ETA MAY 2018

MAY 2018

For The Technical And Production Professionals

REVIEW

PL+S Frankfurt

G19 Fest Brings Lighting Creatives Together INTERVIEW : UnUsUaL - The Road to Listing KNOWLEDGE HUB: What About Wind?

w w w . e - t e c h a s i a . c o m

IN THIS ISSUE

46

VOL 19 ISSUE 5 MAY 2018

04

FIRST WORDS

46 - 52

LIVE

46 Adamson Impresses EDM Elite at China's ISY Music Festival

06

NEWS

14

VIDEO FILES

16

ENNOVATIONS

47 AV Stumpfl at Hong Kong's Ocean Park Spectacular 48 Clair Brothers Rocks Djakarta's Massive EDM Festival

20

INTERVIEW

22

SHOW PREVIEW

49 G19 Fest Brings Lighting Creatives Together 52 Protec Provides Inspirational Special Olympics Opening Ceremony

53

EVENTS CALENDAR

UnUsUaL: The Road to Listing

ConnecTechAsia

24

SHOW REVIEW

Prolight + Sound Frankfurt

39 - 40

KNOWLEDGE HUB

39 Digital or Analog?

40 What About Wind?

41 3D Projector Simulation (Part 2) 42 All About Wireless: RF System Connectivity 44 Building Your Audio System ‒ Signal Processing ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

20

FIRST WORDS

4

ETA - May, 2018

There were a lot of murmurs regarding Prolight + Sound Frankfurt. The impact of ISE and about exhibitors pulling out or shrinking their space and so it was with trepidation that I visited the show. Yes there were big names that were missing from the show but there was still much activity on the show floor. PL+S Frankfurt caters mainly to the production segment and there is still a lot of enthusiasm from this segment for the show. The events market is huge from festivals, concerts, EDMs, national events and so forth and thus it is right that there be a show dedicated to the needs of the events professional.

There are still concerns as to how the show will perform next year ‒ will there be more exhibitors pulling out or shrinking their space? The activities in the show floor seem to indicate that there is still momentum for the exhibition. The organisers on the other hand have provided a very positive outlook for both the shows (MusikMesse and PL+S Frankfurt). According to their press release over 90,000 visitors from 152 countries made their way to Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre over the five days ‒ despite publictransport strikes and around 800 flight cancellations at the beginning of the fair. The press release adds, "In common with previous years, some 20,000 visitors attended this year's Musikmesse Festival concerts at 30 venues throughout Frankfurt. As expected, the reintroduction of days reserved for trade visitors resulted in a decline in the number of private visitors from Germany. On the other hand, there was a significant increase in the share of trade visitors (+10 percent) and more visitors from outside Germany, which resulted in a further increase in the level of exhibitor satisfaction (+7 percent)”.

Next year Messe Frankfurt has announced that Musikmesse and Prolight + Sound 2019 will overlap fully on all days and move closer together spatially. The shows will be held from 2 to 5 April 2019.

Ram Bhavanashi Editor, India And Middle East ram@spinworkz.com

Julie Tan

Admin & Circulation admin@spinworkz.com

Natalie Chew Writer natalie@spinworkz.com

Daniel Ngiam MEDIA Rep for Spinworkz Pte Ltd Tel: +65 84410258 first_dm@hotmail.com

Shankar Venugopal ART / LAYOUT

shankar@creativecult.in

CREATIVE

CULT

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

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Disclaimer : Entertainment Technology Asia is published 12 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

6

ETA - May, 2018

HONG KONG

IAAPA Announces Special Events and Program Schedule for Asian Attractions Expo 2018

Events include Opening Night Recep on at Ocean Park Hong Kong, Leadership Breakfast Keynote Address by Dr. Allan Zeman, and Animal Welfare Forum The leadership breakfast provides senior-level a rac ons industry professionals the opportunity to learn and network with regional and global colleagues. Dr. Allan Zeman, GBM, GBS, JP, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group, a major property owner and developer in Lan Kwai Fong - one of Hong Kong's most popular tourist and entertainment districts - will deliver the event's keynote address.

The Interna onal Associa on of Amusement Parks and A rac ons (IAAPA) invites a rac ons industry professionals from around the world to take part in professional networking opportuni es and impac ul educa on programs during Asian A rac ons Expo 2018 (AAE 2018) in Hong Kong, China, 5-8 June 2018. More than 8,000 par cipants are expected to a end the interna onal conference and trade show for the mul billion-dollar a rac ons industry to exchange ideas, establish business connec ons, and learn from global experts.

This year's AAE 2018 special events schedule includes a celebra on of IAAPA's 100th Anniversary during the Opening Night Recep on at Ocean Park Hong Kong, and a leadership breakfast featuring a keynote address delivered by Dr. Allan Zeman, GBM, GBS, JP, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group.

Opening Night Recep on at Ocean Park Hong Kong Celebra ng IAAPA's 100th Anniversary (6 June) A endees will network with industry peers from around the world, enjoy specialty food and beverages, and toast to IAAPA's 100th anniversary while experiencing the unique a rac ons at Ocean Park Hong Kong.

Leadership Breakfast with keynote speaker Dr. Allan Zeman, GBM, GBS, JP, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group (7 June) ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

Dr Allan Zeman, GBM, GBS, JP, Chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group

A resident of Hong Kong for more than 45 years, Dr. Zeman will share insights about developing world-class des na ons, crea ng successful a rac ons, and posi vely contribu ng to the region's tourism industry. Dr. Zeman previously served as Chairman of Ocean Park from 2003 to 2014, and under his leadership, the theme park experienced tremendous growth, and was transformed into an iconic travel des na on.

Animal Welfare: Trends, Issues, and Strategies Forum (5 June) In addi on to 15 general educa on sessions led by industry leaders, the Animal Welfare: Trends, Issues, and Strategies Forum is open exclusively to IAAPA members will update a endees about the issue, percep ons, and trends facing a rac ons and facili es with animals.

Over the past decade, public a en on and concern about the welfare and rights of animals has grown exponen ally. The implica ons of these trends are significant and profoundly affect zoos, aquariums, a rac ons, and parks that display or feature animals. Jim Hekkers, re red managing director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, will lead a forum that explores the key components of the issues while providing ac onable informa on to help organiza ons understand, cope with, and proac vely manage poten al public cri cism.

Please note that admission to the events listed above requires a separate cket in addi on to Asian A rac ons Expo 2018 registra on. Visitors to the events may purchase ckets and register for AAE 2018 via the official website. www.iaapa.org/asiana rac onsexpo

NEWS

8

ETA - May, 2018

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Prolyte Asia & Admiral start close cooperation for the Asian market cable guide systems. These are just a few of the many innova ve products that can be found in Admiral's brand new catalogue, which is available on request.

An overview of Admiral's complete product range will soon be made available as both hard and so copies and their products will soon be available in Asia through Prolyte's upcoming web shop and distributed by the offices in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Tokyo, Japan.

Jasper van der Suis and Cor van der Suis, from Prolyte, standing with Ramon Oolthuis (Interna onal Account Manager, Admiral Staging Essen als)

Dutch-based Admiral is producing a broad range of rigging and staging accessories under the catch phrase “Staging Essen als”, a phrase that completely covers the use of the impressive range of available unique products.

According to the company, the slogan came from how their products were all designed and manufactured as essen al items for day-to-day use in rental or fixed installa ons for a large range of applica ons.

Varying from simple yet smart trolley systems for transpor ng items like rigging and ligh ng gear, through flexible ramp legs and smart

Prolyte has been offering Admiral products for quite some me.

Admiral's “truss butler”and "truss carriers" have been in the Prolyte catalogue for years, this is why the step to incorporate almost the en re range of Admiral products for the Asian market, was an easy step to take. As the “staging essen als” are seamlessly integrated with Prolyte products. A number of products are based on Prolyte's designs in par cular but can be used in conjunc on with other brands as well.

“The products Admiral offers, the service and quality provided in conjunc on with the latest interna onal standards and the history we have together, have ensured us that by adding Admiral's range of products to our own for our customers in Asia is of great value”as Jasper van der Sluis, technical manager of PAP and PDJ commented. www.prolyte.com

MIDDLE EAST

Provision AVL Announces Middle Eastern Distribution for Clair Brothers At this year's ISE Show, the Clair Brothers team scored another distribu on victory a er mee ng the team from Provision AVL located in Dubai. Adding the United Arab Emirates and the Middle Eastern market to their por olio, Clair Brothers' global reach is gaining impressive momentum.

Founded in 2014, Provision AVL General Trading LLC, as they're known officially, is a proven sales, distribu on and design company providing high-end solu ons for a wide range of engineering projects and applica ons in ligh ng, audio, and stage design in the Middle East.

While Clair Brothers has been on Provision AVL's radar for quite some me, pen was finally put to paper for a distribu on partnership at ISE 2018. Explains Kevin Boujikian, general manager of Provision AVL, “The idea to approach them about distribu on was always there since we met the Clair Brothers guys a while back, but it was at this year's ISE Show where we decided to take the leap. The decision was very easy, not only because of their strong reputa on and superior sounding ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

audio systems, but because our interac ons with their people are so perfectly comfortable. They're great and so is the support they give.”

Clair Brothers represents the first pro audio brand Provision AVL has represented exclusively, even though the Dubai-based company has been installing audio systems for many years. This move is strategic and designed to posi on Provision AVL distribu on front and center to compete directly with other pro sound industry giants. Boujikian notes, “Clair Brothers line arrays are found on most major tech riders in the U.S. and have thrived in line array shootouts against others some consider the best. In fact, many well-known ar sts require Clair Brothers line arrays on all their American tours. Why that is, is quite clear: The sound quality is second to none.”

Boujikian states in no uncertain terms, “The work has now begun to push the Clair Brothers brand to the top of the list in the Middle East market – where it belongs.” www.clairbrothers.com

NEWS

10

ETA - May, 2018

JAPAN

NEXO's Educational Arm Innovates in Japan building in Ginza, which has 16 floors dedicated to musical instruments, educa on, auditorium and rehearsal studios.

Led by NEXO's ES Division Director Francois Deffarges, the seminar used the chronological melines of an installa on to guide its audience of professional engineers. The course began with the tendering process, using real-world examples, before taking the class through acous c, mechanical and network/management design. A dedicated session of NS-1, NEXO's proprietary modelling and predic on so ware suite, prepared students to design systems for live performance venues.

NEXO's ETC training programme has gone from strength to strength since it was launched in 2013. Hosted free-of-charge all over the world by the company's Engineering Support Division, the ETC seminars educate, train and cer ficate audio engineers of all levels, from beginners to the professional elite.

Essen ally organised into three categories, star ng with the introductory ETC1, then the next-level ETC 2course for users of NEXO equipment and finally the specialist pro-engineer tutorial ETC3. The ES Division has just pioneered its first implementa on of fixed installa ons.

Hand in hand with the Yamaha Music Japan team in Tokyo, an inaugural ETC2i specialist course was presented in the Yamaha

The ETC2i course syllabus covered sound system integra on and installa on, as well as a number of system and acous c measurements, RT60, STI, Max SPL, and transfer func ons. To complete the process, Deffarges and his team took the class through a system check and tuning, the full acous c and system measurement process, all the way right up to repor ng and invoicing.

“We want to approach this subject as a story,” said Francois Deffarges, “following an installa on from beginning to end, integra ng technological topics such as network design and system management alongside mechanical issues such as cabling and power requirements. Thanks to a super-professional approach from the Yamaha Music Japan team, everything was perfectly prepared and even though we were doing everything through translators, we brought the 2-day course in on me and on schedule.” nexo-sa.com

AUSTRALIA

MEA NSW Industry Awards recognise event leader, Staging Connections Staging Connec ons were thrilled to accept the award for Special Event of the Year at the recent Mee ngs and Events Australia (MEA) 2017 NSW Awards dinner, held at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.

This accolade recognises Staging Connec ons' ongoing dedica on to producing outstanding business events, as well as their significant contribu on to the Australian event industry.

Staging Connec ons won the award for their efforts for the Asian Paints Privilege Club Conven on 2017 – accepted by an ecsta c local events team.

The award highlights the standard of special event produc on the team at Staging Connec ons con nues to produce, with the incen ve seeing over 1,000 delegates par cipa ng in 12 events across mul ple loca ons.

The incen ve – managed by Project Lead, Kara Johnson, and Head of Special Events, John Schryver – was acknowledged by industry peers as a true testament to the team's crea ve produc on capabili es in a highly compe ve field.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

A key achievement at the event was the innova ve uses of gesture control. One stand-out example u lised the technology to interac vely reveal street murals that Asian Paints had sponsored around Mumbai. The team gave the president an ordinary paintbrush, and he mimicked the ac on of 'pain ng' in the air on stage as the beau ful murals were revealed.

