ETA Mobile 2016 08

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AV Integration At

Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar Hotel

SPECIAL FEATURE: Creating Integrated Experiences INTERVIEW: Take 5 with Warren Dsouza LIVE: Future Sound Asia

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LIVE 85 Malaysia: Digital Aid Heats Up Future Sound Asia 15th Anniversary 89 UAE: Maestra Dubai Supplies Technical Production for WWE Dune Bash

47 ENNOVATIONS INTERVIEW 66 Take 5 with Warren Dsouza of SOUND.COM SPECIAL FEATURE 72 Creating Integrated Experiences PROJECTS 79 Mongolia: AV Integration At ShangriLa Ulaanbaatar Hotel 83 Australia: Lighting Control Upgrade For Brisbane Powerhouse

EXHIBITION REVIEW 92 Tourism Technology Asia and PRO AVL Asia 2016 100

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EVENTS LISTING

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ETA August 2016

In the July issue’s commentary page we highlighted how Thailand is focusing on the future with a detailed vocational training programme to upgrade skillsets for the industry. In this issue we highlight how a group of veterans have come forward to head the first of its kind association in Singapore to unify and empower the Events and Entertainment industry. I have also heard a buzz that something is brewing in terms of standards for the industry in the Philippines. These actions certainly augur well for the industry. Asia and more specifically South-East Asia has lagged far behind in terms of best practices and standards. There is still some way to go but hopefully the actions now being taken will bring about fundamental changes that will help the industry be more professionalised in the future.

Education and adopting Best Practices is the only way forward and it takes the entire chain from clients, to event management companies, artistes and production houses to elevate the industry. There are already some venues like the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre who are particular about the AV support services – companies need to have a recognised certificate in order to be listed as a supplier for the venue. We need more of such clients and not those who only look at pricing as the only criteria. As the President of Singapore’s brand new Association STAR, Davwinder Singh, highlighted, “There will always be those who are more interested in under-cutting prices but the only way to beat them is to show clients that we have standards that we

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adhere to and that we are better trained and more creative and most importantly can be trusted to deliver.�

Enjoy the read:) Thomas Richard Prakasam

Publisher/Editorial Director thomas@spinworkz.com

To subscribe to Entertainment Technology Asia (ETA)click here:

http://www.e-techasia.com/subscribe/

Shireen Ho Assistant Editor shireen@spinworkz.com

RAM BHAVANASHI Editor, India And Middle East ram@spinworkz.com

DENNIS TOH Brand Engagement Specialist dennis@spinworkz.com

JULIE TAN Admin & Circulation admin@spinworkz.com

JIMMY CHIN Design And Production jimmy@spinworkz.com

ROSALIND TAN Editor, Digital Platform (Freelance) rosalind@spinworkz.com

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

COMMENTARY ETA August 2016

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Singapore Takes Bold Step Towards Industry Professionalism

Photo © Naz Seman: STAR Committee Members

12th July saw the official launch of the Singapore Talent, Artistes and Resources Association (STAR) at Hive by Wala-Wala. The launch saw about 120 guests. STAR’s vision is to unify and empower the Events & Entertainment industry to produce and perform to the highest quality. Leading the push are many veterans of the industry who are volunteering their time to help propel the association to achieve its objectives. The President of STAR is a renowned figure, Davwinder Singh Sheena, who says that he considers himself semi-retired from the industry but felt a strong a urge to give back to the industry and thus took on this responsibility.

ETA chatted with Davwinder about the Association and wanted to know what instigated this move. “This is an initiative that came about in 2014 and has been 2 years in the making by the pioneers in the entertainment and event management industry. As you know, the government has had a vision to make Singapore a MICE (Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions & Exhibitions) Hub. In doing so, there has been a surge of event management companies, artistes, Master-

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of-Ceremonies (Emcees), Audio-Video & Lighting companies and entertainers (DJs etc). This quick growth of self-employed, freelancers, and entrepreneurs in the entertainments field has brought about it’s fair share of challenges these last couple of years.

Some of the STAR founding members have been approached by various senior officials both in the governmental organisations and the non-governmental organisations to try and have some form of organisation in this particular area. The government is not looking at having another union as there is already one that is in place and is running efficiently and effectively. Thus, STAR was born and we got our approvals from the Ministry of Home Affairs in December 2015.

The founding EXCO are a group of individuals that have been in the entertainment industry for 30 years or more. Individuals who now want to give back to the industry that helped them grow.”

There are currently 13 board members from the entertainment fraternity ranging from event management companies, AVL companies, Emcees and DJs, which aligns with the STAR’s sub-groups: Disc Jockeys, Masters-of-Ceremonies, Artistes and Resources (Audio, Visual and Lighting professionals).

STAR has three key strategies that they hope to actualise. They are:

Elevating Standards via: • Education – nurturing the youth of Singapore through mentorship programs, talks and workshops.

• Industry forums by veterans and professionals.

• Cross Industry talks and workshops.

• Best Practices Recognition.

• Association Guidelines for the identified sub-groups to ensure professionalism (Code of Ethics).

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Champion Professional Interests: • Contractual Templates (to protect one’s interest).

• Business or Personal Profiles on Website.

• Dialogue with various government agencies on behalf of the members.

Enable Beneficial Partnerships: • Conducting introduction and enrichment activities / programmes with - credible partners such as Government agencies, tertiary institutions and interest clubs.

- Industry Network forums.

- Related Trade Expo.

Membership fees has been kept low at S$100 per annum in the hope of attracting as many from the industry to join the Association.

ETA’s Take On This: Most of the frustration in this industry can be summed up as follows: • Lack of protection for freelancers – many do not get paid after the job or are paid poorly for their expertise.

• Under-cutting and bad practices – under-cutting quotes to get jobs is not new but it also does not help the industry grow in terms of professionalism. There are organisations out there who enable bad practices that affects the industry as a whole.

• Lack of a unified voice – this is not a new issue – in fact industry players have been lamenting about price-cutting and lack of protection for decades. Word of coming together to do something about it has been swirling for as long but till now no one really stepped up.

STAR’s objective is to help resolve the above issues. “Many of the freelancers in the industry do not even have a simple agreement which leads to them not getting paid. So we hope to create basic templates for them to use. Our Honorary Secretary, Anthony Lim is a lawyer and we hope to engage his expertise in this aspect,” said Davwinder.

