MICA (P) 015/09/2010 KDN: PPS 1663/09/2011 [020160]
May | June 2011
Marina Bay Sands Light and Water Spectacular
Trilogy: Suspended in an envelope of sound
Clay Paky inaugurates Ferrari World
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CONTENTS
VOL 12 ISSUE 3
MICA [P] 015/09/2010 KDN: PPS 1663/09/2011 [020160]
NEWS 10
Essential news from the industry
ENNOVATIONS 34
A round-up of new products in the market
SPECIAL FEATURES 38 Bosch Communications hosts Product Introduction This issue of Entertainment Technology Asia is one of our bigger issues, featuring more news, technological updates and installation projects. We have decided to beef-up our Installation section this issue to provide more insight into how the latest solutions are being utilised at entertainment venues throughout Asia. We have done this because we feel that it is not only important to know how the equipment works but also how it is deployed to create the unforgettable entertainment spectacles that all of us enjoy. With this in mind, I’m sure you will be thrilled to read about how the Marina Bay Sands Light and Water Spectacular was conceived, developed and refined. No less than 100 specialists were employed to create this amazing multimedia experience. Just as amazing is the 55-minute epic projection show, ‘Ishq-e-Dilli’, a stunning explosion of colours, patterns and animations that takes place every evening at the 500-year-old Purana Qila in Delhi. Going green has never been more pertinent than in the present and the Sydney Theatre Company will show you how it is possible to provide wonderful entertainment while reducing your carbon footprint. Prolight + Sound 2011, held in Frankfurt, Germany, is the subject of our Exhibition Review section and what a fabulous show it was! More than 33,000 visitors from 107 countries were present at the fair to see the latest ideas and innovations from 873 exhibitors from all over the world. The increase in the number of visitors and exhibitors to the show seems to indicate that the economic climate in Germany and Europe is extremely good and many companies in the industry are feeling positive as they look to the future. This bodes very well for all of us.
Days for their Asia-Pacific partners in Xiamen
42 40 years of Entertainment Trussing
EXHIBITION PREVIEW 46 BroadcastAsia 2011 set for a milestone year 48 PALME Asia 2011 to feature latest technologies
and knowledge upgrading
EXHIBITION REVIEW 52
Prolight + Sound 2011 achieves impressive results
INSTALL 70
Sydney Theatre Company goes green
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Synergy AVL chooses LDR lights for Ngee Ann’s Convention Centre upgrade
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A Synergy of Perfect Lighting and Stage Presence in Cedar
Girls’ School Auditorium
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Trilogy: A club suspended in an envelope of sound
76 Projecting into the Past of Delhi (Ishq-e-Dilli) 78 Marina Bay Sands Light and Water Spectacular 82 Flavours of India come alive at Kingdom of Dreams
LIVE 86 Clay Paky inaugurates Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi 88 JM Rental’s R7-ER at IDEX Opening Ceremony 90 Lighting the 2011 Chingay Parade
Happy Reading! James Bose Editor james@spinworkz.com
92 SOUND.COM powers the Indian National Games 2011 in Ranchi 93 Analog Way powers Academy Fantasia Concert 94 2011 Bangkok Motor Show charges ahead! 96 Turbosound rocks Cricket World Cup Final 98 Dataton has Emirates successes in sight
Publisher/Editorial Director Thomas Richard : thomas@spinworkz.com | Editor James Bose : james@spinworkz.com | Admin & Circulation Julie Tan : admin@spinworkz.com | Contributing Editor Jacqueline Khoo | Contributing Consultant Pushpa Veerappan | Freelance Correspondent Clarence Anthony, Audrey Anne Felix | Design & Productions By Jimmy Chin : jimmy@spinworkz.com | Printed By : Print & Print Pte Ltd Published By SPINWORKZ PTE LTD 51 Bukit Batok Crescent #06-10 Unity Centre Singapore 658077 | Tel: (65) 6316 2716 | Fax: (65) 63162715 | www.spinworkz.com Disclaimer Entertainment Technology Asia is published 6 times a year. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine is to be reproduced, whether mechanical or electronic without the prior written consent of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the publisher. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but the editor reserves the discretion to use them. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy and honesty in both editorial and advertising content at press time, the publisher will not be liable for any inaccuracies.
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Sennheiser Asia celebrates 8 years of partnership with L-ACOUSTICS
Singapore: Audio specialist Sennheiser Electronic Asia (“Sennheiser Asia”) announced the eighth-year anniversary of their partnership with L-ACOUSTICS. Over the years, they have collectively been involved in numerous projects around the Asia Pacific region. Installations such as the Graha Bethany and Bethany Manyar churches in Surabaya, the Nafiri Convention Hall in Jakarta as well as the Grace Methodist Church in Singapore have incorporated large format installations involving the signature K1, KUDO and ARCS line source systems.
ESPN Star Sports uses multiple iLive systems Singapore: Singapore-based broadcast company, ESPN Star Sports, recently installed iLive systems in each of its three voiceover control rooms as part of an upgrade from analogue to digital. Allen & Heath’s distributor, Sindo Exports, supplied three iLive systems, comprising iDR-48 mixracks with iLive-T112 control surfaces. ESPN Star Sports covers a host of sporting events, which are translated into English,
In ensuring the continuing growth of L-ACOUSTICS in the region, Sennheiser Asia has introduced a new product manager to its Installed Sound Team. Mark Chan, with more than 10 years of experience in audio engineering and systems integration, has joined Sennheiser Asia. He will be spearheading the management of Sennheiser Asia’s Installed Sound Products portfolio, including L-ACOUSTICS and other thirdparty brands. www.sennheiserasia.com
Norwest expands with L’Acoustics and Lab.gruppen Australia: Norwest Productions, Australia’s largest audio service provider, has purchased an additional forty-eight L’Acoustics dVDOSC modular line source array cabinets and sixteen SB218 subwoofers which will be put into immediate service, along with their existing V-DOSC/Kudo inventory, for the upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand by Neil Diamond. “The dV-Dosc is the recognised benchmark for small-format line arrays and sits nicely with our existing L’Acoustics stock,” said Graeme Whitehouse, Norwest’s group operations director. “We anticipate this will help continue our access into new markets, as well as bolster our stock for our busy corporate and broadcast businesses. It’s an initial purchase and I’m confident we’ll buy more. Norwest has exited the global financial crisis as a stronger and more streamlined business, and our ever-expanding inventory is under constant pressure, both in Australia and New Zealand.” Norwest has also purchased forty Lab. gruppen PLM10000Q amplifiers (400,000 watts!) and twenty-four Lake LM26 loudspeaker management processors to add to their substantial Dolby Lake inventory. The Lab.gruppen PLM10000Q amplifiers add to an inventory of in excess of 350 Lab.gruppen amplifiers and will be re-powering the existing Kudo as well as the new L’Acoustics dV-DOSC speakers. Norwest’s flagship line array of Adamson Y-Axis will continue to be powered with Lab Gruppen FP series amplifiers and Lake processing. www.norwestproductions.com
Cantonese, Hindi, Korean and Mandarin and broadcast across Asia. Live feeds come into the voiceover control rooms and certain channels from the original broadcast are muted, programmes are then translated and transmitted with voiceover material to relevant audiences. “iLive does exactly what we need in terms of routing and it’s very user friendly,’ explains principal engineer, Ratnadeep Bhattacharya. “It’s also lightweight and compact, which is an advantage if the consoles need to be relocated in order to perform another task internally.” www.allen-heath.com
Graeme Whitehouse with some of the new inventory
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PALM EXPO clamps down on Intellectual Property Infringements Singapore: The organising committee of China’s international exhibition on pro audio, light, music and technology, PALM EXPO China 2011, announced its decision on 1 March 2011 to clamp down on intellectual property infringements at the exhibition. Recognising the importance of a credible and effective platform for the marketing and promotion of products for this industry in China, both CETA and IIR Exhibitions have jointly stepped up efforts to eliminate copyright issues at PALM EXPO China 2011. Both CETA and IIR Exhibitions have been working with the relevant authorities to discourage and eliminate non-copyrighted products from being exhibited at the event. “We are delighted to be working with our partners in sending a strong signal to the industry that infringement of intellectual property rights is not to be condoned at PALM EXPO China 2011. We hope this move will encourage more international exhibitors and participants to tap the growing China market,” commented Ms. Rosalind Ng, Managing Director (Asia), IIR Exhibitions Pte Ltd.
Intellectual property rights infringements pose a serious problem for intellectual property owners and this issue is expected to be proactively highlighted for the first time in a series of exchanges at PALM EXPO 2011. The organising committee plans to publish a handbook called ‘Information on the 20th PALM Exhibitors’ trademarks and patents’. The handbook will be distributed free to all visitors and its key objective is to create awareness of intellectual property protection amongst exhibitors and prevent intellectual property infringement during the exhibition. As part of the framework, all exhibitors at PALM EXPO China 2011 are required to sign an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Protection Contract and declare that they understand the ‘Measures for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights during the PALM EXPO China 2011 Exhibition’ and ‘Measures of the Beijing Municipality for the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights’ during the Event.
“China is taking intellectual property rights more seriously and providing rights holders with substantial tools to protect their products and brands. We are confident that with this positive step in fighting piracy, exhibitors at PALM EXPO China 2011 will feel reassured that their property rights are being protected and will be happy to participate at the event,” remarked Ms. Juri Tan, Exhibitions Director, IIR Exhibitions Pte Ltd. In the event of any infringement, the organising committee will have the right to take action stipulated in the IPR Protection Contract. www.iirx.com.sg
Products which have been copied will not be allowed to be displayed during the exhibition and action will be taken to remove such products.
E&E presents Kenton Forsythe at The Hard Rock Cafe Singapore: Having bagged the distribution agreement for Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) products, Electronics & Engineering got straight to business with a presentation by Mr Kenton Forsythe, EVP and Co-Founder of EAW, on the latest developments in speaker technology. Conducted at the Lion’s Den on the Mezzanine floor of The Hard Rock Café at Cuscaden Road on 10 March 2011 guests got the privilege of hearing from a true legend in the audio industry. Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd had replaced the JBL AM series speakers in the Lion’s Den to EAW for this event. Mark Chan, the HRC General manager likes the new EAW speakers so much that he insists that they will remain as the FOH speakers for the Lions Den. During the presentation, Forsythe talked about the various speakers in the EAW arsenal including the new JF, QX and KF family of speakers, the SB 1001 speaker and the NTS 250.
Kenton Forsythe has been the product visionary and the heart of engineering at EAW since its inception in 1978. Due to Forsythe’s leadership, EAW has lead the professional audio industry with Forsythe’s unique innovations and pioneering efforts in audio technology development. Forsythe has also built one of the industry’s most credible engineering teams which fosters the same engineering and design principles that he has passionately embraced for so many years. Mr Ronald Goh with Mr Kenton Forsythe
On the new E&E and EAW working relationship, Mr Ronald Goh of E&E comments, “Over the years, the E&E branding has become synonymous with world class execution of projects utilising the latest technology available coupled by top of the line products that stand the test of time and, most importantly, to the complete satisfaction of our customers.....”
to the principals that it was founded upon quality, personalised customer service and standing by every piece of equipment that bears the brand. As such we are delighted and are looking forward to working with EAW and providing our customers with the best possible systems for their requirements,” he added.
“Like E&E, EAW has grown from a small business to what it is today while adhering
www.enepl.com.sg www.eaw.com
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One of the newest OEM partners with W-DMX enabled products is VARI*LITE
Wireless Solution announces a plethora of OEM Partners International: Wireless Solution Sweden AB has announced a plethora of OEM partners displaying products offering W-DMX as either standard or option. One of the newest OEM partners with W-DMX enabled products is VARI*LITE, which offers optional W-DMX on the VL440, VL770, VL880, VL400 and the VLX3. Another OEM agreement is with Antari, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fog machines. W-DMX is available in selected models of the W-Series range such as the W-515 and the W-530. W-DMX is also available in the X310 Pro Series as an option. Mr Niclas Arvidsson, CEO of Wireless Solution said, “Fog machines make a lot of sense. This allows possibilities in tricky locations. We are looking forward to a very successful relationship with Antari.”
Arvidsson adds, “PR Lighting offers a diverse range of high quality lighting products to the market and we are proud to be chosen as their wireless DMX OEM partner. We are confident that this will enhance their already strong product range.” www.wirelessdmx.com www.vari-lite.com www.antari.com www.pr-lighting.com
Antari fog machine
PR-5000 Spot and Wash
PR-8802 Architectural LED Wash
Yet another OEM partner agreement most recently announced was with PR Lighting. PR Lighting’s new PR-5000 Spot and Wash and the PR-8802 Architectural LED Wash will have W-DMX as standard fixtures. Mr Mac Li, Research and Development Manager for PR Lighting commented, “Working with W-DMX is the best choice for us as well as our clients as it is like a standard for Wireless DMX.”
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LAX kicks-off new OP line array system in Bangkok Bangkok: LAX International Group Co Ltd and its distributor, Acoustic & Lighting System, recently launched the LAX OP line array system in Bangkok by conducting a seminar and demonstration program. Attended by over 70 participants from various companies within the industry, the seminar aimed to provide a clear view on LAX’s history and background and its past project references. “We showcased our project references to convey a sense of confidence among the attendees. In this industry, project references play an integral role in obtaining a project or contract. And with 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, 2010 Oman Asian Beach Games as the backbone of our committed past projects, it will definitely spin a different tune altogether!” explained Mr. Dennis Q, the Project & Sales manager of LAX International Group Co Ltd. Since the launch was being held in Thailand, the presence of a translator was necessary
to reduce the language barrier between the speaker and the attendees. During the live demo session, participants were clearly satisfied at how powerful and refined the sound reproduction of the line array system was. When asked, one of the participants said, “I like how rich and powerful the line array system is. Besides delivering an impactful sound, it also packed a punch in the clarity department. All in all, this is a very satisfying and relevant system!” The smiles on the participants’ faces became wider when the lucky draw prizes were announced. With the grand prize of a THB625B and two units of THB625, second prize of two units of THB612 and six units of MP3 as third prize, the lucky winners were definitely thrilled. www.laxpro.net/OP-series.asp www.acousticlighting.com
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NEWS 17
China Clubs go active with D.A.S. Audio eight D.A.S. Audio Aero 12A loudspeaker enclosures—flown four elements per side in a left-right configuration—serve as the house mains. These loudspeakers are augmented by twelve Avant 15A loudspeakers, which are placed as delay fills. For low frequency support, five LX-218A subwoofers— three enclosures ground stacked in a center mono sub configuration and the remaining two enclosures used in a delay capacity—are augmented by an additional four Avant 118A sub bass enclosures. A D.A.S. Audio DSP4080 processor handles time-alignment and limiter tasks for different groups of speakers and zones.
‘HJFB Bar’ in Zhoushan, Zhejian
China: Two popular nightspots recently deployed new sound reinforcement systems drawn from the Aero Series 2 and Avant product catalogues of Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. Audio. Hangzhou Chuangda Stage Facilities, the authorised D.A.S. Audio dealer in Eastern China, coordinated the installation of new sound systems at two popular Chinese clubs in late 2010. With both projects, Jiang Chao, the company’s General Manager, and Xiao Zhao, their Technical Representative, determined that D.A.S. active (self-powered) systems made a good choice for these clubs since power amplification was already optimised for the characteristics of each loudspeaker model. By choosing self-powered systems, they also saved space since they didn’t have to find storage place for multiple power amps and, equally notable, system cabling was more streamlined. At owner Ping Ge’s ‘IN-Bar’ in Taizhou, Zhejian, China, a whopping twenty-four D.A.S. Audio Avant 15A powered, 2-way, compact full-range loudspeakers were deployed. Providing all the low-end “oomph”
one could possibly want, a combination of six LX-218A powered, high performance subwoofers - three enclosures ground stacked in a center mono sub configuration and another three units placed as delay subs—deliver low frequency support. Going one step further, an additional five Avant 118A powered horn-bass subwoofers complete the setup. A D.A.S. Audio DSP-2060 processor handles time alignment and limiter duties. Xiao Zhao commented on the advantages of deploying the Avant 15A loudspeakers as part of the setup. “The Avant 15A includes a rotatable horn that enables one to control the unit’s coverage. By rotating the horn, we were able to get the same coverage by flying the speakers horizontally—therefore, not compromising the view of the customers. The LX-218A and Avant-118As handle low frequency reproduction beautifully. Having applied time-alignment parameters via the DSP-2060, these subs complement one another very nicely.” At the ‘HJFB Bar’ in Zhoushan, Zhejian, China, owner Fang Hua elected to have a similar setup installed. For this project,
“With the trend of bars in China having singing performances every night—together with their selection of electronic music—we’re dealing with a system that is very versatile,” explained Xiao Zhao. “The installation had to be done in a way that the singers do not encounter feedback when they walk from one performance area to the next. The challenge was to keep everything sounding as natural as possible without the loss of clarity. Thus, we had to keep the microphones as unprocessed as possible. The loudspeakers were specifically placed in a manner that the singers have the freedom to move around while ensuring enough coverage and high SPL levels for all areas. With both installations, the combination of D.A.S. Audio’s Aero Series 2 and Avant loudspeaker systems was the ideal choice to address these conditions.” Eduardo Lopez, D.A.S. Audio Asia’s Business Operations Manager, reflected on the company’s recent growth in the region. “With D.A.S. Audio’s vast selection of products to address a wide range of sound reinforcement applications, and China’s growing interest in active speaker systems, I’m confident there will be many more opportunities for us to expand in this emerging market.” www.D.A.S.audio.com
EXHIBITIONS CALENDAR Palm / Install China 2011 26 - 29 May 2011 Beijing, China www.palmexpo.net
Broadcast Asia 2011 21 - 24 June 2011 Singapore www.broadcastasia.com
Integrate 2011 30 Aug - 1 Sept 2010 Sydney, Australia www.integrate-expo.com
Prolight + Sound 2011 (Shanghai) 11 - 14 Oct 2011 Shanghai, China www.prolightsound-shanghai.com
PALM Expo 2011 2 - 4 June 2011 Mumbai, India www.diversifiedcommunications.in
Palme / Install Asia 2011 13 - 15 July 2011 Singapore www.palme-asia.com
PLASA 2011 11 - 14 Sept 2011 London, United Kingdom www.plasashow.com
Palme / Install Vietnam 2011 2 - 4 Nov 2011 Hanoi, Vietnam www.palme-vietnam.com
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Regional launch of the Clay Paky Sharpy and the RCF TTL55A
Singapore: On March 24, 2011, Acoustic & Lighting System (A&L) decided to break new ground by staging the regional launch of the Clay Paky Sharpy moving head and RCF TTL55-A large format line array system. The launch event was held on the hilltop of the historic Fort Canning Gate and was attended by over a hundred guests, many of whom were associated with professional sound and lighting rental companies in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Taking front of stage again was Morlini as he introduced the new TTL55-A from RCF’s TT+ series, a 3-way active line array module designed to be scalable from a few modules for medium and small theatres to full size arrays for very large outdoor applications. The no-holds-barred demonstration of the capabilities of the TTL55-A modules made it easier for the guests to understand and listen to the clarity of the sound of the new system.
The event started with a seminar by Emanuele Morlini, Product Manager for RCF, and CEO of the Italian Acoustics Institute, who introduced the RDNet Control 8, an eight-output real-time monitor and control system using the Ethernet network to manage up to 256 loudspeakers (32 speakers per network) in a ring topology. Morlini took the patience to explain in detail the main features available and how to configure the system which could also be remotely configured. He also explained how to prepare all the adjustments and check the status of the system in real-time from a laptop or PC.
Clay Paky’s product introduction kicked-off with an all Clay Paky ensemble lightshow, followed by product presentations given by Alberico D’Amato, Sales Manger at Clay Paky, and Giovanni Zucchinali, who provided a comprehensive introduction of the new product models from the Clay Paky stable especially focusing on the new Sharpy, a 189-watt moving-beam light which can produce a perfectly parallel laser-like beam with an incredible output of 60,000 lumens at 20 meters. Zucchinali demonstrated the high energy features of the Shotlight Wash, a 1500-watt moving head which combines stage washing features with authentic high-power xenon strobing, and the Alpha Profile 700, the only 700watt automated spotlight with framing system currently in the market.