NEWS

12

ETA - May, 2018

In his acceptance for Special Event of the Year, Staging Connec ons Na onal Sales Director, Michael Magafa, recognised what a collabora ve experience the event was, “I want to congratulate the en re team involved in the crea on of this event from concept to execu on. This award reaffirms that we have the talent to produce truly world-class events and our passion is a key driver to achieving this.

Our client allowed us to push the boundaries and implement technologies their audience hadn't seen before. This award highlights the standard of world-class events our produc on division con nues to produce.”

The pres gious award is judged by a panel of industry and independent judges to celebrate excellence and best business prac ce in the mee ng and events industry. The aim of the MEA Industry Awards is to encourage professionals to excel in the achievement of their business and personal goals.

The Staging Connec ons team will go on to compete for na on-wide tle at the MEA Na onal Awards at the Adelaide Conven on Centre on Tuesday, 8 May 2018. www.stagingconnec ons.com

HONG KONG

Kyle Eastwood Plays Hong Kong Gig with Support from DPA Microphones Interna onally acclaimed bassist and composer Kyle Eastwood already owns a DPA d:vote 4099 Instrument Microphone, which travels with him whenever he tours. But when he recently played a gig in Hong Kong, he realized more oomph was needed to bring the sound of his band to life.

DPA's Hong Kong office was only too happy to help by supplying eight more d:vote 4099s so that Eastwood's band could also benefit from the clarity and natural sound these versa le microphones deliver. The d:vote 4099s were fi ed to drum toms, trumpets and a grand piano, while for drum overheads DPA also supplied two d:dicate 2011C recording microphones.

Dominic Tsang, Area Sales Manager for DPA Microphones, says: “Kyle played at the BB Jazz Lounge in Hong Kong before going on to the world-famous Blue Note Jazz club in Tokyo. As he already had a d:vote 4099 for his own double bass, it made sense to match the rest of the microphones to that sound.”

Tsang assisted Eastwood's sound engineer John Fonseca with microphone placement on site so that the audience had the best possible audio experience. A er the gig, Fonseca said: “I would like to thank DPA for pu ng at our disposal some fantas c microphones and for all the support on site. Each mic definitely helped us get

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

closer to the desired sound and to deal with the challenging setup. I am looking forward to using DPA microphones again soon.”

The son of actor, director and jazz fan, Clint Eastwood, Kyle Eastwood released his first album From Here To There in 2001 and has gone on to forge a dynamic musical path as a mul -talented double bassist, band leader, composer and producer. While con nuing to develop his parallel career as a composer and arranger on his legendary father's Oscar nominated films Mys c River, Million Dollar Baby and Le ers from Iwo Jima, Eastwood has reaffirmed tradi ons while crea ng contemporary, lyrical and melodic jazz.

Eastwood's current tour is promo ng his latest album, In Transit, which is released on the Jazz Village label. He is joined on stage by a group of young English jazz musicians and by guest ar st, Stefano Di Ba sta. www.dpamicrophones.com

VIDEO FILES

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ETA - May, 2018

ECLER ESSENTIALS: eHMA series ECLER ESSENTIALS presents the mixer-amplifier series, eHMA, composed by 3 models ‒ the eHMA60, eHMA120 and eHMA240. Key features include MIC & MIC/LINE inputs, high and low impedance outputs, auto-standby function, talkover function, 2-band tone controls for mix output, and a MUTE port.

Launch of the GSL System from the SL-Series Watch the video of d&b audiotechnik's launch session of the GSL System from the SL-Series in the Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt. A climax of d&b's electroacoustical evolution over the last three decades, the loudspeaker system was introduced during Prolight + Sound 2018.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

SYNERGY 5 PROFILE - THE TOUCH OF LIGHT DTS Lighting is proud to introduce their new SYNERGY 5 PROFILE, a compact LED profile moving head. Featuring a rotating system with four blades, the unit employs a 420 W pure white LED source (7000K 16,500 Lumens output) with a long excursion 4.6° - 43° motorized linear zoom with autofocus.

ELATION Lightshow Prolight+Sound 2018 Missed out Elation's lightshow during the recent Prolight + Sound? Fret not, we've got it here!

Programmed by Rocketchris, the five-minute lightshow is nothing short of fun, edgy and impressive. Check it out!

ENNOVATIONS

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ETA - May, 2018

New CM Lodestar VS Electric Chain Hoist Harnesses the Power of Intelligent Lifting Genera ons of users have relied on the Lodestar electric chain hoist for the durability and reliability it provides for li ing applica ons. Now, this iconic hoist from Columbus McKinnon Corpora on (NASDAQ: CMCO), a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of material handling products, systems and services, is be er than ever, combining the Lodestar's industry-leading design with the best-in-class features of Magnetek's premier variable frequency drives.

Equipped with the Magnetek IMPULSE G+ Mini drive, the Lodestar VS features CM HI-Tech (Hoist Interface Technology) – one of the easiest to use computer interfaces on the market developed exclusively by Columbus McKinnon. CM HI-Tech gives operators the ability to quickly and easily adjust hoist speed and performance parameters to deliver the precision load control your applica on demands.

“We designed the Lodestar VS to put the informa on you need at your finger ps,” said Steve Vitello, Execu ve Director of Sales & Marke ng CMCO Hoist & Rigging – North America. “With convenient USB connec vity, an operator can easily plug the hoist into a computer or tablet to change or access performance informa on, including start and stop cycles, motor run me, over temp and overcurrent events and even hoist fault informa on. And, the hoist's built-in error preven on ensures the hoist is programmed correctly.”

Engineered for best-in-class performance, the Lodestar VS exceeds H4 requirements and features precision load control; long hoist, brake and motor life; overload and over-speed protec on; quiet opera on; and flexible configura ons to meet your applica on's needs. It is also easy to service and maintain and features a life me warranty.

The Lodestar VS is available in capaci es ranging from 1/8 to 1 ton with a standard li of 10 . www.cmworks.com

Enhanced “Precision Toolset” for Meyer Sound LEO Family Boosts System Performance and Flexibility The new toolset integrates three key features that enhance amplitude and phase compa bility within the family of Meyer Sound loudspeakers and perform beam-steering of arrays. The “EQ Star ng Points” feature enables the different models of speakers to start with a common target frequency response curve (amplitude compa bility). “Delay Integra on” performs the same func on in the phase domain (phase compa bility), relieving users of the challenging task of precise phase response op miza on.

Meyer Sound has expanded the “Precision Toolset” accompanying its LEO Family line array systems, adding proprietary Low-Mid Beam Control for assuring uniform front-to-back coverage and improving workflow for maximum efficiency in me-cri cal touring applica ons.

The “Precision Toolset” is implemented in the latest releases of Meyer Sound's MAPP XT acous cal predic on program and Compass control so ware for the Galileo GALAXY network pla orm. Applicable to the en re LEO Family of loudspeakers — from the flagship LEO to the compact new LINA — the enhanced components help ensure an op mum audience experience using scalable systems.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

The newest core component of the toolset is digitally implemented Low-Mid Beam Control (LMBC). Using variants of advanced DSP algorithms developed for Meyer Sound's digital beam-steering CAL column array loudspeakers, LMBC corrects the understeered lowmids (an inherent side effect in all curvilinear arrays) by li ing and/or spreading the beam. By introducing precisely calculated frequencydependent phase response filters to individual or paired loudspeakers in the array, the low-mid coverage pa ern is precisely matched to the higher frequency range. The result is seamless and uniform front-to-back coverage. LMBC has been proven in three years of beta tes ng, including several large-scale concert tours by major ar sts.

ENNOVATIONS

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ETA - May, 2018

The comprehensive, fully integrated LEO Family systems approach also includes the AVB-enabled Galileo GALAXY network pla orm for drive and alignment, along with the powerful cross point delay matrix and the ability to link GALAXY units' I/O capabili es for complex system control across mul ple GALAXYs via AVB. The MDM series makes for elegant easy-to-use power and signal distribu on for Meyer Sound systems of any size. It also provides connec on points for laser/inclinometer instruments as well as dedicated RMS data for seamless integra on with RMServer for comprehensive, network-based monitoring and diagnos cs to maintain long-term loudspeaker reliability.

LMBC comparison

“LMBC presents an elegant digital solu on to this enduring challenge facing modern main array designs,” says Meyer Sound Director of System Op miza on Bob McCarthy. “Once your coverage is set for higher frequencies, you simply select the appropriate control se ngs and the low mid-frequencies instantly conform for a uniform frontto-back response.” Aim the HF and spread the rest to match for uniform venue coverage. It's that simple. No extra amp channels are needed due to the self-powered advantage.

LMBC is fully implemented in the newest releases of Meyer Sound's GALAXY Network Pla orm (version 1.3.0), MAPP XT acous cal predic on program (version 1.2.0), the companion Compass control so ware (version 4.3.1), as well as in version 2.3.2 of Compass Go, the remote-control applica on for iPad. The new so ware releases also calculate the loads when using pullback frames. This allows for the extreme down- lt array configura ons o en necessitated for clear sightlines or coverage of specific sea ng areas. System designers now can configure such arrays in MAPP XT and obtain accurate modelling of array coverage as well as hang point loading data to assure that Meyer Sound rigging hardware is stable and secure.

Also added to the toolset, on the hardware side, is the GEB-LEO extender bar, which enables rigging of LEO arrays with greater downor up- lt without use of addi onal rigging points or motors.

Since the introduc on of the LEO large format line array loudspeaker and 1100-LFC low frequency control element, the LEO Family of linear reinforcement systems has been chosen for top-grossing concert tours and premier installa ons worldwide. Three new loudspeakers have been added to the family in the past year: the LINA very compact line array loudspeaker, LINA's companion 750-LFC element, and the ground-shaking VLFC very low frequency element.

The introduc on of LINA brings the linear response and excep onal power-to-size ra o of the LEO Family to smaller venues with restricted budgets, while the VLFC extends system bandwidth well below the threshold of audibility and into the realm of pure experience.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

The MDM series

“From the outset the LEO Family has offered a complete toolset to assist at every step of the way, from in-depth user educa on and system design through field deployment,” says McCarthy. “And now more than ever before, the LEO Family provides sound designers, consultants, integrators and rental houses with an integrated and fully scalable solu on. At Meyer Sound we're con nuing to push back the boundaries of what's possible in the audience experience.

The core focus of the LEO Family since its incep on has been delivering a consistent, repeatable, high quality audience experience, regardless of musical content or venue size. This year's expansion of the Precision Toolset for the LEO Family underscores that commitment.” meyersound.com

ENNOVATIONS

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SiliconCore Announces the First 1.2mm LED Display for Rental SiliconCore has revealed their first LED display for live produc on and rental applica ons with a 1.2mm pixel pitch.

LavenderLIVE is drama cally different from tradi onal LED displays, with a unique Tetra Pixel design, providing a more advanced and robust solu on. It features CoB (Chip on Board) technology, and u lizes our patented Common Cathode and Z.A.C.H. HDR technology to maintain the display's low power consump on, high brightness and HDR image performance, with remarkable durability.

At 1200 nit brightness, the 500mm x 500mm cabinet is cable free and offers front cabinet servicing and a variety of moun ng solu ons, along with the opportunity to create concave structures. Now rental partners can provide a high resolu on LED alterna ve especially made for rugged environments, which were previously unavailable in a 1.2 mm pixel pitch.

LavenderLIVE is produced in partnership with Rocket Sign, a manufacturer with exper se in the rental industry and cabinet design, and available for orders now. silicon-core.com

Laserworld releases updated Purelight Series sec on of the laser systems have no air circula on, which significantly reduces maintenance efforts for the Purelight systems.

The Laserworld Purelight show laser lights are completely equipped with diodes and have very good beam specifica ons together with precise linear color fading behaviour and high power.

The devices can be controlled over ILDA and are graphics capable due to their fast scanning systems.

The projectors are built with Sealed Housing Technology and come with an internal PSU for easy travelling. Thanks to trim pots on the Raw power is what many buyers of laser systems demand.

Laserworld updated their Purelight Series so they come in a smaller housing, are lighter and built with enhanced laser sources. Great white balance and high power at low price.

The Purelight Series units are available in 6W, 10W and 20W power and have graphics capable scanners at 30kpps 8° ILDA, which makes them suitable for a large number laser show applica ons. The op cs ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

rear side of the device adjustments like color balance, X- / Y-axis offset and the Scan Fail Safety can be set quickly.

The Laserworld Purelight Series has been designed as raw laser power at low costs. Thus they are suitable for large nightclubs, fes vals, outdoor stages and any kind of applica on that requires high power and good white balance. www.laserworld.com

INTERVIEW

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ETA - May, 2018

UnUsUaL: The Road To Listing 10 April 2017 saw UnUsUaL Limited make its entry into the Singapore Catalyst Board Lis ng and it was indeed a roaring start.

Some 9.35 million shares traded hands within the first 30 minutes. At that me reports stated that UnUsUaL plans to use the es mated S$17.4 million net proceeds from its ini al public offering to invest in promo on and produc on projects, to expand via acquisi ons, joint ventures or "strategic alliances" and for working capital.