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“Under-cutting will be a perennial problem. We hope to fight this with elevating standards and as a group we hope to engage clients and make them understand why they need to pay a decent amount for services rendered. With Event companies being engaged we hope the day will come where projects are won on creativity and standards rather than a price war. Finally as an Association we now have a voice to talk and engage with government organisations and other relevant bodies.”

Laurence Wong, Head of Media Relations and Communications as well as 2nd Vice President of STAR highlights, “Conservatively there are at least 1200 freelancers or self-employed professionals in this industry and we hope they will join us so that we have a strong voice.”

STAR has ambitious plans and to be fair it will take time for many of this to bear fruit. Laurence points out that for now their immediate concern would be focused on legal and safety issues for the industry.

It is truly time for the industry to move foreword. We need to be united and eradicate bad practices. We would like to urge you to become a member and encourage your peers and friends to do likewise so that there is a strong voice. Kudos to the board for volunteering their time in helping bring a vision to reality.

To become a member please drop an email to starassociation.sg@ gmail.com

Photo © Naz Seman: Break-out sessions during the official launch where members from the various sub-groups shared their hopes, concerns and vision to STAR Committee Members.

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SGM Sets Out To Conquer Asian Territories With New Distributor Sanecore

CHINA: SGM is proud to announce a new partnership with Sanecore, part of the IAG Group, as the new exclusive SGM distributor for mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, effective as of July 15th 2016.

As part of the IAG Group Ltd., Sanecore is a leading manufacturer of loudspeakers and audio electronics based in Shenzhen, China.

Henceforth, Sanecore will be the exclusive distributor of SGM products in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao.

IAG Group has its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Asia and with offices (including R&D) in the UK, IAG has a truly global reach. Peter Johansen, CEO of SGM, and Michael Chang, President of

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IAG, have an extensive track record of working together that dates all the way back to 1991, where Sanecore became the distributor for Peter Johansen’s previous lighting company.

Johansen commented, “Based on my past experience with Michael Chang, it was an easy decision to entrust the distribution in the area to him and the Sanecore team. In the past, our cooperation has led to great things and I expect no less this time. Sanecore’s extensive distribution network represents a perfect platform to raise awareness of SGM’s professional lighting product portfolio. I am excited to, yet again, combine a long-lasting friendship with a mutually profitable business agreement.”

Since 2001 Sanecore has focused mainly on audio distribution – both hi-fi and audio for the professional segment. When the opportunity arose to partner up with SGM, the desire to repeat past successes drove Sanecore’s decision to reintroduce professional lighting into its professional product portfolio.

Chang added, “I am excited to be on board with Peter and his innovative products once again. We have been following SGM closely in recent years and see a lot of potential in the products – particularly with the recent addition of the POI range of permanent outdoor installation products. Being able to offer SGM products to our professional customers could potentially increase our professional customer base significantly. Together, we will ensure a successful reintroduction of SGM’s great LED lighting products in our region.”

Chang and his team look forward to introducing Asian customers to the SGM product portfolio. SGM and Sanecore will exhibit together at the Palm Expo Beijing in September. www.iaggroup.com

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ETA August 2016

Robe Receives More Elite Treatment

Darren Russell

Photo by Louise Stickland

AUSTRALIA: Elite Sound and Lighting based in the Australian capital Canberra is one of the country’s fastest growing rental and production companies. Headed by owner and founder Darren Russell, Elite made its first Robe investment in 2011 and in 2013, where Darren made the conscious commitment to Robe as their ‘house’ moving light brand. “I simply wanted a premium brand that was reliable and had a diverse enough range to cover all requirements for rental, staging and installation applications”.

The purchases have been constant and steady since that time, and they were the first in Australia to purchase Robe’s signature BMFL series, with 32 x BMFL Spots joining the rental inventory as soon as they became available.

The latest BMFL WashBeams were then added to that count at the end of 2015.

More LEDWash 600s have also recently been added to the inventory - in fact, every time an order is placed with Robe, it seems that more LEDWash 600s are added almost by default says Darren, “They are simply a fantastically good and reliable workhorse wash fixture!”

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Ronald McDonald House Charity Gala Ball – BMFL Spots and Wash Beams by Elite

Darren placed his order for the BMFL WashBeams based on a demo of the prototype just before they were actually in production - such was his faith in the product, supported by his real-life experience with the BMFL Spots. This latest BMFL purchase brings Elite’s total of Robe fixtures to over 300, including Pointes, LEDBeam 100s, ROBIN 600E Spots, MMX Spots, DLXs and the BMFLs. All Elite’s Robe fixtures were supplied via Australian distributor, the ULA Group.

Darren reports a significant increase in the demand for BMFLs from LDs and specifiers which has stimulated a healthy cross rental business in addition to servicing their own shows. Other busy rental companies like MPH Productions from Melbourne are a regular collaborator in this context.

BMFLs are appearing on a lot more riders in Australia now ... And, in Darren’s experience, are also immediately accepted as a substitute should the rider specify a different product.

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Recent shows for Elite’s BMFLS have included high profile one offs with Diana Krall at the Canberra Theatre and the Beach Boys at the Royal Theatre Canberra, working with the artists’ own LDs, plus a Burt Bacharach show at the Royal Theatre and tours with Boys II Men, John Cleese and Eric Idle.

Having attended Prolight+Sound 2016 in Frankfurt, Darren already has his sights on boosting the stock again with Robe’s newest products including Spikies and Linees - both launched at the show – as soon as they become available.

As far as overall brand awareness is concerned, Darren – known for keeping abreast of industry trending - reckons Robe is right up there at the moment, “Without doubt it’s among the top three lighting manufacturers worldwide, and for moving lights, we think they are sitting at number one”. https://elitesoundandlighting.com/ www.robe.cz

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SEE IT IN ACTION AT WWW.SPIKIE.TV

27.7.2016 17:1

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EK Lights Brings Its Trademark Kinetic Light Show To Korea

KOREA: In its first foray into international exhibiting, EK designed and built a 12 x 12 meter booth, loaded it into a 40’ container along with a few hundred lights and set out for KOBA with their MA Lighting console, Madrix key and favourite Hong Kong lighting programmer in tow.

The EK PRO moving lights in the rig at KOBA were launched earlier in the year at GET 2016 and the LED profile range debuted at the Beijing PALM Expo, so this report focuses on the two new EK PRO models that took center stage at Seoul: ORB 300 and BRIX. EK are leading-edge designers of high-impact LED lighting effects for large-scale outdoor performances, earning EK PRO gear an established presence at the ULTRA music festival in Korea and many other massive EDM events around the world.

