions. Hanrahan is a Royal Television Society awardwinning investigative reporter and presenter with over a decade of experience at the BBC, ITN, NBC, Euronews and CNN International. He has also worked as a producer/reporter on long-format news and current affairs programming for the BBC, Sky, Discovery and A&E Networks. Using the latakoo platform on his work for Euronews and NBC during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, Hanrahan believes that it has helped him to continue working and praises its ease of use to film, edit and send video remotely. This included speeding up the process of transferring media back to base, assisting with remote editing and allowing journalists and production teams to collaborate inside a secure, permission-based access platform. “Luke knows the pain points of being in the field and working on deadline,” said Jade Kurian, co-founder and president of latakoo. “He knows, from experience, the advantages of using latakoo as a content producer. He has that rare insight into the equipment, the workflows and the technology and can be a bridge between our sales and development process and broadcast and production customers.”

Luke Hanrahan

www.latakoo.com

Malak Hashmieh UAE

Malak Hashmieh has joined Middle East distributor Venuetech as its marketing manager. Handling all of the distributor’s marketing activities, Hashmieh brings five years of experience to the role. In addition, she holds a Master’s Degree in marketing, a Bachelor’s Degree in graphic design and is a Google Certified Digital Marketer. “In a dynamic environment full of changes, working online is not the easiest thing to do,” commented Hashmieh. “We as digital marketers are trying hard to create a great impression for the brands and the best relationship with our customers. Come and meet us online.”

Kevin Cottam the past nine years – Ross powers many of the major sports franchise facilities around the world and we’re now the trusted production partner of some of the world’s most iconic venues, from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to the Adelaide Oval in Australia. We’ve also been busy supporting the biggest names in esports and helping them tell their stories more effectively with cutting-edge technology and advanced workflows. It has been an exciting decade of growth and it’s showing no sign of stopping.” Added Jeff Moore, executive VP and CMO at Ross: “The creation of this role for Kevin is testament to his dedication and hard work over the last nine years, and he’s very effectively managed our presence in the sports and live events markets. Ross is now a force to be reckoned with in the game-day sports venue production space, and I look forward to even greater success under Kevin’s stewardship.” www.rossvideo.com

www.venuetech.ae

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THE WORLD'S FIRST TRANSFERABLE LED ENGINE

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NEWS: APPOINTMENTS

Supriya Bose appointed Bose Professional marketing manager EMEA

Bose Professional has appointed the aptly named Supriya Bose as marketing manager for EMEA Exports. Based in Dubai, Supriya has vast experience in consumer electronics, having worked in the manufacturer’s consumer division since 2012 where she was responsible for leading the go-to-market strategies, product and engagement training, organising largescale events, product launches, regional press events and exhibitions for the Middle East and Africa. In the new role, she will lead the manufacturer’s EMEA marketing efforts and manage all marcom-related activities. “I am very excited to have Supriya onboard,” commented Paolo D’Innocenzo,

Bose Professional pre-sales manager, EMEA. “She is well versed with the regional marketing requirements and thus puts us in capable hands to further our stance in the region.” Supriya is a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt professional with over 12 years of relevant experience. “It’s been eight years and running with this exceptional company and never a dull moment, that’s what I love about working with Bose,” she commented. “I am excited to take on this new role with the Bose Professional team and to be working closely with all the distributor partners.” Supriya Bose

Kyle Dibbin named Nautel MEA sales manager MEA

Kyle Dibbin has become the regional sales manager in Africa and the Middle East for radio broadcast transmitter manufacturer Nautel. Dibbin joined the company back in

www.pro.bose.com

Beyma introduces the three amigos SPAIN

Kyle Dibbin

Diego Ivars

Nacho Botella

Alejandro Espi

Transducer manufacturer Beyma has announced the appointment of three new engineers at its headquarters in Valencia. Having worked in Scandanavia for almost 10 years, Diego Ivars joins the R&D department as a transducer engineer. Continuing the international nature of the new trio, Nacho

Botella arrives home following two-and-ahalf years as product manager for Beyma China in Guangzhou. Now leading a QC team in the newly created position of quality engineering manager, Botella previously fulfilled five years in Ivars’ current role. The three amigos line-up is completed

with the arrival of Alejandro Espi, who has been internally promoted from the R&D department to the position of supply chain manager, where he will lead manufacturing, supply and logistics processes.

2012 in a test and repair capacity before moving to customer service and then his most recent role as business development manager, VS sales. “Kyle has a wealth of knowledge both in the technology behind Nautel transmitters and customer interaction on a daily basis,” said Wendell Lonergan, senior director of broadcast sales for Nautel. “His passion for providing long-term quality transmitter solutions to customers will be a great asset to our partners in this region. We congratulate Kyle on this new position with our company.”

www.beyma.com www.nautel.com

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ETC promotes regional sales manager MIDDLE EAST

ETC has announced the promotion of Konstantinos Vonofakidis to regional sales manager for Cyprus and Egypt. He will manage sales arrangements for key accounts in these regions and work in cooperation with the company’s distributors and dealers. “Konstantinos is a valuable member of the sales team who has built a great rapport with the dealers and customers in his territories,” stated Darren Beckley, sales manager, ETC Ltd. “With his strong market knowledge and expertise, I am confident he will continue delivering high levels of service and be successful in his new role.” Vonofakidis previously worked as a field project coordinator for High End Systems in the southern European, African, Middle Eastern and Indian territories. He began his career as a service engineer working with High

Konstantinos Vonofakidis End Systems for 10 years before going on to manage significant lighting projects. www.etcconnect.com

New sales manager joins Martin Pro ME MIDDLE EAST

Martin Professional Middle East has bolstered its sales team with the addition of R Govindarajan as regional sales manager. Govindarajan is an electronics engineer and joins the Dubai-based distributor with more than 12 years’ experience working in audio, video, lighting, automation and integration.

“I came to this team with many years of similar regional experience,” commented Govindarajan. “I’m particularly interested in branding and customer relationship management and I’m looking forward to visiting all your places soon.” www.martinpro-me.com

Sam Nord promoted to VP of sales for Listen Tech WORLD

Listen Technologies has promoted Sam Nord to vice president of global sales. In this role, Nord will work with Listen Technologies’ partners to sell the company’s audio and content solutions to their customer bases. He will also oversee the company’s outside and inside sales teams.

Sam Nord “We’re happy to recognise Sam and promote him to vice president of global sales at Listen Technologies,” said Russ Gentner, CEO of Listen Technologies. “Sam’s enthusiasm, leadership and advocacy for his team, the industry and our partners and customers,

are unparalleled. He and his team have been instrumental in helping Listen Technologies increase its product offerings and expand the application of our solutions.” Nord has spent his entire career in the AV industry. He joined Listen Technologies in 2013, after having been a customer for many years in previous roles as a dealer and integrator. Most recently, he was director of global sales. Under his leadership, the sales team achieved record year-over-year growth. Furthermore, his experience as an integrator has helped him anticipate what customers want. “It’s a great feeling whenever we talk to customers about Listen Technologies’ solutions and they realise how they can use those solutions to provide better experiences for their own customers, or we uncover ideas to develop a new product feature or solution,” commented Nord. “I’m challenged and excited every day to work with an amazing team at Listen Technologies and in an industry that continues to evolve and enable global connection and collaboration.” www.listentech.com

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BUSINESS: SPECIAL REPORT

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Phil Ward assesses the long-term effects of the pandemic on the global broadcast supply chain THANKS TO COVID-19, THE BROADCAST technology supply chain has no anchor. Detailed research by Futuresource Consulting reveals a very confused picture indeed, with global broadcast consumption making strange patterns in lockdown. Product development over the next few years will not be for the faint-hearted. For example, one major anomaly underpins everything. Although viewing figures and Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) usage are up, advertising revenue is down. The usual assumption that bums-on-seats equals cash cannot be made, and the predicted global recession is likely to put the brakes on recovery in most territories – even though media and entertainment have historically proven to be slump-proof. One reason is the change in delivery platforms and how they are used.

Cheap tricks There are now far more alternatives to conventional broadcasting than ever before, and many of them are cheaper, if not free, and open to various revenue short-circuits such as password sharing. Meanwhile, the interruption to production, such as in drama, will have to be compensated by a drive to create content that could well put a strain on resources, while the rescheduling of the sports calendar is bound to challenge logistics. So, once again, a potential boom may not necessarily result in a smooth recovery. At the same time, will the current surge in SVoD be maintained by subscriber retention or dip as consumers leave the house? Surveys show that streaming services have followed a similar arc, with a significant trend towards older demographics. However, this has not been at the cost of Public Service Broadcasting (PSB), which remains trusted and familiar in uncertain times – witness The BBC’s nostalgic usage of Glastonbury and Wimbledon archive material over the summer – leading many to predict that the most likely outcome is a further acceleration of IP delivery for all networks. This raises the question of how well the internet backbone will cope. Netflix effected a reduction in traffic bitrate of 25% to ease pressure on streaming, with a concomitant downgrading of resolution, while YouTube’s similar measure of defaulting to SD has been necessary to withstand a 60% rise in content watched. Other providers have followed suit as concurrent streaming has rocketed – and a sharp rise in esports engagement has had a lot to do with that. According to gaming analytics specialist Newzoo and its Global Esports Market Report for 2020, esports revenues will grow to US$1.1 billion in 2020, a year-on-year growth of 15.7%, with three-quarters of this generated by media rights and sponsorship. Both NAB and IBC have latterly devoted areas of exhibition and showcase to esports technology, enabling Grass Valley to use NAB

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for a demonstration of its “decades of live production” in the new arena of professional gaming. Newzoo executive Cleo Sardelis adds that game streaming “will be a key component of future media strategies”. In the supply chain, this will mostly suit traditional OB players in camera channels, switchers, replay machines and graphics.

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Pod one out Is podcasting the punk rock of audio broadcast? Nothing suits the renegade aspects of remote production better than an inexpensive and hugely accessible medium that sits comfortably on IP and disrupts the establishment values of radio. A glut of online self-help tutorials – podcasts about podcasting, many of them – is encouraging outlets for new, established and in some cases very little talent, all exploiting the perceived improvements in audio infrastructure.

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Parcast has supported lockdown hosts with Røde mixers and NTG1 mics Professional podcasting studios have been able to set up remote operation quite easily. LA-based Stitcher, for example, normally has a consistent spread of Shure SM7B microphones and Allen & Heath Qu Series mixers throughout its campus. However, regular producers have been supplied with Samson Q2U cardioids, Sennheiser Handmic Digital mics and Focusrite audio interfaces at home, appended to the Zoom H5 and H6 portable recorders already issued; their guests have taken delivery of USB microphones, headphones and acoustically friendly reflection filters for the mics in order to maximise sonic quality across disparate households. In another sense, the pandemic actually legitimises established workflows. With an international team of sound designers, content creation house and Spotify-owned Parcast has used remote production since its inception some four years before the first cough of Covid, and, over a year ago, introduced the multitrack, multi-party and browser-based digital recorder launched by online studio link expert Cleanfeed for file exchange. Parcast has also reinforced its sheltered hosts with Røde’s Rødecaster Pro mixers and NTG1 microphones – raising the question of whether enterprises like this have already defined a future without central studios. Such a paradigm shift will not happen unless cloud-based storage and file transfer solutions stand up to the test. As Dropbox’s head of media Andy Wilson says, “bandwidth

Cinegy is a pioneer of IP-based production

Esports revenues will grow to US$1.1 billion in 2020 is the number one challenge, which is directly linked to the need to move large media files”. Cue timely start-ups such as London-headquartered Base Media Cloud, which promises “low-cost cloud storage with integrated media software tools, online and on-demand”. The company’s solutions are said to adapt workflows perfectly for today’s conditions, as well as tightening data security, reducing costs and allowing dispersed teams to work from anywhere at any time.

Also in the UK, Quicklink has been adapting its sturdier professional video conferencing platform for broadcast media use, even on game shows: today’s offer provides “software and hardware IP solutions for the transmission of live and edited video”, with unique codecs for the optimisation of variable bandwidth from one area to another, developed since 2003 and coming of age right now. Similarly, Washington DC’s Cinegy is a pioneer of IPbased production that might almost have been

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BUSINESS: SPECIAL REPORT waiting for the current ill wind that is blowing in its favour. Finally, the type of cloud-connected cameras favoured by security systems could be adapted for media production, provided the limitations of internet video delivery are overcome by manufacturers being willing to invest in stable new workflow bridges between established Serial Digital Interface (SDI) links and IP protocols.

Scaling up All very well. But how large a scale of production can be achieved by remote connection? One answer is provided by BT Sport in the UK, whose entire gallery has been constructed virtually for altruistic reasons. “We could have got talent into the studio,” says Jamie Hindhaugh, COO for BT Sport. “I

Jamie Hindhaugh, COO of BT Sport Lawo’s Jürgen Sigrist and Börje Brüggemann deploy webcams and Lawo VisTool screens to complete remote PAT of an mc²56 console

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BT Sport has established a fully dispersed, multiple-home studio gallery could have gone into the studio. But I felt that anything we did as a broadcaster had to reflect the challenges our audiences are facing. We don’t want to be promoting the idea that travel is in anyway helpful at this time.” As a result, BT Sport developed a dispersed studio gallery on a scale claimed to outsize any other attempted, with everyone from PA, producer, vision mixer and director to EVS operator and graphics operators connected via broadband and 5G between lockdown homes. “This workflow means you can have a more inclusive workforce, employing people who could normally not get to our HQ,” adds Hindhaugh. “We’re creating a new format that goes alongside our continued development of 8K, Dolby Atmos for mobile and Object Based Broadcasting. We’ll now be able to go back with these learnings and drive more audience engagement.” At UK-based audio console leader Calrec, marketing manager Kevin Emmott is keen to draw the distinction between remote working and remote production. “We’ve been involved with remote production for years with the RP1 unit,” he says, “but, now, many broadcasters are looking at remote working too. The difference is that RP is where there is DSP at the venue, dealing with no-latency IFBs, and the mixing desk is remote; whereas remote working is where the console operator is neither at the venue nor at the production studio – whether it’s a physical or a virtual console. We’ve had a French customer mixing a talk show at home with a physical Type R panel, over IP; a Brio in somebody’s garage for BT Sport; a live choir production for the BBC … truth is, most of these technologies were already in place; it’s just that they weren’t a priority for most broadcasters. Now they are.

It will become an important box to be ticked – getting remote working fully online and totally reliable.” Emmott is not alone in emphasising the need for QC as, in its basic form, the internet is still considered unsuitable for live AV broadcast by most operators. “Within Calrec,” he says, “we have dedicated IP specialists who make sure we’re fully compliant with every commission, and I think the whole industry is pulling in the same direction. In fact, we have been for a while.”

codec that claims the fastest access to content, a rich set of postproduction tools, together with publishing compatibility with “everywhere”, including social media. Many post facilities, like Halo in London, have responded by adding virtual versions of its complete services using PCoIP and CWDM (multiplexing over fibre) technologies. DAW manufacturers have found it necessary to speed up release schedules, firing off remote-workflow upgrades as they happen instead of waiting for the typical annual binge-rollout. Avid’s Pro Tools has quickly added more channels to Dolby Audio Bridge and Dolby Renderer, for example, as well as fast-tracking dialogue editing and voiceover facilities for Pro Tools Cloud Collaboration, Sibelius Cloud Sharing and Avid Link.

Meanwhile, Blackmagic Design, home of the Fairlight DAW, has among several rapid enhancements two that suggest lockdown: Dialogue Processor, for the removal of ambient noises; and a CMI-style Foley Sampler, filled with push-key, in-the-box effects. Thanks to some improvements in IP, certain complex professional sales channels are being successfully modified, suggesting new models of B2B contact. German digital console mainstay Lawo has successfully deployed remote Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT): its engineers can complete key commissions without having to travel to clients and their studios. “For remote FATs, demos, training and installation support,” explains Lawo’s Wolfgang Huber, “colleagues have established WAN infrastructures and communication setups to keep within scheduled project

Winning post Postproduction is developing along the same lines, with the advantage of offline workflow. For three decades, Blackbird has been pioneering browser-based digital video editing and it’s no surprise to find that now the focus is well and truly on doing this via the cloud. It uses a proprietary

Blackmagic Design has upgraded its DAW with lockdown-friendly Dialogue Processor and a Foley Sampler interface

Remote use of Calrec Type R Image courtesy of Boîte à Outils Broadcast (BOB)/Marine Martignac

phases and deadlines while travelling is not possible and engineers on the customers’ side are also under lockdown.” Furthermore, this is a good example, Huber believes, of new best practices that will survive the pandemic and not simply be discarded as emergency measures. “I am convinced that the Covid-19 crisis may have caused suffering for some companies but the industry as a whole will come out of it with new awareness of its raison d’être, the power of innovation and responsibility for its customers, and, thus, the educational and cultural dimensions of the world we live in,” he says. “These times are a motivation to rethink and to courageously seize opportunities for our business.” Maybe in doing so, the broadcast industry will equip itself to drop anchor in a new world.

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FEATURES: LIVE

When life gives you lemons

A lack of events in Qatar hasn’t taken the shine off IACQatar’s latest equipment purchase, discovers Simon Luckhurst

The IACQatar team brushes the dust of their brand-new DiGiCo SD5 SOMETIMES IN LIFE YOU MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR the wrong reasons. Other times, the fruits of a great decision just don’t quite materialise. Rewind to the beginning of the year and Ayman Hamada, co-founder and audiovisual manager of Doha-based Al Isteklal TC-IACQatar, was taking stock, quite literally. As one of the country’s integral production and events companies, IACQatar walks a continual path of refurbishment, replenishment and upgrades to its equipment portfolio to better cater to an evolving events market. It splits its yearly investments into two, taking place roughly six months apart. “Investing in the latest equipment was our goal to creating a professional service that has impact and that effectively engages our clients and provides benefits to our customers,” explains the IACQatar co-founder. “In a market as competitive as Qatar, that means taking a creative approach through the use of technology. Lighting, sound and video can play a huge role in the success of an event. When properly presented, the technical elements of your production can add impact, help you effectively engage with attendees, increase the confidence and effectiveness of your presenters and potential customers, and leave your clients talking about your professional services and management long after it’s over.” These were the considerations that Hamada had in mind when the company made the decision to invest in a new DiGiCo SD5 full-size console, two complete racks of Shure Axient Digital (32 channels total), two complete racks of Shure PSM1000 in-ear monitors (32 channels total), a fully loaded Avid S6L-32D, two Waves SoundGrid servers, a Van Damme 96-channel three-way VDM split and a disguise VX4 media server loaded with VFC Cards. The SD5, in particular, had been on the company’s wish list for a while as a result of its strong rider appeal. “Combined with its Stealth Core Engine, the SD5 is one of the most rider-friendly consoles a company can invest in,” explains IACQatar’s head of audio, Ndumiso Mkhize. “The brand’s limitless capabilities put them at the top of almost every rider. Aside from the huge processing power and high channel count in the Stealth Core Engine, the console is intuitive and sounds digitally immersive when combined with the SD racks.” IACQatar has had the new console spec’d with dual SD racks featuring the new 32-bit mic preamps and 32-bit output cards, a pair of eight-channel Dante I/O and two AES output cards.

Connection between the console and stageboxes is handled by a redundant fibre-optic loop which ensures the digital signals keep flowing. Furthermore, the inclusion of a Waves expansion card provides native integration with the DiGiCo desks and also led IACQatar to purchase a pair of Waves Axis One SoundGrid workstations together with two Extreme C SoundGrid Servers. This additional investment was no less important to the company’s aim to target rider requirements, and simultaneously creates added value for its existing Waves equipment portfolio. “Waves plug-in use has become almost an integral part of live sound in our everyday events,” notes Mkhize. “Some engineers now rely heavily on them to create their signature show.” For this reason, the company opted for a two-pronged approach to events. The Extreme C SoundGrid Servers would be used as a main and back-up solution. “They have the capacity to handle all the DSP that you may possibly need from its powerful CPU, but with a small footprint,” notes the head of audio. The second approach makes use of a Waves eMotion eLV1 software mixer running on the Axis One Servers, in combination with hardware switchers and touchscreen monitors for control. “With this single investment, we can serve the engineers with an integrated Waves system and also offer a fully featured Waves mixer together with all the necessary plug-ins.” The new Avid S6L only boosts these capabilities even further. “One of the features that Avid has tried to carry throughout their console releases is for an engineer to be able to walk up to any of their products and operate the console with the same user interface. Whether you are on an S6L or a Profile, you feel comfortable and that is important for an engineer.” The S6L solution, comprised of an S6L-32D control surface with E6L-192 engine and dual 64x32 stage racks, has also been outfitted with a WSG-HD Waves SoundGrid option card to bring the Waves catalogue of plug-ins natively into the desk.