UnUsUaL was established by two brothers – Leslie and Johnny Ong. The company has come a long way since it was established in 1997.

Being the first anniversary of the lis ng, ETA felt it was appropriate to publish an exclusive interview with Leslie Ong about the beginnings of UnUsUaL to the present me.

Leslie, when was UnUsUaL established?

The UnUsUaL Group (UUU) was established in 1997 with the incorpora on of UnUsUaL Produc ons Pte Ltd (UP). Tapping on the knowledge of the founders, UP was largely involved in the produc on of large scale events/concerts.

In 2003, UnUsUaL Entertainment Pte Ltd (UE) was incorporated to propel the Group into concert promo on and organisa on. This was a natural progression of the Group as we build up our customer base and network in the industry.

UnUsUaL Development Pte Ltd (UD) was incorporated in 2005 to

What inspired you and Johnny to start UnUsUaL? Both my brother, Johnny and myself, were very much involved in produc on work since our early days. Johnny was the more technical guy whilst I was more the business cum marke ng/sales person in this partnership. From simple produc on for company/private events to large scales concerts.

UnUsUaL was not purely about money but our innate interest in this business. It's a fantas c business. We create happiness via bringing ar ste from afar to their fans here and in the region. Our branding grows tremendously each me we end a successful tour. Our happiness extends to the fact that we also help to organise charitable events to fund worthy causes.

Who's the influencers?

Both of us are driven folks and I think we influence each other. While we may not agree ALL the me, we know where we want to go and when we achieve what we set out to do, we also seek new challenges.

Along the way what was the strategic business plan to ensure the success of the company?

No rocket science here. But I guess the mely move into concert promo on/organisa on was key in the Group's growth ll today.

Whilst we think it was a natural move, there were risks involved which we had to manage.

Which opportunity provided the company with a breakthrough be it in terms of direc on or business?

I think the breakthrough comes from two cri cal moment in terms of our business. First was in 2003 (6 years a er we formed UnUsUaL Produc ons). We decided that it was me and we were ready to promote our own concerts which lead us to form UnUsUaL Entertainment in 2003. We became a promoter to promote concerts and started to work with venues like Indoor stadium and SISTIC. Next

spearhead the move towards venue management. Since its early

breakthrough was in 2005, when we had an opportunity to manage

days, UD has been collabora ng with Singex Venue on the

our own venue - The Max Pavilion. We became a one-stop company

management of Hall 10 which we had re -branded as TMP or THE

whereby we could promote concerts in our venue and using our own

MAX PAVILLION.

produc on company.

In short, we started off in providing produc on services, later we

What were some of the key challenges faced over the years? How

moved into concert promo on/organisa on and also into venue

were they overcome?

management, with the aim to extract more value out of each part of the our business chain.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

I would say retaining good staff in a small Group -providing reasonable remunera on and challenging work plus growth

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opportuni es. The other aspect is in finding reliable partners in all spheres – sub contractors for produc on, ar ste management firms.

All these challenges were looked into and we overcame them gradually over me. It was not something done overnight.

Which projects is UnUsUaL most proud of? Why? The Millennium Countdown concert 2000 at the old Na onal

Both of us are driven folks and I think we influence each other. While we may not agree ALL the me, we know where we want to go and when we achieve what we set out to do, we also seek new challenges

Stadium in Singapore where we had the then President Nathan as the Guest of Honour. The concert featured various top ar stes such as Air-Supply, Grasshopper, ZhangYu, Rocketman, …. the event was live-telecast in the local channel 5 and was also the last event before the Na onal Stadium was demolished.

The Singapore Firework Fes val 2004, 2005 & 2006. We did 3 years of Singapore Firework Fes val and it was a great success with over 100 thousand people gathered at the Marina Bay to watch the firework display choreographed by different countries to celebrate our Na onal Day.

We recently signed a term sheet to acquire a Chinese promoter which we believe, if completed, will give us a strong foothold in the Chinese concert market.

(Ed's Note: It was reported in the main stream media that UNUSUAL Limited had announced that its wholly owned subsidiary UnUsUaL Entertainment Interna onal Limited has entered into a term sheet to acquire 49 per cent of equity interest in the total registered and paidup capital of Beijing Wish for 25.2 million yuan (S$5.2 million) from

Most recent would be the Jacky Cheung 'Classic' World Tour 2017 & 2018. We broke the record by staging the concert over 6 nights at the Singapore Indoor stadium where we sold 60,000 ckets in total for all the 6 full-house concerts.

Can you brief us about UnUsUaL's overseas ventures and companies?

vendor Qiu Wenwei.

The amount will be paid fully in cash. Following the acquisi on, Beijing Wish will become an associated company of the group.

Beijing Wish is incorporated in the People's Republic of China (PRC), and is mainly engaged in the film produc on and distribu on business, as well as commercial performance and concert brokerage

UnUsUaL Entertainment Interna onal Limited (UEIL) is our Hong Kong subsidiary mainly in the business of concert promo on in Hong Kong.

businesses in the PRC.) When did the plan to list UnUsUaL Limited take off? If you are able to share what was the objec ve in rela on to the lis ng?

UnUsUaL Produc ons (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (UPM) is our Malaysian subsidiary mainly in the business concert produc on in Malaysia.

In early 2016, mm2 moved to acquire 51% of UUU. Subsequent to this and before the comple on of acquisi on, in our various engagement with mm2's senior management, the lis ng of UUU was mooted and discussed thoroughly. It was agreed that such a move would create financial independence and ins l greater financial discipline with the whole mm2 Group. We felt that the ming was also right for UUU to move forward with the lis ng.

How do both of you (yourself and Johnny) feel with all that has happened over the last year?

We feel great and looking at the market capitalisa on of the Company, we are humbled by our investors' confidence in us. This only serves to mo vate us to work even harder to bring the Group to next level. www.unusual.com.sg

The UnUsUaL team celebra ng their lis ng.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

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New Mega Technology Event ConnecTechAsia Addresses Role of Accelerated Digital Change in Asiaʼs Growing Economy

ConnecTechAsia, combining the strengths of industry stalwarts CommunicAsia, BroadcastAsia, and newly launched NXTAsia, is the region's latest Mega Technology event, and will stage its inaugural edi on from 26-28 June 2018, in Singapore.

the pulse of Asia today, and is the only business pla orm covering the converging ecosystems of communica ons, broadcas ng and emerging technologies connec ng the physical and digital worlds.”

With legacy events CommunicAsia and BroadcastAsia having served the telecommunica ons and broadcast media sectors respec vely for nearly 40 years, the new NXTAsia builds upon this to bring new technologies that are shaping Asia's increasingly innova on-driven economy. With the advent of the Industry 4.0, ConnecTechAsia will present a holis c ecosystem of infrastructure, technology, and services that businesses and governments in Asia need to thrive in this new era.

“As Asia pursues digital transforma on at an accelerated pace, it is cri cal that the event evolves alongside the drama c shi s happening in the spaces we serve,” said Mr Victor Wong, Project Director, UBM, organiser of ConnecTechAsia. “The new event reflects ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

Plenty of lights, camera and ac on at BroadcastAsia

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CommunicAsia – making everything smarter

Get immersed in latest VR breakthrough

At NXTAsia, industry professionals will catch the newest innova ons and thought-leadership in areas such as Ar ficial Intelligence (AI), Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Cyber Security, IoT, Robo cs, Cloud and Data among others. NXTAsia will host promising start-ups, and the Singapore-leg of renowned start-up compe

on SeedStars,

at tech showcase Disrupt+.

CommunicAsia, Asia's most established interna onal industry event for the telecommunica ons sector, will focus on Network Infrastructure/FTTx, satellite communica ons and telecom so ware and services - the latest technologies to help companies and

will feature in the BroadcastMedia track. Topics of the EmergingTech track will include: Ar ficial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Blockchain Technology, Cybersecurity, IoT, Data Analy cs, Seamless Commerce/Digital Payments, Connected Industries, IoT, Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality, and Smart Ci es.

Key speakers include: Ÿ

Professor Howard Michel, CTO, UBTech

Ÿ

Jassem Nasser, Chief Strategy Officer, Thuraya Telecommunica ons Company

governments in Asia prepare for the coming of 5G and maintain a

Ÿ

Ajey Gore, Group Chief Technology Officer, Go-Jek

compe

Ÿ

Geert Warlop, Chief Opera ng Officer, TrueMoney Interna onal

ve edge in the communica ons and digital world.

With on-demand and streaming services surging in popularity,

Ÿ

Rene Werner, Chief Customer Service & Customer Experience Officer, Celcom Axiata Berhad

BroadcastAsia will shine a spotlight on the future of broadcas ng, exploring how we have consumed news and entertainment over the

Ÿ

Leah Camilla R. Besa-Jimenez, Chief Data Privacy Officer, PLDT

past decade, and the challenges and opportuni es this creates for

Ÿ

Ian Yip, Chief Technology Officer - Asia Pacific, McAfee

Ÿ

Arvind Mathur, Chief Informa on Technology Officer, Pruden al

tradi onal broadcasters and OTT players. BroadcastAsia will highlight technologies that are reshaping the value chain, such as the latest

Assurance

innova ons in UHD/HDR, IP Broadcas ng, Live Produc on, Content Media Security, OTT and Alterna ve Content Pla orms.

ConnecTechAsia Summit - Digital Business Transforma on The ConnecTechAsia Summit this year centres on Digital Business

Ÿ

Bill Chang, Chief Execu ve Officer - Group Enterprise , Singtel

Ÿ

Parminder Singh, Chief Commercial and Digital Officer, Mediacorp

Ÿ

Sanjay Aurora, Managing Director - Asia Pacific, Darktrace

Transforma on, covering the ho est trends across ICT, broadcas ng industries and enterprises to enable a digitalised future. The three-

“Presen ng a holis c ecosystem of digital convergence and a

day summit comprises three tracks – NetworkComms,

pla orm for the discovery and understanding of new fron ers of

BroadcastMedia and EmergingTech – that will drive business growth

innova on to elevate the global standing of Asian business and

and sustainability.

governments sits at the heart of what ConnecTechAsia stands for,”

5G, Network Virtualisa on, Satellite Communica ons and Network Slicing will be the main topics in the NetworkComms track, while The Future of Television, Mone sa on Strategies, Social Video, IP Broadcas ng, 4K, AI and Immersive technologies for broadcas ng

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

adds Mr Wong. “Con nuing the 40 year legacy of CommunicAsia and BroadcastAsia, the new ConnecTechAsia will con nue to serve Asia as we embark on the journey of the Fourth Industrial Revolu on.” www.connectechasia.com

EXHIBITION REVIEW

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PL+S Frankfurt Still Holds Value by Thomas Richard Prakasam

Many including me were weary of what we will experience at PL+S Frankfurt. One main reason was the feeling that ISE was bi ng into PL+S exhibitors' budgets, with a fair number keen to put in more money at ISE. PL+S Frankfurt was already facing huge issues with corelated show MusikMesse. MusikMesse had shrunk in size a fair bit and it looks like that struggle will con nue. However the PL+S Frankfurt aspect I feel caters to a group that will be lost at ISE – the produc on companies. The floors were busy but maybe not to the levels of the past but for sure there were serious players at the show to see new solu ons, learn, interact and network. The organisers need to con nue to put in full effort to cater to the needs of these visitors. I am sure also many would have no ced that Ligh ng brands also see PL+S Frankfurt as their home turf – taking up huge stands and crea ng impressive light shows. The show s ll holds value and hopefully the organisers will listen to the exhibitors intently and strengthen what they are good at.

allows DiGiCo to provide its users with an unrivalled amount of flexibility. It expands an SD7 to over 600 channels of processing in 96kHz opera on that can be connected in the outside world to approaching 3000 poten al I/Os. The engine is also equipped with eight newly assignable MADI connec ons and two DMI slots (DiGiCo Mul -Channel Interface) for AoIP and other connec vity op ons from the complete family of DMI card op ons. There are other powerful enhancements, too, including Nodal Processing and True Solo.

Show Highlights

Universal LED solu ons from Prolyte

Prolyte showcased trusses specially designed for LED walls. Coming under their Universal LED solu ons, Prolyte introduced a range of products to facilitate the safe erec on or suspension of LED walls.

The LSU series offers a universal LED stack system suitable to build LED walls of different manufacturers. As expected from Prolyte all systems offer sound construc ve solu ons and user safety.

DiGiCo Quantum 7

The first press conference on the first day started with a cryp c message from DiGiCo that this would be their last PL+S Frankfurt press conference. Read into it what you will. A key product highlight at the stand was the Quantum 7.

Quantum 7 has been developed with seventh genera on FPGA devices that further expand audio processing power, and ul mately ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

The GLP stand once again rocked with a stunning light show. A number of products made their debut at PL+S Frankfurt. Billed as the industry's first frameless LED module, the KNV combines high power white LEDs and RGB-pixels to form “hyper-pixels” as dubbed by GLP. Ligh ng designers can also rely on two basic forms: the cube-shaped KNV Cube and the KNV Arc – a device in the form of an eight circle.