After cocktails and dinner, guests were treated to a live stage set-up with two line-array hangs at each speaker tower supported by subs on the floor, and a full lighting rig of high power Clay Paky moving lights. The set-up demonstrated the high performance levels of the new line array design and intelligent luminaires in a live concert situation.
www.acousticlighting.com www.claypaky.it www.rcf.it
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Prolight + Sound Shanghai announces hall relocation
China: Prolight + Sound Shanghai, Asia’s most important platform for the professional audio, lighting and entertainment technology industries will take place from 11 – 14 October 2011 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, China. Earlier this month, the organisers of Prolight + Sound Shanghai announced that the 2011 show will be relocated to a new position within the expo centre which offers more exhibitor and visitor convenience. The sound hall and nonsound hall will move to Hall W4 and Hall W5 respectively, close to a new show entrance and registration area which is a short walking distance from the metro line and a newly built hotel. Already more than 90 per cent of exhibitors from the 2010 show have reconfirmed their space. Mr Evan Sha, Deputy General Manager, Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd commented, “With our international marketing and promotion efforts and the support of local associations, we believe that 2011 will be another record breaking show.” Prolight + Sound Shanghai 2010 successfully drew a record number of 403 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions and 15,200 visitors from 79 countries and regions. This year’s show will see the return of pavilions from Germany, Korea and Taiwan. Korean pavilion exhibitor Mr Gerard
Chang, Manager, International Business Department, Karak Electronics Co Ltd said, “Prolight + Sound Shanghai provides an opportunity for us to meet new buyers as well as introduce our new products to potential buyers. We believe the market potential in China is enormous. The show is also an essential platform to obtain market and trend information.” Stimulus measures in China are likely to prompt a surge in demand for domestic consumption in pro-audio, lighting and stage equipment. This is because the government is planning to spend an estimated USD 460 billion to build entertainment and cultural performance venues. Figures released by China’s Office of Central Leading Group for the Reform of Cultural Systems in February 2011 show that China’s entertainment market generated approximately USD 190 billion in 2010. In addition, according to the latest statistics from China Customs, the import of audio products in 2010 rose to USD 2.4 billion (16.75% more than 2009), reflecting the strong demand for imported audio products. This demand is expected to increase as the purchasing power in China appears to remain strong for 2011. It also reflects the increasing importance that international manufacturers are giving to the China market. www.prolightsound-shanghai.com
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Martin Chinese factory receives ISO 14001 certification China: Martin Manufacturing Zhuhai Ltd, Martin Professional’s production facility in China, has fully developed and implemented the ISO 14001 environmental management system and received its ISO 14001 certification. The ISO 14001 environmental management standards address minimising negative environmental impact while monitoring compliance with applicable laws, regulations and other environmentally oriented requirements. With the ISO 14001 certification, Martin’s Chinese facility, which is already ISO 9001 certified, has met additional requirements pertaining to management reviews, audits, corrective/preventive action, and document control. Additionally, ISO 14001 encompasses:
• Improvements beyond current environmental impact standards • Implementation of an environmental policy and action plan • Maintaining high standards in the work environment “We have in fact been implementing the ISO 14001 standard at our Chinese facility for years but have only now received official certification. It is our express goal to be the greenest company in our industry and this is
an important step in that direction,” states Michael Christensen, Martin Professional’s Corporate QA Manager. Martin lives up to the ISO 9001 standard and maintains the same high quality standards across all its facilities. Martin is also fully compliant with ROHS, WEEE and REACH standards and maintains a recycling program for electronic spare parts. www.martin.com
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d&b appoint a new Indonesian partner Indonesia: A nation of 197 million people spread across almost 6,000 inhabited islands makes Indonesia one of the most challenging territories for any business. For Sebastian Song, who heads up d&b audiotechnik’s Singapore office as well as being responsible for other areas within South East Asia, the challenges are legion. “But I have at last found a company that really knows how to address this market with vigour, yet without compromise to the d&b ethos of democracy for listeners,” he said. The new Partner for Indonesia is Jakarta-based A&T Solution, a subsidiary of IM Group which is headed by its founder Christian Kartiko, a young ambitious, audiophile decidedly in the d&b mould. “He really understands why good sound matters,” said Song. “He is also a shrewd and effective businessman.” Kartiko established A&T Solutions specifically to manage d&b sales and installations. “Mr Agung will be directly responsible for sales at A&T,” explained Kartiko. “And with the agreement of Sebastian in Singapore, I have also engaged his former Applications and Support engineer Anil Suhood. Taking someone with Suhood’s expertise into A&T as a business partner immediately establishes a strong d&b identity.” The agreement was sealed in November 2010 and Song’s belief in the new partner has been vindicated almost immediately. “In just four months A&T has secured three significant projects with more already in the pipeline,” he said. The three projects comprise a church, a banqueting hall, and a night club. Gereja Mawar Sharon is a church located in Surabaya
(Left to right) Sebastian Song (d&b audiotechnik SEA MD), Mr Agung (Sales Director), Anil Suhood (Technical Director) and Christian Kartiko (CEO).
with a capacity of 3,000. “The church is aiming to expand its congregation to 10,000 in the next two years and I fully expect them to do it,” said Kartiko. “We have installed a Q-Series system with augmented low-end from B2-SUBs. We have designed the system install with expansion in mind.” At Samarinda in East Borneo, the Muse club is already attracting attention for the sheer quality of its sound system. “This club is part of an entertainment complex spread over eight floors,” explained Kartiko. “The system comprises Ci90s with B2-SUBs all driven by d&b D12 amplifiers. The Ci90s are distributed around the venue and driven individually allowing the owners to tailor the sound environment to their clients’ needs. These two examples are typical of the type of work at which A&T can excel,” commented Song. Suhood assisted with the design for the third installation in the Banqueting Hall of the Capital Building in Medan. Another distributed system, this time of Ci7s, Suhood reported that, “It was obvious to me A&T’s own installation team had read and fully understood the d&b manual with the system. Their system placement was correct and precise. It was an easy decision for me to sit back and allow them to make the final room tuning, and they did a very good job.” “This is a very promising start”, concluded Song. “With Christian’s business expertise and Anil’s skills with the d&b system approach I fully expect things at A&T to continue in the same manner.” www.dbaudio.com
Errata In our Mar/Apr 2011 issue, we had accidentally changed the entire ancestry of Joe Fong from Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd, when we captioned his photo as Joe Ng – sorry for the confusion. Joe remains as part of the Fong clan and thanks for being so understanding about our mistake, Joe. The photo appeared as part of E&E’s 60th Anniversary celebrations. We also made a mistake with the name of Systems Integrator Electro-Acoustics Systems in the special feature article about Resorts World Sentosa. Their name appeared as Electric Acoustics Systems. Once again our apologies.
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Eclipse shines in Jakarta for an American Rhapsody Indonesia: The Grand Ballroom at the magnificent, newly renovated five-star Hotel Indonesia Kempinski in Jakarta recently played host to a spectacular gala concert entitled An American Rhapsody. The 40-piece Jakarta Concert Orchestra and Batavia Madrigal Singers led by Indonesia’s most accomplished conductor of western classical music, Avip Priatna, treated the audience to an evening of Gershwin, Frank Sinatra and other American legends. Indonesian rental company Megaswara handled the sound requirements for the evening which included an Innovason Eclipse digital mixing console on monitors, with support from Innovason’s Indonesian distributor, LaMesa. LaMesa’s Didi Kartanegara explained that the Eclipse was selected for monitors in this event – along with LaMesa engineer, Ahmad Rapii – as it was by far the most hectic situation for a live set up with an orchestra, and Megaswara didn’t want to take any risks on this highly prestigious event. “We were managing a 40-piece orchestra with an additional choir and several soloists. That gave us a total input count of 80 channels,” recounted Didi. “We routed the 56 microphone inputs via the remote DioCore stagebox, and the remaining 24 channels were connected locally at the back of the Eclipse. We used 16 line in/outs located directly on the DSP card itself and a further eight mic inputs via an SI-8D3 mic input module. There were twelve outputs used to feed in-ears, stage fill and floor monitors to the pianist, conductor, choir and soloists. As the stage was so wide, the monitor engineer couldn’t actually see the whole stage himself, so we had the stage manager stationed next to him who in turn received a signal from the crew communicator on stage if there were any levels that needed to be adjusted! However, even with this somewhat less than ideal set up, we didn’t have any problems at all since the console was very well laid out with instant access to all the faders. We set it up so that we had the twelve aux sends on the Smart Panel and kept the rest of the faders for the instruments.” Didi also noted that the M.A.R.S. onboard digital multitrack recorder was put to good use. “We recorded the whole show using M.A.R.S. and got fantastic 64-track professional quality audio with virtually just a click of the mouse. We had a separate 17” LCD to monitor the M.A.R.S. screen, which worked very well. The whole system was rock solid from every point of view, and the rental company was extremely impressed. This was the first time they’d really seen Eclipse in action, so the guys were able to see first hand the fast and easy operation with 48 configurable faders. The large symphony set up was easily handled by the Eclipse, and as a result it was an enjoyable experience for the engineer and musicians alike.” www.innovason.com
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Turkmenistan delegation visits Fine Art office China: Turkmenistan, a republic in central Asia, lies between the Caspian Sea and Afghanistan. Well-known as “Desert Kingdom”, it is dominated by the Karakum Desert which occupies about 90 percent of the country. For a long time, the people of China and Turkmenistan have shared a deep friendship. Two years ago, the government of Turkmenistan purchased nearly 300 sets of lighting fixtures from Fine Art which were then used for the Turkmenistan Independence Day Ceremony in 2009. This helped to create a close working relationship between the two sides. On 22 Feb 2011, the Vice-Premier of Turkmenistan led a delegation to visit the Fine Art Company factory building in China. The Fine Art building was completely decorated for the visit. On arrival, Fine Art General Manager Ms. Huijun Wong guided the guests to the performance hall. After they were seated, Ms. Wong warmly welcomed the Vice-Premier and her delegation. She also talked about the history of the Fine Art Company.
After her speech, the light in the hall darkened and the music of Turkmenistan was played through the sound system. Colourful light was projected on to the stage through a large veil which hung down the front of the stage. On the stage, beautiful dancers performed under the diversified light effect. The audience was awed by the wonderful display. The Vice-Premier was impressed when she was told that all the fixtures used during the show were designed and developed by Fine Art independently. Accompanied by Ms. Wong, the guests were brought to the product show area where Fine Art’s moving head fixtures were exhibited. Members of the R & D department explained the functions and features of each fixture to them. After that, the delegation was brought to the conference room located in the first floor. The Vice-Premier expressed her sincere gratitude to Fine Art for their warm hospitality. She also praised the growth and development of the Fine Art Company and congratulated them
on their achievements in the stage lighting industry. “Fine Art is a young and vigorous enterprise. I am impressed with their products which possess top class features, quality and performance,” she said. Before leaving, the Vice-premier and her delegation took a photograph together with Ms. Wong and members of the Fine Art staff. The visit of the Vice-Premier of Turkmenistan and her delegation has deepened bilateral understanding and cooperation between the two sides. www.fineart-light.com
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2011 Robe International Distributor’s Conference Germany: Robe lighting held its fourth International Distributor’s Conference (IDC) in Frankfurt, Germany at the Kempinski Hotel in Gravenbruch. It was attended by nearly 200 people from over 60 companies representing 80 countries, a major segment of Robe’s International distributor and dealer network. The timing was chosen to coincide with the 2011 Prolight + Sound Exhibition in Frankfurt, at which Robe launched 5 innovative new products - the ROBIN 600 PureWhite, the ROBIN 300 LED Wash, the ROBIN MMX Spot, the first of a new generation of 1200 Series luminaires, the DigitalSpot 3500DT and the CityFlex 48. Robe’s Sales Director Harry von den Stemmen kicked-off the conference by updating everyone with developments since the last IDC in 2009. Robe’s efficient and streamlined business model has been instrumental in its robust weathering of the global economic storm. The economic recovery that started from the middle of 2010 has culminated in March 2011 which was Robe’s highest ever turnover for that month of the year. The predictions for 2011 are all on the upward trajectory, strongly reinforced by
the expansion of the ROBIN range, which has been a phenomenal success. Some of the key events using Robe fixtures were highlighted, along with new and emerging markets, with Asia standing out as a particular area of growth. Robe’s MD Josef Valchar presented a brief company history, from their first Frankfurt exhibition in 1994 as an OEM manufacturer to today, where Robe is one of the highest profile and strongest moving light and LED technology brands in the world. Expansion since the last IDC includes serious ongoing investment into Robe’s 22,000 square metres of HQ and factory space in Valašské Meziříčí, the acquisition of their locally based PCB manufacturers Dioflex and a spectacular new architectural installation for the exterior of the main factory building. Valchar announced that Robe is to be the host and co-organiser of the 2013 Showlight international event, a premium quadrennial event and exhibition organised by and for lighting professionals, which will take place in Cesky Krumlov, in the south Czech Republic. Harry von den Stemmen expanded Robe’s “Think of The Future – Consider Nature” green initiative and outlined the company’s
commitment to producing genuinely energy conscious, innovative technology for the future. Marketing Manager Jiri Baros presented two brand new, highly visual corporate videos. The first was dedicated exclusively to the making of the ROBIN 600 LED Wash, and the other, a fast paced company snapshot. A whole section of the Conference was devoted to a report on the ROBIN 600 LED Wash, Robe’s fastest selling product since 1999, with over 2000 units delivered in 4 months and another 1500 on order, and their philosophy of waiting for the right technology to become available before producing a truly premium LED wash light. Key Account Manager for Europe, Ingo Dombrowski, presented a report about the ROBIN International Roadshows which have been taking place worldwide since PLASA 2010. The afternoon conference was followed by a dinner and the presentation of 28 Distributor Awards, celebrating the success, dedication and hard work of all in the Robe family. www.robe.cz
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Xone: DB4 makes its debut in Singapore Singapore: According to Xone Design Manager Andy Rigby-Jones, the Xone:DB4 is the most advanced product that Xone has designed. Every feature has been meticulously researched with a view of offering DJs ultimate creativity. The Xone:DB4 is based on the iLive protouring FX system. “We developed FX algorithms with BPM conscious parameters and tight spectral control, customised to perfectly fit the DJ environment. As the loops and FX are automatically synchronised to the tempo of the track, it is very easy to build some amazing grooves and soundscapes without problems of latency, low fidelity and the general hassle often associated with using software and laptops,” said Rigby-Jones. DJ DenoDusk had the pleasure of being the first in Singapore to use the Xone:DB4 at the Double O Discotheque. He then followed up the next day for a private roof-top party at the Wangz Hotel.
“The Xone:DB4 is easy to use as it is a straight up mixer. But you will need to spend a little more time to study the effects as it has 5 different effect libraries. The feature that impressed me most was the LOOPER, as I can do loops and rolls in real-time while the music continues to play. In terms of outstanding features, the Xone:DB4 was built from the top panel to the bottom with different types of effects,” he said. The icing on the cake is the flexible input matrix, where any audio source can be selected on any or all of the channels and DJ DenoDusk appreciates that. “The DB4 has all the input connectivity you need from analog, digital or USB and with the Matrix input selector, I don’t have to worry about which inputs are assigned to which channel as every individual input can be routed to all of the 4 channels. Furthermore every channel lets you select one of the 3 input types. With the DB4 I can plug in all my inputs at once without the need to worry about unplugging and plugging of inputs,” he added.
DJ DenoDusk
“As far as I am concerned, the Xone:DB4 has measured up to its hype,” said a pleased DJ DenoDusk. www.allen-heath.com/xone/xonedb4 www.valentinemusiccentre.com www.sindo.com
TC Group announces birth of White Acoustics brand expect from three of the world’s leading players in their respective fields. The brainchild of former Lab.gruppen Chairman David Bissett-Powell, White Acoustics will, for the first time, bring the cutting edge in audio technology and innovation from the TC Group of companies together to create an audio system package that delivers superior performance, classleading sound and exceptional value for one of the most demanding and discerning market sectors in the business.
David Bissett-Powell of White Acoustics
International: The idea is a simple one: take the very best expertise, technological innovation and heritage of three worldrenowned pro-audio brands and produce a distinctive, tailor-engineered product solution that is set to become a market leader in the vibrant and demanding club, bar and live entertainment sector.
White Acoustics, a new umbrella brand emerging from the portfolio of TC Group, leverages Tannoy’s pioneering loudspeaker technology, Lab.gruppen’s recognised prowess in power amplifier design and the DSP and control expertise of TC Electronic into a highly focused product range that displays all of the qualities that you would
The first solutions from White Acoustics are set to be launched at PALM China, Beijing, being held from 26 to 29 May 2011. It is no coincidence that the launch has been targeted for PALM China. “The initial intention is to establish ourselves in China where I have some knowledge of the market and I’ve been active for over 20 years. We have a new independent distributor who has not dealt with the TC Group before but who I believe will be a great partner for the brand over the coming years. Our first models will be focused on the club market in China aimed at the high end karaoke and music entertainment venues such as the music bars and KTV clubs,”said Bissett-Powell. www.whiteacoustics.com
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coolux at the Big C Thailand: Big C is a major hypermarket operator in Thailand, that features 31 branches in Bangkok alone and another 45 branches across the other provinces in Thailand. Big C offers a clean, comfortable shopping environment with a wide assortment of goods available at reasonable prices. To celebrate the re-launch of one of its stores, which had been destroyed in riots last year in Bangkok, Big C had a weekend of festivity, which included projecting images onto the facade of the re-launched store. Perfectus AV Thailand provided the visual support. Mr Wikran Maneesri, general manager of Perfectus Thailand commented, “A Pandoras Box Media Server Lite was used to create, program and synchronise the video input and live feed by a unit of the Media Manager STD. The virtual images were projected
using Barco FLM R22+ projectors onto the uneven façade of the Big C Hypermart with live pictures edited on-site. This transformed the plain looking building into a super large projection spectacle for all the public present.� Perfectus Thailand was set up two years ago by Perfectus AV in Singapore and the company is no stranger to coolux solutions as they own 6 units. www.perfectus.com.sg
Total Solution holds Vari*Lite training Singapore: With the growing number of Vari*Lite clients that Total Solution is serving in the region, the company held a threeday training course in Singapore to ensure that their clients reap the full benefits of their Vari*Lite fixtures. Presented by Todd W. Kessler, who is a technical trainer from Vari*Lite, the training provided ample opportunity for participants to have hands-on experience as well as quiz Todd on particular situations that they were facing. Participants
came from around the region and were made up of event organisers, people from government sectors, club owners, system integrators and venue owners. A special one-day training session was also held at Marina Bay Sands for the in-house technical staff to enable them to use their Vari*Lite fixtures effectively. www.tsm-int.com
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NEWS 31
Mahajak assumes distributorship of Harman products Asean: In Thailand, Mahajak has long been established as the distributor of Harman products. This has now been extended to cover Singapore and Malaysia via Mahajak SKM and Mahajak Trio respectively. SKM and Trio are companies that have been involved with Harman car audio products in Singapore and Malaysia for some time and this relationship has now evolved as a joint venture with Mahajak for the distribution of professional products from Harman. Mr Peeraparb K. Neung, general manager of Mahajak Development comments, “Mahajak has had excellent support from Harman in both business and technical issues for many
Thailand added to list of Prolyft Technical Service Points Thailand: Prolyte Group staff from Holland and Malaysia teamed up in early January, 2011 to set up Bangkok-based Dynamic Source as a Prolyft Technical Service Point for Thailand. The two-day training and installation event was performed by Jasper van der Sluis with the assistance of Ashraf bin Jamali from Prolyte Asia Pacific. Five employees of Dynamic Source were trained to perform maintenance, service and certification for the Prolyft hoists and to operate the Prolyft Dbase. Apart from providing support and service, the staff can take care of annual inspections and recertification for new and existing Prolyft users throughout Thailand. Wisit Gateratanakul, Managing Director of Dynamic Source, commented, “ Becoming accredited as a Prolyft Technical Service Point was a good investment. Our goal is to supply this unique service and add to the already broad scope of services and facilities Dynamic Source can offer. Being able to perform certification on Prolyft hoists and conducting live load test for the related lifting equipment is unique for Thailand and we are proud to be the first here to offer this possibility and thereby contribute to safer working conditions within our industry.” www.prolyte-asia.com
decades. With this robust relationship, we believe that we can be the flagship industry leader of professional audio products in South East Asia. We also believe that the expanding of our business to Singapore and Malaysia will be great for all our customers in all 3 countries (Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand). On the other hand, this strong business integration will also be good for strategic reasons for Harman as well. With great support from Harman, we trust that Mahajak and Harman will win together.” Mahajak SKM will be taking up significant space at the PALME Asia exhibition that is to be held in Singapore from the 13 – 15 July
2011 at the Marina Bay Sands to showcase Harman’s latest solutions. www.mahajak.com
Turbosound partners with Audinate and Lab.gruppen in new Flashline line array International: Turbosound has announced the release of the Danteenabled 20000DP amplifier to power its new Flashline Line Array system. Based on the Lab.gruppen PLM platform, and featuring dedicated presets specifically designed by Turbosound’s live sound engineering team for use with the company’s new Flashline concert touring loudspeaker system, the 20000DP provides four discrete output channels each rated at 4400 watts at 4 ohms, and offers significant advantages
in sonic performance and user functionality. To radically simplify network set-up and configuration, Audinate has developed a sophisticated zero networking discovery in Dante, which makes it possible for all Dante-enabled devices on the network to automatically discover each other and configure themselves as soon as they are connected to the network. This self-discovery technology makes Dante networking a true plug-and-play experience. www.turbosound.com
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ASPC and Trio AV delighted with Pandoras Box Malaysia and Singapore: Audio Synergy Projects & Concepts Sdn Bhd or better known in the industry as ASPC, is one of the largest audio visual services and supplies company in Malaysia. ASPC provides comprehensive solutions for all indoor and outdoor activities such as gala dinners, celebrity events, countdowns, roadshows, launches, conventions and concerts. The company recently strengthened its video inventory with the acquisition of a coolux Pandoras Box Media Server STD and Media Manager system. ASPC director Mr K.H Thong explained, “The Pandoras Box allows for projections on any shape and surface. It permits real-time compositing in 3D animation for objects such as logos and products and is an immensely powerful machine with infinite potential and wide applications. It’s obvious why the award-winning Pandoras Box is presently the leading choice media server in our industry.” Thong added that the Pandoras Box has been receiving lots of praise not only from his engineers but also from his clients since using them in some of the conferences and corporate events ASPC were contracted for. “Many of our clients love the Pandoras Box as its performance surpassed everyone’s
expectations. My engineers were also very excited with its infinite potential and userfriendliness,” he said. Thong was also very satisfied with the levels of after sales service and support given by Total Solution to ASPC. ”We have worked with Total Solution many times before and they never fail to demonstrate their excellent after sales support and services. They were patient in understanding our needs and were very enthusiastic when providing product training. It’s no wonder Total Solution is the preferred choice supplier for the professionals in our trade,” he added. Trio AV is a well-known lighting and sound rental company with several offices in Southeast Asia and specialises in exhibitions, seminars, conferences, product launches as well as gala dinners, special events and corporate parties. They recently took delivery of a unit of coolux Pandoras Box Media Server STD and Media Manager system. John Tang, managing director of Trio AV stated,”We studied various options but eventually decided on the Pandoras Box. It allows for multiscreen playback with 3D environment and keystone that lets us adjust projection output onto any projection shape
and surface. It is extremely flexible and userfriendly and also enables for “live” editing of videos without rendering. Once my video colleagues saw the indefinite visual potential of the Pandoras Box, we knew immediately it was the ideal product for our applications”. Tang also commented on the consistent and reliable after sales support rendered by Total Solution. “Another important factor for us to purchase the Pandoras Box was the training and all round excellent after-sales service provided by TSM. We have worked with them for many years and they have always been very consistent in meeting our expectations all these years. It is without doubt that TSM is one of the most trustworthy suppliers in our region.” www.audiosynergy.com.my www.trioav.com www.coolux.de
Esplanade adds more Robert Juliat Theatre Spotlights Singapore: Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay has added to its stock of Robert Juliat theatre spotlights with the acquisition of 13 pieces of RJ 310HF 1000W and 12 pieces of RJ 329HF 2000W tungsten spotlights with barndoors. This consignment was supplied to the Esplanade by Robert Juliat’s distributor, Total Solution Marketing Pte Ltd. Glenn Wong MD of Total Solution remarked: “The Esplanade first purchased the 329HF from us back in 2006 and the spotlights have been a proven fixture for their applications. They are already very well acquainted with Robert Juliat quality and durability, hence, when they inquired for more fixtures, we gave them a demonstration of the 310HF on
site which confirmed the suitability of our fixtures as ideal for their venue.” The 310HF and 329HF tungsten spotlights were duly delivered to the Esplanade Concert Hall where they have been installed on the lighting rig, bearing testament to the continuing popularity of Robert Juliat tungsten spotlights in concert halls across the world. www.esplanade.com www.robertjuliat.com www.tsm-int.com (L-R)George Panait and Milton Arnold of the Esplanade with their Robert Juliet shipment
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JM Rental collaborates with Showtec Group Singapore: Showtec Group’s recent addition of 70sqm of Lighthouse R7-ER panels to their inventory is part of the collaboration between Showtec and JM Rental of Hong Kong.