Likewise, the team’s new Avid S6L is itching to be put to use Engaged in everything from sporting events to conferences, music festivals to theatre and TV studio productions, IACQatar’s core business is working on in-house projects. Its penchant for the very best audiovisual inventory means that when equipment isn’t tied up on a project, it’s busy being dry hired to one of the other rental companies operating in the area. Little did Hamada know back at the beginning of 2020 that the global live events industry was about to implode. Unsurprisingly, not many rider requests have been issued recently and warehouse stocks are bursting at the seams. For now, the SD5, S6L and SoundGrid servers all remain in their boxes. “The events market in Qatar is suffering from the same problems as all over the world,” says the co-founder, “but it has really affected the entertainment industry heavily. Our business was the first to stop and it will be the last to resume.” But he isn’t worried. “Some of our competitors have turned their attention to virtual events, while we’ve been more focused on providing dry hire equipment and solutions. Live concerts were a major part of our business and, in my opinion, there is no future for concerts in the virtual world. And it doesn’t excite me.” As the events market starts to return, the newly purchased equipment becomes as important as ever and, in fact, further distinguishes IACQatar’s portfolio from those other companies close by. “I expect that by around October or November, the traditional live events market will start to get back to normal. We’ve recently had an influx of requests from clients looking to host events when they are allowed to do so. And with the World Cup coming to Doha in 2022, it’s impossible that this new equipment won’t pay off. “The situation we’ve found ourselves in now, reminds me of when we were just a small Qatari company with humble beginnings,” concludes Hamada. “At the time, the country was developing into the great global metropolitan city that it is today, and the audiovisual world was just starting to take off. Our goal was modest, but logical – to build our name based on a commitment to customer service and a high-quality product. A return to these core values will be what gets us through this period.” www.iacqatar.com

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FEATURES: COMMUNICATIONS

Shining a spotlight on comms

An often underappreciated sector is getting new love from Creative Technology’s Middle East office, discovers Simon Luckhurst WHAT GRABS THE MOST ATTENTION IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT makes the show. Pro AVL MEA regularly talks about how good audio can easily get drowned out in a person’s consciousness when some flashy lights are placed in front of them as a distraction. And yet, if a speaker was to go down, expect to see lots of flustered techs darting frantically behind the stage. The loss of a cabinet would be tragic but, if the comms go down, the entire event is ruined. Handheld radios aren’t the sexiest tool in a production company’s inventory, but they are one of the most valuable. The lack of visibility often makes these systems very underappreciated by potential clients, and this is something that greatly irks Creative Technology Middle East’s integrated networks technical manager, Rob Turner. Event communications have been a passion of his since he first entered the industry. Having joined the Creative Technology team in mid-2019, Turner saw a clear opportunity to take the conversation about comms in a serious direction. This has led to the establishment of CTME’s new communications and networking division. “There were a lot of chats with Andy Reardon, who runs our Middle East office, over the summer,” recalls Turner. “I put together ideas of how I wanted the department to flow, with specific detail to the products and brands we wanted to purchase.” Turner has amassed over a decade of comms experience from his time with the now PRG-owned Delta Sound. “This gave me a great grounding of how I wanted to run things at CT and led me towards the choices I made,” he explains, “from the equipment to the type of individuals we wanted on the team.” A decade-long working relationship is no easy thing to replace either, and so Turner was thrilled when many of his ex-colleagues expressed their desire to join this new division. “There’s four of us in total that have moved from Delta, but three solely handling communications. Sherin Dsouza will be focused on managing day-to-day operations for the communications solutions, everything from licensing to the chasing of smaller radio jobs, while Jentry Sierra, who I’ve worked closely with over the years, is familiar with all of the venues and known by all the staff and stage management teams. It’s a big help if the show teams know and are familiar with the technical teams.” This is a serious shift away from the popular practice of bundling comms infrastructure up alongside the rest of the audio gear. Creative Technology is well-known for its speciality

L–R: The dream team – Jentry Sierra, Rob Turner and Sherin Dsouza

CT’s latest equipment purchase has included a sizeable quanity of Riedel equipment in the video world globally, but not many know it also offers full turnkey solutions. “This new division will help to further our growth,” says Turner. “Increasing our presence in communications is another example of a bolt-on service that we can supply. “Up until now, we’ve had a minimal Clear-Com wired inventory and, like many companies do in this part of the world, everything would get rolled into the audio,” he adds. “It often gets spec’d out and then forgotten about until everyone gets to site. It does the job, but that’s it. CT has an impressive inventory of world-class AV equipment and I wanted to be

sure we were giving the comms side of things just as much love – to add that layer of professionalism that the company’s reputation rightly deserves.” Turner’s desire for Creative Technology to become the go-to company for comms and technical staff in the region has led to the team gradually augmenting its inventory with the addition of new two-way radios, event networks, signal distribution and more. The company now houses a variety of leading communication brands such as Riedel, Clear-Com, Luminex, GlenSound and Motorola. “We wanted to ensure we invested in the best technology available in the market, while also ensuring the equipment would work within the infrastructure of venues and event spaces around the MENA region,” explains Turner. With a solid team of professionals manning the department and a fleet of new equipment, for Turner, half the battle has already been won. But how do you persuade a client that may not have an awareness of the complexity of the systems they are using, that they should care about them and perhaps invest more in the future? “It’s a slow process,” he admits. “When the team goes out for client meetings, I insist that one of us is present and that comms are considered right from the ground up. Often in this part of the world, it’s swept under the carpet until the last minute and then an ‘it will do’ system gets put in. This secondclass mentality is in part why no one cares much about comms in the first place.” This aspect is being placed front and centre in the messaging now. “CT has a great team of project managers who are all fully invested and can see the benefits this will add to our clients and the overall event. Certainly, with a number of production companies doing hire-in jobs, we’ve reached a point where they will submit individual RFPs just for comms – it’s slowly getting thought about more.” Ironically, the recent shift to online and virtual events has only highlighted this importance. And as physical events start back up, the need to carefully manage people’s movements has now entered public consciousness. “The lessons learned from the past few months and social distancing are going to play a part in the next year or so of live events, and I think that’s going to elevate everyone’s thoughts and requirements for comms,” concludes Turner. “Comms will no longer be a last-minute thought.” www.ctme.co

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SPEECHLINE DIGITAL WIRELESS

IT-optimized wireless microphone system for speech and lecture Now with the new Multi Channel Receiver www.sennheiser.com

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FEATURES: GOVERNMENT

Capturing the voice of a nation

The t cham

Portable Lingua R6 headsets provide interpretation on a need-by-need basis

Distributor and systems integrator Girhoma took a starring role in the creation of a renovated and more modern parliament chamber in Amman. Pro AVL MEA casts a vote EVERY COMPANY IS SEARCHING FOR THAT HIGH-PROFILE reference project that can prove their capabilities and elevate their business to the next level. Few are as prestigious as helping to create a new seat of power for an entire nation by shaping the development of its parliament building. Such projects are, of course, very rare; however, a recent commission to supply and install conferencing AV equipment into the newly renovated home of the Jordanian parliament in Amman, proved to be one such opportunity. Televic products have been central to the latest works but they were no stranger to the parliament building. Back in 2008, American company International Roll Call was tasked with installing a TCS5500 system throughout the parliament chambers, settling on the Belgian manufacturer’s API to develop a tailor-made identification and voting solution in Arabic. At the time, this was cutting-edge technology. But, over a decade later, the system was no longer capable of keeping pace with the parliament’s busy schedule and varying needs. Furthermore, the chamber itself was due for a refresh and renovation. It was the perfect opportunity for an upgrade. Central to the project from an audiovisual perspective has been Amman-based distributor and systems integrator, Girhoma, which was handed a long list of technical requirements to cater to. Firstly, both the House of Representatives and Senate occupy the same room and conference capabilities would therefore have to appeal to both, whether used individually or combined. “The system had to be capable of viewing and selecting the member list imported from a standard file and, based on the calendar, support the organisation and logistics for the convocation of sessions. Furthermore, it had to possess the

The King’s position ability to define, store and share the session agenda along with arguments and related documents, identify a member via RFID and/or fingerprints, and ensure the continuous presence of an inserted card throughout the session. This is in addition to ‘request to speak’ functionality from any chairman or delegate seat and the ability to manage session activity both from the control room and the chairman’s unit,” recalls Girhoma general manager, Hanna E Zananiri. “Of

course, the ability to immediately calculate, display and record voting results at the end of the session was also essential.” The work for Girhoma was split into two phases. The first stage included the integration of the main dome AV systems – the PA, conference system, translation systems, DSPs, mixers, microphones, LED displays, retractable monitors and control touchpanels. The second phase,

36 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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FEATURES: GOVERNMENT

ms,

The two large LED videowalls can display IMAG of the chamber as well as voting information

Girhoma’s customised uniCOS 10-inch delegate unit

planned from the outset, would be to fully link the new conferencing system with additional meeting areas. Beyond conferencing capability, the overall solution would also need to be able to capture video of the speaker from multiple angles with automatically tracked cameras, as well as transmit the live audio and video signals to external users in the press rooms and balcony. Interpretation is vital for such a project, requiring a simultaneous translation system capable of handling up to eight languages, with a headphone and a language selector for each seat. Furthermore, in order to secure the tender, Girhoma had to prove its ability to provide comprehensive training of the installed voting and conference system for the parliament technicians, both at manufacturer facilities and onsite. To fully understand the space they were working with, Girhoma engineers began by acoustically modelling the main chamber using EASE and, having identified its issues, quickly realised that a clever speaker solution would be required. This came in the form of a Pan Acoustics beam-steering sound system for interior reinforcement based on Pan Beam PB 24 cabinets. The 10-sided layout of the hall may have aided the creation of multiple cameras angles, but it does not favour sound reinforcement. “It had been proven that a conventional speaker was unable to cover all seats, as their height difference was more than 4m between the lowest and highest seats,” explains Zananiri. “The multi-beam technology of the Pan Beam system solved this by creating three beams directed to the different levels.” Another challenge was the chamber’s highly reflective walls, which created confusing sound distribution with long reverberation times. The 2.7m-long PB 24s helped tame these acoustics. “Pan Beam PB 24s made our lives much easier in solving all the difficult acoustical problems we have faced during this project,” adds the general manager. Laid out in an in-the-round format, the parliament hall is a decahedron. This immediately made the job of filming delegates and speakers much easier, as PTZ cameras could be placed on every other wall to provide 320° coverage. At the heart of the visual system is a Crestron 32x32 DigitalMedia matrix connected to seven Vaddio RoboSHOT 30 HD PTZs – managed by a ProductionVIEW Precision camera control unit – and a pair of Unilumin Uslim Series 5.5m x 3m videowalls, positioned on either side of the Pan Acoustics columns. These are driven by Christie Phoenix videowall processors, while a further six 60-inch displays dispersed around the chamber provide confidence monitoring Powered by a pair of Televic Plixus MME multimedia engines, the main hall conferencing system encompasses 233 individual delegate positions equally spaced throughout, requiring the deployment of 10 Plixus NE network extenders to increase the number of system ports available and create a redundant system design. Plixus V-In and V-Out input and output boxes inject video content onto the Plixus network through an HDMI connection, while Plixus V-REQ panels allow delegates to request to share content with others over the network. Software flexibility and customisation options, as well as its support team, were the main reason for choosing Televic, says Zananiri.

Girhoma spared no expense in designing a customised uniCOS 10-inch delegate unit especially for the parliament’s use. These have been installed at the chairman and each delegate position alongside 50cm D-Mic 50 SL Televic gooseneck microphones. Over 240 Televic TEL152 headphones were provided to participants to follow the session. Televic CoCon software manages voting, while CoCon Signage is used to display information to the delegates in the chamber via the videowalls and LED screens. CoCon Authentication manages delegate registration, identification and voting authorisation in tandem with CoCon Voting. A TReX 16-channel audio recorder captures sessions. Instead of the custom-designed delegate unit, the chairman and other important dignitaries have each been treated to Arthur Holm 18.5-inch retractable multitouch screens with built-in dynamic talk. To further aid listening options, an Ampetronic induction loop has been integrated below four delegate chairs. For when language becomes a barrier, the systems integrator has installed more than 200 Lingua R6 six-channel

The chairman and other VIP dignitaries are treated to 18.5-inch Arthur Holm retractable screens

Conferencing in the chamber has been handled by Televic solutions for more than a decade

IR receivers drawing signals from four TEL15 Lingus T transmitters. Interpretation content is delivered from videoenabled Lingua Interpreter Desks situated at the perimeter of the room. With the House of Representatives’ new system tried and tested, the parliament extended the project to include all ancillary meeting rooms throughout the building. In total, Televic solutions are present in the main hall, VIP meeting room, five additional meeting rooms and the auditorium. “One of the main reasons that they have chosen Televic is the technical possibility to couple the audio from all rooms together. In the future, they will add also video,” says Zananiri. “This allows non parliament members, such as the press, to follow the meeting in the main hall from any onsite meeting room or the auditorium.” Televic’s Plixus network supports the transport of audio, data and video over a single Cat-5e cable with low latency between the House of Representatives and the additional meeting rooms. The smaller meeting rooms have been integrated with D-Cerno digital discussion units, 82 delegate units in total, while Confidea T-DI solutions – 42 delegate units – offer both conferencing and simultaneous translation. Driven by Powersoft Duecanali 804 amplifiers, Community ENT212 column arrays and D6 ceiling speakers provide in-room reinforcement in the auditorium and meeting rooms, respectively, and facilitate for presentations via Shure SLX24 wireless microphone systems. “There were many challenges on this project, but the toughest was finishing the first phase within just 45 days,” recalls the Girhoma general manager. “It’s a huge system and it takes a minimum of two or three months to thoroughly check that the programming and communication between all items is working properly. Further challenges included the integration between the conference system, control system and LED screens. I’m proud of the result. It’s an iconic reference project and will, of course, support us greatly in our upcoming business.” After many months of hard work, the installation has not just produced a top-class reference project, but also spawned new relationships that could potentially outlive the systems installed. Not long after completion, Pan Acoustics partnered with Girhoma for the distribution of its steering products throughout Jordan. More important than all of this, though, a very important VIP client received a solution meeting all of its detailed requirements. “The House of Representatives is very happy with the work we have completed,” concludes Zananiri. “Our system satisfies their long list of requirements and, even as we hand it over, we will continue to support future training, software and firmware upgrades.” Little did the government know back at the beginning of 2020 that it would be unable to frequent the parliament building for multiple months; nevertheless, the system allows them the flexibility to expand outside the chamber’s 10 walls. www.girhoma.com www.televic-conference.com

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FEATURES: VIRTUAL

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Virtual events – an honest assessment

Recording the Spanish audio track within DLC’s interpretation studio for a university graduation ceremony

Over the last few months, events-based audiovisual companies have had to get creative in the ways they host and manage events. With normal service cancelled but a raft of important meetings still needing to take place, UAE-based DLC Events made the quick decision to erect virtual interpretation booths at its warehouse. So, is this future? Senior project manager Mark Breakspear shares his experiences

AT DLC, WE MADE THE PROACTIVE DECISION TO CONVERT our unused office space into a remote interpretation studio at the end of March. This was when we realised that the upcoming restrictions were going to put an end to the season for onsite events. The transition to virtual events was the only route forward for those meetings that still needed to take place and we didn’t want to close our doors completely to what little business was still in the pipeline. Remote interpretation has been steadily gaining in popularity for several years and is a market that we have been engaged in for some time. But, until now, it has been promoted as a way to reduce costs by removing the need to fly interpreters not locally available into a country and cover all their expenses. As an equipment rental provider, we are keen to provide physical equipment at events rather than rely on cloud-based platforms, as profit margins and investment returns are much higher. However, with the pandemic looming, suddenly the shift of focus was moved from saving budgets to simply making the service possible for any event that required it. Having booths on the “show floor” was impossible.

Keeping the conversation going The fact that interpretation services are provided online rather than onsite, and that the interpreters are working remotely, does not change the need for appropriate technology and suitable working conditions for live events. The only way we are able to guarantee the same level of service online as we do in-person has been to

Interpreters during the virtual press conference launch of Arab News en Français use a robust platform from a company that shares the same values as us. To this end, in June, we continued to expand our presence in the world of remote simultaneous interpretation by signing a partnership agreement with Interprefy. It has enabled us to offer a solid solution, using interpreters in our studio, or based remotely, with a system compatible with any event platform the client chooses. Since launching our studio, we have used it multiple times for a variety of tasks, from remote interpretation meetings, to pre-recording translated audio tracks for clients and also for providing a convenient space for our employees to conduct business video conference calls on a day-to-day basis.

Back in February, there was a fairly even mix of events that were immediately cancelled and those that were postponed to a future date. When the gravity of the situation became apparent, and we knew that this was not something that was going to change quickly, the majority of postponements were tentatively rescheduled to Q4 this year. There were many annual festivals and events postponed, such as Mother of the Nation, that just wouldn’t work as a virtual concept and we are all optimistically hoping that, in a few months, it will be possible to hold them in a suitably safe format, rather than being cancelled until 2021. So, how well has the remote approach worked out? The companies that we have worked with in the past few months that provide virtual event platforms have done a fantastic job. The complexity of their systems and the final outcome is truly impressive, and they deserve all the credit for the development and promotion of these systems. They give clients that still want to run events virtually a great “stage” to use.

Lessons learned From a technical standpoint, the one thing I’ve learnt throughout this period is that many clients don’t appreciate that a virtual show needs as much, if not more, coordination, rehearsal time and management than a live event. I’ve seen endless streams where the speakers are not sitting close enough to the microphone, the camera shot isn’t framed correctly and even events run with hordes of delegates all unmuted on the platform, causing horrendous audio quality. On the flip side, you get companies that understand the

38 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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FEATURES: VIRTUAL NEWS: BUSINESS additional risks, employ show callers, event management Made for virtual Many of these procedural events will be of such high companies, train the speakers how to correctly position and importance (especially when voting is involved) that they There are a few main types of meetings – ones that are use their hardware, rehearse the content as they do with will not want to increase risk of partial failure by relying procedural, such as policy-making meetings with boards or onsite shows and everything flows as well as you would too heavily on technology, both locally and at each virtual country representatives, and publicity events such as press expect. Too many clients try to wing it using Zoom or WebEx attendees’ location, as it could have major implications on KOREA conferences and product launches, then a wider scope of with just an IT employee “hosting” the meeting and the result results. In a global policy-making conference, of which we Live Studios, a film facility in Seoul, mix was carried theopinion DFC3D intotradeshows, its own. I mixsummits all of my movie sound witha year, ifThe guest engagement events such as can beTone diabolical. do many justinitial one delegate cannotout giveonhis has celebrated its work on Parasite, a Korean as it was able to send individual sound an AMS console because and festivals – where the main aim is to Neve offer DFC3D a unique due ittohas internet connectivity issues, that can cause major comedic film thattribulations has won four Oscars and sources using to theapproving console’sdocuments. stem routingIf the a muchthem, more powerful and better when Trials and experience to the attendees, entertain facilitateaudio engine complications it comes named a 2020 Golden Reel Winner. The audio automation. Choi also used three Tools audio quality than other consoles or DAWs. For a engagement and networking and promote tourism from participants are all onsite, at the end of the day itPro doesn’t postproduction out with the use DAWs alongside the console, butare focused on mixerstyles, to be intuitive, you need to be technology Thankfully, we’vewas not carried found ourselves in a situation during a overseas guests. Out of these three I only expect the the console matter what at the event fails, they still there of two AMS Neve DFC3D film consoles and a the console’s automation, particularly during reliable and the DFC3D excels at that.’ project where everything has fallen apart. That is all down to to give their input and the show will somehow go on. 48-channel Neve Genesys console by Ralph the final mix. Choi worked on Parasite for 12 weeks, eight rigorous planning. But, as a technician and project manager, Tae-Young Choi, CEO, sound supervisor and Neve Genesys console in that on sound editing and recording, two doing a The bigger‘The picture working with remote elements brings into effect aspects that re-recording mixer at Live Tone Studios. studio doesn’t have a moving fader option pre-dub mix for Dolby Atmos and two on the you have much less control over. You can’t just walk over to the ‘The sound of Parasite was so detailed and for automation but it does have a warm final mix with Bong Joon-ho, the director of the While I do believe there will be more of a market for virtual area of a potential problem and assess. You have to instead emotional that it needed the console automation film. ‘I like all of the functions on the AMS Neve analogue sound and an intuitive control events, I don’t think they are going to overtake onsite events rely more heavily on the competence of other, perhaps less to operate efficiently and simply,’ commented interface that can quickly and accurately DFC3D, but I especially love its filter, EQ and when restrictions are lifted, and I expect onsite events will technical people – crew or delegates/speakers – and hope that Choi. ‘This is where the Neve DFC3D really came The ADR room process ADR recording,’ he added. ‘We used compressor,’ said Choi. ‘I also love its intuitive come back even stronger than before while probably wanting they are capable of keeping things running smoothly on their this in conjunction with a Neve 1073DPA control interface and Encore automation to offer a hybrid system to enable those that could not attend end. There is obviously much more reliance on IT technology stereo preamp and a Neve 33609 stereo features, which make automation easy and for any reason the opportunity to participate. with virtual events and the key is to incorporate as many fast, plus the enhanced WavTrak display, added compressor to record the actors’ voices.’ I think the last few months have proven, without a shadow of redundancy plans as are feasible: back up internet lines, spare RMX and DeEsser features in the new version a doubt, what a supportive, generous and loving industry we computers and servers, even 4G routers as a last resort. www.ams-neve.com of the DFC3D are very useful.’ work in. From high-profile industry colleagues openly offering Redundancy solutions are always prominent in any live event. to help those struggling with introductions, advice and But, with virtual events, the whole system could be brought The Interprefy virtual console support to the amazing efforts Mark Ross and his team from down by a single cable fault. The risk is much higher. first to continue with more virtual meetings, maybe some of eclipse have contributed with his food bank drive for events Having said all this, to be perfectly honest, I’m really not the publicity events as well. The second and third type will be professionals in the region that are struggling to survive. The a fan of the virtual event scenario in general, partly due to eager to get gatherings of guests together in-person again as community spirit and sheer determination of our industry to the massive difference in revenue that we receive as most they will gain vastly more benefits than relying on people to pull together and battle through this difficult period as one of the income goes towards paying the platform developers. log in remotely. army makes me proud to be a part of it. There will no doubt Furthermore, there are no logistics costs involved. Whereas At DLC, although we do cater for any inquiry that fits be many casualties as a result of the pandemic, but I’d like we normally recoup transport and vehicle investment our scope of work, the majority comes from large-scale to think the industry will come out the other end stronger and throughout the season by charging for delivery and collection conferences where we are known as the go-to company for more united than ever. I, like most others in our industry, am of equipment, these are no longer part of the equation. complex conference system installations. I can see these eager to get back to a standard show format. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the companies within the coming back sooner than other events, but potentially with local events industry have little way of making money during www.dlcevents.com fewer participants and more spacious seating these times. Sound supervisor Ralph Tae-Young Choi The mix roomarrangements.

Live Production Studios celebrate work on Parasite

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FEATURES: VIRTUAL

A grandMA2 providing lighting control in Studio B

The configurable FOH setup in Studio A

“To sectio on eit allows dimen contro Watch Three the au from variet Ligh contro that is With lends large Green playba video via a XF205 cover FSN i while Spiide and R linked “We riggin betwe with t notes Johan we kit Whil produ turnin at this MGG. peopl comm Gayl valua pass past f platfo

Studio A, the streaming studio

Survival of the fittest

A quick reaction to South Africa’s strict lockdown has kept MGG Productions’ doors open to events throughout the pandemic WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES, THERE ARE REALLY ONLY two options. You can throw your hands in the air, admit defeat and say that nothing can be done, or you can be productive and determined to make a go of things. When South Africa’s lockdown was implemented back in March, an events industry built off of in-person entertainment quickly came crashing down. Those engaged in the events business had to come up with a plan fast if they were to maintain any semblance of traditional business and keep doors open. For rental company MGG Productions, this really wasn’t how 2020 was supposed to go. Having established the company in 2000, MGG was approaching the big “2-0” and should have been enjoying a year of celebrations. Nevertheless, the wisdom acquired throughout the company’s teenage years shines through in the way it has expertly adjusted to a coronavirus-impacted world. Like many partners and competitors, earlier in the year MGG’s schedule of upcoming projects disappeared in front of its eyes. “Our team quickly huddled together to work out our game plan, one that has not only allowed us to stay open and operating during this trying time, but has allowed us to reach our 20-year milestone as a company, something we are incredibly proud of,” explains MGG marketing manager, Carly Dunbar.

The company’s operations revolve around large warehouses in Johannesburg and Cape Town. At a time when even national news networks seemed content to fill their TV schedules with hours and hours of amateur-style reporting via Zoom, MGG took another route. If you can create a safe and controlled environment, why not bring the show to you? The team quickly transformed both warehouses into production areas stocked with top-class audiovisual equipment. By inviting guests in, they could start supporting virtual events while retaining professional production values. “All of our studios were set up as a result of the Covid-19 situation,” furthers Dunbar. “Prior to this, our main focus was live events and production, therefore we have had to adapt in order to survive. With shows being cancelled and the announcement of a state of national disaster, we managed to get Studio B in Johannesburg up and built just before the lockdown started. So, as soon as we were able to resume work in Level 3, we were back in the studios making magic.” At the Johannesburg branch, the technical warehouse has been transformed into Studio A to support corporate-style events. Studio B, which during normal times serves as the structures and sets warehouse, has been treated to more

of an entertainment-style setup for bands and live acts. In Cape Town, meanwhile, a dual-use studio has been created that can easily be switched to match multiple event styles, corporate or entertainment. Thankfully, technical capabilities are one area where MGG knows what’s what and, as an equipment supplier to some of SA’s biggest events, it can play to its strengths. “We had pretty much all the equipment and skills we needed already in-house from our normal day-to-day business,” says managing director Mark Gaylard. “Additionally, we had a very good internet provider and connection in place to both our offices, with a failover that has helped massively to get content online. The setup that we have created in-house is largely the same as a normal event, except the feed that would normally go to screens for an audience is now been streamed out instead.” It’s no surprise that the studios are all brimming with great gear. Taking pride of place in the 14m x 12m Studio A is an 8.5m-wide D2V 2.9mm LED screen from Absen that allows guests to host anything from panel discussions to awards, perform greenscreen or use bespoke virtual sets designed by MGG’s drafting team lead by Kevin Riek.

