ETA July-August 2015

ETA MCI [P] 010/09/2014 KDN: PPS 1663/08/2013 [022991]

2015 July - August

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA

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28th SEA Games Celebrates The Extraordinary PALM Expo India Review Universal AV Ups The Ante @ McGettigan’s Clarke Quay Product Highlight: Eaton’s Zero88 FLX Console

Enjoy the sound of silence Barco laser phosphor projectors

Noise in working environments can reduce productivity by more than 30%. That’s why Barco created the quietest laser phosphor projectors on the planet. The laser-sharp images and sensational colors they display will do justice to all your content. And their 6,000 lumens of light output empower you to share information on a really big screen for higher productivity.

Their filter-free and lampless design frees you from tedious maintenance. And thanks to the laser diodes’ 20,000-hour lifetime, you will sooner need to refurbish your workspace than replace your projector.

Available with WXGA or WUXGA resolution, the Barco laser phosphor projectors are not only compact and light, they can be rotated 360° and support portrait mode too. What’s more, they also come with five different lenses – featuring throw ratios from 0.75 to 5.5 – to fit any project.

Contact Barco Singapore Private Limited for more information No. 10 Changi South Lane #04-01, Singapore 486162 Tel: +65 65899893 www.barco.com/businessprojectors

www.thep www.theprojectors.it

is ALREADY LEGEND

SUPERHERO SUPE ERHERO ID Name

MYTHOS

BORN SPECIAL FEATURES LAMP OPTICS SPOT BEAM FOCUS WASH COLORS GOBOS EFFECTS PRISMS DESIGN

THE MOST ADVANCED FORM OF HYBRID LIGHT 470W, 7800K discharge lamp - 150,000 lux at 20m Large 160mm Ø front lens 4°- 50° electronic zoom (Spotlight mode) 2.5° aperture and “pipe” effect (Beam mode) Perfectly sharp focusing along the entire beam length Frost filter for soft-edge projection (Wash mode) CMY color mixing + 14 colors on 3 wheels 6 HQ dichroic rotating gobos and 18 fixed metal gobos Advanced visual effect disc (animation disc) 2 indexable rotating prisms (8-facet and linear 4-facet) Patented Italian Design

CONTENT VOL 16 ISSUE 4 July - August 2015

56

ŠJim Lee Photography

Exploring The Great Outdoors

06 FIRST WORDS

EXHIBITION REVIEW

89 FOOD- 4 -THOUGHT

08 NEWS

60 PALM Expo India 70 BroadcastAsia 2015 74 PALM Expo China

LIVE!

30 ENNOVATIONS PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT 38 Eaton' Zero88 FLX Console

PROFILE 40 Powersoft Celebrates 20 Years

SPECIAL FEATURE

INSTALL 76 Art Venue Opens With ETC 78 Universal AV Ups The Ante @ McGettigan's 82 GLP For New Harbin Music Hall 84 Cinema 21 Installs Christie Vive Audio 86 Dramatic Role For Robe

88 An Art Experience With A Twist 90 ACME Presents Beautiful Light To Eason Chan 92 TDC Technical Wizardry at Vivid Sydney 2015 96 Handball To The P.A. People With Clear-Com

98 Have U Met...?

44 28th SEA Games Celebrates The Extraordinary 56 Exploring The Great Outdoors

38

Powersoft Celebrates 20 Years

88

An Art Experience With A Twist

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06

FIRST WORDS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Would You Buy A Sound System Without Hearing It First?

This is, of course, a rhetorical question. I ask because it seems to be a never-ending issue especially with exhibitions in Asia, that there is no sound control on the exhibition floor.

To be fair, unlike visual and lighting solutions, the only way to appreciate audio would be to hear it. So how is it possible for big brands to showcase their solutions at the international shows without visitors being able to appreciate the quality? Certainly one of their objectives to be at the exhibition is for branding purposes and for discussions with potential customers and their distributors. This comes with the understanding that the show floor is meant for such purposes.

However, what generally happens is that, some exhibitors book a demo room at the exhibition venue or conduct live demonstrations in different countries and/or regions, immediately after the show.

The mindset of exhibitors in Asia is different. They have paid for the space and they feel it is their right to blast their sound systems. Exhibition organisers, from my interaction with them, have stated they do have regulations related to this but alas, it is hardly implemented. There MUST be a way to resolve this.

The credibility of an exhibition is at stake. It makes discussions, especially those related to purchases, very difficult. So how can we balance the needs of the exhibitors with that of the visitors and exhibition organisers?

No doubt, the specially designated Shoot-Out areas outside the exhibition halls help in some way but there are related costs which some exhibitors may not consider worth their while. We can build demo spaces but there is cost involved which might not be palatable for some exhibitors. I recall in the early years of PALM Asia, there was a Loud Hall and a Quiet Hall, which was accepted by all.

Asian manufacturers and distributors have yet to adapt to the international protocol when it comes to sound at an exhibition.

Maybe one way to resolve this would be to split the day equally amongst the audio exhibitors and offer them a minute to demo their sound system at a fixed decibel level. Organisers can also highlight clearly all the different demo times and the exhibitors can pro-actively highlight their schedule. Assuming you have 50 audio exhibitors and each is given 1 minute to demo, four times a day, that would be a total of 4 minutes per exhibitor. At 50 exhibitors it would take up 200 minutes. Based on an 8 hour show it gives ample time for breaks between demos. Will it work? Maybe - provided that is very strictly enforced. Maybe this could be the first step to resolve the frustrating noise issues at the exhibitions.

Thomas Richard Prakasam Publisher / Editorial Director thomas@spinworkz.com

INDIA AND MIDDLE EAST EDITOR Ram Bhavanashi ram@spinworkz.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR Elissa Nadine elissa@spinworkz.com

EDITOR, DIGITAL PLATFORM Rosalind Tan rosalind@spinworkz.com

ASSISTANT EDITOR Shireen Ho shireen@spinworkz.com

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Jimmy Chin jimmy@spinworkz.com

ADMIN & CIRCULATION Julie Tan admin@spinworkz.com

MEDIA REP IN NORTH AMERICA Broadcast Media International Michael Mitchell Tel: +1 631 673 0072 mjmitchell@broadcast-media.tv PUBLISHED BY Spinworkz Pte Ltd, 51 Bukit Batok Crescent, #06-10 Unity Centre, Singapore 658077 Tel: (65) 6316 2716 Fax: (65) 63162715 www.spinworkz.com PRINTED BY Stamford Press Pte Ltd

Disclaimer Entertainment Technology Asia is published 6 times a year. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine is to be reproduced, whether mechanical or electronic without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the publisher. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but the editor reserves the discretion to use them. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy and honesty in both editorial and advertising content at press time, the publisher will not be liable for any inaccuracies.

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NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

SLS Production Acquires ISO 9001:2008 And OHSAS 18001:2007 Certification on an organization's ability to meet and improve upon customer satisfaction and quality requirements.

Likewise, OHSAS 18001 is an internationally recognized assessment specification for occupational health and safety management systems.

DUBAI: Achieving ISO 9001:2008 certification is a terrific milestone for SLS Production and its customers. This standard specifies Quality Management System (QMS) requirements, focused

The complete process of achieving the ISO certification takes three to six months of proper documentation, consulting, maintaining health & safety

standards and many strict adherences to achieve the perfect standard.

Managing Director, Martin Luiz explains, “This is a strong indication that we want to maintain and improve the level of dedication and professionalism for our existing and future clients. With the huge growth the company faced over the last few years, it became essential to strengthen the delivery of quality services by applying Quality Management systems which will allow our company to constantly improve our internal and external processes.” www.slspro.net

NEXT-proaudio Appoints New Distributors for UAE and South Korea UAE/SOUTH KOREA: NEXT-proaudio has announced the appointment of new distributors for United Arab Emirates and South Korea. Echo Beats Electronics will handle the exclusive distribution of NEXT-proaudio products in UAE, and Avix Tech for the Korean market.

Echo Beats Electronics is part of a regional group with more than 27 years of experience in Professional Audio, Lighting and A/V Equipment and more than 10 years in the Broadcast Industry.

“We are very happy to start this distribution with Echo Beats. We found a very professional company that offers high quality solutions to the market since long time ago with a big experience on the professional segment," said André Correia, NEXT-proaudio's assistant manager.

"We were looking for a loudspeaker manufacturer specialized in touring and installation products with high quality components, unique design,

Echo Beats CEO Raghid Najjar with NEXTproaudio's assistant manager, Andre Correia

Antonio Correia with Avix Tech president Jong Soon Park

true warranty and competitive price in which we found at NEXT-proaudio. With the support of NEXT-proaudio and its product portfolio, Echo Beats Electronics aims not only for small rental companies, touring and installation projects but also big rental companies, high end and large installations especially with the LA series," added Raghid Najjar, CEO, Echo Beats.

great potential in the Korean house of worship market.”

“Avix Tech is a very high profile supplier in Korea working closely with systems integrators, broadcasters and consultants,” explained Antonio Correia.

“With our product portfolio, we see

“We supply and install full A/V systems to mid-sized churches and venues such as performing arts centres. Having visited the factory in Portugal, I was convinced that NEXT-proaudio creates unique solutions for our customers. In addition to manufacturing extremely powerful loudspeaker systems they also market themselves well,” explained Avix Tech president Jong Soon Park. www.next-proaudio.com

Touring-friendly and highly efďŹ cient hybrid Hard-edge, mid-air effects and wash all-in-one Output superior to 1,500 W spot ďŹ xtures Vibrant colors known from the MAC Viper family

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NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Bharat Light And Sound Invests In Dynatech of dual 15"+HF tops housing P.audio's 600W RMS P150/2226 woofers. The DVX-212LA is a 1200W RMS Dual 12" line array coupled with a 1.4" exit 3" voice coil high performance compression driver.

The system has been tested on a full schedule of live, DJ, and demanding roadshows. The system will also be used for a range of summer festivals and corporate events.

INDIA: To expand its touring rental business, Bharat Light and Sound, Jharkhand has invested in a Dynatech DVX-212LA setup ahead of a busy summer concert season.

"Dynatech's DVX-212LA has been praised by major artists and respected engineers and will give us an excellent position in the touring market,” said

Pintu Kumar, owner of Bharat Light and Sound.

“The time is right for the upgrade, and we’re excited to be the first rental company in Jharkhand to offer advanced loudspeaker technologies.”

The system comprises of 6 x line array loudspeakers, in addition to 20 units

“When I first heard a DVX-212LA demo, the sound quality at all levels was very impressive,” added Pintu Kumar.

“Also, the rigging system is just spectacular—it will significantly reduce the time and labour needed to fly the system, making it perfect for corporate events with tight scheduling.” www.sonotone.in

QSC “Rent It Now” Program To Be Deployed Worldwide INTERNATIONAL: QSC has announced the release of the new “Rent It Now” program connecting customers with participating QSC rental companies.

The “Rent It Now” program link allows visitors at QSC.com to easily and quickly find participating dealer rental locations that rent QSC products including TouchMix compact digital mixers, K, KW and KLA powered loudspeakers and more for portable live sound applications.

A “Rent It Now” button appears on portable live sound product pages (mixers, loudspeakers, and amplifiers) and when clicked, lists rental locations by geographic proximity to the user.

The “Rent It Now” program is the third component (along with “Hear It Now”

and “Buy It Today”) of a direct referral partnership between QSC and the company’s resellers and rental channel partners.

“There are many people who would like to try a QSC product in the ‘real world’ before making a purchase.

Additionally, many QSC rental partners allow customers to use the cost of the rental toward the purchase of the product,” says Director of North American Sales, QSC Professional, Perry Celia.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to experience the quality and sonic superiority that QSC products deliver.”

The “Rent It Now” program has been initially released in the USA, and will be deployed worldwide over the coming months. www.qsc.com

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“For both the Queen + Adam Lambert and the Kylie Kiss Me Once tours I needed a hard-edged fixture that would be visible in the air against large video screens.

The MAC Viper AirFX was the only choice.”

Photos: Ralph Larmann

Rob Sinclair, Lighting Designer

12

NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Acoustic & Lighting Named d3 Technologies Reseller For Singapore, Malaysia And Thailand Headquartered in Malaysia with regional offices in Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, Acoustic & Lighting System (A&L) is one of the leading distributors of audio, lighting and visual products in Southeast Asia.

Chris Bird from d3 together with Eugene Yeo from A&L

ASIA: The network of d3 Technologies’ resellers continues to grow with the addition of Acoustic & Lighting System Pte Ltd., which will look after new customers for d3 media servers in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

“Our new partnership with d3 is exciting and challenging,” said Eugene Yeo, business development manager at A&L. “As current show designs get more dynamic and sophisticated with extensive use of higher pixel density LED screens and projectors together with massive quantities of lighting fixtures, it is very critical for production directors to see the entire design and scope of projects during earlier phases. The realtime 3D simulation in d3 allows users to simulate projectors, map contents on 3D objects and LED screens, and sequence the show before they even step foot at the venue.”

Yeo notes that d3’s “4x4pro, its configurable VFC card outputs, and its ability to push every pixel are vital as demands for video content resolution climb ever higher. That’s the power of d3 that we know will be a game changer in the market.”

A&L will begin introducing d3 to the marketplace by expanding customers’ knowledge of the system.

“We will put in a lot of time and effort to educate different users on the features of d3, since it is still less well-known in this region,” said Yeo. “However, given the capabilities of d3, users will soon discover the wide array of solutions that can be achieved once they master the system.” www.d3technologies.com

GLP Announces Full Production Release Of X4 Bar Range INTERNATIONAL: GLP has announced the full production release of the latest addition to its product range: the X4 Bar.

dimming which ensures that there is no colour shift, just smooth even fades.

The range features two fixtures, the X4 Bar 10 and X4 Bar 20, both of which are high performance battens offering flexibility to today’s lighting designer across multiple applications.

DMX control offers full pixel mapping capabilities, allowing a whole multitude of dynamic fades and chases through intensities and colours.

The GLP impression X4 Bar uses high output RGBW LED’s that are packed tightly to give a full batten of light, with 20 LED’s used in the 40 inch long (100cm) X4 Bar 20 and 10 LED’s in the shorter 20 inch (50cm) X4 Bar 10.

High quality optics ensure a smooth, homogenised output across the batten through a broad pallet of pastel and saturated colours. This allows for subtle graduated fades, or for distinct colour breaks between LED’s. This is complemented by GLP’s exceptional

The X4 Bar 10 and X4 Bar 20 both feature a 7:1 zoom ranging from 7 to 50 degrees, giving effects from a narrow angle light curtain to a wide angle backlight or washlight. It also features a motorised tilt, for fast refocussing or to be used to add more dynamics to the output beam.

The X4 Bar has been specifically designed to give consistent pixel spacing between adjacent units, an important visual aspect for many designers when using fixtures in full view of the audience.

The X4 Bar is complemented by Powercon in and thru connectors for easy daisy chaining without the need for an external PSU, along with multiple DMX modes, rubber feet for floor mounting and ¼ turn attachments points for rigging flexibility. www.glp.de

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NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Global TV Refits New Studios With 250 PR Lighting Fixtures Requiring essential functionality for their daily round of Comedy, Light Entertainment and Popular Music they dipped extensively into PR Lighting’s portfolio of PAR LED’s, with Spot, Beam and Wash lights.

In total, they acquired 70 XR 200, 70 XLED 1037, 90 XPAR 360 and 20 XR330 Spot.

According to Edwin, the fixtures had passed all operational tests for colour temperature, flicker etc at demo stage.

They were also designed to be easily interchangeable between different studios during down time, providing Global TV Studio with a flexible solution.

“The studio really loves the XR330 Spot,” he stated in conclusion. www.pr-lighting.com INDONESIA: Global TV Studio in Jakarta recently moved out of its old rented studios and constructed a completely new broadcast facility consisting of four independent studios. These have been equipped with PR Lighting fixtures, supplied by local distribution company, Acoustic & Lighting.

investing in PR XR200, XLED 1037 and XPar 360.

The company already has a track record of working with the station’s owners, the MNC Group who gradually started

“These were specified from the very beginning because they offer excellent value for money,” said Edwin, of Acoustic & Lighting.

For the new project Acoustic & Lighting’s successful bid was tendered not only on the back of PR Lighting’s performance capabilities but also their extended warranty.

D.T.S. Announces Appointment Of Paolo Albani INTERNATIONAL: D.T.S. has announced the appointment of Paolo Albani to the position of Sales Manager.

"I’m delighted to welcome Paolo to D.T.S." said Silvano Latteo, President of the company. “Paolo brings to our company a vast experience gained in over 17 years of activity in the professional lighting market. I’m sure

that his know-how will contribute actively to the growth of the company."

"I am very motivated to work with D.T.S., that I already knew and respected," said Paolo. "And to put my abilities to the service of a well-known company whose hi-tech products are wholly designed and manufactured in Italy." www.dts-lighting.it

Source Four LED Fresnel

This is no ordinary Fresnel The Source Four® LED Fresnel creates soft washes of bold colors or flattering, adjustable white light. Barn doors and accessories can mold the light for a picture-perfect look, and a bright beam, precise optics, and flicker-free functionality make it a must-have for broadcast use.

To learn more about the Source Four LED Fresnel, visit www.etcconnect.com/S4LEDSystem.

Americas

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Europe

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Asia

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NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Tannoy Launches New Range Of Surface Mount Architectural Loudspeakers

INTERNATIONAL: The new AMS series loudspeakers have been engineered to produce a sonic characteristic that is perfectly matched with the company’s award winning CMS 3.0 ceiling loudspeaker launched last summer.

The AMS Series now provides a uniformly transparent and seamless sound signature throughout a multizoned venue equipped with both ceiling mount and wall mount Tannoy speakers.

This latest generation of Dual Concentrics (DC) have their origins in many of the world’s high end recording studios, with that signature Tannoy technology being used to mix and master a rich collection of contemporary classics.

The new AMS DC models ensure that playback of recorded material sounds exactly as the engineer intended when it was mixed in the studio, making them perfect for entertainment and hospitality

venues, as well as areas where true sonic clarity and reliability is required.

Comprising a range of seven models ranging in three form factors from 5-inch to 8-inch, the AMS series takes on an aesthetic that is perfect for the architectural considerations of building design, the elegantly styled moulded enclosures blending beautifully into a contemporary décor with custom colour being available on special order.

Additionally the new AMS models have undergone the most punishing environmental testing of any product in Tannoy’s history – achieving an IP65 rating, which is among the highest in the industry for outdoor use and challenging environments. UUMW ICT driver versions are also available for mission critical voice alarm system applications.

Behind the unobtrusive, smoothly formed, weather-resistant zinc-plated nickel grilles and higher temperature polymer mouldings lies the technical

heart of AMS – Tannoy’s revolutionary Omnimagnet technology and a unique patent-pending Torus Ogive Waveguide™ device.

Together these innovations provide more consistent and controlled directivity along with improved high frequency response, as well as much improved time alignment and greater coherence between the low frequency and high frequency drivers.

The AMS range utilises a 16 ohm driver, making it ideal for use in high performance low-impedance systems (with optimized performance when used in conjunction with Lab.gruppen LUCIA amplifiers). Alternatively, for constant voltage systems, Tannoy has specified as standard, high quality low-insertion loss 30 W transformers featuring switching for taps at 30 W, 15 W and 7.5 W, with an additional 3.75 W tap for traditional systems. www.tannoy.com

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NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Cantuman Places Very First Order In Asia For Barco’s New XHD 404 Media Server

Milos, works better.

Cantuman. In fact, we placed our order on the spot.”

For Barco, the order was the very first for its new XHD family on the Asian continent.

MALAYSIA: Barco unveiled its new range of XHD Media Servers during ISE 2015 – the world’s leading systems integration trade show. Available in four models, these media servers offer visualization professionals an endto-end solution for a wide range of applications including fixed set-ups in entertainment and visitor attractions, rental and staging applications and 3D projection mapping.

Capacity and possibilities Big Trusses

With shipping starting in March, Barco has pulled out all the stops to present this newest gem to its partners around the world. At Barco’s APAC partner meeting held from 10 to 12 March in Seoul, Barco’s long-standing Malaysian rental partner Cantuman placed the first order for the XHD 404 Media server on the Asian continent.

“It really is an all-in-one solution that covers the full visualization workflow, from design to operation”, said Zaki Mustapa, Project Director at Cantuman.

“Its powerful 3D Projection Study tool allows you to visualize any design setup, giving an clearer preview than ever before. Based on excellent previous experiences with Barco products, it didn’t take us long to decide that this was a must-have for

Jeffrey Ng, Sales Manager at Barco is convinced that there will be plenty more to come, “Because the XHD series truly is unique in giving operators and designers creative freedom and full control over multimedia experiences.

What’s more, the solution is not only extremely powerful in terms of visualization; it also is one of the easiest to use on the market. A half-day training course is all it takes for anyone to become an expert at intricate 3D projection mappings.”

A notable debut

Cantuman didn’t waste any time in putting its brand-new XHD 404 Media Server to the test. The opening ceremony to the 26th ASEAN Summit, held on 27 April at the Plenary Hall of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), provided the perfect stage.

“Although it was the first project in which we had used the XHD 404’s new features, we were fully confident of the performance it would deliver.

Especially since the embedded content assembly and design tool enables you to run a complete virtual rehearsal of the event. The tool also allowed us to gain time with projector set-up and execution, resulting in cost savings from the very first run,” said Zaki Mustapa. www.barco.com

NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

BEXCO Extends Versatility Of Its Space Through Meyer Sound CAL SOUTH KOREA: South Korea’s Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) has dramatically extended the versatility of its exhibition space with the installation of two steerable Meyer Sound CAL 32 column array loudspeakers. Formerly suited only for hosting floor exhibits, the room now can accommodate a variety of meetings, lectures, presentations, and performances that demand controlled coverage and highly intelligible audio reinforcement for both speech and music.