The impression S350 features a perfect white light LED-engine with

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The KNV Arc and Cube

full spectrum to create saturated and pastel colours as well as lively colours and skin tones with op mized colour rendering (CRI of 96), With this core, the impression S350 is delivering bright clarity in the projected beam with less than a 15% drop in output within the zoom range. The other outstanding feature is the four-blade framing. Each blade of the framing system can be adjusted in angle by ±30° and in posi on from 0-100% for pointed triangles and complete blackouts.

There are no limits in Gobo or Anima on wheel framing with real linear framing image. The whole framing unit can be rotated by ±45 degrees.

Another solu on from the impression range is the FR1. Using a single, high-powered 60 Wa homogenized RGBW LED at its core, the impression FR1 features colour mixing across a vast spectrum, whilst at the same me it can project a crisp, punchy white light, with a full range of colour temperature control.

Op cal quality is at the forefront with the impression FR1 as it provides a clean, homogenized output at all angles, always delivering a clean beam from centre to extreme edge. This consistency and a en on to detail allows the impression FR1 to be used in a large range of applica ons. Especially when compromise is not an op on.

The Claypaky booth concept was based on three theme showrooms: Future, Cube and Magic. Deos were performed in each one by alterna ng ligh ng techniques with highly evoca ve visual effects.

The showrooms a racted almost 3,000 visitors over the exhibi on period. Some of the key solu ons highlighted at the Claypaky booth included the Zac-Eye which is a stand-alone follow-spot that uses ar ficial intelligence. The movements are controlled automa cally by a highly innova ve device that connects to them via Ethenet. Its 3D op cal sensor detects all the objects on stage, and a sophis cated algorithm dis nguishes human shapes from the rest of the surroundings. Due to this, it is possible to follow up to 4 actors on stage independently and automa cally with any Claypaky light. At the press conference the ability of the Zac-Eye showed how it handled two speakers' movements with ease.

The Claypaky AXCOR 300 family of ultra-compace LED moving heads were also showcased. The Axcor Spot, Wash and Beam equipped with max. 180W white LEDs offers high performance at an affordable price.

Also on show was the HEPIKOS beam-wash light that features highly advanced op cal, mechanical and electronic technology in a compact body. It is built around a 440W Osram discharge lamp and is the perfect complement to Mythos / Mythos 2 units on stage. The HEPIKOS features a colour system able to produce very rich and varied colours, and a 5-40 degrees zoom, which gives a bright wash effect at maximum beam angle. The fixture's 185mm diameter planoconvex front lens and its narrow 5 degree angle, is also able to produce a sharp, full-bodied beam effect, which can be used for charming aerial effects with saturated colours.

Q3 media server

Avolites introduced their Q3 media server, a compact server designed for use in shows, installa ons and corporate events. Though small, the Q3 packs a punch, unlocking 4k playback through a single DisplayPort 1.2 connec on with 2 x DVI outputs for HD displays. The server supports EDID for all three outputs, configurable via a dedicated front end UI. The server allows for visually lossless playback with Avolites' unique AiM codec. Like with Avolites' larger severs, the Q3 has na ve Notch support as well as a powerful inbuilt effects engine.

Zac-Eye is a stand-alone follow-spot that uses AI ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

Also launched was Avolite's light and video integra on feature set, Synergy. Synergy's Lightmap feature means that users can stream Ai

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video colour data through any fixture group, including both RGB and CMY fixtures, to instantly integrate them into a larger video canvas – meaning that everything from high-res LED screens to LED fixture groups can be controlled from one intui ve user interface (UI).

Arkaos introduces An-Ki

Arkaos took to the clouds with the launch of An-Ki, which addresses the need for flexible, cost-effec ve and fully mobile control of media interfaces. An-Ki is an inven ve tool for scheduling and monitoring the highly successful ArKaos MediaMaster pla orm that enables mapped video or LED installa ons to be maintained from anywhere in the world via the poten al of the ArKaos cloud.Working over the internet, An-Ki enables digital content appearing as projec ons, or crea ve media on any LED mappable surfaces or devices to be updated, synched and tweaked in just a couple of clicks. An-Ki is ideal for mul ple environments including hotels, mee ng rooms, retail parks / shopping malls, building facades and other public spaces, and it underlines the simplicity and power that's at the essence of all ArKaos products.

Arkaos also launched the latest release of its hugely popular realme video control pla orm, MediaMaster 5.2, which unlocks a host of excellent new features including DMX Merge, Pixel Blending, KlingNet Dra Devices, Extended DMX Fixture Crea on and 64 Bit Support for all applica ons – offering even quicker and more responsive opera on. MediaMaster is designed for intui ve opera on and to help designers and programmers to op mise their produc vity and me.

The Philips Ligh ng press conference was significant in rela on to the company announcing its inten on to change its name to Signify whilst keeping the Philips brand. This comes about as Royal Philips no longer has controlling interest. There was also introduc on of key personnel in rela on to management structure to strengthen the company's way forward.

At the exhibi on, Philips highlighted their new Vari-Lite VL2600 range. The new VL2600 range is the LED genera on update for the ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

VL2600

popular VL2500 Series. A full system ligh ng solu on with dedicated Spot, Wash and Profile fixtures, it combines Vari-Lite colours and performance with the latest LED technology, all engineered to deliver the best possible package to the mid-sized show ligh ng segment.

SEVEN Ba en Building on the success of the SixBar series of colour-changing LED ba ens, Ela on Professional showcased the SEVEN Ba en, a new line of linear ligh ng effects using the latest 7-colour mul -chip LED technology for an even more flexible colour wash solu on.

Housing long-life individual 25W 7-IN-1 RGBAW + Lime + UV LEDs, with the SEVEN Ba en series the LED colour spectrum has never been wider. Add to that an improved op cal design that produces be er colour mixing and smoothness of field and the SEVEN Ba en series is capable of powerful projec ons of uniform colour onto any surface whether lining the downstage edge or flown in a truss.

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Available in 1- (0.3m), 4- (1.2m) and 6-foot (1.8m) lengths, SEVEN Ba en fixtures produce nearly 80% more lumens versus comparably sized SixBar series fixtures. An updated rugged die-cast aluminium case design provides improved thermal control and heat management, ensuring stable, improved performance and extending the fixtures' life me.

Massimo Minardi who was involved with the design for the new M-force 301P01

Powerso took the opportunity to leverage on PL+S Frankfurt pla orm to ensure the widest possible audience for the first look of their new M-Force. Announced as M-force 301P01, the unique and innova ve transducer has been updated with a series of addi onal features to simplify the workload of OEM partners.

M-force is now available as the M-force 01 long throw linear motor for infra sub applica ons and the M-force 02 short throw linear motor for high accelera on applica ons. With longer linear displacement, M-Force 01 is the perfect tool for direct radia on and bandpass applica ons, enabling manufacturers to keep cabinet sizes to a minimum whilst allowing for flawless infra-bass reproduc on.

M-Force 02 is designed to grant reliability under extreme loads, such as bandpass applica ons and loaded horn configura ons.

Originally launched in 2013 in Frankfurt, Powerso 's new M-Force is once again set to redefine the concept of infra bass. Based on a patented, moving magnet, linear motor structure, M-Force is purposely engineered to squeeze all available power granted by switching mode amplifiers to deliver unbelievable performance in terms of power handling, electromagne c conversion, reliability and maximum SPL. Genera ng linear movement with parallel moving magnets, M-Force transcends the possibili es available from the limited power and loads of tradi onal moving coils.

The motor is matched to the finest of tolerances to a purpose-built diaphragm, through a newly designed coupling and a lightweight chassis, thus also improving thermal dissipa on. The need for an

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

external spring has also been fully negated as magne c spring ac on from linear movement is delivered by motor and magnets alone.

M-Force is configurable as a full system, comprised of M-Drive which fully exploits the poten al of M-force to squeeze all of the available power granted by switching mode amplifiers. The most powerful amp module ever built, M-Drive is uniquely conceived to drive reac ve loads. M-Drive can be equipped with any Powerso or thirdparty DSP solu on, and integrates Differen al Pressure Control Sensor technology (DPC) used in both IPAL and M-Force systems.

DTS SYNERGY 5 PROFILE made a world premiere at PL+S Frankfurt.

The new high power moving head LED fixture with rota ng framing system offers a range of unique features that set it apart from the compe on.

The ligh ng DTS Synergy 5 Profile fixture offers 49,900 Lux (4.6° @ 5 m). 4.6° to 43° zoom with auto focus as well as a 420W pure white LED source (7000 K 16,500 Lumens output). The fixture also features DTS revolu onary effects engine, Dynamove, which delivers a range of stunning 3D-like dynamic anima on effects as well a Virtual Anima on Wheel for crea ng outstanding dynamic backgrounds. Two DMX selectable op ons are available. CRI >90 for life-like colors and natural skin tones in theatre and TV; CRI >75 for a terrific luminosity in large concerts. The rota ng 4-blade framing system offers 90° (+/- 45°). A single blade is able to create a 0–100% real 'curtain' effect, and 60° rota on (+/- 30°). Designers can generate any 3 or 4 sided polygons with the fixture and the Framing system indexing ensures precise playback of any cue. Advanced colour mixing is possible with the virtual gel filters colour pale e, linear CMY, linear CTO, 6-colour wheel. Control and networking capabili es are inbuilt with Art-net 4 and sACN on board.

Optocore launched its new Fes val Box that allows all protocols to tunnel over the same fiber. Having already proven the versa le fiber based technology in the broadcast industry — marketed through its close technology partner BroaMan — Optocore has responded rapidly to the growing demand from the live sound community for a more elegant and efficient signal transport system.

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applica ons. Mid-range is delivered by a high sensi vity horn loaded with a 10” driver, while three innova ve, custom designed 3.4” diaphragm HF drivers mounted on a wave shaping device provide the high frequency resolu on and output.

Optocore's Fes val Box

The Fes val Box is based on the BroaMan Repeat48WDM media converter, which uses Repeat48-2Fiber modules at its source. This provides several specific models with different conversion op ons, such as: 12 duplex SFP slots mul plexed into a quad fiber; 6 duplex SFP slots mul plexed into a duplex fiber; 6 duplex SFP slots plus 12 BNC (which can be used for 3G-SDI and coax MADI) ports; 24 BNC ports and 2 BNC ports. The standard SFP modules allow any protocol to tunnel over the same fiber.

Each loudspeaker is driven in 2-way ac ve mode by the d&b D80 amplifier: one channel powers the 14” drivers, with all other components passively crossed over and powered by a second channel. The SL-SUB and SL-GSUB complement the low end with two forward facing 21” drivers and a single, rear facing 21” driver delivering the cardioid dispersion. The SL-SUB can be flown, while the SL-GSUB is designed for ground stacked applica ons. Driven in 2way ac ve mode from two channels of the D80 amplifier, the outstanding SPL and headroom reduces the number of subwoofers typically required.

Comple ng the comprehensive package, the SL-Series brings a patented combina on of tension and compression modes and procedures to the d&b three-point rigging. The Touring rack assembly housing six D80 amplifiers also contains a DS10 Audio network bridge, the MC24 mul core system and provides PoE for the d&b ArraySight inclinometer. This also sends temperature and humidity informa on to the R1 Remote control so ware using the OCA/AES70 protocol.

What makes this so perfect for the rental market is that the Fes val Box supports all fiber protocols as well as Cat5 Ethernet-based standards or even HDMI – it doesn't need to 'know' the protocol, it will just pass it transparently. The customer can use the SFP flavour of choice to achieve simple connec vity.

GSL System

d&b audiotechnik launched the GSL System from the SL-Series, a new loudspeaker system si ng right at the top of the company product por olio.

The GSL8 and GSL12 loudspeakers, with 80˚and 120˚horizontal dispersion respec vely, are unique among large scale line array modules in providing consistent pa ern control all the way down to 45 Hz. The geometry of two front facing14” drivers and two side firing 10” drivers couple and apply cardioid techniques, crea ng precise direc vity behaviour with significantly extended low frequency headroom towards the audience. This low frequency extension and headroom is so effec ve that it negates the need for subwoofers flown behind or alongside the main hangs in many

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

The grandMA3 created a lot of interest

One of the busiest booths throughout the show was the MA Ligh ng space where the grandMA3 series made its debut. Founded on the legacy of the previous grandMA consoles, the grandMA3 represents a radical re-think of what's possible from a ligh ng control pla orm.

The elegant new system-architecture incorporates new fixture, feature and effects-handling at its very heart. The system features ground-breaking concepts from top industry visionaries, presented within a refined user interface, and is designed to make prac cal tasks more intui ve. The physical design detail of the grandMA3 range is extraordinary and focused on delivering the best possible

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user experience, now and into the future. Some of the key features include Dual Encoders, which provide users with intui ve control of addi onal features and func ons. Feature-mapping of the dual encoders is customizable, facilita ng ease of use and faster programming. The full-size and light models also feature more mul touch screen surface area. An improved cooling system helps to stop dust. The consoles also feature wholly new so ware.