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Audio

Equip

FEATURES: VIRTUAL “To the left side of the studio, we have a beautifully designed section comprising three Absen 2.9mm LED columns flanked on either side by Martin Professional Sceptron fixtures, which allows us to incorporate exciting camera angles and adds dimension to the virtual elements,” explains Dunbar. AV control is handled by a Barco E2 controller along with Dataton Watchout 6 and Blackmagic Design Web Presenter software. Three Canon XF205 HD video cameras capture the action, while the audio portion is managed by a DiGiCo SD9 taking sources from Shure wireless in-ear monitors and receivers, along with a variety of video inputs and outputs. Lighting is handled using a mix of Robe and Claypaky fixtures, controlled with an MA2 on PC, to illuminate the studio in a way that is best-suited for broadcast streaming and recording. With a rigging height of 8m, the larger 16m x 16m Studio B lends itself to a live, entertainment-style setup and features a large 14m x 3.5m LED screen. Here, Dataton Watchpax 60, Green Hippo Boreal V4 and a Barco E2 are used for video playback and the creation and control of content for both videowall and preview monitors. Audio in Studio B is handled via a Soundcraft Vi5000 digital audio mixer, while four Canon XF205 HD video cameras keep the necessary viewing angles covered in the studio. These are then mixed down by a Barco FSN in a separate control room for broadcast and capturing, while a fully kitted-out lighting rig consists of Robe Robin Spiiders, Robe Robin 600 LED Washes, Robe Robin Esprites and Robin Pointes. Control is from a grandMA2 Full console linked to two MA Network Processing Units. “We have used Prolyte motors and trussing to carry out our rigging needs for both Studio A and B, while communications between all departments and the studios are made easier with the use of Clear-Com Free Speak II comms systems,” notes Dunbar. “As well as these two dedicated spaces in Johannesburg, we also have ‘on-the-go’ mobile studios, which we kit out and set up as per a client’s request.” While these studio setups allow the team to create productions in a familiar way, there’s still the daunting task of turning that into a successful livestream. Like many companies at this time, virtual events have been a brand-new world for MGG. The team was far more used to organising physical people and goods than navigating the minefield of dozens of commercial streaming platforms that exist. Gaylard is not afraid to admit that the team has learnt some valuable lessons in recent months. “Traditionally, we would just pass the live feed to a provider to get online,” he says. “In the past four months, we’ve had to learn a lot about the different platforms available. We started out with Zoom, discovering how

Studio B’s pop-up equipment setup to host a webinar with very short notice and creating guest lists and sending out RSVPs – all things we’ve never really had to do before. Later, we added Vimeo and Microsoft Teams Live options as we learnt more, or anything else requested by the client. The key requirement for us is a good internet connection.” MGG’s existing AJA and Blackmagic capture devices are being used together with the various livestream platforms to broadcast content out. “We have repurposed a strong render machine with Vmix mixer software to help manage the various Zoom panellists, both in and out of the studios. For smaller outside streams, we have had good success with the Blackmagic gear, which is small and compact, together with a laptop. The one lesson for us is that not everyone has very good internet and often you can have dropouts and buffering. This is out of our control and you have to manage it by filling in the gaps on the fly.” Throughout the lockdown period, the studios have played host to a variety of events. “We are very fortunate to have the space in our warehouses to set up a studio with a high trim height which has allowed us to do events from corporate to even a full orchestra and live bands,” explains Gaylard. “We have also done some recognition events for corporates. These have been close to what we have typically done in the past, live to the internet with all the stresses of a normal event.” Away from the virtual world, MGG also threw its weight behind a number of support initiatives early on in the lockdown, such as offering the use of all 32 of its company vehicles to help move essential medical and other supplies. South Africa’s lockdown has been stricter than most and, coupled with extremely limited support from the government,

a freelance-based industry such as event production has nowhere to turn. Many have not worked for more than five months. In light of this, LightSARed was established to help raise awareness for the plight of the SA events industry. While iconic buildings including Nelson Mandela Bridge and Cape Town Stadium, and landmarks such as Table Mountain, were illuminated in red to highlight the crisis, MGG Studios was at the heart of the action, hosting a 12-hour long livestream in tandem between the Johannesburg and Cape Town warehouses. “A range of entertainment was assembled from TV presenters to radio DJs, actors and artists, all willing to take part and contribute at no expense whatsoever,” comments general manager, Denzil Smith. “Everything was broadcast live and we achieved what we set out to do. DWR Distribution set up a shared Google Drive for everybody and anybody who wanted to record a message of support or personal messages of how they were being affected. These were then put into the broadcast along with artists performing live in the studio, while the presenters conducted interviews with some of the country’s top producers of corporate and live events.” The event was a resounding success and participants are ever hopeful that greater support will now follow. “There was a total of 505 buildings lit in red, not including all of our staff who illuminated their own homes,” furthers Smith. “Almost every technical and event company across the country took part on the day and we proved that standing together we are stronger.” Now more than six months into the pandemic, the question is, was going virtual the right choice for a live technical production company? “We have just been trying to keep things going and conserving cash. If we sat back and did nothing, we would have closed our doors,” Gaylard admits candidly. “Really, I think it’s still too early to tell. We see other countries having a second wave and it is scary to think of the hard lockdown returning. I definitely underestimated how long and hard this would affect us. On the other hand, we’ve been pushed out of our comfort zone to try and learn new skills and services, which has kept everyone’s minds on work. We even managed to make our own face masks and temperature scanning stations.” The impetus behind MGG’s operations in recent months has undoubtedly been driven by a survival mentality. But at least many aspects of the business could continue to function when everything else had ground to a halt. The company may have outgrown adolescence, but it still has plenty of new tricks up its sleeve. www.mgg.co.za

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Audio mixing in Studio B is handled by a Soundcraft Vi5000

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Full-scale productions in Studio B are run from a grandMA2 and Barco’s E2 show controller

September–October 2020 PRO AVL MEA 41

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BUSINESS: COMMENT

A letter from America

Welcome back? Dan Daley considers how recording studios will have to convince clients it’s safe to return

IN THE LAST COLUMN, WE LOOKED AT WHAT THE pandemic had done to the live music industry. Tours cancelled, venues closed (in some cases, for good) and persistent but somehow sadly half-hearted and at times near-desperate attempts at making a performance from home over Zoom feel like the real thing. It doesn’t. It can’t. Nonetheless, we tipped, digitally. More recently, recording studios have been trying to find their way back open. I ran a TEC Tracks panel on the topic in June, right around when the Producers & Engineers Wing of the Recording Academy issued its own lengthy and comprehensive set of protocols for getting studios ready to welcome recording artists once again. They revolve around sanitisation and disinfection, cleaning every surface and keeping people at least 2m apart in an environment designed to encourage close collaboration. These protocols are, like much of life during the plague, tedious but necessary. I try to imagine Albert Camus producing a record. This process is going to be in orders of magnitude beyond the familiar “No drinks on the console” warnings. There’s the sheer amount of shared space in studios – faders and knobs that are communal territory, control rooms that have evolved from purely technical into collaboration spaces as hip-hop became ascendant, lounges that once were social areas in facilities that have become satellite studios for songwriters

and electronic instruments. Making those truly safe will be a major and ongoing undertaking. Interns will soon become experts on sanitation as well as on the studio’s gear.

Welcome back? But the hardest task at hand will be convincing clients that it’s safe to return to the studio. Studio clientele will have been largely in varying degrees of lockdown mode for months, depending on where they’re coming from. In the US, that’s differed widely, from places like New York City, which was the literal epicentre of the pandemic in the States, to cities like Nashville and others in, let’s say charitably, redder areas, politically speaking, where the requirement to wear masks was deemed an affront to civil liberties. To whatever extent these measures were enacted, they have produced a rather traumatised client base, sick of the fear of getting sick. They’re going to need an enormous amount of hand-holding, all while keeping politics out of the conversation. Then there’s the situation in which artists of some standing will find their record labels pushing back on the idea of using anything but a private studio. This sword could cut both ways: labels have been known to fund personal studios for certain artists, with the expectation that that will reduce their production outlays going forward. Doing so would certainly help

artists limit exposure; on the other hand, it can also argue for lock-out rentals. The latter has always been a tough call for studios – the predictable long-term revenue versus having the studio off the market for extended periods and being forgotten about. But the pandemic may push that equation strongly one way or the other. People react to what they see and hear, and whichever strategies studios decide to pursue, getting pictures and blurbs out that reveal people working in those studios is going to be a critical move. In the trade magazines and blogs, as well as in more general media, anything that proclaims to the world that it’s safe and good to be back in the studio. It may be that recorded music – and thus music recording – may be a beneficiary of an extended time without live music. Analyst Mark Mulligan’s recent appraisal of that sees recorded music’s retail values increasing slightly this year, even as live revenues drop by as much as 75%. It’s opportunistic, but in a good way. It’s a chance to reposition the traditional recording studio in the culture of music. It’s not suddenly going to become the 1980s and 1990s again, but studios can be seen as coming out of this with a renewed emphasis on customer service and support, something that personal studios weren’t designed for. In making a studio a safe place to be creative in, it’s making the studio once again a destination.

A letter from Europe Virtual crowds, virtual noise – it’s all a bit like playing a FIFA video game, considers Phil Ward IT TAKES A TRANCHE OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH TO confirm the obvious but, according to Texas Tech University professor, Glenn Cummings, TV sports audiences respond to the noise of the crowd. No kidding. Apparently, a surge in atmospheric roar provides auditory clues to what’s happening on the pitch – the more intense they are, the more exciting audiences think the game is. I wonder how much that study cost. Amusingly, this particularly applies to VIPs at the game, because, as ZeeVee president and CEO Bob Michaels told me recently, they mostly watch it on the screens provided, and only turn to the pitch when the crowd erupts. Even more amusingly, if the network latency is poor, it means they turn their heads just after someone has scored, turn back again just after it appears on the video link and, effectively, miss the goal twice. Michaels will then point out that’s why you need ZeeVee’s SDVoE ZyPer4K encoders and decoders offering uncompressed 4K AV at less than a millisecond of latency, and you can hardly blame him. Try watching a football match on television when no crowd is allowed into the stadium. It’s happened before, when teams have been punished for bad crowd behaviour, but it’s fast

become the norm in the current climate. The net result – see what I did there – is a ghostly kick-about with all the thrill of live chess in a car park. You know, like watching Everton. So, now that European football attempts to conclude its paused seasons, broadcasters have a particular problem. All the revenue comes from television rights and, ultimately, advertising, so viewing figures need to stack up. Sky Sports is among the first to experiment with virtual crowd noise for its English Premier League coverage, in the hope of compensating for the dullness of empty stadiums. The current solution has been developed in conjunction with Electronic Arts, the company behind the hugely popular FIFA video game series. It turns out that the industry phrase for crowd noise, or any background chatter in drama or animation, is called “walla”. Don’t ask me why. Anyway, for interactive media, it has to be scripted, recorded, programmed and stored in several banks, so that the right sounds are triggered by given cues. The sound design is, of course, critical – all hail Viviana Caro, the Columbian-born sound designer behind the latest releases. FIFA uses a gaming engine called Frostbite.

When it comes to live sport, the equivalent of FOH sound engineers have to step up and ride the faders, just like a gig. Fox Sports Australia has created 60 sound beds and effects for National Rugby League games that engineers draw upon via a tablet – kind of halfway between playing FIFA and playing, well, reality. For the German Bundesliga, Sky Deutschland’s engineers have taken recordings of recent full-attendance matches to create a palette of effects, push-button ready. And get this: in Denmark, they mix in fans on Zoom watching in real time, encouraging them to sing. Don’t try that in Liverpool without profanity delay. What about the players? Again, in the Bundesliga, the virtual audio is fed to the bowl speakers to add some spirit of tension, to go with the cardboard cutout figures spread out around the seats like stunt hooligans. Sadly, similar measures at South Korea K-League club FC Seoul backfired when, following a “mixup”, a dozen silicone sex dolls were installed for a game against FC Gwangju – thoughtfully outfitted in Covid-ready facemasks – in lieu of the morale-boosting “premium mannequins” expected. Imagine that in Dolby Atmos.

42 PRO AVL MEA September–October 2020

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE

south “It’s n using panel incorp “It is initial Brom produ the vo are fin custo manu as an the sa as po and w us reg as sta unash qualit it up a that’s Ultima becau

Stars of the screen

The Brompton Technology team

Caroline Moss interviews Brompton Technology about becoming one of the UK’s fastest-growing export companies and setting up a Chinese division to work with LED panel manufacturers

WHEN BROMPTON TECHNOLOGY LAUNCHED IN 2011, THE whole team led by Richard Mead and Chris Deighton was confident its Tessera M2 LED processor would address a vital niche in the live events market. Selling the initial six-month run before production began, then seeing the Tessera M2 deployed at the Academy Awards a few months later, could be seen as beginner’s luck. However, Brompton Technology has continued to hit the heights. Last year, the company was listed in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 as one of the fastest-growing private tech companies in the UK for the second year running, as well as in the publication’s Export Track 100 for fastestgrowing international sales. And, in April, it was announced that Brompton Technology had won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade. Brompton’s founders were part of a team of designers, software developers and hardware engineers at lighting control manufacturer Flying Pig, going on to found Carallon in 2004 following Flying Pig’s merger with High End Systems. In 2011, Carallon set up Brompton Technology, with Mead and Deighton as managing director and CTO, respectively, continuing in a symbiotic relationship with Carallon, whose R&D team they can access for product development. “Carallon morphed into a product development hub that generates spinoffs where it’s identified an opportunity, and Brompton was one of those spinoffs,” explains Mead on the Zoom call that replaced our planned face-to-face interview. “We were having lots of conversations with video techs working on live events who weren’t happy with the usability of their equipment. Often, it was repurposed broadcast and consumer equipment because video products weren’t being specifically developed for the niche live events market. We had the skills and the experience of developing products for live events, so we saw an opportunity to develop something specifically for that space.” The challenge Brompton identified was that of touring LED walls, sometimes consisting of hundreds and even thousands of panels. “Products for install applications were being used for the fast-moving live events market, so that was the core starting

Brompton Technology MD, Richard Mead point,” continues Mead. LED wall processing formats a video signal to the size and shape of the screen, adjusting colour and brightness depending on the application and environment and splitting the signal to correspond with the individual panels. “The data is transmitted via Gigabit Ethernet, and keeping it synchronised with the lowest possible latency is a huge part of the challenge. We rely heavily on FPGA technology and work with just one or two frames of latency, so it’s very fast.” A collaboration with VER, now part of PRG, but at that time a large, privately owned rental company, was an early coup for Brompton. “They were aware we were developing our flagship Tessera M2 processor before we launched it and bought our entire first production run,” Mead recalls. “It was enormously helpful in getting the business started – our first six months of products had sold before we’d built them. VER was using our products on some of the biggest jobs in the world: we launched it in the middle of 2012 and it was being used on the Oscars at the start of 2013. That was extremely useful for proving the

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product was strong and making people aware it existed. It was also a mutually beneficial arrangement: we helped them solve a problem and in return got some early investment.” Although Brompton had planned to develop a range of video products for live events, the M2 was so widely accepted that they have remained focused on Tessera LED processing. “We’ve developed more and more features and capability within our Tessera processing range,” says Mead. All processors benefit from software updates for the product’s lifespan, including recent upgrades to HDR, where Brompton’s Dynamic Calibration technology helps deliver extremely lifelike image quality. The M2 LED processor was followed in 2016 with two smaller family members, the T1 and S4. Another major milestone in early 2018 was the launch of the SX40 4K processor. “That got a fantastic reception and resulted in Brompton effectively doubling in size,” Mead continues. “We saw the step to 4K as about more than a new video format, with the amount of extra processing and infrastructure this required, and we wanted to make life easier for the people setting up the screens. So, we decided to output 10 Gigabit Ethernet from the processor and created a separate distribution box that hangs on the LED wall truss, taking in the 10 Gig signal and splitting it down. Some perceived us as late to market with our 4K product, but we stuck to our mantra: we’d rather take the time required to do it right. And the market response has told us we were correct to do that. We were massively backordered from the day we started shipping, and for 12 months sold them as fast as we could build.” 2016 was a big year all round for Brompton, which relocated to a larger West London premises to accommodate its growing team, as well as winning New Company of the Year at the Electronics Weekly Elektra Awards and hiring Elijah Ebo as general manager, Asia. Ebo was appointed to address Brompton’s other client base besides the rental and production companies to whom it supplies the LED processors: the panel manufacturers themselves, into whose technology the Tessera receiver card is fitted. This precipitated setting up an office in Shenzen,

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Brom its HD Audio at Am

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BUSINESS: COMPANY PROFILE southern China, the heartland of LED panel manufacturers. “It’s not enough for us to work with the rental companies using the LED panels; we also have to work closely with the panel manufacturers, most of whom are based in China, to incorporate our receiver cards into their panels,” explains Mead. “It is possible to retrofit existing screens, and we did that a bit initially, but we prefer to work with them from design and build.” Brompton’s main competitors are Chinese companies that produce relatively inexpensive processing, often developed for the volume market of digital signage, but panel manufacturers are finding that, at the top end of the market, their own customers are demanding Brompton. “From the panel manufacturer’s perspective, we are sometimes initially viewed as an unhelpful distraction because they just want to make the sale,” says Mead. “But we work hard to make it as easy as possible for them to move over to using our processing, and we’ve built up a good set of manufacturers who work with us regularly. Quite a lot of them now stock Brompton panels as standard. It’s a process of wooing them over – we are unashamedly not the cheapest option. We set out our benefits: quality, reliability and usability; the need to move the wall, set it up and make it look great in a short space of time. A system that’s more usable makes that a more realistic proposition. Ultimately, we might be enabling tours to pack in more dates because they can set the screens up more easily.”

Fortnite World Cup 2019 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York Image courtesy of Epic Games Prior to lockdown, Ebo was spending two weeks per month in Shenzen. “Luckily, the team has matured enough to work by themselves, and we’ve recruited three people during this quiet period,” he says. “We’ve gone from a team of five to eight, and we’ve taken the opportunity to train up these new employees during the relatively quiet spell, so it seemed worth taking a small risk during this time. I’d like to get back out there as soon as I can.” A design engineer himself, Ebo decided he wanted to interface more with people, something his current role certainly demands; he’s thrown himself into Chinese business culture

and learned some Mandarin. “We set up an office and started visiting people and building up relationships,” he says. “We would give a demonstration and get all sorts of reactions, from reservation to absolute enthusiasm. We were initially perceived as expensive, and ‘just’ a processor, so I took that back to R&D, who started to incorporate features that would be useful for manufacturers, adding value such as improving defects in the manufacturing process like overheating, so they can get more out of the LEDs. They would say ‘I know this panel and I’ve never seen it look like this before’; we were just driving it differently, and they liked it. Slowly but surely, we’re making progress. We’ve been invited to industry events in China like panel manufacturing conferences, to give presentations and make them laugh with my feeble attempts at Mandarin.” Despite the office in China, Brompton is resolutely a British manufacturer. Although receiver cards and some electronics are sourced from China, its processors are assembled by hand in the company’s London workshop. Brompton’s UK home market is one of its strongest, along with North America and Australia, where it works with rental companies such as TDC, Big Picture and MediaTEC. Japan, Singapore and the Middle East are also becoming important territories, and Ebo has identified China as a potentially huge market. But with the majority of the company’s clients working in live events, the inevitable question crops up: how is Brompton weathering the Covid-19 downturn?

Roger Waters’ 2018 tour with screens from Universal Pixels

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Image courtesy of Nathan Reinds

Brompton Technology presented its HDR technology at Faber Audiovisuals’ virtual production demo at Amsterdam Studio

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Ed Sheeran’s 2017 tour with screens provided by Colonel Tom Touring “Until now, live events have been our main market, so clearly that sucks,” says Mead. “Realistically, even when live events are back, it may well take six months or more before any of the rental companies are in a position to invest.” There is, however, a ray of light. “Right now, there is a huge shift in the film and TV world towards using LED walls as a backdrop instead of a greenscreen. There are lots of benefits to filming in front of LED walls – the actors and creatives prefer it because standing in a green box isn’t inspiring, the directors don’t know what it will look like until the visual effects have been done, sometimes months later, and, if something doesn’t look right, they can adjust it there and then. It also makes the lighting on the actors’ faces appear more natural than a lot of greenscreen shoots where this needs to be addressed later. It can save money in the long run on expensive postproduction. Brompton’s processing is particularly well-suited to LED being used on camera, so, together with the rental companies, we are hoping this is the market that saves us all – film shooting is getting back much faster than the touring market.” Like touring, the invitation to the Buckingham Palace garden party to collect the Queen’s Award is on hold for the moment. But with the entertainment technology landscape shifting and new markets opening up, Brompton Technology has plenty to celebrate.

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rd U2’s 2017 Joshua Tree tour with screens from PRG

www.bromptontech.com

September–October 2020 PRO AVL MEA 45

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BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY

Digital signage is the most effective way of offering easily updatable guidelines

The workplace revolution Colin Farquhar, Exterity CEO

Exterity CEO Colin Farquhar considers how IPTV and digital signage will become key as workplaces open back up COVID-19 HAS HAD AN IMMEDIATE AND FAR-REACHING impact on the way the world of work operates. After months of lockdown, restrictions are starting to be eased but the virus will continue to have an enduring impact on work culture and the shape of offices going forward. It has become abundantly clear that remote working, social distancing and a rethink of how office space is being used and is run will redefine what is “normal” for a long time to come. The first and most obvious change to the corporate world has been the surge in remote working. Homeworking has become more common in recent years, but offices have remained central to many work cultures due to the value placed on face-to-face, handshake interactions – which many employers see as essential to successful collaboration, communication and creativity. The crisis has meant, however, that entire teams were forced into working remotely overnight. Now, as more people around the globe begin to filter back to their workplaces, the reality is that many organisations are reconsidering their working environments as they look to their short- and longer-term futures. For some, this may mean remote working rotas introduced to ensure office spaces are not densely occupied and staff adhere to social distancing requirements. Others are questioning their need to maintain such large office spaces and may make a wholesale shift to enabling more staff to work from home. It is highly likely that many organisations will implement a hybrid approach that involves both remote working and radically revamped workspaces. All these options require that employers take

steps to keep those coming back to the workplace informed of a raft of changes as well as ongoing adjustments as the crisis continues to evolve. Social distancing and “stop the spread” measures implemented both by government and business leaders will play an important role in determining how organisations operate workspaces for the foreseeable future. Therefore, it is imperative that they leverage workplace technologies that can efficiently keep employees up to date with the latest company news, announcements, training and policies. For organisations such as global enterprises with scattered workforces, hospitals keeping staff and patients safe and places of education that need to teach from a safe distance, IP video-based technologies have become absolutely critical. Indeed, IPTV and digital signage will play an increasingly bigger role in ensuring the secure delivery of content to any device and facility-wide screens as organisations ensure that vital communications on safety guidelines and hygiene policies, and, as well as practical matters and business concerns, reach everyone they need to. A clear example of the importance of effective IP-based communications is in the banking and finance industry. IP video technology, employed by many businesses in this sector before the crisis, has been a boon to financial firms as the pandemic has impacted global markets. It has enabled real-time and on-demand streaming of business news, meetings and presentations across multiple rooms and locations to ensure everyone has access to important information when they need it.