Showtec Group has been involved in major projects such as the Singapore National Day Parade, the FIFA World Cup and the Singapore Flyer Opening.
JM Rental is a Hong Kong-based LED display rental company, who have been in the business for 13 years. Over the years, JM Rental has spread its wings over the globe by working with a number of world-class corporate customers, entertainment and event companies. JM Rental has provided LED solutions to some major projects such as the 2008 Miss Universe® Contest, the 10th Anniversary Celebration of Macau SAR and the Beijing Olympic Games. In Singapore, JM Rental has been involved in many exquisite shows including the Singapore F1 Race and the Marina Bay Sands Opening Celebration amongst others.
JM Rental and Showtec Group first worked together during IDEX 2009, the International Defense Exhibition and Conference, held in the Middle East, by providing more than 700 Lighthouse R16 panels and again most recently in IDEX 2011 by providing R7-ER panels.
Showtec Communications Pte Ltd, on the other hand is a Singapore-born production company with a comprehensive lighting and audio inventory in Singapore. They have been involved in projects in South East Asia and currently in the Middle-East. Like JM Rental,
The success at IDEX 2011 led to the collaboration between JM Rental and Showtec Group. It was then that Showtec Group decided invest on the R7-ER panels. “The image quality of R7-ER is more than just outstanding. There’s no way to select any other outdoor panel besides R7-ER,” said Mr Henry Ang, the managing director and the founder of Showtec Group. He further explained, “We actually didn’t just invest in 70 sq m of panels to keep in our stock. Together with JM Rental, we have approximately 700 sq m R7-ER panels available which is actually more than any rental company in Asia”.
Mr Kenneth Yip, JM Rental’s managing director adds, “LED Displays have their own characteristics and as such different batches give different colour uniformity which leads to difference between 2 screens from different batches. By combining our purchase, Showtec and JM Rental have eliminated this issue as the displays are all from the same batch. This will enable us to provide a uniform display solution throughout South-East Asia and in big numbers should there be a need, as we support each other’s requirements.” R7-ER is particularly suitable for outdoor applications. Using similar advanced digital processing technology as R12-ER and R10ER panels, R7-ER’s enhanced resolution doubles the resolution on the same panel size as R-16. The R7-ER features 6,000 nits brightness, Lighthouse’s award-winning M4 colour uniformity system and a weatherproof design. www.jointmerit.com www.showtecgroup.com
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DI box with remote ground lift
Martin Professional unveils P3200 System Controller™
Switchcraft’s new SC900 Series DI boxes provide a revolutionary concept in DI technology. For the first time, the ground lift switch can be controlled remotely using +48V phantom power from the console. The units can be operated in two modes. Manual mode enables users to control the ground lift switch from the DI box. Phantom mode allows users to control the ground lift switch remotely using +48V phantom power from the console. When phantom power is engaged, a blue LED illuminates to indicate the ground is lifted.
The P3-200 System Controller™ is a new addition to Martin Professional’s P3 System Controller family for LED screens. It combines all the features of Martin’s advanced P3-100 video signal controller but adds SD-SDI, HD-SDI and 3G-SDI input capability for optimised use in TV/ broadcast environments. It works with all Martin LED display systems (LC Series™ with P3 Upgrade Kit, LC Plus Series™ and EC Series™) and is software and showfile compatible with the P3-100 System Controller.
Other key features include ease of use, fully shielded isolation transformers, optional Jensen transformer, recessed panels that protect the switches and connectors, and compact and rugged metal enclosures.
www.martin.com
www.switchcraft.com
Philips Vari-Lite introduces small and powerful luminaires
VLX3 LED Wash
VL400 Spot
VL440 Spot
VL770 Spot
Based upon the technologies inside two of their most in-demand fixtures, Philips VariLite have introduced the new VLX3 LED Wash, VL400 Spot, VL440 Spot, VL770 Spot and the VL880 Spot luminaires.
comparable tungsten sources and the total system provides approximately 6,000 lumens of white light output. The 10,000 hour source life of the chip ensures that lamp replacement costs are minimal.
Based on the award-winning VLX Wash luminaire technology, the VLX3 Wash uses three powerful LED engines to offer stunning colours and intensity, a multi-year source life and high reliability. The three replaceable 120-watt RGBW LED chipsets provide output that offers three times the efficacy of
The VL400 Spot luminaire uses a 400-watt MSR Gold 400 MiniFastFit lamp to provide 9000 lumens of output, plus 14 fixed colours on two independent colour wheels for rich colour projection and snap colour changes. In addition, a dual-purpose mechanical blade
VL880 Spot
system provides smooth timed fades or variable strobe effects. The VL440, VL770 and VL880 Spot luminaires all provide brilliant color mixing through the three-wheel CYM colour assembly based on the widely praised Series 3000 color system. Plus, they each have eight standard colours on a fixed wheel, a coated glass dimmer wheel and a separate dual-blade strobe system. www.vari-lite.com
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beyerdynamic debuts Touring Gear microphone series
beyerdynamic celebrated the debut of its new Touring Gear live microphone series which had recently been given the Red Dot Design Award 2011 at Prolight + Sound 2011 in Frankfurt. “beyerdynamic has always been known as a pioneer in the development of microphones,” said Wolfgang Luckhardt, Managing Director of beyerdynamic. “But we had come to the point where we needed to redevelop and restructure our product portfolio in this area as well. From a global perspective, our product range is immense. Today’s users do not always know immediately which product is the right one for them. Thus, a selfexplanatory, logical product structure was the starting point of our considerations. But beyond that, we have made our Sound Channelling Technology a true unique selling proposition. Sound Channelling Technology is responsible for that special ‘beyerdynamic sound’, as clear and natural as in real life. It makes us unique and our customers appreciate that. This comprehensive microphone relaunch is a new milestone in the audio industry.” The Touring Gear series of microphones showcases a complete product range for the stage with a new uniform and elegant design,
the best specifications and a clear, easily understood classification system for the product portfolio.
higher quality materials for an even better sound. The result: first-class microphones – handcrafted in Germany.
The TG (for Touring Gear) is followed by the letter of the specific area of application – V for vocal, H for headsets, L for lavalier, D for drums and I for instruments. The first character specifies the category, the letter that follows specifies the microphone type – d for dynamic, c for condenser and r for ribbon microphone. An additional S signifies a model with a switch.
TG 90: Designed to be the very best in the Touring Gear range, the TG 90 series is manufactured to the absolute highest quality standards and delivers a sound that is second to none. High-end-equipment handcrafted in Germany for the user who is looking for the “non plus ultra”. The TG 90 series provides an outstanding performance every time and can handle even the most demanding requirements on the stage.
TG 30: The TG 30 series is the perfect introduction into the world of beyerdynamic. An entry level series that can produce large beyerdynamic sound on a small budget. TG 50: With aesthetically pleasing looks and outstanding sound quality, the TG 50 series is ideal for all users. The series covers all applications relating to stage performing – from vocals, instruments and drums, to headsets and lavaliere microphones. TG 50 is the standard Touring Gear series with a truly premium performance. TG 70: The models of the TG 70 series go one step further with no compromises. Better technical characteristics and even
To achieve that unique “beyerdynamic sound”, beyerdynamic has been developing and refining its Sound Channelling Technology (SCT) for decades. beyerdynamic’s acoustic experts have created acoustic labyrinths with special geometries that provide optimised sound channelling. They influence the sound and model the polar pattern by using precisely tuned delay lines and attenuation pads. Whether with additional elements, special materials or unique design, every beyerdynamic microphone has its own Sound Channelling Technology to ensure optimal control of the sound waves. www.beyerdynamic.com/TouringGear
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Bosch Communications hosts Product Introduction Days for their Asia-Pacific partners in Xiamen
Attendees and the Bosch team outside the Xiamen International Convention Centre
The enchanting port city of Xiamen, China, played host to 300 Bosch members comprising of their strategic partners, dealers, key customers and consultants representing China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, who were all invited to attend the “Bosch Communications Systems - Product Introduction Days” on the 9 – 10 March 2011.
Communications Systems, and Johannes Huth, Director, Product Marketing for Communications Systems Asia Pacific, who applauded and congratulated all their partners for excellent sales growth across all business lines in 2010. The night proceeded with presentations by Woo Khiang Tan, Senior Manager, After Sales, Asia Pacific Region, Tommy Kim from KEVIC Inc., South Korea, Zhou Fang Hong from Talent Audio Engineering Consultants Co. Ltd. Guangzhou, Steve Johnson, Global Brand Manage, Electro-Voice, DYNACORD and RTS, and Henk Goudsmits, Director, Business Line, PACO. At the gala dinner, a total of 31 partners were awarded the prestigious and coveted Business Excellence and Leadership Awards for EV, DYNACORD and Bosch.
EV in Fixed Install
The introduction to the new additions of the EV-Innovation Series was conducted by Guillermo Wabi, EV’s Global Product Manager, FI Loudspeaker. Wabi started with the new EVF systems, from the 12” EVF1122S / EVF-1122D versions including a demo on the D version when he asked everyone to walk around the room to get a better feel of its acoustical behaviour. Wabi next repeated with the 15” full-range systems with the EVF-1152S and EVF-1152D versions. He followed with the subwoofer systems: EVF1121S, EVF-1151S, EVF-2121S (2 x 21”), EVF1181S (18”), and EVF-2151D (2 x 15”). When introducing the new vertical cluster and horizontal rigging kits, Wabi explains how to correctly describe them as a vertical cluster and not as a line array. “We take pride in the way we present our products and we want to be ‘industry responsible’ because though it
The main event, the Introduction Days 2011, was held the following day at the XICC (Xiamen International Convention Centre). The entire venue was reserved specifically for the full day agenda which was to be conducted in three adjoining rooms in a series of sessions that emphasises Bosch in Sound - Fixed Install, Mobile Install and Commercial Sound. Robert Mulatz, Senior Vice President for Bosch Communications
The Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony was held the Le Meridian Product Xiamen for Bosch’s China and international partners
The event started with a gala dinner and award ceremony which was held at the Grand Ballroom of the Le Meridian. Organised and hosted by Bosch Communications Systems, Asia Pacific Region, the gala night kicked-off with a welcome address by Koen Rommel, Vice President Sales Bosch Security China, followed by talks given by Robert Mulatz, Senior Vice President for Bosch
Systems speaking at the gala dinner
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Johannes Huth, Director Product Marketing for Communications Systems Asia Pacific, congratulated their partners for excellent sales growth across all business lines in 2010
might look like a line-array, we know that the acoustical behaviour is not a line-array, so we don’t want to deceive the consumer. We want to make it clear that this is not a line array this is a conventional cluster grouped as a vertical cluster,” emphasised Wabi. Next on show were the new EVH models, the EVH-1152S and EVH-1152D versions. Two new subwoofer models have also expanded the EVA range, the EVA-1151D and the dual 15” front loaded EVA-2151D along with new rigging kits for both and EVA CG (Coupler Grid). Wabi ended his session with the EVA Design Assistant (EVADA™), a software program for determining EVA Array configurations and is available on the EV website. EV’s Global Product Manager, Signal Processing, Ethan Wetzell educated the audience on the principles of “Audio Networking with Dante and NetMax” where he began with introducing the DM-1 Dante™ audio network interface module which allows EV’s NetMax System Controller to connect to a Dante network. Ethan spoke comprehensively about Ethernet vs. IP Networking, about its networking details, layer protocols, device addressing and configuration, about designing your system, and the Dante controller software.
ELX112P (12”) and ELX115P (15”), and the ELX118P which is an 18” 700 watt powered subwoofer. He next went on to the passive models staring with the ELX112 (12”), ELX115 (15”), ELX118 (18”) subwoofer, and the largest of the family, the ELX215 (2 x 15”) loudspeaker. The listening demos for the Live X systems were set-up as stand-alone and with sub configurations for the four passive models and standalone with sub configurations for the three powered
models. The very competitive pricing of the Live X is designed for today’s marketplace, a view reinforced by Johannes Huth: “The response we have received here for the Live-X has been tremendous. The competitive price points of Live X will be a game changer.” EV is also upping the ante with Live X by supporting it with lots of smart marketing material like videos, merchandising, micro sites, social networking sites, and with an eye-catching packaging design thus making it ideal as a great window display product at retail outlets. Dave Egenberger, Senior Product Manager, EV Wireless Microphones, introduced the latest addition to EV’s premium performance RE Series microphones, the RE320. Targeted for studio, stage, and instrument micing, the RE320 incorporates the best features of their RE20 and RE27N/D and features Variable-D® proximity control technology and a unique dual-voice switch function. Dave also showed the entry level R300 Wireless Microphone
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System which features one-touch ClearScan function and EZSync infrared channel transfer.
DYNACORD and Commercial Sound
DYNACORD brought to the event a new generation of their CORUS Evolution 2-way full-range loudspeakers and subwoofers, PowerMate3 and CMS3 audio mixing consoles. Martin Traut, DYNACORD Business Line Manager, introduced the C 12.2 (1 x 12”), C 15.2 (1 x 15”), C 25.2 (2 x 15”), Sub 1.15 (15”), Sub 1.18 (18”), and Sub 2.18 (2 x 18”). The PowerMate line of professional mixing desks is now in its 3rd generation with a new range or powered mixers comprising PM 1000-3, PM 1600-3, and PM 2200-3. The PowerMate 1000-3 is the strongest power mixer worldwide and has the same small front surface footprint but with a significant reduction in height and weight. The CMS 1000-3 and CMS 1600-3 share the same features as the PowerMate3 but without amplifiers. Demos were conducted using three combinations: C 12.2 + Sub 1.15 + PM1600, C 15.2 + Sub 1.18 + PM1000, both combinations as passive/parallel and also as an active twoway combination using the C 25.2 + Sub 2.18 + DSP 600/2 x LX 3000/FIR-TUNE preset and also with the DSP 260/2 x SL 2400 amplifiers. The significance of the demonstrations proved how important it is for their partners to hear the products themselves as Martin Traut commented: “People want to listen to the speakers, and the feedback on the live demos was very good. At the end of the day it is really true that a demo is what counts, it makes the sale.”
EV in Mobile Install
Aaron Chisena, Global Product Manager, EV had the honour of introducing the star highlight of the show the EV Live X family. It was at NAMM 2011 in Los Angeles where the Live-X won rave reviews and it is the perfect product for Asia. Available in powered and passive versions, the entire range comprises of seven models and is targeted at MI segments. Perfectly positioned for live performers, clubs, bars, schools, churches, rental partners and rehearsal venues, Live X was the most awaited demo. Aaron began with the two-way powered models fitted with a 1000 watt amplifier:
Tommy Kim from KEVIC Inc. giving his video presentation of a major church install in South Korea
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Guillermo Wabi introducing the new EV-Innovation models to a packed room
Bosch Public Address and Conference Systems
A special break-out session for Bosch Public Address product lines was conducted by Henk Goudsmits who introduced the latest Varidirectional Array which can deliver ultimate performance for acoustically challenging environments like railway stations, airports, places of worship and conference centres. The EVAC compliant Active Line Array technology covers a large range (up to 50 meters), and generates an evenly distributed sound output pattern resulting in excellent speech intelligibility. The award winning Plena Public Address and Voice Alarm System was a major crowd puller. It has been designed to meet the stringent IEC 60849 standard for sound systems for emergency purposes and customised to multi-zone configuration (60 - 120 Zones) and is the ideal solution for small-to-midsize locations. The day proved to have something for all members of the Bosch alliance as they took with them a new found understanding of the products and commitment from Bosch. “This is a very productive event. I am taking a lot of intelligence applicable for the Indian market,” claimed Mr Prakash Thakur of MRH Digital Systems, India.
Aaron Chisena had the honour of introducing the Live X family
for synergy projects combining EV ProSound and Bosch PA and Conference range. Thanks to Bosch we are very well poised to serve the Vietnam market.” “We are confident that EV Live X will rock the Thailand market!” exclaimed Vachirapun of Patararungroj Ltd Part, Thailand. The voice of customers echoed one common thread - Product Introduction Days 2011 was a great success. Robert Bosch said that he would “rather lose money than trust” and believed that success is based on trust of business partners and quality of products. His seemingly simple motto, “Your business partner’s satisfaction is more important than short-term profits”, still rings true to the Bosch identity as sincerely summed up by Johannes Huth when he said, “This is why we are here, to listen to our partners and serve them better.” www.boschsecurity.asia www.electrovoice.com www.dynacord.com
Dave Egenberger introduced the latest additions of EV microphones
Henk Goudsmits conducted a special break-out session for Bosch Public Address product lines
Nguyen Thi Diem Phuong of AIC Trading Joint Stock Co., was ecstatic with the outcome of the event: “I believe there is a lot of potential
Ethan Wetzell explaining the principles of Audio Networking with Dante and NetMax
Attendees admiring the new additions of EV-Innovation Series
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40 years of Entertainment Trussing by Rinus Bakker Introduction:
what the actual system assembly lengths are. Sometimes this poses problems in transportation, or in fitting them vertically onto the low false ceiling presentation rooms of many hotels or conference centres, or in between the luxurious gold-plated balconies of Victorian theatres.
Before those days, touring productions used to custom-design and manufacture whatever they needed to support their lighting equipment. They were not very consistent with the other equipment as speaker cabinets, amps, luminaires and dimmers had already been in series production for many years. If more volume was needed it was solved by just adding more cabinets, not by custom-making bigger ones. If more lighting was needed for a show it did not end up in hanging 20 or 30kW of those film ‘biggies’.
A truss like Slick Minibeam, that was renowned for it’s strength and reliability, was at the same time infamous for it’s myriad of unit lengths. The type indication was inconsistent with any measuring system. As a user, you would be carrying around tables showing all the possible combinations of outer + system unit lengths.
We’ve come a long way since the 70’s and 80’s when companies like Telestage (1976) and Thomas (1977) started to produce trusses in standard modules, quickly followed by brands like TTR (1980), Slick (1981), Astralite (1983) and Total Fabrications (1984).
Growing up and getting wiser?
Our trusses finally joined the ranks of standardised basic show equipment and from there they evolved into what is considered to be an essential part of almost any show. They have even entered into performing arts centres and TV studios even though these often are equipped with fixed lifting machinery such as fly-bars or self-climbing bar hoists. The aluminium trusses in combination with the electric ‘motor down’ chain hoists have proven to be a concept that can deal with most requirements of the entertainment industry. A few notes about the process of growing up might be good in order to get ready for the mid-life crisis with entertainment trussing reaching 40 years of age.
Standard lengths?
The first thing we might look at are the modules themselves. We, as users, prefer them to be in as-standard-as-possible lengths, but that’s still a kind of a struggle. Part of the problem is due to the different types of connection systems and the other part of the problem is the ever confusing mix of the two dominant unit and measuring systems, ‘metric’ and ‘US-standard’. The connection systems that are ‘genderless’ (plated, loose internal tubes, bi-conical), as a rule of thumb, have unit-system lengths that are equal to the ‘outer working length’. But those that have a combination of connectors (male-female, cup-cone, fork-lug, doublefork) come in slightly longer sections than
Fig. 1: Plated truss connection. Bendings in lower chord connection plates within span. Gender free. Unit length = system length
But this messy unit length system became obsolete when competitors introduced similar-sized truss modules with more realistic standard unit lengths, and only then did Slick wake up and listen to it’s customers. A similar length issue still exists where metric and US modules are produced. In the standard ranges, the units of 4 feet (121.92cm) versus 1.25m (125cm) come very close and are easy to confuse, just as those of 8 feet (243.84cm) versus 2.5m (250cm) as well as 10 feet (308.4cm) versus 3m (300cm). EU companies wanting to cater for US tours or visa-versa had to understand that trussing and rigging specs could be slightly different.
Connection systems
The connection systems themselves have also seen a clear improvement over the years. The US standard of plated truss (fig 1) as well as the European standard of loose internal tubes (fig2) have had their best days. The reasons were that the plated trusses were weaker than identical modules fitted with fork-end (‘spigoted’) or bi-conical connectors. The loose tube types, with their endless amounts of loose parts of bolts and nuts and the problems with bearing stresses leading to oval holes in the cords and the connecting tube pieces, have thankfully led to both connecting systems being slowly discarded. The systems with fork-lug connectors had existed on the TAS-stage and Slick trusses. The biconical system (fig.3) was invented by Prolyte in 1992, and the double fork-end (fig.4) was introduced by James Thomas Engineering in 1996. The biconical system caused a revolution in truss making and manufacture and that system has been adopted by almost every truss manufacturer.
Fig. 2: Loose internal connection tubes. Bending, shear and bearing limitations. Gender free. Unit length = system length
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Fig. 3: Cup-Cone and Fork-End connections. Cylindrical and tapered truss pins. Welded, riveted or roll-pin types of fixation between connection part and chord tubes. Gendered. Unit length 1 system length
Fig. 4: Bi-Conical connection. Tapered truss pins. Good bearing, shear and bending properties. Gender free. Unit length = system length
Fig. 5: Double-forked connection. Cylindrical truss pins. Very good bearing, shear and bending properties. Gendered. Unit length 1 system length
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Compatible?
The complaint often heard in the industry, that all those bi-conical brands don’t fit together, is somewhat ridiculous because no one has ever done so with sound and lighting systems. Have you ever come across speakers and drivers from different manufacturers being swopped? Or the moving head of a lighting fixture being changed from a Danish to a Czech brand or vice versa? And who swaps parts from a BMW car to a Volkswagen car? Who buys Fiat components and puts them in a Merc? It is a good thing that Ford makes parts for Ford cars only, and Toyota makes parts for Toyota cars. As a user, you will never look at the loading table of one brand and assume that a copycat brand, even if it fits snug, can hold a similar kind of load. Messing about with aluminium
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alloys, with welding procedures and chord or bracing tube wall thicknesses can lead to great differences in capacity.