34 offers the award-winning Eos so ware with an interface and price point that is accessible to a broad range of users and venues. Also making its regional premiere was the ETCpad, a tablet accessory providing dedicated, touchscreen-based wireless or wired remote control for all Eos family consoles and controllers.

Several new addi ons to the successful ColorSource family were also previewed at the show. ColorSource Pearl fixtures feature cold and warm white LEDs for a seamless colour temperature range, from 2,700K to 6,500K. Available in PAR, Spot and Linear (1, 2, 4) configura ons, they boast the same user-friendly interface as their established ColorSource siblings.

The ETC Rigging area featured QuickTouch and QuickTouch+ Controllers and a Prodigy P2 hoist with a new cable management solu on.

ETC ColorSource fixtures

Visitors to the ETC stand got a first look at the soon-to-be-launched Element 2 console – a revamp of the original Element desk – which

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

High End Systems, an ETC Company offered opportuni es for handson demos of a selec on of High End's Hog 4 family of ligh ng control consoles, designed for markets of all shapes and sizes – including Hog 4, Full Boar 4 and Road Hog 4. Visitors also got to view the new Hog 4 v.3.8.0 so ware, featuring a new desktop colour scheme called 'stealth,' and added external monitor/touchscreen capability for HedgeHog 4 console models. Also shown at the stand was the SolaFrame 750 that boasts a compact footprint but a huge feature set. A perfect fit for smaller to medium-sized venues, this fixture offers 11,300 field lumens, 6–50 degree zoom, rota ng gobo wheel

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other situa ons where fixture noise is simply not acceptable.

High End showcased its Hog 4 Family and the SolaFrame fixtures

plus fully con nuous anima on, and much more. SolaFrame 750 offers the widest array of effects currently available in a fixture of its size.

Also exhibited was the SolaFrame Theatre that High End claims is the industry's first automated LED luminaire to deliver completely silent opera on. Engineered with no fans, it features a special highCRI LED engine, delivers 15,000 field lumens, and features High End's acclaimed full-frame shu ering system. SolaFrame Theatre is a natural fit for designers who work in television, film, theatre and

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

The Adam Hall booth showcased a number of their pro audio, ligh ng, stands and stage equipment solu ons. Taking prominent posi on was the LD Systems MAUI P900, a unique Cameo ZENIT W600 column PA developed in collabora on with the renowned Studio F.A. Porsche design agency, and which completely redefines the boundaries between technology, art and design. The MAUI® P900 celebrated its official market launch at this year's Winter NAMM show. The column PA system, which has already won several interna onal design and product awards (including the German Design Award and the iF Design Award), combines state-of-the-art technology with iconic design and exclusive materials in a unique, premium audio product.

Also displayed was the the MAUI 5 GO - the ba ery-powered version of the award-winning, ultra-portable MAUI 5 PA system from LD Systems and the CURV 500 touring array system which is the latest addi on to the CURV 500 series from LD Systems, and extends the innova ve array system's range of applica ons to include situa ons requiring par cularly high sound pressure levels and a wide and long-range dispersion.

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On the ligh ng side, Adam Hall showcased the ZENIT W600. The Adam Hall Group brand Cameo Light presents a high-power washlight with highresolu on, 16-bit technology that is IP65-rated for outdoor use. Equipped with 40x 15W CREE RGBW LEDs, the ZENIT W600 delivers an impressive brightness of 21,000 lumens to create consistent and powerful colour blends. The W600 D is a pure white light variant with a colour temperature of 5,600 K and a significantly increased light output of 41,000 lumens.

Crowds were “wow-ed” with Robe's live show concept taken to new levels with 'Cirque Robe', a colourful, hi-energy 6-minute performance spectacle and circus style presenta on with a cast of 11, designed to highlight the Czech manufacturer's latest ligh ng technologies. The choreography, costumes and the ligh ng design for the show were super impressive. An immersive experience was

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

37

created with no stage and Robe cleverly showed-off the MegaPointe and Tarrantula capabili es through the show. What is even more impressive is that the en re concept to design was handled in-house

by Robe's own crea ve team.

On the solu ons end, Robe's all-new MegaPointe redefines the concept of the all-in-one fixture! Though having been launched in September last year the interest generated at PL+S Frankfurt was s ll high. With superbright and sharp parallel beams, excellent gobo projec on, precise movement, smooth CMY colour Robe MegaPointe mixing and dimming plus a mul tude of beam spli ng, wash and shaping effects, the MegaPointe has already been a universal success. Robe's R&D team worked closely with Osram to provide a 470W lamp that aligns perfectly with the MegaPointe's cu ng edge op cal system. The design provides a

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brilliant, crystal clear, razor-edged beam, adjustable via the zoom from a ght, punchy 1.8 degrees beam to a wide 42 degree wash.

Sta c and rota ng (glass) gobos can be used to produce precision inair effects or outstanding projected images with a high-contrast flat field. The dynamic effects engine offers 12 varying beam and 'flower' effects, and the beam can also be shaped using innova ve shu er emula on ... unleashing a whole new blend of content and crea vity.

Robe also released its most powerful LED beam/wash/effects fixture yet …the Tarrantula. Building on the advanced technology of the popular Spiider, Tarrantula is designed for mul ple environments, from concerts to car shows … and everything in between, and par cularly for large venues and spaces!

It is powered by 36 x 30W and one 60W high powered LED chips, providing a jaw-dropping 20,000 Robe Tarrantula lumens of output!

A versa le op cal system offers adjustable beam angle from a ght 4° spot to a super-wide 50° wash, all with the highest quality of light.

The LEDWash 800 inspired Beam Shaper accessory creates a tradi onal oval beam that can be indexed for precision coverage of the stage or performance area. Central to the Tarrantula's advantages is Robe's exclusive “Flower Effect” adding yet another eye-catching visual dimension. Driven by the 60W RGBW mul chip, this creates sharp, speed-controlled spikes of light that can be rotated in either direc on.

Intense, fully saturated colours plus a fantas c range of subtle pastel tones with ultra-smooth transi ons are possible due to the integrated 18-bit LED dimming system. Dynamic video-driven effects can be easily achieved by mapping the Tarrantula's individual pixels via a DMX console or a media server, and u lizing the on-board sACN with internal HTP merging via DMX or Kling-Net protocols.

Visitors also had the opportunity to view the latest developments in the RoboSpot range of remote follow spo ng solu ons; two new IP65 rated ParFect products … and both RGBA and RGBW versions of the ParFect 150.

Yamaha took the opportunity at PL+S Frankfurt to introduce its DZR and DXS-XLF Powered Loudspeakers with Dante versions. The new DZR and DXS-XLF ranges represent an ideal marriage of the very latest Yamaha digital signal processing (DSP), amplifier design and speaker development technologies for audio and music professionals.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

38 Including Dante in powered loudspeakers is a 'first' for Yamaha.

When the new, Dante-equipped speakers are used with the company's CL/QL/TF series digital mixing consoles and/or networked audio products, it delivers a cu ng edge networking and control solu on for both portable and permanent audio systems.

The DZR series consists of the DZR15, DZR12 and DZR10 two-way, full-range models (with Dante-fi ed DZR15-D, DZR12-D and DZR10-D versions), plus the three-way, full-range DZR315 and Dante-equipped DZR315-D. Complemen ng them are four DXS-XLF extended low frequency subwoofers, the DXS18XLF, DXS15XLF and Dante-enabled DXS18XLF-D and DXS15XLF-D. The DZR15, DZR12 and DZR10 (and equivalent Dante models) all feature a rotatable, constant direc vity horn to allow ver cal or horizontal moun ng, designed to provide smooth, level coverage with minimal roll-off. HF transducers comprise a 2˝ voice coil and 1˝ throat compression driver, a tanium diaphragm and neodymium magnet, housed in a durable, heat resistant aluminium cast frame, with newly-developed proprietary LF transducers using large 3˝ voice coils, cast aluminium frames and a strong, lightweight neodymium magnet to provide powerful, ghtly controlled bass response. The midrange transducers of the three-way DZR315 and DZR315-D feature an 8˝ cone, 1.5˝ voice coil for high efficiency and ultra-low distor on.

All models feature new, high efficiency power amplifiers, specially designed to deliver superior quality sound at best-in-class SPLs. Each DZR range model is equipped with a lightweight 2000W Class-D amplifier and switching power supply with PFC, with highperformance, 96kHz DSP processors providing Advanced FIR-X tuning, op mum EQ and Yamaha's D-Contour intelligent, mul band compression for superior tuning and ul mate control, with protec on circuits ensuring extended usability with consistent, worry-free performance.

An onboard LCD screen allows users to easily control a wide variety of func ons, with up to eight user presets for saving parameter adjustments. Op mised factory presets are also available for using the DZR and DXS-XLF series in combina on.

While the DZR models already deliver stunning bass, the new DXSXLF 18˝ and 15˝ subwoofers match them perfectly for bass-heavy applica ons that need a ghtly focused, top-to-bo om sound.

Onboard D-XSUB bass processing delivers total management of the lower frequencies, NORMAL mode delivering ideally balanced lowfrequency response and BOOST a ghter, punchier response.

XTENDED LF mode drops the low end down even further for thunderous bo om end previously unheard of in a cabinet of this size. With DXS-XLF setups of two or more subwoofers, Cardioid Mode effec vely decreases the sound pressure on stage while increasing it towards the audience.

With rugged and roadworthy premium plywood enclosures, scratchresistant Polyurea coa ng, a variety of moun ng op ons and excep onal portability, the new DZR and DXS-XLF loudspeakers truly are a worthy successor to the legendary DSR series.

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THE ALEX SCHLOESSER COLUMN

Digital or Analog?

I would like to spend this column on the

Mul track by harddisk or USB S ck these days, I would strongly

choice of gear at your front of house

encourage you to use this for an evalua on of any gear before you

posi on. To be honest, I don't think this is

make a purchase decision. Checking those things in a controlled

really an op on anymore these days. The

environment and without the stress of an ar st on stage or the

upside of using digital technology is so big,

doors opening in 15 minutes will allow you to find the right gear.

that it is impossible to ignore. The flexibility of those systems and the ability to store and recall all se ngs is an unbeatable upside. At the same me the few downside issues of digital technology in the past, have been very well addressed and there is no reason why Analog would “sound” be er than digital, if you are choosing a decent digital pla orm. And finally, the digital technology becomes cheaper and cheaper and ever more powerful and a good performance does not cost a fortune anymore.

However, what are you looking for and what parameters do you want to check on any piece of gear to evaluate what quality level the gear is working in? On the hardware parameters, there are only two pieces relevant to check: 1. the dynamics of the A/D converters, that play a major role in the Sonic performance of any mixer. 2. The quality of the preamps for microphones, as those need to be of decent quality to enjoy the benefits of everything a erward. The converters of any mixer are also where the big dollars go, as those things also make a big difference in pricing, but of course this pays back big me along the way.

Once you are digital, everything that you do is only bits and bytes and it is zero's and one's only. So here the speed of processing and the number of bits and bytes play a major role in the quality of your sonic performance and there is one thing that most people forget. In the digital domain things are easy, but this is not only about adding those one's and zero's up only. A er all the characteris cs of any Analog gear is non-linear and this needs to be represented in the way you “add” those bits and bytes up. So, this is all about the algorithm.

There is no parameter in any spec sheet to describe this properly, so as a user of this technology you need to check and verify, that what you spend your money on, is worth it. Here is where it gets tricky, because you will need to challenge the gear that you intend to buy and then see how it performs and if it s ll sounds great under those challenges. One microphone or one Stereo playback will sound pre y much the same on any decent digital gear, but 16 or 24 channels of Microphone inputs will make all the difference and now you will be able to hear how good those algorithms really are and if they “add” up in an analogue way. Since it is so easy to bring a ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

Last but not least the big 'thing' for digital mixers is the User Interface and the friendliness in which you are able to walk up to the gear and be able to operate it. There are different tastes and each manufacturer will sell you on their philosophy. I have always felt that the gear is there to help me do my job and the gear should not force me to work along its limita ons. In this regard, if a user interface requires a lot of explana ons, then it is not such a good user interface, or as Einstein puts it: Everything should be as simple as possible, but not simpler!

You are very welcome to keep this interac ve and to share what you want to hear about and which topics you want to see addressed. Please send your queries to: alex@asaudio.de

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RIGGING AND SUCH, A SERIES OF BLOGS BY RINUS “RHINO” BAKKER

What About Wind?

What about it? What makes some outdoor structures, like a ground support system or LED-screen collapse? Most of the me it is wind, or be er, a too high wind force, that causes an accident.

Where gravity is a constant factor, ac ng only in a ver cal direc on, wind is a less constant one, but predominantly ac ng in a horizontal direc on.