Prior to the renovation, the large open space of Hall 5A had a reverberation time in excess of eight seconds at 1 kHz. With acoustic treatment of the walls reducing reverberation to a more manageable 2.7 seconds, CAL

has proven to be a far superior solution compared to its former ceiling system.

“With its precise beam steering technology, CAL has greatly reduced the sound reflected from the ceiling,” explains Min Ho Jang, director of BEXCO’s Exhibition Center 2.

“Even without costly acoustic treatment for the ceiling areas, CAL allows us to reproduce highquality sound to the audience with a very natural feeling. The speech transmission index has also greatly improved.”

The new CAL 32 loudspeakers were provided, installed, and configured

by SOVICO, Meyer Sound’s Korean

distributor. Busan-based BONE Engineering provided architectural acoustics and electro-acoustic design for the space. The renovation of Hall 5A also included the addition of a Behringer X32 digital mixer and a BSS BLU-100 signal processor. www.meyersound.com

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20 NEXT GEN TECHNOLOGY A REVOLUTIONARY SYSTEM

NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

PR Lighting In The Mix For Indian PM's Visit To China

BE D1 TO COME TO TOW W N.

CHINA: Chang’an Dream was the name of a performance held in Xi’an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May. A traditional Tang Dynasty welcome ceremony awaited the Prime Minister, where he was greeted by Chinese president, Xi Jinping at the watchtower of the south city wall, before the two leaders enjoyed the specially staged event in the ancient city’s gate tower. This was rich in colour from more than 300 lighting fixtures provided by PR Lighting.

BE D1 TO BURN ITT DOW N.

evolution wireless D1

Mostly installed at the top of the old wall, they were made up from a mixture of the popular XL moving head series, and comprised a combination of XL 1500 Spot; XL 1500 Wash; XL 1500 Wash/Beam and XL 1500 Beam. Ranging from 250W up to the powerful 1500W lamp sources, the series comes with a choice of magnetic or electronic ballast, and boasts features such as advanced optics, automatic fan speed control, quiet operation, a large zoom range and modular construction for ease of maintenance.

PR Lighting worked closely with its customer, National Art Association,

who aside from purchasing the units — supplied direct from PR Lighting — were also responsible for choreography and lighting direction.

The design and production company received full technical support from PR Lighting’s specialist personnel.

Attended by around 140 senior officials and dignitaries (as well as the two heads of state) the show was divided into a sequence of four chapters: Datang Music; Oriental Charm; China India Friendship and Silk Road, and included segments such as martial arts, music, ballet, Indian dance, and so on in a series of richly choreographed performances.

The Tang Dynasty, the exquisite wall projections, the Indian architectural images and ancient Silk Road map (Xi’an marks the Eastern end) all combined to make this a memorable occasion and enabled the audience to review the history of friendship between the two countries and civilisations dating back thousands of years.

Afterwards, Prime Minister Modi praised the performance as “spectacular” on his Twitter account. www.pr-lighting.com

NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

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Tongsuh Appointed As W-DMX Distributor In Korea KOREA: Wireless Solution Sweden AB has announced its newest distributor of W-DMX products, Tongsuh Technologies and Trading Co. Ltd. in Korea with the announcement made during the KOBA Show 2015.

Tongsuh is a leading distributor of high end lighting brands including Clay Paky and Philips Showline. The company has been in business for 20 years and celebrated this milestone at the KOBA Show.

Niclas Arvidsson, CEO of Wireless Solution said, “Tongsuh has proven itself as a leading distributor of quality products as well as a strong partner in their region. We look forward to a long and profitable relationship.”

Tongsuh staff celebrate 20 years at KOBA 2015

H.R.Shin of Tongsuh commented, “Wireless Control is the future, we want to work with strongest company in the field and for us Wireless Solution Sweden is the best choice.”

Wireless Solution Sweden is the world’s leading manufacturer of Wireless lighting control equipment, now celebrating 350,000 units sold worldwide and over 45 OEM partners. www.wirelessdmx.com

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22 PROFESSIONAL LIGHTING PRODUCTS

NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Young Asian Entrepreneurs Get Inspired With K-array Sound

JAPAN: In an effort to spark entrepreneurship within the Asian youth, Slush ASIA hosted a panel of accomplished entrepreneurs to explain how they achieved start-up success.

The event held on April 24, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan used K-array system.

Originally founded in 2008 in Finland, Slush is one of the largest start-up events designed to inspire young people to exercise entrepreneurism and is an opportunity for attendees to meet with top-tier international venture capitalists, executives and media.

The non-profit event, organized by a community of investors, students and music festival organizers, also features a pitching competition with a cash prize. For its first edition in Asia, Prism Co, LTD. was tasked to provide the audio and visual at the multi-stage venue set up in the Odaiba area of the capital city.

In the immediate 60ft-domed tent, eight KAN200+s were installed along the truss and four KMT18s were placed on the ground giving a full range of live sound to the audience.

Meanwhile at the next tent over, a KR402 column system with one KMT18 subwoofer was set up on one side of the stage with 2 KP102s as the main speakers. Designed with a high

range joint flexibility, the KP102s were installed at a 4° angle to eliminate reflection from the facing wall in the 44ft tent.

In the larger 70ft tent, another KR402 system was used as the main acoustics with two high-box KP102s combined with a KMT21 subwoofer. Unlike the other setup, the KP102s were flown as a line array from scaffolding, a unique characteristic which distinguishes it from other column systems.

“Installing the high-boxes takes few minutes for each side of the stage.” said Yasushi Matsuura, Prism’s Sound Director for the event. “Using the two KP102s, you can create 2-meter long line array that projects the presenter’s voice throughout the coverage area.”

For the infill, a set of KP52s, which are half the size of KP102s, were attached to the scaffolding. The system was driven by a KA24 amp.

“Even with its small size, the loudspeakers are enough to get a perfect sound. K-array’s speakers are amazing!” said Matsuura.

Organisers of Slush ASIA recorded 3,000 attendees in its first year. www.k-array.com

NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Leadership Change At Epson Singapore Marketing Department. After a year, he was promoted to General Manager, where he was instrumental in driving sales for the business products globally. In 2007, he was appointed as General Manager for the Imaging Products Sales & Marketing Support Department.

In July 2012, Tanaka was appointed as the head of Epson Philippines. As Country Manager of EPC, Tanaka strengthened the Epson brand, created new business models to fit the local requirement, and led the company in achieving market share and value share leadership in the inkjet printer, projectors, and business systems categories.

Tanaka’s 34-year tenure with SEC and its affiliate companies, as well as his in-depth knowledge in the field of economics, served as valuable assets to many accomplishments during his various assignments. He is married with two children, and enjoys golf, baseball, and skiing. www.epson.com.sg

Toshimitsu Tananak appointed as MD of Epson's Regional office

SINGAPORE: As of June 2015, Toshimitsu Tanaka has taken on the role of Managing Director of Epson’s Regional office (Epson Singapore Pte. Ltd.). He will hold the appointment concurrently with the positions of Epson Philippines Corporation’s (EPC) President/Country Manager, President Director of Epson Thailand and Director of Epson Indonesia. The current Managing Director of Epson Singapore, Koichi Endo, will be ending his tenure due to his retirement.

Seiko Epson Corporation (SEC) shared that the appointment is in line with its aim to establish a management structure to fulfill its goals as it enters the final year of both its SE15 Corporate Vision and the second half of its SE15 Mid-Range Business Plan, and to help it expedite management decisions based on maximizing corporate value and ensuring good corporate governance.

AT THE VANGUARD OF TECHNOLOGY! Features: - Powered and passive versions <ZLY KLÄUHISL +:7 ^P[O 3*+ ZJYLLU +PNP[HS -PUP[L 0TW\SZL 9LZWVUZL ÄS[LYZ ,ULYN` LɉJPLU[ *SHZZ + HTWSPÄJH[PVU - Wireless music system - New “F” Series loudspeaker components 9\NNLK )PYJO WS`^VVK JVUZ[Y\J[PVU +\YHISL 0:6 ÅL_ WYV[LJ[P]L ÄUPZO -HTV\Z + ( : ZV\UK HUK X\HSP[` I\PSK

Tanaka was relocated to Epson’s South and Southeast Asia regional headquarters in Singapore to lead regional sales initiatives as the Sales Director for System Devices & Projector. During that period, Tanaka’s milestone achievements included securing a high value Ministry of Education tender project in Malaysia in 2002 which entailed 20,000 units of projectors for classrooms.

Tanaka returned to the SEC global headquarters in Japan in 2003 to oversee the Business Systems in the Sales &

www.dasaudio.com D.A.S Audio, S.A. C/ Islas Baleares, 24 46988 Fuente del Jarro Valencia - Spain Tel. +34 961 340 860

D.A.S Audio of America, Inc. 6900 NW 52nd Street Miami, FL 33166 - U.S.A. Toll Free: 1 888 DAS 4 USA

D.A.S Audio Asia PTE. LTD. 3 Temasek Avenue, Centennial Tower #34-36 Singapore 039190 Tel. +65 6549 7760

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NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

H-APPI App: Harman India’s Innovative Offering To Customers “The nature of our business requires us to be available at any time and at any place. With this easy-to-use application, we have taken a step forward in bringing a best-in-class service experience to our customers.”

The free app can be downloaded from Google PlayStore, and will currently work on all android devices.

It would soon be extended to iOS, and Windows devices- rendering it workable across all mobile platforms.

INDIA: Harman Professional India’s launching of H-APPI app at the PALM Expo 2015 event show floor is taken to be one of the most useful and welcome initiatives from the audio conglomerate. The H-APPI app – standing for Harman App for Professional Products in India – is a new age solution, giving customers access to Harman’s 24/7 support and service help desk to report any breakdown or damage in the company’s professional product line up, and get a response within three hours.

Evidently, the launch seeks to complement Harman’s existing service network in the country. The company had invested in building eight service centres, and regional hubs across India. These centres offer technical repair and support, starting from simple troubleshooting, and component-level repair to providing spare parts to customers. In addition, Harman’s professional customers can also reach technical personnel via a toll-free number (1800 208 8880) to enquire about products or register any complaints during business hours. www.harman.in

Using this app, a customer will be able to register a service request; track a complaint’s progress; upload pictures of damaged products; locate the nearest service centre; and give instant feedback to the company- all with the convenience and ease of clicking a button. Once a complaint is registered through the app, the customer receives instant acknowledgment and a response within three hours.

“Most Harman’s professional customers have non-traditional work hours,” said Prashant Govindan, Director-Professional, Harman India.

Prashant Govindan, Director - India Operations, Harman Professional with Gamesh Kumar J, Senior Manager, Service, who had worked on the App.

NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Allen & Heath Launches Next Generation Digital Mixing Series INTERNATIONAL: Allen & Heath has launched dLive, a next generation digital mixing system, providing ultraflexible architecture, a powerful FPGA processing core, a comprehensive array of expansion, control and networking options, plus the intuitive Harmony user interface with gesture control, meaning dLive is geared to applications from rigorous touring and festivals to installation in prestigious live venues. dLive has a distributed system design with separate MixRack and Surface. The dLive processing brain is housed in the MixRack, available in three sizes – the DM32, DM48 and DM64, and there are three accompanying control surfaces. All MixRacks and Surfaces are mix ‘n match compatible, with common configuration, setup and show files. The MixRacks also contain the same processing engine, pioneered by the Allen & Heath R&D team using next generation FPGA technology.

The 96k/96bit XCVI Core provides capacity for 128 inputs with full processing and 16 dedicated stereo FX returns, offering 160 inputs to mix, plus a fully configurable 64 mix bus architecture, with full processing on all 64 mix channels. dLive incorporates the DEEP processing portfolio of embedded plugins, including Graphic EQs, Compressors, Multiband Compressors and Dynamic EQs, alongside its 16 slot FX racks, featuring Allen & Heath’s acclaimed range of FX emulations.

Other features include remote IO expansion; inter-system and network connectivity is available that includes audio networking cards, including Dante, Waves SG, ACE, and MADI, with a fibre optic option also under development.

The dLive Surfaces come in a choice of three sizes – the S3000, S5000 and S7000 and the Surface layout is fully customisable.

Alternative mixing control is provided via MixPad and OneMix apps, Editor on/offline software, TCP/IP control for third party integration, and network-enabled IP fader and rotary remote controllers.

Finally, dLive has a new pro touring grade chassis, optimised for weight and rigidity. All units have dual power supply slots for redundancy, with PSUs hot swappable between Surfaces, MixRacks and Expanders.

Dual redundancy is also built into every audio connection throughout the system.

“It really is the ultimate mixing system, with all the processing tools and power that the most demanding engineers would expect, and the flexibility and

networkability to cater for any application. This is coupled with an extremely intuitive user interface and what we believe is the fastest workflow in the industry,” says Nicola Beretta, senior product manager. “dLive is equally at home in fixed installations, such as a HOW or theatre, as it is at festivals and out touring.” www.allen-heath.com

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NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Sennheiser Product Training Hosted By Acoustic & Lighting System overwhelmed with the turnouts today.

It’s good to know that our participants are appreciative of such training opportunities, a good start to more of our upcoming training sessions.”

MALAYSIA: As part of the continuous Sennheiser Product Training programme, the first session was conducted on the 17th of June at the headquarters of distributors, Acoustic & Lighting System.

The seminar was led by Mr. William Chew, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience in the microphone segment.

The seminar successfully captured close to 30 participants. The main topics covered included Antenna and Microphone Technology, Frequency Management and Wireless Monitoring.

Participants were given insights on the

fundamentals of wireless microphone components, RF transmitters & receivers, antennas and accessories, and selection of frequencies. They were then briefed on the comparison of antennas range and transmission security, handling of antenna systems, multi-channel systems set up, and handling of interference. The session also shared on the operation of wireless monitoring system, and participants were given the opportunity to be hands-on with the products.

According to William Chew, the presenter of the seminar, “We were so

One of the guests also shared “A very informative event organized. This seminar was really good and the speaker has done a great job. Thank you and looking forward to the next event.”

Sennheiser Products Showcased: • XSW Series • EW 100 G3 • EW D1 • EW300 IEM G3 • ASA 1 Antenna System • AC3 Antenna System • E900 Series • Wireless Systems Manager www.acousticlighting.com en-de.sennheiser.com

d&b Strengthens The Spirit Of Ibiza At Pacha Ibiza Dubai UAE: Four years in the making, there was nothing inevitable about the installation of a d&b audiotechnik system into Pacha Ibiza Dubai, the latest and largest in the global franchise that has enchanted the world.

“When you work in a place where you know the content will all be Electronic Dance Music (EDM), with no acoustic content, everything pure electronic, then you don’t want any contribution from the room acoustic,” was how Janko Ramuscak of d&b, who lead the German design team described the principal demand imperative. “The ideal would be totally dry and direct.”

Located next to the prestigious Madinat Jumeirah resort in Dubai, Pacha is at once desirable and iconic. Spread over three floors, the mix of entertainment

experiences, room spaces, VIP locations, and an open rooftop terrace, demanded a complex, zoned solution requiring over one hundred channels of amplification.

Drawing on elements from the d&b V-Series and Q-Series for main PA, with a selection of loudspeakers from the installation specific xS-Series, Ramuscak evolved the solution with direct support from Juanma De Casas of d&b Spain.

In 2012 De Casas had designed the d&b system that refreshed the founding Pacha Ibiza club. “In close collaboration with Pacha and their architects, the Dubai project was coordinated by Chadi El Masri and Amrith Verghese from Lightbox Professional, our d&b Partner in UAE,” explained De Casas. “Amrith and I commissioned the system in November.

The Lightbox team he assembled did a

fantastic job working with install partner Cornerstone Technologies to achieve a perfect outcome.”

Verghese was rightfully proud of their collective achievement, “When I finally switched on the system for the people from the club to walk around and listen, they were all smiles.” www.pacha.ae/pacha-dubai www.lightboxpro.co

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NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Adam Hall Opens First Showroom In Asia currently looking to grow the APAC team and we still encourage customers to contact us for demos and to learn more about the brand.”

SINGAPORE: German manufacturer of pro audio, lighting and event solutions, Adam Hall will now present its entire product portfolio of the company in an exhibition space of about 300sqm, in their new Singapore-based showroom.

This includes not only its own brands Cameo Light, Defender, Gravity, LD Systems and Palmer, but also its distributed lines RAM Audio and Audac.

The Asia team is headed by Chandan Mahtani as Director of APAC sales who made it a point to declare that no sales will be happening out of the showroom in Singapore. “We are making it a point to work purely with dealers and distributors only after we have solidified our foundation in Singapore. We are

In the presence of CEO, Alexander Pietschmann and Head Of Global Business Development, Bodo Falkenried, the showroom was opened on the 19th of June under the motto of "A German night to remember" which celebrated food, drinks and professional solutions, all made in Germany.

“The establishment of the showrooms in Singapore is the logical consequence of Adam Hall Asia Pte Ltd is located at: the positive response to the 11 Woodlands Close, #01-12 creation of the ADAM HALL Singapore 737853 Asia Pte Ltd in Singapore in 2014. And with the appointment of Chandan Mahtani, who has many years experience Contact asia@adamhall.com for enquiries with the APAC markets, we can also www.adamhall.com ensure the quality service and support of Adam Hall in Asia,” explained COO and Managing Director Markus Jahnel. “Today, the APAC region is already one of our main growth drivers.

This development will be reinforced by our investment in the property and in professional manpower.”

(L-R) COO Markus Jahnel with CEO Alexander Pietschmann and newly appointed Managing Director, Chandan Mahtani

NEWS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

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Christie Partners Shanghai International Film Festival For 7th Consecutive Year are delighted to be associated with the SIFF, which is one of the most prominent film festivals in the world.”

Besides screening the spectacular opening and closing films, Christie completed the installation of Asia’s first 6-Primary (6P) laser projection system in Hall 1 of the prestigious Shanghai Film Art Center for movie screenings during the film festival.

CHINA: Christie, a world leader in advanced cinema technologies and visual displays, proudly served as the exclusive digital projection partner for the 18th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) for the 7th consecutive year.

The Christie Solaria CP4230 DLP 4K Digital Cinema Projector was once again tasked to screen the opening and closing films at the prestigious event, which took place from June 13-21.

Known as China’s only non-specialized competitive international film festival accredited by the Paris-based Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films (FIAPF), the festival kicked off in style with the screening of veteran Hong Kong director Derek Yee’s new film, I Am Somebody, while China-Russian co-production Ballet in the Flames of War closed the event.

Shot on location at Zhejiang Hengdian World Studios, I Am Somebody is a comedy about the lives of extras working at China's largest film studio. The film is self-financed by Yee and stars unknowns but has numerous star cameos, including renowned celebrities Daniel Wu and Anita Yuen. On the other hand, closing film Ballet in the Flames of War is a romance set during the Second World War. Directed by China’s Yachun Dong

and Russia’s Nikita Mikhalkov, the film opened the Chinese Film Festival in Moscow last month.

Lin Yu, vice president, Christie Asia Pacific, said, “Christie is honoured to present this premium movie-screening experience to all the guests at this year’s SIFF. With over 85 years of experience in the movie industry, Christie’s digital cinema projectors have achieved illustrious success in the entertainment industry. Every year, the best film professionals around the world gather in Shanghai for this dazzling event and we

Anchored by the Christie Freedom laser illumination system, audiences are able to get the best 3D movie-viewing experience on the 23-meter Oriental Mega Screen with incredible brightness, wider color gamut and astounding contrast. Christie’s 6P laser projectors provide industry-leading brightness of up to 60,000 lumens per projector head, and offer vastly improved 3D light levels, image uniformity, viewing comfort, and an enhanced sense of immersion.

A star-studded lineup of local and international movie celebrities attended this year’s SIFF red carpet ceremonies, including Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, Fan Bingbing, Yao Chen, Jackie Chan, Aaron Kwok, Leon Lai, Liu Ye and Eddie Peng. www.christiedigital.com

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ENNOVATIONS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

PR Lighting: XRLED 1200 Spot ..The XRLED 1200 Spot is designed as a replacement for a conventional 1200W discharge fixture. Containing all the features of a conventional 1200W fixture the XRLED 1200 Spot also boasts many advantages in terms of output and energy saving. ”

- PR Lighting www.pr-lighting.com

BGV-D8 BGV-D8+ BGV-C1

• Capacity 250 kg - 12000 kg • Climbing- Or Standard Hoist • Overload Protection with Patented Friction Clutch • Direct Control Or Contactor Control • Light And Compact Design • Precise Chain Guide • Textil Chain Bag • Several Models On Stock

Total Solution Marketing Pte Ltd

No. 2, Kallang Way 5, 349022 Singapore Phone: +65 - 6287 98 78 Fax: +65 - 6287 93 88 E-Mail: sales@tsm-int.com www.tsm-int.com

www.chainmaster.de

• Power consumption: 950W@220V • Source: 1 x 800W LED module (RGB 3 in 1) • Movement: Pan 540º / Tilt 270º (auto position correction) • Linear colour temperature correction: 2.700K~10.000K • 11°~55° linearly adjustable zoom • Gobos: - 6 rotating (at high speed and replaceable) - 8 fixed (replaceable)

• Dimmer: 0 - 100% (linear adjustment) • Iris: 5 - 100% with macro • Prism: 1 x 3-facet prism (bidirectional with variable speeds) • Frost: 1 frost filter • Electronic strobe, 0.3~20 F.P.S • Channels: short mode: 18, standard mode: 25, extended mode: 30 • Wireless DMX control • Weight: 84.2 lbs (38.2kg)

ENNOVATIONS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

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d&b audiotechnik: D20 Amplifier • 2 rack unit (RU) amplifier • Display: Colour TFT touchscreen, 3.5”/320 x 240 pixel • Channel Equalizer: 2 x 16-band PEQ/notch/shelving/asymmetric • Ethernet: 2 x etherCON, 10/100 Mbit Ethernet • Open Control Architecture protocol

• Latency analog and digital inputs: 0.3 msec • Delay setting: 0.3 - 10000 msec • Digital Signage Processing platform: No external system processors required • Weight: 23.8 lbs (10.8kg)

TOTAL VISUAL CONTROL

Sapphire Touch

The output capability of the D20 is largely independent from voltage variations caused by substandard electrical sources so the amplifier is able to maintain optimum system performance when running from heavily loaded mains supplies.”