Built for all-weather use and housed in a custom-moulded, indestructible die-cast body, the ORB 300 incorporates the latest COB LED technology in a design that combines warm white and

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deep amber chips to mimic the familiar look and feel of incandescent concert blinders.

But where old-school blinders only offered a fleeting glimpse of the tungsten red shift as the lamps cooled, the ORB 300 allows the modern lighting designer to call up a tungsten glow instantly or run it continuously as background eye-candy. Its robust thermal management also enables the ORB 300 to be deployed as a strobe or high-powered flood light.

Officially launched at KOBA 2016, BRIX is a state-of-the-art rethink of classic PAR36 matrix effects. With a rigging system that allows for expansion along both horizontal and vertical axes, as well as the creation of curvilinear forms, and individual pixel control along with onboard FX macros, there really is no need for incandescents.

Two versions are available: FC and AW - BRIX FC: 4 x 65W RGBW “Full Colour” COB - BRIX AW: 4 x 72W 3200K White COB + 4 x 3W Amber Both versions offer: - Incredibly accurate “halogen simulation” modes - IP65 all-weather touring-grade construction - Highly-configurable modular design for deploying large arrays - Detachable front lens panel available in various beam angles - Silent operation with advanced fanless thermal management Watch the ORB 300 in action at KOBA at: www.youtube.com/c/EKLightingTV www.eklights.com

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ETA August 2016

Neuro Tech Asia Incorporates First Aero 40A System In China

A Neuro Tech event featuring D.A.S. Audio

CHINA: Audio rental and production company Neuro Tech Asia is currently providing some of the most successful and comprehensive AV solutions and designs for projects and events across China and the Asia Pacific. With three strategic main offices in Singapore, Shanghai and Beijing, Neuro Tech Asia has diversified into areas of expertise including technical consultancy, AV design implementation, and permanent installations.

As part of their commitment to providing first-rate technical solutions, the company recently decided to partner up with Chao GanGuan, exclusive distributor of D.A.S. Audio products in China, by expanding its inventory into D.A.S. Audio professional sound solutions. Neuro Tech Asia has made a massive investment in an army of D.A.S. systems, including the first full Aero 40A Advanced Line Array System (ALAS™) in China.

Neuro Tech Asia has purchased 24 of these powered line array systems, which feature remote monitoring and control with the

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DASnet™ audio management system. These robust systems were paired with an additional 16 of the compact Aero 20A, an “all-purpose” system that incorporates the ALAS philosophy.

Neuro Tech Asia also drew from the Aero Series 2 catalogue of products to match the line arrays with 12 LX-218CA.net and eight LX-118A high-performance subwoofer systems, designed to offer increased power handling and reduced distortion. To round out its full range of D.A.S. Audio systems Neuro Tech Asia also acquired two DASnet-Rack 26 and DASnet-Rack 48 amplifier racks along with two of the Spanish manufacturer’s DSP-2060A and DSP-4080 digital signal processors.

With leading international clients including Mercedes-Benz, Rolls Royce, Air France and JP Morgan Chase, Neuro Tech Asia also sought to expand its systems for corporate events by adding a number of D.A.S. Audio’s full-range loudspeakers to its inventory. The company invested in 16 Vantec 12A compact and lightweight multi-purpose systems along with eight Artec 506A powered two-way systems and four Artec S15A powered subwoofer systems from the brand’s sleek Artec 500 Series.

This new investment will enable Neuro Tech Asia and D.A.S. Audio’s network in China to continue to provide top-of-the-line sound, with a packed calendar of events on the horizon to put the new D.A.S. systems through their paces. “By renewing our inventory we wanted to standardize our audio system using one single brand and also be able to cover all kind of events, from small easy corporate events to those which require everything we have”, says Paolo Filippini, Technical Director of Neuro Tech. “After a long analysis of the market, which included some quality tests and looking at the catalog range, the final decision was made based on the long-term collaboration provided by D.A.S. and the very competitive balance between quality and price”. www.dasaudio.com www.neurotechasia.com

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Adamson E-Series Kicks Off Li Ronghao Tour

CHINA: Popular Chinese pop singer, music producer and professional guitarist and “New Asian King” Li Ronghao recently kicked off his “ideal world tour” with a concert at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai.

The tour is being reinforced by an Adamson E-Series PA provided by Beijing Global Visual Culture Development Co. Ltd. “We are using a combination of 36 E15, 42 E12, 16 E218 and 18 E219 on the tour,” explains Beijing Global Owner Li Ran. ”This package provides the flexibility to cover virtually any venue we are dealing with.”

On the first show at Mercedes Benz Arena Shanghai on July 9th the PA consisted of left-right hangs of 12 E15 over 6 E12 line array modules with side hangs made up of 12 E12 modules each. Low end support is handled by a total of 18 E219 subwoofers – ground stacked in

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a horizontally delayed arc – and two flown subwoofer arrays, each consisting of 6 E218 subs.

The style of Li Ronghao’s music is said to be similar to US Singer/ Songwriter John Mayer, as it also utilizes a number of acoustic instruments. “The E-Series system provides a very high dynamic range and even in super high SPL applications it retains a stable frequency response,” explains Jack Liaw, FOH engineer for Li Ronghao.

“The rigging is easy to operate and the cabinet shape and structure is quite strong. On this tour we travel long distances every day and the system performs very reliably every day. The coverage is outstanding and the bass is shocking – absolutely amazing. I like it very much.”

The world tour includes stops in Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo, Malaysia and Singapore. www.adamsonsystems.com

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ETC’s First International Workshop A Success INTERNATIONAL: Every two years in Madison, Wisconsin, ETC hosts Workshop, an educational event used to train and share new information with industry dealers, reps, and distributors. This summer, for the first time, the event was opened internationally. The week-long event started July 12th, and brought 313 dealers, reps, and distributors from 34 countries to the ETC headquarters. “Workshop is ETC’s best opportunity to bring our sales family together. This was definitely ETC’s most successful Workshop ever,” says Patti Tuttrup, ETC marketing events specialist.

A day of international sales meetings and tours of ETC’s Wisconsin-based Keynote address by Fred Foster, ETC CEO manufacturing facilities in Middleton and Mazomanie kicked off the event. For many of the international Workshop attendees, this was the first time they had seen the ETC factories in person. They were able to see where the products they sell come from and meet the people who make them. Classes on rigging, consoles, lighting fixtures, architectural control, and more, kept attendees busy for the remaining days.