Standards for truss manufacture and use
In 2008, a working group from CEN in Europe published the CWA 15902-2 pre-standard draft document that was an improved version of the original ANSI ESTA truss standard. By now, manufacturers had to submit detailed data and procedures before they delivered standardised information to consumers. Although safety is such an important issue in the business of lifting loads over people, it is still discomforting to hear the price-argument when purchasing trussing. In other safety conscious industries like the automobile industry or the aviation industry, being the
cheapest is not necessarily the best way to go. Customers are not always aware that the price argument should not apply to trussing. Unfortunately, accidents involving failure of trusses or staging systems based upon truss, are all too common.
Really in a radius?
One last thing that might need some explanation is the generally ill-liked method of assembling steel truss pins (or spigots as some manufacturers call them). This method has not evolved very far from the early years. Generally, the smaller ranges of bi-conical trusses all have pin directions in a radial pattern, leading to feet, hands or fingers being jammed or caught while lifting or rotating trusses in order to get the bottom chord pins in.
Like this ....?
Or like this .....?
Fig. 6: Truss pin orientations. Manufactured with ease in 2 hours, an annoyance for the last 20 years.
But why?
And it seems that everyone is copying everyone else because there are several solutions that greatly reduce the physical burden and extra time required. It only requires a little bit of intelligence to solve the little bit of extra complexity in the 3D-corner sections that the spans might connect to. Here the bi-conical connectors can prove even more of their versatility. While pin-orientation isn’t so much of an issue in spigotted trusses, it certainly is in
the small biconical, and to a lesser extent, in the double forked series. For the bi-conical series, it is surprising that some of the leading manufacturers deal with this issue only in the ‘serious’ or ‘bigger’ series that they produce. If there is a manufacturer that dares to jump into this ‘gap’ in the market, that manufacturer will be the new market leader in 10 years because the dialectics of progress are not strange to the truss industry.
Rinus Bakker (Msc) is the owner of Rhino Rigs BV, a company that has specialised in entertainment rigging since 1983. Rinus is also a consultant, trainer and CE-inspector and has participated in several international and national rigging standardisation working groups and is the former Chair of ARGH – the Association of Riggers and Grunders in Holland. Rinus can be contacted at rinusbakker@xs4all.nl
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BroadcastAsia2011 set for a milestone year BroadcastAsia2011, Asia’s business event for the global broadcasting, digital media and infocomm technology industries, will be held from 21 - 24 June at the award-winning Suntec Singapore and the prestigious Marina Bay Sands respectively. The events will serve as a launch pad for companies to introduce cutting-edge technologies and solutions designed to enhance global connectivity for consumers and businesses, and shape the future of digital content delivery across the world. Event attendees will experience an enhanced show atmosphere with the introduction of new TechZones and Technology Trails, which distinctly organise key exhibitors by breakthrough technologies. The abundance and variety of purpose-built conference room, seminar room and hospitality suite facilities at the venues allows for increased highlevel networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities between business and industry luminaries and attending government officials from across the globe. These developments follow the success of last year’s event, which attracted a total of over 55,000 industry visitors, exhibitors, conference speakers, delegates, and media guests from over 100 countries and regions.
In 2011, attendees can look forward to a myriad of the newest technologies, products and solutions from about 2,000 multinational and small and medium companies.
Highlights of BroadcastAsia2011
BroadcastAsia2011 continues to be an important platform for industry leaders and professionals to form strategic
partnerships and gain unique insights on the latest broadcast and digital multimedia technologies, solutions and equipment. With GDP growth in Asia forecasted at about 7 per cent in 2011, higher than any other region in the world, the trade show is expected to garner strong interest from emerging markets across Asia.
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In its 16th edition, BroadcastAsia2011 will showcase a global array of the latest technologies, applications, equipment and solutions in film and TV. Themed “Integrating Technology, Experiencing Content,” the spotlight at this year’s show will be on the latest in 3D, playout services and special effects technologies as well as hybrid broadcast broadband TV (HbbTV), a new technology projected to be an industry game changer. Returning exhibitors include Canon, Evertz, Grass Valley, Harmonic, Harris, Hitachi, Playbox, Sennheiser and more. The exhibition welcomes some new exhibitors such as Leader Electronic and Thomson Broadcast / Video Networks and locally-based companies Coastal Electronics, Furukawa Electric and John Davids. Twelve international group pavilions from Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Norway, Singapore, Spain, UK, USA and international digital broadcasting organisation World DMB will also be featured. With the momentum behind the growth of 3DTV and HDTV panning out in the market, the BroadcastAsia2011 International Conference will offer more sessions to address the latest needs and technologies in the broadcasting industry. This year, more than 60 renowned speakers will cover topics related to IPTV, Digital TV and HbbTV - one of the most exciting developments in the broadcasting and media industry today. The Creative Content Production Conference returns this year with a behind-the-scenes
look at innovative techniques on content creation in the film and TV industry. Backed by an international panel of speakers and veterans, the conference addresses the latest challenges in financial resources, shooting and production techniques including creative
editorial and stereoscopic 3D. It also focuses on the rise of branded entertainment and the road ahead for the production of TV series, documentaries, news creation and reality series.
BroadcastAsia2011: Date:
21 - 24 June 2011
Venue:
Suntec Singapore
Opening Hours:
21 - 23 June: 10:30 am - 6:00 pm. 24 June: 10:30 am - 4:00 pm
Admission:
Business and trade professionals only
Registration:
http://www.broadcast-asia.com
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PALME Asia 2011 to feature latest technologies and knowledge upgrading
PALME Asia returns with a bang with its biggest showing since 2007! To be held at Singapore’s newest and largest meeting and exhibition venue, the prestigious Marina Bay Sands, from 13 to 15 July 2011, Palme Asia 2011 will feature a host of exciting seminars, workshops, activities as well as the latest and most innovative technologies.
Knowledge upgrading
A series of seminars and workshops presented by key expert speakers from the industry will take place during the exhibition. Visitors can expect a thoroughly engaging experience in the Sound Reinforcement Design Workshop conducted by internationally-recognised Acoustical and AV Consultant, David Marsh. Steve Sockey and Adam Shulman of SIA Acoustics will present and share their expertise at a workshop titled ‘A Process
for Critically Evaluating Loudspeaker Candidates’. There will also be a full threeday conference programme for Houses of Worship jointly organised by Technologies for Worship Magazine and IIR Exhibitions. In addition, there will be a practical hands-on workshop at the Technologies for Worship Pavilion which focuses on audio, video and lighting. A “SMAART” seminar presented by Rational Acoustics will also be held for those who want to better understand and use this software system effectively for their projects. There is also a full-day seminar under the Digital Displaytech banner. Presented by experts in the digital signage arena, topics will cover the nuts and bolts of a full digital signage system set-up, best practices, signage implementation strategies, incorporating of social media technologies to reap full
benefit from digital signage systems, and more. Targeted at distributors, integrators and end-users, this full-day seminar will give attendees a full, non-bias, practical overview about digital signage and how to attain ROIs in an effective manner. Manufacturers and distributors will also be conducting their product workshops, featuring their innovative solutions and cutting edge technologies. Visitors can expect to obtain greater insight and knowledge of their latest offerings.
Activities on the show floor
A Classroom Technology Showcase will be held at the show floor. Presented by Comm Products, the showcase will show two different types of classroom technology set-ups based on an American and Japanese
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by Acoustic & Lighting). QSC’s KLA Series, Fixed Arcuate Active Line Array System (distributed by Sindo Export). RIEDEL’s MediorNet Compact. The cost effective and easy-to-use entry into the Riedel MediorNet world of integrated media signal distribution and processing. SOLID STATE LOGIC’s AWS948 console, a combination of SuperAnalogue™ console and advanced DAW controller.
IIR to bring key buyers to the show
To draw key buyers to PALME Asia, IIR Exhibitions is working on two key programmes: system. Comm Products will explain the differences and their respective benefits to visitors. For the first time, there will also be a 3D LED Showcase. Visitors can experience 3D LED and also learn from its presenters, JM Rental and 3Dis, how the system can be used effectively for events. There will also be a lighting and laser showcase within the halls. Another first is the Behind the Scenes Technology Tour. Limited to a first-comefirst-served basis, this paid-for tour will be conducted by the technical team at Resorts World Sentosa. Participants will get to see the inner workings at the Resorts World Sentosa Festive Walk area as well as the theatre. This tour is meant to give an overview of the thinking behind the massive technical inventory at Resorts World Sentosa. Look out for products at unbelievable prices at the ‘Special Trade Promotion Area’. Exhibitors will be listing ex-stock products for clearance at special prices. These are NOT second-hand products but products from the warehouse. For visitors looking to fill a gap in their equipment inventory, this would be an opportune time to find that product at a reduced price. Since the industry is always looking for qualified personnel, there will also be a dedicated ‘Jobs Board’. The board will provide a listing of jobs available in the industry. As an added bonus, IIR Exhibitions will also be giving away fabulous prizes for visitors. Look out for all the different lucky draw promotions: Pre-Registration Lucky Draw, Delegate Lucky Draw and On-the-Floor Lucky Draw. Visitors stand a chance to win F1 Singapore tickets, Apple iPads and the latest model of Sennhieser headphones. For more information log on to the website:
www.palme-asia.com
Latest Technologies
PALME Asia 2011 promises to introduce a whole new range of exciting products this year. Here are some of the highlights to look out for: AUDIO-TECHNICA’s SpectraPulse™, the revolutionary wireless system for maximum security. Clay Paky’s Sharpy, the winner of the Innovation Award at PLASA 2010 (distributed by Acoustic & Lighting). ECLER’s Mimo 88 Digital Audio Matrix, Audio Source 2VPS & HZA4-70 Multichannel 100v line amplifier (distributed by Wo Kee Hong). LDR’s Oscura 19, a DMX512 and RDMcontrollable motorised dimming shutter (distributed by Synergy AVL). MDG’s theONE™, a revolutionary, fully digital, dual mode fog/haze atmospheric generator (distributed by Pacific Lighting). MIDAS’ VeniceF Console, continuing the legacy established by the groundbreaking XL3 and XL4 consoles, and then consolidated in the industry-leading Heritage series (distributed by Quad Professional). RCF’s TTL55A, a high power, three-way, active line array module engineered to deliver an incredible output for use in indoor or outdoor large spaces (distributed
For the Hosted Buyers programme, IIR will fly in large corporate and public sector buyers of existing ongoing projects in the region to visit the show. Selected qualified buyers will receive fully sponsored hotel accommodation and air tickets. Exhibitors can play an active role in this aspect by recommending to IIR Exhibitions deserving candidates for the Hosted Buyers programme. If found suitable, IIR Exhibitions will pick up the tab and acknowledge the exhibitor as the sponsor. For more information on this please email Anna Cheong at Anna.Cheong@iirx. com.sg The Targeted Visitor programme is aimed at consultants, designers and engineers. These people will stand a chance to win a two-night hotel accommodation stay during the exhibition if they pre-register by 25 June 2011 to attend PALME Asia.
www.palme-asia.com
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Prolight + Sound 2011 achieves impressive results Prolight + Sound 2011, which took place in Frankfurt am Main from 6 to 9 April 2011, achieved significant increases in both exhibitor and visitor numbers. A total of 873 exhibitors were present for the trade fair, an increase of six percent from the year before. With 33,781 visitors from 107 countries, Prolight + Sound 2011 was able to generate a record growth of nine percent in the number of visitors to the fair. The levels of international representation amongst exhibitors and visitors have also grown. Fifty-eight percent of the companies exhibiting in 2011 and 49 percent of visitors were from outside Germany. These impressive figures coupled with the many informative events that took place during the fair are strong indicators that Prolight + Sound is the sector’s leading international trade fair. “The difficult phase in the business environment seems to be over now in the show and events sector too,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt. “The backlog of investment is beginning to be cleared and so many companies are feeling positive as they look towards the future. That is also reflected in the impressive numbers for
this year’s Prolight + Sound. The economic climate is judged to be extremely good, and Prolight + Sound, as an international platform for the sector, is seen in a very positive light,” Braun added.
d&b audiotechnik have also been exhibiting a financing system for PA and sound systems that they have developed in-house. This is a highly innovative idea and a trend that is surely set to strengthen.
Judging from the overall range of products on display this year, the number of ground-
When it comes to sound engineering, there was a wide variety of specialised solutions for different applications, such as sound systems for stadia, fixed installations and smaller PA systems as well as large-scale PA and sound systems. There was a strong trend for column loudspeakers complemented by technical refinements such as motorised angle adjustments for linearray modules or quickly erected flying loudspeaker systems. As far as digital mixing desks were concerned, most manufacturers have refined their product ranges towards the upper end and are now extending them downwards with smaller systems. The situation with regard to wireless technology was also an important issue. Manufacturers have adapted to the changing dynamics of the industry and are reacting with new products, but buyers are still somewhat insecure as far as safety planning is concerned.
breaking new ideas were thinly spread. This is not surprising because of the major innovative push in technology over the last few years. Many manufacturers have been concerned with details and subtleties. The result was a raft of well-thought-out solutions which will make the day-to-day work of event engineers easier. Apart from its products,
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In terms of lighting technology, the trend for some years now has very clearly been towards energy-efficient systems. “Go green” is the buzzword of the moment and has recently also been deployed as a marketing tool. LED spots feature prominently in many areas. At events, LED light sources have now become so powerful that they do not necessarily save energy. However, as with other technologies, efforts are being made to lower the amounts of power consumed. With the ‘Sharpy’, Italian manufacturers, Clay Paky, presented a moving light that achieves astonishing results in terms of lighting intensity with a traditional light source of just 189 watts. Video and projection technology continues to benefit from the increasing interest in 3D technologies. It was noticeable during the fair that audio equipment manufacturers were focused on technological developments in the field of progressive surround-sound systems. The main area of application for this currently was 3D cinema performances. But we can foresee that, before long, this technology will successfully make the leap from cinemas to public spaces and other areas of application.
As far as stage technology is concerned, systems for measuring loads are a major issue for almost all manufacturers. Events continue to get bigger and more impressive which results in larger loads needing to be flown. The Media Systems Congress took place in the Portalhaus. In some 50 talks, national and international speakers provided information for more than 1,000 visitors about new technologies, products and services in media technology and systems integration. Taking part in the congress were panels from the International Loudspeaker Association (ALMA) and the Association of German Sound Engineers (Verband Deutscher Tonmeister – VDT) who spoke about the work of their associations as well as about topics arising from their practical experience. The Association for Media and Event Technology (VPLT), which is responsible for the topics at the Prolight + Sound Forum, draws a positive conclusion. “The exhibiting manufacturers and service providers were able to showcase their goods to best advantage in the new hall structure, which has been redesigned in the past year. People can now get from place to place more quickly and more efficiently. The new products were received enthusiastically by trade visitors from the planning, purchasing, event management and service provision segments. Order books have filled up and give every reason for optimism in 2011,” said Florian von Hofen, General Manager of the VPLT.
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Alcons reveals its bass instincts
Dutch audio innovators Alcons Audio launched the BC543, a brand new triple 18” cardioid sub-bass loudspeaker, designed to give the company’s pro-ribbon audio systems the tightest and crispest possible low end. A self-contained, high-output cardioid sub-woofer, the BC543 is designed for both permanent and portable ground-stacked applications, offering a high output plus tight and accurate bass response. The BC543’s front and rear located woofer configuration combines with Alcon’s Digital Drive Processor™ (DDP) to offer selectable cardioid, low-frequency pattern control and up to 18dB of rear rejection, without any need for additional cabinets. The unit’s front features two state-of-the-art AW18.6NDC/8 18inch, long-excursion woofers, complemented by a 5.3 inch voicecoil with vented triple-spider frame, Neodymium motor structure, carbon fibre cone and dust cap. The rear features a single AW18.6NDC/8 driver of the same configuration. The extreme excursion capabilities of the design extends the output by 3.5dB compared to traditional 18” woofer designs. The front of the cabinet features centrally-located X Venting™, which takes more than 25% of the baffle surface and is designed to maximise the system’s breathing capacity, increasing overall output while minimising port-compression. Meanwhile, the rear features a Flank Venting™ port, a folded port design which enables optimal reflex-breathing with minimal baffle dimensions. The combination of complex internal panel layout and extensive bracing means that the BC543 has an exceptionally rigid structure but a relatively low weight. It is finished in Durotect™ scratchresistant coating and is fitted with 12 handles for ease of transport. A second version, the BC543i, is designed for installations, so it lacks the handles and wheel dolly. Both measure 119.6cm x 59.6cm x 97.6cm. The BC543 is powered and controlled by Alcon’s ALC amplified loudspeaker controllers. Via the DDP, the ALCs provide BC543specific drive processing with response optimisation, dedicated power/excursion protection and hybrid filtering. Through the ALC units Signal Integrity Sensing™ (SIS) circuit, cable-length and connector resistance between the BC543 and ALC are compensated for, providing increased accuracy and controlled cone travel. This results in a significantly tighter sub and bass response. www.alconsaudio.com www.proribbontechnology.com
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Avolite showcases prototype of Sapphire Touch The Sapphire Touch is targeted for a full production launch from PLASA 2011. The Sapphire Touch harnesses the power of 45 motorised and automated faders, massive dual touch wide screens, tricolour tracker ball with Z axis control and the Avo ‘Quicksketch’ tool to create custom palettes. www.avolites.com
Clay Paky’s Sharpy crystallising energy into pure light Clay Paky’s Sharpy won the PLASA Award for Innovation in 2010 and was launched proper in January 2011, where a number of TV shows have already adopted it and was presented at Prolight + Sound 2011. Sharpy is a 189W moving beam light with an unprecedented brightness which until now was only achievable with wattages several times higher. Sharpy produces a perfectly parallel, laser-like beam with an incredible output of almost 60,000 lx at 20m. Its secret lies in its exquisitely engineered optical group combined with the new Philips Platinum lamp and reflector. Due to the tiny arc of the source, the light emission is focused on an incredibly small area, enabling a perfectly parallel, zero-degree beam.
Sharpy Chrome
Sharpy is also ground-breaking for the purity of its beam, which is sharply defined and free of any halo or discolouration around the edges. It offers 14 dichroic colours and 17 gobos, allowing designers to sculpt the beam into an array of spectacular mid-air effects. Additionally the focusing system produces pristine pattern projections even at very long distances. Weighing just 16 kg (35 lbs), Sharpy is small, lightweight and incredibly fast. Its tiny size makes it easy to install and transport, occupying less space in transit and storage, and convenient to use anywhere – on trusses, on stages, in showrooms or conference rooms. Sharpy is also ecofriendly with its low energy consumption. New at Prolight + Sound was Sharpy Chrome. With its new chrome plating, Sharpy lends an element of glamour, while preserving its optimal thermal features. The Chrome Sharpy also blends seamlessly into its setting, becoming less visible to the eye by reflecting the light and surrounding environment, making it discreet on stage, in sets and interiors, and ideal for TV studios, showrooms, fairs, conference rooms and at industrial presentations. www.claypaky.it
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EAW’s QX Series loudspeakers offer precise directivity EAW’s QX Series provides size-efficient yet very high output point source clusters. The series is particularly geared toward medium-to-large sized spaces. The QX Series is a passive system, wired for bi-amplification. All full range models have squared symmetrical, dual-trapezoidal enclosures to provide extensive array flexibility. A centrally located co-axial MF/HF horn and two pairs of phase aligned neodymium 12-inch low frequency transducers team together to ensure that the entire frontal area contributes to horizontal and vertical pattern control capability. This results in an extremely natural sounding loudspeaker with excellent pattern control and low distortion. The QX Series features five new models: QX596, QX594, QX566, QX564 and QX544. Each offers a different dispersion pattern. www.eaw.com
DTS showcases NICK 600 WASH ZOOM NICK 600 WASH ZOOM is a self-contained compact high-output LED moving head projector with 13, 5°- 40° motorised zoom, and ultra-fast and silent limitless Pan/Tilt movement in either direction with an option to include DTS breakthrough ‘Free Axis Rotation’ technology. NICK 600 WASH ZOOM is one of the brightest compact LED projectors on the market. Its luminous flux is no less than 9.750 lumens and it features a powerful colour synthesis engine that has 16 million colours, linear colour temperature (2800°K to 6500°K) and 2 colour mixing modes, RGBW and CMY. NICK 600 WASH ZOOM is suitable for a variety of applications, such as lighting shopping malls, libraries, museums, exhibitions, clubs, restaurants, buildings, monuments, as well as concerts, special events and fashion displays. The unit is easily installable even in the most refined settings, thanks to its attractive appearance. It is wireless and ethernet ready www.dts-lighting.it
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D.A.S. Debuts Convert Series units are attached to the new BPS-320 dSERPISTM trifunctional waveguide capable of providing optimum coherency as a horizontal or vertical curved source array or as a point source.