A helpful reference are the rules for cranes and cherry pickers in outside use. As a rule of thumb in most countries they are expected to go “out of func on” at a wind speed of 41-50 km/h. The defini on is: “Large branches in mo on; whistling heard in telegraph wires; umbrellas used with difficulty”. It also is a wind speed known to have brought down some outdoor structures.

Obviously, wind speed results in a force when it hits a surface.

What are the ques ons we should ask ourselves when going outdoors with a produc on?

What types of surfaces do we recognise in our industry? Ÿ

LED-screens (open and closed versions)

Ÿ

PA systems (like Line Arrays)

Ÿ

Banners and scrims (open and closed versions)

Ÿ

Stage walls, in the back and/or in the side walls

Ÿ

Trusses and towers (including top sec ons, sleeve blocks and chain motors)

Ÿ

Ligh ng fixtures (and all kinds of rain covers)

Ÿ

Set pieces an decora on, banners

What shapes do these surfaces have?

A sphere or an egg shape has very different 'drag' proper es than a

considerably. Wind that gets 'scooped' under a stage roof might have an upli ing effect, requiring more ballast for just that reason.

What about wind?

An ini al wind speed of 41-50 km/h can easily result in wind forces of about 0,2 to 0,5 kN/m². For a LED wall of 8 x 4 metre that can result in an added force of 1600kg. the structure needs to be able to absorb.

At a higher wind speed of 62-75 km/h these numbers can get twice as high, more so when the structure has an eleva on of over 10m. above ground level.

flat surface, or a wedge or a cylinder shape. In the 'drag' factor wind

So, whatever you take outside, make sure you have taken proper

pressure at the front is combined with wind suc on behind the

measurements, taking against forces resul ng from wind speed into

object. This can result in higher drag numbers, some me with a

account and assuring your structures are stable and safe.

factor of 1,2, than the ini ally calculated surface area.

Most of us will understand that even a flag facing away from the wind, behind a flag pole, s ll can result in a drag force pulling on that pole.

As we all know, nothing changes as fast and as unpredictable as the weather, so you be er be prepared.

Read more on wind speeds and Beaufort scale here:h ps://www.rmets.org/weather-and-

What is the direc on of the wind speed expected?

climate/observing/beaufort-scale

Hi ng an LED screen from the front (or the rear) has a much higher

If you have any rigging ques ons send it to editorial@spinworkz.com

effect than hi ng it from the side, as the surface area has reduced

and we will get them answered by industry experts.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

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THIS SEGMENT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY disguise

3D Projector simulation (part 2) In most 3D based media servers, content is created as a texture applied to the projec on surface, for example, a car, building or set piece. Content can be made without any knowledge of the actual number of projectors that will be used - whether there is one projector or twenty, the content will stay the same.

In your media server, you then create Projector objects and add them to the scene; you set up their posi on, rota on and lens quali es to precisely match those of the real projectors. The media server then renders the projec on surface (and its content) from the point of view of each virtual projector, and outputs the resul ng image to the real projector. If the projec on surface and virtual projectors precisely match their counterparts in the real world, the result is a perfect image. The best way to think about projectors in 3D space is actually as cameras. The projectors 'look' at the object on which the content is mapped and output what they 'see'.

If the physical projector has to move a couple of meters to the side, there is no need to re-render any content like with a 2D based system, simply move the corresponding virtual projector to match. It will then render a new image from the projectors new point of view.

Similarly, if new projectors are added, there's no need to re-render content either; just add a new projector to the scene and set it up as you did with the others.

Quick calibra ng projectors to your 3D space There are two ways of matching a virtual projector to its physical counterpart: Manual calibra on, which we discussed in our previous ar cle, or the calibra on process o en referred to as Quick Calibra on. In this ar cle we will focus on the Quick Calibra on process. With both projector calibra on workflows, you are essen ally defining where in 3D space the projector is rela ve to the origin point (or the centroid of the model you are projec ng on). Its best to think of the process as calibra ng the space, rather than calibra ng the object to the projector (or vice versa).

The basic process of Quick Calibra on is rela vely simple. You drop reference points onto the 3D model of the projec on surface, and then 'line up' by dragging each point in the projector's output raster

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

un l it hits the corresponding point on the real surface. Once you've done enough points (about 10-15 per projector) the media server uses an algorithm to work out exactly where the projector is, and what lens quali es it has.

The various algorithms used, take 2D and 3D corresponding points and place them into a system of equa ons. These equa ons are based on a mathema cal model of how an ideal projector/camera and lens work. The result is a set of parameters for the posi on, orienta on and lens characteris cs. These parameters are then op mised by itera ng over them and making small adjustments to minimise an overall error func on. The biggest difference between various algorithms is how the equa ons are set up (even though the camera model is always the same, more or less), and this determines whether an algorithm deals well with the setup. For example, flat surfaces with few screens require a different algorithm than a complex object like a car.

Conclusion The quick calibra on process takes significantly less me than a manual calibra on, but hinges on having a 3D model that perfectly resembles the real world object. When calibra ng projectors using Quick Calibra on it is crucial that the 3D mesh object is modelled accurately to the physical model. The reason for this is that most calibra on algorithms assume that the virtual reference points link exactly to their corresponding real-world points. The best way to generate a highly accurate 3D model is to laser scan the physical model, or to laser cut the physical model based on the same 3D file you later use in the media server.

The process usually requires at least two technicians - one opera ng the media server, and the other 'spo ng' near the projec on surface to give instruc ons to the media server about where to drop the calibra on points. To get the points perfectly posi oned, points o en need to be nudged by mere single pixels. Most media servers also give an average error margin to give you an idea of how many pixels out of calibra on the system thinks you are. h p://www.disguise.one/

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ALL ABOUT WIRELESS BROUGHT TO YOU BY FIFTH INSTALLMENT:

RF System Connectivity by Hayden Leiper Welcome to the fi h instalment of All About Wireless, brought to you by SHURE. In this issue, we will focus on RF system connec vity; specifically, best prac ce recommenda ons for wireless microphone antenna signal distribu on and combining, as well as IEM transmi er combining.

The lack of proper receive antenna signal distribu on is a common mistake made in the setup of mul -channel wireless microphone systems. 'Antenna farm' configura ons are, unfortunately, quite common in prac ce. What many don't realise is that antennas can, and do, interact if posi oned in close proximity to each other. This interac on can result in a deforma on of the polar sensi vity of individual antennas, overloading of receiver front end stages, and the transmission of interfering local oscillator frequencies between receivers. To avoid these issues, Shure recommends incorpora ng antenna distribu on in systems consis ng of 3 or more channels.

There are three basic methods of receive antenna distribu on; passive spli ers, receiver RF cascade, and distribu on amplifiers.

Passive antenna spli ng is a reasonably inexpensive and easily implemented approach. The Shure UA221 is a simple in-line spli er that provides RF impedance matching to limit split loss to 3dB. Mul ple inline passive splits are imprac cal due to compounding split losses, so this solu on is only appropriate for the supply of RF signal to two receivers.

Many mid to high er wireless microphone receivers feature RF What not to do: the 'antenna farm' cascade ports, which are used to daisy chain the RF signal between units. If using receivers with this feature, this is a cost-effec ve approach to signal distribu on.

Depending on the receiver model, cascade ports may be passive or ac ve, so it is important to be aware of the limit specified by the manufacturer regarding how many receivers can be included in a single cascade chain. Passive cascade ports will introduce 3dB split loss per hop, whereas ac ve ports provide a unity gain output.

Cascade ports con nue to operate if recommended limits are exceeded, but considering the noise floor of the RF signal is slightly raised with each hop, and the compounding effect of passive split loss, the signal may become unstable if manufacturer guidelines are not adhered to. Cascade ports may also be band limited, and if so, all receivers in a chain must operate in the same frequency band. A ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

key risk to this approach is that in the event of power or antenna connec on loss to one receiver, all subsequent receivers in the chain may lose signal. Shure therefore recommend a conserva ve approach to RF cascading; the ports are there to be used if necessary, but signal integrity is be er maintained by an antenna distribu on amplifier.

Antenna distribu on amplifiers are used to discretely couple antenna signals to mul ple receivers, avoiding the 3dB loss associated with passive splits and gradual SNR degrada on associated with RF cascading. The UA844+SWB and UA845UWB are two ac ve antenna distribu on amplifiers manufactured by Shure, each capable of distribu ng RF signals to 5 diversity receivers.

In larger systems, the outputs of one distribu on amplifier can feed the inputs of a second layer of distribu on amplifiers, each of which can then feed mul ple receivers. Shure usually does not recommend a third layer of distribu on due to the poten al for increased RF distor on and interference. In prac ce, considering combina ons of distribu on amplifier and RF cascade are possible, two layers of distribu on is usually sufficient, even for very large projects. For example, if designing a large Axient Digital system, a single master UA845UWB may distribute RF signals to five second layer UA845UWB distribu on amplifiers, which could then distribute RF signals to 25 quad channel receivers. Each of the Axient Digital quad channel receivers could then cascade RF to a second quad channel receiver, resul ng in 200 channels of Axient Digital serviced by a single pair of receive antennas.

Mul ple layers of antenna distribu on may be used in high channel count systems

In situa ons where mul ple pairs of receive antennas are installed to increase the range of a wireless microphone system, antennas may be passively combined to present a single RF input to the receiver or antenna distribu on system. The Shure UA221 can be used for this purpose, as can the PA421B and PA821B IEM transmit combiners

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when set to passive combining mode. A key difference between these units, apart from channel capacity, is that the UA221 provides approximately 15dB isola on between antenna inputs, whereas the PA421B and PA821B provide approximately 60dB of isola on. If the antennas are located in physically isolated spaces, such as mul ple rooms in a Conven on Centre for example, combiner input isola on is not usually cri cal. However, if mul ple antennas are combined when installed in the same physical space, the addi onal input isola on of the PA421B and PA821B becomes very important.

If mul ple receive antennas are combined and interact electronically, they form an array, working together as if they were a single antenna.

If physically isolated, the result is typically an extension of range across mul ple spaces, with li le change in the specified polar sensi vity of each individual antenna. If not physically isolated, as is the case when mul ple receive antennas are installed in the same space, electronic interac on can cause the specified polar sensi vity of each to change somewhat. The polar sensi vity of this ad-hoc array can be difficult to predict, so coverage of the space may not be as even as the engineer expects. Greater combiner input isola on helps to prevent mul ple antennas forming an array, minimizing the risk of altering the polar sensi vity of individual antennas and accidently crea ng dead zones in areas where good coverage would otherwise be expected. Due to the significantly greater input isola on, Shure recommend using the PA421B or PA821B instead of the UA221 if combining receive antennas installed in the same physical space.

In IEM applica ons, it is equally important to avoid the 'antenna farm' situa on. As is the case with receive antennas, mul ple closely-spaced transmit antennas will interact, resul ng in a deforma on of the polar radia on pa ern of individual antennas and the genera on of high-power intermodula on products. Shure therefore recommends the use of ac ve IEM combiners for systems consis ng of 3 or more channels, as combiners are designed to supress the power level of intermodula on products, keeping the signal noise floor to a minimum. Passive combiners are not recommended for IEM systems.

It is important to note that ac ve IEM combiners will have a maximum input power handling specifica on. In the case of the Shure PA411 this is 30mW, whereas the PA421B and PA821B support 100mW at each input. It is essen al that, in high channel count systems, the outputs of mul ple IEM combiners are never ac vely combined in a master IEM combiner, as the input stages of the master will likely be overloaded. The Shure PA421B and PA821B feature passive expansion ports for this purpose.

These are the key best prac ces regarding receive antenna signal distribu on and combining, and IEM transmi er combining. Next month we will focus on transmission lines, beginning with an explana on of coaxial cable impedance and why 50 ohms is the standard in RF systems.

Hayden Leiper is an Electroacous c Engineer with 15 years' experience in the professional audio industry. Currently employed as a Technical Consultant with Shure Asia Limited, Hayden's current responsibili es include wireless and audio systems Applica ons engineering support; authoring, edi ng, publishing, and presenta on of educa onal materials for the Shure Audio Ins tute; and support of training seminars, webinars and educa onal programs conducted by Shure Asia's channel partners. www.shure.com/asia

Receive antennas should only be combined with the Shure UA221 if physically isolated

When designing receive antenna systems, it is also important to remain aware of total current draw when using in-line RF amplifiers.

Antenna inputs on a receiver or distribu on amplifier are rated for a certain maximum current draw, which is o en only sufficient to power one or two RF amplifiers. If the use of mul ple line amplifiers will exceed this current draw specifica on, a Bias-Tee with greater current capacity may be required.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

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HARMAN EDUCATIONAL SERIES PART 4

Building Your Audio System - Signal Processing Welcome back to Building your Audio System series. In our last 3 columns, we learnt about why having a good PA is important, the different factors that goes into considera on when choosing the right microphone, and choosing the right mixer. In this sec on, we will delve deeper into the key factors of Signal Processing we need to take note of, for our personal PAs.