Quartz

- d&b audiotechnik

www.dbaudio.com

ACME: CYC-200 ...CYC-200 has the powerful light output which could replace the traditional iodine-tungsten light source as well as provides an energy-save and highefficiency option to the stage.”

Tiger Touch II

- ACME

www.acme.com.cn

• Theatre LED Flood • Source: 1 x 150W cool/warm white LED • Avg. LED Lifetime: 50,000 hrs • Beam Angle: 90 x113-degrees • Power Consumption: 180W • 4 dimming curves (linear, square rate, reverse square rate, S-type) • CQS: 89(CW), 93(WW) • Variable strobe speeds • Colour Temp: 3150±150K, 5600±200K • Weight: 11lbs (5kg)

Avolites: +44 (0) 2089 658 522 avosales@avolites.com www.avolites.com

Total Solution: (+65) 6287 9878 enquiry@tsm-int.com www.tsm-int.com

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ENNOVATIONS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Nexo: DTD Digital TD Controller

YOU´ VE GOT THE SKILLS. SKILLS WE´ VE GOT THE TOOLS.

Compatible with amplifiers from other manufacturers, the DTD Digital TD Controller for PS Series cabinets and LS Subs makes the world’s favourite compact, high-output system even more accessible.”

- NEXO

nexo-sa.com

• Compatible with amplifiers of every size and scale • Can be used with amplifiers from other manufacturers • Includes AES/EBU input (with sample rate converter from 44.1 to 96 KHz) on all versions as well as optional connectivity to the Dante network • Audio can be streamed directly from any computer or smartphone, for easy sound check or background music playback

www.tsm-int.com Phone: +65-62879878 sales@tsm-int.com

www.coolux.com

• Can also be used as an analog or AES to Dante input box.

• Plug-and-play operation with automatic amplifier sensing • 96 KHz, 64 bits internal processing precision • Less than 1 ms (analog in to out) on flat setup, compatible with NXAMP latency • Freq Response: 20 Hz to 20 KHz, +/-0.5 dB (mains out) / 20 Hz to 2 KHz +/-0.5 dB (sub out) • Touring / Install versions available

ENNOVATIONS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

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PR Lighting: XR 130 Beam Adding a Beam fixture to its XR130 range of discharge effects, the XR 130 Beam houses an Osram Sirius HRI 132W, this fully featured luminaire delivers a beam angle of 0°-3° and is full of dynamic effects”

- PR Lighting

www.pr-lighting.com

• Source: OSRAM SIRIUS HRI 132W • Colour Temp: 8,800K • Avg. Lifetime: 6,000 hrs • Power Consumption: 240W@220V • Beam angle: 0 – 3-degrees • 1 Colour Wheel: 14 colour filters plus open • 1 Rotating Gobo Wheel : 8 rotating gobos + 4 fixed gobos • 1 8-facet Prism(bi-directional rotation) with 1 frost filter with 1 CTO plus white

• Focus: 0-100% linearly adjustable

by DMX • Strobe: Double dimmer/shutter blades, 0.3~25 F.P.S, with macro • Pan 720º or endless rotation, Tilt 270º with auto position correction • Composite plastic, IP20 • Dimensions (L xWx H): 12.2 x 11 x 17.4’’ (312 x 280 x 442mm) • Weight: 29.1 lbs (13.2kg)

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ENNOVATIONS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Elation Professional: Arena Q7 Zoom Housed in a durable die-cast aluminum casing, the Arena Q7 Zoom offers all the benefits of LED like greater reliability, less maintenance and increased energy efficiency for a lower cost of ownership. ...these flexible wash lights can be used on stage applications of all types, making them the most versatile LED PAR fixtures Elation has offered to date.”

- Elation Professional

elationlighting.com

• Source: 7 x 10W Osram QUAD Colour (RGBW) LEDs • Avg. LED Lifetime: 50,000 hrs • Motorized 10 – 60-degree Zoom • Selectable Colour Temperatures (3,200K – 7,200K) • 64 x Colour Macros • Power Link Up To: 15 x Units @ 120V, 28 x Units @ 230V

• Max. Power Comsumption: 95W • 4 button touch control panel • Integrated dual rigging yoke / floor stand • Dimensions (L xWx H): 15.3 x 7.5 x 7.1’’ (388 x 190 x 180mm) • Weight: 13.2 lbs (6kg)

ENNOVATIONS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

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CHAUVET Lighting: PVP X6IP • 6.9 mm pixel pitch • Source: 5,184 LEDs (tri-color RGB) with SMD 2623 LEDs • Pixels: 72 x 72 • Viewing Angle: 130-degrees • Transparency: 8% • Stainless steel hardware is integrated into each panel for secure interlocking between panels • Solid aluminum die-cast construction makes these panels durable for the touring/rental market

• Magnetic LED modules make replacing them fast and painless in the field or on the repair bench • Computer guided CNC cutting provides ultimate precision for seamless modular connections • Use with the CHAUVET Professional X-Series Rig Bar to hang the panels, or with the M12 mounting points on the back of each panel • IP65 for temporary outdoor/wet use

From its black-body SMD 2623 LEDs and 6.9mm pixel pitch, which produce daylight-defying brightness and highly detailed images, to its rugged IP65 outdoor rating and ease of setup, the PVP X6IP is designed to deliver outstanding performance on the touring and festival circuit.”

- Anthony Chiappone, Product Manager

www.chauvetlighting.com

36 AMAZING G OPTICS

HIGH OUTPUT

ENNOVATIONS E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

ADJ: Mega Par Profile Plus • Slim flat black Par • Source: 107 x 10mm LEDs + 1 x 3W UV LED • Avg. LED Lifetime: 50,000 hrs • Power & DMX Ins/Outs sit sideways so the unit can be set flat on the ground or set inside truss • 5 DMX Channel modes: 4/5/6/9/10 channels • Beam Angle: 30-degrees • 16 Sound Active shows • 32 Built-in shows (16 Color Changing Shows & 16 Color Fading Shows)

• 64 built-in Color Macros • 5 Dimmer Curves (Standard, Stage, TV, Architectural, & Theatre) • Color strobe effect • Linkable via 3-pin XLR cable • Includes scissor yoke to hang on truss, mount on a wall or set on the ground • Dimensions (L xWx H): 9’’ x 8.75’’ x 3.5” (225 x 220 x 85mm) • Weight: 3 lbs (1.1kg)

FULL FEATURE SET

Debuting Worldwide

March 2014

www.vari-lite.com

Following the inclusion of UV LEDs in many of our recent products, we wanted to add the same capabilities to the Mega Par Profile. That’s when we developed the Mega Par Profile Plus, which allows vibrant up-lighting and far-reaching washes of smoothly-mixed, UV-infused color – all at an agreeable price.”

- Alfred Gonzales, National Sales Manager www.adj.com

www.tsm-int.com

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PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

From Eaton's Zero88 With the rapid adoption of LED lighting and the increasing expectations for a more sophisticated lighting experience, creating great lighting designs has never been under more time pressure. E-Tech Asia takes a deeper look at the console that has been designed to save time.

About the FLX Lighting Console

FLX Lighting console is a simple yet sophisticated lighting console specifically designed to deploy a range of time saving features. Utilising an internal 7 inch Multi-touch screen, the console’s comprehensive feature set operates on a simple, intuitive three-step, programming method, “What you want, how you want it, where you want it”. freeing up precious time for designers to spend on the creative lighting design process.

FLX is compact, making it a great multipurpose console for hire companies.

Additionally with the capability to expand its control via ZerOS WING’S FLX is also great ideal for live events and theatre.

Which market (price range) and segments is the FLX targeted at?

FLX has been designed with the cost to the end user in mind since day one. It is very well priced in comparison to other consoles that offer the same features.

Another important factor is its physical size – it is compact and can be carried in one hand. Because of this, it makes for a great console for any segments of the industry like Live Events, Theatre, TV Stations, Multi-purpose venues, Houses of worship and anything in between.

When planning for the console what were some of the key considerations that Eaton Zero 88 had considered and how have they been fulfilled by the console?

worship, schools, and event companies.

Every market is different, but some requirements are consistent across almost everybody we spoke to. Time is decreasing whilst complexity of rigs is increasing.

There was a great need for a product that had ground-breaking colour mixing features, super quick moving light control, and really intuitive recording and playback functionality. So that’s what we set out to achieve. We asked all sorts of questions during our VOC. One question was simply “What’s your favourite colour?”. From these replies we realised people didn’t always think in filter colour references or RGB/CMY, which led us to start working with LEE Filters to include their “Mood Boards” into FLX.

We’ve been conducting a lot of Voice of Customer (VOC) inputs over the past 4 years for this project. We’ve talked to a massive range of users including programmers, lighting designers, consultants, theatre technicians, rental houses, TV studios, houses of User Definable Keys

24 Fader Channels/ Playback which are pageable.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

39

The console’s comprehensive feature set operates on a simple, intuitive three-step, programming method, “What you want, how you want it, where you want it”.

We created metal swatches with different paint and texture finishes to get feedback on those, and metal boxes were produced with different encoders which could be plugged into our current products, to get feedback on which encoder to use! Further into production, we invited users under NDA to come and use the product with no overview or training, to see which functionality was intuitive and which parts required more work!

What are three of the most unique features that the FLX provides?

3 of the key features would have to be: · Multi-touch 7” Capacitive touch screen · Image capture for stage sizing and colour picking, · Ability to expand via wings to create any set up required.

Since its launch and presentations, what are some of the feedback received?

Feedback has been extremely positive.

As with any product launch, as soon as it’s released to the public, people start using it in ways we never imagined and so feedback and requests start flooding in. We’re trying to be as transparent as possible during this process, and so Beta software is available on our forum, as is a “software roadmap” so users can see what future features we’re planning for FLX. Some of these new features coming shortly include Blind Mode, more timing options and Inclusive & Exclusive faders.

simplified recording tools it is easy to learn. However – It is also a very good console for someone to start from due to its intuitive, simplified controls.

If you need more information on the FLX console or are looking for a demonstration, please contact: For Singapore, Lighting Controls Pte Ltd, joseph@lightingcontrols.com.sg or for rest of Asia TylerHolpin@Eaton.com www.eaton.com www.zero88.com/flx

From a user's perspective would it be intuitive for them to use it or do they need a learning curve before mastering the console?

The console will instantly feel familiar to any user who has used other consoles.

With its industry standard syntax and

The 7 inch Multi-touch screen

Dials to Select Attributes Of Fixtures (such as Pan/Tilt, Colour Changing, Focusing, Gobo Indexing, etc) Special Key For Special Functions

Syntax Key Panel

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PROFILE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Powersoft Celebrates 20 Years Of Extraordinary T H E

F O U N D E R S

Luca Lastrucci

P

owersoft is a unique company that is mainly renowned for its amplifiers. The company has brought amplifier technology to a whole new level with its innovative technologies. Powersoft takes great pride in being Italian from design to manufacturing. Interestingly, though the company does not have its own loudspeaker brand, instead it has created technologically efficient tranducers which the company offers to other speaker brands. E-Tech Asia is pleased to do a special coverage of the company in honour of its 20th Anniversary.

How has Powersoft as a company evolved over the years?

Powersoft was founded in 1995 when three friends combined their love for music with a passion for technology and a curiosity for experimentation. Luca Lastrucci, his brother Claudio, and their mutual friend Antonio Peruch began on this adventure by modifying amplifiers and occasionally building them from scratch. They succeeded where others had failed in developing a Class D amplifier that was perfectly operational and stable for high levels of power. Since then Powersoft has continued to pioneer

O F

P O W E R S O F T

Claudio Lastrucci

and adapt breakaway technologies, notably switch mode amplification (for ‘greener’ power output), Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) and Power Factor Correction (PFC) in a way that has enabled them to achieve a combination of efficiency and power. Believing strongly in active speakers, the company was the first to develop amplifier modules that could be integrated into the speakers and with the IPAL product, it patented the differential pressure control (DPC) allowing close integration between amplifier and speaker, while M-Force resulted in a revolutionary approach to creating a transducer for subwoofers. As a result of Powersoft’s endeavours, the acceptance of switch mode amplification has become an industry standard today.

M-Force offers a revolutionary appraoch to creating a transducer for subwoofers

Antonio Peruch

What is the philosophy behind the design of Powersoft's products?

Powersoft invests over 10% of its turnover in the research and development of technologies applied to products and solutions dedicated to the pro audio industry. This makes it an unconventional company. The company has a different philosophy from mainstream thinking: Product development is not dependent on the sole analysis of the opportunity for better business or revenue, but on the continued experimentation and curiosity of breakaway technologies which can potentially help to create innovative products not catered to requests but to create them exclusive of any. It is also worth highlighting the importance of environmental-efficient technologies that is becoming ever more relevant in today’s world. Integrating these technologies into products has always been part of the underlying philosophy at Powersoft both to save customers’ money and in preserving the environment.

PROFILE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

In addition to the above, there are some peculiar features that are making technologies relevant for the pro audio market, however networking and control are the ones that have the biggest effect on the market. The equalizers and crossovers that once took up several rack spaces and had lots of unreliable controls have been superseded by digital signal processing (DSP) implementations in software. The integration of the DSP inside the power amplifier is another change taking place right now providing users with an extra level of capabilities and tools for running their PA in a safe manner but without the need of compromises in the final performance.

X-Series

How does the new X Series tie into that philosophy?

X Series represents what we have just said. “We looked at what we believe amplifiers will require for the next 10 years and made a platform capable of meeting these needs,” was the mandate set by Powersoft. Its superiority is underlined by economy and versatility.

Uniquely, it allows the audio system to operate independently from the power mains available at a given venue and allows even smaller racks to be brought to run the show. This brings complete system integration closer to reality and provides an unmatched level of control over the behavior of both the audio and power source. Dante recognition is a powerful adjunct and another neat touch is the integrated WiFi connection, that permits the Powersoft X Series to be accessed and managed via any smart phone or tablet through a user interface specifically developed for local monitoring. A generation on from helping to pioneer Power Factor Correction (PFC) — boosting stable power supply — and Powersoft’s patented Smart Rails Management (SRM) technology — ensuring efficiency and cool operation — the X Series has now set the bar at a near-impossible height.

Is there a particular strategy for Asian market in terms of sales, turnover and brand image?

In the last 5 years the size of the pro audio market in Asia has grown steadily with high levels of investment, both from the public and private sectors. This increase of investment has attracted a lot of pro audio companies to look for business there. In light of this, our international business has grown well these past few years and today, Powersoft is available in over 50 countries worldwide through a strategic network of partners, distributors and authorized service centers. Our distribution network over the region includes DasanSR in Korea, E&E in Singapore, MTC in Japan, Sanecore in China, Production Audio in Australia, SeaPower in Taiwan, Pro AVL in Vietnam and the last but not least, the Indonesian team, Kairos Multi Jaya partnership which we announced at the recent PL+S in Frankfurt - all of which are overseen by Area Manager, Arthur Soh. We also introduced a new sales and support organization into the company’s distribution network for the Indian subcontinent at the start of this year, and Powersoft will be attending InfoComm India in September, for the first time with its own booth.

In terms of Brand and communication activities, Powersoft has always oriented marketing efforts to increase its visibility in the pro audio market and bring practical benefits to its distributors especially in the education field.

“Education is an important point for us because we are constantly in rolling out new concepts and technologies that may become unfamiliar to people.

Our Sound School and other training programmes are ideal tools to inform users about the benefits of our products,” says Francesco Fanicchi. “We want everyone from sound engineers and architects through to consultants and in house marketing people to better understand what is possible.” This is proven by the engagement of Remo Orsoni, Powersoft’s technical application engineer who is based in Singapore and supports distributors in educational and technical field.

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Being able to respond to challenges quickly and effectively makes all the difference. This is why Powersoft has 25 authorized service centres around the world. It is an incredible achievement and endorsement to the value of the Powersoft service center and its training, and more importantly, the company’s commitment to its end users. Through technical support offered by authorized service centers, Powersoft is able to resolve every technology-related problem that clients face anywhere in the world. One of the company’s greatest assets is reliability and not just to the products made but also to the people. The company’s customer service department is a channel that gives clients the best assurances to get problems fixed within the shortest turnaround time, and this is a great benefit for customers who have chosen Powersoft amps.

What does the next 20 years hold for the company?

Our two decades of innovation has revolutionized the development process and creation of powered amplifiers.

We have a clear vision and some might say foolhardiness that drives us to pursue new innovation on a daily basis.

This is none more so evident than in the products that we have developed through the years that has shaped the amplifier business today. We have continued to achieve year on year growth across the company, and there are many challenges associated with this.

Our goal is to make sure that we are able to scale and manage this growth properly and effectively, while making certain that the customer experience remains outstanding. We are extremely proud of the manner with which we take care of our customers, and as Powersoft continues to innovate and produce new technologies, we want to make sure that positive customer experience doesn't change. www.powersoft-audio.com

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PROFILE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

T W O

D E C A D E S

1997 – Digam 7000

The Digam 7000 was the first amplifier with increased power density and unprecedented performance, the single rack unit saving space and reducing weight. The amplifier came with a number of firsts for the industry: Switch Mode, Fixed Frequency and Power Factor Correction.

1997 – PowerMod

The first complete compact amplifier module, providing the highest power density at the time: the output stage and power supply were condensed into a compact and lightweight power amplifier for self-powered loudspeakers.

2002 – DigiMod 1000

A Class D amplifier module with specifically designed DSP boards boasting advanced processing, remote control and networking capabilities, the DigiMod 1000 provided granular control of sonic parameters and performance.

The introduction of signal processing on-board of active loudspeakers marked a huge step forward in system flexibility and customisation.

2000 - Q Series

4 channels in 1RU. Powersoft R&D continuously optimised the design and performance of power amplifiers by providing a Series with even higher power density and more compact and versatile solutions.

O F

P A S S I O N

A N D

2004 - K Series

DSP on board. Sound shaping and live performance optimisation at a level unachievable with external signal processors: the implementation of DSP on-board of power amplifiers heralds a new and innovative era of system controllability.

AESOP Networking: A de facto standard in signal routing through traditional Cat5 UTP cables that makes highly scalable audio distribution and remote system management effortless.

Step-up card: Increase the output power without the need to change amplifier, allowing systems to grow as required.

2007 - DigiMod 3000

PFC in Modules: At higher power levels, control over the AC mains supply and input power management became essential. PFC integrated into the amp module ensured power grid stability, less dissipation and improved system performance.

2007 - IpalMod

DPC: Differential Pressure Control offered loudspeaker manufacturers an effective tool to arbitrarily modify the Thiele-Small parameters of the driver, adapting the transducer’s physical characteristics to the acoustic design.

Zero Latency DSP: Real-time signal processing allowed for the transducer behaviour to be modified adaptively and ensured consistent system performance over time.

I N N O V A T I O N

2012 - DSP-4

Networkable amp module: Granular remote control of any single sound source; highly scalable and versatile performance management and sound shaping from single point source to high power complex sound systems.

2013 - DEVA

The all-in-one multimedia unit with integrated solar panel. A Wi-Fi manageable multifunctional system that implements the latest generation technology for distributing audio signal across large areas and perform audio/ video surveillance in any operating conditions.

2013 - M-Force Technology

A new paradigm shift in low frequency application. A moving magnet linear motor structure capable of truly unrivaled performance in terms of power handling, electromagnetic conversion, reliability and maximum SPL.

2014 - X Series

High channel count, high power density, massive processing power. A culmination of twenty years of innovation, the X Series is a technological power house with the most complete feature set of any amplifier on the market. The high channel count, extraordinary processing capabilities and high power output make the X Series suitable for any audio application.

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SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

28th SEA Games Celebrates

The Extraordinary

Featuring projection, lighting, audio and communications, this issue's front cover story brings you full comprehensive coverage of the technical brilliance behind the 2015 SEA Games

A

fter a 22-year long hiatus, the 28th edition of the South East Asian Games (SEA Games) returned to the shores of Singapore not only to set new records in projection mapping but to also thrill audiences around the world. Originally conceived as a means to forge regional co-operation and unity within South-East Asia, the games have grown to be the region's biggest multi-sport event with 7,000 participating athletes and officials involved in 402 events across 36 sports in 2015.

Easily comparable to the excitement of the actual games itself, was the opening ceremony that took place on the 5th of June. Led by Creative Director, Beatrice Chia-Richmond the evening included a production that involved over 5,000 performers and volunteers and saw performances by local acapella group Vocaluptuous as well as the Singapore Soka Association and Methodist Girls' School.

Hosted by entertainers Chua En Lai, Sharon Au and Nikki Muller, the ceremony was held under the dome of the new 55,000 capacity National Stadium. The night's main entertainment consisted of a five-act show that was centralised around the concept of DNA.

“The storyline for the opening ceremony started out with DNA structures that grow into kids, through youths and into athletes,” said Mac Chan, Lighting Designer for the both the opening and closing ceremony. “The idea is that what we all commonly share among us makes us all equal and this means that we can all choose to be extraordinary. In a way, sportsmanship is not just about the sports itself, it's also about how people come together and how we use each sport as a platform to celebrate human beings.”