“We’ve grown because of you,” said Fred Foster, ETC CEO, to the attendees. “You’ve embraced our products, our company, and our culture, and helped the world see the passion we share for the industry. I cannot thank you enough for that.” www.etcconnect.com

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Successful Product Managers Training For Prolyte Asia Pacific

MALAYSIA: The Product Managers and Service Point Update was very well received by all participants. Receiving knowledge directly from the experts and being able to exchange experiences with peers proved to be very valuable in enhancing safety awareness.

The yearly update training for distributors and service points was held from 7th to 9th June, 2016 at the office of Prolyte Asia Pacific in Malaysia.

The training is part of Prolyte Group’s initiative to support its distributing partners with the best and most up-to-date knowledge and to create awareness on the safe use of Prolyte’s products. The training team, consisting of Eric Laanstra, Michiel van der Zijde and Jasper van der Sluis put together an intensive training programme, specially tailored for these participants.

All participants were lectured on updated information on the Prolyte product range, new technical insights and the latest updates on regulations and standards and their effect on our industry. Tips and Tricks on ProLyft, Prolyte Structures and Stage Dex, as well as a hands-on ground support build, were also shared with the participants.

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Extra attention was given to a hands-on session for the VERTO truss, Prolyte’s recently introduced new truss type with a rotating coupling systems.

Receiving knowledge directly from the experts, combined with the exchange experiences with a large group of peers proved to be the perfect platform to network and talk about issues such as safety and awareness. All participants acclaimed the informative and hugely interesting programme, stating they increased their knowledge.

As Menze van der Sluis, Managing Director PAP commented: “This is really what the training is all about, creating more intrinsic safety by increasing people’s knowledge. It’s very rewarding to see that this is met with so much enthusiasm and dedication”. www.prolyte.com

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Richard Cadena Conducts Successful Entertainment Electrics Workshop

INDIA: The 21st and 22nd of June 2016 saw Richard Cadena an ETC Recognised Trainer, ETCP Certified Entertainment Electrician, and author of Electricity for Entertainment Electricians & Technicians; Focus on Lighting Technology; Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light and Lighting for Modern Houses of Worship, presenting the Entertainment Electrics Workshop for Audio, Lighting and Video Techs in India.

The two day workshop is the brainchild of Santana Davis of J Davis Prosound & Lighting working together with Graflex Inc, with the simple objective of helping upgrade the industry. Knowledge is king and in the fast paced entertainment industry it is very important to be equipped with the right knowledge – it saves lives, time and even cost when things can be done quickly, efficiently and most importantly safely.

The course touched on the basics of electrics and included 3-phase power, power factor, harmonics, and how they apply to modern audio, video, and lighting systems.

The training held at The Gateway Hotel at Residency Road in Bangalore saw a turnout of about 60 delegates.

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ETA August 2016

Sennheiser And Martin Professional Take Lead In The First Edition of Prolight + Sound Middle East 2016

Mig Cardamone, Director of Sales and

Nour Assafiri, CEO, Martin Professional

Marketing, Sennheiser Middle East

Middle East

UAE: International players in the professional audio-visual (AV) and entertainment equipment sectors are looking to the Middle East as a key growth market, as they turn to the region’s dedicated industry trade show in Dubai to take their businesses to the next level.

Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East

Economic development fuelled by upcoming mega events and investments into hospitality, education and commercial infrastructure has had a positive

NEW International Exhibition of Professional Technologies and Services for the Entertainment and Creation Industry

31 October – 2 November, 2016 Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre www.prolightsoundME.com

Let’s master it.

A diverse range of event solutions that are music to your ears.

From state-of-the-art solutions to ones that meet your budget with the right mix of quality and affordability, explore a wide and varied spectrum of audio-visual equipment and systems at the show.

Register online to visit at www.prolightsoundME.com/ETA

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impact on the pro AV and entertainment industries, with suppliers keen to tap into a Middle East region which they say is among their largest markets globally.

The biggest names in the business, including Martin Professional and Sennheiser, are among those that have their sights set on robust regional growth over the coming years.

They’re also the first to sign on as Founding Partners and headline exhibitors at the inaugural edition of Prolight + Sound Middle East, which takes place from 31 October – 2 November 2016 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

“There has been consistent, double-digit growth in our business since our Middle East office was established in in 2009,” said Mig Cardamone, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sennheiser Middle East. “With mega events such as the Dubai Expo 2020 and the Qatar World Cup in 2022, the region is rife with opportunity and we expect to maintain steady growth momentum over the next five years.”

Cardamone said some of Sennheiser’s Middle East projects, such as the upgrade of microphones and audio systems at Masjid al-Ḥarām – the world’s largest mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia – have been among the company’s largest globally.

Now Sennheiser is looking for more success in sectors such as hospitality, broadcast, and business services, as it prepares to showcase its latest product portfolio at Prolight + Sound Middle East 2016.

“Prolight + Sound Middle East 2016 gives us a chance to connect with our regional customer base, and offer our support and services to all the users, broadcasters and integrators of our products,” added Cardamone. “We can place our latest products in the hands of our longstanding supporters, and with so many industry players participating, it’s also a great opportunity to secure new leads and evaluate new partners.”

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Cardamone’s upbeat sentiment is shared by Nour Assafiri, the CEO of Martin Professional Middle East, who said its regional business typically grows by 20 per cent every year.

“Martin Professional Middle East is the largest market for (parent company) Harman worldwide,” said Assafiri. “Overall we control almost 80 per cent of the effect lighting market in the UAE, and with ongoing economic development in regional countries, there’s a lot of potential.

“We’re supplying the effects lighting for the Bluewaters Island project, a multi-purpose development for entertainment, hospitality, residential, and retail zones at the end of Jumeirah Beach in Dubai. In Qatar, our focus is on stadiums and arenas, while Saudi is more into stage for auditoriums. It depends from one country to the other.

“The entertainment and lighting market is very important to us, both in the UAE, as well as the wider region,” added Assafiri. We need a professional show such as Prolight + Sound Middle East to meet our existing clients, connect with industry colleagues, and educate the market on our latest products.”

Organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, Prolight + Sound Middle East 2016 is the region’s premier international trade and networking event dedicated to technologies and services for the entertainment, events, creation and media industries.

Other big names signing on for the 1st edition of the three-day event include Adam Hall, one of the world’s top 25 manufacturers in professional events technology; NEXT–proaudio from Portugal; USheadquartered Samson Technologies; Bosch, and PAN Beam.

Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “Prolight + Sound Middle East presents the ideal gateway for international audio-visual and entertainment equipment manufacturers to network and do business with visitors from throughout the wider region, while at the same time learn about the latest trends and requirements of the regional professional AV, lighting, and stage production industries.”

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“The Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions in the world for AV products and services. Major infrastructure projects coupled with mega events are fuelling other industries such as hospitality, retail, events and festivals – all of which need the latest in audio-visual technology to enhance the visitor experience,” Pauwels added.

Prolight + Sound Middle East 2016 is expected to feature more than 80 exhibitors, and includes Stage On, an outdoor live demonstration area for PA and AV systems; and Music Corner, a specialised area dedicated to musical instruments and DJ equipment.

The Dubai event is the fifth instalment of the international network of Prolight + Sound events worldwide, and is co-located with Light Middle East 2016, the region’s premier exhibition, conference, and awards for lighting design and technology. www.prolightsoundme.com

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ETA August 2016

Heng Mao Invests In Prolyte B100RV Truss

Su Xin Bing of Heng Mao with Yee Hing of Prolyte Asia Pacific

TAIWAN: Looking for a recognized brand to reflect the company’s high quality reputation, Heng Mao selected Prolyte to supply B100RV truss for its expanding rigging department.

Heng Mao is one of the main players for rental of truss constructions and hardware integration in the event and touring industry in Taiwan.

With a wish to grow and further expand their business, they were looking to invest in truss with a high loading capacity for their rigging department. As Su Xin Bin, Managing Director of Heng Mao explains, “Our company has a reputation for delivering top-notch services to its customers. Safe working practices are a high priority within the company, furthermore the requirements for truss constructions are

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getting more and more challenging as the demand for complicated set ups and ever increasing loads grow. We also see a growing demand from the organizers or producers to comply to international standards.

It didn’t take us long to decide on Prolyte as the brand has an excellent reputation and track-record.”

Meeting with Loong Yee Hing sales representative for Prolyte Asia Pacific, in Taipei, Heng Mao requirements were discussed and an investment plan was drawn up. “For Prolyte it’s always important to look closely into a customer’s needs, not only their current requirements, but also to see their future demands and find solutions with that in mind. You don’t invest in our products for the short term – it’s always a long term relationship you start then and there,” commented Yee Hing.

Heng Mao firstly will invest in the B100RV truss. Due to its 4-sided webbing the B100RV truss can absorb vertical as well as horizontal loads, which makes it ideal for outdoor or 3 dimensional structures.

Starting with the high capacity B100RV truss, Heng Mao will be able to expand its rigging inventory towards the future with a tower system, LED support system or even a roof system, all using the same B100RV truss. This will make it a very efficient investment. www.prolyte.com www.hengmao.com.tw

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DTS Strengthens Its Sales Team INTERNATIONAL: In order to give a better support to its sales network in this positive trend period for the company, DTS has announced the appointment of Antonio Parise as Area Sales Manager.

Antonio Parise has gained an extensive sales experience working for many years in the lighting industry in the same position. He already knows many international distributors and he is well respected by all industry professionals for his integrity and reliability.

“DTS is in a positive trend due to the big success of the new products, and the reputation of our brand in the professional market is steadily growing; that’s why we need some help to give our sales network the support they deserve. So we are really glad to welcome this passionate and motivated new colleague; Antonio is the perfect match to maintain and further boost this success,” said Paolo Albani, Sales and Marketing Director.

“I’m really happy to have Antonio onboard. I’ve known him for many years and he has the right personality to join our company, especially at this time when we found again the positive spirit of our old days,” said Silvano Latteo, DTS President.

“I am really proud to be part of the DTS family in this period of change and growth; I am looking forward to be in touch again with all the friends out there and to push the new exciting DTS products on the market” says Antonio.

To get in touch with Antonio, you can email him at antonio.parise@ dts-lighting.it or give him a buzz at +39 335 7369002. www.dts-lighting.it

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Asian Attractions Expo 2017 Moves to Singapore

ASIA: The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) announced Asian Attractions Expo 2017 will take place at the Sands Expo and Convention Center at Marina Bay Sands Singapore 13-16 June 2017. Asian Attractions Expo is the largest conference and trade show for the multibillion-dollar attractions industry in Asia attracting participants from across the globe.

More than 8,000 attractions industry professionals will gather to test, taste, try, and buy the latest innovations, learn best practices from global leaders on topics essential to successful operations, and network with colleagues from more than 65 countries.

Participants include owners, CEOs, vice presidents, directors, and managers of renowned amusement and theme parks, attractions, water parks, family entertainment centers, zoos, aquariums, science centers, museums, and manufacturer and supplier companies.

This year’s event which was held in Shanghai, China, saw more than 350 exhibiting companies catering to around 8,000 professionals from more than 65 countries and regions. http://www.iaapa.org/expos/asian-attractions-expo/asianattractions-expo-2017

Palm Expo ETA 145x193_19jul path.indd 1

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VIDEO FILES ETA August 2016

Adamson Education Series – E-Series Rigging

This approximately 6 minutes video teaches how to quickly and effectively rig Adamson’s E-Series full-range enclosures. For production houses having Adamson’s E-Series in their inventory this video shows how you can efficiently set-up the rigging for your event in tandem with Adamson’s Blueprint AV software.

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1401 DTS NICK NRG

This video is an introduction to the new NICK NRG 1401 by DTS. NICK NRG 1401 is a high performance LED wash moving head.

Extreme brightness, single pixel control, and 4° to 52° zoom range makes this fixture perfect for a range of applications, either as a beam light with multi-colour rays, or as a wash light with a very wide projection.

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Christie Tackles Complex LargeScale Experiences With Mystique

The new Christie Mystique suite of tools, including software, hardware and services was previewed at InfoComm 2016. Supporting the design, installation, and operation of sports venues and other Location-Based Entertainment (LBE) venues and attractions, Mystique will augment Christie’s award-winning line of projectors, visual displays and services by providing system design, pre-visualization tools, including Virtual Reality technology and 3D printed scale model systems, camera-based alignment tools and system-level monitoring.

Curtis Mutter, solutions manager at Christie adds, “Mystique solves specific challenges that our partners encounter when fulfilling multiscreen, multi-projector blended systems. With the Mystique suite of solutions, our partners can continue to confidently work with Christie for all of their LBE needs from idea to reality.”