The ramifications of Covid-19 for economies – from falling interest rates, fluctuating markets, rising unemployment, government interventions, tax changes and stagnant consumer and business activity – has put financial institutions under intense pressure. The Bank of China is one company that had already implemented an IP video solution to facilitate the livestreaming of business channels in HD, allowing its employees to stream financial feeds to their desks so they can evaluate transaction risks and keep track of the latest trends and regulations in real time. This type of setup also enables staff to keep up to speed on the latest news around the world as events, such as critical developments related to coronavirus, impact markets. Indeed, this level of IP-enabled information sharing is now more widespread and crucial than ever. Other organisations facing pressure to open as soon as safely possible include schools and universities. The need to adhere to social distancing guidelines, manage reduced class sizes and provide support for health and wellbeing are all top priorities, so the capability to effectively communicate with students and staff quickly and clearly is essential as educational institutions start to reopen. To help, eye-catching graphics and text, complemented by videos or live TV, can be displayed on screens in lobbies, common areas, cafeterias, lecture halls, libraries, labs, hallways and everywhere in between. The University of UAE provides a prime example of how a cutting-edge, integrated IP video and digital signage system improves communication, with live TV and video channels delivered across its campus and the internet to support distance learning – all of which can now be instantly put to good use when campus life resumes with more complex communication requirements.

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It go the s Ensur inform guide inform can g video peopl comm medic espec is inv drugs an IP buildi comm and n healt For other

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BUSINESS: TECHNOLOGY

It goes without saying that throughout the pandemic, the safety of healthcare workers has been paramount. Ensuring they have access to the latest training and information about new developments – from government guidelines and updates on medical breakthroughs to information on protective equipment and other ways they can guard themselves – is fundamentally important. IP video technologies can play a crucial role in keeping people updated on these developments. Enabling optimal communications and information sharing among frontline medical sector workers across disparate facilities has been especially important. Pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, which is involved in the development of vaccines and innovative drugs, is a case in point. A few years ago, Sanofi deployed an IPTV system, which ensures that staff across multiple buildings in Paris have quick and easy access to internal communications, as well as reports from medical, business and news channels to keep well-informed of the latest healthcare developments. For many people, particularly key workers in healthcare and other occupations vital to the fight to overcome Covid-19,

remote working is simply not an option. For those already required to operate from office buildings, including many in government, public service, transport, logistics, utilities, telecoms and financial services, it is critical that traditional workspaces be equipped with the right communication tools to provide real-time updates on what is expected of them, the latest government advice, protective measures to help keep everyone safe, the actions their organisation is taking and other important information. As lockdown restrictions are lifted and the economy comes back online, more workers across all sectors will need additional support as they return. For those employees moving back into the workplace, digital signage and IP video are key tools in keeping them safe and well-informed throughout their working day. Many will need reminders and answers to fundamental questions on social distancing, moving within and between buildings, which entrances and exits to take, and even which

An IPTV solution in a company breakout room

restrooms to use. What’s more, people will be anxious for information on matters that might not previously have seemed important, such as how deliveries are handled, visitor management, onsite security, cleaning schedules and where they can wash their hands and get hand sanitiser. For many, IPTV and digital signage throughout premises will be critical to reopening premises safely – even as conditions shift as the crisis continues to evolve. That makes it all the more important that digital signage can be easily updated remotely in real time. Making effective use of digital signage and IP video – which can include taking advantage of the ability to add more screens to the network easily and quickly – is central to keeping things as close to “business as usual” as possible through the pandemic and its aftermath. For both those working remotely and those working onsite, IP technology is playing a vital role in instilling a sense of confidence and supporting business continuity at a time when both are in short supply. www.exterity.com

UNIVERSAL CONTROLLER FOR DATAVIDEO HARDWARE

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TPC-700 controls various aspects of Datavideo hardware, making it a true universal controller. TPC-700 currently has support for the SE-3200 switcher, a classroom recording setup and our latest chromakeyer. In the future, TPC-700 will be updated each and every time we have a new product or solution to control.

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This controller ensures the end user of top notch quality video without having to use the complicated and specialized control surfaces of broadcasting hardware.

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More information on www.datavideo.com September–October 2020 PRO AVL MEA 47

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sound reinforcement Discreet but powerful

in even the most challenging of projects

Suited to both indoor and outdoor use, the VERTUS CLA range comprises two models: The VERTUS CLA 803 and the CLA 403. Completely dustproof and weatherproof, the enclosureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grille is covered with a special hydrophobic fabric to ensure absolute rejection of all atmospheric agents. Full EN54-24 certiďŹ cation also means both columns can be used for emergency and evacuation applications. CLA 403T

CLA 803T

www.fbt.it - info@fbt.it

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NEWPRODUCTS

INSTALLATION • AV • LIVE SOUND • BROADCAST • POSTPRODUCTION • RECORDING • LIGHTING A–ZCONTENTS

AMS Neve’s 8424 targets hybrid workflows Delivering Neve 80 series voltage mixing sound with four groups and 24 channel faders, AMS Neve has introduced the Neve 8424 console THE SMALL-FORMAT Neve 8424 is designed to fulfil the needs of a modern hybrid studio where the speed of in-thebox workflow is enhanced with the sound quality of analogue outboard gear. Following on from the Genesys Black console, the British manufacturer has created a centralised platform with connectivity to create an ergonomic link between the linear analogue processing world of outboard gear and analogue synthesisers and instruments to the digital world of DAW workflow, software plug-ins and session recall. The 8424’s dual-input channel strip reportedly allows for seamless switching between recording and mixing inputs without additional patching. Simple input connectivity is provided by 24 line-level inputs, dual 1073 preamps and dual instrument DI channels. Performers can record directly from the control room by taking advantage of the 8424’s dual cue mix system with three-way talkback/return

talkback capability and dual headphone amplifiers. In terms of mixing, the 8424’s analogue mixing platform is furnished with 24 DAW returns across 24 channel faders. For larger DAW sessions, a 48-mix mode allows a total of 48 mono inputs with individual level and pan controls to be mixed through the 8424’s Marinair transformer-coupled stereo mix bus. The 8424’s mono and stereo aux busses can connect to outboard FX units and route

them back into the console’s two dedicated stereo reverb returns. Four mono groups with two-band shelving EQ, inserts and direct outs promote stem mixing, while the 8424 stereo mix bus provides true voltage mixing into Marinair transformers. Mixing engineers further benefit from in-built features including stereo insert, two-band shelving EQ and stereo width control. Each channel, group and stereo mix bush comes with its own switchable insert point, to provide a level of connectivity to analogue outboard units normally associated with large-format consoles. Dual 500 series slots can be utilised to customise the signal chain and build a modular hybrid recording system by connecting through the 8424 console. With an on-board Recall system, the analogue console can save, load and recall all settings, faders and pot positions on a session-by-session basis.

Adamson CS-Series 50 Adder Technology ADDERLink XDIP/ALIF4000 70 AJA Ki Pro Ultra 12G/Ki Pro Go v2.0 70 Allen & Heath SQ V1.5 61 Altman Lighting PHX3 LED/Genesis 72 52 Amphion FlexBase 25 update AMS Neve Neve 8424 49 Analog Way Midra 4K/Picturall 3.0 67 Antelope Audio Blonder Tongue Audio Baton/Filtek MK3 60 Aten UC3022 CamLive Pro 71 AtlasIED SHS-CVR/SHS-6T2CVR 53 Atlona AT-HDVS-CAM-HDMI/AT-HDVS-CAM-HDBT 69 Audinate Dante AVIO USB-C/Dante AVIO Bluetooth 53 Audio Precision APx500 version 6.0 62 Audio-Technica Wireless Manager version 1.1.1 61 50 AudioControl CM Series Beyma 21QLEX16000Fe/18QLEX1600Fe/15QLEX1600Fe 53 Blackmagic Design Atem Mini Pro 68 Broadcast Pix StreamingPix 64 CEDAR Audio CEDAR Cambridge v13 63 66 Christie Griffyn 4K32-RGB/Mystique Lite City Theatrical RadioScan Spectrum Analyzer 54 56 d&b audiotechnik Soundscape update Datavideo KMU-200 68 Dejero EnGo 260/CuePoint 67 58 DPA Microphones 4097 Core Micro Shotgun Dynacord MXE5 56 Elation Prisma/NX Sync 73 Elgato/Lewitt Wave:1/Wave:3 59 ETC ArcSystem Navis/F-Drive 72 57 Extron TLP Pro 300M/NBP 50 Focusrite Scarlett Solo and Scarlett 2i2 update 58 Innertron IDE-WP19 54 JBL Professional BRX300 52 Kramer Schoolroom Solutions 67 53 Lawo Mix Kitchen Mackie MC-350/MC-450/MP-320 59 Magewell Capture Express 3.2/Ultra Stream 1.3 63 Marshall Electronics CV730-BK/CV630-IP 69 Martin MAC Aura PXL/ELP zoom lenses 72 Martin Audio SXC115/SXCF118 52 Neutrik speakON XX-receptacle 59 NewTek TriCaster Mini 4K update 64 Out Board TiMax Crowdscape 62 Pan Acoustics P 261-AMT | Cine 53 66 Panasonic PT-RZ990/PT-RQ35K Series Peerless-AV Xtreme High Bright 65 inches 66 Pliant Technologies MicroCom M/MicroCom XR 54 Point Source Audio CM-i3/CM-i5 update 59 Powersoft Duecanali 6404 DSP+D/Quattrocanali 8804 DSP+D 50 QSC TeamConnect Ceiling 2 microphone plug-in 62 Renkus-Heinz Iconyx Compact Series 12/3-RN 52 Riedel DisTag 71 RME DigiCheck NG 60 Robe Hot-spot lens for ESprite and T1 Series 72 ROE Visual Ballast Calculator 71 Roland VC-100UHD 70 Ross Video Graphite PPC/Carbonite Ultra v4 64 Sennheiser Control Cockpit version 4.0.0 63 Shure MXN5-C/MXA710 58 Sommer Cable SC-Semicolon 4 60 Sony SRG-XP1/SRG-XB25 68 Sound Devices NoiseAssist 63 Stage Tec Avatus 1.12 60 SurgeX Squid 36 Tasker Tasker Live 60 71 Telestream Inspect 2110 Televic Conference Confero 360 62 Waves Audio CA1000/CA2000 58 Wohler iVAM1-1 56 WolfVision Cynap Pure Pro 56 WyreStorm HAOC-FRL Series/DAOC Series 59

www.ams-neve.com

NA2-IO-DPRO

The NA2-IO-DLINE is an end-of-network device. It is a breakout box which TM allows two channels of audio to be integrated into a DANTE network.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS 2 x INPUT/ OUTPUT

MIC / LINE SIGNAL

LOCKABLE CHASIS

DAISY CHAINING

www.nmkelectronics.com

Email: info@nmkelectronics.com | T: +971 4 266 5244 | F: +971 4 262 6682

NMKelectronics

nmkelectronics

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PRODUCTS

Powersoft expands Duecanali CM Series adds Dante and Quattrocanali ranges POWERSOFT HAS unveiled additions to both its Duecanali range of two-channel amplifiers and Quattrocanali series of four-channel amps. The new additions include the Duecanali 6404 DSP+D and Quattrocanali 8804 DSP+D, addressing the requirement for small and large fixed install applications where channel count is limited but flexibility and high- and low-Z compatibility are crucial. Both new models integrate Dante digital audio networking architecture and on-board signal processing, as well as being able to deliver 175Vpeak – suitable for high SPL

up to 400V). Power specifications for the Quattrocanali 8804 DSP+D are 1,800W at 2Ω, 2,400W at 4Ω or 1,600W at 8Ω. Both of the products can be connected to networks through standard Cat-5 cables or Wi-Fi. Remote access via ArmoníaPlus allows for full operability, including monitoring and diagnostics, from a decentralised location. In other news, Powersoft has announced that its full line of amplifiers will be available for specification

DANTE CONNECTIVITY has been added to a line-up of three 70V amplifiers from AudioControl, reportedly making a multi-zone audio install more flexible and efficient. The CM Series 70V amps are available

The 70V amplifiers also integrate DSP control and signal matrix capabilities. System setup and diagnostics can be managed remotely via an IP web-based browser or app for PC, Mac, iOS and

CM4-750 as two-, three- and four-channel models. Each amplifier delivers 750W per channel in 70V/100V mode, 500W per channel at 8Ω (stereo or mono output), 750W per channel at 2Ω or 4Ω, and 1,500W bridged into either a 70V/100V and 8Ω or 4Ω load. Each amplifier offers eight analogue inputs plus four digital stereo inputs: digital coax and optical. The outputs can be individually controlled or be controlled as two stereo pairs, giving integrators the configuration flexibility to accommodate “any system architecture”.

Android, facilitating control via IP or RS-232. DSP capabilities include on-board speaker profiles crafted by engineers from leading architectural and commercial loudspeaker manufacturers such as Dynaudio, Graysound, James Loudspeaker, Monitor Audio, Nuvo, Origin Acoustics, Stealth Acoustics and Triad Speakers. The amplifiers also offer graphic and parametric equalisation along with on-board crossovers. www.audiocontrol.com

Adamson stays faithful to AVB

The Duecanali range

The CS-Series applications such as clubs, performance venues and stadiums. They also both feature Powersoft’s switch-mode power supply with Power Factor Correction, Smart Rail Management and bridgeable switch mode fixed-frequency Class-D circuit topology. The Duecanali 6404 DSP+D offers the highest power output in the Duecanali series to date – 4,600W, 3,200W or 1,800W per channel at 2Ω, 4Ω and 8Ω, respectively. In bridge mode, it’s capable of outputting 9,200W at 4Ω or 6,400W at 8Ω. Fully integrated DSP yields system management functionality. In addition to sound shaping and limiter functions, the DSP hardware and ArmoníaPlus software enable sound system compliance for emergency purposes.

within its D-Tools software for systems integrators. As a result, Powersoft dealers will be eligible for an exclusive, free, 45-day trial of D-Tools Cloud. The Italian manufacturer has also released new plug-ins suppor ting Mezzo Series and its non-DSP install dedicated amplifier platform ranges for the Q-Sys and Crestron control ecosystems. The free-to-download plug-ins repor tedly provide user-friendly, network-based control of amplifier functionality via thirdpar ty systems. In addition, a new Q-Sys plug-in suppor ting DSP+D versions of Duecanali, Quattrocanali, Ottocanali, X and T series will be released shor tly. Finally, the Italian manufacturer has gained cer tification for its amplifiers to be used in PAVA systems according to

Occupying just 1U, the Quattrocanali 8804 DSP+D promises smaller dimensions and lighter weight with no trade-off in per formance. The unit implements a microprocessorcontrolled power supply with built-in PFC that allows worldwide operation with any AC mains voltage in the 85–275VAC range (tolerant to peaks of

the European EN 54-16 requirements. With the new cer tification, businesses can now invest in Powersoft amplifiers not only as par t of an enter tainment system, but also for voice alarm purposes, such as those used in the event of an emergency or fire. www.powersoft.com

AVAILABLE AS standalone products or as an upgrade to the existing S-Series of sub-compact enclosures with on-board amplification, DSP and Milan-ready AVB connectivity, the CS-Series from Adamson Systems Engineering has been unveiled. Boasting integrated network redundancy, a single cable relays audio and control signals over the Milan-ready AVB architecture. Currently, the CS-Series comprises the CS7 full-range array enclosure, CS7p point source enclosure and companion CS118 subwoofer, together with the sub-compact CS10 full-range array enclosure, CS10n narrow-dispersion array enclosure, CS10p point source cabinet and companion CS119 subwoofer. Featuring the same form factors as their S-Series counterparts, the compatible sonic signatures also mirror the S-Series and IS-Series for promoting scalable configurations from portable to highperformance systems. Any existing S-Series cabinets can be converted to CS models using the turnkey CS Upgrade Kit, removing four screws, connecting the CS Jackplate with the provided wiring connectors and switching the front grille.

Four rack-mounted products also debut as part of the CS-Series. Containing dual-LAN, Milan-ready AVB, AES/EBU and analogue connections, the CS Gateway is a 16x16 matrix with 16 channels of DSP. The NDS is a network and analogue patchbay for transmitting redundant audio and control to CS loudspeakers on a single network cable. The PDS reportedly ensures that all CS-Series systems receive enough power regardless of region, while monitoring per power output and overall draw consumption data. The CS Bridge replaces the existing network infrastructure in Adamson’s E-Rack, integrating the CS-Series into existing inventories by converting dualLAN, Milan-ready AVB signals to AES/EBU and providing six channels of DSP per unit. Completing the suite, the Canadian manufacturer’s CS software enhances the ability to design, deploy, control and monitor systems in mobile and installed environments. A simplified workflow and an easy-to-navigate user interface moves logically from design and simulation through to patch, control, metering, optimisation and diagnostics. www.adamsonsystems.com

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PRODUCTS

JBL further pitches its scales EXCLUSIVELY DESIGNED for small and medium applications, the BRX300 is a modular, two-way line array from JBL. The series includes the BRX308-LA line array element, BRX325SP powered subwoofer, BRX308-ACC transport kit, BRX308-AF array frame and BRX308-PM pole mount and adapter kit. Comprising dual 8-inch LF drivers and a 3-inch titanium compression driver, the BRX308-LA is capable of producing a maximum output of 136dB and 110° horizontal dispersion with variable inter-cabinet angles for adjustable vertical coverage. With built-in, 1,000W, six-channel amplification that can power up to four BRX308-LA enclosures, the dual 15-inch BRX325SP powered subwoofer extends the low frequency to 32Hz and provides up to 136dB output. The internal DSP parameters include EQ, filters, driver-protection circuitry and crossover management. The BRX308-ACC is a self-contained transport system for four BRX308-LA elements and includes padded covers for the cart, BRX3255 subwoofer and required speaker cables. Tested for a safety factor of 4:1, the BRX308-AF array frame, on the other hand, supports one BRX325SP subwoofer or up to eight BRX308-LA cabinets in flown configuration. The BRX300

designs are housed in all-wooden cabinets and finished with a Duraflex coating, while the BRX235SP is equipped with integrated casters to simplify transport. www.jblpro.com

FlexBase25 doubles up FINNISH LOUDSPEAKER manufacturer Amphion has announced an upgrade to its flagship stereo bass extension and management system, FlexBase25. The key enhancement is the new 2x700W amplifier – nearly double that of its predecessor – which means that, according to the manufacturer, FlexBase25 has a faster and more powerful response, as well as improved headroom and lower distortion across all frequency ranges. Upgraded control parameters allow for a wide range of adjustment possibilities over crossover frequency (35–260Hz) and subwoofer level as well as the mono-stereo spread, reportedly giving FlexBase25 the ability to adjust to any professional recording environment or home studio. Although FlexBase25 is optimised for use with Amphion’s existing family of studio monitors and is also compatible with speaker systems from other manufacturers. “The FlexBase25 was designed for a complete, synergistic relationship with a pair of monitors to create a three-way, full-range system that would truly enhance any musical experience,” said Amphion founder and CEO, Anssi Hyvönen. “The improvements that we have made to it now give our users total control over

the sound and maximum impact in the low end. This provides creators the ability to dial-in to emphasise the vibe and feel of a track while writing and producing, or tune for a transparent and analytical response to ensure precision and accuracy while mixing and mastering.”

Compact combines flexibility and precision CREATED FOR medium-sized installations in the corporate, education, government, HOW and transportation sectors, Renkus-Heinz has expanded the Iconyx Compact Series with the development of the 12/3-RN single array module. Designed to combine performance and directivity in spaces where larger-format Iconyx arrays may be restricted, the Iconyx Compact Series is characterised by an unobtrusive cabinet that is 40% smaller than the classic Iconyx. Measuring 1m x 111mm x 121mm (HxWxD), the folded aluminium housing can be finished in black or white in addition to customised RAL colours. In terms of performance, the vertical directivity of the beamsteered line arrays can help overcome architecturally sensitive spaces. Beams can be digitally steered and directed from 800Hz and 400Hz, respectively. Vertical computer adjustable opening angles

vary between 10° to 45°. RHAON II beam steering incorporates URGO beam algorithms, a movable acoustic centre, multiple beam-opening angles and high-pass filtering of individual beams. Each of the 12 3-inch fullrange paper cone drivers is powered by a dedicated 40W (at 8Ω) digital amplifier, allowing individual DSP parameters, including EQ, filters and delays up to 340ms, to be configured. In addition to analogue and AES inputs, the rear panel includes two RJ45 Ethernet connectors together with looping Ethernet, RHAON or optional Dante connectors. A rear-fixing, wall-mount bracket is also included.

when compared with a conventional single 15-inch subwoofer. The enclosures are constructed from tourgrade plywood and finished with a textured polyurea coating. They are equipped with four grab handles and foam-backed per forated steel grilles protect the front and rear drivers. The SXC115 is said be an ideal partner for WPM line arrays or Martin Audio point source systems where low-frequency pattern control is required.

www.amphion.fi

FlexBase25 with the FlexAmp1200

SXC115

driven independently by separate amplifier channels and DSP. Inside both models, each driver has its own chamber with optimised bass-reflex porting. The recommended iK42 amplifier optimises the DSP parameters for front and rear drivers to maximise rear rejection – from 21dB at 43Hz to 28dB at 75Hz. This reportedly keeps low frequencies away from stages, turntables and walls, as well as reducing reverberant energy in the room. In front of the enclosure, the output from the two drivers is additive, giving an extra 2dB output

It can be used on its own, stacked or flown individually by means of threaded flying inserts. Integral flying hardware, coupled with the WPSGRIDT, allows the SXCF118 to be incorporated at the top of a WPS array, or flown as a separate array alongside. Interlocking skids prevent movement when stacked and a threaded plate in the top sur face facilitates pole-mounting of up to four WPM enclosures or a single point source enclosure. www.martin-audio.com

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GERM has u for sp

www.renkus-heinz.com

Martin heads on tour MARTIN AUDIO has introduced two new cardioid subwoofers. Designed for touring sound and installations, the SXC115 is a compact subwoofer featuring a 15-inch forward-facing and 12-inch rear-facing transducer, each driven independently by separate amplifier channels and DSP. The SXCF118 is a flown version of the SXC118 and described as the ideal partner for flown WPS arrays. It features an 18-inch forwardfacing and 14-inch rear-facing driver, each

24/08/2020 14:52

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PRODUCTS

Pan Acoustics adds to AMT series GERMAN MANUFACTURER Pan Acoustics has unveiled the compact P 261-AMT | Cine for speech and music applications. It uses

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a custom-made Mundor f AMT tweeter unit in a D’Appolito setting, complete with two 6.5-inch drivers. The passive loudspeaker is said to ensure a per fectly coordinated bass-reflex system for power ful sound and reaches a frequency response of 50Hz – 24kHz and 127dB at 1m. With power at 1,000W peak and 500W program, the P 261-AMT | Cine has a ver tical dispersion of 130° and a horizontal dispersion of 20°. The compact column design measures 550mm x 224mm x 210mm and weighs 9kg. The housing is made of aluminium and can be painted in all colours according to customer requirements. The chassis is protected from external elements by a per forated plate integrated into the design. With extensive mounting options available for both permanent and mobile applications, the P 261-AMT | Cine is suited to cinema, immersive sound, studio, theatre and conference installations. www.pan-acoustics.de