“At the end of the day, everyone is different and unique which makes all of us extraordinary and ordinary at the same time, this very interesting dynamic was what we wanted to put across in the show.”

E-Tech Asia was privileged to attend the Opening Ceremony (OC) of the games and we break it all down for you in the upcoming pages starting with projection.

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SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

PROJECTION Helping to tell the story of transforming the ordinary into extraordinary, projection mapping was placed in the experienced hands of Singapore-based rental house, Hexogon Solution. As the Official Projection Technology Partner for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Hexogon was in-charge of handling the hardware, software, integration and content development that would lead to a dazzling display of creativity and technical prowess come opening night.

Using the Stadium's flat field-of-play as the canvas, the team deployed 160 units of Christie Roadster HD20K-J projectors to project a slew of multimedia content that included dinosaurs, comets and newspaper headlines. Perhaps one of the most interesting projections was during the last act of the show meant to celebrate the athletes both past and present.

Here the team projected what was meant to look like video encased in hexagonal shapes within the main floor projections that showcased the athletes accomplishments.

This was achieved by hang-mounting the fleet of projectors on 20 specially-built towers above the highest seating area in the stadium with long hours spent

blending and calibrating the projected images that displayed in stunning 4K resolution. Two dedicated control rooms were set up above the seating area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one on each side of the stadium â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to house 18 units of award-winning coolux Pandoras Box Media Servers that were used to drive the projection content, producing 64 outputs in total.

The Hexogon and Christie teams celebrate the accomplishment of the Guinness World Record title

SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Adrian Goh, Managing Director at Hexogon Solution shared, “While designing the show content, we kept in mind that the viewers would be all around, this needed to be a real 360-degree projection. That all around content plus the specific content needed for VIP views and Camera views led to us generating almost an hour and a half's worth of content for the Opening Ceremony alone. In the lab, we set up a smaller version of the projection system and simulated numerous scenarios to ensure that we achieved the best possible results.”

Designed with purpose-built features including built-in handles, an improved airflow system and multiple rigging points, the Christie Roadster J Series projectors are built for the rigours and stress of rental/staging and deliver over 20,000 lumens and rich, saturated colours.

Not only was this the world’s largest number of Christie projectors ever deployed for an event, it was also the Greatest Lighting Output In A Projected Image ever produced in a single event. This earned the team from Hexogon together with Christie the coveted GUINNESS WORLD RECORD title achievement.

A Guinness World Records spokesperson said, “This is a fantastic GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title achievement by Hexogon and Christie and we welcome them to our record breaking family.”

Boasting a total brightness of over 3,200,000 lumens, it beat the previous record of 1,169,000 lumens, set by Freightliner Trucks (USA) at Hoover Dam, in Boulder City, Nevada, USA, on May

47

4, 2015. “The need for good projection brightness was necessary due to the massive lighting system installed for the show and LEDs on the giant retractable roof that would affect the projection outcome.,” said Goh. “Therefore, we proposed 160 projectors to ensure we had enough lumens to cater to our concept.”

However, the achievement did not come without its fair share of challenges. Due to the complex set-up of the show and its different components such as an aerial truss that would support show elements to fly across the stadium, Hexogon had to ensure that the images would be well distributed without blockage while firing from not one but two sides of the stadium.

“This venue is new and was extremely challenging. For the Opening Ceremony, we had a giant hexagonal stage with 3

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SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

different tiers surrounded by ramps from different directions,” explained Goh.

overseas guests will remember for a long time,” Goh continued.

“We had to map onto the entire stage and pump in content that would transform the stage and to do this we did a very complicated twist and warp on the hardware and software. The floor's material was one of the biggest challenges as the material itself is not ideal for projection and with just a slight difference in the angle of how we placed the projectors would have created different reflection results. To avoid this, we were very careful where we installed the projectors.”

“We are also very encouraged by the end results and are absolutely delighted that the time and efforts that we have put in has set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title.”

“The entire installation process took us a month to complete and I’m pleased to note that through meticulous adjustments and alignments, as well as the performance and reliability of the Christie projectors and coolux Media Servers used for this momentous task, we managed to deliver a vibrant and engaging projection mapping performance that both Singaporeans and

Creative Director, Beatrice ChiaRichmond commented, “The Opening & Closing Ceremonies for the 28th SEA Games would be my first collaboration with the team at Hexogon. It has been a blast!”

Adding that, “The Hexogon team has infectious enthusiasm, unbridled

creativity, constantly problem solving, and definitely up to date with the latest technology. They are also delightfully, not lacking in creative ambition!”

Recently, Hexogon has also added 80 x Christie Boxer 4K30 and 15 x Christie Roadie 4K45 3DLP projectors to its impressive fleet of Christie solutions along with the record setting 160 projectors and coolux Media servers which were purchased through coolux regional distributor Total Solution Marketing.

Lin Yu, Vice President, Christie Asia Pacific, concluded, “We are both proud and thrilled that this deployment of projectors have enabled us to attain this amazing GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title which is the first for Christie in the Asia Pacific region. I would like to thank our valued partner Hexogon Solution for the tremendous efforts in setting up the projectors for this major event and playing a key role in building high quality, innovative, shared experiences that will last for a long time.”

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50

SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

LIGHTING LD Mac Chan was asked to design the OC's lighting by Creative Director, Beatrice Chia, with whom he had worked on previous large scale events including Singapore’s National Day Parade.

Originally from the theatre sector, Mac was in-charge of all the audience saw on the opening night of the games.

finally proceeded to send up the lights.

I was initially worried that due to the weight restrictions, I would need to search for fixtures with less weight but higher light output because the overall lux level of the show would affect the broadcast as well as live audience experience.”

“Going into it, I knew I would need a lot of framing units. I didn't know I was going to use Robe lights until Prolight Frankfurt 2014 where I was invited by the company to a private preview of the BMFL prototype.

“It was quite amazing to me because first thing that really struck me was how high the output was. I was impressed with the sheer power of what this light could do because it’s a 1.7 kilowatt fixture and yet it has a very light weight. Those were the two main concerns, weight and output,” explained Chan.

The lighting was one and a half years in the making. Chan shared that most of that time was spent ensuring the lighting made sense to the story. “A lot of the time, when I work with younger designers, I see that they base their lighting design on how The total field-of-play size for a particular song in a show the OC was 160 metres long makes them feel. While it may by 95 metres wide, and Chan look nice, it doesn't necessarily used the BMFL Blades as his key help the song. Lighting is much lighting for the whole floor area. bigger than me or you, you must Photo by Louise Stickland Specifically, the BMFL Blades consider whether your lighting Lighting crew (L-R): Marc Brandon Hor (Assistant LD), William Lee with their framing shutters serves its purpose which is to (Showtec Crew Chief), Mac Chan (Lighting Designer), Michael allowed him to divide the pitch help the song and the artist tell Chan and Muen Huang (Programmers and Show Operators) area up into precise slices of the story of that song.” light, effectively creating a matrix of Searching for lightweight luminaires with lighting ‘areas’ which could then be a high output led Chan to Robe's BMFL With a show of this magnitude, the blended together or run as separate fixtures. amount of red tape that came along patches of intense colour and texturing. with it was not surprising. “There was 360 BMFL Blades – the newest in the a concern for the weight load of the Designating a specific area for each BMFL range - were rigged on eight fixtures since this was the biggest BMFL blade to cover in its ‘home’ trusses - 20 fixtures per truss - running event to be held at the new stadium. position gave the option of adding either along both sides of the pitch. The 100 We took almost half a year to get the very subtle or completely full-on lighting x BMFL Spots were located on four weight right and in the end, the lights, to suit the eye-catching projections. trusses, two at each end of the stadium truss plus cables came up to 80 tonnes roof. (without speakers) and with the structure Having dealt with less quality light engineer's letter of no objections we

SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

that came in lighter fixtures for similar shows, Chan shared that saturation or brightness would be too low for broadcast. “So many lighting elements were lost because fixtures could not maintain the quality of the picture over a certain distance. It is a very difficult technical issue that we always have to face because if the fixture has more power then you can afford to put in darker and more saturated colours which the camera will still be able to pick up and faces will come out the right colour on your TV screen.”

The 100 x BMFL Spots on the four endtrusses were primarily used to illuminate the multi-layered stage in the middle of the field-of-play, which featured much of the acting, story-telling and ceremonial action.

“There was no other fixture I could have used for the same effect from such a large height over that area,” he declared.

While projection was Guinness World Record worthy, lighting was a standalone spectacle all on its own. It featured the greatest number of Robe BMFLs – to date – used in a single event. The newly launched BMFL Blades were delivered from Robe in the Czech Republic in time to be loaded straight into the stadium in April.

Robe’s Josef Valchar attended the OC and commented, “The show looked incredible! I was extremely proud to see so many fixtures on one show and that Mac trusted a brand new light on such an important and grand scale event.”

seating area, Chan managed to light performers all over the stadium without a glitch.

Last but not least of the main lighting duties was down on the field where Chan deployed 104 units of the new Clay Paky Mythos. The award-winning 470W hybrid light has been taking the industry by storm with its large light beam.

“I was introduced to the Mythos by Clay Paky's distributor, Acoustic & Lighting at the beginning of this year. They invited me for the launch of the SuperSharpy and I was so impressed with what a small light could do but the beam looked almost like a searchlight” said Chan.

“In a show like this, the audience looks at the light from a distance of about 80100 metres away so beam size was very important. This was interesting for me because the Mythos could jump between what a Spot and a normal Profile could do. They came in very handy for beam effects like crossing and such. Initially we wanted to use the gobos as well but it did not have the effect we wanted and we found ourselves relying more on the Beam of the Mythos.”

Control over all moving lights went none other than to a grandMA2 system that was “definitely the right console for this show” according to Chan. “I wouldn't have used any other console.

The flexibility was something that really helped with the workflow because, while this was a structured show, we needed to anticipate changes at any minute.

There are a lot of layers to the show and new elements could be added in

Framing duties for individual performers on the ground were delegated to 60 x Martin Mac3 Performance luminaires, 60 x VariLite VL3015 Spots and 60 x DTS XR3000 Spots.

While highlighting of the stage performers and those located on the stadium's floating platforms were handled by 8 x Robert Juliat Lancelots along with 8 Lycian followspots. Pairing Lancelots and Lycian equally along the North and South sides of the Stadium's

Photo by Louise Stickland

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unexpectedly so we needed a console that doesn't require you to scrap all the work you've done so far because it can adapt to any key changes you need to make to your show sequence.”

All trusses for the event were supplied by rental house, Showtec Communications, the team behind the purchase and supply of Robe and Clay Paky fixtures as well as lighting support for the night. The Robert Juliat Followspots were purchased by Showtec before the games along with over 100 units of ChainMaster 1 Tonne Chain Hoists from regional distributors, Total Solution Marketing who also sold the company 32 units of Le Maitre Freezefog + G Force 2 Smoke machines for the SEA Games.

Mac's team comprised of assistant LD Marc Brandon Hor, programmer and show operators Michael Chan and Mu En Huang. Showtec crew chief William Lee co-ordinated a crew of up to 50 Showtec lighting technicians at the peak times during the OC cycle, and they were on site for the best part of two months in the run up. The show’s Technical Director was Kenny Wong.

“Showtec is probably one of the most capable companies in terms of lighting because they have the most lighting gear in Singapore and the lighting crew is very experienced in doing this kind of big show,” said Chan. “They are also quite experienced in shows like the National Day Parade and this has enabled them to develop their own working system which makes them efficient at deploying staff and troubleshooting when need be.”

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SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

AUDIO The dome-like structure of the National Stadium proved to be the most challenging aspects of the Opening Ceremony production.

Audio Designer, Shah Tahir shared that acoustics of the venue were a constant complain as concerts held at the stadium were usually unintelligible.

to the audience as possible while still maintaining even distribution.

It is not due to the venue's permanent installed system as one might suspect.

Rather, as Tahir explained, “stadiums usually present a problem just due to their size. The structure of the stadium this time around was worse because of the dome and the fact that it had a closed roof.”

“I knew I would need a certain amount of boxes and in this case, I also specifically wanted the amplification to sit together with the speakers. I couldn't afford for the amplifiers to be in one place while the speakers are in another and to run 100m of cable in-between. We would lose audio quality. The Nexo rig fit my requirements perfectly. In fact, they built a custom rig so that we could fly the amplifiers at the back of the speakers.”

The main challenge was to conceptualize an audio design that was loud while still clear enough to understand spoken words, lyrics and speeches, all crucial aspects of the ceremony.

To accomplish this, Tahir decided to fly 10 identical clusters consisting of 4 x Nexo STM S118 boxes on top of 9 x B112/M46 combinations up onto the roof and fire into the crowd. The aim of this was to get the speaker as close

“The further the speaker is away, the more its going to get lost in the live ambience,” he explained. “With the speakers closer to the seating area, we avoided a concert-style sound where the big column speakers are used far away and the audience can't understand what is being said.”

Besides proximity, another important specification on Tahir's rider was the weight of the speakers.

Jon Sim, Head Audio, The Show Company, the rental house tasked with audio duties, explained the benefits of having a custom rig for such an event, “The Nuar Racks we have were all fitted with the new Nexo NXAES104 Cards thus allowing us to integrate AES/EBU signals into the amps and control signals via Ethernet through our optocore

network system. The flown Racks were specially configured with multi-pin cables so that we have control of individual amplifier powers on ground level.”

However, organizers had to take into consideration that other sightlines were not disturbed by the clusters and therefore restricted rigging points for all systems. “We were given fixed rigging points due to roof loading which wasn’t in favour of rigging speakers, as the points were situated on a straight horizontal beam thus making it difficult to adjust vertical tilt angles and horizontal aiming,” explained Sim. “In the end, we managed to offset our rig points on the straight beam to allow us to fix horizontal angles which also solved our array tilt angle.”

In total, the Stadium is made of 6-level tiers that can fit more than 50,000 pax.

Unfortunately, due to the shape of the venue, not all sides are made of 6-levels.

The flown clusters could only cover level 6 to 4 and therefore left out levels 3 to 1. To balance out the audio, Tahir, together with ShowCo, ground-stacked 12 clusters made of 2 x STM B112/ 3x M28 subs on top of 2 x STM S118. This took care of any areas not covered by the flown clusters.

“The ground-stacked clusters proved to be very vital in this stadium configuration

SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

as they allowed us to cover seats that were under the balcony as well,” said Sim. “Additionally, we also deployed 30 x Nexo PS15s MK2 at all tunnels of the stadium where the participants formed up.”

“Everyone seemed to be really happy with the sound we got, they said that it was much clearer and better than any other shows held so far in the stadium,” said Tahir. “Besides issues like the 5/7 seconds of reverb, I think it went very well and the performance of the speakers were very good. ShowCo gave very good support and Nexo themselves even came down to help so all in all the support was very good. Very consistent.”

The ring system at the Stadium was designed by long-standing Optocore customer, ShowCo - who made a recent substantial investment with local distributors Total Solution Marketing.

Contracted by Sports SG, they added to their existing stock 8 x X6R-FX-8AE/8LO Optocore converters along with 3 x X6R-FX-16MI, 2 x X6R-TP-16MI, 5 x X6R-TP-16LO interfaces, with a central

DD8RP repeater. This enabled them to create a fibre backbone at the newly constructed 55,000-seat Singapore Sports Hub. Sim confirmed that,“the scale and the importance of the audio support for the Games made it mandatory to have a large dual redundant ring system as nothing is allowed to fail.” All 18 devices were connected in the loop, including 11 X6R-FX devices, set in 11 locations in the stadium.”

The entire audio system set-up is based on Optocore devices as the main frame, and all audio signals in the stadium (amplifiers, amplifier remote, wireless mics, band mics etc) were routed through the Optocore network.

With Desmond Fong project managing, six of the X6R-FX devices were located in the control room, receiving AES3 signals from their main Dolby Lake rack processors, and analogue signals from the back-up Dolby Lake rack. Both racks were fed by Avid Profile racks.

“Signals were then distributed through the network to all locations where we just picked up the AES3 signals and analogue signals to the amplifiers,” Sim continued. In addition to feeding audio signals to the power amplifiers, Ethernet from Optocore was also used to control them. This, in turn, fed the NEXO STM line array systems.

The installation was supported by Optocore’s Applications Engineer, Michal Micka, who carried out on-site training. He praised ShowCo for their impressive set-up and the way in which they deployed this backbone distribution system.

In summary Jon Sim said, “One thing that we loved was the fact that the amplifier remotes could also be connected to the LAN port of the X6R devices.”

General monitor duties were handled by 2 x Yamaha TF 5 due to its compact size. Tahir commented that the boards were “a workhorse board as with other Yamaha boards. It's always been a brand that has boards that do exactly what you need them to.”

Team E&E Provide Wireless Audio from Shure settings in real time, using the ShowLink Remote Control feature. A wireless network link between Axient receivers and transmitters allowed the audio team to make crucial changes to transmitter settings, without ever leaving the control booth.

Everyone in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 28th SEA Games were heard loud and clear thanks to the Shure AXIENT Wireless Management Network provided by system integrator Electronics & Engineering (E&E), authorized distributor of Shure in Singapore.

Unprecedented wireless technology and advanced spectrum management capabilities allowed emcees and performers to engage with the audience and move freely around the Stadium.

Simultaneously, sound engineers could remotely adjust wireless microphone

With many TV stations live broadcasting these large scale events, and other wireless systems, intercoms, and digital devices crowding the RF environment, signal interference is a common issue. Axient Interference Detection and Avoidance offered the ideal solution. Not only providing alerts when RF interference occurred, the system automatically moved to clean frequencies within milliseconds, making even major interference issues nearly undetectable and delivering the confidence of knowing that no matter what, interference will not ruin the show.

A total of 24 channels of Axient were used during the Opening and Closing Ceremony of the 28th SEA Games, with a

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mix of AXT200 handheld and AXT100 bodypack transmitters. Additionally the UHF-R Wireless System with UR3 plug-on wireless microphone transmitters was used at the rostrum on the portable stage at the center of the stadium field.

The Shure PSM1000 Personal Monitor System complemented the wireless microphone solution, with 8 x P10T Dual Channel Wireless Transmitters and 24 x P10R Bodypack Receivers providing in-ear monitoring for performers and emcees.

Besides providing and installing the wireless audio systems, the E&E System Applications Team also trained the team from ShowCo on the use of cables and connectors, as well as ideal antenna placement to achieve best possible coverage, while considering the aesthetics of the show design. This was a main consideration for the organisers and they were highly satisfied with the solutions offered by the E&E team.

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SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

COMMUNICATION

Providing reliable technologies to major events is nothing new to Riedel. From F1 to winters sports to rock concerts, Riedel is known to be an accomplished provider of solutions for major events and thus not surprisingly the company was called upon again for the 28th SEA Games.

Four Riedel Artist 64 mainframes, were connected via a redundant fiber ring for the intercom and distribution of analog and digital audio for the opening ceremony of the games. The second pair of fibers were used for the management network and SNMP. “There were almost 5,000 performers and a huge number of technical crew and broadcast crew involved in the opening ceremony. The Artist matrix offers reliability, stability and flexibility, which are key ingredients in ensuring the system plays an important role in getting everyone involved communicating comfortably and ensuring the success of the ceremony,” said Thomas Domin, Project Manager, Global Events, Riedel.

For ease of communications, the system itself was divided into two key communication blocks. One block related to the artists and performance and the other block was used by the technical crew such as the lighting and audio playback crew.

Riedel Key Panels enabled quick communication between the producer and the gatekeepers and follow spot operators as an example, with just a touch of the button. Performer C3 digital 2-channel beltpacks were used for the communications. Overall over

30 C3 belt packs were used by follow spot operators, several gatekeepers, projection technicians, audio technicians as well as lighting technicians. Whilst the follow spot crew have a permanent position and thus are connected to the system via cable, the gatekeepers move about and thus have wireless beltpacks that enables them to stay in contact.

is only a small space for us to work with as the frequency space was limited. We took on the responsibility of managing the frequencies for all the other companies involved in the opening ceremony such as Showtec and Glorious. We calculated the frequencies to avoid intermodulations,” said Torsten Begemann, Lead RF Engineer, Riedel.

Of significance to the smooth flow of the performance, was that Riedel had provided FM Mass Monitoring. The system is based on a VHF-transmitter providing one-way communications to many receivers. For the Opening Ceremony cast members were provided with an In-Ear Monitoring (IEM) device that fed them with communications and the music. This was an important aspect as the performers were all on the field where they experienced inadvertently a delay of the audio being synchronised to what is actually happening. The dancers for example, needed to be synchronised to the actual sound and not the audio from the speakers, which means they needed to hear the sound before the audience did. All the different group of performers had their own channel of communications so as not to interfere with each other. This enabled the respective field cast and choreographers to talk to the respective group of performers without any cross-over communication.

“It's a wonderful feeling when you cross boundaries and political lines to come together and cheer for each other. At the end of the day, this event was about celebrating human beings and what we share. I think it’s a very touching picture with a very warming objective,” declared LD Mac Chan.

Altogether 3000 FM receivers were used over 3 FM channels.

For the broadcast communication and signal distribution, Riedel supplied the RockNet digital audio network system.

RockNet delivered the main audio feeds such as from the announcers and the music as well as the communication amongst the showcallers and tech callers. This enabled for example the cameramen to have their cameras positioned in the right position for the broadcast takes.