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Christie Mystique consists of the following:

Mystique Design • Simulates and validates system designs to meet quality standards of today’s leading attractions and venues, as part of the planning process during which Christie works closely with integrators and customers.

• Offers unique ways of creating a virtual environment to “test” content both in Virtual Reality and through physical scale model representations of the system, providing a real sense of what the system would look like without the time, hassle and expense of physically setting up a mock-up of the venue or attraction.

• Allows for a more collaborative process, which can include the creation of a scaled projection system for our partners to use as a sales tool.

Mystique Install • Provides tools and fulfillment services to help bring venues or attractions from design to reality.

• Provides a host of existing camera-based warp and blend tools that are ideal for aligning everything from simple stacked projection deployments, to multi-projector domes, to complex 3D objects – solving some of the biggest challenges in the deployment of a complex visual system.

• Can help define the playback channels to ensure that content providers correctly render the highest quality content for their production with minimal warping required.

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Mystique Operate • Helps customers maintain “Day 1” quality across all facets of their display systems.

• Provides purpose-built tools that help meet the specific operational requirements of the different environments such as theme park dark rides, sports stadiums and arenas by monitoring “systemlevel” metrics that can’t typically be monitored by individual projector monitoring tools.

• Integrates easy-to-use re-alignment tools that work in conjunction with Mystique Install to allow technicians to easily maintain system alignment.

Allows for additional Christie software and hardware tools to be leveraged, to create customized show control systems.

Christie Mystique Design and Install will be rolling out in the fall of 2016, with Mystique Operate planned for the first half of 2017. www.christiedigital.com

Bold & bright like never before Christie HS Series

Achieve high-precision images and unparalleled color reproduction with super-quiet operation for your presentations and displays. Christie® HS Series offers the brightest 1DLP® laser phosphor projectors with Christie BoldColor Technology, boasting up to 13,500 lumens in WUXGA and HD resolutions. Backed by industry-leading warranties and service, you can be confident in your investment.

• Christie D13WU-HS | 1920 x 1200, WUXGA • Christie D13HD-HS | 1920 x 1080, HD

www.christiedigital.com USA ph: +1 714 236 8610 sales-us@christiedigital.com

CHINA-BEIJING ph: +86 10 6561 0240 ask-china@christiedigital.com

KOREA ph: +82 2 702 1601 ask-korea@christiedigital.com

AUSTRALIA ph: +61 (0) 7 3624 4888 ask-australia@christiedigital.com

INDIA ph: +91 80 6708 9999 ask-india@christiedigital.com

SINGAPORE ph: +65 6877 8737 ask-singapore@christiedigital.com

CHINA-SHANGHAI ph: +86 21 6278 7708 ask-china@christiedigital.com

JAPAN ph: +81 3 3599 7481 ask-japan@christiedigital.com

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Yamaha Expands EMX Lineup Of Powered Mixers

Yamaha EMX7

Yamaha has released two new models in the EMX Series of integrated mixers, the EMX5 and EMX7. The new models provide a significant increase in output power and a more comprehensive selection of performance features.

The EMX5 and EMX7 feature high-efficiency power amplifiers capable of 630W and 710W output power respectively, and come equipped with an overload protection function to improve reliability. A rugged, extremely portable enclosure with a powder-coated, impact resistant metal chassis adds to the consoles’ durability while its versatile design easily adapts to horizontal or vertical placements.

Both the EMX5 and EMX7 are equipped with 4 mono input channels and 4 mono/stereo input channels, allowing up to 8 microphones, and line-level devices to be connected to each channel, and channel 4 can be used with Hi-Z inputs to connect instruments such as guitars or basses directly. Each model is also equipped with 2 AUX SEND

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connections for a monitoring system or external effect devices, REC OUT unbalanced RCA-pin output jacks to connect an external recorder, and STEREO OUT TRS phone jacks to output the mixed stereo signal.

EMX5/7 also feature speaker jacks which can be used with both TS phone and speakON plugs. Both also feature highly-efficient internal universal power supply.

While both models are equipped with Yamaha’s trademark 1-knob compressors, 24 SPX effects, a feedback suppressor, and speaker processor with presets tuned to match Yamaha’s passive speaker models, the EMX5 features 1-Knob Master EQ™ for applying optimized settings for SPEECH, MUSIC, and BASS BOOST, while the EMX7 features a flex-type graphic equalizer (Flex9GEQ) that allows users to select up to nine bands out of a total of 31 for fine tuning±15 dB. www.yamahaproaudio.com

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EAW Introduces RADIUS

RADIUS is EAW’s New network-enabled powered loudspeakers.

Designed to streamline setup and deliver maximum results in minimum time, RADIUS (RSX Series) couples unique and intelligent features with EAW’s signature acoustical design to deliver solutions for rental firms and system integrators. With RADIUS, achieving optimal sonic performance has never been easier or more accessible. Smart features like OptiLogic™ drastically cut down on setup and tuning time.

And, system design and control has never been more approachable.

The new EAWmosaic™ app provides total system optimization from anywhere in the venue, plus intuitive room design and prediction in a single, comprehensive application. With the proven sonic performance of EAW’s acoustic design and DSP mastery, plus full Dante™ integration across the line, RADIUS delivers an intelligent and flexible system to fit any budget. http://eaw.com/products/rsx-series/

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Avid Updates VENUE | S6L

VENUE S6L system

AvidÂŽ has released a new version of VENUE software for Avid VENUE | S6L that delivers some of the most requested and highly anticipated features for the VENUE | S6L live sound system. In addition a new Dante Option Card, DNT-192 is now available for flexibility.

Enhancements in the VENUE 5.2 software update include I/O sharing with Avid True Gain Technology as well as support for the new DNT192 Option Card, significantly reducing costs and boosting efficiency.

In addition, a free standalone version of VENUE 5.2 enables engineers to work on show files for VENUE | S6L offline without needing a system.

I/O sharing and gain tracking enables the sharing of Stage 64 I/O racks across two VENUE | S6L systems, with automatic gain tracking, enabling customers to save thousands of dollars through reduced I/O and cable requirements, set-up times, and transportation costs. Avid True Gain Technology automatically manages gain compensation to ensure the proper signal levels in each engineer’s mix, providing all engineers on the network with the exact same experience, including fully independent control of all input gain levels.

VENUE 5.2 also supports the new VENUE | DNT-192 Dante Option Card for VENUE | S6L. With widespread industry adoption of Audinate’s Dante networking protocol, the VENUE | DNT-192 card enables engineers to integrate VENUE | S6L into existing Dante infrastructures and with numerous Dante-enabled devices such as audio mixers, amps, preamps, DSP wireless mics and more.