Roberto Giner with the Convert Series
D.A.S. Audio’s Convert series comprises of two models, the Convert 12A curved source array unit and the Convert 15A multi-function arrayable loudspeaker system. Both models are powered systems that have been designed to provide the user with maximum ease-of-use and flexibility. The new Convert 15A arrayable loudspeaker is a powered, multi-function system incorporating a series of breakthrough features that offer versatility. The Convert 15A features an innovative system which provides user-definable dispersion characteristics, allowing the system to be deployed as either a curved source array or used individually as a point source. As the Convert name implies, the horizontal and vertical dispersion characteristics of the system can be “converted” to meet the specific requirements of almost any application. This is achieved using the proprietary Digitally Convertible DispersionTM (DCDTM) preset which modifies the horizontal dispersion of the Convert 15A from 20º to 40º. Vertical dispersion can also be altered using a combination of dispersion panels and digital presets to achieve 60º, 75º asymmetrical or 90º degrees of coverage. The wide frequency range and impressive output of the Convert 15A is possible thanks to the D.A.S. designed and built transducer components. Low frequency reproduction employs the D.A.S. 15GNR4 loudspeaker, a 15” device incorporating a 102 mm (4”) voice coil and a light-weight neodymium magnet assembly. The Convert 15A employs the D.A.S. Array Coupling DeviceTM (ACDTM) for improved coupling between adjacent units when used in curved source arrays. The M-60N neodymium compression driver is used to handle high frequency reproduction. The driver’s 44 mm (1.75”) voice coil is made using copper clad aluminium flat wire attached to a urea polyamide diaphragm. Three M-60N
The Convert 15A employs an advanced package of integrated electronics that includes digital signal processing, component and amplifier protection and a new 2000W, three channel Class D amplifier with switch mode power supply (SMPS). Remote monitoring is provided by way of the DASnetTM monitoring software. The Convert 15A enclosure is constructed of birch plywood finished with the durable Iso-Flex black paint. Safe stacking is accomplished by way of plastic feet which inter-lock with fitting points to prevent slippage. Optional rigging hardware is available and can be used to form either horizontal or vertical curved source arrays. M-10 threaded rigging points are provided for use in permanent installations. The Convert 12A is a curved source array unit ideal for use in small to medium-sized live events or permanent installation. The latest in Class D power amplification, digital signal processing and optimised D.A.S. components have been combined with enclosures designed for rapid deployment, precise coverage and high acoustic output. The Convert 12A´s two-way design comprises a D.A.S. 12V4 loudspeaker, employing a 75 mm (3”) voice coil. Two M-60N neodymium compression drivers are attached to the SERPISTM 25/112 waveguide which allows them to work together acoustically. The Convert 12A´s two-channel Class D amplifier design offers 600W of power providing extended bandwidth, improved dynamic range and exceptionally low distortion. The high efficiency of the Convert 12A amplifier ensures cool operation so that no fans or bulky heatsinks are needed. Signal processing is accomplished by way of a powerful 24 bit DSP providing control over critical signal parameters. Digital Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters are used in the signal processing of the Convert 12A. Both the Convert series models are expected to be shipped in the last quarter of this year. www.dasaudio.com
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FBT announces VERTUS CLA column active line array
The VERTUS CLA (on the left)
According to FBT, the VERTUS CLA was created with the thought of integrating professional line array technology in an extremely compact and elegant speaker column, with a refined and functional design and uncompromising quality that is able to satisfy the requirements of the most demanding musicians and architectural installers. The CLA cylindrical wave front boasts the pleasant effect of present and precise forwardly projected sound and the very thin and long form allows for the integration of the speaker column in any environment in a discrete and non-invasive way. The VERTUS CLA is a light and compact modular line array system created for both live and fixed installations and is comprised of two products: CLA 604a: bi-amp two-way active column speakers 400 + 100W RMS and CLA208Sa: active subwoofer 600W RMS The key features of the CLA system can be summed as follows: - High-level sound quality - Lightweight and easy to carry from 50Hz to 20kHz - Elegantly designed for an easy expressly developed for live integration even in the most performance demanding installations - Long distance sound - Very compact dimensions projection and better SPL enable the listener to distribution towards the concentrate on sound and not audience on speakers - Great and dynamic power - High horizontal dispersion performance thanks to a triamplification system CLA 604a is an extruded aluminium column speaker with an appealing design, fitted with 6 x 4” custom neodymium woofers and 4 neodymium dome tweeters, each coupled to a wave guide. Class D amplification, 400W for woofers and 100W for tweeters with switch mode power supply and DSP processor with 4 equalisation presets, allows for appropriate sound in any condition. The modular design allows doubling-up CLA 604a modules to form a unified column with an absolute and coherent source.
P a l m e / I n s t a l l A s ia 20 1 1 13 - 1 5 J u l y 20 1 1 Singapore w w w. p a l m e-a s i a . c o m
CLA 208Sa is a 2 x 8” active subwoofer in bass-reflex design and birch ply enclosure. A Class D amplifier, it delivers 600W and is matched with a switch mode power supply and a DSP processor with filtering functions, equalisation and speaker protection. Created with the idea of extending the CLA 604a’s low frequency performance in live applications, the CLA 208Sa serves as the base support for the CLA 604a column speaker which can either be frontally mounted to the sub, as well as fixed upon the optional stand through the M20 socket on the upside of the sub. www.fbt.it
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GLP introduces impression Wash One The world’s first professional RGB LED spotlight, the impression Spot One was ‘spotted’ with its brand new counterpart, the impression Wash One at GLP’s booth. Both products were the primary instruments used to create an impressive light show at the booth. The main focus of attention was the impression Spot One, a fully-featured LED Spot, which has been developed by the German company as an innovative design tool for the lighting market. Due to its powerful 400W RGB light engine, it is notable for its very rich colours, a clean white range of 3000K-8000K with high CRI and sharp image projection. An extremely uniform light and colour distribution in the beam (with no hot spot) and a three-facet prism, complete the optical system. The design of the lamp (with no base unit) fits perfectly into the impression family. Other features include a continuous 10°32° zoom, an ultra-fast, silent strobe and a high-speed iris, which opens and closes at a rate of just 0.2 seconds. All this is combined with an average LED life of 20,000 hours without degradation of brightness or colour temperature and a total weight of just 22 kg.
impression Spot One and impression Wash One working in harmony
The impression Wash One is based on the design of its older sibling and has a zoom range of 6°-60 °, an innovative beam shape and a special 3° narrow mode. www.glp.de
My first grandMA MA Lighting continues to showcase its beginner’s option. My first grandMA comes with a completely free software that can be run via a PC laptop connected to MA2 port nodes. The objective is to give entry level designers a taste of what grandMA
can do for them and hopefully once they get familiarised and are ready to go on to bigger designs, they will upgrade to the light or professional grandMA solutions. www.malighting.com
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K&F showcases real PASSIO(n) Passio can be described in three words: small, strong and black. Though small, the speaker is equipped with an impressive reach and a considerable deepness. Even the accessories for the speaker are small and nearly invisible but yet easily accessible by the user. In addition Passio offers a strong acoustical impression. There is no clanking or distortion in high, low or middle tones – everything remains very neutral and natural, at high or low volume. Even the sound pressure level is perfectly aligned. Passio is expected to be shipped from June 2011. www.kling-freitag.biz
L-Acoustics releases SOUNDVISION version 1.8 Exclusively dedicated to L-ACOUSTICS sound systems, SOUNDVISION provides real-time mapping in coverage and delay modes, a user-friendly 3D graphical interface, a modular multiple window display, temporal mapping for time delay optimisation and sub-woofer mechanical data. A free downloadable database of
SOUNDVISION venues is available for all users. New features in version 1.8 include an updated data product library including the new architectural series (KARAi, SB18i) and new KARA-MINIBU and MINIBUEX bumpers. These are in addition to the features implemented in the previous version of the software, which include: *Air absorption calculation, function of humidity and temperature. *Updated product library including K1, KARA, XT, P, SB28 & SB18. *Unified contour template for WST® line sources. *+8 dBu maximum input level rule. *Ergonomic improvements such as mapping mode custom color scaling. *Compatible with EASE® 4.0 and CATT® 8.0. An upgrade package for existing users is available at http://www.l-acoustics.com/ download
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LDR introduces motorised dimming shutter Oscura 19 Oscura 19 is a DMX512- and RDMcontrollable motorised dimming shutter, designed to provide a smooth control of light intensity on all the non-dimmable discharge fixtures. It features an extremely quiet and precise operation and ensures no alterations of the colour temperature. Oscura 19 is the first in line of a generation of motorised dimming shutters specially designed for the professional theatre and the TV market and it’s a perfect balance between design and technology, offering more than the average dimming shutter. Weighing only 2.5 kg, the Oscura 19 differentiates itself from other products through its technological superiority, unique customer-driven design, innovative features and a user-friendly interface.
The Oscura 19 dimming shutter can be used with the LDR professional discharge range and with all products that have an aperture of up to Ø 190mm. www.ldr.it
Lumen Radio showcases CRMX SuperNova RDM Controller CRMX™ is an acronym for Cognitive Radio MultipleXer and is the first smart wireless system to automatically and continuously adapt to its surroundings in real-time. CRMX was specifically developed by Lumen Radio to meet the demand for reliable, easy to use, and cost effective wireless lighting control. CRMX supports DMX, RDM, DALI and the most widely used ethernet-based protocols in the lighting industry. At Prolight + Sound, Lumen Radio showcased CRMX SuperNova, which is an RDM controller that is downloadable free-of-charge for use with Lumen Radio’s CRMX Nova™ products. SuperNova is a software that requires a computer and a CRMX Nova Transmitter to function.
CRMX SuperNova lets you set up, monitor and troubleshoot RDM systems. Once you have connected your devices, just run a discovery process that will find all your RDM enabled devices in the network. Then, you are good to go. CRMX SuperNova can also be used for easy setup of the CRMX transmitters and receivers. It lets you configure all the aspects of the transmitters such as output power, network protocols, etc. RDM is a very powerful tool and the CRMX SuperNova with its intuitive graphical user interface makes it easy to use. www.lumenradio.com
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Martin MAC 101™ available in three white light versions Martin Professional’s ultra-compact MAC 101 LED moving head wash is now available in three white light versions that expand its use to applications where high quality, pure white light is needed. The new variants incorporate cold and/ or warm LEDs instead of RGB for a better white light quality and greater output. Ideal for highlighting skin tones, textiles or set pieces, the MAC 101 white light variants are already finding use in touring applications as a front light, main light, blinder or beam effect. They look great on camera in TV studios and are ideal white light fixtures for car shows, showrooms, fashion shows, corporate events or any exhibition environment. MAC 101 CT™: Incorporating both cold and warm white LEDs, the MAC 101 CT allows for easy changes in colour temperature from crisp cold looks to warm shades and features simple intensity control. Each MAC 101 CT is colour temperature calibrated to ensure a high quality of white light, visual consistency across fixtures and a uniformity in light output that allows for
seamless overlapping of beams on large stage and set areas. MAC 101 WRM™: The MAC 101 WRM uses pure warm LEDs to mimic the warmth of tungsten halogen and is intensity controllable. MAC 101 CLD™: Also intensity controllable, the MAC 101 CLD uses pure, cold LEDs for applications where only higher colour temperatures are required. www.martin.com
MIPRO introduces new ACT Series MIPRO has introduced the ACT 3-Series for the entry-level market. Sturdy metal housing with advanced circuitry inside presents up to 4 preset compatible channels in each band. There are 81 selectable channels across EU/ISM user license-free band. AutoScan and patented ACT function provide easy set-up and rapid sync of interference-free working channels. The backlit LCD offers clear visibility and easy differentiation of “Working” and “Standby” modes and displays all pertinent parameters on the same screen for easy control and monitoring. The ACT 3-Series
has the industry’s only interference ‘warning’ indicator and control, “PiloTone and NoiseLock” dual-squelch circuit that can detect and minimise interference. A locking function prevents accidental changing of settings. The receiver provides bias voltage for MIPRO antenna booster systems. The availability of balanced XLR and unbalanced 1/4” audio outputs provide it with flexibilty so that they can be used in semi-professional audio and consumer audio. Also debuting was the new ACT 5-Series that features true diversity reception. Its sturdy metal housing with advanced circuitry inside presents up to 4 preset compatible channels in each band. www.mipro.com.tw
ACT-515+515T+50H
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NEXO showcases its first purposedesigned stage monitor Although it’s the first time in 30 years that NEXO has produced a purposedesigned stage monitor, it is also a logical progression from their patented linearray design technology, drawing on the Hyperbolic Reflective Wavesource which is used throughout the GEO range of highperformance loudspeakers. Nexo’s new 45°N-12 monitor loudspeaker design works by wavesourcing, creating virtual acoustic sources behind the enclosure itself and below the stage, using reflection rather than coercion to determine the shape of the wavefront. Unlike a conventional high frequency waveguide in which the exit is rectangular, the NEXO monitor’s waveguide forms a ‘smile’, enabling cabinets to be linked together to form arrays without interference between wavefronts. Monitor engineers will find that the N-12 design produces a very sharply-defined dispersion pattern, at the same time offering a huge improvement in terms of level before feedback. The focused
coverage results in lower acoustic power on stage. SPL and frequency response are consistent up to 2.5 metres back. An ingenious magnetic locking system joins multiple monitors together, allowing scalability for both coverage and SPL level. The compact, low-profile design is less conspicuous than conventional monitors (ideal for live TV production), and the 45°N-12 features a non-slip base with a skid system and ergonomic handle for easy repositioning on stage. www.nexo.fr
Outline’s GTO combines design flair with technology The new Outline GTO is a classic linesource loudspeaker product which adds a further dimension to the capabilities of contemporary systems by providing farfield SPL and coverage capabilities that are presently unequalled. The principal advantage of this is the elimination of the need for delay systems, even for very large audiences,
thus eradicating any possibility of phase incoherence between loudspeaker clusters. This allows the system technician to create a single, well-defined coverage area delivering incomparable seatto-seat consistency, stereo imaging and intelligibility, particularly in the vocal range. The power is harnessed by the combined output of a large number of individual transducers which have been engineered into a compact cabinet. A GTO element contains ten separate drive units, (four high-frequency compression drivers each mounted on a patented DPRWG device, four eight-inch midrange drivers and two fifteen-inch low frequency drivers) which produce staggering sound pressure levels in tightly-controlled horizontal and vertical dispersion patterns. Although Prolight + Sound 2011 was the official launch site for this new system, GTO is already a road-proven rig, having been very successfully deployed on several European and American tours and events. www.outline.it
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Philips adds a new star to their Platinum line-up Today’s stage designs call for lighting solutions which deliver high brightness and high contrast beams to avoid shadow creation, as well as more compact luminaire and fixture designs to improve creative choice and design flexibility. Philips Entertainment lamps have developed an incredibly powerful, brilliant, lightweight and compact system for the most amazing light experience - the Philips MSR Platinum 35.
lamp system provides a powerful and innovative tool to create intense lighting and reproduces outstanding colours. The unique short arc generates sparkling, bright light. Depending on the application and with an ultra-compact design suitable for smaller stage lighting fixtures, lighting designers will enjoy far greater freedom in where they position luminaires. www.philips.com
In line with the Philips MSD Platinum reflector lamps introduced in 2010, this
PR Lighting unleashes its most advanced moving head The PR-5000 Spot features a wide beam angle and a very fast strobe and has an integrated DMX512 wireless signal receiver. Firmware update is easily achieved through a PC, thus making the PR-5000 Spot an easy unit to work with. The PR-5000 Spot also features a 1500W discharge lamp that offers linearly adjustable zoom from 10 (degrees) to 67 (degrees) and double strobe/shutter blades are achieved within 0.3 – 25 F.P.S. Other key features include CYM colour mixing + 7 dichroic colour filters + linear
CTO; 12 indexable rotating gobos (at high speed) + 7 fixed gobos (all easily interchangeable); DMX controlled, linearly adjustable focus (8- or 16-bit); 1 x 3 - facet prism; 1 linearly adjustable frost wheel + 1 changeable gobo effect wheel. The PR-5000 Spot has a built-in analyser for easy fault finding and error messages and users can programme set-up options via a rechargeable battery which is inside the equipment without hooking up to power. www.pr-lighting.com
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Prolyte Group streamlines Prolyte Group took the opportunity to present the group after its recent merger with Litestructures. At the exhibition, solutions were showcased by four distinctive brands of the Group: Litestructures, Prolytestructures, Stagedex and Prolyft. A range of new and existing products were on display during the exhibition. Prolyte Group also took the opportunity to present their new website as well as their web shop which features a complete line of products that are now available. Those in Asia will need to wait a little longer to enjoy web shop. Prolyft also introduced a complete range of winches. The PileWindWinch range provides an affordable alternative for situations where accurate positioning and speed matter less, like non-performance situations or maintenance bars. The PileWindWinch wraps its steel wire in a multi-layer fashion on the winch drum. The wire runs through a narrow gap that
(L-R) Michiel van der Zijde with Jasper van der Sluyis and Menze van der Sluis and the PileWindWinch
is barely wider than the steel wire itself. Pile wind winches are available for loads up to 1000kg at speeds of 4 to 32 m/min. Standard lifting heights are 10 m and 20 m. The drums are modular and can be easily adapted to the thickness of the wire and the number of steel wires. www.prolyte.com
RCF reveals the new D Line speaker series RCF introduced its brand new D Line speaker series with the launch of four models: the HD10-A and HD22-A active two way monitors as well as the HDL20-A active line array module and the HDL18-S high-powered sub woofer. The D line Class-D power amplifier technology packs huge performance into a lightweight solution. Providing the dynamic range required for natural reproduction of every input signal,the D Line amplifiers deliver ultra fast attack, realistic transient response and impressive audio performance. The integrated DSP manages crossover, equalisation, soft limiter, compressor and dynamic bass boost. It controls the ongoing interaction between the audio signal, switch-mode power supply, PWM output stages and processes key information concerning the status of the internal signal flow from the input to the speakers monitoring impedance and shuts down in case of a short-circuit. The DSP controls the thermal and soft limiters to protect speakers. All D LINE RCF transducers feature lightweight neodymium magnets to guarantee better performances and make it
for easier transportation. A high power woofer delivers an extremely accurate reproduction of the mid-bass frequencies and a punchy bass. The use of new 1� and 2� neodymium compression drivers with a pure titanium dome offer a transparent mid-range sound and extreme fidelity in high frequency reproduction. Large-sized constant directivity horns are designed to offer a precise directivity and perfect loading to the drivers. D LINE cabinets are moulded on a special polypropylene composite material and are designed to dampen down vibrations even at maximum volume settings. www.rcf.it
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Robe continues ‘green’ initiative with Robin MMX Spot The new ROBIN MMX Spot is the first in a new generation of 1200 Series fixtures and the first in a new series of Robe moving lights designed to be energy efficient and smaller in keeping with the ROBIN (Robe Innovative Technology). The MMX Spot is compact, lightweight and has a small base and is expected to be a major hit with rental companies and installations alike. Using the innovative Phillips MSR Platinum 35 lamp and combined with a sophisticated optical system, the MMX Spot is the equivalent of any 1200W Spotlight moving head on the market today. The MMX is as bright as a 1500W spotlight but saves energy – consuming about 30% less power than the current 1200W products.
Other features include 2 x rotating gobo wheels, each with 7 SLOT & LOCK gobos + open; an extremely fast motorised iris; CMY colour mixing, with variable CTO; a colour wheel - 7 dichroic filters + open; motorised zoom & focus, an auto-focus feature; zoom range of 8.5 – 46.5 degrees; variable frost; a five facet, 11 degrees rotating and indexable prism; remote hotspot control; mechanical dimmer & shutter; variable strobe effect 1 - 10 Hz Communication protocols include DMX 512, ArtNet, RDM, MANet, and MANet2. www.robe.cz
One key feature of the MMX is the inclusion of a unique dual graphic wheel (patent pending) that provides stunning effects.
Robert Juliet introduces Aledin 330LF LED Wash light The Aledin 330LF features high output LED with very low power consumption. The 200mm Fresnel lens gives a very powerful wash effect with a variable beam angle from 20 (degrees) to 98 (degrees). It will be particularly appreciated for its electronic flicker-free dimmable PSU. With an option of two colour temperatures (3500K or 5800K), the 330LF would fit in perfectly at studios, theatres, and events, as well as architectural applications. A Neutrik Powercon socket allows the 330LF to be daisy-chained. www.robertjuliat.com
Palme / Install Asia 2011 13 - 15 July 2011 Singapore
www.palme-asia.com
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Sennheiser debuts MK 4 large-diaphragm studio microphone The MK 4, Sennheiser’s first side-address large-diaphragm microphone, made its European debut. This cardioid true condenser microphone, which is manufactured in Germany, focuses on giving the best possible sound quality rather than technical extravagance. It provides a powerful yet warm sound that is both direct and tight with fine treble resolution. At the recent Grammy Awards presentation in Los Angeles, the MK 4 was used as an overhead microphone. For “Music’s Biggest Night”, four MK 4s were used as overhead microphones for the drumkits. Commented John Harris, one of the telecast’s two music mixers, “The MK 4s were very good – accurate and warm at the same time. It has a great look and a great sound.” The MK 4 with its nickel-coloured finish was developed for professional users in project studios, but is equally well-suited for other recording environments and is tough enough for use on stage. It is also a microphone that is affordable for home recordists and musicians. “In the development of the MK 4, we invested every euro in getting the best
possible sound,” explained Product Manager Sebastian Schmitz, “and we focused on the key elements of a good studio microphone to ensure that we can offer the MK 4 to our customers at an attractive price.” The finest sound structures are well resolved and sound coming from the sides is picked up without colouration and so does not change the overall sound quality. The microphone has a very harmonious presence. It has vivid mids and is also very detailed in the bass range. At ¬¬the same time, typical cardioid cancellation is relatively frequency-independent. The MK 4 has a large one-inch diaphragm precisely spattered with 24-carat gold. The sturdy metal housing and the elastically mounted capsule make the microphone tough enough for even the most energetic recording situations. The excellent suppression of handling noise offered by the internal capsule mount can be even further improved by the use of an elastic suspension, which is available as an accessory. The open front of the suspension mount enables the MK 4 to be positioned close to the sound source. The microphone has a maximum sound pressure
level of 140 dB, and its self-noise of 10 dB(A) is extremely low. “The MK 4 is highly versatile for vocals, acoustic guitars and grand pianos as well as for strings and wind instruments,” siad Schmitz. “It has proven to be an excellent microphone with guitar amplifiers, drums and percussion. To sum up: it is an unpretentious microphone with outstanding sound.” The MK 4 comes complete with a microphone clip and a protective pouch. Optional accessories include an elastic suspension, a foam windshield and a popshield. www.sennheiser.com
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SGM Cc-4: Four-bank multiple LED Wash that’s Ip65-rated SGM’s CC-4 is an amazing, four-bank, highpowered, multiple LED washlight designed for architectural use with its IP65 rating. Each of the four chassis contains 44 Rebel RGB LED’s each. The CC-4 also offers CTC and white balance control. Power consumption is just 4 x 400W and the lamp life is rated at 50,000 hours. Housed in a slim, black aluminium chassis, the lenses are interchangeable (via the narrow, medium and wide lens kit) and the fixture boasts 8 or 17 DMX channels. Set-up is via an OLED graphic 5-button display. Other features include simple menu structure, upgradeable software (via DMX), standard Neutrik powerCON connectors and standard five-pin XLR for DMX In/Out, with dimensions (HWD) 452 x 986 x 200 mm.