Frequency management was critical as there were a number of frequencies on use during the ceremony. “There

The SEA Games Opening Ceremony was broadcast live on national TV and across South-East Asia, reaching an estimated audience of 600 million. The evening culminated in the lighting of the Games cauldron, an honour which was given to former footballer Fandi Ahmad and his eldest son Irfan and saw the 28th SEA Games kicked-off in great style.

www.seagames2015.com

List Of Companies Involved: Projection: www.hexogonsol.com www.christiedigital.com www.coolux.de www.tsm-int.com Lighting: www.showtecgroup.com www.robe.cz www.claypaky.it www.martin.com.sg www.vari-lite.com www.dts-lighting.com Audio: nexo-sa.com www.optocore.com www.show-company.com www.shure.com www.enepl.com.sg Communications www.riedel.net

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56

SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Exploring The Great Outdoors

©Jim Lee Photography

H

olding outdoor events is a given on almost all continents (err...we're not too sure about Antartica!).

The huge summer festivals in the Americas and Europe gets thousands of bodies pumping to great music. The countries in the tropics, like those in South-East Asia also hold a number of outdoor events. In fact the number of outdoor events seems to be growing year after year.

Events held outdoors open up doors to a world of creative opportunities, while also enabling organisers to pack more people in at an event. For rental & staging companies, a key element that must always be considered is the weather. The climate has become unpredictable thus this is one key factor the production companies have to pay careful attention to when it comes to outdoor events.

There have been countless successfully staged outdoor events as well as some disastrous ones. Many of the successful events happen because of meticulous planning. To get a feel of what needs to be looked into, E-Tech Asia, rounded up Stephen Lieberman, President of SJ Lighting, Inc, who has been in the business for over 20 years, together with the reputable 40-year old company P.A. People Pty Ltd of Sydney, Australia and a leading manufacturer of hardware products and structural solutions, Prolyte Group, to give us their critical inputs regarding outdoor events.

All our contributors agreed unanimously that weather is a critical factor that rental & staging companies must be prepared for when setting up their systems.

But that is not the be all and end all as there are other factors that need to be considered.

Stephen Lieberman lists down his top five tips on what production companies should consider when doing a live outdoor event: 1. Proper pre-production of equipment meaning all lighting, audio, video fixtures, etc, should be prepared, addressed and labelled.

2. Co-ordinated load in schedule with other vendors – ensuring that there is no conflict of workspace, loading dock and labour.

3. Heavy machinery and generator package must be ordered in advance. Knowing that you will need forklifts, lull, lifts, etc.

4. Labour call – knowing how many stage hands you need for loading, loadout, showcall.

5. You can never be “too prepared”...you have to stay ahead of the game so that when unexpected delays occur – and they will – you have breathing room to catch back up.

SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Stephen adds, “Outdoor festivals can be some of the most rewarding productions to be a part of… while at the same time presenting very unique challenges based on several things: Location – Geographically… what country you are in – what the site conditions are… what the weather is.

I would say, the one constant that all production designers face when dealing with outdoor events is the likelihood that inclement weather will inhibit your ability to get your job done… the possibility of damaging equipment, stopping the work flow, and even postponing or cancelling the show.

Several years ago at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, we experienced wind gusts of up to 70mph… due to the dangerous nature of this condition; we had to shut down the event for the night. The safety of the audience takes precedence over everything else.”

Stephen's company specialises in lighting and as far as lighting for outdoor events are concerned, he only has one important criteria, “The fixture needs to be reliable. It can have all the bells and whistles but if it fails, all else is irrelevant.”

The Audio Component

57

understand and plan for; example, how do you get power and signal across 4 lanes of traffic on a busy intercity road? How do you get a show network across the harbour on two separate paths? Careful planning and detailed site surveys and keeping all interested parties in the loop is still the best method.

Designing and delivering the best available technology for the task and context.

The changes in expectations of a distributed audio system: they are no longer just a paging and emergency PA systems - these days they are expected to deliver DJ’s, music and bands performances in a fully zone controlled environment.

Delivering on these expectations with traditional PA systems is not possible - so investment in new technologies that are fit for purpose has been the way forward.”

Travis further adds, “The main considerations in relation to deploying site-wide PA these days is covering the required area to the SPL level and frequency response that the event demands without annoyance to those living in and around the site. Starting a DJ at 6am in the middle of Sydney on a weekend if not done right, will have some very unhappy neighbours!”

Common mistakes that production companies might overlook according to Travis, include lack of weather protection from the sun, wind, rain or dust for the equipment; Cable paths poorly planned for and lack of access to the site. Lack of a coordinated bump in - i.e. generator not turning up on time, so everyone is waiting for power.

Roof Systems and Trussing solutions

©Forsk Ink, Philippines

Travis Henry, Manager Event Communications of the P.A. People Pty Ltd highlights that apart from all that nature throws at an outdoor event, there are unique challenges where audio is concerned, “Distance is often the biggest hurdle to

Roof systems and trusses are without doubt one of the most important elements to consider in terms of weather. Marina Prak, Head of Marketing, Prolyte Group comments, “Just try to hold an umbrella during heavy winds. The forces that you feel are also working on a roof structure, however the roof surface often is like 500 times bigger! Any covered roof structure is vulnerable to weather conditions.

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SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015 ©ProMontage, Venezuela

“Anyone can be successful in ideal conditions...it is the person who can overcome challenges when faced with adversity at the most inopportune times...that’s what separates the elite from the rest.”

- Stephen Lieberman President of SJ Lighting, Inc

Numerous accidents with outdoor stages have taught us that weather is a vital factor in the risk analyses of building an outdoor structure. Apart from provisions against foreseen weather conditions, like wind, rain, sandstorms, etc. one should always be prepared for quickly changing weather conditions and how these can affect the structure and crowd safety.”

She adds, “Accidents like the Indiana State Fair have shown us just how quickly weather conditions can change dramatically.

It’s important to monitor the weather continuously and to have a safety protocol in place (and all staff informed) should the weather change. Being able to react quickly and adequately at such times is paramount.”

Marina highlights that the following aspects must be considered when building outdoor structures: 1. Environmental conditions such as subsoil and weather conditions must be taken into consideration.

2. Understanding the regulations and standards in relation to different countries.

(Prolyte roof systems comply to Eurocode (EC0, EC1, EC3, EC9), EN-13814, EN13782 and EN-12385)

3. Ballast and guy-wires. Applying sufficient ballast and guywiring is an essential part of roof building. Unfortunately too often these are not applied or not applied properly.

4. Appointment of a competent supervisor. Each roof build needs a competent supervisor among the technical staff.

Building a roof structure is like building a medium to large sized building – with all risks involved.

Be Prepared Always

When it comes to roof structures and truss, it is important that no short-cuts are taken and that only systems that comply to strict codes are used. Prolyte Group takes an active approach not only from the design stand point of its solutions but also conducts regular trainings and seminars to ensure that technical teams are trained rightly for the job.

Travis Henry also points out that other than knowing and understanding the environment be it weather or physical, knowing what you are setting up and its capacity to be adapted to changing client requirements or environmental conditions and being prepared for that is important.

Stephen Lieberman, sums it up best, “Anyone can be successful in ideal conditions – ideal circumstances… it is the person who can overcome challenges when faced with adversity at the most inopportune times. When you lose power as the doors are opening… when your console crashes as the headliner walks on stage… when “murphy’s law” is executed.

Being prepared and staying calm when things seem to be at their worst… that’s what separates the elite from the rest.” www.prolyte.com www.papeople.com.au www.sjlighting.net

SPECIAL FEATURE E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

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Forsc Ink Swears By Prolyte Roof Systems In 2003, Philip invested in his first Prolyte ST roof system. “We opened up a Pandora’s box in the Philippines,” recalls Philip.

“We set a benchmark in the Philippines – Prolyte was so much in demand that, as a result, people from the industry started to use the name Prolyte also for other products. However we have never doubted to stay true to this brand. The quality and the fitting are just unmatched.”

Nowadays Truss Works has 3 full ST roof systems and 2 ARC roofs in its rental fleet, furthermore they also own additional trussing and ProLyft hoists.

Manila-based Forsc Ink owner Philip Santos and Menze van der Sluis, Prolyte Asia Pacific, go a long way. They met at the USITT in Anaheim, somewhere back in 1998 or 1999. They kept in close contact ever since, with Menze gradually convincing Philip of the quality of Prolyte systems. Eventually this led to Philip’s first investment in a Prolyte ground support system.

Based on the feedback and experience with that system, Philip was convinced he could move a step further. He founded Truss Works, a company dedicated to renting out complete roof systems.

“Even after 12 years these systems operate flawlessly” Philip continues, “During an event on New year’s Eve, Manila was hit by the tail of a typhoon, when the storm calmed down, our Prolyte system still stood proud, where other constructions had major problems or even collapsed.”

With the Prolyte roof systems rented out on a weekly basis Philip does not doubt the worth of the initial investment. “The total investment may be higher, choosing for Prolyte, but over the long run, this brand is true to its promises, and it really offers unrivalled quality”.

Menze and Philip have build a strong relationship over these years, “Prolyte is simply there for you when you need them” concludes Philip.

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EXHIBITION REVIEW E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

PALM EXPO 2015:

The Show Changes Guard, Gets Bigger and Wider

By Ram Bhavanashi

PALM EXPO 2015 – the 15th edition of the annual ensemble of pro audio, rental and staging industries of India – held under new management in Mumbai in May end, appeared to better its best, and set itself on a new course of growth, albeit challenges. Looked holistically, the three-day event not only grew in size and scale, but also brought some promises to the fore. An ETA report:

• Show Floor spread : >21,916 sqm • Number of exhibitors: 166 • Number of brands: 400+ • Products on display: >5000 • Visitors: >24,000 • Highlights: - Yamaha occupied entire Hall 2B&C, taking 1150sqm.

“PALM Expo has once again proved to be an ideal platform for building the commerce of Pro Sound & Light market in India. With over 90 pc growth in floor space, it was evident that the industry is all geared to take the next big leap.”

- Ramesh Chetwani, Executive Director, PALM Expo India

The 2015 edition of PALM Expo – 15th year in the running – while improving its numbers, essentially appeared to consolidate and expand what it had initiated in the previous edition of the annual fare. The event’s floor spread got bigger and wider; number of exhibitors, brands and products they brought to floor scaled up; booths got bigger; technical programming appeared getting more focused; and its two big innovations from last year – the Demo Cube and the DJ Soundscape – got more demonstratively bigger and louder. So, many measurable positives, and coming from under a new management, and, of course a handful of challenges too.

For one- PALM Expo had a change of guard early this year, with the event’s erstwhile promoter Diversified India transferring the ownership to Londonbased ITE Group PLC’s Indian subsidiary ABEC Exhibitions and Conferences Pvt. Ltd.

Bose Demo Cube

The event’s impact this year got more demonstrative, essentially in the Demo Cubes and the DJ SoundScape. Bose and HiTech occupied the two Demo Cubes this year, whilst Yamaha decided on a different strategy from last year by taking up space in the Hall beside the Exhibitor Registration site and occupying a massive 1150sqm space. Bose Corp made it more of a technology demo rather than just product demo – with technical presentations by its global tech execs on a large screen whilst Yamaha took its concept a few steps further in a

EXHIBITION REVIEW E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Yamaha’s expansive floor space la Musikmesse fashion- with an expansive floor space for product showcasing, and an acoustically-treated enclosure for product action-demo with popular young Indian singers such as Shibani Kashyap; renowned Russian guitarist Victory Smolski; and percussionist Zak Bond.

For one, Shibani appeared to steal the thunder with her “ho gayi hai mohabbat” number and more.

The DJ SoundScape – upping the ante from where it stopped last year – appeared to have turned the biggest feature at this year’s PALM with reportedly over 400 DJs registering for DJ conferencing and championship programmes. It brought together some of India’s top DJs and musicians along with leading industry professionals who spoke to packed audiences on trends of music business. The DJ Championship programme appears to be evolving into a gravity centre at PALM for aspiring and pro DJs.

The Open Line Array feature this year – we were told – got a little finer with a golf cart service to help visitors move comfortably between the LA area and the exhibition halls. More, the Music Expo has moved to VIP parking area under a new sturdy fully covered structure, with a fairly-comforting degree of air-conditioning wafts that were missing in the main exhibition hall for a good part of the show.

The Line Array Demo area featured 11 brands this year

Harman Professional India sought to bring more nerve and verve to the event with its Harman Live Arena fare- a whole big host of performers and bands such as Sivamani, Ragas2Riches, Func, Bombay Bassment, Demonic Resurrection, Dhruv and Niladri, Victronica, Caralisa Monteiro, and more…

New Comers, New Deals, and New Directions

In line with the PALM convention, the event did have its own share of new

61

comers, new deals announcements, and some new directions too. Some of the most significant announcements have been the arrival of Music Group with an exclusive national distributor – Alphatec – British lighting design major ChamSys coming through a deal with Jagmag Electric Co, and MA Lighting appointing Modern Stage Service as its exclusive distributor for India.

Music Group and Alphatec join together to bring a wide array of solutions to the floor

There have been at least a dozen new comers to the show – mostly from lighting domain – in addition to the repeat visitors such as Epson and TOA, adding to the increase in the number of exhibitors. There have been some significant misses as well, such as Reynolds, and Drego.

The Show Floor…

A spread of 21,916 sqm, 166 exhibitors, showcasing over 400+ brands and 5000 products –some of them coming to the region, and world markets for the first

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EXHIBITION REVIEW E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

time – that’s an expansive fare! Seeking to steal the thunder from the rest were, of course, quite a handful. Modern Stage Service continued to maintain its lead with the event’s largest booth measuring over 500 sqm, followed by Imax Lighting (they had 252 sqm space), Alphatec, Ahuja Radios, Harman, IES, etc.

A distributor-dominated event that PALM Expo is, it did have a fairly good share of manufacturers coming direct - Bose; Harman; Bosch (Eletro-Voice); Sennheiser; TOA; Philips, Pioneer and Osram.

the player can select between 3/4 and 4/4 time signatures. Other product highlights included Soundcraft V1 mixer; JBL EON portable speakers with Bluetooth control; JBL SRX800 series; DBX DriveRack; Martin Pro Rush Gobo projector and M6 console.

Harman India has also brought to market yet another user-friendly programme of equipment financing. The service, however, would be available to those who buy equipment worth over INR 5,000,000 (close to 80,000 USD).

From the Audio Domain

Evidently, the audio segment at PALM Expo 2015 is dominated by Harman who made a slew of sorts on the show floor.

Making their biggest presence thus far at the event, the audio major not only brought a slew of products to the floor but also used it to create its own kind of powerful impact on the industry with some innovate programming offers. The most important being the H-APPI app – a 24/7 mobile service – aimed at supporting professional audio customers anytime, anywhere. (Refer to News page 24)

The DigiTech TRIO Band Creator being demonstrated at the Harman booth

Product demos from Harman included, among others, most noticeably, the DigiTech TRIO Band Creator. Simply said, the TRIO listens to the way one plays, and automatically generates bass and drum parts that match the song being played. The player just needs to plug the guitar into TRIO, press the footswitch to teach TRIO the chords and rhythm, then press the footswitch again to start playing with his/her own personal band. The system provides for seven music genres to choose from Blues, Pop, Alternative Rock, Rock, Country, R&B, and Jazz. Up to twelve song styles will be available for each genre and

Fuat Koro, Director, Global Sales & Marketing, Professional Systems Division, Bose with the F1 Model 812 speakers)

BOSE Corporation brought to show for the first time in India, its F1 Model 812 Flexible Array Loudspeaker that enables the user to shape their sound coverage through four different configurations.

This powered portable loudspeakers let the user control their vertical coverage pattern by simply pushing or pulling the array into position to create “straight”, “C”, “J” or “reverse J” coverage patterns. Once the pattern is set, the system automatically changes the EQ to maintain optimum tonal balance for each coverage pattern. Engineered with a flexible array of eight high-output mid/ high drivers, a high-powered 12-inch woofer, a lower crossover point and 1,000-watt amplifier, the loudspeaker delivers high SPL performance while maintaining vocal and midrange clarity that’s dramatically better than conventional loudspeakers.

Electro-Voice brought to show its X-LINE Advance line arrays demonstrated prominently on its booth, apart from the EVID S44 Compact Sound systems, and EKX portable loudspeakers. Claimed to bring to place an unprecedented performance-to-size for installed and concert sound applications, with

Tushar Srivastava, Johanness Huth, and Santosh Kumar of Electro-Voice (Bosch) with EV’s X-LINE system

improved Hydra wave-shaping devices, high output transducers, and proprietary FIR-Drive optimization, the new-look X-LINE systems are taken to be top of the line array systems on market.

Sennheiser India’s products demo was highlighted by its launch of AVX wireless microphones, apart from the D1 range of wireless microphones, and Neumann’s legendary U47-Collector’s Edition microphone, coming back to PALM, and . Besides these, the German audio major also highlighted its show with Apart Audio’s Mask-12 and Mask-12T cabinet loudspeakers.

Japanese audio major TOA Corporation highlighted its product displays with AM-1 array microphones, and HX-7B line array speakers.

Kolkata-based Indian manufacturer Sonodyne International brought to show floor three new professional reference monitor models. The new launches included SM3300, which is a high definition mid field monitor; PM Series of professional active loudspeakers; and SRT Series studio monitors.

From the distributor’s front, industry majors such as HiTech Audio, Sun InfoNet, ProVisual Audio,GM Audio, and Rivera Digitech, apart from the new entrant Alphatec accounted for a major floor space and show. The new entrant Alphatec, coming with the exclusive India distribution agreement with the Music Group demonstrated a big range that included products from the Group’s brands- Midas, KlarkTeknik Turbosound, Bugera, and Behringer.

Truss Exchange Programme

Exchange your old truss for brand-new Prolyte truss

For each kilogram of old truss you trade in you will get 5 times the scrap value of aluminium

No handling, no fuss - Prolyte will arrange delivery and pick-up of discarded truss

Keeping it green - Truss materials will be scrapped and recycled

www.prolyte.com - www.prolytepap.com - www.prolyte-doughty.jp

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EXHIBITION REVIEW E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Rivera International brought its ranges from Radial, Atlas Sound, Tone Art, SoundTube, and Ansata brought d&b audiotechnik’s Y-series line arrays Y-8 and Y-10 installed system LAs, besides the Max-2 stage monitors, and D-20 amplifiers.

The Modern Stage booth was half occupied

by Christie and Dataton showcase

ProVisual Audio Booth

ProVisual Audio demonstrated its popular ranges from its major principal brands QSC and Audio Technica. The QSC brands included the Touchmix-S series, AcousticDesign series of surface mount speaker AD-S4T, and AcousticCoverage series of AC-C4T; ACC6T; AC-S4T; and AC-S6T ceiling mount speakers. This apart, the distributor also demoed QSC’s GXD-4 and 8-channel power amplifiers.

Audio Technica ranges on the booth included the ES947/LED and 945LED cardioid condenser boundary microphones, apart from the ATND971 boundary microphones. The booth also had the ATW series of headphones used for various professional applications.

SunInfoNet brought to floor popular products from all its principals- Shure, Quest, Allen&Heath, and Nexo. The key highlights of the product displays included Shure’s PSM-300 personal monitor system, and PG Alta series of microphones; Allen&Heath’s Qu-32 digital mixers, Zed 1000 mixer ranges, and AB168 audio rack with 16 inputs and 8 outputs; and Quest Engineering’s QM700 loudspeakers as well as QTA digital amplifiers.

GM Audio, India distributor for D.A.S. Audio demonstrated the Spanish major’s 210A and 208A Event Line Array solutions, apart from the Vantec portable speaker systems. There have been a host of other distribution majors – Sound Team brought Genelec 8351 speakers; Harness showed OHM speaker systems, apart from new highlights from RAM Audio’s S6004, and Z440 power amplifiers; HiTech Audio showed Bose, RCF, DiGiCo systems; Modi Digital showed up with Auro 3D, RME and Violet Design systems; Sonotone brought P-Audio systems;

Jagmag Electric appointed as Chamsys distributor in India

That apart, the distribution major showcased a range of lighting solutions from Danish lighting solutions provider SGM Lighting. Further, MDS also demonstrated a whole big range of its own brand of Showlite lighting solutions.

The Lighting and Visual Aspect

IES exhibited a whole big new range of products from its newly added principals, besides those from its existing partners Robe, Martin Audio, and Lumen Radio.

Prominent among those exhibited were Avolites’ Titan lighting control and Ai video control, and Madrix lighting control software.

Elsewhere on the show floor, Mumbaibased Jagmag Electric Co. exhibited latest lighting design ranges from its newest partner ChamSys.

• German lighting console major MA Lighting has appointed Modern Stage Service (MSS) • British lighting console leader Avolites appointed Integrated Entertainment Solutions (IES) • British lighting control solutions player ChamSys appointed Jagmag Electric

There have been a host of other lighting solutions exhibitors occupying large floor spaces. Prominent among them were Dhawan Stagecrafts who brought a host of new ranges from Clay Paky; LBT who demonstrated their IP67 LED fixture solutions; iMAX Lighting who brought a big range of spot washes, including the Superray 330, and others from Lightsky Lighting.

Perhaps the most strikingly visible feature of PALM Expo 2015 has been the Lighting exhibitors. Understandably, there have been some very decisive market movements from the domain, and the same has flown on to the PALM floor too. Noticeably, three lighting solutions majors took to the PALM floor through their newly appointed India distributors:

Taking the lead as always has been the Modern Stage Service, continuing with its practice of largest booth and flashiest product demos. Its show on the floor was arguably dominated by its visual solutions principals Christie Digital Systems – who demonstrated a 270-degree curved projection solution – and Dataton – who demonstrated 3D mesh-model projection mapping solution through its new WatchOut 6.0 version.

While Christie and Dataton occupied almost half of its floor space, MSS showcased its newest principal MA Lighting’s DOT.2 lighting control console solution with even prominence.

Trussing

Trussing solutions at this year’s PALM were as usual dominated by Dutch trussing major Prolyte Group who brought their latest offerings of heavyweight bearing rigging solutions.