VENUE 5.2 Standalone software is a free standalone version of VENUE 5.2 software that enables engineers to preprogram shows, work on show files offline, or familiarise themselves with VENUE software without needing to use VENUE | S6L. Other new enhancements in VENUE 5.2 include: * Support for up to four HDX-192 Expansion Cards in the E6L-192 engine, doubling the plug-in processing power of VENUE | S6L. * The ability to navigate, mix faster and take control of more parameters using the external GUI. * Numerous system optimisations and improvements to device connectivity, discovering, pairing and audio signal integrity that make mixing easier than ever.

Customers with a valid Avid support plan can download VENUE 5.2 software from their Avid Account free of charge. www.Avid.com/S6L

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Ayrton Releases New MagicDot-SX

MagicDot-SX is a compact, hybrid version of Ayrton’s MagicDot™-R. It combines the qualities of its award-winning cousin with the added features of a zoom capability and Lumen Radio wireless connectivity.

Its newly-developed, revolutionary 8:1 optical zoom has a fixed transmitting lens, no visible moving parts, and delivers an incredible zoom range of 5° to 40°. With its 94 mm diameter collimator positioned close to the transmitting lens, MagicDot™-SX delivers a tight beam with up to 75% optical efficiency, while the short stroke of the zoom system permits MagicDot™-SX to switch from intense Beam mode to sweeping Wash mode virtually instantaneously. Together, these extend the scope of the beam options to offer exciting new possibilities for stage and event lighting.

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MagicDot™-SX has identical physical dimensions and lens diameter to its MagicDot-R cousin, and is capable of the same ultra-quick, infinite rotation on the pan and tilt axes. This makes it the most compact washlight and fastest zoom moving head on the market.

The design of MagicDot™-SX has been carefully considered to ensure great compatibility and graphical interactivity between MagicDot™SX and MagicDot™-R so they can be used in combination to create incredible new visual compositions.

In addition to DMX-RDM control, MagicDot™-SX can be controlled via wireless CRMX TiMo RDM from LumenRadio™. http://www.ayrton.eu/produit/magicdot-sx

A twist on fast performance

Verto Truss

Incorporated dirt-repellent system and no protruding parts

The tool-less connection is almost completely silent

Incredible fast connection by a simple flick of your wrist

The Verto truss is a new revolutionary system, making truss connection fast, silent and safe. The Verto truss brings a totally new perspective on truss assembly and is described as a game changer in our industry. www.prolyte.com

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Elation Platinum Seven™ - Market’s Most Flexible 7-Colour LED Wash Light The new Platinum Seven™ from Elation Professional is a highpower LED wash luminaire that offers an unprecedented choice of colours from a 7-colour multi-chip LED, making it an extremely flexible colour wash solution. It is the market’s first LED wash light that combines a 7-colour multi-chip with such a wide zoom while maintaining a flat and even field of light projection.

The Platinum Seven houses 19x 25W multi-chip LEDs (RGBW + Amber, Cyan and UV) for a powerful projection of smooth colour across any surface. The Amber LED extends the colour range and provides an effective means of colour temperature control and higher colour rendering. The Cyan LED enhances the production of variable white colour temperatures and increases the CRI while the 400nm wavelength UV LED is useful for the growing range of UV applications. The fixture comes with a selection of linear colour temperature presets from 2,700 - 8,000K which combined with the abundance of colour possibilities makes the Platinum Seven an excellent colour matching unit.

The Platinum Seven houses a fast 5° to 73° zoom for greater beam control and more precise and wider coverage. A variety of unique effects are possible using the fixture’s 3x pixel ring control with colour

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pixel ring macros included when programming time is limited. The fixture also offers linear dimming with selectable dimming curves and high-speed electronic strobe.

The Platinum Seven is an ideal all-purpose wash light for any stage application and can also be used in TV and other broadcast productions thanks to its flicker-free operation. It also includes highefficiency low-noise cooling and movement control systems that make it an appropriate choice for noise sensitive environments. Refresh rate frequency and Gamma brightness are also adjustable.

The Platinum Seven’s versatility extends to its operation with a variety of programming options available. Controllable via multiple DMX channel modes, the fixture can also be controlled using KlingNet™ or Art-Net and is RDM ready. The unit features a full-colour menu display with a six-button touch control panel that is 180-degree reversible.

Professional grade Neutrik 5-pin DMX in/out and PowerCON in/out connections are included as is a multi-voltage universal auto switching power supply.

The Platinum Seven offers all the benefits of LED like greater reliability, less maintenance and increased energy efficiency for a lower cost of ownership and its long life LEDs will rarely if ever need replacing. www.elationlighting.com

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Danley To Ship Extremely Affordable Go-2 Loudspeaker

Danley Sound Lab’s new Go-2, is an extremely affordable loudspeaker, that is now available and shipping. While Danley is known for building unconventional loudspeakers and subs that use innovative technologies (including the massive Jericho Horn employed in many of the world’s largest arenas and stadiums) the Go-2 fills a gap at the opposite end of the spectrum, where smaller, low-cost loudspeakers are needed. Importantly – and this is why the research and

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development took so long – the Go-2 uses Danley’s patented Synergy Horn technology in clever ways to give it the sound quality worthy of the Danley name.

The Go-2 uses injection-moulded cabinets that are constructed, like all Danley moulded loudspeakers and subwoofers, in Gainesville, Georgia. While completely at home indoors, both in terms of aesthetics and rigging points, the Go-2 is also impervious to weather and ready to deliver Danley intelligibility, musicality, and transparency to fans outdoors. Currently, the Go-2 is available with an eight-inch coaxial driver (GO-2-8CX). Plans are to expand the line in the future. www.danleysoundlabs.com

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wysiwyg R37 Available Now Following six months of feature development and feedback from an intensive beta testing period, CAST Software announces wysiwyg Release 37. This major update delivers many impactful features to complement the very successful R36 that introduced a major change on User Interface with a new design, look and feel.

Release 37 includes new features and enhancements that improve the work flow of wysiwyg, and that deliver useful tools for everyday design needs, in CAD, in Reports, in Shaded Views, in Rendering, and much more.

Key features and improvements in Release 37:

wysiwyg Project To better organize work, a new Project option saves all associated files in a folder structure automatically for convenience, which can be exported as a zip file for easy sharing.