SHS-CVR

AtlasIED minimises the spread of dust DESIGNED TO help medical and manufacturing facilities minimise the spread of dust and other particles that can pass through speaker grilles, AtlasIED has developed a rubber cover that is available separately (SHS-CVR) or included with the manufacturer’s SHS strategically hidden speaker (SHS-6T2CVR). The cover is said to offer a simple, affordable solution for any environment where clean air quality is of paramount importance, such as dust-sensitive manufacturing and

testing facilities with “cleanroom-type” requirements. The SHS-CVR installs easily over the opening of the SHS strategically hidden speaker to create a barrier between the building plenum, where particles exist, and the room environment. The covered SHS speaker can be calibrated so that announcements and paging maintain a high level of clarity and coverage. www.atlasied.com

Beyma applies force to create QLEX AVAILABLE IN 15-, 18- and 21-inch formats, Beyma has created a new series of ceramic woofers that incorporate the Quattro four-layer voicecoil. Proven to increase the BL Force factor by up to 30%, the 1,600W AES-rated transducers require less amplification. The FEA optimisation of the 21QLEX1600Fe, 18QLEX1600Fe and 15QLEX1600Fe

motor structures promotes optimal linearity and ultra-low distor tion. With inherent Maltcross cooling system technology applied to all three models, the heat dissipation of the whole LEX family is fur ther enhanced. The Spanish maufacturer promotes their use in the design of vented, bandpass and horn-loaded

AVIO adapters offer new connectivity options AUDINATE HAS added two new models to The Dante AVIO Bluetooth adapter provides its line of AVIO adapters, bringing USB-C wireless connectivity to Dante networks for and Bluetooth connectivity. The adapters mobile devices and computers and is suitable allow users to connect non-networked audio for both playback from smartphones to larger equipment to a Dante audio network. sound systems and for connecting networked The Dante AVIO USB-C adapter speakers and microphones allows devices with USB-C to conferencing ports to deliver and software. Once receive two configured, Bluetooth channels of can be used to switch audio with a from local smartphone Dante audio audio to a complete network. It conferencing system to share is a classwhat is being said with others. compliant Elsewhere, Audinate has USB audio device released a reference design kit that requires no additional for the Dante Embedded Platform drivers and works with any on the popular NXP i.MX 8M Mini application, making it ideal Dante AVIO Bluetooth QuadLite SoC, which provides for rapid setup of conference Dante audio-over-IP to OEMs as onrooms and background music applications. chip software. It supports up to 64x64 lossless The USB-C adapter can either be powered audio channels with latency between 2ms and by the connected device or via PoE and 10ms and is fully interoperable with all other will work with common USB-C to USB-A Dante-enabled products and Dante tools, such adapters. When using PoE, it features power as Dante Controller, Dante Virtual Soundcard pass-through for mobile devices, enabling and Dante Domain Manager. smartphones to remain charged while www.audinate.com connected to a Dante network.

enclosures. With a sensitivity reading of 98dB (1W/1m), the 21QLEX1600Fe can operate within a frequency range of 30Hz – 1kHz. Aluminium demodulating rings, waterproof cone treatment and double silicon spiders are fur ther features of the QLEX series. www.beyma.com

21QLEX1600Fe

Mixing on the move LAWO REPORTS that its mc²-series audio production consoles as well as its surfaceless operations including mc² Micro Core can be controlled from any place in the world with a decent internet connection, even using a smartphone as a 4G personal hotspot. Inspired by the German manufacturer’s desire to assist audio engineers during the lockdown situation, Lawo’s Mix Kitchen is a long-term solution for any scenario where physical access to the broadcast centre is difficult. The most important ingredient of the proposed setup is remote fader control using a Mackie HUI-compatible fader panel. Mix Kitchen is said to only require slight configuration adaptions (using supplied templates) to enable the Nova73 console core on the broadcaster’s premises to be remote controlled.

The solution also enables in-place access to any Mac- or Windows-based computer in the broadcaster’s data centre and can be complemented with an integrated vsmPanel providing full remote control of third-party broadcast studio devices. Mix Kitchen includes LiveView video monitoring capabilities in combination with Lawo’s IP video solutions. According to the manufacturer, no additional hardware is required; readily available, off-the-shelf tools, a laptop and Lawo’s mxGUI software (included with all mc²-series mixers) allow the engineer in charge to take control of the Lawo hardware at the broadcast centre or hub. www.lawo.com

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Innertron gets vocal

City Theatrical prevents interference RADIOSCAN SPECTRUM Analyzer from City Theatrical is a 900MHz and 2.4GHz spectrum analyser that allows users to visualise radio energy that is otherwise invisible. With its hardware dongle and accompanying free software, RadioScan helps customers create wireless DMX broadcast plans that optimise the available spectrum, and help prevent interference with nearby mission-critical radio devices. RadioScan shows all nearby radio activity in a chosen frequency, including frequency hopping gear like wireless DMX, as well as Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth, wireless headsets, video transmitters, cordless phones, baby monitors and microwave ovens. RadioScan can display spectrum data either in Spectrogram View or Waterfall View, and snapshots can be taken of both in the program. Scans of unlimited length can be recorded, saved, emailed and played back with the RadioScan software, without the need for the RadioScan hardware dongle. By identifying SSIDs, broadcast channel and the signal strength of wireless networks,

the analyser can help IT departments set up, maintain and troubleshoot their wireless installations. For users of City Theatrical Multiverse wireless DMX/RDM products, RadioScan guides users in creating the optimum broadcast plan for a production. The software program for PC or Mac guides customers in selecting Multiverse SHoW IDs by opening a table that shows the relationship of Multiverse SHoW IDs to the spectrum and helps choose the optimum area of the band in which to broadcast. The RadioScan hardware dongle is a 2cm x 5cm x 1.3cm square that fits in the hand or pocket, and is made of rugged NEMA 4 IP20 ABS plastic. Its detachable external omnidirectional broadband, 2dBi 900MHz, 4dBi 2.4GHz antenna allows for 900MHz and 2.4GHz dual-band spectrum analysis. It comes with a USB-C power/data connector with a 1m USB-A to USB-C cable.

In active mode, the IDE-WP19 has an RF frequency range of 470–937.5MHz and a maximum noise output of 2dB. The one-in/ one-out unit has an amp gain of –8dB to 18dB in 2dB steps and a maximum gain flatness of 1.5dB. The input and output return loss both measure 11dB minimum and the impedance is 50Ω. In passive mode, the RF frequency range is 420–1,050MHz and the antenna gain is 5.8–6.5dBi. It has a vertical beam width of 70° and a horizontal beam width of 120°. www.innertron.com

www.citytheatrical.com

SurgeX manages power

WITH A compact footprint, Squid is a new power management device from SurgeX that offers boxed network control, remote monitoring and power protection in a compact chassis. It features the manufacturer’s patented Multi-Stage surge suppression technology, along with two 5V USB port inputs for charging and network troubleshooting and eight outputs, four of which are traditionally controlled and monitored IEC receptacles, and four are DC so integrators can eliminate the need for wall warts or a two-box solution. By using a relay-based system, SurgeX reports that the AC and DC ports can be controlled and the device can be monitored and integrated into third-party control systems. Available in three models for (2) 12V, (2) 24V and a combination of the two, integrators can use Squid to power small spaces and keep them running smoothly with preventative maintenance, mounting the small device in the rack, behind a flat panel, mounted under a table or integrated into a table hatch. With built-in autosensing, Squid is also the first SurgeX product with universal compatibility with 120–240V, reportedly allowing global companies to simplify installations and spec the same product into offices worldwide. Squid

THE VOCALLUX series from Innertron is reportedly the first digital wireless microphone in the 900MHz band in Korea and the manufacturer has announced the release of its IDE-WP19 as an accessory for the range. Following in the footsteps of the IDA-W19, the IDE-WP19 is a compact, broadband, soft-gain adjustment LPDA antenna with a waterproof finish. The antenna has also been designed to have air-loading slots to overcome average wind conditions. As a result, the IDE-WP19 can be used with different lengths of attenuation feed cable with the expectation of custom antenna gains.

IDE-WP19

Micro beltbacks with full-duplex capability PLIANT TECHNOLOGIES has begun shipping its latest MicroCom M and MicroCom XR beltpacks. Available in 2.4GHz and 900MHz (where regional restrictions permit), the systems both offer full-duplex, multi-user intercom and are being targeted at pricesensitive customers. MicroCom M is an economical single-channel system that features a 10-hour lithium

also offers SurgeX Axess Elite capabilities such as sequencing, scheduling, autoping, IP Control, monitoring and management, helping integrators reduce service calls through proactive management. The device features built-in diagnostic monitoring, similar to the popular SurgeX enVision, providing a single solution for management, mitigation and control of the system’s power. Squid measures electrical parameters, including voltage, current, power, frequency, power factor and crest factor. It features an internal storage of 30 days’ worth of max/min/average electrical parameters and provides support for all the leading network security protocols including 802.1x authentication and active directory. www.surgex.com

MicroCom 900M

ion battery operation and the ability to have up to five full-duplex users, while MicroCom XR is a two-channel intercom system that provides extended range and a 15-hour, field-replaceable battery. It boasts the ability to have up to 10 full-duplex users. MicroCom XR features an OLED display, an optional I/O feature for connection to existing intercom systems, a drop-in charger and is IP67-rated. Both the M and XR versions provide for unlimited listening users in addition to duplex users, without the need for a base station. To accommodate the new models, SmartBoom headsets have now been expanded to include versions for use with MicroCom M and MicroCom XR beltpacks. Elsewhere, Pliant has added new accessory offerings for CrewCom, including a new Drop-in Charger and FleXLR, an XLR headset adapter. The FleXLR adapter gives users the flexibility to connect headsets to devices with nonmatching four- and five-pin XLRs. www.plianttechnologies.com

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Dynacord enters The Matrix THE LAUNCH of the MXE5 marks the onset of a new audio matrix mix engine series for Dynacord. Comprising 12 analogue mic/line inputs, eight line outputs and 24 Dante audio channels, the 24x24 crosspoint performance audio matrix offers both routing and mixing functionalities. Additionally, the MXE5 serves as a

engine incorporates the entire network infrastructure. Input and output processing features include zone mixing, dynamic EQ, delay, compression, limiting, ducking and de-essing. Future additions will include free DSP configuration, auto mixing, a task engine, Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC), Automatic Gain Control (AGC) and Ambient Noise Control (ANC).

communications hub for all IP-based peripherals, providing comprehensive supervision of all system-wide commands. Designed for high-quality BGM and live performance audio applications, the MXE5 is equipped with advanced DSP that includes a sampling rate of 96kHz, audio latency of less than 0.22ms, low distortion (<0.002dB THD) and a signal-tonoise ratio in excess of 118dB. The MXE5 also functions as a systems manager, an OCA controller with complete monitoring and supervision abilities and a FIR-Drive speaker controller. Third-party integration is enabled via plug-ins to upgrade existing systems for enhanced performance, starting with a plug-in for Q-Sys. With Dante audio transport and AES70compliant control and no requirement for retrofitted external cards, the matrix mix

Primary and secondary OMNEO ports offer reliability and failure-safe operation for flexibly integrating into various network designs. The eight GPIO control ports comprise an integrated multicast filter for controlling the MXE5 over Wi-Fi networks. Remote control operations can be per formed with Dynacord’s Sonicue sound system software, which can assign the MXE5 with personalised features, rights management and GPIO configuration. An optional TPC-1 touchpanel controller can be configured via Sonicue. The lowprofile form factor features a 5.7-inch HD display, which can be easily mounted and installed with the universal mounting socket and built-in PoE.

d&b enhances performance

A NEW set of performance-enhancing capabilities for the German manufacturer’s Soundscape audio platform have been announced. A Soundscape system has three elements: the DS100 Signal Engine, the hardware platform with matrix functionality that can operate in a standalone system configuration mode or be combined with one or both of two software modules; En-Scene, an object-based positioning tool; and En-Space room-emulation software. The latest feature updates are Scenes, hardware-based scene memory capabilities within the DS100 Signal Engine and for the Soundscape software platform; two new room signatures within En-Space; and a configurable “spread factor” for function groups in En-Scene. Scenes enables snapshots of all DS100 and Soundscape parameters (Matrix, En-Scene and En-Space) to be stored within the DS100 hardware memory. Users can create scenes in R1, d&b’s remote-control software, offline without the DS100 for later transfer to the DS100 hardware memory. These scenes can be recalled from there using R1, but also via OSC commands, either as a direct call to a

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desired scene number or by stepping through the Scene list step by step using the “Next/ Previous” function. Two new rooms join the existing seven concert and recital halls in En-Space. With the very short and “dry” reverberation of 1.3s from the Alegrie Theatre and the 5.6s from the Cathedral of San Vitale, users now have two distinctly different rooms from the concert halls already available and these are said to open up new applications and creative possibilities for existing designs. Soundscape software allows for loudspeakers to be combined into function groups and the new “spread factor” increases the functionality of these groups. With an individual spread factor per function group, users can now adjust how the spread setting of the objects are handled by the various function groups, determining the energy distribution between the loudspeakers within the different function groups according to the specific needs of the setup. www.dbaudio.com

www.dynacord.com

No running with the pack for WolfVision CREATED FOR classrooms, meeting rooms and huddle spaces, WolfVision has extended the Cynap system portfolio with the Cynap Pure Pro wireless presentation and collaboration system. The compact system provides BYOD wireless screen mirroring capability, combined with web conferencing, annotation and other collaboration tools. Cynap Pure Pro features comprehensive BYOD screen mirroring capability, providing wireless screen sharing for all iOS, Android,

Windows, macOS and Chrome OS devices onto a central shared display screen.

Connection is simplified with support for AirPlay, Chromecast and Miracast mirroring protocols, bypassing the requirement for additional software, apps or dongles when sharing content on-screen from smartphones, tablets or laptops. Collaboration tools include touchscreencompatible annotation and whiteboard functionality, support for Zoom and WebRTC meetings, a built-in media player, plus optional room booking and Office 365 modules. Other features include 4K

(2160p60/30, 1080p60/30, 720p60) output resolution, up to four window onscreen displays, enterprise grade security encryption, touchscreen compatibility and touchback functionality for enabling remote control of laptops while working on a shared, multi-touch screen. Benefitting from free firmware updates, the installed units can be managed and updated remotely using browser-based administration tools. www.wolfvision.com

Flexible licensing with latest iVAM1-1 monitor WOHLER HAS developed the iVAM1-1 as an audiovisual monitor for budget-conscious applications. Equipped with 3G-SDI and analogue inputs, other signal formats including AES3, MADI64, SMPTE 2110 and SMPTE 2022 can be licensed as and when required. Touchscreen front panel controls utilise previous philosophies of the US manufacturer’s iAM series, while the traditional front panel controls offer access to the main

volume, balance and auxiliary parameters. A front-mounted USB port is integrated into the

design to download software updates. Capable of monitoring up to 16 channels from multiple sources, the iVAM1-1 comes with dual 3G-SDI inputs on BNC, a

3G-SDI output of selected source on BNC and an optional I/O for AES3 on HD-15, MADI on BNC and SMPTE 2110 or SMPTE 2022 via SFP. An HDMI output of the monitored video source is included, together with built-in speakers, a headphone jack and Ethernet ports. www.wohler.com

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PRODUCTS

Further on with Extron DESIGNED TO control video, audio, lighting and other systems within an application, Extron is shipping the TLP Pro 300M 3.5-inch portrait wall-mount TouchLink Pro touchpanel. Equipped with a 320x480 resolution capacitive touchscreen, the TLP Pro 300M operates with any Extron IP Link Pro control processor or HC 400 Series system. For wall mounting, a single PoE cable connection is made to the mounted one-gang junction box. A fully customisable AV system control interface is now available for the US manufacturer’s control systems and HC 400 Series products. Connected to a control processor over standard Ethernet, the NBP 50 Network Button Panel is equipped with simplified control panels to perform a wide variety of AV system functions such as display on/off, input switching and volume control. Mountable in a two-gang junction box, the NBP 50 includes black and white face plates and a mud ring. The buttons can be further customised using Extron Button Label Generator software. Applications reliant on critical audio and video distribution can now benefit from FOX3 Systems’ fibre-optic distribution solutions. Securely delivering 4K/60 4:4:4 video, audio, USB and control signals, the latest generation of FOX3 Systems provide point-to-point extension to non-blocking matrix applications

up to 2,000x2,000. With I/O sizes available from 8x8 to 320x320, the rear panel hosts an RS-232 port, a Dante audio network interface

and DMP expansion port, together with analogue audio inputs and outputs. With the launch of the NetPA U 1002 and NetPA U 1004 power amplifiers, Extron has extended its Dante network-enabled audio ecosystem including the Extron DMP Plus

TLP Pro 300M

NetPA U 1004

Series processor. Delivering 100W channels into two- and four-channels respectively, the NetPA U 1002 and NetPA U 1004 amplifiers are equipped with a defeatable auto‑standby with fast wake up and a Class-D Ripple Suppression (CDRS). Built-in network and

RS-232 connections extend control of amplifier parameters in addition to monitoring the amplifier’s status. Integrated DSP parameters including gain adjustment, filters, dynamics, ducking and delay can be managed remotely in the DDM downloaded in the Dante Controller software. A DSP analogue line output simplifies the connection of additional amplifiers to maintain consistent processing. Built-in 6x6 and 8x8 matrices allow any input from the respective NetPA U 1002 and NetPA U 1004 amplifiers to be routed to any amplifier, Dante or analogue line outputs. NBP 50

www.extron.com

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Waves unveils Commercial Audio line THE CA1000 and CA2000 Commercial Audio DSP engines have been launched as the first products in Waves’ Commercial Audio line. Designed to improve audio playback quality and speech intelligibility in any Dante-based AV installation, the single-box software-plushardware turnkey solution incorporates over two dozen premium Waves processors with pre-configured audio processing presets. The CA1000 and CA2000 Professional DSP engine units can integrate into both new or existing AV installations that use

channels, groups or zones to deliver optimal results based on the IO, PA and room. The rack-mountable CA1000 and CA2000 can be configured to process up to 16x16 and 64x64 bidirectional audio channels over the Dante network, respectively. In other news, Waves has added further enhancements to its SoundGrid Studio software and its StudioRack plug-in chainer. The upgraded SoundGrid Studio software contains a new Control Room section so that users can toggle between multiple sources,

CA1000

CA2000

Dante networking. Nineteen audio processing presets troubleshoot playback quality, speech intelligibility via a wide array of microphones and amplification systems, feedback elimination and voice processing, reportedly without loss of tonality. The presets can be further customised and stored according to individual room or zone requirements. As a result, common problems associated with media playback, wireless mics, meeting room/table mics, lectern/pulpit mics and broadcast/streaming can be overcome. Once customised, each of the presets can be locked in by the installer for individual

as well as the ability to stream audio between up to 14 audio interfaces and an updated interface for both the SoundGrid Studio control panel and the eMotion ST mixer. The StudioRack update adds eight macros per chain, parallel processing racks and multiband split racks, along with a plug-in search function. In brief, the US manufacturer has added MOTU support to its SoundGrid BR1 device to enable Waves real-time plug-in processing on any MOTU-based AVB network with MOTU’s AVB-enabled audio interfaces. www.waves.com

Scarlett extended to USB-C iPad Pro

THIRD-GENERATION SCARLETT Solo and Scarlett 2i2 interfaces can now be used on USB-C iPad Pro devices in fully mobile, bus-powered mode for over several hours. Focusrite recommends the use of a powered connection wherever possible and an appropriate USB-C hub is required for powered operation. Scarlett Solo and Scarlett 2i2 devices have been tested with several iOS

music applications running on USB-C iPad Pros, including Garageband, Cubasis 2, Auria Pro, Ampify Launchpad, Ampify Groovebox and Ampify Blocs Waves in addition to FL Studio. An on-boarding path is available in the Easy Start Tool for assisting iPad Pro users to better familiarise their interfaces.

4097 designed for Covid-19 age

FEATURING THE same sonic qualities as the super-cardioid choir microphone, the 4097 Core Micro Shotgun has been optimised to pick up speech from a distance. Incorporated into DPA’s 4097 Core Interview Kit, the plug-and-play mic has been created for use with a lightweight boom and windjammer. Designed primarily for journalists in today’s socially distanced world, interviews can be conducted from up to 2m away. Equipped with an integrated shockmount, the 4097 provides a highly directional pickup pattern, low self-noise and flat off-axis frequency response. As the 4097’s directional characteristics enable it to reduce background noise compared to a standard omnidirectional lavalier microphone, the new model can capture reporter voiceovers following an interview. When combined with the MMA-A Digital Audio Interface, the 4097 can be used as a remote recording package. The two-channel microphone preamp and A/D converter interfaces provide mono, dual and stereo capabilities for use with iOS devices, Mac and PC computers. The kit includes a 4099 Cold Shoe Mount, MicroDot cable, transmitter plate, lightweight telescopic boom pole to further ensure social distance protocols and a windjammer for outdoor productions. Terminating in a MicroDot connection, the 4097 Core Micro Shotgun can attach directly to a

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The 4097 Core Micro Shotgun attached to a transmitter transmitter or be used with the 4099 series mounts, clamps and clips for mounting on any surface. IP58 certified for protection against water and dust with a water-repellant nano-coating on the cover and housing, the amplifier of the 4097 is hermetically sealed and the diaphragm is strengthened by dual gold plating. www.dpamicrophones.com

Shure returns to the loudspeaker market

DESIGNED TO enhance speech lobes with the 60cm array and eight lobes reproduction for AV conferencing with the 120cm array, the new models applications, Shure has developed the incorporate steerable coverage technology Microflex MXN5-C networked for capturing audio anywhere in the loudspeaker. PoE-enabled with room. On-board IntelliMix DSP an on-board amplifier, the includes Automatic Mixing, shallow can profile with Acoustic Echo Cancellation, a removeable grille Noise Reduction and is compatible with Automatic Gain Control most drop-ceiling for promoting echoconfigurations. and noise-free audio. Integrating with the Autofocus technology US manufacturer’s fine-tunes each lobe conferencing ecosystem position in real time, of networked hardware adjusting for meeting and software solutions, participant movements. the MXN5-C’s pre-tuned Room coverage templates frequency response further promotes within the Designer System intelligibility. Network connection for Configuration software enables easy MXN5-C portable devices via Shure software lobe optimisation in ceiling, table provides access for setup, configuration, and wall installations. Available in three remote management and troubleshooting. colours (white, black and aluminium), the Further benefits of the UL 2043 plenumPoE-powered MXA710 is compatible with rated MXN5-C include Shure Audio both Dante and AES67 audio networking Encryption for secure meeting content, protocols. LED status bars at each end DSP utilities (EQ, delay, limiter, signal/tone of the array come with configurable generator) and compatibility with AES67 colours and brightness. Designed for and Dante Domain Manager networks. muting and unmuting Shure networked Created as an alternative for spaces systems, including all MXA arrays and the where the MXA910 or MXA310 might not IntelliMix P300, the MXA Network Mute be the best option, the MXA710 linear array Button is a configurable PoE-powered mute button accessory. microphone blends into meeting rooms with its low-profile form factor without www.shure.com sacrificing audio quality. Featuring four

www.focusrite.com

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PRODUCTS

Elgato rides the waves IN PARTNERSHIP with microphone manufacturer Lewitt, Elgato has launched its first-ever microphones, the Elgato Wave:1 and Wave:3. They will ship with the Wave Link app to become a complete digital mixing solution for users creating podcasts or streaming to Twitch or YouTube. Born from “rigorous calibration and fine-tuning in state-of-the-art acoustic testing chambers and real-world streaming scenarios”, Wave:1 and Wave:3 boast

broadcast-quality audio capture powered by a cardioid condenser capsule and 24-bit analogue-to-digital converter. The proprietary Clipguard anti-distortion technology that Lewitt developed for the Wave microphones analyses input in real time and automatically provides the additional headroom that is needed, before sending them to the computer.