Interestingly, this domain at the show is also taken by iMAX Lighting who demonstrated ICTC trusses and cases.

Overall, PALM Expo 2015 appeared something for everyone who has a connect with Pro Audio and Rental and Staging industry. www.palmexpo.in

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EXHIBITION REVIEW E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Highlights From The Show Floor 3rd Prolyte Campus Live Stage

team responsible for the sales of the MA Lighting desks have also undergone training to better understand the various features that the desks provide.

Eshdeep Singh, Director, LBT

Chinese manufacturers. “We offer stability, reliability and great features that are better than the lower end Chinese manufactured solutions. So we are priced higher than the Chinese solutions but lower than the International solutions,” said Eshdeep Singh, Director, LBT.

For the third time, Prolyte Group brought their successful and exhaustive seminar programe to PALM Expo.

“Bringing knowledge to the people involved, with day-to-day practical side of it, is our way of contributing to safe working practices and building skills and expertise” said Prolyte spokesperson Marina Prak.

The seminars were held Live during the show and were free for all visitors.

Prolyte Brand Manager Ivo Mulder presented the seminars sharing his experiences from daily practice.

There were two presentations. The first touched on outdoor structures and environmental influences - the effect of wind loading on outdoor structures and why proper ballast is important and the other was also related to outdoor structures but was concentrated on safe set-up procedures - the how’s and why of guy-wires and where and how to apply these on outdoor structures.

MA Lighting Appoints Modern Stage Services

MA Lighting has appointed Modern Stage Services as its exclusive distributor in India. According to Franco Zaghini, Director of Business Development, MA Lighting, the company’s objective is to make the desk known all over India.

“We also need good, quick and efficient support and Modern Stage is able to provide that.” In respect to that, Modern Stage has already set up a sales and maintenance office in Calcutta to give better assistance to the market in the South of India and are in the midst of finalising a service centre in Mumbai as well. Their office in Delhi will provide support for the North of India. The

Davinder Wadhwa, Director of Modern Stage Services highlights, “We see great potential for MA Lighting in the Indian market. It is a reputable brand and is well known for its products throughout the world and there is high praise within the lighting industry for MA Lighting boards.

The ease of learning is what differentiates the MA Lighting consoles from its competitors. As more and more clients are looking for easy and durable solutions for their projects which include corporate museums, lighting rental companies and places of worship, MA seems to be just the right solution for it.

In fact we have already sold 8 of MA Lighting’s dot2 consoles. The market in India is transitioning from low to better quality solutions and clientsHighlights From The Show Floor www.modernstageservice.in www.malighting.com

Home Grown LBT Soars With Lighting Solutions

LBT (Lumen Bright Technology), established in 2006 in New Delhi has over the years grown by leaps and bounds. Showcasing a range of lighting fixtures, the company positions itself between the top end international lighting manufacturers and lower end

This year the focus at the exhibition for LBT was related to LED technology and their IP67 range of lighting fixtures. “Our solutions are manufactured in China but I would say we are an ODM (Own Design Manufacturer). We have a seasoned professional consultant from Germany who works with us for our lighting fixture design. We use European hardware and lamps from GE and Philips. We pride ourselves in our quality and reliability.”

LBT has forty different models currently and according to Eshdeep has been used at Bollywood studios, national television studios and are also well used amongst the EDM concerts. “I am pleased to say that users aspire to get our products, which makes us really happy. There is much potential in India we are continuously gaining momentum.” www.lbtpro.com

Integrated Entertainment Solutions Grows Its Portfolio

IES is known for its stable of premium brands that it represents and at this year’s PALM India, the company unveiled new brands that the company has recently added to its portfolio.

IES has been appointed by Avolites as the sole distributor for India where the company will undertake local marketing, training and support for Avolite’s Titan lighting control and Ai video control

EXHIBITION REVIEW E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

Kekul Sheth and Rasesh Parekh of IES

product ranges, in addition to sales for the Indian market. Rasesh Parekh, Director, commented, “Avolites is already a popular brand in India and we are happy to be associated with

them. As a pure distribution company, we believe IES will be able to further enhance the sales of Avolites solutions in India.”

Robert Juliat is another new brand that IES has taken on. “RJ had identified us as a company that is able to handle highend products and will work together with them to explore the market together.

In our opinion there are no high quality Followspots in India. It is of course going to take some time to move the solution due to the market’s sensitivity for pricing but we believe we can persuade the market to look at reliability, quality and

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other key features other than pricing,” said Rasesh.

Also shown at the stand was Madrix – a software solution from Germany that is specifically targeted at control of LED lighting fixtures across different applications offering versatility for its users.

Of course, IES also showcased all their other quality brands including Robe lighting fixtures, Martin Audio solutions.

Lumen Radio amongst others. www.iesolns.com

Photo Gallery

1. Ansata sh owcased at its booth d&b audiotechnik's xC-Series, xS-Series, J-Series and Y-Series speakers.

2. MRH Digital Systems demonstrated Dynacord PowerMate 3 mixers and Mipro solutions such as the AT-70W and AT-90W wideband extension antennas.

3. The GM Audio booth featured D.A.S. Audio Event Line Array and Vantec solutions.

4. Over at the Cinetekk booth, taking centre-stage were KV2 Audio solutions from their large venue ES system and K-RIG to their smaller range Active EX speakers and Passive ESD speakers.

The company also participated in the outdoor line array demonstration featuring the KV2 VH-D system.

5. The popular Harman PALM Live Arena once again featured a mix genre of music and musicians to the delight of visitors. Not only did the Arena showcase the multiple talents that India had to offer but it of course also showcased the total solutions from lighting to sound that Harman is able to offer.

6. Dhawan Stagecrafts Pvt Ltd showcased a full range of Clay Paky lighting fixture solutions at its booth.

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The Arrival of Alphatec, Music Group Together “We will have a dedicated team structure to take this initiative forward,” explained Devasis. “Our target is to reach out PA dealers, Rental and Staging, and other B2B market players. We will have onboard dedicated trainers from Midas and Behringer to begin with, and add up other brands as we move ahead.”

Alphatec intends to conduct a series of roadshows across the country to get message into the market segments and players.

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n one of the most significant developments in Indian Pro audio industry, Music Group, and newlyinstituted, Kolkata-based Alphatec Audio Video have come together towards pursuing a combined business fortunes in the rapidly growing industry. While the news of the big development was out a few weeks in the run-up to the PALM Expo 2015, both the groups chose to make the event show floor platform in Mumbai to make the decisive announcement.

Interestingly, it’s a new journey for both the groups. The move is Music Group’s entry step to Indian market, it’s an expanded, purely-distribution role for Alphatec.

demanding nothing but highest quality products, service and assurance,” he said. “We believe it’s time we introduced top brands of Music Group to Indian clientele. We are happy about our association with Music Group.”

According to him, it’s a pure distribution initiative on a national level, with the objective of connecting around 300 towns in India. Having already set up a 15,000 square feet warehouse facility in Kolkata, the company is contemplating setting up one more in Delhi shortly, as also back them up with at least 15-20 service centres all over the country in about three months’ time.

According to Karan Kathuria, Senior Manager, Customer Management, Professional Division-APAC at Music Group, the pro audio conglomerate has such a wide basket of products and solutions that it addresses every segment of the market, and application.

In a diverse market that India is, Music Group’s solutions will address them better than the most.

“Indian market plays a critical role in the overall industry growth in APAC as far as ProAV market is concerned,” he said.

“We are sure that with a convincing and impacting representation of Music Group in India through Alphatec Audio Video, we have a great future.” www.alphatec.co.in www.music-group.com

Alphatec’s founder-managing director Devasis Barataki who had been one of the founding directors of the Kolkatabased Ace Acoustics – a Harman distribution and integration partner for Eastern India – decided to move on from the dual role of SI-cum-distribution to pure-distribution from a bigger and wider platter.

“Demand for world class pro audio, video products and solutions in India has been growing at a rapid pace.

Facility owners, A/V professionals, sound engineers and consultants are now more discerning than ever; they are

Karan Kathuria and Devasis Barataki

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BroadcastAsia2015 Goes Over-The-Top Among the highlights of this year's show, OTT content was seen to be on the rise and BroadcastAsia2015 was right there with it Singapore's one and only trade exhibition, Broadcast Asia (BCA) returned to the halls of the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre for a 4-day run in June. Besides bringing the best in what broadcast has to offer, the show brought 48,000 attendees from 101 countries and regions together to discuss the top trends and strategies needed to compete in the rat-race that is the professional trade industry.

One such trend that seemed to be on everyone's mind was the rise of smart device ownership and how consumers are becoming more hungry for portable content that they can access at any time and any location. Recognising this trend, organisers, Singapore Exhibition Services (SES), presented the latest in Over-TheTop (OTT) content and 4K technology, media asset management and video analytics.

OTT is shaping up to be a game changer in the TV industry, and the OTT market is now on the fast track for expansion.

The global video-on-demand market will be worth US$45.3 billion by 2018*.

Addressing this growth, BCA hosted the TV Everywhere! Zone which gave visitors access to latest OTT solutions available in the non-linear broadcasting value-chain. More than 110 exhibitors, including Accedo, Brightcove, Ericsson, Limelight Networks and Nice People At Work (NPAW), are showcasing how their solutions enable the delivery of TV everywhere.

“The OTT industry continues to evolve rapidly, as users can be selective with what content they want to consume, when they want it, and on what devices.

Broadcasters, now more than ever, must have granular awareness of the performance of their service in order to keep up with growing end-user expectations and provide personalised content and service,” says NPAW’s CEO, Mr. Ferran Gutiérrez Responding to the new addition at the show, BroadcastAsia2015 delegate

and Senior Vice President of the Shorty Awards & Muck Rack, Natan Edelsburg said, “The social TV and second screen track was absolutely outstanding this year. 2014 and 2015 has seen some of the biggest changes in OTT, social media and the second screen and our panelists and speakers represented all different parts of the business. From gamification to analytics and video this year's BroadcastAsia was truly enlightening when it came to understand the future of TV.” “BroadcastAsia is THE meeting place for broadcasters in the region. The wide spectrum of products and variety of exhibitors allow me to choose the ideal digital solutions for our company’s ICT strategy,” said BroadcastAsia2015 visitor Alain Roger Poirier, Chief Operating Officer, Bloomberg TV Malaysia. * Euromonitor, 2014: http://www.euromonitor.com/singapore

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LIGHTS ON LVL 4 Hosted alongside sister shows, CommunicAsia and EnterpriseIT, BCA occupied the top two levels of the convention centre and was organised into pavilions that featured exhibitors from different countries in Asia. Not surprisingly, the Singapore pavilion seemed to have the highest amount of footfall as it played host to exhibitors such as MA lighting and Total Solution Marketing.

Though the exhibition is targeted at the broadcast market, exhibitors like MA Lighting took the opportunity to showcase their latest solutions in the Live and Install markets as well.

Jens Poehlker considered the show a hub to reach out to customers in the SEA region. “If we attend KOBA and Broadcast, we have covered Asia for the industry. Customers that we've met here have expressed strong interest in the new range as it is simple, comfortable and easy to use with a relevant price.”

The dot2 range consists of three lighting consoles; dot2 core, dot2 XL-F, dot2 XL-B; two playback expansion wing solutions; dot2 F-wing and dot2 B-wing and the dot2 Node4 (1K) network output node as well as the dot2 onPC console software and the dot2 3D visualisation software solutions.

MA Lighting’s Regional Sales manager, Jens Poehlker

ETC Source Four LED

Released at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt, MA Lighting showcased the dot2 lighting desk. A new range of lighting consoles from the makers of GrandMA range. Above all, the dot2 will feel familiar to theatrical users with 100mm faders that provide full access to the master playback list at all times and a tactile level wheel gives access to lighting levels. Command-line syntax is fully supported alongside graphically assisted touch screen control of all the features.

Like many others, Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC) chose to exhibit through their dealer. Housed at the AVLite booth, ETC staff from Hong Kong made the trip down to answer questions about the new products and meet customers from all over Asia.

The most interesting aspect of the new range is that users can build a solid foundation on their own before attending any formal training. The company website offers training videos, online manuals, a software download section as well as a link to the brand new dot2 forum, enabling users from all over the world to get what they need out of their console.

Echoing the opinions of many others at the show, Regional Sales Manager,

Part of the Source Four family, ETC showcase the latest light engines of Source Four LED Series 2. The Daylight HD array produces coolest (4000 to 6500K) variable white light just like natural sunlight, and the Tungsten HD array creates warm (2700 to 4500K) adjustable white light that mimics the performance of tungsten fixtures. Their temperatures and tints can be tweaked to perfectly illuminate individual skin tones, so they look great in person and on camera. Both arrays output an incredible amount of lumens in their respective colour temperature range.

What’s more, the Source Four LED Series 2 light engines not only accept Source Four lens tubes, with the new

Fresnel adaptor, it turns into a wash light with beautifully soft edges and even distribution that can be moulded with barn doors to the perfect shape.

As like many other ETC new products, David Law, Sales Manager for ETC Asia shared that the team are excited being able to bring demo units to Asia with the same pace globally. “This show enables designers and programmers from surrounding countries to learn about the advances in technology so they can apply it in their work. We knew it would get a good response here and we wanted everyone to be able to see it in action.”

Eugene Yeo (center) with Lawrence Loh (left) from A&L and their newest team member from d3 Technologies

Regional distributors of Clay Paky, Filmgear and now d3 Technologies(d3), Acoustic & Lighting (A&L) took the show as platform to introduce their newest sponsor to the Asian industry as well as to highlight the ever-popular Clay Paky A.leda K20 and K10 luminaires.

Recently having secured the rights to distribute d3, A&L hosted several minitraining sessions with d3 solutions. Focus was on the flagship of the d3 pro range, d3 4x4pro where guests were treated to the benefits of using it to render a show before a physical set-up. A highlight for the 4x4pro in particular is that, you don't have to wait for large files to be split and distributed any more. It can play up to 32 HD layers of DXV/HAP content and these can be split however you like, with canvas sizes up to 16K pixels across.

Catering to the intended Broadcast attendees, Eugene Yeo, Business Development Manager at A&L, said this was also the first time they showcased

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REALM OF AUDIO FilmGear, a leading manufacturer of lights and camera accessories for the motion picture and broadcast industry.

SIs at the show were definitely a force to be reckoned with as well. Medios Associates, specialists of design, specification, installation and full implementation, showed off their 20 years of experience by offering a full spectrum of products.

One that seemed to attract a heavy amount of traffic was the SOLO7 HD Nano Transmitter from COBHAM Broadcast. A ultra-mini COFDM digital video transmitter that was specially designed for Point-of-view and bodyworn applications. It enables viewers high definition images and is one of the lightest RF transmitters while still being HD, HD SDI, HDMI capable.

According to Medios Engineer, Gerald Kooi, it is able to cater to all cameras in the market and is best used to establish rugged wireless video links in all types of condition, including mobile and urban environments.

projection mapping and real-time tracking ID-tags driven by the coolux Pandoras Box Media Server.

Christie, which acquired coolux earlier this year, has forged a closer partnership with Total Solution Marketing – distributor of coolux products in ASEAN – to offer a more comprehensive range of visual solutions to rental stagers and owners of performing venues. This collaboration elevates TSM to the status of an authorized partner where it can provide Christie visual solutions, such as 3DLP projectors, with coolux media servers, as a complete package to clients.

Roxie – the latest LED Followspot from Robert Juliat

The TSM crew were also excited to showcase Roxie, the new LED followspot from Robert Juliat. Makers of the Merlin followspot have now jumped on the LED bandwagon with the latest addition to their Grand Range with Roxie. Similar to the dimensions and output of the Buxie, Roxie is a 300w LED followspot that was developed for the small venue market.

It comes in warm or cool white and is available with four different lamp options, each in a short or long throw version. Considered as a professional tool for professional people by Robert Juliat Sales Director, Claus Spreyer, LED technology is strong enough now that RJ have decided to combine their expertise with that technology.

With one of the largest booths at the show, another integrator out in full force was Total Solution Marketing (TSM).

Besides hosting a wicked industry party after show hours, they also entertained all types of guests with the an array of Christie Roadster projectors that were deployed to present eye-catching

LED vs tungsten light seemed to be quite the debate at this year's show.

Speaking to many exhibitors, both manufacturers and distributors, it seemed to be a consensus that while LED technology is getting close, it may never be able to replace tungsten and both are equally needed in any good lighting arsenal.

Audio and its counterparts clearly ruled on level 5 of the convention hall.

Not arranged into pavilions but rather different booths in one expansive hall, audio manufacturers and distributors alike had larger booths to avoid the congestion that came with high foot traffic.

Andy Cooper (Manager, Pro Audio Application Engineering) with Lawrence Tan (Yamaha Music Asia, Assistant GM)

Yamaha highlighted Version 3.0 for the CL and QL Digital Audio Consoles that was made available in April. The consoles have now been have now been given a “broadcast” feature, stated Lawrence Tan, Yamaha Music Asia, Assistant General Manager. With V3.0, adds features and functionality that will increase the appeal of all CL and QL series models for broadcast applications, including 5.1 panning and monitoring for surround broadcasts, and a newly developed buss compressor that is ideal for insertion in the stereo mix buss. Live sound applications will benefit from a new 8-band parametric EQ and real time analyzer. CL and QL series console files are interchangeable, so it is easy to choose and combine models to ideally accommodate live sound FOH and monitoring as well as broadcast relay and recording, from large scale applications to the most basic. Additionally, fifth major update to the StageMix App for iPad was presented for the first time at a show. Combined with the expanded CL/ QL V3.0 feature set, convenience and flexibility have now taken centrestage as users can produce for an array of applications, from live sound to broadcast relay and recording at venues.

Set for release in July, V1.7 of the NUAGE software was also on display.

As most NUAGE users can attest, this system has always been more than just a DAW controller because of its deep integration with high-level DAW

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VISUALS & PRODUCTION software. Masami Koiwa, part of the Audio Products Sales and Marketing Division, shared that NUAGE V1.7 has become a “well-accepted system for Pro Tools users as well, who want compatibility as the heart of NUAGE is the Steinberg Nuendo 7 which provides an improved workflow.

A projection mapping showcase at the Panasonic booth

Prosumer and consumers alike could be seen at the Sennheiser booth which once again catered to all aspects of the audio industry, For Broadcast they featured the AVX wireless microphone system for videographers. It enables users to capture camera input sensitivity without having to adjust the audio level of your mic. It can also plug directly into the XLR audio input with phantom power.

When you turn off your camera, the AVX switches off as well and you save battery power. There are a total of 4 sets that vary between the types of clip-on mics and handheld transmitters. Catered toward the high level prosumer.

“No tweaking is needed for the AVX,” said Sennheiser Marketing Manager, Carolyn Chia. “It's the smallest receiver in market that allows you to maximise 2 channels and is directly mounted directly into the camera.”

Focusing on performers, Sennheiser also unveiled their new Evolution Wireless D1 microphone series. Hard-wearing but gentle on acoustics, the Evolution Wireless D1 mic system allows users to let loose and perform thanks to the automatic frequency management, easy operation and reassuring reliability that comes with all Sennheiser products.

As with previous years, Panasonic created a miniature Panasonic world which consisted of a dedicated room full of Panasonic solutions for various markets and a demonstration of projection mapping featuring d3 Technologies and Panasonic projectors.

This was also a way to introduce the industry to the new PT-RQ13K 4K+ Projector. The new projector is set to rule large exhibition venues, virtual reality theatres, rental and staging, and control room applications. It boast 4K+ image quality via the Quad Pixel Drive technology and design improvements like a fail-safe dual-drive laser optical engine that ensures up to 20,000 hours of bright, long-lasting and maintenancefree operation. Its Geometric Adjustment feature allows it to project onto curved or spherical surfaces, and the availability of terminals such as DIGITAL LINK and 3G-SDI inputs further extends the projector’s flexibility It will be made available in December 2015 with a list price of USD99,000.

Adding more value to the show for the Broadcast market was the Post Production Hub. Industry heavyweights Academy Award and BAFTA winning re-recording mixer, Craig Mann and co-founder and director of Widescreen Media, Kevin Lau, lead the line-up as experienced directors, colourists and visual effects experts provided first-hand

industry expertise and experience for technologies on showcase.

One of the main manufacturers highlighted at the Post Production Hub was Avid who brought users the next phase of Avid Everywhere vision and an array of new solutions to help artists, creative teams and media enterprises all work together as one global community. Together with Craig Mann, they mingled with the industry and showcased solutions such as the Cloud Collaboration for Post Production and Modern collaborative workflow.

Connect with E-Tech Asia on Facebook to get the first read on our exclusive interview with Craig Mann and his journey into the post-production world.

The next edition of BroadcastAsia will return once again to Marina Bay Sands in Singapore from 31 May – 3 June 2016. www.broadcast-asia.com

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PALM Expo Spring Edition Excites Trade Industry Organizers look forward to Autumn edition to be held in August

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ALM EXPO, the iconic event for the Pro Audio, Lightings, Music & Technology industry in China, is back in year 2015 with two sessions.

The Spring session in the month of May focused on Musical Instruments whereas the autumn session in late August will feature the Pro Audio, Lighting and Technology sector.

The Autumn sessions, like the Spring, will take place at the old China International Exhibition Center (CIEC), Beijing, China.

Both are jointly organized by China Entertainment Technology Association and Informa Exhibitions.

The Spring session, which was took place from the 21st to 24th May, concluded with a resounding success of attracting over 30,000 attendees within the four days. The Musical Instrument Exhibition welcomed over 700 participating companies and brands covering a total space of 40,000sqm, setting a new record. The positive increment of exhibiting companies signifies the growing demand on musical instruments in the Chinese Market and is aligned with the national level policy to promote the development of China's cultural industry and to increase Chinese international trade which will contribute to economic exchanges.