As with all SGM’s new LED models, cooling methods have been improved via rectangular heat-sinks. Set-up and address procedures have improved with the aid of internal diagnostics and control procedures have
been implemented to ensure that the lamps run flicker-free. www.rcf.it
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Wireless Solution Sweden demonstrates new W-DMX™ G4 line Unlike wired systems, the new G4 is able to repair corrupted data and vouches for maximum security by running on dual band and creating a backup duplicate of the signal. This new standard is transparent and works with several protocols, creating extreme flexibility and reliability without the need for additional controllers or software. The new G4 product line includes Adaptive Frequency Hopping technology that scans the spectrum automatically to avoid interference from wi-fi, intercom and other radio products. The G4 line also has W-DMX invisi-wire and data-safe technologies for unparalleled fidelity, and support for RDM (Remote Device Management) so W-DMX units and lighting fixtures connected through W-DMX can be configured remotely with no fuss or cables. W-DMX G4 supports the 5.8GHz band as standard, ensuring that even if the 2.4GHz band becomes too crowded with other users, your lighting control remains rock solid. The W-DMX G4 range of products also has the highest output power available today, with up to 800mW on 2.45GHz and 1000mW on 5.8GHz.
Key Features in G4: BlackBox - Flexible - the F-1 is configurable as a single universe transmitter or single universe receiver; the F-2 is configurable as a dual universe transmitter or a dual universe receiver, and optionally as a single universe repeater. - Reliable - Built-in automatically switching dual-band support (2.4GHz & 5.8GHz). - RDM support - passes messages and responses from controller to any fixtures connected through the wireless system. - Ethernet and DMX/RDM protocols in/out (i.e. Artnet in & Artnet out, s/ACN in & DMX out, sACN in & Artnet out), all over wireless (with optional ethernet module in BlackBox). - Compatible with BlueBox RDM controller (discover RDM fixtures, change their address and other settings and output DMX data, as well as set-up and monitor W-DMX devices).
- Adaptive Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum technology - prevents the system from transmitting on radio channels already in use by other radios). - WhiteBox outdoor model is IP65 rated; perfect for temporary outdoor installation and the only product on the market with direct access to the display – all competing products require removal of the lid. MicroBox - RDM support (Micro F-1) - Transmitter responds to RDM requests, to allow configuration. - Compatible with BlueBox RDM controller (set-up and monitoring of the transmitter only). - Adaptive Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum technology - prevents the system from transmitting on radio channels already in use by other radios). www.wirelessdmx.com
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Jacqueline McKenzie and Josh McConville in Sydney Theatre Company’s In the Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl
Australia
Sydney Theatre Company goes ‘green’ Home to the iconic Sydney Theatre Company, the Wharf in Walsh Bay has been in the news a lot of late, largely due to the ‘Greening the Wharf’ programme, which aims to reduce the theatre’s carbon footprint by as much as 70 percent. The programme entered the implementation phase late last year and, while the major media focus has been on solar energy and rainwater harvest, ‘Greening the Wharf’ asks that every aspect of the theatre’s operational and production decision making be considered in terms of environmental impact reduction.
Renowned for issues with colour shift when dimming, LED fittings have been regarded with skepticism, particularly in theatre applications where colour, value and saturation are critical. The fully tunable high output light engine of the PL1 supports colour temperatures from 3000K to 5600K and full RGBW colour mixing, with a maximum output similar to that of a 500W Fresnel or PC.
Noise generation and size are equally important considerations in hushed theatrical settings, where new luminaires need to coexist with previously-installed equipment. “The onboard fan of the PL1 is mercifully quiet. In addition, the unit is relatively compact, which means we had no trouble incorporating anything into our existing lighting rigs,” Henstock explains.
Head of lighting, Graham Henstock, was charged with exploring ‘greener’ luminaire alternatives. Part of his proposal was the installation of Philips Selecon’s revolutionary PL1 LED fittings. “Of the fixtures I saw during my research, the PL1s stood out as they combine a significantly higher level of output with the flexibility of focus and control that we require at the highest level of professional theatre” said Henstock.
colour-mixing process” said Graham. “The PL1 is one of the very few fixtures I saw that managed to avoid the majority of problems that are common to LED fixtures. They produce a single, crisp shadow, which meant both an absence of chroma-shadowing and that their barn-doors actually work! There is an impressive evenness to their field of light.”
PL1 track barn door
“I have been pleasantly surprised by the PL1s usability and impressed by both the smooth dimming curve and the level of colour saturation that can be achieved as part of the
It is estimated that the Wharf will realise substantial annual savings under the programme; around 555 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. Achieving these goals requires a concerted effort across the board. According to Graham, this represents a shift in day-to-day thinking, as opposed to a series of purchase decisions. “This is not a onceoff event, but an ongoing approach to the
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“It is important to serve the production well. Art comes at a cost, so seeking to reduce energy use is important and there are many ways in which this can be done without compromising the end result.” The play is set in the late nineteenth century, in the home of a doctor pioneering the use of ‘electrical therapy’ (vibrators) to treat hysteria. Kemp explains the inspiration for his design. “Electricity, electric light, candlelight and natural light run through the core of the play, which explores the links between the power of electricity and the power of love. It’s been a fantastic piece to light,” he said.
Graham Henstock, Head of Lighting, Sydney Theatre Company
“Graham introduced me to the PL1s and I’m really pleased to have been able to use them” he continued. “I’ve found them to be invaluable in bringing this show to life. The ability to replicate nearly any colour in the swatch book, to create colours by free mixing and to fade between colours seamlessly makes a big difference to the production.”
way we create theatre. As such, it involves a constant assessment of how we utilise power and whether the same effect can be achieved in a less power-intensive manner. As a flexible, low wattage-lighting fixture, the PL1 is one of the tools that help me reduce the company’s power usage.”
In a world where ‘green-washing’ is becoming the norm and the public tires of corporations striving to prove their green credentials, STC has implemented a programme for change. A subtle shift in thinking brings an awareness of environmental impact to the business of creating entertainment.
Greening the Wharf extends beyond the Company’s immediate environment, as productions are often staged at other venues and tour to other regions. In the case of ‘In the Next Room or the vibrator play’ running at the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre then touring, Lighting Designer Hartley T A Kemp outlines his view on striking the balance between an aesthetically pleasing production and reduced energy use.
According to Graham Henstock, he made the logical choice when selecting Philips Selecon as the preferred luminaire supplier. “I was drawn to Philips Selecon’s products because I could see that the company was paying considerable attention to the environmental impact of their business. Their focus on incorporating recyclable materials into their fixtures, as well as their commitment to
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developing luminaires that utilised lowerwattage light sources, demonstrates a philosophy that nicely complements that of STC’s ambitions.” Here’s hoping this thinking is not restricted to one company and venue alone, but heralds the way forward for the entertainment industry. Full Equipment List – Sydney Theatre Company Greening the Wharf 10x PL1s 20x PL TR1 White Floodlights with accessories and spread lenses 50x SPX 15-35 Zoomspots 30x SPX 25-50 Zoomspots 30x Rama High Performance Fresnels 10x Acclaim Fresnels www.seleconlight.com
Hartley T A Kemp, International Lighting Designer and Theatre Consultant
Helen Thomson, Jacqueline McKenzie and Sara Zwangobani in Sydney Theatre Company’s In the Next Room or the vibrator play by Sarah Ruhl
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Singapore
Synergy AVL chooses LDR lights for Ngee Ann’s Convention Centre upgrade The new lighting solution in Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Convention Centre auditorium offers a multi-environmental lighting system that allows the institution to open up the venue to a wider audience. This project has underlined the professional capabilities of both Synergy AVL and LDR in Singapore. www.synergyavl.com www.ldr.it www.lighting.philips.com.sg www.klotz-ais.com
LDR tono Profiles being given a final test before going up
Ngee Ann Polytechnic is one of Singapore’s leading institutions of higher learning and offers students a holistic learning experience which emphasises a balanced and broadbased education. In recognition of its dedication to world-class education, the institution has garnered numerous awards, including the People Developer Award and ISO 9001:2000 certification. Ngee Ann is recognised as a dynamic, forward-looking organisation and this view is supported by the modern facilities incorporated in its campus. Located at the heart of the Ngee Ann campus, the Convention Centre houses a two-tiered 1,800-seat auditorium which plays host to seminars, exhibitions, talks, cultural events, workshops and conferences. In order to cope with such a busy schedule of events and also to offer more functionality with the venue, the institution wanted to upgrade its old stage lighting system in the auditorium consisting of Strand and ETC luminaires. Ngee Ann called for a tender specification of Profiles and Fresnel to replace the existing lighting inventory and contacted Synergy AVL to propose their lighting solution for the auditorium. Synergy responded by setting-up an on-site demonstration using luminaires from Luci della Ribalta (LDR) and quickly
won over the competition with the strong performance and Italian designed quality. The new stage lighting system now utilises LDR nota® f1200 1200W Fresnel spotlights on top of the stage, with LDR tono® 2000W (zoom 8°-22°) Profile spotlights for the front stage, together with LDR tono® 2000W (18°-36°) Profile spotlights. LDR luminaires incorporate the use of a double condenser lens with a better zoom ratio and a fixed reflector within the design. The lamp source used in the LDR optical train design is the single-ended Philips Halogen Lamp which costs much less if compared to other brands of profiles that use a lamp with a reflector design thus lowering the maintenance cost in the long run. Synergy also supplied and fitted the lights with Dichroic Glass Diffuser Gobo from ROSCO Filters as requested by the customer. As Synergy is the exclusive dealer for Klotz Cables in Singapore, they were chosen for the power and control cables for the lighting control desk and spotlights. The institution was also surprised to discover that LDR products have more to offer when compared to competing brands of lighting as all the parts in LDR luminaires are designed to be within easy reach for maintenance.
LDR lights installed in Ngee Ann Polytechnic Convention Centre
Part of the LDR lighting solution by Synergy AVL
LDR nota Fresnels ready to be installed
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Singapore
Perfect lighting and stage presence in Cedar Girls’ School Auditorium Cedar Girls’ Secondary School is an all-girls educational institution established in 1957. According to the school ranking system which was put in place in 2004, Cedar is a Band 1 school, making it one of the best schools in Singapore, well-known for its excellent achievements both in academic as well as in athletic fields. To expand the use of the school’s venue facilities, the school’s executive committee decided to revamp the school auditorium and open it to other schools and organisations. Designed as a multi-purpose venue with a fully fledged stage, the auditorium seating area is tiered with rear seating that rises about 6 meters above the main floor. However, the venue’s original lighting inventory was felt to be limited and outdated and so a new stage lighting system had to be proposed to suit the new functionality of the venue. The school called in the professional services of Synergy AVL to propose a new lighting solution for the auditorium. Headed by Project Manager Ricky Misson, the design team proposed a comprehensive lighting solution which the school board found to be the most resourceful and duly awarded Synergy the contract to design, supply, and install the new lighting for the auditorium.
From left to right: Chip Chong (Synergy), Fabiano Besio (LDR), Ricky Misson (Synergy), and Ting Chuan (AV light manager)
Synergy proposed a system based on using Italian designed Luci della Ribalta (LDR) luminaires supported by Macostar Dimmers. When Misson got the green light for the job, he knew he had a real challenge to revitalise the stage. “We have given them a colour wash effect by adding Colourbeam Cube Light 50 high power LED colour washing fixtures. Even though the numbers may not match the size of the stage, it most certainly gave the committee an eye-opener as they were astonished by its vibrant colour and wide coverage of the stage,” explained Misson. The LDR luminaires used comprised LDR nota® 1200 Fresnel spotlights, LDR suono®
LDR Suono Profiles installed in Cedar Girls’ Secondary School Auditorium
(20°/40°) Profile spotlights, and a LDR Canto® 575 MK2 Followspot. All the lights were hung from under the existing lighting bars and the technicians managed to run new cables from the fixtures to the dimmer rack. The lamp source used in the LDR nota® and suono® luminaires is the single-ended Philips Halogen Lamp which costs much less compared to other brands of profiles that use a lamp with a reflector design thus lowering the lights maintenance cost in the long run. The whole project took less than a week for the Synergy team to complete and handover to Ting Chuan, the school’s AV light manager. As Synergy is the exclusive dealer for Singapore, Klotz Cables were chosen for the power and control cables for the lighting control desk and spotlights. Overall control and programming of the new lighting system is from a Daslight Virtual Controller, a PCplatform lighting controller. After some customised pre-programming done by the Synergy crew, a quick tutorial on the Daslight system was given to Mr Chuan who was amazed with the flexibility and simplicity of using a PC to control lighting. Misson also knew he had the best product advice and support he could get when Mr Fabiano Besio of Luci della Ribalta, visited the site to view the project. Mr Besio managed to sit down with Ting Chuan to discuss a possible 2nd
stage upgrading. The school’s committee is currently looking into adding more lights to the existing inventory and is targeting a time frame of within the next quarter in line with its next fiscal budget. The new lighting solution from Synergy AVL has undoubtedly erased all doubts about whether they were able to pacify the committee’s requirements. Successfully given a brighter future, the Cedar Girls’ Secondary School Auditorium is on its way to being one of the best performing arts venues in the school circuit. www.synergyavl.com www.ldr.it www.colorbeam.com www.daslight.com www.macostar.com www.lighting.philips.com.sg www.klotz-ais.com
The new lighting solution from Synergy AVL
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India
Trilogy: A club suspended in an envelope of sound Hyperbole surrounds news of every new club opening like confetti, yet uniquely for the Trilogy Club in Mumbai, even the Oxford Dictionary of Superlatives has proved inadequate. “To isolate the sound of the club from the VIP suites of this prestigious hotel we employed the acoustic constructs of the orchestral concert hall, literally a box within a box structure.” The fact that audio consultant Milind Raorane of Soundframe consulting could even recommend such a course of action confirms the total commitment of owners (and sisters) Neha and Minal Gundecha to, in their words, “an aspiration to create a space with the most premium experience of nightlife.” The two-storey Trilogy is located within the Hotel Sea Princess, Juhu, Mumbai, sandwiched between the 24/7 coffee shop below, and the hotel’s most expensive ocean facing VIP suites above. “So the imperative for sound isolation was absolute,” confirmed Raorane. “But we also had to provide that ‘premium experience’ of sound within. Working in combination with Digital
Advantage, the d&b audiotechnik distributor for India, we devised a complete acoustics and audio design, presenting the owners with acoustic prediction data and 3D sound mapping. We had also worked on similar projects in terms of sound requirements and knew that the d&b philosophy of loudspeaker systems with brains, would deliver the desired prestige sound.” Neha Gundecha commented, “Mr Milind and Digital Advantage were helpful, prompt and responsible for the entire sound installation at Trilogy. Mr Milind’s suggestions were extremely valuable for the sound isolation and acoustics of the installation.” The fully floated ceiling, floor and walls are further enhanced by an air-lock entry lobby, double doors and vacuum sealed double glazed windows. The ceiling has also been extensively treated with cellulose spray for internal reverberation control. The suite’s directly above the club have a noise floor of 50-55dB (flat)/1/3rd octave and the internal Rt60 (spectral for 1/3rd octave) reads between 0.8 and 0.6 secs.
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Music is relayed throughout both floors of the club with Digital Advantage installing a distributed system of mostly d&b E-Series loudspeakers, supplied to Raorane’s specifications. “The dance floor area is totally enveloped with high energy sound; a quad configuration, an inward facing four corner array of E12 loudspeakers each with a pair of B4-SUBs and an E12-SUB. The B4 subwoofers are so aligned as to significantly reduce the amount of low end energy on the rear walls; it’s a zero fatigue environment.” All other areas including the six hundred square foot mezzanine between the floors, and the one thousand five hundred square foot lower lounge are covered using a variety
of E8, E3 and E0 loudspeakers with the lower floor again employing a quad design based on E3 and E12-SUB combinations. “The house DJ has been carefully trained and fully understands the relationship between the d&b system and his input to it. He is really enjoying the system,” added Roarane. The Gundecha sisters appointed Henry Tham as their working partner and club operator. Tham has an extensive track record establishing clubs and bars, notably the Olive, Mandarin and Rouge the Cafe establishments. Since opening, the Trilogy Club has received the Best Nightclub award from two TV stations, NDTV Good Times (a
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prime lifestyle channel for India) and from CNN-IBN as well as a recommendation in the Times of India good food guide. As for lighting, the main dance floor ceiling is fitted with 2000 LED elements. A custom control programme ties the LED response to the music offering a sophisticated sound and light show. The vertical walls also sport mid-range diffusers in the form of wooden cones, painstakingly handcrafted for the Trilogy Club. www.dbaudio.com
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India
Projecting into the Past of Delhi The ruins of Old Fort, or Purana Qila, are located on a small hill, which once rested on the banks of the Yamuna river. Old Fort is the citadel of the Mughal Empire’s second emperor, Humayun, and houses a mosque that has a double-storey octagonal tower from where, in an ironic twist of history, he fell to his death. Since 6 January 2011, this 500-year old fort comes alive every evening as it plays host to a state-of-the-art son et lumière, ‘Ishq-e-Dilli‘ (The Love of Delhi), a 55-minute show that depicts Delhi through the history of its 10 cities, beginning from the 11th century to the present. Shapes and colors of the high-tech projection onto the façade of the Old Fort tell the story. Like beacons, the vivid lights move quickly but seamlessly across the rampart toward an explosion of stunning colors, patterns, and animations. The visual projection, together with the riveting music, fittingly captures the complex imagery implicit to the title. Himanshu Sabharwal, one of India’s most respected artists in live and electronic media and owner of Two’s a Film Company, was appointed the show’s artistic director. He was keyed up the moment he knew he was going to create the sound and light show at the Old Fort.
As the story flows, the erstwhile cities were effectively portrayed through a clever inclusion of ancient maps. The vivacious 3D animations and graphics were accompanied by poignant narrations by Himanshu Sabharwal and at intervals, renditions on Chhap Tilak, sung by Rekha Bharrdwaj as well as a Sufi song by Kailash Kher. “We use 3D effects for certain scenes like when we show Emperor Humayan falling from the stairs or an illusion of the palace collapsing,” he said.
Selecting world-renowned projection artist, Ross Ashton, as the project’s technical designer and installation consultant, both Sabharwal and Ashton strongly recommended that Christie’s projectors be used for this purpose. “I wanted to work with Christie projectors because I feel they
were able to convey my artistic vision. They are at the forefront of projection technology and the quality and colour splendor of the images always come out superb. Besides, the brightness level is very suitable for our purpose. Thus, from a technology angle, we are convinced these projectors would do justice to the content. Having said that, we need our projectors to function optimally for the shows every evening in an open-air environment with vast variations in outdoor temperatures and lighting, and Christie’s projectors are very sturdy in this regard,” explained Sabharwal. Using 3 units of Christie Roadster S+20K projectors placed at a height of 1.8 meters and nearly 200 meters away from the frontage of the Old Fort, the projectors were capable of creating an image 50 meters wide by 20 meters tall on the frontage. As the projection is accomplished on an uneven frontage of an old monument, with aged and different color hues, edge blending and calibration were critical to the quality, color accuracy and richness of the projection. “With soft edge blending, warping, and color calibration, we were able to ensure that the display is faultlessly smooth and consistent even on an uneven surface. We had to calibrate three images from three different sources to the system and that was one of our biggest challenges. As the façade of the Old Fort has different
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color shades, we had to manage the colors very carefully, for instance, by increasing the red or green hues. Basic calibration between the projectors and the surface of the Old Fort was crucial and this calibration process alone took us three full days. Even after installation, lots of changes were needed to fine-tune the projection,” revealed Gopi Ram Malik, Managing Director of AV Science & Technologies Pvt Ltd, Christie’s partner in New Delhi who carried out the installation at the Old Fort. According to Mr. Virendar Wadhwa, master integrators from Modern Stage Services, selection of the Christie Roadster S+20K projectors was mainly due to its unmatched brightness and color reproduction in this category. Their versatility is well known to anyone who has worked on these kinds of installation. As this was intended to be a permanent installation, with two shows – in Hindi and English - running every night through the year, one major adversity was the weather, which could vary from between 4°C in winter to as high as 48°C during the summer months. “Our projectors and computers are housed in a lodge that we built for this purpose. We needed to install a generator and put in all the cabling for the equipment. Sometimes even, we have mosquitoes and insects that were sucked in by the projectors and lying close to the chambers. Another hurdle we had in the beginning was the many large trees dotting the area near the Old Fort where the projection was to occur. As this whole area is a heritage site, there was no way we could possibly remove the trees. Hence, three projectors were installed side-by-side, with the center projector placed in a portrait mode to fit the projected image properly onto the fort’s rampart,” said Manpreet Singh, Head of Projects at AV Science & Technologies. Lin Yu, Vice President of Christie Digital Asia Pacific, remarked, “Christie is a leading player in the area of visual projection across many markets throughout the Asia Pacific. Many of our projections were realised on so-called modern terms. For example, the projections at the Beijing Summer Games in 2008 and the recently concluded world exposition in Shanghai. This project at the Old Fort in New Delhi is truly representative of a son et lumière given that it encapsulates a most modern art of projection onto a historical façade. This project is very encouraging as it helps us to bring history back to life. As you know, there are many cities and sites in the Asia Pacific that have great historical significance, such as the Old Fort here in New Delhi, and Christie would be very honored indeed, to be able to play a role in the visual narration of these aspects of history, which if left unsaid, would be forgotten and hence wasted.”
“Christie is a key player in digital projection technology and we are honored that our projectors are used for such an important purpose. For both our international and local audiences, we are indeed very happy to be able to relate the history of our country’s
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capital in a most visually arresting manner,” said Rajesh Patkar, Deputy General Manager at Christie India. www.christiedigital.com
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The Laservision Team
Singapore
Marina Bay Sands Light and Water Spectacular
“Wonder Full” is a multimedia spectacular held at the doorstep of the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Touted as South East Asia’s largest light and water spectacular, the show is dramatic in scale and unique in style. This free 13-minute show is a water, land and sky-based, 360 degree experience showcasing the mediums of enormous water screens, vibrant multicolour high-powered lasers, searchlights, spotlights, fountains, surround sound, strobes, bubble factories, flame effects, LED lighting, high definition video projection and special effects.
The original idea of creating a show that has a “soul” was seeded by Mr Michael A. Leven, President and Chief Operating Officer, Las Vegas Sands Corporation and was brought to fruition by Laservision. “Wonder Full” is the story of water and light creating Life, told with water and light. The show explores humanity and the beauty of the human experience through original footage from Singapore, and original sound score and an abundance of mediums spanning the 15.4 hectare Marina Bay Sands site. Designed to appeal to all ages and demographics regardless of nationality, the spectacular is
a Son et Lumiere of international calibre, reflecting both the status of the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort and the nation of Singapore. This exciting new attraction lights up the waterfront and skies of the Marina Bay area seven days a week, two times a night except for Friday and Saturday which has an additional late show. “Wonder Full” features new and exciting technology that took Laservision three years to develop and refine. A team consisting of 100 specialists in architectural, design, creative, musical, engineering, technical and IT resources were drawn from its Hong Kong, Australian and Singaporean offices. The show is operated and maintained by Laservision’s Singapore office. Paul McCloskey, CEO and Founder, Laservision Mega Media, said, “I am extremely proud of our Laservision team who brought all this together. It is an extraordinary outcome and it’s all set with the beautiful backdrop of Singapore. We have been producing spectaculars now for 30 years around the world and this is the jewel in our crown.”