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THE CM-i3 and CM-i5 intercom headsets have been upgraded by Point Source Audio to include in-earphones for quick

detachment for cleaning, replacing or swapping for personal IEMs. Designed for clarity and all-day wearing comfor t,

the latest models promote quicker changeovers with a new connector that is common among IEM manufacturers, including 64 Audio or Ultimate Ears. Additionally, the detachable design addresses hygienic concerns with earbuds that quickly detach from the cable so they can be assigned to the user and replaced for new users. Weighing from 25–50g, the CM-i headsets with in-earphones provide noise isolation typical from large earmuffs for wearing comfor tably all day. The removable earphones are a common feature to both the CM-i3 and CM-i5 intercom headsets, which in turn helps to address the health management of cleaning and maintenance. www.point-sourceaudio.com

More IEMs and headphones from Mackie WITH THE MC-350 and MC-450, Mackie has expanded its MC series of professional headphones. Fulfilling a 20Hz – 20kHz frequency output, the ergonomically fitting models feature a rugged design, leather adjustable headbands and conforming ear pads. Like the MC-150 and MC-250 models, the MC-350 headphones feature a closedback design to avoid background noise and leakage. With an impedance rating of 32Ω and 97dB sensitivity, the MC-350’s 50mm transducers are said to provide impressive LF extension. Featuring 42mm transducers, the MC-450 headphones employ an open-back design for promoting reduced ear fatigue, high headroom, smooth midrange and clarity. Both new models come with premium cables with locking bayonet connectors.

Having already launched the MP-120, MP-220 and MP-240 IEMs, Mackie has added MP-320, MP-360 and MP-460 models to the current line-up. With the introduction of the MP-BTA Bluetooth Adapter, all six MP series IEMs boast Bluetooth connectivity. The three new IEMs employ a precision three-way crossover to provide a balanced sound across the entire 20Hz – 20kHz frequency range. An over-ear design ensures MP series monitors fit securely in the ears with the cables behind the head for uninterrupted performance. The moulded enclosures come with foam, silicone, wide-bore silicone and triple flange ear tips in three different sizes. The detachable, shielded cables are equipped with MMCX connectors for added flexibility. MC-350

is compatible with new content exceeding the current HDMI 2.0 standard. With each core rated at 12Gbps, the combined bandwidth means that the CAB-HAOC-FRL will support future content up to 48Gbps, equating to 8K UltraHD. In other news, the cable manufacturer is bringing the wealth it has accumulated in hybrid HDMI cable technology to the DAOC Series, which will offer the same benefits to the DisplayPort System. Easily connecting PC graphic cards or high-performance media

Compliance for devices using existing horizontal burn-rated materials in connector components will require enclosure of these certified materials in 2021. This makes them potentially bulkier and less likely to be accommodated within the constraints of existing circuit layouts. Using certified receptacle components including UL 94 V-O materials enables device certification to be claimed on the basis that all affected connectors are themselves certified. For additional safety, Neutrik is also upgrading its cable connectors to meet the standard. Currently, the NL4FC speakON cable connectors are fully compatible with the new XX-receptacle series, with other cable connectors in the process of being updated to meet the specifications of the standard. The speakON XX-receptacle series includes several design modifications, including special copper alloy contacts and tarnish-resistant plating for improved electrical performance and an all-black colour scheme, enhanced high visibility logoing and product ID marking.

www.mackie.com

WyreStorm expands HAOC Series THE HYBRID Active Optical Cables (HAOC), which can send 5K, UltraHD, HDR and 8K content, have been expanded to include 8K and DisplayPort technology. WyreStorm reports that its HAOC-FRL Series comprises next-generation HDMI cables designed for the next generation of 8K and 4K HDR content. The cables are said to offer the best of both worlds: pixel-perfect, longdistance transmission of content and native HDMI communication. Adopting a 48Gbps four-core transmission system, the passive optical transmission within the HAOC-FRL Series

BASED ON the company’s iconic speakON connector series, Neutrik has created the speakON XX-receptacle (two-pole and four-pole). As the first Neutrik speakON chassis line to be IEC 62368-1 market compliant, the materials have passed safety regulations ensuring that any materials used in potential ignition sources have a V-O vertical burn classification.

www.neutrik.com

playback systems, the DAOC Series can extend super high-bandwidth video, with up to 32 channels of digital audio, up to 10m using the latest in active optical transmission technology. Suited for corporate, education and RTOC environments, the DAOC Series features true native HDMI communication and reportedly ensures that CEC and EDID communication occurs between compatible devices. CAB-HOAC-20

www.wyrestorm.com

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Strength in Sommer THE LATEST cable from Sommer is an AES/EBU patch and microphone cable with ARAMID fibres worked into the outer jacket for reinforcement named SC-Semicolon 4.

This extra strength is said to increase the number of bending cycles the cable is capable of withstanding. The design is popular in broadcast and theatre applications, in connection with belt pull cable drums in OB vans or on theatre stages. It’s also suitable for connecting effects devices and control units where a return signal is required. www.sommercable.com

DigiCheck comes to macOS

GERMAN MANUFACTURER RME has debuted a preview edition of its DigiCheck NG audio metering and analysing software for macOS with 64-bit support. The company states that the software has been completely rewritten and is a newly designed version of its former DigiCheck. It’s being released as a free app, supports macOS

Catalina and also Dark Mode. A Windows version will be released soon. The DigiCheck NG settings of each measurement module are similar to the previous version of DigiCheck and include new extensions, such as Phosphorescence in the Analyser module. The appearance is also set individually for every instrument and the input selection dialogue has extended mouse support and additional buttons to aid the setup of multichannel interfaces. In addition to being scalable, DigiCheck NG allows the main windows to include up to four metering modules with freely adjustable sizes. It can open several main windows at the same time and any configuration can be stored and recalled as a Workspace. www.rme-audio.de

Stage Tec promotes dual-user operation A 1.12 software release for the Avatus IP console is available for download by Stage Tec. The virtual division of a console, which can also consist of several physical buckets, takes place in blocks of 12 control strips, each making up one cassette. Operating simultaneously, both sound engineers have unlimited and independent access to various functions, including their own Solo and PFL functionalities at their disposal. The global layer switching, function selection and synchronous scrolling of lists (such as aux, N-1, groups and EQ bands) only affect the respective user area. Functions such as spill, the temporary link function or aux/N-1 to faders can be altered independently by both sound engineers. Furthermore, both users can access all audio channels simultaneously and work with the same channels.

With the new software release, the Berlinbased manufacturer claims that Avatus performance and response times are enhanced significantly. The talk functionality of the two command paths can now be assigned to any user button, offering the possibility of temporarily linking the two control rooms to each other at the push of a button. Both control rooms carry the same monitoring signal, but can be operated independently, while volume, mute functions, DIM, side and polarity swaps remain independent. Another new feature is the alternative monitoring function for both Avatus control rooms, making it possible to switch between two monitoring systems. www.stagetec.com

Tasker goes live ITALIAN CABLE manufacturer Tasker has released a new line of assembled cables for musical instruments, microphones, speakers and audio applications. The Live range is divided into three lines of assembled cables. The Studio Series comprises jack connectors that are said to guarantee a perfect electric connection thanks to a unique OFC copper bar that goes from the welding spoon to the contact point. The range has been designed for high-power audio products such as professional amplifiers where the thermic variation is important to guarantee high audio fidelity in both low and high frequencies. The Premium Series comes with pure OFC copper cables with different colour sheaths which are described as extremely soft and flexible. They

can be combined with special professional connectors with gold-plated contacts. These cables have been developed for live performances and reportedly guarantee maximum technical reliability without any limits on movement around the stage. Finally, the Classic Series is manufactured with pure OFC copper cables and provides users with the possibility of combining both Tasker and Neutrik connectors. www.tasker.it

Antelope emulates the classics BLONDER TONGUE Audio Baton and Filtek MK3 are two new hardware-based software effects from Antelope Audio that emulate EQ classics and are capable of running in real time using the manufacturer’s Discrete 4 Synergy Core, Discrete 8 Synergy Core, Orion Studio Synergy Core and Zen Tour Synergy Core audio interfaces, and the Edge Go buspowered modelling microphone.

Tongue Audio Baton can correct frequency response errors, such as excessive bass or shrill high-end, and reportedly improve the clarity of instruments, vocals and speech. The Filtek MK3 is a three-band equaliser with modelled, transformer-based input and output sections that work in real time with zero latency. Its switch and knob combinations are said to encourage experimentation –

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Filtek MK3 GUI The original Audio Baton boasts seven separate amplifiers tuned to distinct frequencies, followed by high- and low-pass filters running in parallel with their outputs routed to separate level controls. Choices for frequencies correspond to actual notes and octaves on a piano keyboard. Those markers move up and down the white vertical stripes when turning the associated rotary controls to assist with visualising boosts and cuts over nine frequency bands with a 28dB control range per band. The resultant frequency response curve is graphically overlaid on top of four horizontal stripes where each frequency region is distinctly coloured. By adding a Magic Eye peak meter, Blonder

extreme settings at broad bandwidths turn the high and low bands into respectable shelving filters, for example. Users can boost the high-end without introducing harshness, while a unique signal path allows for parallel equalisation by mixing the boosted/ attenuated signal with unprocessed audio. The three-band design has been modelled with high- and low-pass filters, while each band offers a choice of 12 frequencies with boosts and cuts of up to 16dB. The three-way bandwidth (Q) switches for each band allow for bypassing specific bands when in midposition.

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www www.antelopeaudio.com

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RTA updated for SQ series ALLEN & HEATH has launched V1.5 firmware for its 96kHz SQ series, adding updates for the RTA and a new, independent RTA for per channel use. The channel RTA provides a display on PEQ and GEQ processing screens; a fixed channel option; display and averaging options; max/peak indication (with “hold” possible); a prominent frequency indication; PEQ bar or line modes; and an LF damping option to represent “real-world energy”. New workflow options for DCA centric mixing include an instant spill of DCA members across channel strips and layers; jump in and out of DCA spill; on-screen spill indication; SoftKey options for individual DCAs; and SoftKey for “spill on select” mode. Sample rate conversion has been added for both USB connections, with a new 48kHz option added for SQ-Drive and USB-B. Record or playback is available for up to 32 channels using SQ-Drive and users can record only patched channels to save on storage space. There is a new USB input/ output meters page and customers can remix old 48kHz DAW projects. Following customer requests, HPF and LPF options have been added on all input and output PEQs. Users can cut high and/or low frequencies on monitors and “clean up” noisy input signals. New slope settings for

dedicated input HPF and RackFX add-ons have also been added. Further add-ons include Hypabass, a very low distortion sub-harmonic synthesiser that can generate infra (18–36Hz) and sub-bass (36–70Hz) from sources with a weaker low end; Bucket Brigade, a stereo analogue delay model with the signal degradation and feedback non-linearities of vintage bucket brigade chip technology; and Echo, a faithful reproduction of the classic tape echo unit, including harmonic content when driven, record head saturation and frequency warping when adjusting repeat rate. www.allen-heath.com

A-T updates Wireless Manager WIRELESS MANAGER, Audio-Technica’s macOS/ Windows application for remote configuration and control of the manufacturer’s wireless devices, has been upgraded

to version 1.1.1. Updated features reportedly include improved usability, layout and control; enhanced scrolling capability; improved visibility of all frequency coordinated devices; updated and expanded channel list reports; upgraded user tools; and minor bug fixes. The software is compatible with Microsoft Windows 8.1 and 10, macOS High Sierra (version 10.13) and macOS Mojave (version 10.14). www.audio-technica.com

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Q-Sys controls the meeting room

TWO NEW Q-Sys Control plug-ins are available in Q-Sys Designer Asset Manager and have been developed to enhance touchless meeting spaces and quickly integrate Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 microphones. Saving programming time and resources, the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 microphone plug-in and the UCI (user control inter face) QR Code plug-in allow for drag-and-drop integration into the Q-Sys Ecosystem.

The Sennheiser plug-in discovers the microphone on the same subnet as the Q-Sys Core processor, monitors audio levels and views the vertical and horizontal angle of the detected person speaking in real time. All these capabilities can be exposed as graphic elements and dragged and dropped onto any custom UCI. The QSC UCI QR Code plug-in extends room controls to a smartphone. Designers can use the plug-in to create direct links

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AS GLOBAL professional sports teams resume matches in a Covid-restricted world, Out Board has created TiMax Crowdscape to restore one element that helps drive the players: the crowd. TiMax Crowdscape provides a live and interactive sonic cocoon of sound that immerses the players in realistic and responsive spectator reactions to the game. Studies have shown that player engagement, motivation and performance are hugely influenced by the crowd. Crowdscape uses a multichannel “bowl”

sound system mounted in the seating bleachers and pointing in towards the playing area. One or more operators use iPads to trigger and variably spatialise selected crowd atmosphere loops as well as cheering, applause and booing spot effects, plus whatever other tailored content is relevant to the game and teams. Samples are spatially mixed to anywhere in the arena or stadium using individual iPad 3D panners, faders and triggers, and can be merged selectively into the existing house system for added energy and immersion.

Bringing back the crowds

Televic moves towards software TELEVIC HAS introduced web-based software to facilitate online meetings that requires no installation to operate. It can be used with the Confero 360 licence to add management tools to the meeting and can also be added to existing

Participants can identify themselves by inserting their access control card in any conference device. Ad hoc voting can be conducted during any meeting and results can be captured instantly. Users can visualise room overview, speaker and

Televic Plixus systems to provide simple meeting control and system diagnostics. The release is the beginning of the manufacturer’s shift towards software solutions. The first release of Confero 360 addresses the need for small- and medium-sized city councils to per form software-based moderation, electronic voting, identification by access control cards and meeting reporting. Moderation of meetings can be done via a layout representing the meeting room and provides the capability to manage the speaker and request list with drag-anddrop reshuffling capabilities.

request list and voting results on a big screen or projector and define the available functionality of password-protected user roles. Meeting reports can be generated to capture meeting title, participants, voting results and a link to the audio recording of the meeting. “Confero is the start of our new software direction and focuses on simplifying workflows in moderated meeting spaces,” said Bart Deschodt, Televic Conference’s general manager. “Confero is vital to achieving our goal to become the reference in the moderated conference industry.”

to a given Q-Sys UCI and place them on existing Q-Sys touchscreen devices. By aiming a phone’s camera at the special QR codes, the smartphone opens the room’s

Crowdscape comes as a portable gamein-a-box package which includes on-board playback, spatialisation, mixing and system zone management.

predetermined controls through the Q-Sys Control App or standard web browser. www.qsc.com

As well as locally triggered and mixed immersive crowd content, Crowdscape operators can spatially mix external crowd fx stems from broadcasters or Viewer Response systems and place them in the appropriate segments of the arena or stadium. Downmixed stereo, 5.1 and mono crowd content feeds can also be simultaneously generated live in Crowdscape and returned to the truck for broadcast or streaming. www.outboard.co.uk

AP reduces test time WITH APX500 audio measurement software version 6.0, Audio Precision reports that multiple simultaneous input types are supported, enabling the concurrent measurement of up to 16 channels of digital and eight channels of analogue audio data. This new multi-input capability reportedly provides APx users critical cross-domain insight and the opportunity to reduce testing time. Multiple simultaneous input types, or multiinput, is the ability to activate a second input type on any APx modular audio analyser, or APx515 analyser, and make measurements simultaneously on analogue and digital signals. With two input types enabled, there will be measurement results for every enabled input channel. In addition, the sensitivity or gain function of digital microphones and other converters can be directly found via a new derived result, Sensitivity, which displays the RMS Level relationship between the analogue and digital inputs. The multi-input feature is available for use in both Sequence Mode and Bench Mode and supports all the essential measurements used for the analysis of microphones and

microphone arrays. This includes Transfer Function, a dual-channel FFT analysis function added in the previous release of the software. With multi-input and Transfer Function, the complex, magnitude and phase relationship between multiple analogue or digital microphones or other cross-domain devices can be found. For audio devices that can have both analogue and digital outputs active simultaneously, the new multi-input feature enables the simultaneous evaluation of those outputs, whether in a design lab or on a manufacturing line. Concurrent measurement of both signal types also has the potential to reduce test times, which is especially important in manufacturing applications. Multi-input is especially useful for devices with digital microphones – smart speakers, mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets and other devices – as it allows for the simultaneous measurement of the device’s microphone in conjunction with an analogue measurement microphone as a reference.

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Keeping down the noise SOUND DEVICES has released the NoiseAssist Noise Suppression Plugin for its 8-Series mixer-recorders. The plug-in is described as a signal processing algorithm that reduces background noises such as traffic, generators and HVAC noise. It features a simple user interface with only one adjustment – the amount of background noise to suppress.

calculations. The background noise and reverberation can then be suppressed by a user-selectable dB level without affecting the desired speech signal. This is all done in real time with 1ms of latency, thanks to the 8-Series’ FPGA processing. Up to two instances of NoiseAssist can run on any combination of isolated channels (excluding 17–32 on Scorpio),

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NoiseAssist automatically and continuously monitors the background noise independently from the desired speech in the signal. According to the manufacturer, there is no need to “learn” the signal, as this is done automatically. The plug-in discriminates between the desired speech signal and background noise through proprietary advanced multi-band frequency, level and statistical

bus L or bus R. It maintains the two independent audio channels’ frequency bandwidth, while effectively suppressing the background noise and reverberation. The plug-in is compatible with all 8-Series mixer-recorders running firmware version 5.00 or higher. www.sounddevices.com

Magewell adds SRT streaming

AN UPGRADE to Magewell’s Capture Express recording application has expanded the software’s streaming capabilities. Version 3.2 adds new suppor t

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Cambridge v13 debuted by CEDAR CEDAR AUDIO’S Cambridge audio restoration platform has been updated to v13, introducing a new impulse noise eliminator, Retouch 8 and improved performance. The new INR is a real-time impulse noise deduction module that was developed as a more powerful alternative to CEDAR’s Declickle. The manufacturer describes that it is capable of digging deeper into the signal to remove the clicks and noise bursts that Declickle could not. While its primary use is in the forensic arena, it can also be used for badly degraded commercial audio, such as optical soundtracks with noisy clicks and bursts that are not recognised by other declickers. Retouch 8 is the next version of CEDAR’s spectral editing suite and adds two new capabilities: Matching and Repair. Matching makes use of machine learning to identify unwanted sounds. The user marks one of the offending sounds and the software

searches for all other instances within the recording. A threshold control allows users to bias its decision-making toward including more or fewer possibilities to find the desired level. Having identified all of the matches, they can be eliminated using the appropriate Retouch tool. Repair, on the other hand, uses artificial intelligence to do its job. Users mark the sound and some of the surrounding signal and then use the single knob to suppress it or completely eliminate it. CEDAR says that unlike other spectral editing tools, only the significant signal within the region is identified and processed, leaving all low-level signals as well as the ambience unaffected. Repair also allows users to bring items in clips to the foreground by amplifying the event while leaving the rest of the signal unaffected. www.cedaraudio.com

Version 3.0 initially offered easy recording and encoder hardware. The new update enables previewing functionality, while the subsequent recording to the device’s built-in storage or version 3.1 added the ability to stream H.264attached USB drive with a choice of two modes. encoded video using the RTMP protocol. Now, as The default method stops recording if storage well as the SRT protocol, version 3.2 provides becomes full, while a continuous, loop-like support for MPEG-TS over UDP or recording mode automatically deletes the RTP. The update automatically oldest saved clip to make detects compatible room when storage graphics hardware fills up. in the host system The Ultra Stream 1.3 and leverages GPUfirmware upgrade accelerated H.264 adds a user-selectable encoding when Auto-Recording option that possible, using the CPU automatically starts recording for encoding only as necessary. to internal storage, a USB drive Capture Express runs on the Windows Ultra Stream or both when a stable input signal is operating system and is compatible detected. The update also adds support with all current Magewell capture product lines – for the RTSP streaming protocol alongside Ultra including USB Capture Gen 2 and USB Capture Stream’s existing RTMP capabilities. Other Plus external devices, Pro Capture PCIe cards enhancements include expanded controls in the and Eco Capture M.2 hardware – as well as web-based interface, new tools for downloading Magewell’s first-generation capture cards and recorded clips and image adjustments, including boxes. brightness, contrast, saturation and hue. The Chinese manufacturer has also released www.magewell.com version 1.3 of its Ultra Stream livestreaming

Enhanced monitoring in Control Cockpit A 4.0.0 version of Sennheiser’s Control Cockpit has been released, giving users the ability to monitor the new SpeechLine MultiChannel Receiver and the EM 6000 receiver from the manufacturer’s Digital 6000 series, along with evolution wireless G3 and G4, SpeechLine and the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 microphone. The update also includes a “location-based Mute” functionality. This means that all devices in a room can be grouped and their mute switches synchronised, so that they

can be muted and unmuted together, either centrally via the Sennheiser Control Cockpit or locally on one of the devices. Locationbased Mute is available for TeamConnect Ceiling 2 and SpeechLine Digital Wireless, including the new Multi-Channel Receiver. The software also employs SSL encryption to make data transmission between the user inter face and the host server even more secure. In addition, users can now switch between Details View and Monitoring View.