The Musical Instrument Exhibition was divided into a few segments namely: electronic and keyboard, electroacoustic instrument class, ethnic musical instruments category, string class, percussion class, woodwind and brass and other Chinese and western musical instruments, composer and computer equipment, musical instruments, accessories, music production machinery and equipment, musical instruments field associations, media and publishing organizations.

In response to the whole country, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central

Party Committee actively called for the revitalization of China's cultural industry, promoting spiritual civilization and pursuit to create the Chinese culture.

The China Entertainment Technology Association and Informa Exhibition, together with the organizing committee, aimed to build a performing arts equipment exhibition with technological development acting as a benchmark that strengthened scientific and technological content at the show. This benefitted majority of the exhibitors, and also allowed professional attendees a deeper understanding of Chinese culture.

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The organizing committees also specially invited guest speakers, event judges, and guest performances from China Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, scholars and professors from Yangzhou University School of Music, Tang Dynasty band, well-known musicians and performers, as well as from Chinese and foreign musical instruments business experts and engineers.

As a continual effort to enhance the exhibition experience, the organizers provided a more personalized service for exhibitors and visitors. In doing so, registration to the event was improved significantly. The pre-registration network uses the innovative microchannel platform, which greatly simplifies the registration procedures of exhibitors and visitors improving the effectiveness and efficiency of exhibition admission.

As for the trade visitor’s invitation, the organizers invited delegates from well-known professional institutions, professional theater troupes, music education institutions and other professional audiences from South America, South Korea and many other countries.

In addition to the exhibition itself, a series of on-site activities including high-end forums, technical exchanges, acoustic guitar contest, super musicians’ performances, new product launches and other new technology activities were held concurrently. “We believe that the high-end technology exchange forum, musical instruments industry's technological development and related instruments improving playing techniques will play a significant role in promoting the musical culture such that it will benefit everyone,” said a exhibition representative.

The autumn edition in August (19th – 22nd) will be filled with more excitement and anticipation for both exhibitors and professional visitors.

To-date many established brands have once again confirmed their participation in this not-to-be-missed show. They include Adamson, BMB, d&b Audiotechnik, L-ACOUSTICS, Harman Group, JBL, Martin Audio, Nexo, Meyersound, Sennheiser, Yamaha, and many more. www.palmexpo.net

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PHILIPPINES

Art Venue Opens With Cutting-Edge ETC Lighting System

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t the end of 2014, the Solaire Resort and Casino in the Philippines raised the curtain on a luxurious new performance venue: The Theatre at Solaire. The fan-shaped, 1,760-seat music hall is equipped with ETC Sensor3 power control, a Unison Paradigm architectural system, and an Eos Ti entertainment-lighting control system.

The Theatre at Solaire is the highlight of the Solaire Resort and Casino, and is considered to be the most advanced theatre in the Philippines. Its stage technology system was designed and specified by Coherent Design, a Las Vegas-based theatrical consulting group.

They faced a unique challenge due to the fact that there are few theatres in the country. Having technical support nearby was an absolute necessity, especially

when it came to programming and commissioning the system.

non-dimmable circuit quickly is a huge advantage,” explained Starck.

“The experience that ETC Asia had in similar facilities and the training they were able to give to the local integrator was essential to pulling the project off in an extremely condensed timeframe,” said David Starck, Managing Partner of Coherent Design. He has worked with ETC for many years and has faith in the company’s products and service.

The venue also employs an Eos Ti lighting desk with 8,000 outputs. The flagship console of the Eos family, Eos Ti provides the bold features and increased control capacity that the iconic venue requires.

6 x ETC Sensor3 power control racks fitted with 576 modules, including ThruPower modules, were specified and installed. “The ThruPower modules are ideal for the Solaire project and most projects these days. More and more lighting instruments are going to LED and movers, so having the ability to switch from a dimmable to a true

Additionally, an ETC Unison Paradigm architectural control system is used for houselights and worklights. Starck explained, “The Paradigm system was the only logical choice to bring it all together and allow for houselight control from both the in-house console and from any touring consoles. It also allows for easy control by staff for all of the back-of-house lights, such as the in the galleries, grid, and control booths.” www.etcconnect.com

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SINGAPORE

By Elissa Nadine

Universal AV Ups The Ante At McGettigan’s Clarke Quay Rental House Moves Into Integration With HARMAN Distributors, Mahajak SKM

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cGettigan's Clarke Quay is the shiny new brainchild from the family behind the McGettigan's brand of pubs. Originating from Dublin in 1960, McGettigan's has grown to become an award-winning restaurant bar that is known for offering the best selection of modern Irish food, culture and entertainment.

Expanding into South-East Asia has always been a part of McGettigan's business strategy, explained Caitlin Murphy, Business Development Manager of McGettigan's Clarke Quay, the new Singapore outlet. “In total, there are 9 McGettigan's bars all over the world.

We've got outlets in the UAE, New York and soon enough, one in the UK.

Not forgetting our original outlets in Ireland. We wanted to move from the Middle East into Asia and thought that Singapore was perfect because it acts a as kind of gateway to the rest of SouthEast Asia.”

Each outlet under the brand boasts a vibrant décor and the new Singapore edition is no different. Its main eye-draw are the crazy curved bookshelves that fill the walls and ceiling-esque floors that create the illusion of being in an upside

(L-R): Mahajak's Roger Lim and Glenn Lin with Vinod Sivapillai from UAV and McGettigan's Business Development Manager, Caitlin Murphy

INSTALL E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

down Willy Wonka-like universe where all the chocolate has been replaced with beer.

Caitlyn explained the idea behind the ambience: “We wanted to have that traditional Irish feel but also a clean modern kind of contemporary feel as well, that’s why the design is quite funky.

We are very focused on all aspects of live entertainment including music and televised sporting events, hence the numerous HD screens positioned throughout the bar. Maintaining the warm friendliness that the McGettigan's brand has become known for is also of the utmost importance to us.”

From unusual designs to surprising collaborations, the team from McGettigan's approached Singaporebased rental house, Universal AV Pte Ltd (UAV), to be their AV integrators. Vinod Sivapillai, Technical Director at UAV shared, “We've been wanting to expand into integration for a while now and we saw this as the perfect opportunity.”

Starting with bare walls, the UAV team were restricted in the amount of work they could do in a day. “Once we installed all the necessary cables, we had to wait for them to complete all the partition works which was a very long period. Only after all the walls were up, which was about a 2-week wait, we came in and installed the speakers and even then, we could only work one area at a

time. This project definitely involved a lot of attention to detail and customization.”

With the client's specifications, such as wanting compact hi-quality speakers that wouldn't break the budget, UAV went in search of what various brands could offer and decided that a full HARMAN set-up would be the best fit for the venue.

This meant the team would be getting the quality sales service provided by Mahajak SKM, the official HARMAN distributors for Singapore and Thailand, whom they were already familiar with.

“This was the first time we had worked with Majahak for an installation, we had previously worked with them on rental agreements and such, but this was the first full-scale collaboration between us,” said Vinod.

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“If you're looking for compact speakers which are loud and you want clarity at the same time, then you would want the HARMAN AC Compact series as this is an engineered series for quality sound,” said Mahajak Application Manager, Roger Lim. To achieve this, the main audio on the first floor is distributed between 10 x JBL AC16's with extra beats coming from 4 x Control SB-2 subs hidden under the bar's cosy booth seats.

The JBL AC16 is known for combining flexibility with high fidelity and is equipped with a 1” Exit Compression Driver providing 90° x 90° coverage. As a complement to the main system, the Control SB-2 is designed to provide low frequency reinforcement in subwoofer systems and is considered ideal for restaurant installations.

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The SB-210 contains dual aluminium/ ceramic composite cone drivers and is fully capable for indoor as well as outdoor environments. The internal angled baffle allows for a large port opening and compact front dimensions without compromising driver size. This allows the unit to produce warm, punchy low-end sound.

All speakers are powered via 6 units from the Crown XLS range. A mixture of 1 x XLS1000, 3 x XLS2000 and 3 x XLS2500 amplifiers provides the venue with power and flexibility thanks to the integrated DriveCore Technology, PureBand Crossover System and Peakx limiters.

Perhaps one of the most interesting audio decisions is the single Control SB-210 subwoofer that is mounted right above bar's entrance. “At first, the plan was for 2 x SB-2 units to be placed at the corner of the entrance, on the ground, as the client liked the aesthetics of it,” said Vinod. “Unfortunately, once we had it installed, it didn't look quite right.

After some brainstorming, we decided the best aesthetics could be achieved without compromising quality by floating a single SB-210.”

dbx Zone Controllers Discreetly Placed At The Bar

To balance all the zones, Glenn recommended that UAV install a single dbx ZonePro 1260 Digital Zone Processor which comes with 12 inputs and 6 outputs as well as Ethernet control. Needing more outputs, UAV added 1 x ZonePro 640m Digital Zone processor to the mix, due to its ability to duplicate audio channels to another ZonePRO device via a link bus.

The 640m features a total of 6 inputs and 4 outputs with a hardware-controlled microphone gain that allows adjustment of microphone gain per channel. Zone controls for both levels are left up to the 2 units of dbx ZC3 wall-mounted zone controllers, installed at the bar areas on each respective level. Volume control is also allotted to the bar area with the 5 x ZC1 and 2 x ZC2 controllers that are

Another specification besides the sleek discreet design of the boxes and hi-end audio was audio zoning, a trend that seems to be picking up all over Asia. “Zoning is not just for F&B establishments any more,” explained Glenn Lin, Sales Manager of PRO Sound at Mahajak.

“Nowadays, you can also see it in hotels and ballrooms where you need to match the zones for 2nd Floor Satellite Speakers different rooms. wired with CAT5 cables and universally Professionally, I think it's a good idea to accepted RJ-45 connectors allowing have different zones because you have customers that prefer quiet corners while them to reach distances up to 1000ft. others like it loud. Zoning allows you to Remembering the difficult process break a room into different levels so you of finding the equipment under can feel comfortable no matter where budget, Roger shared, “Based on their you sit in the pub or restaurant.” requirements alone, you would actually need to use something like a DSS Matrix He also shared the complex nature of processor and if we had used that, the the zoning process, “This was quite a cost would be extremely high. So to tricky installation as the client wanted meet the budget requirement we had to be able to control the various zones, to brainstorm alternative products that and because this is a new outlet, the could reduce the cost and fulfil the requirements kept changing. Initially, numbers of zones they wanted.” they only wanted zones for the first and second floor, and then the staircase was Working closely together, the teams added followed by the toilets and lastly, managed to provide the bar with a total they wanted to also be able to not only of 7 zones from 4 different sources to control the sources but the volumes as choose from, including audio from the well.”

INSTALL E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

resident DJ and playback via broadband streaming. All feeds to the ZonePro controllers are managed via a single Soundcraft EPM6 desk.

On top of the main ground floor zones which include the stage area for live music, the bar, internal seating area, the team catered to the external seating area as well with 4 x Control 25AV shielded monitor speakers. These units are weather-resistant thanks to a paintable stainless steel grille. The same cabinets, in black, are also discreetly installed along the connecting stairwell from level one to two. The last but probably the most unusual zone on the first level is the toilet. Here, there are 2 x Control 23 units which were a main requirement for the project, according to Glenn.

On the second level, which hosts only 2 zones, there are 4 sets of the Control Pack 50 surface-mount subwoofer-satellite loudspeaker system, which includes 4 x Control 52 loudspeakers and a single Control 50S/T subwoofer. Some of which are ingeniously hidden behind the venues HD Screens, providing an all-round immersive experience during football matches.

“The owners themselves understand that sound plays a part in a restaurant and sound can bring in more crowds especially if you have a better sound quality,” said Glenn. “You can see that there is a trend among restaurants now for better quality systems, and we're glad that we can cater to that.”

McGettigan's is open daily for lunch and dinner with some of Singapore’s best live music acts performing on various nights throughout the week, in addition to exciting, value for money promotions such as ladies night and happy hour.

McGettigan’s is located at Block A, next to Tan Tye Gate in Clarke Quay, Singapore www.mcgettigans.com www.uav.com.sg www.mahajakskm.com

Control 25AV Shielded Monitor Speakers Line The Stairwell

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CHINA

GLP Spot Ones For New Harbin Music Hall

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he Chinese city of Harbin is wellknown for its music, and among others, the hosting of the Harbin Summer Music Festival, a 40-year old national concert festival. Recognised for its global influence, the festival has led to the city of Harbin being awarded as the "City of Music" by UNESCO in 2010. The new Harbin Music Hall was developed in order to host this particularly famous event.

Conceived back in 2010 the spectacular new building was designed by famous Japanese designer, Arata Isozaki. The shape of the design itself resembles floating ice crystals — demonstrating the art of ice engraving.

With a floor space of 20,000 square metres(sqm) and surrounding areas occupying a further 13,000 sqm, the main hall contains 1,200 seats, while the smaller studio room has a capacity for around 400 seats. Peripheral areas also include changing rooms for artists, restaurants, coffee houses and rest rooms.

The technical infrastructure at the Harbin Music Hall is based on high level concert specification and among the brands specified by installers Guangzhou Ruisheng Lighting & Audio Equipment Co. Ltd. are GLP’s Spot One, working under consultants Arata Isozaki & Associates of Shanghai. The fixtures were supplied by China-RS, GLP distributor for China and Macau, who were also responsible for the audio and lighting design.

The impression Spot One caused a sensation when it was launched as the first LED spot fixture of its kind — harnessing the output of enough LED sources and being able to run it through the optical system of a spot fixture to create an even beam for RGB colour mixing. The fixture features an RGB

LED engine with 8 or 16 bit control over each colour allowing for delicate colour changes or instantaneous colour bumps. With a vast colour spectrum ranging from soft pastel colours to deep saturated shades.

The grand hall uses no fewer than 42 x Spot One fixtures — 24 on the overhead truss, 6 more as a floor package, while in the small hall, 8 further Spot Ones have been deployed in the overhead truss and a further 4 as a floor package.

The construction of the music hall has been geared up to welcome the upcoming festival scheduled to be held from the 6th to the 15th of August 2015.

Meanwhile, Harbin’s previous music hall, which was established in 1990, has now been transferred to private investors for commercial business development. www.glp.de

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INDONESIA

Cinema 21 Installs South-East Asia’s First Christie Vive Audio Solution Projector that is already deployed in the auditorium.

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o pr prov provide ovid ide de th the b best est po possible cinematic experience, Cinema 21, the largest movie theatre chain in Indonesia, has become the first movie theater chain in Southeast Asia to be equipped with Christie’s cutting-edge cinema audio solution which utilizes ribbon driver speakers and Class D amplifiers.

The technology is installed at the Cinema 21 Epicentrum XXI complex, located in Central Jakarta, which houses a state-ofthe-art 302-seat auditorium (Auditorium 2), and features a 14m screen and plush seating for maximum comfort.

It is considered a preferred venue for premieres and gala screenings in the Indonesian capital with the Vive Audio system installed has been configured to meet the requirements of the Dolby Atmos sound technology system.

Besides offering a rich, dynamic and detailed sound, the Christie Vive Audio system unlocks the full potential of the DCI digital cinema audio format and is compatible with the leading immersive and surround audio formats in the market. It consists of wall and ceiling surround speakers that use unique ribbon driver technology in a line array design, purpose-built for cinema environments.

The installation in Auditorium 2 was undertaken by Christie’s Indonesian partner, PT Megatech Engineering, and comprises close to 50 x Christie Vive Audio speakers of varying combinations.

These include LA3 screen channel speakers, LA3C speakers for ceiling surrounds, LA4S speakers for wall surround effects, S215 subwoofers (for full range frequency response), as well as S218 for Low Frequency Effects (subwoofers) channels. The end result is highly immersive cinema sound known for delivering exceptional power and performance.

“We’ve been working with Christie for almost a decade and have always been very impressed with the company’s constant technological and groundbreaking advancements in digital cinema. We have benefited much working with Christie’s technical team from the Vive Audio installation and are very pleased to once again bring the latest cinema technologies to the audiences in Indonesia,” commented Rudy Susanto, President, PT Megatech Engineering.

Besides the immersive aural experience brought about by Christie Vive Audio, audiences can enjoy the most brilliant and high resolution visuals offered by the Christie CP4230 4K DLP Digital Cinema

With twice as many pixels in horizontal and vertical directions than 2K, the CP4230 is ready for the next evolution of digital cinema – capable of displaying premium 4K content or 2D/3D 2K High Frame Rate (HFR) feature films and alternative content in its original format.

Combined with the newly installed Vive Audio, Auditorium 2 has joined a league of “all Christie” cinema halls offering Christie’s complete cinema solutions that sets new standards, and deliver superior movie-viewing and cinema sound experience.

“When we first heard the sound from Christie Vive Audio, we were so impressed by its clarity and how it delivered the audio details in the movies.

This is exactly what we’re looking for to provide our patrons with the best movie listening experience ever,” said Suryo Suherman, President, Cinema 21. “We’re proud to be the first cinema chain in South-East Asia to install Christie Vive Audio and are confident that it is the best audio system available today for accurate reproduction of immersive cinema audio formats.”

An increasing number of cinema chains around the world have embraced the Christie Vive Audio, with close to 150 installations worldwide to date.

Besides Cinema 21, China’s largest movie theatre operator, Wanda Cinema Line, has also deployed Vive Audio in Hall 9 of its flagship cinema complex in Beijing. The audio quality is widely acclaimed by industry players and the venue has been used for a number of gala screenings, including the China premiere of the Hollywood blockbuster film Transformers: Age of Extinction in June 2014. www.christiedigital.com www.21cineplex.com

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ISRAEL

Photography by Louise Stickland

Dramatic Role For Robe @ Habima National Theatre Israel Many shows will also tour internationally and in the summer, Habima offers a full programme of outdoor performances in addition to those staged in the building.

(L-R) Technician Gidi Baliti; Eitan Memia, Technical Manager for Lighting; Meir Alon Head Lighting Designer; Erez Hadar from Robe’s Israeli distributor Danor and Technician Loz Zagin

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ince 1938, the Habima Theatre has officially been considered the national theatre of Israel. Among the first Hebrew language theatres, it is located in Habima Square, central Tel Aviv within an impressive building that reopened in 2012 after four years of renovations. The enormous project integrates history with a modern twist by architect, Ram Karmi and included the total rebuilding of Habima’s four auditoriums – each of which is a different size and colour.

This was accompanied by a complete technical upgrade, at which point Habima Head Lighting Designer, Meir Alon, and Technical Manager for Lighting, Eitan Meima, decided the time was right for a new moving light system.

They chose Robe.

The first purchase was Robe’s ROBIN MMX Spots. “These were gaining a great reputation at the time and we had several good references,” explained Meir. They visited PLASA, saw the fixtures in action and decided that “they fitted the theatre’s needs exactly”.

At the same time they also purchased 4 x ColorSpot 1200E AT profiles, which were delivered by Robe’s Israeli distributor, Danor Theatre and Studio Systems.

Once they started using the Robe’s in their largest space – the 930 capacity Rovina auditorium – more fixtures were purchased, and the count is currently at

14 x MMX Spots and 18 x Robe ROBIN LEDWash 600s as well as the ColorSpot 1200E ATs. They also have a Robe DigitalSpot 3000DT. Habima is a busy and buzzing environment, across all its spaces, up to six shows a day can be staged, and they work 365 days a year. Therefore the lights, which are used extensively, need to be robust and have some serious longevity!

They were attracted to the brightness, small size and light weight of the Robe fixtures. “It was a careful and very much considered choice” said Meir, “These fixtures are powerful and offer all the parameters we need for our shows”.

Meir will typically design lighting for 90% of Habima’s shows. Having the MMX Spots and LEDWash 600s among his creative toolbox gives, “..fabulous gobos for texturing sets, surfaces and actors and fixtures that allow me to use a full range of authentic colour temperature ‘halogen whites’…plus the huge colour range, all combined with an excellent quality of light”.

The light weight is important as many of their house bars have 300kg weight limits – so less actual fixtures are needed but they can do a good deal more work, and highly effectively. As well as producing their own works running in repertoire in Tel Aviv, numerous Habima productions – noted for being some of the finest in Israel – subsequently tour.

They will also host concerts and musical projects featuring visiting artists and productions who will bring in their own design and technical teams, and with the Robe’s now available, most needs can be met without hiring-in additional lighting kit.

When the provincial theatres hosting Habima shows don’t have the Robe units that are now often on the lighting spec, an arrangement is in place with Danor Rental to supply additional Robes.

“Once a show is designed with Robe, it’s difficult to swap out or substitute for something else,” explained Meir.

The low power consumption of the MMX Spots and the LEDWashes is a great asset for their outdoor productions.

“They are also very easy to operate,” stated Meir. The theatre has a series of Compulite consoles – and he concludes saying that the service and support from Danor on both after-sales and rental projects is “excellent”.

Robe’s BMFL Spot has already been a major success in Israel within three months of its launch and having seen these lights in action, the Habima lighting department – currently 11 full time - are also very impressed. www.robe.cz

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{ MALAYSIA }

An Art Experience With A Twist

Epson's 3LCD interactive projectors bring digital art to the next level

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he Welcome2Flatland art installation series that was held at the Publika Shopping Mall in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in March this year saw an artist using unconventional tools to draw caricatures of visitors. A flat white table featuring an ultra short throw interactive projector provided the canvas for the artist. The tool for his drawing was an interactive white pen. It might sound simple but considering that it was caricatures that the artist had to draw, he had to be comfortable using the interactive pen – the pen proved its worth as it seamlessly followed the drawn lines. With touch button tools at his disposal the artist was able to capture the essence of the visitors physical expression through his fun caricatures.