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Show Technologies
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The water screen vessel
* All mediums are controlled down to the millisecond by Laservision’s Digital-Data Pump Series III Show Control System via 20 Laservision media servers and over 50 kilometres of data cable and fiber optics. * Elegant custom designed musical fountain spanning the waterfront event plaza with 18 individually controlled fountains reaching up to 20 metres in height, in conjunction with independent tilt mechanisms, allows for a wide range of stunning liquid patterns. The fountains are illuminated by submerged high-powered, multi-coloured custom LED technology. * 3 units of Laservision Aqua-screens creating majestic liquid walls spanning about 2000 square metres. * A total of half a million watts of light including 30 high-powered multi-coloured Clay Paky Alpha One moving searchlights located on the waterfront Event Plaza, Skypark and Artscience museum oculus; one billion foot candles of light arising from the Oculus of the ArtScience Museum into the sky; 15 x high-powered Stella-Ray and LightRay laser systems producing over 300,000 milliwatts of laser energy, capable of being seen for up to 55 kilometres outdoors and over 250,000 energy efficient intelligent Light Emitting Dioes (LEDs). * 7 high powered Christie 18K High Definition Video Projectors enclosed within customised floating barges.
* The water screen vessels and projection barges were designed for use in natural waterways and are 100% floating. They rise and fall with variations in the water level, whilst remaining perfectly aligned. * The original sound score, recorded by the 140 piece Bratislava Symphony Orchestra is enjoyed through a Bosch 7.1 surround sound system generating 50,000 watts of sound reinforcement that features 20 x EV X-Line array speakers, 16 x 450 EV X-Line sub woofers driven by 32 x Dynacord 5000 amplifiers, all networked through a Netmax digital matrix. The entire show soundtrack is submitted to the wider bay area via FM frequency so surrounding audiences can tune into the action on 103.9FM. * A plethora of special FX including 8 x Martin ZR44 smoke machines, 8 x Martin Atomic strobe lights, 8 x Antari bubble machines and environmentally friendly fire effects.
* Also featured are 17 x DTS XR3000 moving head fixtures that are placed in 17 units of Tempest Tornado climatecontrolled domes; 50 units of Anolist Xtreme LED fixtures; 400 units of Laservision LV3000 LED Wash lights and a MA Lighting grandMA Ultra Light lighting desk. * The entire show can also be operated by an iPhone or iPad from anywhere in the world.
Symbolism
According to Laservision, the show and some of the technology have added significance through the ancient art of “Feng Shui”. For instance: * The three water screens and water fountains symbolise the creation of all life. * The Lotus flower that appears on the screen is symbolic of purity and perfection. * The 8 searchlights in the event plaza represent prosperity. * On top of the three towers lighting the sky are 9 searchlights indicating longevity. * The use of light represents joy, respect, peace and harmony. * The eagle in the show is a sacred symbolism. The eagle stands for the power of rising above the earth, above the physical and the literal, into the heavens.
Challenges
One of the most significant challenges of the project was obtaining the approval and permission to permanently install this spectacular show in what is to become Singapore’s future reservoir for drinking water. The concerns of over 15 government bodies were addressed by Laservision and after 12 months of modifying the design, equipment and creative content, Marina Bay Sands and Laservision were given permission to install and operate the nightly spectacular.
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There was also the challenge of designing the floating water screen, the projection and fountain systems in a body of water which was tidal. If the systems were not secured exactly at the same location each night, the projection position would move and the laser and projectors would all be out of alignment. To resolve this issue, Laservision designed and developed a custom projection floating solution using a hydraulic mechanism to ensure the projection positions were identical each evening during show time. When the projection pontoons were not in use, they were allowed to rise and fall with the tide. Once triggered for the show, the hydraulic system engaged and the pontoons were
pulled down and secured automatically into show position. In order to maintain an aesthetically appealing Events Plaza area, Laservision was requested by the architect to design structures which would be both aesthetically appealing and functional for the Light and Water Show. To meet the requirements, Laservision built eight cylindrical structures around the event plaza. Each structure housed mid and high range speakers, subwoofers, smoke machines, strobes and a bubble machine with the top of the structure featuring a 300kg, 7000W searchlight. A unique mechanism was installed whereby the searchlight and special FX equipment would be raised-up from within the tower via a screw jack system.
Green Technologies
Paul McCloskey comments, “A Green show design was a priority for Marina Bay Sands, therefore Laservision incorporated a range of environmentally-smart technologies.” These included incorporating extremely energy-efficient lighting technologies into the design such as intelligent LEDs, which aside from reduced energy consumption benefits
also have a longer lifespans, therefore reducing landfill waste and emissions created in the process of replacing consumables. Laservision’s water screen systems use a patented air-to-water mix ratio that aerates the surrounding body of water. Aeration promotes fish abundance and diversity, breaks down waste and reduces the level of gasses such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide. Laservision’s latest solid-state, optically pumped laser systems are now a staggering 2000 times more energy efficient thatntraditional technologies making them very efficient. This was made possible courtesy of the Australian Government research and development facility which Laservision took advantage of. As the attraction relies on a range of cuttingedge and sophisticated mediums, Laservision felt it was not necessary to incorporate an arsenal of pyrotechnics to provide the wow factor. Attractions that fire pyrotechnics on a nightly basis release tonnes of toxic gases and chemicals into the atmosphere and surrounding waterways. As this attraction is located on Marina Bay, which is a reservoir for
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drinking water, the nightly spectacular is free of any falling debris that could compromise the quality of the water. On special occasions that call for extra celebration such as Chinese New Year and National Day, zero fallout pyrotechnic technologies will be used to minimise the environmental impact whilst still maintaining a premium effect.
Key Personnel Involved
Paul McCloskey - CEO and Founder Shannon Brooks - Project Manager Craig McClelland - Project Manager John Kehoe – Contract Manager Collette Galeano – Project Administrator Jason Galeano – Development Manager Lloyd Weir - Creative Dirctor Jonathan Gunawan - Video and Fx Programmer Scott Snowden - Lighting Designer Frederick Thompson - Laser Programmer Daryl Tewksbury - Senior Technical Designer Iskander Ismail - Composer and Arranger Daryl Ang - Maestro and Conductor www.marinabaysands.com www.laservision.com.au
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India
Flavours of India come alive at Kingdom of Dreams Kingdom of Dreams is the ultimate entertainment and leisure destination located in Gurgaon, India. The Kingdom of Dreams concept was conceived in 2002, a one-ofa-kind mega project, showcasing India’s performing arts. The Great Indian Nautanki Company (GINC) was formed to make the concept a reality, in order to promote Indian culture and tourism. GINC is the brainchild of Viraf Sarkari of Wizcraft International Entertainment and Gagan Sharma of Apra Group of Companies.
brands under the Harman Professional fold, it was a choice that allowed Kingdom of Dreams to create an integrated system solution with various products that are designed to work seamlessly with each other.
The venue is set-up for Bollywood style performances and glitzy, glamour productions with hundreds of performers. It can also host corporate events and concerts. Live music productions can also be broadcasted as the main theatre has its own broadcast facility.
The complete system installation project at the Kingdom of Dreams was expertly handled by Harman’s authorised India distributor, Hi-Tech Audio Systems Pvt Ltd, headed by company director Rajan Gupta and technical director Manik Gupta. From providing the basic design and drawings, to installation and post installation support, Hi-Tech extended complete support and commitment to this project. Hi-Tech, with its vast technical expertise and winning team of over 100 technical experts, is highly experienced in the Indian professional audio market, having led many major fixed installs, live sound, recording and broadcasting projects.
Audio
Harman International India Pvt Ltd, was selected as the official sound partner for Kingdom of Dreams. The entire range of audio products by Harman- AKG, BSS, Crown, JBL and Soundcraft have been installed in three key venues at the Kingdom of Dreams - Main auditorium( Nautanki Mahal), Culture gully and IIFA Buzz Bar. With many legendary
Sunny Sarid, a well-known international DJ and a renowned consultant for audio installations in clubs, bars and restaurants, was appointed the audio consultant to lead the entire audio set-up for the overall project at Kingdom of Dreams in March 2009.
“The expectations for this project were extremely high, including full service backup in the event of any product failure. A key reason that Harman systems were chosen was due to the product quality. As a company
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with a rich experience in audio installations in India, Hi-Tech is proud to have been a part of this dream project, providing full service, technical expertise and support,” said Rajan Gupta. “The promoters of GINC, Viraf and Gagan, had a clear idea of what they wanted in the main auditorium; the sound had to be loud and full but comfortable to listen to in a theatre environment with a good low end. I was given a free reign to work on the project which is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The legendary product quality of Harman, combined with the level of design capabilities, after–sales support and technical expertise provided by Harman and their partner, HiTech Audio Systems, proved to be the perfect choice for this project. We decided on 35.1 multi-channel surround sound installation and required that the audio signal could be sent to a specific speaker so as to maximise the drama and overall experience of the show,” said Sarid. The main auditorium is built like an Indian palace complete with carvings and ornate Indian figures and designs. Aptly named, Nautanki Mahal, it is an 848-seater state-ofthe-art auditorium. The proscenium has three frames in the form of LED arches and a large LED screen forms the back wall of the stage. The stage itself has two parts, which can be raised and lowered by hydraulic lifts. From the basement, the stage can be raised by two metres, allowing elements of the show like elephants, trucks, etc. on to the stage as required. The latest technology of lights, sound and fly systems enables special effects, aerial choreography, animation, stunts and props so that audiences can enjoy an unmatched aural experience. The enormity of the stage has been a key factor in the selection of the sound system. The main sound system comprises of a JBL three-way, high directivity, midsize line array, 22 JBL VT4888, eight JBL VT 4882 high-power handling arrayable subwoofers, which are located both above the stage, suspended, and ground stacked. This ensures the full low end can be appreciated in the balcony area with no delay. Powering these are 18 Crown I-Tech HD digital audio power amplifiers running the latest Soundcraft Vi6 tunings. The surround sound system in the seating area comprises of 32 JBL AC18/26 compact 2-way loudspeakers, powered by eight Crown XTi 2000 amps. Speakers were also fitted under the balcony. They consisted of JBL AC28/26s powered by Crown XTi 6000s and front fills were JBL AC18/26. In order to enable the performers to experience the ambience, JBL VRX915M monitors are located on stage along with a small format JBL VRX932 LA-1 , powered by four Crown I-Tech 5000 HD.
These speakers systems are perfectly complemented by an AKG microphone (approx 80 of them) for various applications (handheld, body pack, wireless, podium microphones and other microphone accessories). These applications vary from the K 240 Studio MK II, handheld transmitters such as D5 and C5 DHT 700, transmitters in the DSR 700 series and podium mikes (GN 50 & CK 80). Soundcraft’s large format digital mixing console, the Vi6, with its 96 channels of input and 35 outputs, has been strategically placed at the front of house mix position. This mixer covers the full scope of the auditorium’s diverse audio requirements and is well-known for its user interface, the Vistonics II™, which has an intuitive console.
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areas. They were designed for medium volume music and have a low distortion, smooth natural frequency response and excellent coverage at 150 degrees. They are supplied with back-can, grill, brackets etc for easy installation. Nearly 200 individual speakers powered by Crown power amplifiers, CTS 8200 and CDI 4000, are installed here. Within Culture Gully is the IIFA Buzz Bar, an International Indian Film Academy branded bar complete with film-themed décor, props and music making it a perfect setting for an evening dinner and for patrons to enjoy
As David McKinney, Senior Director of Sales - Asia, Harman Professional, explains, ‘The scale of the theatre alone is impressive and we were excited to be part of the team that created the ideal sound for such a grand and prestigious venue. Harman India’s technical team and the team from Hi-Tech Audio did an amazing job with a project of this scale. Every part of the signal chain uses high end products from all the Harman brands and this has ensured high quality sound throughout the venue. Sit anywhere and you will experience the same effect in sound.” Culture Gully is a paradise for lovers of Indian cuisine - a covered boulevard with 16 individually themed restaurants each representing the cuisine, arts and culture from different parts of India. Culture Gully also has 24 independent zones of regional music corresponding to different states in India. Each restaurant has its own music, as does the main boulevard, shops and entrance foyer – 28 zones in total which are centrally managed and locally controlled by restaurant staff . JBL Control 24CT ceiling speakers were chosen for the restaurants and other public
good music. The venue is divided into zones, permitting a quiet area for conversations and louder areas for partying. In line with these requirements, the audio installed was 28 JBL Control CRV with a unique contemporary curved design. Also installed were JBL, EON 510 (ultra compact 280 Watt Powered 10” portable speaker system), JBL PRX 518S (compact 18” portable subwoofer system) and Crown XTi 4000, a dual channel, digital power amplifier and BSS audio mixer. These digital processors were able to provide communication and integration between 28 inputs and 28 outputs seamlessly through BLU Link Audio (BLU 160 and BLU 120).
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The key lighting fixtures used were Clay Paky 1200 profiles and Spots and Martin 2000 Performance, Wash and Spots. The auditorium featured 140 moving lights. In addition, six units of Robert Juliet 2500W Aramis Follow Spots were complemented with 30 units of ADB profiles. Another 140 units of DTS LED full colour fixtures were used for auditorium decor lighting. Effects equipment included four units of Martin PROSMOKE smoke machines, four units of MDG Haze, fire wall units and control systems from Lobo, carbon dioxide jets from Magic FX and snow effects from Antari. All lighting is controlled via two grandMA full size lighting desks.
“The installation at Kingdom of Dreams is a prestigious project for Harman India. We are witnessing tremendous opportunities in the Professional Audio market in India and given the increased traction in the infotainment market, we are confident that the Harman range of equipment and systems will be best suited for large scale installations and live sound projects of world class audio standards,” said Ankush Agarwal, Marketing Manager, Harman Professional-India.
“This theatre is one-of-a-kind and gives its audience a truly cinematic, theaterical experience with its huge LED arches on stage and image projections on both the side walls of the auditorium with a surround sound system. This is a showcase of Indian cinema with a twist of Broadway. I am proud to say that this is the first theatre in the country that meets all international standards and has state-of-the-art lighting design and equipment,” said McKenzie.
Opening shortly is the ShowShaa Theatre, a 200-seat theatre designed with bands and concerts in mind, and following that, a 250-seat, open-air amphitheatre which will feature natural acoustics. This area will also be installed with various audio equipment by Harman.
The stage has a huge 20 metre x 20 metre high ornamental proscenium which McKenzie says was itself a challenge to light up to highlight the beautiful design element. The stage lighting is rigged on five Flying LX trusses which are barely inches away from the packed scenery bars which move at high speeds during a scenery change. Nevertheless the team managed to install the lighting fixtures to work. Lighting of the big props on stage was another challenge as there could be no external wire connections due to quick scene changes. So a self-powered battery system was designed and the DMX control was achieved with WDMX receivers.
Lakshminarayan M, Managing Director, Harman International India Pvt Ltd, adds, “We are very proud to be associated as a sound partner for the Kingdom of Dreams, a magical world in itself for Indian art and culture. This installation project was a very different opportunity for us. Harman’s legendary performance, along with an array of our high definition products as well as HiTech Audio Systems’ expertise, has proven to be a winning combination. We congratulate the promoters of this venture for its success.”
Lighting
Lighting obviously plays an important role especially in a theatre. Jerry Appelt of PRG Germany was appointed as the lighting designer. McKenzie Misquitta was the technical consultant representing Wizcraft for this project. McKenzie played a pivotal role as he was responsible for executing the complete installation of lighting, video and special effects for the venue.
Mckenzie comments, “The complete programming of the lighting for the show was done in 200 days and the outcome was spectacular. The musical had all the essence of a broadway show with a bollywood flavour. The theatre looked awesome on its first box office day and surpassed all the expectations of the owners.” Lighting also played an important role outside the theatre. The main front facade of the theatre was lit up with 32 units of Martin Exteriors which were a mix of 1200W and 700W and Martin Tripix 300mm LED. The lighting for the windows and domes were done using a combination of Chinese LED lights. As for sky beams, eight units of Clay Paky 1500 Alpha Beams mounted in a Kupo Weatherproof Dome were installed. Evidently, the state-of-the art audio visual technology has played a vital role in the success of Kingdom of Dreams. What began as an idea has now resulted in a magnificent and grand experience which has established Kingdom of Dreams as a landmark attraction in Delhi, placing Indian culture on a global map and setting benchmarks in entertainment. www.harmanpro.com www.wizcraftworld.com
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Clay Paky inaugurates Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates: Clay Paky was the official lighting equipment supplier to MMS srl for the inauguration of “Ferrari World”, also known as the “Ferrari Experience”, the first Ferrari theme park in the world, built on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The park was designed by Benoy Architects and is owned by Aldar Properties, the leading development company in Abu Dhabi. It occupies a total area of 200,000 m2, with an indoor area (accessible only to the public) of 100,000 m2. The main tower is 60 metres high and the whole building has an outer circumference of 2,200 metres. Facilities include a real race track, a theatre, various driving activities, several rides and attractions, multi-sensory video games and three thrilling races. The official opening of the theme park was top class. Filmaster Dubai, the production company that oversaw production of the event, was entrusted with the production of one of the most extraordinary shows ever seen in the Gulf region. The event was not only adorned with Clay Paky lights but there was also a spectacular fireworks display and a video put together to represent - in just a few minutes - the history and development of Abu Dhabi from its pearl divers’ past to its present wealth and technology, culminating in the design and construction of Ferrari World. The show featured acrobats, whose
performances were an integral part of the event itself, and a great live orchestra playing original music under the direction of Daniele Zambelli. The event installation and rigging service was provided jointly by Giochi di Luce for the video and MMS srl for the audio and lights. Both were selected by FilmMaster Dubai and have extensive experience, both nationally and internationally, in the design
and rigging of lights and audiovisuals for major events and conventions. Giochi di Luce also has operations in the Gulf region (Giochi di Luce LLC), with its own sales office, skilled technicians and a well stocked warehouse. For the launch of “Ferrari World”, MMS srl supplied 105 Clay Paky Alpha Profile 1500s, 34 Clay Paky Alpha Beams, 60 Alpha Spot HPE 575s, 44 Clay Paky Alpha wash 700s and the audio equipment.
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Michele Duchi, owner of Giochi di Luce, said: “When there are important, prestigious international events like this, there is no doubt about the choice of equipment for the rig. You have to go for the very best lights. My company chose Clay Paky some time ago since we often deal with very prestigious and demanding customers. Clay Paky has always ensured utmost reliability, and the lights have such a wide range of features that it is possible to achieve the optimal light setting for every event.” In the opening ceremony, the LD Tom Irthum, used the Alpha Profiles and Alpha Beams to create lighting scenes to fit in with the mega-video projections (a good 3,600 square metres of projection surface!) that retraced the history of the men, cars, and drivers that have made the Ferrari name a legend. Halfway through the show a slogan was projected onto the cyclorama. It read, “Ferrari sells a dream behind which there are exceptional men and women.” After this, sound, lights and video projections created a whirlwind of emotions and gymnasts, trapeze artists and acrobats twirled through the air with the same speed and elegance as the Ferrari cars in the video.
“It was a grand event as the extremely pleased final customer had requested,” said Gigi Belloni, owner of MMS srl, which has also opened a representative office in Dubai. “Clay Paky’s lights were, as usual, a guarantee and a benchmark for International lighting designers. We could define it as a triumph
for Italian products in a foreign land. Two Italian service companies, with entirely Italian lighting equipment, enhancing the image of one of the most famous and prestigious Italian companies in the world.” www.claypaky.it
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JM Rental’s R7-ER at IDEX Opening Ceremony
United Arab Emirates: The 10th International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX), the largest defence and security event in the Middle East and the North African region, took place from 20-24 February 2011, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Abu Dhabi, UAE. ADNEC has 108,000 sq m of space for 1,060 exhibitors and 32 country pavilions for more than 50,000 visitors from 53 nations. IDEX’s 10th Anniversary was the largest IDEX that’s been held to date since the show’s inception in 1993. It’ spectacular opening ceremony was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, marking the inauguration of the region’s largest triservice defence show. Working hand-in-hand with Showtec Communications PTE LTD for RedFilo Event LLC, the event organiser for the
IDEX 2011, JM Rental Ltd was again the LED display provider for this remarkable event. For this year, a total of 696 panels of Lighthouse Technologies’ 7 mm visual pitch R7-ER were chosen for the ceremony. JM Rental Ltd is one of a few companies worldwide who are capable of supplying LED screens on such a scale.
Controlled by Barco’s Encore Presentation System together with Dataton’s Watchout Multi Display Software from Showtec Communications PTE LTD, the R7-ER gigantic “Widescreen” display had been divided into
two individual sets at the size of 30 wide x 8 panels high (30.48 m x 6.10 m) each. They could be enlarged to the size of 60.96 m x 6.10 m when merged giving a pixel resolution of 3,840 x 384 pixels which is highest that any full HD screen can offer. The tracking system on this enormous video wall enabled the screens to be seperated giving the 1,000 invited VIPs and official delegates an impressive visual experience. Another two sets of “IMAG Screens” which were 12 wide x 9 panels high (12.19m x 6.86m) were set aside as display monitors featuring live programming during the ceremony. The one hour show started with the UAE national anthem accompanied by the fly-by of Chinook helicopters bearing the UAE and IDEX flags, escorted by two Apache and two Blackhawk helicopters. This was followed by an exciting display featuring 5 Mirage delta-winged fighter aircraft and F-16 fighters. A stunning air and land demonstration followed as 10
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professional skydiving experts in UAE-flag themed suits skydived from 8,000 feet above the ground. On the ground, stunt bikers performed acrobatics on the mobility track. The ceremony continued with the Royal Australian Navy Band, the New Zealand Army Band and the UAE’s Military Band playing stirring music representing each country’s culture and defence heritage. Then, the UAE military lined up with the flags of all the participating nations. The ceremony ended with a pyrotechnic display while the UAE’s Al Fursan (The Knights) aerobatic team performed a stunning aerobatic display. “It has been such an honor for us to be part of the largest tri-service defence exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa region two
times consecutively,” said Kenneth Yip of JM Rental. “Entering the Middle East Market is not as easy as it seems and we are proud to have entered the Middle East with a project of this scale and importance. I would like to thank our partners and the manufacturer for the tremendous support.” “We value perfection,” said Ronnie Lim, the executive producer of the IDEX 2011 Opening Ceremony, who has more than 20 years of event organising experience. “For the second time in a row, I have been engaged to organise the IDEX opening event which we promised to be the grandest opening ceremony ever. We also promised that it would be perfectly carried out as well. Everything had to be perfect; the venue, the show, the stage production and the gigantic LED displays.”