Staying with the TeamConnect Ceiling 2 microphone, Sennheiser has announced compatibility with Zoom Meetings, along with the Bose ES1 Ceiling Audio Solution, an in-ceiling unified communications solution consisting of the Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling 2 microphone, the Bose ControlSpace EX-440C conferencing DSP, Bose EdgeMax EM180 in-ceiling loudspeaker and Bose PowerSpace P2600A amplifier. Control Cockpit version 4.0.0

www.sennheiser.com

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Ross Live | 2020 product launches AS PART of a 10-week programme of product launches, Ross Video has introduced the Graphic PPC, a portable production centre that can incorporate up to two MEs, four DVEs, six frame syncs,

different frame rates, adds adjustable delays on all frame-synched inputs in HD and UHD, while extending Wide Colour Gamut and HDR conversion in HD as well as UHD. First seen in the Graphite

softGear breakout boxes are supported and the engine offers Sample Rate Conversion for all frame syncs. The Canadian company’s Ultrix routing and AV processing platform has been upgraded with a v4.2 firmware update. A new SFP I/O module is included for the Ultrix-FR1, FR2 and FR5 chasses, offering multiviewers, frame syncs, clean/quiet switching, audio embedding/de-embedding and other Ultrix features. Ideal for use with large fibre deployments, UHD systems where cable distance is important or where additional HDMI I/O is needed, the board features 16 SFP cages for standard video SFPs and two aux ports for video/MADI connections. A new optional Ultrisync-UHD licence can be

Graphite PPC four media stores and two multiviewers. Capable of handling up to 13 inputs and eight outputs, Graphite PPC also includes the same RAVE audio engine and XPression graphics and clips package that comes with the larger Graphite solution. Equipped with a soft-shell carrying case and a pull-out handle and wheels, the 19kg package further benefits from quiet fan cooling and requires just a single operator. A v4 update for the Carbonite Ultra production switcher includes support for

integrated solution, the RAVE audio engine is now integrated into the Carbonite Ultra switcher. This provides access to 13x48 stereo channel mixers, 384 external audio channels (24 SDI inputs x 16 audio signals) and 10 internal inputs together with compression limiting and EQ functionality within the engine. Up to three RAVE ABU

purchased for assigning 12G frame syncs with up to 0.5s of variable audio delay per mono channel. The licences can float inside the frame for moving between inputs as required. The Ultricore-TLX Tie Line Control Manager automatically manages and simplifies routes between multiple frames. Ultricore-TLX is an optional licence for Ultricore-BCS offering

multi-hop automatic path-finding between all supported router types. softGear is a new signal processing platform that draws its design and methodology from Ross’ openGear ecosystem. It is said to provide users with new ways to acquire, process, manage and distribute content and complements existing hardware-based workflows with software-based processing for both on-premise workflows and cloud environments. Within softGear, algorithms are encapsulated using modern container technology, targeting CPU or GPU rather than FPGA or DSP, and media processing services are deployed as microservices, instead of dedicated physical cards. A common user interface framework through DashBoard is said to ensure that softGear is user-friendly for operators everywhere. In brief, Ross Video’s Virtual Solutions control platform now integrates with Monogram’s Creative Console, a new customisable and modular console intended to perform “free-form” control; Voyager V4.0 is the latest version of the manufacturer’s graphics rendering solution for virtual studio and augmented reality applications; and AirCleaner-2 is the latest version of Ross’ live event protection delay solution. www.rossvideo.com

NewTek unveils TriCaster Mini 4K StreamingPix goes live FOLLOWING THE launch of TriCaster Mini at the end of 2019, NewTek has gone one step further with the launch of TriCaster Mini 4K. As the name implies, the product introduces support for 4K video for the TriCaster Mini, while also adding new features such as Live Story Creator and LivePanel, which are intended to make the production of shows even easier for lone producers or small teams. The enhanced TriCaster Mini 4K promises simple setup with extensive live production capabilities, including broadcast-quality, fully customisable virtual sets to turn any environment into a professional studio. Broadcast graphics, media playback, one-touch automated control, multichannel remote Skype video calling, integrated replay and social media integration can all be achieved with up to full UHD p60 resolution. Live Story Creator enables an individual to run an entire production from a Microsoft Word document. A script created in Microsoft Word includes trigger actions when loaded into the TriCaster Mini 4K, allowing the storyteller to concentrate on delivery

of the message rather than on technical setup and production. LivePanel introduces customisable, browser-based remote control of the TriCaster Mini 4K from anywhere on the same local area network, letting anyone control live switching, compositing, mix/effects, media playback, audio and automation from tablets, smartphones and laptops. Configurable macros are also supported, allowing routine but complex tasks and sequences to be executed at the push of a button. www.newtek.com

DESIGNED TO produce compelling professional content, Broadcast Pix has launched StreamingPix, a complete live production and streaming solution that incorporates many of the manufacturer’s tried-and-tested streaming tools but with the addition of easy-to-use control interfaces and a library of clips and graphics. Features include a RoboPix PTZ camera with integrated remote control; high-quality audio capture using a LAV microphone; SDI, HDMI, IP and NDI inputs for the ability to input PowerPoint and social media; a library of readyto-use clips and graphics; media-aware macros to make content visually interesting; and one-tomany streaming to popular streaming services,

such as Facebook Live, YouTube Live or Vimeo, and virtual meetings, including Zoom, Skype and GotoMeeting. Tony Mastantuono, StreamingPix product manager, commented: “StreamingPix grew out of our observation that as the desire to stream events and content has exploded, particularly in recent months, most organisations lack the kind of broadcast training required by current systems on the market today. Users need a simpler, more accessible and easier automated way to produce compelling streams and get them online, at a cost-effective price point.” www.broadcastpix.com

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Genelec RAW

Easy on the eye. Easy on the environment. Introducing RAW, an eco-friendly reimagining of our most iconic studio, AV and home audio models. Featuring a distinctive, recycled-aluminium MDE enclosure design, RAW loudspeakers require no painting and less intensive finishing than standard models. The result is a unique design aesthetic that allows the raw beauty of the aluminium to shine through. And because it’s Genelec, you know it will sound as good as it looks – in any setting. We will be donating a percentage of every RAW speaker sold to the Audio Engineering Society’s fundraising initiative – helping this much-loved organisation continue its valuable work throughout the current COVID-19 crisis.

For more information visit genelec.com/raw

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Griffyn 4K32-RGB is made for the stage

Griffyn 4K32-RGB PRIMARILY DESIGNED for theme parks, sports venues and other environments with little regard for downtime, Christie has developed the Griffyn 4K32-RGB. With 360° orientation capabilities, the Griffyn 4K32-RGB

includes next-generation Trulife+ all-in-one electronics for “a blur-free experience, unrestricted connectivity and pictureperfect image alignment”. The omnidirectional RGB pure laser model is housed in a compact single chassis with no additional components or option cards required. Capable of providing up to 34,000 lumens while operating at less than 50dB at full brightness, the Griffyn 4K32-RGB is the company’s first projector to offer new digital convergence by individually selecting red, green or blue by remote control. It produces a wide colour gamut, achieving greater than 96% of the Rec. 2020 colour space for a richer visual experience. It also features

optional HFR capability to achieve 120Hz at 4K resolution or up to 480Hz with HD resolution for lifelike images. In other news, the manufacturer has launched two free software solutions: Christie Mystique Lite and Christie Conductor. Christie Mystique Lite removes the time-consuming work of image alignment in multi-projector arrays. It works with an inexpensive third-party webcam to warp, blend and align up to three supported Christie projectors in a single horizontal projector array on a flat surface or screen with the click of a button. The interface automatically detects the projectors and webcam, allowing users to mark the corners of their screen to then align, blend and warp an image.

Panasonic streamlines production WITH THE development of the PT-RZ990 laser projectors, Panasonic is targeting the growing immersive experience demand among HOW congregations. The Japanese manufacturer’s Smart Projector Control feature allows users to make use of the on/off function in addition to adjustments that can be made to the lens via a smartphone. The air-tight, dust-resistant optical units further benefit from a new filterfree cooling system to reportedly promote a virtually maintenance-free, 24/7 operation for up to 20,000 hours. Available in either black or white and compatible with 1-chip DLP lens options, all models deliver WUXGA (1920x1200) resolution and vary between 6,000 and 9,400 lumens in brightness. The PT-RQ35K Series has been designed to deliver eye-catching visuals with blue and red laser technology, 30,000 lumens of brightness and 4K resolution. The PT-RQ35K 4K (3840x2400) resolution with Quad Pixel Drive On and PT-RZ34K WUXGA (1920x1200) are said to significantly reduce logistics and installation hassles with the inclusion of Smart Projector Control and Near Field Communication function. These features are said to make it easy to read and change basic setups by holding a mobile device against the projector’s

PT-RZ990 touchpoint. The Remote Preview function makes it possible for users to check the content signal remotely via multimedia control software or a web browser. The SQ1H Series has an increased panel brightness of 1,000cd/m2 to ensure highquality content can be displayed, even in bright spaces. Available in 86- and 75-inch models, this series is capable of 24/7 operation and is said to allow for easy and flexible setup with Digital Link, based on the HDBaseT standard, connecting video, audio and control signals to external devices with a single LAN cable. The products also feature the Intel Smart Display Module (SDM) slot, making it possible to customise

the display and connectivity for a customer’s production and environmental needs. The SQE1 Series has been created to complement the current SQ1 Series with the addition of Wi-Fi connectivity. The displays are offered in a wide range of sizes, from the large 98-inch model to the 43-inch model, making them suitable for vertical

Christie Conductor is a monitoring and control software solution for up to 256 Christie 3DLP projectors. Conductor reportedly enables end users to proactively diagnose technical issues, execute repetitive processes with a single click and keep projectors working optimally, reportedly reducing the risk of downtime and saving hours of manual work. www.christiedigital.com

installation and 24/7 operation. The SQE1 Series is also equipped with the Intel SDM slot, as well as a wide range of terminals, and can be connected with various playback equipment and expansion boards. Built-in speakers are featured for playing content with audio. The Kairos IT/IP video processing platform has been developed to satisfy an increasing demand for hosting rich and engaging remote streaming content experiences. According to Panasonic, the live video switching comes with maximum CPU/GPU processor utilisation for “virtually unlimited” ME scalability, in addition to resolution and format independence. As a native IP, ST 2110 system, Kairos supports transitions to live, uncompressed IP workflows, bypassing the need for dedicated hardware.

display’s brightness to optimise power consumption and the overall viewing experience. The panel is said to be fully protected against moisture, as well as any potential debris.

Kairos

“We see growing demand from advertising companies to replace analogue with digital and the requirement for larger screen sizes,” said Keith Dutch, MD – EMEA, Peerless-AV. “We’re pleased to still be

leading in the market with the widest temperature range and ingress protection rating for our Xtreme range.” www.peerless-av.com

The Xtreme High Bright range

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Peerless-AV goes to the Xtreme THE LATEST addition to Peerless-AV’s line-up of displays is an IP66 all-weather model in the form of the 65-inch Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Display. In addition to the inclusion of Peerless’ patented Dynamic Thermal Transfer system, the product brings a new size offering to the digital out-of-home market. The 65-inch screen includes cover glass that is optically bonded to cut down on glare and improve picture quality, even in direct sunlight. With an operating temperature range of –35°C to +60°C, the manufacturer claims that the Xtreme Displays are designed for year-round outside use, in even the harshest of environments. The integrated ambient light sensor automatically adjusts the

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PRODUCTS

Dejero gets 5G-ready THE 5G-READY EnGo 260 is the latest version of Dejero’s EnGo mobile transmitter and weighs 30% less than its predecessor. Featuring Smart Blending and Hybrid Encoding technologies, the EnGo 260 also features a screen that is 85% larger, a three-hour internal rechargeable battery and global modems for international travel. Built with aircraft aluminium construction and polycarbonate ABS bumpers, the EnGo 260 is designed for durability to withstand onthe-go daily use by news, sports and live production crews. Dejero has also unveiled a smaller form factor CuePoint server for use in field environments where it can be easily racked into mobile carts or vehicles. The server simplifies talent cueing, production and confidence monitoring, and real-time teleprompting in the field. CuePoint servers reportedly provide latency as low as 250ms and keep teams at the broadcast facility and remote location synchronised by sending video and audio, alongside teleprompting feeds, to production teams in the field for the creation of live content. Up to eight return video and teleprompting feeds from

EnGo 260 the broadcast facility can be seen in the field on a tablet or dedicated monitor above or below the camera, or on multiple mobile devices by camera operators, field directors and technicians. The WayPoint 204 receiver has become the first Dejero product to support SMPTE ST 2110 standards. It reconstructs

WayPoint 204 also be used for backup connectivity as part of a disaster recovery plan, or other cases that solve first- and last-mile connectivity challenges for broadcasters and media organisations.

anywhere in the world in point-to-point, pointto-multipoint and multipoint-to-multipoint scenarios. www.dejero.com

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Lastly, Dejero has unveiled its IronRoute for Media solution that combines the link diversity, service quality and centralised management benefits of software-defined blended connectivity, with the flexibility and scalability benefits of a cloud-based workflow for global distribution over IP networks. IronRoute blends broadband and cellular (3G/4G/5G) alongside satellite connectivity from Intelsat’s global network. The cloud-based solution is also said to simplify the simultaneous distribution of live and file-based content to multiple locations

video transported over multiple IP connections from Dejero transmitters, decodes HEVC or AVC, delivers four channels of balanced IFB and provides four outputs supporting SMPTE ST 2110. The GateWay 200 series is said to provide fast, reliable and secure access to the internet, private networks and SaaS providers in mobile situations. Recently added features include increased reliability on any type of IP connection and faster file transfer methods. The GateWay series can

TO HELP education facilities specify technology that injects flexibility, hands-free connectivity and secure networks into multiple classroom environments, Kramer Electronics

has released its Kramer Schoolroom Solutions campaign. Designed for school administrators, IT managers and integrators worldwide, the solutions have been designed

to adapt to rapid change across classroom styles following the Covid-19 pandemic. As concerns grow over equipment hygiene, Kramer Schoolroom Solutions are said to provide a quick and secure way to encourage BYOD connectivity and automated handsfree classrooms. The tools also support hybrid learning, actively promoting class participation, reducing teacher setup time and offering a variety of connectivity options. The accurate reproduction of teaching materials is crucial to supporting lessons. Kramer’s systems support automated scaling and switching of content from BYOD devices to reportedly ensure picture quality matches

the display technology resolution. In addition, the systems support livestreaming to all major video platforms and carry video signals up to 4K. For IT departments that require more offsite management, the solutions promote remote servicing and reduce the amount of unnecessary service calls. Its user-proof automation and networked capabilities are said to provide a full overview of the campus site system and support a “grow-as-you-go” technology vision, with backward compatibility with existing systems. www.kramerav.com

Analog Way presents Midra 4K BASED ON the Midra 4K platform and fifthgeneration scaling engine inherited from the LivePremier presentation systems, Analog Way has unveiled the Midra 4K series of multi-layer video mixers and presentation switchers. The four products in the range – QuickVu 4K, QuickMatrix 4K, Pulse 4K and Eikos 4K – feature 4K60 10-bit 4:4:4 image processing, genlock synchronisation, true seamless switching, HDR support and HDCP 2.2 compatibility. Created for small- and medium-sized fixed installations and live applications, the switchers feature 10 inputs, including eight 4K60 (four HDMI 2.0, two 12G-SDI and two DisplayPort 1.2) and two 1080p with userselectable HDMI and SDI connectors. Two 4K60 outputs, each with mirrored HDMI and SDI connectors, can be combined to create a dual-output, edge-blended display or configured as two independent programme outputs or one programme output and one

auxiliary output. A dedicated multiviewer with resizable widgets is available to monitor the Program & Preview screens and all the connected sources. Ease-of-setup features include on-board Web RCS, which is an HTML5-based user interface with live source thumbnails. All products in the range feature Ethernet control via a standard TCP/IP socket connection supported by all major third-party control systems. They can also be controlled by the free Crestron driver in addition to Analog Way’s drag-and-drop Crestron user interface, AW VideoCompositor. Analog Way has also added software release 3.0 for its Picturall series of media servers. New features include the support of cue tracking, the NotchLC video codec, NewTek NDI v4.5 and virtual displays, in addition to a new web-based media manager and a free AWX encoder plug-in for Adobe Creative Cloud.

Midra 4K The support of cue tracking enables jumping from one cue to another in the cue stack, allowing changes to be recorded between the two cues and added to the final result. The GPU-powered NotchLC video codec enables delivery of up to 10-bit colour depth for clean gradients. In its largest

configuration, a Picturall media server can play back one 8K@60Hz or four 4K@60Hz video files. Support for NewTek NDI v4.5 technology reportedly increases the decoding speed and improves video quality. www.analogway.com

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Blackmagic Design adds hardware and software CREATED WITH a similar feature set as the Atem Mini, the Atem Mini Pro is a new live production switcher with added features for recording, streaming and monitoring. Blackmagic Design has launched a hardware streaming engine which allows direct streaming via its Ethernet connection to YouTube Live, Facebook and Twitch. A miniaturised control

display settings, such as switching reference modes and adjusting brightness. An integrated scaler ensures the video input standard is scaled to the native resolution of the connected DisplayPort monitor, although unscaled HD or 4K content can be viewed in pixel-by-pixel mode. For desktop or rack-mounted use, the rear panel of the 8K DisplayPort is further equipped with a USB-C connector, Quad Link 12G-SDI for HD and Ultra HD for up to 8K formats.

Atem Mini Pro panel-based design offers support for recording the stream direct to USB flash disks in H.264 in addition to multiple disks for continuous recording. The new model integrates a multiview on the HDMI video output for monitoring all inputs on a single screen. Equipped with four independent HDMI inputs, video sources resync to the switcher if they operate at different video standards. Each HDMI input features a dedicated standards converter for automatically changing 1080p, 1080i and 720p sources to the video standard of the switcher. A USB connection operates

Blackmagic Camera update 6.9 now provides a connection for the 4K and 6K Pocket Cinema Camera models to the Atem Mini switcher. The software update controls the video lens and tally light parameters of up to four cameras via the HDMI video connection. Enhancements include up to 25600 ISO for low light performance, Blackmagic RAW recording and a built-in 5-inch touchscreen for accurate focusing in 6K.

Datavideo switches and mixes

THE KMU-200 has been revealed as the latest addition to Datavideo’s series of multichannel 4K touchscreen region of interest switchers. Designed for smaller panel interview applications, the portable KMU-200 combines switching and audio mixing together with built-in streaming and recording capabilities. Depending on the user, the KMU-200’s workflow can switch between horizontal (16:9) and vertical (9:16) modes, with the latter providing multiple camera angles and high-quality audio. An integrated encoder streams directly to popular CDN platforms, while live events can be recorded with the built-in SD

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recording card. A single 4K camera can be used to obtain four cutouts or regions of interest and the full screen view,

plus another HDMI input for an additional camera or computer. For those applications that require social distancing, the KMU200 reduces the need to have multiple crew members producing and streaming a production. www.datavideo.com

Sony promotes remote solutions DESIGNED TO deliver high-quality images at 4K60p alongside full IP connectivity, Sony has developed the SRG-XP1 (POV) and SRG-XB25 (box) compact cameras. Each model is equipped with a wide-angle lens or optical zoom, promoting their use in hard-to-access applications where space is limited for a full-sized camera and dedicated operator. A single network cable is required for power supply, image distribution and full IP-based camera operation. Equipped with NDI | HX1 capability via an optional

worship. When the cameras are combined with the AI-based Edge Analytics Appliance REA-C1000, content can be created in real time to provide a remote shooting and streaming solution. Sony has also updated its Venice firmware. Version 6.0 allows importing of Advanced Rendering Transform (.art) files that improve monitoring picture quality and viewing options on-set. These .art files can be generated by Sony’s RAW Viewer software, from users’ own 3D LUT files. Additionally, Sony is collaborating

HyperDeck Studio Mini as a simple webcam source for use with any video software. Two 3.5mm stereo audio inputs provide connections to desktop and lapel microphones. The audio sources can be further processed by the built-in limiter, compressor and six-band EQ, in addition to being routed to the separately connected Fairlight audio mixer. A further new addition from Blackmagic is the Teranex Mini SDI to DisplayPort 8K HDR, an advanced 8K DisplayPort monitoring solution for DisplayPort monitors such as the new Apple Pro Display XDR. Dual on-screen scope overlays, HDR, scaled and pixel-by-pixel modes and 33-point 3D LUTs come as standard. The front panel includes controls and a colour display for monitoring the video input, audio meters and video standard indication. The Pro Display XDR panel can be used to control

With the addition of software update v7.1, the HyperDeck Studio Mini broadcast recorders now include an H.264 codec that supports true interlaced HD formats, a new AAC audio codec for uploading files direct to YouTube, Ethernet transfers of 110MB/s and support for longer duration in a single file of at least three hours. Designed to be portable, the miniaturised broadcast deck incorporates H.264, ProRes or DNx codecs for recording to SD or UHS-II card media in either QuickTime or MXF file formats. Other features include 6G-SDI for all formats up to 2160p30, HDMI for monitoring, dual SD card slots for non-stop recording and a built-in sync generator for daisy-chaining and synchronising multiple decks together. www.blackmagicdesign.com

Teranex Mini SDI to DisplayPort 8K HDR

The SRG-XP1 and SRG-XB25 licence, both cameras can operate with other NDI-compatible hardware or software on the network. Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) and Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) are also supported for AV recording and distribution. The SRG-XP1 POV camera is capable of capturing over 100° wide horizontal viewing angle and is particularly useful for recording reality shows and in settings such as esports and remote meeting/discussion, where the entire location can be captured regardless of the installation position. On the other hand, the SRG-XB25 box camera is suited for large spaces thanks to its 25x optical zoom, capturing footage from a distance for events, lectures, seminars and houses of

with Technicolor to create a new “look library” for the Venice camera, which will be available online as a resource for creatives wishing to quickly access some of Technicolor’s established looks. Version 2.0 of FX9 firmware supports 4K60p/50p recording through oversampling from a 5K cropped area of a 6K full-frame sensor. Version 2.0 also enables output of a 4K 16-bit RAW signal to an external recorder with the optional XDCA-FX9 accessory. This additional bit depth beyond the camera’s internal 10-bit recording is said to be ideal for projects requiring more intensive postproduction. pro.sony

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PRODUCTS

Marshall enhances broadcast workflows

DESIGNED TO easily integrate existing HD and UHD video into any IP-based workflows, Marshall Electronics has added the CV730-BK, CV630-IP, CV420-30X-IP and CV355-30X-IP cameras. The four cameras provide a wide variety of resolution options and a 30x optical zoom range. The CV730-BK PTZ model provides up to UHD (3840x2160) video resolutions at 60fps through IP, HDMI and 12G-SDI simultaneous outputs. The CV630-IP PTZ offers the same UHD resolution up to 30fps through IP and HDMI outputs and 1920x1080p (HD) outputs at 60fps through 3G-SDI. The CV420-30X-IP Zoom provides up to UHD resolution at 60fps through simultaneous HDMI and IP streams, while the CV355-30X-IP delivers up to HD (1920x1080p) resolution at 60fps through 3G/HD-SDI, IP and HDMI. An 8.5-megapixel image sensor is common on all four models, with the CV730-BK having the largest size sensor at

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such as Dante. A built-in web server has 1/1.8-inch. In addition to a been created for saved channel 12V power supply, mixes, system settings and a PoE connection updates. A network further enables remote control of up 64 management channels can be in addition to a simultaneously dedicated RS-232 displayed or (Cat-5/6) using zoomed in on Visca-over-IP commands. via a touch A 3.5mm audio input enables of the display. stereo audio embedding via The AR-DM61AAC/G.711 encoding over IP on all BT-64DT is an models. audio/video analysis CV420-30X-IP monitor designed specifically for Housed within a 1U chassis, the AR-DM61-BT-64DT multichannel TV stations, broadcast trucks, digital audio monitor integrates stereo master control and house of worship speakers, a 10-inch LCD touchscreen facilities. The AR-DM61-BT-DB version interface and multiple display modes. The is equipped with a pre-installed Dolby audio monitor adopts both traditional SDI, module. AES, analogue, Dolby and MADI formats, www.marshall-usa.com in addition to networked digital formats

Atlona ships HDBaseT and HDMI PTZ cameras ADDING TO its HDVS-CAM family for extending video, power and of video conferencing systems, camera control over distances up Atlona has unveiled the AT-HDVS- to 100m, and is said to enable CAM-HDMI, which features an simple, clean connectivity over HDMI output plus a USB 2.0 category network cabling. This interface for video and camera camera reportedly simplifies control, with simultaneous remote interfacing with video output HDBaseT available over switchers and both interfaces extenders. to support Remote camera conferencing and powering over lecture capture, HDBaseT further or a legacy streamlines hardware codec integration, with alongside modern the freedom software video to install the conferencing. camera The camera anywhere is said to without the add value need for within AC power. multi-usage Whereas AT-HDVS-CAM-HDMI the HDMI model is applications for live presentation, recording, ideal for small- and medium-sized streaming and conferencing. meeting spaces and classrooms, Software video conferencing the AT-HDVS-CAM-HDBT is said capability is enabled via USB to provide customers with an connection to a PC, with PTZ easily extendable solution for camera control available from larger meeting spaces, lecture popular soft codec and UC halls and auditoriums. clients such as Microsoft In brief, the manufacturer’s Teams, Zoom, BlueJeans, Slack, Velocity IP-enabled AV control, Cisco WebEx and GoToMeeting. room scheduling and device Integrators working with Atlona’s management platform has Omega Series of switchers and been updated to version 2.1. extenders can also integrate with Enhancements include simplified these systems, and develop a menu navigation, two-way complete conferencing system driver creation, custom UI that includes AV and USB enhancement, bulk add rooms extension. and context-based training. The AT-HDVS-CAM-HDBT www.atlona.com features an HDBaseT output

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Adder supercharges ADDERLink XDIP solution ADDER TECHNOLOGY has announced a series of enhancements to its ADDERLink XDIP IP KVM solution. New functionality comprises an expansion for the receiver to access 16 sources and the transmitter to broadcast to 256 receivers. Improved remote control, either via a RESTful API or HTTPS web browser, is said to give users even more choice and flexibility with how they control their XDIP solution. Managing all endpoints through an API will reportedly help customers simplify configuration and maintenance. According to the manufacturer, this level of interoperability, combined with new multicasting functionality, means the XDIP is the ideal solution to bridge the gap between KVM and video-over-IP. Customers can now take advantage of best-in-class KVM functionality while delivering video and AV content around a large-scale installation, all over an existing 1GbE network.