The caricatures were subsequently projected in portrait mode on a separate screen using an Epson high brightness

The ultra short-throw Epson interactive projector easily converts the table into an interactive whiteboard

Z Series projector for all to appreciate the artwork. The Epson Z Series has the capability to project horizontally as well as vertically thus offering users flexibility as to how they would want to use it. Visitors who were drawn, got to keep a momento of their caricature as the drawing was also printed through a wireless Epson printer.

The event showcased the capabilities of Epson's 3LCD interactive projectors, which have the ability to transform any smooth surface into an interactive screen. With the ultra short-throw advantage, the table had instantly turned into an interactive whiteboard. Through the artist, Epson showcased how users can use interactive pens and even their fingers to sketch drawings and annotate.

It also showcased the high brightness of the Z Series projector in an ambient light environment

Annotation and colour choices are easily a few of the many options available.

Through this interesting art project, Epson Malaysia wanted to showcase that their projectors can be used creatively without being tied down to a specific type of use. “Projection is not just about pure projecting. It's about being collaborative, interactive and getting the audience involved in the projection images,” said Danny Lee, General manager for sales and marketing at Epson Malaysia.

This was certainly the case at the Welcome2Flatland art installation. The use of Epson's projection technology in public art installations dispels the misconception that projectors are only used in classrooms and offices.

As for the visitors it was indeed an interesting experience for them. www.epson.com.my/projectors

Portrait projection made possible with EPSON Z series projector

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Tired of the everyday industry mambo-jambo? Take a break with us and delve into the world around you. A jukebox of ideas and interesting stories – just scan the QR Codes to stay updated on points of interest that could one day affect you in your personal or work life.

Politics Of Privacy Investigation in London has suggested that fake ‘mobile towers’ are being used by government officials to scoop up data from passing phones, anytime and anywhere. By mimicking a legitimate mobile tower and tricking every phone in range into connecting to them, the boxes are able to “catch” information and reveal the exact location of its user. Does ‘privacy’ still exist?

Debut Of Tesla Powerwall In this video, entrepreneur and cofounder of PayPal, Elon Musk talks about the Tesla Powerwall. A milestone in the energy-saving industry that will hopefully, bridge the gap between renewable energy supply and demand by making your home’s solar energy available to you when you need it. Definitely worth a watch!

Octopus-inspired Robots Planned For Human Surgery Researchers in Italy have created a robotic arm that may be used for minimally invasive surgery. “Traditional surgical tasks often require the use of multiple specialized instruments such as graspers, retractors, vision systems and dissectors, to carry out a single procedure,” said Dr Tommaso Ranzani, from the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa. He believes the robotic tentacle could trim the number of instruments and simplify operations. Would you let a robot operate on you?

Origami Batteries, Anyone?

Paper batteries that are powered by bacteria provide a low-cost option for remote locales where resources are scarce. That all sounds good, but what are the potential uses? This could help many experts working on disease control and prevention in remote areas of the globe as a key material in creating diagnostic tools for the developing world. Currently, the battery folds down to about the size of a matchbook and costs five cents to make.

Thailand Kills With Kindness Thai mobile company TrueMove, has created an advertisement to show how a single act of kindness can change a life. This is part of a campaign called “The True Meaning of Giving,” which is backed by a group of Thailand charities. Get some tissues ready, this may leave you feeling more than you bargained for.

Comet Hitchhiker Contacts Earth Philae, the first spacecraft to land on a comet, has woken up and contacted Earth. Dropped on to the surface of Comet 67P, last November, Philae is designed to analyse the ice and rocky fragments that make up the comet. “This is one of the most astonishing moments in space exploration and the grins on the faces of the scientists and engineers are totally justified,” says BBC science editor David Shukman. “For the first time, we will have a hitchhiker riding on a comet and describing what happens to a comet as it heats up on its journey through space.”

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{ CHINA }

ACME Presents Beautiful Light For “Another Eason’s Life” Concert and industry-leading design, the series of XP-1000SZ T has remarkable light output and shocking visual. With the Philips’ MSR Gold 1000 as its light source, the color temperature of XP1000SZ T amounts to 6000~7500K. Not to be outdone, the concert also heavily featured the XP-5R Beam moving head which is equipped with 17 fixed gobos and a 8-facet prism which rotates in both directions. The fixture can also reach 200,000 lux at 10m.

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ason Chan’s personal concert “Another Eason’s Life” brought a visual feast to audience members at the Changsha Helong Stadium by featuring more than 500 sets of ACME lighting fixtures. The singer, whose tickets sold out for his performance at the O2 Arena in London after only 20 minutes, has released more than 40 albums and dozens of hit songs.

Almost 20 years after his debut, Eason set the crowd ablaze once again when he took to the stage with his rendition

of “Entertainment Sky” and his other classic hits including “The King of KTV”, “Ten years”, “Your Knapsack”.

The ACME products featured include 52 sets of XP-1000SZ T, 21 sets of LED-BL8, 364 sets of XP-5R Beam and 120 sets of BW-54-3RGBW. In particular, the XP-1000SZ T was the focus at the concert. With its sharp and smooth light beam, combined with a high quality gobo wheel, colour wheel and effect wheel, the XP-1000SZ T, integrating ACME’s mature technique

“..looking ahead, the ACME group aims to "become a global leader in entertainment and professional stage lighting industry while constantly blazing new trails, to provide customers with the most complete stage application solutions.”

While originally meant for architectural applications, the BW54-3RGBW heavy duty wash features 54 x 3W LEDs leading to a powerful 200,000 lux at 10m as well. Delivering the many looks needed for Eason's concert, the building wash is the forth generation of ACME building fixtures and was able to deliver welldistributed and saturated colours.

The flow of light matched the music perfectly, and now looking ahead, the ACME group aims to "become a global leader in entertainment and professional stage lighting industry while constantly blazing new trails, to provide customers with the most complete stage application solutions.” www.acme.com.cn

Sebastian Tan

Mark Phooi

Jerry Tan

Rohan Abdullah

Alan Lim

Ken Wheatley

Jeslyn Tan

Lee Chee Yong

Shooting Gallery Asia

First Media Design School

Light10 Industries

LightingImages

Alan Lim Studio, School of Photography

Christie Digital Systems USA

SMRT Media & Digital

Film Screen

www.VisualAsiaExpo.com visualasiaexpo Supporting Associations:

Organised by:

Held in:

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{ AUSTRALIA }

TDC Technical Wizardry at Vivid Sydney 2015 World’s largest festival of light, music and ideas benefits from video technology and expertise

Technical wizardry highlights:

• Video projection used an eye-watering 7,464,960,000 total pixels on to the famous architecture of 10 buildings across Sydney • 8976m2 of architecturallymapped video projection • A total of 2,000,000 ANSI lumens • 1.8km of 3 phase power cable, and 2.5km of fiber optic cable • In some areas such as Life Story, the show was run using ‘green’ energy • 10 technical staff used their unique and comprehensive understanding of video and lighting as well as media networking • 20 operational staff prepared and fine-tuned the equipment and gear in TDC’s warehouse prior to being on site • 40 crew worked around the clock for 10 days to install all sites • 10 specialist technicians programmed and lined up projection on all sites

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ivid Sydney is the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas and is owned and managed by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s Tourism and Major Events agency. With an opening weekend attended by more than a quarter of a million people, Technical Direction Company (TDC) provided video expertise in cutting edge mapping techniques and key video technology across an unprecedented 10km distance as the 18-day festival expanded into new Chatswood and Central Park precincts.

From a technology perspective it’s large in terms of the equipment required across several sites. Vivid Sydney required careful planning by skilled staff including design and mappings of the buildings to enable artists and designers to plan their animations,” explained Olin Winton, Technical Manager at TDC. “The artists we teamed up with this year made this process simple and enjoyable.”

Michael Hassett, Managing Director of TDC, added: “We’ve worked with Destination NSW on Vivid Sydney for four years now, and it is so great to see the huge public appreciation and genuine delight that is experienced each year as the festival has evolved.

We are proud to have collaborated with the creative talent of the artists that Destination NSW has brought together this year to develop the wonderful animations.”

Anthony Bastic, Vivid Light Curator said: “Vivid Sydney placed art into the hands of the public, giving visitors a visually triumphant feast of artistic and technical innovation.”

IMAGES: ©Technical Direction Company

LIVE! E-TECH ASIA July - August 2015

“This year TDC delivered over 70 high-resolution projectors, four types of media servers as well as technical infrastructure including two automation platforms, each with custom hardware and electronics to power the video projections,” explained Anthony Pellizzari, TDC’s Technical Project Manager for this year’s festival.

We had some additional challenges this year, with crane lifts, street closures for installs and six new sites to manage and it was great working with the highly experienced team at Destination NSW to help roll this out.”

No project challenge was too small or large for TDC as Steve Cain, Head Technician and Media Specialist pointed out. “As well as site specific challenges, TDC had to overcome reflective surfaces such as glass from other buildings or water. It was a challenge to converge multiple projectors onto curved roofs, perform colour correction onto dark bricks and colour balancing of multiple projector models to match these evenly.

Seeing the final result with people interacting with projections was really rewarding - something that we’re very proud of.”

Video Highlights at Vivid Sydney 2015 TDC supplied a creative video package including 7mm LED video wall displays, 6 x Barco projectors and Catalyst media servers for the breathtaking performances of three headline acts at Vivid LIVE, part of Vivid Sydney, including the long-awaited solo debut of Daniel Johns, singer Sufjan Stevens and Flume at 10 years of Future Classic at Sydney Opera House.

Eora

Projected onto the southern pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a stunning 3-minute video combining a compelling

contemporary dance with Eora history presented by Bangarra Dance Theatre, Australia’s leading indigenous performing arts organisation and the University of Sydney.

“This project was our way to reclaim the significant place that is Dawes Point by continuing and sharing the celebration of the Eora, the first custodians of this place. Projected by TDC, this video along with other light animations, was visible from many areas around Sydney throughout the festival,” said Bangarra’s Artistic Director, Stephen Page.

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Central Park

Dance music lovers were encouraged to head to the internationally acclaimed urban village Central Park, a brand new precinct for Vivid Sydney in 2015.

Working with Ample Projects, TDC projected street art from a variety of artists such as indigenous artist Reko Rennie and Beastman onto the impressive heritage-listed brewery façade. Accompanying the amazing visuals were silent discos on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Chatswood

The festival expanded into Chatswood in the city’s north for the very first time, where the walk from the Chatswood Mall to the train interchange featured creative artwork from Ample Projects combined with video projection from TDC.

TDC in Chatswood was essential to the success of the precinct. The centerpiece of our Aquatic Wonderland precinct concept was our projection show, The Nautilus and The Sea, presenting an elegantly simple, but visually complex story, on the facade of Chatswood's Civic Centre, The Concourse.

“For Vivid Sydney 2015 we wanted to create a new kind of precinct experience,” said Nicholas Tory, Creative Director at Ample Projects. “Our technical design collaboration with

TDC played a key role in realising our artistic intent on a challenging façade.

Together with TDC we delivered a 6.5 minute animated 3D projection show, a

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resolution of nearly 8,000 pixels wide, with synchronized sound across a multifaceted stainless steel clad facade.

Additionally we projected on an 8 x 30 metres wide staircase connecting the elevated wrap around facade to the ground level plaza, in front of audiences.

This multi faceted projection show was an innovation for Vivid Sydney in 2015, and we are proud of this achievement and our collaboration with TDC.”

Life Story

New to Vivid Sydney this year was the projection onto one of the cities most prolific heritage sites the Argyle Cut. A 30 metre arched tunnel provided a unique projection canvas. Audiences were immersed in the magic of an epic portrayal of BBC Earth’s: Life Story television series narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The BBC worked with Spinifex Group to bring this project to life.

Sueann Parker, Production Manager at Spinifex Group noted that extensive testing was required in the lead up.

“Neither Spinifex nor TDC had projected at this site previously. As a result TDC required warped test footage months prior to the launch so as to best assess the split of the 8-projectors utilised inside the tunnel. Our animation was then created based on the mask they supplied. Months in the making it all lined up perfectly in the test week leading up to the festival opening.

This was our fifth year working with TDC for Vivid Sydney. They’re an incredibly reliable team and when partnering with them we know we can push the creative boundaries in terms of what can be achieved using projection.”

Enchanted Sydney

Award-winning experiential agency, Spinifex Group partnered with TDC for their technical expertise to create a tribute to Sydney’s illustrious flora and fauna on to the façade of Custom House for Vivid Sydney.

Sueann Parker, Production Manager at Spinifex Group said: "We know our creative is in the best possible hands with TDC. We worked closely with them when mapping our content to the building to ensure we complemented the facade in the best possible light."

This year, the project posted unique technical challenges that required new projection mounts and housing that were designed to accommodate the growing crowds. “With the assurance and persistence of the TDC team we’ve achieved the best possible outcome," added Parker.

Mechanised Colour Assemblage transformed the Museum of Contemporary Art façade into a series of sound and colour ‘machines’ that created a continuously morphing listening and viewing experience. The audience

was plunged into a universe where voices and colours blended together to become a single element. TDC provided ultra-high resolution projectors and media servers for artwork created by Sydney artist Rebecca Baumann and Paris-based art and design collective Danny Rose.

“TDC supplied powerful video projectors to show our 8K resolution media for our 3D mapped experience. The final result was a splendid video projection where the audience could walk right up to the façade and see the artistic detail at very close range,”said Sergio Carrubba, Managing Director and Founder at Danny Rose.

This is the third year that we worked with the TDC team at Vivid Sydney. As always, they show a great enthusiasm and professionalism. TDC are a professional supplier and their expert team are technically skilled.”

INTER/Play

Combining architecture and art, live graphics created by The Propaganda Mill were projected onto the historic Cadmans Cottage in The Rocks transforming it into a magical environment. Using light as a material, the video projection evolved in realtime and was manipulated through the movement and interactions of spectators, or by those passing by the cottage itself. www.tdc.com.au www.vividsydney.com

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{ QATAR }

Handball To The P.A. People With Clear-Com Handball is a fast and furious seven-aside sport, with anyone having grown up playing the game able to point to numerous broken bones and fractures earned in the course of matches. At the elite level, nations from across Europe, South America, Asia and Africa compete for dominance at the Olympic Games and the World Championships.

The small but influential nation of Qatar on the Arabian Peninsula earned the right to host the International Handball Federation’s 24th Men’s Handball World Championships this January and February, a massive event that saw 24 national teams compete in 88 matches to a total attendance of over 300,000.

The championships were held across multiple venues, with three purpose built just for the event, including the 15,300 seat Lusail Sports Arena. The Arena was the backdrop for the most important

games of the championships, as well as the spectacular opening and closing ceremonies. Australia’s David Atkins Enterprises produced the celebrations, with technical assistance from Auditoria’s Scott Willsallen. With experience earned on major sporting events around the globe including Olympic and Commonwealth Games, Sydney’s The P.A. People was chosen to provide communications services throughout the championships.

The P.A. People needed to be onsite as the Arena itself was being finished, carefully installing the communications infrastructure that would help the championships run smoothly. “The

venue was still being built as we were installing,” explained Scott Davidson, Senior Systems Engineer - Event Communications for The P.A. People.

“We had to pay close attention to detail, as our work not only had to run the event, but also stand up to the installation work happening around it.” With reliability, functionality and flexibility as the key performance requirements, The P.A. People chose multiple products from the ClearCom range of wired and wireless communications solutions.

Running a closed fibre optic cabling loop and additional copper cabling around the Arena, The P.A. People deployed

“When The P.A. People are operating overseas and we don’t necessarily have access to the level of resources we’re used to, at our fingertips, reliability is high on the list of key reasons to go with Clear-Com.” - Scott Davidson, Senior Systems Engineer - Event Communication, The P.A. People.

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32 V-Series key stations and selected expansion panels throughout control rooms and anywhere extensive comms monitoring and switching was required.

Key stations with 24 digital pushbuttons plus expansion panels were stationed at show call and operations control, as well as with the artistic and technical directors. Other vital staff including broadcast, announcers and operations were provided with 24 button stations.

The V-Series panels incorporate digital signal processing, 10-character displays, Listen Again memory, and native IP technology in an acoustically controlled housing that ensures every word comes through loud and clear.

An Eclipse-Median system frame fitted with 48 analogue ports sat at the heart of the Ceremonies system, its dual redundant processors and power supplies ensuring that nothing would interrupt the shows. Three 32 port Eclipse-PiCo system frames also made the journey to Qatar and supported the matches themselves in the smaller venues.

To facilitate stage and artist management at the Arena’s entrances, Clear-Com’s digital partyline HelixNet master stations were strategically located around the ground under bleachers. Event staff wore HBP-2X HelixNet Beltpacks cabled back to HelixNet HMS-4X four channel main stations. In addition to the opening and closing ceremonies, the IHF also put on special concerts by international artists after selected matches, with

Staff wearing Tempest BeltStations were free to work across the Arena floor without physically hindering themselves or others, as the Tempest Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum system ensured that their wireless communication didn’t interfere with any existing RF from wireless microphones or IEMs. the Arena hosting concerts by Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams, Jason Derulo and a host of local artists. The closing ceremony raised the bar further with appearances by Kylie Minogue and Taio Cruz.

Further comms coverage was achieved with the use of Clear-Com’s Tempest2400 MasterBelt wireless beltpacks. Staff wearing Tempest BeltStations were free to work across the Arena floor without physically hindering themselves or others, as the Tempest Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum system ensured that their wireless communication didn’t interfere with any existing RF from wireless microphones or IEMs. Tempest’s Redundant Data Transmit, which sends each packet of audio data twice on different frequencies, ensured that floor staff could always rely on uninterrupted audio communication.

Clear-Com’s flexibility ensured that integrating The P.A. People comms system into other venue infrastructure was simple and effective. “The Arena was fitted with state-of-the art equipment in-house,” continued Scott Davidson. “It was easy to integrate

with the Clear-Com gear. We also incorporated third-party UHF radios into the Clear-Com system.”

After two huge Ceremonies and 88 matches, Scott was pleased to report that the Clear-Com system didn’t miss a beat. “Reliability is key in an environment like Qatar,” said Scott. “When The P.A. People are operating overseas and we don’t necessarily have access to the level of resources we’re used to, at our fingertips, reliability is high on the list of key reasons to go with Clear-Com. The P.A. People has an independent approach. If we see a product that suits someone’s needs, we go for it, and in this case we used Clear-Com.” Clear-Com and The P.A. People weren’t the only winners at Qatar 2015.

Favourite France took home the gold medal, home heroes Qatar a recordsetting silver, and Poland the bronze.

Scott and The P.A. People have already packed down and shipped their ClearCom equipment off to multiple sites around the world, ready for the next big match on the world stage. www.jands.com.au www.papeople.com.au

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dish that's presented on a plate (or in this case a show), I enjoy playing with the colours and light on a stage or finding ways to blend in the environment into my designs.

Working with Utopian in the corporate events and entertainment industry in Hong Kong, there is no shortage of things to be inspired by. It’s such a vibrant city by day and at night, it really comes into its own. Hong Kong really is a city of light. On a personal note, if ever I do find myself needing a creative kick I find a good 2 day hike gets things going.

Tell us about your time on the road Moving around between rural towns and farming communities in New South Wales, Australia, Jeb Bales had been to 10 different schools before he was 16 years old.

He decided early on he was going to become a chef and graduated from the East Sydney College with a Diploma in Commercial Cookery.

Jumping from the kitchen to the stage, Jeb combined his love of colour and creativity and built a career that includes a background in lighting design, operation and programming, as well as an award for Best Lighting Operator in 2006 from the folks at Heavenly Noise. He now works with a group of like-minded professionals from all different facets of the entertainment and events industry at a company proudly known as Utopian.

How did your journey into the industry begin?

JEB: It was during my time as a chef and while playing drums in a band that I got interested in the entertainment industry.

When setting up small systems in venues I found I really enjoyed the technical aspect as well as the 'exactness' and creativity that followed. I enjoy the camaraderie that comes with being part of a touring crew and how all that preproduction can come to fruition, and at the end of the day, seeing your vision explode on a large scale stage.

What was your first show like?

JEB: My first show was in an iconic venue within Sydney’s inner west called the Annandale Hotel with a Jands Event 24 desk, around 18 years ago. In a packed rock venue crammed with intense excitement with an artist called 'Magic Dirt', I fell in love with the industry that

night. It was a short time later, when I was working with the support artist (the Hard-Ons) on a Foo Fighters tour, that I said to my flat mate at the time, I’m going to do this for the rest of my career.

Do you have a favourite desk?

JEB: I really prefer the Full Boar 4 lighting console from High End Systems.

It’s a great desk, powerful and versatile and my favourite light to program on the Hog would be the Martin Mac Viper. Great light with fantastic optics and smooth mechanics. That said, the industry and tech moves so quickly, it might well be something different next week.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

JEB: I've always found that my experience as a chef has a lot to do with my creativity. Instead of just creating a

JEB: I have been lucky enough to tour all around Australia and Europe with artists like Karnivool, Cog, Shihad, the Darkness, the hives and many more.

There are things I miss about the years of touring but airports and hotel rooms aren’t one of them. It’s nice to come home to my family these days, even if the nights are sometimes late.

Fill in the blanks, if I wasn't a ____, I would be____.

JEB: If I wasn't a law abiding citizen, I would be a professional thief, and the planning process would be great fun.

What have you learned the hard way?

JEB: Never commit to something you can’t finish and never ever get involved with air-conditioning in Hong Kong in summer

Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

JEB: I really love what Utopian is doing and has already accomplished so I plan to continue in the corporate and events world at the moment in Hong Kong. I would like to say that 10 years is a long way off and we will be successful enough that maybe I can be back in Australia sitting on a beach and a stay at home dad would be just fine with me.

To get in touch with Jeb, drop him an email at: jeb@utopianltd.com

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