Equalizers

properly done, it allows you to get more gain from the speakers before feedback. It's an especially important task to do with stage monitors, which, because of their proximity to the microphones, are highly prone to feedback.

Feedback Suppressors Feedback suppressors are commonly found in digital mixers, as part of speaker management processors (see sec on below), or as standalone outboard units. Most feature digital algorithms that detect and a enuate feedback frequencies before the feedback becomes audible.

Digital mixers such as the Soundcra Ui12 give you a lot of processing flexibility.

The equalizer (EQ) is probably the most important processor in the live sound arsenal. EQ can help you adjust the main speakers to match the room acous cs, eliminate feedback in the mains and the monitors, and sculpt the sound of individual channels.

Whether you're using a powered analog mixer, passive analog mixer, or a digital mixer, you'll find individual EQ controls of some sort on each individual channel. In more basic mixers, these may consist only of knobs that boost and cut the low, mid, and high bands. Higherquality mixers o en add sweepable frequency knobs to the midrange or even to all three bands. These give you more precise control over which frequencies you're adjus ng. The channel EQs in digital mixers provide more control and more extensive features than you typically find on analog models.

While they shouldn't be thought of as a subs tute for properly equalizing your system, they func on as a secondary line of defense against feedback, and can make opera ng a PA system a lot easier.

Compressors and Limiters Dynamics processors, such as compressors and limiters, control the dynamic range of your music, which is the difference between the loudest and so est por ons. They can be used for applica ons like smoothing out a lead vocal on an individual mixer channel or preven ng loud volume spikes in the main speakers.

The graphic EQ is another important equalizer type for a PA system, especially if you have monitors. Graphic EQs allow you to boost or cu ng a range of fixed frequencies. The more frequency sliders on a graphic EQ, the more precision it offers.

Some mixers offer graphic EQs built in, or you can add them in the form of outboard rackmount units, which get connected between the outputs of your mixer (main or monitor) and your powered speakers or amplifiers. Digital mixers provide a variety of EQ types including graphic EQs. For example, the Soundcra Ui12 features a digitally controlled 31-band graphic EQ as well as a host of other effects.

Tour sound engineers use the graphic EQ for “ringing out” the speakers, which involves boos ng gain on the various frequencies of the graphic EQ un l feedback is heard, and then cu ng them. When ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

Compression reduces the dynamic range of the output level– bringing down the level of the loudest parts, thus bringing the loud and quiet parts closer together in volume, so that the natural volume varia ons are less obvious.

Compressors work by lowering the level of any signal that goes above a user selectable threshold by the ra o control, which is expressed in decibels, such as 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 and so forth. A 2:1 ra o will reduce the signal that exceeds the threshold to half its original level, a 3:1 ra o to a third of its original level, and a 10:1 to a tenth of

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its original level. The higher the ra o, the more you're squashing the dynamic range, which is the difference between the loudest and so est signal.

While you're likely to find compressors for each channel in a digital mixer, most analog mixers, except expensive professional models, don't include individual channel compressors.

A limiter is an extreme form of compressor, which has a very high ra o, and is designed to squash down peaks. Limiters are usually found on the master channels of digital mixers and some analog mixers. They keep loud peaks from ge ng through to the speakers, which is important both for speaker protec on and for preserving the audience's listening experience.

Speaker Management Processors

The Soundcra Signature 10 is an example of an analog mixer with built-in digital effects.

effects including chorus, flanging and more. For example, Soundcra Signature Series consoles are equipped with a Lexicon digital effects processor built-in.

You're likely to get the widest selec on of effects from a digital mixer.

It also has the advantage of le ng you save custom se ngs.

Wrap Because mixers o en provide some or all the signal processing you'll need for your PA, it makes sense to wait un l you've se led on a mixer to decide whether you need addi onal processors. Depending on your system, you can probably get by with the channel EQs and reverb from your mixer as your only processors.

The dbx GoRack is a remarkably affordable speaker management processor that offers a lot of powerful func ons.

A speaker management processor is typically an outboard processor that offers a range of func ons for a PA system. These o en include equaliza on, feedback suppression, dynamics processing and crossovers (the la er is useful if your system includes a subwoofer).

There are affordable models available, such as the ultra-affordable dbx GoRack Performance Processor. It can be connected to your speakers, and lets you easily control the volume, mute the en re system, adjust the An -Feedback circuit, and add compression and EQ. It also has a Sub Synth feature that enhances low end in the speaker system by synthesizing frequencies an octave below the area of 100 Hz. This feature can make your speakers seem to reproduce more bass.

Ambience Effects Reverb and delay are two important effects to have in your PA, allowing you to add space to vocals and instruments. You could use an outboard reverb unit or mul -effects unit, connected to your mixer. You probably won't need to do that, however, because most contemporary analog PA mixers (and powered mixers) have built-in effects, offering at least reverb. Some give you a range of crea ve ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

If you have monitors in your system, you'll probably find you need a graphic EQ, as well. If you can swing it, speaker management processors with built in limiters and an -feedback circuitry will make your life a lot easier.

Stay tuned for the next installment of this series, where we'll look at things to take note of while choosing your loudspeakers and amplifiers. If you have any ques ons about Signal Processing for your PA system, drop us an email at HPro.APAC@harman.com or fix an appointment to visit us at our HARMAN Professional Solu ons APAC Experience Centre in Singapore.

Visit us at h p://pro.harman.com for more informa on.

HARMAN Professional Solu ons APAC Experience Centre 108 Pasir Panjang Road, Level 2, Golden Agri Plaza, Singapore 118535

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CHINA

Adamson Impresses EDM Elite at China's ISY Music Festival

Held in early March, the music festival saw some of the biggest names in the EDM industry present Support Engineer Kaiji Liu of Adamson's Chinese distributor, Real Music, notes that figure is especially impressive considering the FOH mix posi on was 95 metres from the stage. “That's pre y far, but we s ll achieved a warm, full sound at the mix posi on,” he says. “The original shoot in Blueprint AV was done for 120 metres and we s ll didn't require any delays; this system just always seems to have headroom to spare.”

The system included main hangs of 21 Adamson E15 three-way, true line source enclosures per side, with an addi onal nine per side for side fills. The E15's long throw capabili es meant no delays were required for the main audience area, though arrays of four Adamson S10 compact two-way, full range cabinets covered the VIP sec ons.

Adamson E-Series system on ISY Music Fes val main stage

Some of the biggest names in EDM including Mar n Garrix, Tiesto, Afrojack, Hardwell, R3hab, and more took the stage for China's massive ISY Music Fes val, held March 2-3, 2018 at Haitang Bay Beach in Sanya. An expansive E-Series sound system from Adamson blasted out the beats for the 60,000 fans in the main venue and also kept the ar sts in the mix with a powerful S-Series monitor solu on in the DJ booth.

As for the substan al sub deployment, arrays of nine E219s were flown behind the mains with an addi onal 18 E219s per side groundstacked in six clusters of three and 12 T21s stacked in six pairs.

Adamson also provided the reference mix for the performers, with the DJ booth monitor solu on comprised of four S10s atop 2 S119 subwoofers per side earning stellar reviews across the board.

“Adamson's E-Series is my favourite audio system. It meets all of our requirements in terms of volume, clarity, and impact," says Stephan Themps, FOH engineer for Mar n Garrix. "We actually set a record at ISY by reaching 129.8dBC at FOH, so Mar n was pre y high and we're really looking forward to rocking another Adamson system for EDC Shanghai in a few weeks."

Tiesto supported by Adamson S-Series DJ monitors at ISY Fes val

“We had some of the top touring ar sts in the world taking part in ISY, which called for a top- er system that would sa sfy any rider requirements. That, in addi on to the size Adamson E15 array on ISY Music Fes val and unique layout of main stage the event site, made Adamson the ideal solu on,” concludes Real Music Owner Zhen “Richie” Wang. "We heard nothing but raving remarks from our guest performers and engineers about the Adamson system and our team onsite, not to men on the massive crowd of music fans that seemed to enjoy every second of the experience." adamsonsystems.com

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HONG KONG

AV Stumpfl Brings in Chinese Year of the Dog at Hong Kong's Ocean Park Spectacular Newly installed Wings Engine Stage media server drives Divine Drums stage show

ATEM 2 M/E Produc on Studio 4K and Broadcast Panel, as well as a Novastar MCTRL660 LED Controller. In this set up, AV Stumpfl's media server brings all the components together seamlessly – allowing for be er control and execu on, as well as opening up greater possibili es for Ocean Park's crea ves to explore with future produc ons.

Honest, just and loyal – such are the key characteris cs of the dog, the eleventh of all zodiac animals. Apt then that when Hong Kong based Cosmo Pro AV was engaged for the AV consulta on, design and integra on for Ocean Park's new prime theatre space – the Applause Pavilion – it trusted partner AV Stumpfl for a media server solu on that would deliver me and again.

Ocean Park, Hong Kong's most impressive theme park, merges educa on with entertainment. With 44 rides and a staggering 7.7 million visitors on average annually who come from all over the world to see its a rac ons, the park first deployed AV Stumpfl's systems in 2016 for its Cyber Illusion Show, when it rented the Wings Stage Engine and RAW Engine from Cosmo Pro AV. Such was its success that Ocean Park decided to invest beyond ren ng and instructed Cosmo Pro AV to design a comprehensive, permanent video system using AV Stumpfl technology for its Applause Pavilion.

Jason Yeung, Sales Engineer at Cosmo Pro AV, who project managed the installa on from start to finish and trained the staff, explores Ocean Park's unique requirements: “They needed a powerful and stable media server system that had up to four DVI outputs, in addi on to live input, both 3G-SDI and SDI. AV Stumpfl's Wings Engine Stage was simply the perfect solu on.”

Versa le, powerful and robust – and uncompromising on performance – the Wings Engine Stage is a technologically advanced media server featuring a solid hardware pla orm, automa c camera based so edge and warping calibra on, as well as DVI/3G-SDI Live inputs. Harry Gladow, global business development manager at AV Stumpfl, remarks: “Whether as part of live events, corporate presenta ons or themed installa ons, the wide ranging feature set combines hardware reliability with so ware flexibility – perfect for the kind of environment and scenarios taking place at Ocean Park where these considera ons are paramount.”

Alongside AV Stumpfl's Wings Engine Stage, Cosmo Pro AV specified and custom built a 16x7m down roller Op Z system hos ng a Polynet hologram screen from Korean company Holo ve to create visual projec on effects. Comple ng the full AV suite was a Blackmagic

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

The “Divine Drums” show put the Wings Engine Stage to the test

The new AV set up with the Wings Engine Stage was put to the test during Ocean Park's Chinese New Year celebra on when it staged a ten-day live show spectacular (16-25 February 2018) called 'Divine Drums'. Taiwan's Chio-Tian Folk Drums and Arts Troupe presented six shows every day, immersing visitors in eye-opening Taiwanese Folk Temple rituals through an innova ve stage produc on. With powerful performances by highly skilled drummers and dancers, their colourful facial paints and costumes, coupled with an impressive LED backdrop, special visual effects and strong, unique drum rhythms, the show blew the audience away.

AV Stumpfl's new RX so ware coupled with Wings Engine Stage allowed to produce seamless mul - meline changeovers, giving Cosmo Pro AV more flexibility to easily synchronize the system with the rest of the show gear, including ligh ng, audio and special effects.

Concludes Yeung: “We've had a fantas c experience working with AV Stumpfl on this project. Ocean Park is a very diverse theme park and there are lots of expansion projects with new hotel and water a rac ons in the pipeline. It's inevitable that these will bring increased demands for show control and advanced media server technologies and capabili es, and AV Stumpfl has clearly demonstrated that it is leading the way in this field.” avstumpfl.com

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INDONESIA

Clair Brothers Rocks Djakarta's Massive Two-day EDM Festival Starting out with humble roots, DWP is now one of the most famous dance festivals in Asia

produc on company – Live Produc on Indonesia – based on its partnership since 2012 with Clair Brothers' rental partner, Total Audio. Said Houwdy Boenadi, managing partner of Live Produc on Indonesia, “I first experienced Clair Brothers speakers in 2012 and was immediately impressed. Since then I've come to the conclusion that there is no match for Clair Brothers signature sound, especially in a space this big. The audience area alone is 390 meters long by 100 meters wide. It's a lot of space to cover.”

This now famous EDM event, known as Djakarta Warehouse Project (DWP), began humbly in 2008 as a dance club event by entertainment company, Ismaya Live. A hit from the start, the event moved to the Djakarta Interna onal Expo (JIExpo) in 2014 and has blossomed, with Clair Brothers as an indispensable ingredient, into an all-out fes val that spans two whole days. In 2015, DWP was crowned 'The Best EDM Fes val of 2015' by EDM Sauce. Today, DWP is Asia's second largest two-day dance music fes val, boas ng more than 90,000 a endees in 2016, with an es mated 20,000 travellers from 39 different countries each year.