ADDERLink XDIP PoE support has also been made available in the US, so that XDIP customers can reportedly benefit from quicker installation times and cost savings, delivered by mitigating the need for additional power sources. In addition, PoE support is said to improve reliability by leveraging the redundant power options delivered by PoE switches. In other news, the UK manufacturer has unveiled the latest addition to its

ADDERLink Infinity 4000 Series, the ALIF4000. Multigigabit Ethernet support has been added to provide customers with the ability to balance their video quality and bandwidth usage requirements by delivering 4K over varying network capabilities, from 1Gb/s to 10Gb/s. Integrated 1GbE ports reportedly enable easy delivery of 4K60 video over ubiquitous 1Gb/s copper links

T using 100m of standard Cat-5e or Cat-6 cable, while dual multigigabit or 1GbE ports can be teamed together for enhanced resiliency or improved video capability. Compatibility with the existing ADDERLink Infinity range means the ALIF4000 can be phased into an existing network, “without disruption, downtime or the costly need to rip and replace”. When combined with a solution such as the ADDERLink ipeps+, the manufacturer’s remote KVM solution, users can reportedly achieve real-time, secure, remote access to their system from anywhere in the world.

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www.adder.com

ALIF4000

AJA promotes 12G-SDI connectivity WITH KI Pro Ultra 12G, AJA Video Systems has developed a single-channel 4K/ UltraHD recorder and player featuring 12G-SDI connectivity. Offering up to 50/60p recording and playback to and from Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHR, flexible connectivity options for the Ki Pro Ultra 12G include 12G-SDI, HDMI v2.0 together with optional 12G SFP+ fibre input and outputs. Alternatively, Ki Pro Ultra 12G can provide up to four channels of simultaneous HD recording up to 1080 50/60p with independent ProRes profiles per channel. Suited for a range of production environments, features of the 2U, half-rack unit include DMI 2.0 I/O with HFR 4:4:4 and HDR capabilities with support for the latest HDR formats, including HLG and HDR10 recording and playback. A multimatrix HD video display can be used for up to four channels during recording over SDI monitor out, HDMI out and the built-in

Ki Pro Ultra 12G display. During a power failure, Ki Protect protects recordings from being lost, while WebUI ensures that file transfer and remote monitoring, configuration and control can be performed using a standard web browser.

Following the launch of the Ki Pro Go, the Californian manufacturer has released v2.0 firmware. Recording support for up to 25Mbps, 10-bit and 4:2:2 colour space has been added, in addition to new

destinations, including 4K LED walls, HD displays and USB 3.0 livestreams. Ultra Scaler technology simultaneously delivers 1080p video at rates up to 240Hz for a gaming monitor, 59.94/50Hz for HD video systems and LED displays, and 59.94/50Hz for an HD livestream broadcast.

The half-rack unit provides premium conversion for synchronised big-screen IMAG and dot-by-dot scaling for LED wall displays. With a high-definition source signal connected to the 12G-SDI or HDMI 2.0 video inputs, the VC-100UHD automatically processes and converts to different resolutions, ready for distribution at 12G-SDI, HDMI and USB 3.0 rear-panel outputs. The VC-100UHD includes built-in visual effects for rotating, flipping, trimming and mirror imaging on each output, while Frame Synchronizer and Genlock allow video images to be re-clocked and stabilised. Furthermore, a plug-and-play USB 3.0 webcam output promotes the broadcasting of uncompressed 1080p video at 59.94/50Hz on streaming platforms. Inclusive VR Capture software records HD livestreams in ProRes 422 (Mac) or MP4

Roland connects to 4K LED walls

DESIGNED AS a next-generation AV signal management solution for live events, fixed installations and streaming applications, Roland has launched the VC-100UHD 4K video scaler. Equipped with Roland’s Ultra Scaler processing, the VC-100UHD inputs 4K and 1080p video sources for simultaneous distribution to multiple

timecode capabilities with LTC, in-system drive formatting, network file downloads and gang recording support. Five recording settings can now be selected, including low for talking heads, conference backups and security recording, medium/low, medium, medium/high and high for fast-moving content. Improved super out and front-panel audio monitoring also displays the remaining media percentage and audio meters for all four video channels. Removing the need for a separate PC, the firmware update also adds in-system media formatting, while network file downloading promotes the recording of files to a central server on the LAN in live production applications. Gang support has been added to allow users to connect multiple Ki Pro Go devices together via Ethernet to control the group of devices using one unit.

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(Windows) formats for further editing and distribution. In addition to video, the VC-100UHD can process embedded digital audio from its 12G-SDI and HDMI 2.0 inputs. Analogue I/O comes in the form of balanced audio on a 25-pin D-sub connector for professional applications and line-level stereo audio on RCA jacks for prosumer video requirements. An audio patching system routes and embeds/de-embeds up to 16 input channels and output up to eight channels. An adjustable delay is also provided on each output to correct lip sync issues. Other integration capabilities include custom EDID on HDMI, 24 video test patterns, an audio test tone generator, system backup via USB memory and remote-control support over LAN. proav.roland.com

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Telestream helps the move from SDI to IP

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Inspect 2110 FURTHER EXTENDING the Telestream IQ Solutions monitoring family, Inspect 2110 helps content creators monitor ST 2110 video streams at broadcast and production facilities. It ensures video flowing across the network is correct, working as expected and synchronised, enabling users to make the shift from SDI to IP video, while introducing several benefits in flexibility, scale, migration and efficiency. Inspect 2110 solves the

problem of monitoring IP networks with limited staff. Any individual program can be tracked throughout the network to ensure that the video content on any particular stream is exactly what it should be in terms of media, format, audio and metadata. The video monitoring solution also offers a direct link to the Prism IP media analysis platform. Ideal for enterprise-scale workflows, Capture C2 is the smaller version of Lightspeed

Black Onyx, Black Pearl and Sapphire, but also the newly added Vanish V8 and Ruby panels. Users must add the panel type, the required size of the videowall and the amount of stacking rear trusses

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Lightspeed Live Capture C2

THE UC3022 CamLive Pro is a new video capture and mixer device designed to stream two 4K cameras to a global audience with “seamless transitions and extraordinary image quality”. Aten reports that the device has been developed to fulfil the growing demand for video conferencing, livestreaming, distance learning and online worship by allowing users to publish and stream professional-level content that really stands out. The UC3022 CamLive Pro combines capturing, mixing, encoding and two-channel video source switching from HDMI cameras and a professional-level audio device. With the Aten OnAir Lite Android and iOS app, users can work freely and wirelessly control their video stream while editing it in real time

from anywhere and arrange multiple elements into the program mix with continuous feature updates. Sources are automatically converted to clean-looking USB video format in 720p or 1080p, which is sent to the user’s laptop or smartphone via USB. This reportedly helps livestreams and events flow smoothly and stand out from other online content. www.aten.com

Riedel keeps its distance

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The Californian developer has announced major new functionality and feature sets for its software-based Prism Waveform Monitor. Remotely accessible, the single next-generation solution is suited to SDI and IP workflow applications, including postproduction workflows up to 8K resolution. In addition to offering a full suite of IPbased Waveform Monitoring tools up to 4K resolution on 25G Ethernet, Prism includes enhanced HDR and Wide Colour Gamut (WCG) reports and tools.

Smooth streaming

Safety first ROE VISUAL has developed a Ballast Calculator to help users add the right amount of ballast to a stacked LED screen. When building a large videowall, one of the most impor tant challenges

Live, offering a dual-channel ingest solution and media processing for less complex applications. The dual-channel ingest solution captures two concurrent HD inputs up to 1080p60 and generates a low-res proxy of the content. Supporting all major HD codecs, the server provides production tools, such as simultaneous edit-while-capture, transcodewhile-capture and deliver-while-capture. Telestream reports that its Lightspeed Live Capture is the only capture portfolio that supports all the common formats, HDR, VTR digitising, remote production, IP input and delivery to Avid systems, without hardware changes. By integrating the new server system alongside its flagship, software-based Vantage Media Processing Platform, the Vantage for Capture option adds transcoding that runs directly on the Lightspeed Live Capture C2 server alongside Live Capture, Live Stream and Avid integration. Facilities include Live Edit sub-clipping of live and growing capture files using an HLS proxy embedded in a user-friendly, web-based UI.

is to do this safely. Even with the use of ROE’s LED stacking systems, in most cases it’s necessar y to add extra ballast. Not all AV technicians are aware of the total weight a complete LED screen can amount to and what forces it generates, even if the screen is mounted indoors. Available in six languages, the calculator offers ballast information for a broad range of the manufacturer’s LED panel types, such as the Carbon series,

used, and the amount of ballast needed for the stacking system will be automatically calculated. All available types of stacking system are added to the ballast calculator. The calculator is only available for indoor situations and cannot be used outdoors. ROE also recommends that users check what local or regional standards and regulations apply. www.roevisual.com

WORN AROUND the neck or carried in a pocket, Riedel has devised DisTag as a reliable distance monitoring device. The wearer is alerted via haptic, visual and acoustic signals whenever the mandatory minimum distance to other people is about to be breached. DisTag is designed to maintain a safe distance between employees, visitors and customers operating in media and event production, industrial operations, retail, medical facilities, cultural institutions and educational organisations. Weighing 61g, the compact 93mm x 41mm device offers three signal levels – a twostage vibration alarm (haptic), a two-stage LED signal (visual) and a two-stage sound signal (acoustic). The proximity limits of the warning signals can be individually defined and adjusted in accordance with local regulations for social distance. The minimalist device can be worn indoors or out, while an integrated battery provides

power for up to 12 hours. Requiring no additional infrastructure, the system can be easily expanded. www.riedel.net

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Genesis is a revelation for Altman FOLLOWING ON from the PHX LED ellipsoidals, Altman Lighting has developed the PHX3 LED Profile and PHX3 LED Zoom luminaires. Designed for use in applications requiring energy-efficient lighting, the PHX3 LED ellipsoidals use a 340W red, green, blue and lime (RGBL) LED engine that can output the equivalent of over 10,000 lumens. Available in 5°, 10°, 19°, 26°, 36° and 50° fixed focus Profile Spot models in addition to 15–35° and 30–55° Zoom Spots, the fully locking shutters and 360° rotating barrel maintain the PHX3 fixture focus intact with little light bleed. Incorporating multiple on-board control options including colour fades and strobes, PHX3 luminaires also offer a console-free, standalone Player Mode and 8-bit or 16-bit virtual dimming for smooth blackouts and colour shift minimisation during dimming. The US manufacturer has created the Genesis console for controlling multifunctional automated and LED luminaires. Providing the programmer the creative control of automated and LED luminaires, Genesis fulfils ease-of-use design requests by combining a fader-based controller with a

PHX3 LED

touchscreen interface. Advanced programming functionality with features such as Shape FX, Chases, Fan and Individual Cue Timing are included. Additionally, the GUI allows control of luminaire parameters via familiar icons, colour picker, movement targets or touch sliders. For moving light control, pan and tilt are also controlled via the touchpad, adding a fine movement control for critical focus points. The animate feature is said to quickly create chases, sequencing and patterned attribute control within a single cue. Genesis consoles can control up to 24 discreetly addressed luminaires, each with a physical intensity fader and bump button. www.altmanlighting.com

ETC simplifies installation FEATURING PRISTINE light from a modular design, the ArcSystem Navis is the latest line of LED luminaires conceptualised by ETC. Primarily designed for ease of installation and maintenance, the Navis line combines in-field customisation and high-grade TIR optics with stepless dimming. The fixtures are available in multiple colour temperature options ranging from 2,700–5,000K, in addition to an RGBW colour-mixing option. A 3,000K Fade to Warm variant

hardware accessories. An optional wall wash accessory also transforms the Navis 100 into a luminaire capable of providing a smooth blanket of light for a wall or corridor application. Providing power and data support via Cat-type cabling for up to 48 individually controllable Navis 100 luminaires, the F-Drive LED power control solution operates with ArcSystem Navis luminaires and third-party fixture applications. Adding flexibility, the F-Drive family includes an

The F-Drive and ArcSystem Navis luminaires provides an intimate, warm light at lower intensity levels. Aesthetic changes can reportedly be made in seconds, with various magnetic trim plates, clip-in optical accessories and twist-and-click beam angle lenses. The recessed Navis 100 measures 100mm high with three wind-down clamps catering to ceiling thicknesses ranging from 0.5–20mm. Any Navis 100 can be transformed into a surface cylinder or pendant solution by sliding it into the purpose-designed

R12 rack-mount option and a W1 wallmount option. Measuring 3U, the R12 option features 12 slots for swappable output cards with four channels of power output each, which are compatible with a variety of LED fixtures, including constant current and constant voltage loads. The hot-swappable cards allow changes to be made while maintaining power for the rest of the LED system. www.etcconnect.com

Genesis

Return of the Mac WITH THE launch of the MAC Aura PXL LED, Martin by Harman has reportedly created the industry’s first wash light with individual pixel control of both the main beam and Aura backlight. Featuring an RGBW LED engine capable of producing a 13,000-lumen output, the MAC Aura PXL expands on the LED backlight concept introduced in the MAC Aura. Precisely calibrated LEDs deliver rich, saturated colours and subtle, pastel hues with instant colour mixing and minimal degradation over time. The MAC Aura PXL’s silent 1:8 zoom ranges from wide wash coverage to a high intensity 5° narrow beam, while fast LED refresh rates enable flickerfree operation with no banding. The enhanced Aura backlight comes with 141 individually controllable LEDs and the 19 pixels that make up the beam can be programmed individually or used as a

video element within a P3 system. A single etherCON data connection supports all protocols such as P3, ArtNet and sACN, while a five-pin DMX connection ensures

MAC Aura PXL

either black or white housing. Their six-lens design reportedly delivers optics, ultrabright output, flat projection and a crisp focus of a static lens with the speed and flexibility of a zoom lens. The lenses feature universal a mechanical anti-slip locking compatibility. mechanism and a service hatch for The Ethernet ELP zoom cleaning and maintenance. A gobo/ switch with lenses accessory gate accommodates fail-safe relay means A/B-size gobos and a colour gel frame is the fixture can be turned on and off without also included. Variant 1 offers a 15–30° affecting other fixtures down the line. range with a 7,000-lumen output (ELP CL The appeal of Martin’s ELP family of in high output mode) and Variant 2 offers ellipsoidal LED light fixtures has been a 25–50° range with an output of 6,900 enhanced with a range of zoom lens lumens (ELP CL in high output mode). accessories. The ELP zoom lenses broaden the functionality of ELP CL and WW LED pro.harman.com ellipsoidal lights with two beam ranges in

Robe creates 6:1 hot-spot lens HEEDING A request made by Lightswitch, Robe has created a patented 6:1 hot-spot lens system for its new ESprite LED profile luminaire. As the Czech Republic-based optical design manufacturer introduced its latest automated LED luminaire, the team at Lightswitch offered to collaborate. In doing so, the joint team created the Hot-Spot Lens system for the ESprite and T1 Series of LED profiles. Successfully tested in previous generations of Robe LED profiles, the new lens system accessory will continue to be implemented

in future product releases. The ESprite LED is a fully featured automated luminaire that has a fast-change, transferable light engine to troubleshoot performance longevity for white source LED luminaires. Capable of producing 27,000 lumens and 85,000 lux at 5m, the TE 650W white LED source and the Hot-Spot Lens system allow designers to move from a flat field beam to a 6:1 ratio hot-spot beam, giving uniform intensity when overlaying beam edges. The ESprite with hot-spot and frost

The ESprite without hot-spot or frost

www.robe.cz

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Elation adds UV PRISMA IS a series of UV LED lighting products created for Elation’s Magmatic Atmospheric Effects range. With a weatherproof IP65 rating, the lights have been designed to make it easier for end users to implement UV light into their projects. They are described by the manufacturer as compact, lightweight and easy to handle, and a variety of narrow and wide beam angles are available. Because Prisma uses high-quality, medicalgrade LEDs that emit UV light in the 365nm range, no visible light is emitted, meaning only the UV reactive material glows and nothing else. A further advantage over traditional UV LED lights is that Prisma uses durable LEDs with special silicone lenses that are UV resistant and slow to degrade, reportedly lasting up to 25 years or more. The Prisma Par 20 comes with 12 2W high-power UV diode LEDs and a narrow 20° beam angle, while the Prisma Par 50 incorporates 16 2W LEDs and a wide 50° beam angle from a large internal LED reflector. The Prisma Mini Par 20 and Prisma Mini Par 45 have seven 2W LEDs and a 20° and 45° beam angle, respectively. The Prisma Mini Bar 20 includes 10 2W LEDs and a 20° beam angle. Up to eight Prisma Mini Par 20, Mini Par 45 and Mini Bar 20 units can be powered by the Prisma Driver 8, a 48VDC driver that provides individual DMX-512 control, including variable delayed time dimming modes. The Prisma Wash 25

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MIDI Timecode (MTC) stream, where it can be read into Onyx or any other MIDI Timecode-compatible software. Additionally, it also has the power to take MTC and send it back out as SMPTE. It does not require custom drivers and, in addition to working with Onyx, it can be used as an SMPTE to MTC/ MTC to SMPTE device for both Windows 10 and macOS software applications. NX Sync www.elation.com

The Prisma series

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and Prisma Wash 100 contain 38 2W LEDs and a scoop LED reflector design that creates a 25° and 90° beam angle, respectively. A Black Glass diffusion filter option creates a complete blackout effect, only allowing UV rays to penetrate. Meanwhile, Elation’s Obsidian Control Systems has launched the NX Sync, a plug-and-play USB SMPTE timecode device that captures timecode in various SMPTE formats from its threepin XLR connection and conver ts it to a

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BUSINESS: ANALYSIS

Sustainable investing Genelec’s new logistics centre is providing the manufacturer with increased capacity and sustainability, and the extra space is proving invaluable too. Caroline Moss reports from Finland

L–R: production director Piia-Riitta Bergman, logistics manager Minna Hukkanen and development engineer Anninka Hujanen in the new logistics centre

SUSTAINABILITY IS NOT A NEW BUZZWORD FOR Genelec. Its lakeside factory in Iisalmi, Finland, was constructed in 1985 with environmental concerns in mind, and products are designed to have a long lifespan and ease of service, with spare parts available years after discontinuation. Since 2000, the company has initiated regular procedures to ensure sustainable development, the most recent and farreaching being last year’s addition of a new logistics facility at its headquarters. This has increased the space, flexibility and efficiency of warehousing and logistics operations, while enabling the entire facility to be powered exclusively by sustainable sources including solar, wind and hydroelectric energy. “We wanted to keep manufacturing and R&D under one roof in Iisalmi,” explains production director, Piia-Riitta Bergman, one of several inspirational women who oversaw the expansion. “The main aims were to maintain the high quality of production and make sure our processes are streamlined as new products get introduced, especially in the key area of final testing of our equipment. The company has grown, new items have gone into production and we realised we needed more space. Building an extension was a natural way to respond to our growth as we keep developing production processes and bringing some new ones in. In a multi-product environment, it makes sense to optimise the internal logistics: how the goods come in, where they are stocked, how are they reached from the stock and delivered to the assembly stations and then how the readymade speakers are transported. Now, we have much more room for the shipping department; the space we have available to handle incoming and outgoing goods is much bigger.” A key investment was an automated warehouse and retrieval system, providing hundreds of metres of shelving and storage capacity for the entire production process. Automated vertical storage is planned to boost handling efficiency by up to 65% and increase floor space by up to 70%. Fully automated, it allows production staff to select a job on a screen and, moments later, receive a tray containing the necessary components. To minimise error, lasers point to the correct item when the shelf comes into view, so exactly the right components can be collected and transported to the assembly station on a dedicated trolley. Future plans involve fitting a robot driver onto the trolleys so they can automatically get to where they are needed on the production floor. “Automation in

our type of industry is typically used to free up a person to do something that creates more value,” says Bergman. “Some of the simple routine and repetitive tasks can be taken over by a robot, or a person and a machine working together, to improve quality and productivity.” Development engineer Annika Hujanen, who managed the project, came on board in late 2018, with building work starting in March 2019 and lasting 10 months. “We did a lot of research into the companies we worked with on the construction,” she explains. “To keep the carbon footprint down, the furthest the contractors came from was Kuopio, 85km away, and they used local subcontractors from Iisalmi.” A steering group was formed so that big decisions could be taken collectively. “This enabled very smooth communication with all the partners, and we learned a lot through the process,” adds Hujanen. Although Genelec moved from oil to wind- and hydroelectricgenerated energy some time ago, the new building sees its first-time use of solar panels, with over 450 mounted on the roof. “We chose a local solar provider,” says Hujanen. “In the winter, and when they are covered with more than 10cm of snow, we don’t get any power but, in the summer, even the nights are bright. And if we make more than we need, we can sell the power. We’ve calculated that one-third of our electricity comes from our local solar panels – a very good achievement and it’s still early days.”

Genelec’s new warehouse and retrieval system Another contribution to carbon reduction comes from the consolidation of two former warehouses in the Iisalmi area into the new building. “There was a lot of traffic going back and forth, so we’ve reduced the carbon footprint here,” says Hujanen. “We’ve also made a lot of changes to our recycling system, investing in a crusher, and doing smart recycling that only gets collected when it is ready. Our ultimate goal is to run our operation with zero waste. We ask our partners around the world if they can use recycled materials, planting ideas and encouraging them. When we audit our factories, we also audit from the point of view of sustainability.” Of course, the new extension is also providing an unanticipated bonus in these times of social distancing. “The extra space has helped during this period as the warehouse and material logistics have been working in a separate area,” says Bergman. “We’ve divided production into different groups and shifts, with smaller groups working at different times, while also implementing working practices and routines to protect the health and safety of personnel. Safe distancing has been implemented and we are limiting and organising team movement in separate areas of the factory.” Not quite the future Genelec was envisioning when planning the new factory extension, but its timely construction has ticked another box as the company continues its drive towards sustainability. www.genelec.com

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