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Concluded Pach Ang, Managing Director of RedFilo Events LLC, who planned and conceptualised the complete military spectrum display, “This year, we were the Overall Producer for the IDEX 2011 Opening Ceremony which the media called the most spectacular military display ever produced. Like 2009, this year again, RedFilo assembled a very diversified team of military experts to conceptualise, plan, manage and execute the display flawlessly.” www.redfilo.com www.showtecgroup.com www.joinmerit.com
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Lighting the 2011 Chingay Parade
Singapore: The Chingay Parade started as a neighbourhood parade with only Chinese elements in 1973, as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. Today, the parade has evolved into the grandest street and floats parade in Singapore, showcasing the rich, vibrant, multi-culturalism of Singapore. The parade features a dazzling extravaganza of colours and cultural diversity with resplendent floats and multi-cultural local and international performances. The Chingay Parade has also become the second largest show in Singapore, not only by audience but also by system requirements. This year the event was held in the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix Pit Lane. With over 350 fixtures in total and nearly 5200 control channels in 8- or 16-bit resolution, lighting this show was no small feat. Signal distribution becomes very important and unfortunately the F1 pit lane brings its own challenges with regards to cable runs. It was therefore
unavoidable to rely on a networked system that would incorporate fiber optics. Delicate as it may seem, fiber optics have become the ‘cable’ of choice due to its inherent benefits like electrical insulation and extended cable length.
The amount of fixtures used required the use of a Network Processing Unit for parameter expansion for the 3 grandMA2 consoles
used, while the 2 NSPs (in 4PortNode mode) plus the 2PortNodes were used for DMX distribution. These independent outputs ensured the main objective of the show; the whole pit lane was split into 3 segments, each individually controlled by each console. At any time if there was a failure, the remaining consoles could take over as there was no physical DMX output from the desks. Additionally this also ensured that for the grand finale, where everything was to be controlled from the centre stage, this console could take over control from the two other boards by a click of a button. To make all this possible, Roy Chooi from Highlight Systems and Peter from CSP Productions recruited Jens Poehlker from MA Lighting Asia from a very early stage to help with the network planning. Poehlker’s involvement was a huge advantage during the preparation of the show and during the show itself. “Early involvement makes it easier for us to
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provide much better support as we know the system layout. This avoids delays in trouble shooting,” said Poehlker. A heavy downpour on the evening of the 1st show had caused instabilities in the cable runs leading to problems in signal transmission. Chooi made a decision to split the 3 consoles during the show. At the end, he was running the show from the centre console alone. The networking had proven to be a blessing in disguise. Nobody seemed to notice the issues behind the stage. On the second day, after some troubleshooting during the night and re-running the cables, the system worked flawlessly as expected. Looking at the particular challenges of lighting the Chingay Parade, Chooi can look back at a history of having mastered this already five times before. It was only the second time that the parade was actually held at the F1 Pit area but it provided a different set of problems on its own. Where else do you have a 7000sqm large space that looks more like an alley than a regular stage? Chooi (in his role as lighting designer, programmer and key operator) had to cover this stretch
of road (360m with trusses at 10m height on both sides) evenly to make it suitable for TV broadcast. He was assisted by David Lim and Clement Cheong, both full time staff at Highlight Systems. During the parade the floats would move from one segment to the next and each segment had to have the same lighting at a different timing. Faced with restrictions like power supply and fixture availability, he spread out the fixtures evenly across the 3 segments, with a range of 300W to 1200W fixtures used for the show. The key to managing the show was to understand the individual characteristics of the various fixtures and use them where appropriate. Right from the outset, Chooi planned to use 3 different stations for control as this would enable him to cover the 3 distinctive points where the floats would pause. Separating the 3 consoles was not an option because for the grand finale, all the lighting had to be centrally controlled from the master desk. Looking into the networking capabilities of the MA Lighting consoles, Chooi also acknowledged that they would give him the
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added feature of backup which proved to be essential. Having the same showfile on all 3 consoles gave Chooi and his crew peace of mind because at any point in time, any of the three consoles could run the complete show. Using different user profiles and separating the fixtures into distinct “worlds” helped Chooi and his team during the programming as no one would interfere with someone else’s sequences. In the end, everything came together in one showfile. Separating the user profiles also helped Cheong and Lim to develop their own programming style, as both were relatively new to the MA world. Lim, who had joined Highlight Systems only 6 months back, had only 2 hours to get himself up to speed for the programming. Learning by doing was the key and soon everyone was able to operate the desk. Both Cheong and Lim even challenged themselves by trying out new features on the fly. Both of them appreciated the opportunity and experience. www.malighting.com www.cspproductions.com.sg www.highlight-systems.com
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SOUND.COM powers the Indian National Games 2011 in Ranchi India held its 34th National Games at Ranchi in Jharkhand recently. The event saw athletes from all Indian states competing against each other. Around 7,000 athletes marched past the audience of 45,000 people during the spectacular, four-and-a-half-hour closing ceremony. After successfully handling the audio for the Commonwealth Games 2010 in Delhi, large event specialists SOUND.COM were again contracted to broadcast the audio for both the opening and closing ceremonies in the Ranchi Stadium, working with event production house Core Networks and Cineyug Group. The pro audio specialists again provided an advanced network solution with all the audio delivered by Optocore using the German company’s new ‘R-FX’ series devices. Following an air display, the audience was treated to entertainment that included Indian musicians, Bollywood stars, a laser show, a fire dance and a special appearance by Katrina Kaif. There was also a sub-event titled ‘Welcome Kerala’ because this is the location of next year’s event. The audio was streamed to six nodes in the North, South, East, West, FOH and VIP zones of the stadium using Optocore X6R-FX and DD32R-FX digital interraces. While these were running on fibre, an X6R-TP was running on CAT5, using Optocore’s SANE protocol for the VIP area. In total, SOUND.COM ran 2.2km of Multimode Tactical Fibre Optic Cable as well as 3.0km of Analogue Multicore and Two Core cables. “Using the ‘R’ series made a huge difference
in signal transmission, speed and accuracy and was the foundation stone of our ability to provide audio at any part of the stadium,” stated SOUND.COM founder and managing director, Warren Dsouza. “We also ran the multi-mode tactical fibre optic cable in a ring topology thus giving us redundancy if we lost a fibre cable.” It was only after Warren Dsouza and his colleague Sunil Karanjikar travelled to Optocore headquarters in Munich for OCT training and certification that they decided to upgrade their DD2FE to DD2FR-FX. In Ranchi, this dual port optical MADI device interfaced with the Soundcraft VI6 FOH console. “This was probably the first DD2FR-FX MADI device out in the field,” believes Dsouza. The racks and stacks consisted of JBL VerTec VT4889, VT4888 & VT4887 speaker systems with VT4880 subwoofers powered by Crown ITech HD12000 and Lab.gruppen PLM10000Q amplifiers all receiving AES signals from the Optocore devices. A monitor node rack consisting of the VI6 stage rack received audio mic and line signals from the talent on stage and provided audio outputs to the FP+10000Q using XTA DP448 crossovers controlled by Audiocore v8.7. Sennheiser 300G2 IEM’s were used for the talent monitoring along with VRX915M stage monitors. “All the microphones split to Front of House, Monitors and Broadcast were distributed using the reliable XTA DS800. The XTA units also were a part of our analogue network that provided us a back-up to the digital transport and we could just switch over from digital to analogue whenever required. We used a total of eight DS800’s for this project and thanks to
the efforts of our distributor Kiran Sanghavi of Premier Industrial Importers, were able to get 4 more in the nick of time for the opening and closing ceremonies,” says Warren. “We, also sported on console a 360 Systems Broadcast Instant Replay 2 for all the quick cues that were required and a souped up custom rack mountable PC computer with a MOTU Ultralite mk3 Hybrid sound card for all the live acts. We also had Lenovo Laptops running the entire show music as a back-up.” Meanwhile, careful wireless spectrum management provided by WinRadio Communications in conjunction with Shure Wireless Workbench 5, allowed SOUND.COM to keep tabs on the spurious radio signals and government jammers during VIP movement. “I am very proud at the way the SOUND.COM team members have executed this project with veteran engineers like Sunil, Gilroy and Yusuf working in conjunction with rookies like Jason, Arvind and Dheeraj,” commented the SOUND.COM supremo. “They have pulled off a major audio production while the company was also busy handling other projects at the same time. The client most definitely was more than satisfied.” www.optocore.com www.sound.com
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Analog Way powers Academy Fantasia Concert Academy Fantasia is a reality show held in Thailand. It is a popular singing contest, judged through votes from the audience. The first season was held back in 2004. This year, the seventh season, Media Vision (1994) Co. Ltd., a professional AV rental staging company based in Bangkok, was requested to handle the AV system for the concert held at Huamark Indoor Stadium in Bangkok. Media Vision specialises in renting AV and lighting systems as well as staging special effects for concerts, events and exhibitions in both Thailand and abroad. With 107 employees working together as a team, Media Vision produces between 200-400 events and concerts every year. Media Vision was chosen to handle the AV system for the show because the company has many years of experience in the industry as well as a large array of equipment and many technicians and operators.
During the show, Media Vision employed Analog Way equipment including the new Eikos LE system which was used in matrix mode for projection of the two side screens in between the centre stage. One Pulse LE unit was also deployed for the main stage which enabled seamless switching and PIP features. Both products were controlled by the new TRK-800 remote keypad. According to Media Vision, they chose the Analog Way system because of the PIP (picture-in-picture) feature
and the keying function. In addition, although most of their customers use digital signals for their DVD players or cameras some of their customers still use analog signals. All of Analog Way’s solutions have both analog and digital inputs or outputs, which enables Media Vision to do their jobs with ease. www.analogway.com
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2011 Bangkok Motor Show charges ahead! The Bangkok Motor Show (BMS) was held recently at Impact Exhibition Center in Muangthong Thani, Bangkok. From everyday city cars to exotic luxury sports cars, this huge exhibition encompassed everything that would satisfy even the most stringent car enthusiast. With its aptly titled theme of ‘Discovery, a New Innovation’, this worldclass event promised something new and exciting for visitors. PR Lighting’s PR XLED 590 played an integral role in providing soft lighting touches to enhance the cars’ appearance during the exhibition. The moving yoke LED color wash fixtures were used in various booths including the booths of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Mitsubishi and Chevrolet. The lighting fixtures for Mercedes-Benz’s and Chevrolet’s booths were installed by one of Thailand’s most reputable stage lighting rental companies – Light Source Co., Ltd, who also installed the lighting fixtures in the BMW booth. The Mitsubishi booth was lighted by AV System Co., Ltd and PM Center Co., Ltd respectively. “With the inclusion of energy saving LEDs in this year’s show, we hope to send out a ‘Go
Green’ message to all the people out there. Plus, in order to save energy, the organiser also outlined a ‘two units of luminaries per car’ guideline for all exhibitors. With the world automobile trend shifting towards the hybrid and electric cars, we hope a similar direction is taken in the stage lighting industry as well. However, we are definitely not compromising quality and performance for environmental concerns. The reliable XLED 590 is as good as it comes, performing inexorably under different conditions or scenarios. It’s one of the most trustworthy systems for a huge event like this,” explained the Managing Director of Light Source, Mr. Norasate Somboonwong. Somboonwong, or Joe as he is more fondly known, has an infectious energy and enthusiasm in the way he speaks. Always one who speaks his mind, Joe is not one to hold back on anything – whether in life or in his business decisions. But beneath his chipper and lighthearted demeanor, Joe is a steadfast and decisive business manager. Managing a rental company in a turbulent environment is not an easy task. For example, Joe was only allocated a day by the organiser to set up all the booths. Working on a tight
and unpredictable schedule is the norm for him but he has learned to make it his edge. Most importantly, Joe places a very high priority on his customers’ needs. “It’s all about giving the best to your customers. That’s my motto when it comes to business. Besides
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that, I also have a deep respect for my staff. I find that staff and manager are the same. With 25 years of experience, I know what the most important asset for the business is,” he said. Joe believes that the same goes for his trusty distributor, Acoustic & Lighting System (Thailand). “Mr. Solos (the sales consultant) was such a great help in helping me to select and customise the right system. He also took care of all my needs and requirements diligently. Now, that’s what I call good service,” exclaimed Joe with a smile. “I actually encountered PR Lighting by chance at an exhibition in China. I saw their presentation and I was blown away by the precision and brightness of their luminaires. For me, when I look for a luminary, I will look at its size, light output, mechanics, power supply and weight. Factors like price and brand are of second consideration to me. Besides that, PR Lighting also allowed some degree of customisation to my XLEDs. For example, the normal XLED comes with no clamp, but due to my work experience I feel that a handle or clamp is necessary for the convenience of my workers. Thus, all of my units come equipped
with clamps. And I also requested for a fourunit rack kit instead of the standard two-unit kit. This freedom of customisation, plus the portability and flexibiliy of the XLEDS, is why I selected them for BMS.” “With a tight deadline, the pressure was undeniably intense and overbearing, but thankfully I had a group of dependable and efficient people with me. Most importantly, we had reliable and effective equipment with us. As a result, we didn’t encounter any difficulties in setting up and configuring all the XLED 590s. They were extremely portable and set up is definitely not an issue for us. The head is 10.5 inches (267mm) in diameter and the unit stands 13-7/8 inches (353mm) high with the head focused straight up. The base is 12-3/4 inches (350mm) wide by 9-9/16
inches (243mm) deep and the fixture weighs 24.25 pounds (11kg). For comparison, there’s another booth (in BMS) that utilises another brand of LED luminaries. I find their effect and overall presentation lackluster and far from perfect. Thus, in my opinion, I think it all boils down to the core performance of the equipment and not some secondary factor like price.” Setting up may not have been an issue but there was another predicament that they had to face. “For BMS, we have to continuously utilise the XLED 590 for 10 hours a day and for 14 days. We needed a luminary that had low power consumption, had high efficacy in lumens per watt, emitted low heat and had a long lifespan. Thankfully, I found all these in the 590. It possesses all these qualities and more – and I couldn’t be happier. To prove my point, I have utilised the same XLED 590 to support the legendary Thailand rock band, Carabou, in their Thailand tour. With 100 shows lined up, the system needs to be extremely portable and durable. This is going to be a MEGA event in the local music scene and I’m glad Light Source and PR Lighting are a part of it. Right as we speak, my crew is actually setting up another set of XLED 590s for the popular Korean group, JYJ. It’s going to be another magnificent and memorable international concert!” In addition to PR Lighting, an RCF sound system also graced the show with its power and clear sound reproduction. K.S. Light &
Sound Co., Ltd. utilised the reliable Acustica C5215L for the Suzuki booth as it effortlessly transmitted the raw and free-spirited energy of the Suzuki brand. “With the success of this show, Light Source has the opportunity to participate in next year’s show as well! Thus, you won’t be waving goodbye to PR Lighting anytime soon! And with that, we are pretty sure we will be seeing a lot of PR Lighting and RCF for many events to come!” concluded Joe.
Equipment supplied:
Mercedes Benz - PR Lighting – PRXLED590(PR-8100) Chevrolet – PR Lighting – PRXLED590(PR-8100) BMW – PR Lighting – PR-XLED590(PR-8100) Suzuki Motorcycle – RCF – Acustica C5215L Mitsubishi – PR Lighting – PR-XL1200(PR2910M) Stage performance by JYJ (Boy Band) – PR Lighting – PR-XLED590(PR-8100) www.rcf.it/homepage www.lightsource.co.th www.acousticlighting.com www.pr-lighting.com/
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Turbosound rocks cricket World Cup Final It was 40,000 cheering, chanting, vuvuzela’ing fans versus 24 Turbosound Flex Array loudspeakers – a classic David and Goliath scenario… and again David won! Imagine, if you will, the excitement of the spectators at the Wankhede cricket ground watching the ‘Men in Blue’ play their first World Cup Final in the cradle of Indian cricket. Amidst all the uproar, it would seem near impossible to be heard across the stadium, but Turbosound’s Flex Array delivered. The diminutive PA system was loud and clear even with the huge din from the crowd. The audio system for the match was exclusively Turbosound, provided by leading rental company E2 Tech. The fully active fourway system consisted of 24 Flex Array TFA600HDP self-powered mid/highs, 12 NuQ12DP two-ways, 12 dual 18’’ TSW-218DP self-powered subwoofers and 12 TFA-600L Flex Array 18” low frequency cabinets – a total of 60 Turbosound cabinets as main PA and as fills for the VIP Areas, with eight Milan M15s doing duty as monitors for the DJ and the awards ceremonies. Turbosound’s Flex Array is a high-powered medium-scale professional sound reinforcement system combining elements of Turbosound’s patented virtual point source system with well-proven line array technology, resulting in a truly versatile loudspeaker product adaptable to a huge variety of venue types. The Flex Array tops are loaded with a pair of 10-inch low-mid cone drivers, a 6.5-inch highmid cone driver and a 1-inch compression driver on a Dendritic waveguide. Turbosound offers the Flex Array system in two variants of dispersion – as standard in 75° horizontal x 16° vertical, or also as a wide version at 100° horizontal x 16° vertical. Either dispersion pattern comes powered or non-powered. Just four TFA-600HDP cabinets develop an impressive 148dB maximum peak SPL from a very small footprint, delivering the kind of power required to fill a large cricket ground.
The E2 Tech Team
The single 18-inch TFA-600L low frequency enclosure ground stacks or flies and also comes powered or non-powered. All of the top boxes weigh in at a shade over 35kgs, and the lows at a little over 65kgs.
warm quality along with the throw of the Turbosound boxes won the day in Mumbai!
E2 Tech acquired its Flex Array system in mid2009 through Turbosound’s Indian distributor Narain ProAudio Lighting Pvt Ltd, and has added to its inventory substantially in the last two years as the loudspeakers have continued to perform beyond expectations.
Mid Highs
Manoj Motwani at Narain worked closely with E2 tech’s directors Vijay Sabhlok and Jasjeet Singh on the purchase, and helped to narrow the choice down to Turbosound’s Flex Array. “We had a very difficult task of finding the right system, to give us what we wanted at the right price given the high standards demanded by our clients,” said Sabhlok. “But as we sat down to discuss the options and went through multiple catalogues of several manufacturers our task got easier as the only system which met all our parameters and offered the best value was the Turbosound Flex Array.” Sabhlok was very confident that their selfpowered Flex Array rig would be more than adequate for the cricket World Cup Final. The challenge was to make sure that the audio system could be heard over the ambient din in the stadium and most importantly deliver clean sound above the huge noise expected from the excited crowd. This required substantial sound pressure levels and Flex Array delivered just that. The full,
EQUIPMENT USED – All speakers digitally self powered:
Turbosound Flex Array 3-way Line Array 24 x TFA-600HDP 12 x Turbosound NuQ Series NuQ-12DP
Subwoofers 12 x Turbosound dual 18” TSW-218 12 x Turbosound Flex Array single 18” TFA-600LDP Monitors DJ Console
16 x Turbosound Milan M15 CDJ 2000 - 2 nos, DJM 800 Yamaha LS 9 Mixer, 4 UHF Cordless Mics, 4 x Corded Mics 2 x XTA Speaker Management System
www.optocore.com www.sound.com
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Dataton has Emirates successes in sight Sweden: Dataton will showcase both its established WATCHOUT multi-display presentation software and its more recent innovation for the audio tourguide marketplace, Pickup, at the PALME exhibition in Dubai from 26-28 April 2011. Fredrik Svahnberg, Marketing Director, Dataton, comments: “Middle Eastern markets are strong and we are experiencing unprecedented demand for our products in the region. Local customers here really like to raise the bar when it comes to creating novel multimedia events and visitor attractions and PALME is the perfect forum in which to demonstrate that our products can meet these fresh challenges.” One particularly ground-breaking recent application for Dataton WATCHOUT™ was an architectural projection mapping solution for the city of Al Ain. The second largest city in Abu Dhabi and the fastest-growing settlement in the UAE, Al Ain recently staged its largest-ever National Day celebrations. MediaPro, the UAE Dataton Center for Pickup and WATCHOUT, was tasked by event
management company Red Events Services with giving the event a fresh dimension. “We wanted to break away from the usual light show and felt that architectural projection mapping would be a giant leap forward in terms of visual effects,” explains Jinesh Nair, Managing Director of MediaPro. “We began by creating a scale model replica in our studio of the Al Ain Municipality Building that would be used as an architectural backdrop for the projections. We then created the overall dimensions in CAD software and rendered them in After Effects 3D max for the real imaging. Source images were created in Photoshop before being processed in After Effects and Final Cut Pro. The final transitions were achieved using the WATCHOUT layering options, which can create multiple effects onscreen without any ‘ghosting’ interference.” MediaPro used two pairs of Christie Digital projectors to achieve an overall image 40m wide by 10m high. One WATCHOUT software licence was used to drive each pair of projectors and seamlessly blend their images together, with a third system running the production timeline. The movie’s soundtrack was connected to the production unit as the
whole film was controlled by WATCHOUT itself. “The new scaling options made possible by the latest version of WATCHOUT allowed us to achieve very precise mapping over the building’s surface,” adds Nair. “For this project we also adjusted the Mode settings in the software to sharpen the images and to increase their overall brightness, which was made necessary by the building’s pale concrete façade. This kind of architectural projection mapping was a first for the Emirates and wowed the thousands of tourists and business people who came to Al Ain for the celebrations.” “The capabilities of WATCHOUT now go far beyond mere large-screen projection. It is by far the most versatile video-processing solution, and its show-control capabilities have brought us many new clients in applications from business meetings to large-scale entertainment projects. The more challenging the production, the more brightly WATCHOUT seems to shine,” Nair concludes. www.dataton.com