It was the move to the enormous JIExpo outdoor stage area that instantly made clear the need for a sound system that could handle such a large space. Clair Brothers was the first and only choice of the

Using a combina on of experience with Clair Brothers gear and expert acous c ingenuity on a grand scale, the resul ng sound system consisted of Clair Brothers 78x i218-LT/i218-M, 68x iS218M, 12x i212-M, 16x CS218-M, 4x R2D-M and 8x 12AM speakers.

For those coun ng, that's an impressive 324x 18-inch woofers and 344 amplifier channels! The FOH consoles employed for the fes val were the Midas Pro6 and the Avid Profile; with the monitor console an Avid Profile.

The iconic outdoor stage called 'Garuda Land' was lavished with an ornate historic design inspired by the mythical Garuda bird of the Indonesian coat of arms. DWP is an impressive project that highlights the numerous genres in the dance music field and is recognized for its eclec c lineups. DWP a racts the world's biggest EDM acts including Steve Aoki, Skrillex, Diplo, Major Lazer, David Gue a, DJ Snake and so many more. Houwdy proudly noted, “With the best DJs and highest produc on quality sound, ligh ng and visuals, Djakarta Warehouse Project is one dance fes val you must experience in your life me.”

“Because this is our fourth year working this fes val,” con nued Boenadi, “many of the early challenges have been worked out.

Clair Brothers speakers require very li le tuning and tweaking to result in a sound experience that's perfect for everyone, including the acts up on stage. With the support of Total Audio and Wayne Grosser from Clair Brothers Australia, this year's show was sa sfying on every level.”

So, impressed with the Clair Brothers sound and because of so much posi ve feedback, Ezar Darnadi, technical director of Live Produc on Indonesia, decided to add Clair Brothers i218-M and CS218 speakers in VIP areas around the Expo. Boenadi summed it up: “Working with Clair Brothers products puts our minds at ease – great speakers, great system and great support make them the top choice in Indonesia.”

The fact that the event was held in such a large outdoor space made clear to the produc on company that the sound system provided would need to be able to handle the space ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

www.clairbrothers.com

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THAILAND

G19 Fest Brings Lighting Creatives Together Lightsource ensures smooth transition

The G19 Rock fes val saw 20 different ar stes rocking the crowd for a full 9 hours at the Rajamangala Na onal Stadium in Bangkok. The fes val was held on 10th February as part of Genie Records label's 19 years of success. Genie Records a subsidiary to GMM Records has propelled mul ple bands and ar stes within the Thai music landscape and con nues to deliver to fans their dose of energy-filled music.

Together with Chang Music Connec on, the day saw what may well be one of the largest Rock Music Fes val in Thailand. The 20 ar stes included: 25HOURS, BIG ASS, BODYSLAM, COCKTAIL, INSTINCT, KLEAR, KWANG ABNORMAL, NUM KALA, LABANOON, PALAPOL, PANG NAKARIN, PALMY, PARADOX, POTATO, PUN BASHER, RETROSPECT, SWEET MULLET, THE MOUSSES, THE YERS and YES'SIR DAYS. Equally impressive to the names on the stage was the stage designed

by Mother of Design that stretched 160 metres. Mother of Design has been involved in designing stages for other big fes vals in ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

Thailand such as the S20 Songkra Music Fes val and Waterzoni. The huge stage had two 60 metre slider stage for the bands. One slide was for the musical instruments and the other for the performance.

With only a 10-30 second transi on between each band, the sliders were cri cal in keeping the energy up and providing a smooth transi on. The fes val kicked off at 3pm and concluded around 12 midnight.

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The Ligh ng Convergence A total of 12 ligh ng designers were involved in the fes val. Nine of the ar stes had their own ligh ng designer whereas the other 3 ligh ng designers took responsibility for the remaining ar stes. The ligh ng designers were supported by a technician.

Lightsource provided all the ligh ng fixtures and the WYSIWYG programme. All the LDs did their pre-programme on the WYSIWYG and for each ar ste there was only an hour to edit the programme on site. “Using the WYSIWYG was the best way to save me. We had provided two units of WYSIWYG at the fes val loca on to ensure convenience for the LDs,” said Norosate Somboonwong, Opera ons Director, Lightsource.

All the Ligh ng Designers were provided with the WYSIWYG template comprising the stage and ligh ng fixtures. The LDs then

G19 Fest Console Network

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pre-programmed the show and on show day they adjusted the show accordingly within the one hour afforded to each of them.

In keeping to the type of music being belted out, Lightsource ensured that almost all the ligh ng fixtures had incandescent lamp fixtures “so that the show featured hot rock emo onal mood”. These were combined with modern fixtures using Beam and colour bars. As the Rajamangala Na onal Stadium is a huge venue, Ligthsource also had to ensure that they deployed a very bright spot and for this purpose they used six units of Robert Juliat Lancelot 4000w fixtures.

The console of Choice Three grandMA2 Full-size consoles were allocated for the fes val, with one ac ng as the main console. Two MA-NPUs were also roped in together with a 200m Nuetrik Op calCON Quad for connec vity.

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to switch between consoles. “It was very challenging for us to design and provide the system because generally we have not had to face these sort of issues previously. This I believe is the first me that we needed to switch between consoles. We used the Art-net protocol for DMX merge and output by MA-net to NPU. Although this is the general way we always do, this fes val had two consoles that had to send the signal to the main console. Art-net needs 3-5 seconds to detect the console and that was one limita on that we had to deal with,” said Norosat.

“The grandMA2 was very helpful in helping us handle the 20 ar stes. The console func on helped us to programme many different scenarios and it was easy to work even without connec ng to another equipment, meaning we were able to switch by just using the grandMA2 console,” said Norosate.

The Challenge The key challenge was with the network system. The sheer number of ar stes and the very short transi on me meant Lightsource had

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

Norosate adds,”In the Interna onal scene almost all the ar stes have their own Ligh ng Designer but in Thailand this is a new trend.

It only started to take shape about one to two years ago, so we s ll had some issues to iron out. Having said that, at the end, everything went smoothly and the ar stes as well as the crowd had a great me.” h p://www.lightsource.co.th

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53

MIDDLE EAST

Protec Provides Inspirational Special Olympics Opening Ceremony Protec are proud to have helped deliver the glittering opening ceremony of the Special Olympics IX MENA Games 2018

“Due to the openness of the venue, scaffold towers were erected around the grandstand area. For the three big ones on the open side near the road we used our total fabrica ons EHD truss to span across so we could hang our lights. Underneath the grandstand five more li le scaffold towers were placed so we could use our smaller truss and hang fixtures around the area.

The Special Olympics IX MENA Games 2018 opened with an enthusias c bang in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 17th March. A er taking a tour of the city, hi ng some famous landmarks along the way, the Olympic torch finally arrived at ADNEC to the applause of the wai ng 2000 spectators. Once the 'Flame of Hope' cauldron was lit the show began. A video en tled 'Welcome to my City' was played and more than 1,000 Special Olympics athletes from 32 different countries entered the arena in a colourful parade to much excitement from supporters and athletes alike. Cheers and contagious smiles rippled through the en re arena.

We had four follow spots towards the backend of the arena to pick up speakers and performances. We used 16 Super Sharpies on top of the set to create a nice beam effect up top. On the floor on either side of the stage, we used 4 Super Sharpies, our new Robe Pointes and Robe Spikies. Underneath the set, which was used as the stage entrance, we used 12 more Robe Spikies for more beam effects.

Along the edges of the stage we used a total of 56 Clay Paky K10 BEyes with 30 SGM P2s and 24 Robe Pointes to create some interes ng effects there and to wash along the stages for the performances.”

Dan Ivanovski, Protec's ligh ng engineer, added, “Under the grandstand roof and front of house towers, we used Varilite Spots. 24 Varilite Washes and 24 Clay Paky Alpha Wash 1200 illuminated grandstands and athletes sea ng area. 16 Clay Paky Scenius Profile rigged around the arena picked up the performance on stage as well as some key posi ons for speeches.”

Celebra ng people of determina on's spor ng abili es and talents, this is not only a significant event in the MENA region, but it also is an important test event for the 2019 World Games. With that, our client and show producers - HQ Worldwide wanted to deliver an opening ceremony that set the scene for the week ahead and paid due respect to the talented athletes from the UAE and visi ng countries.

This is the second me Abu Dhabi hosted the MENA regional games, the last me being ten years ago in 2008 and it has certainly grown in size since then. From 23 countries and 12 sports to 32 countries and 16 sports, it shows how people's percep ons are changing for the be er welcoming diversity, becoming more inclusive, and celebra ng the abili es of people of determina on.

Protec, honoured to have been part of such an inspiring show, provided ligh ng, audio and video as well as some rigging for the show in ADNEC. HQ Worldwide provided their own ligh ng design and the video content. Project Manager, Simon Travis, gave a rundown of some of the set up for ligh ng.

ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

The set-up took three days, followed by four days of rehearsals in prepara on for the 2 hour ceremony on the opening night.

Florian Hoss, senior video technician at Protec, described the video solu ons chosen.

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“We used three WATCHOUT Servers for Content Playback that involved the opening video, lower thirds for name-slides, mecode for other departments and audio tracks, whereas one produc on machine was controlling two display machines, one main and one backup. The WATCHOUT main, backup and the incoming camera signal was then switched by a Barco S3-4K to screen.

The screen was powered by a quadruple stack of our 30K Barco HDFW30 FLEX Projectors. We used two main and two backups with a seamless failover switch over Widget Designer.”

There were certain challenges faced due to the heavy wind and the heat, according to Hoss. The projec on tower was shaking a lot and the metal changed over the hot temperatures of the day to the cold of the evening meaning they had to make realignment adjustments every night.

Despite these minor challenges, overall, the projec on looked sharp, and the cameras were well directed, leaving the client really happy.

Protec's audio department handled the large space by using 24 LAcous c's K2 Loudspeakers, 12 hung either side covering the area with consistent coverage front to back. These were supported by eight SB28 Subwoofers taking care of the low end all powered by the LA8 amplifiers. The system was controlled by a Digico SD5 desk. They used their new Shure Axient handheld radio systems and along with that they used Sennheiser in-ear monitors for the Mcs. Communica ons were taken care of with Clearcom Freespeak and Helixnet, allowing the crew to wirelessly communicate effec vely over the en re venue while the stage management team, Protec technicians and the client used Motorola radios.

When asked about challenges faced on the gig, Simon as project manager had to ensure everyone was taking regular breaks and remained hydrated in the steadily increasing temperatures in Abu Dhabi.

“Our client - HQ worldwide pulled off an excellent show with a limited budget. Great show to be a part of. Were there challenges?

Yes there were. Was it worth it – absolutely!” concluded Simon Travis – Project Manager Protec.

These par ng words from the client summed up the en re heartwarming produc on quite succinctly: “With the determina on shown by the compe ng athletes fuelling the produc on team to deliver the opening ceremony in an extremely short me frame and within very ght budgetary limits, Protec, Al Laith and VK furniture delivered one of the most rewarding projects to date.” Tim Jacobs - KTS Global/ HQ Worldwide. www.produc ontec.com ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY ASIA | www.e-techasia.com

EVENTS

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2018

May 08 – 11 | Guangzhou Entertainment Technology (GET) Show Venue: Poly World Trade Centre Expo, Guangzhou, China May 10 - 13 | Prolight + Sound Guangzhou 2018 Venue: Area A, China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China May 10 – 12 | LED Expo Thailand Venue: IMPACT Exhibi on and Conven on Center, Bangkok, Thailand May 31 – 2 June | PALM Expo India 2018 Venue: Bombay Exhibi on Center, Goregaon East, Mumbai, India Jun 06 – 08 | Conference Programme starts on Jun 02 InfoComm Interna onal 2018 Venue: Las Vegas, USA Jun 06 – 08 | Conference Programme starts on Jun 05 IAAPA Asian A rac ons Expo 2018 Venue: Hong Kong Conven on and Exhibi on Centre, Hong Kong Jun 09 – 12 | Guangzhou Interna onal Ligh ng Exhibi on Venue: China Import and Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China

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June 26 – 28 | ConnectechAsia (BroadcastAsia 2018) Venue: Suntec, Singapore

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June 26 – 28 | ConnectechAsia (CommunicAsia 2018) Venue: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

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Jun 28 – 30 | Summer NAMM 2018 Venue: Nashville, TN

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Aug 22 – 24 | Integrate Venue: ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour

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August 23 - 25 | PALMEXPO China Venue: China Na onal Conference Centre, Beijing, China

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Sep 05 -07 | InfoComm China Chengdu Venue: Western China Interna onal Expo Center

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Sep 18 – 20 | InfoComm India 2018 Venue: Bombay Exhibi on Centre, India

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Sep 23 – 25 | Prolight + Sound Middle East Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre

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Oct 19 – 21 | Conference and training programmes start on Oct 15 Live Design Interna onal (LDI) Venue: Las Vegas Conven on Centre, USA

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