Layer Groups With Layer Groups, users can better organize files into associated layers, and edit their properties at the same time.

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Fixture Symbol Fill A new option to fill Fixture Symbol in your plots with the same colour as its layer or with a custom colour to better identify drawings and plots.

New Dimensions and Enhancements To offer more Dimension options, CAST has introduced a list of new and improved options ranging from Continue and Baseline dimensions, a new Angle Dimension and Tool, and numerous new options for Linear Dimensions.

I-Mag Camera Feature Users now have a new video source option! Connect any drawn camera to a screen, LED video wall and more, and use it as a live camera within the virtual world.

Dynamic Camera and Camera Path Control via DMX This feature enables DMX control of switching between Cameras and Camera Paths, when in LIVE mode.

R37 Library Additions Over 200 new fixtures are added to the library. http://cast-soft.com/wysiwyg/release/wysiwyg-r37

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BEHRINGER’s PMP2000D Powered Mixer Features KT Multi-FX Processor BEHRINGER’s new PMP2000D powered mixer is now available worldwide.

The powerful, 14-channel PMP2000D provides 2 x 1,000-Watt stereo/dual mono or 2,000-Watt bridged mono output capability. Whether used for public speaking, small band performances or demanding house of worship applications, the PMP2000D accommodates all with simplicity and ease. The compact PMP2000D is also eminently portable, weighing only 19.4 lbs (8.8 kg).

Superior Performance: PMP2000D’s 14 inputs feature 9 premiumgrade “Invisible” IMP mic preamps with switchable +48 V phantom power for superior transparency and performance, plus 4 stereo channels.

Ultra-High Quality FX: KLARK TEKNIK engineered PMP2000D’s dual 9-band stereo graphic EQs and ultra-high quality FX processor with 25 presets for studio-class reverbs, delays, pitch shifter and various multi-effects.

Wireless Ready for ULM: Rounding out this stellar feature set is PMP2000D’s “Wireless-ready” operation thanks to BEHRINGER high-quality ULM Digital Wireless Microphones (available separately).

Just connect the ULM receiver “dongle” and instantly experience the freedom provided by an exceptional wireless mic system.” www.music-group.com

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Take 5 with Warren Dsouza of SOUND.COM Warren is no stranger in the Indian event business.

He and his team have won much praise and accolades for their impressive work in ensuring top quality sound reproduction for huge events in India. The company that was founded 18 years ago continues to push its boundaries to achieve excellence. ETA felt it was timely to touch base with Warren and hear from him about his journey and the future.

It has been quite a journey for SOUND.COM for the past 18 years.

Share with us what has been some of the key ingredients in growing your brand and your business.

When I started off, I saw an opportunity to venture into

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IPL Opening

live sound in India as there was a dearth of audio production quality at the time. It took me seven years to do my first proper international act. Initially, we took on mid and small sized gigs and gradually we scaled up and as we scaled, we delivered. Our key driving force has been to change the sound-scape of our business and create an ecosystem of growth in this sector. Looking back as we are inching closer to completing two decades as an entity, we have evolved beyond just equipment and musical instruments. Today, my team and I have had the best fortune to enable superlative sound experience at some of India’s finest live events. The evolution and learning has been continuous. The key here is to stay with the times. Professionalism is an important factor and so is the ability to adapt. We were the first company to launch an online rental store, invest in a concept of a brand and approach every project with a standard set of procedures in order to ensure there is increased productivity and sense of ownership of every task.

SOUND.COM draws great strength from the fact that our approach towards every stakeholder (be it customer, event company, artist, or our employees) is delivered with unfaltering dedication and passion.

Be it the biggest festivals in India like Sunburn, NH7 & EVC our teams can deliver a great show. We have also established our forte in the ceremonies audio space with a plethora of events – Commonwealth

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AR Rahman Nenje Ezhu Tour

Games 2010, South Asian Games 2016, Indian Premier League, National Games 2015. With each of these projects, we only set the bar higher

Price points has always been an issue in the business anywhere in the world. How do you keep your sanity when it comes to pricing and yet ensure that the business continues strongly?

The industry is slowly but steadily moving towards an organized set-up. However we still have a long way to go. There is an increase in demand for international standards in professional audio equipment & technical services. International artists are touring India, EDM (Electronic Dance Music) & Live Music festivals are popular and so are the western classics, jazz and other genres.

So, on the demand side, clients are not just realizing the true value of professional systems & processes in sound reinforcement, but are also looking at it as an investment in ensuring a world class production.

All this leads to one key inference that the customer has truly come of age. I think this is a crucial factor which will define the market and pricing in the long run.

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Sensation

Can you share with us briefly some of the high points for SOUND.COM over the past 18 years?

SOUND.COM has moved from being just a sound rental company to re- defining the idea of delivering an experience – ‘of great sound’.

Through this journey, we have developed our ‘reputation’ and standing over time with good infusion of technology, processes and a professional approach. When I started out, the only thing I had in abundance, apart from my Electronics background was the passionfor Sound. The challenge was to break the clutter, find a method to madness in an industry that had not evolved yet. Hence putting things into perspective, successfully executing and putting a professional organization, brick by brick was the biggest challenge. This was also a time when there were no industry leaders or role models to emulate.

Until now, it has been constant learning and living up the challenge of being on top of the game.

What were some of the interesting things you have learned or adopted along the way from the technical aspect to help make your job more effective or productive?

Well, most companies pride themselves in their speaker systems & consoles whilst we have always designed, built and integrated turnkey sound systems with redundancy & networking. This has been the

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biggest force because when we work in the field all the planning & prepping has already been done in the shop, while we have gone out and just rolled out our plan. Personally, am a stickler for Digital Audio Transport systems and they have defined how I have succesfully done such large projects with speed & stealth.

We have taken networking seriously since 2010 and that has helped us in a long way making very powerful command centres of all our products. Off course, besides all that, we do old school analog extremely well too. Now that I think about it, all this percolates down in to all streams be it RF, Replay, Scaffolding, Power Disttribution.

It’s like leaving no stone unturned to ensure you get robust & great sounding solution onsite & in the warehouse.

What is your hope or ambition in relation to the future of SOUND.COM? Produce great music, reproduce great sound and educate a community who wants to achieve the penchant for the same. Create an ecosystem for people to be educated in audio engineering in the right way and create awareness in our general community. Continue to create Systems & Processes that includes rock solid management across every aspect of the company’s management – infrastructure, sound rental through e-commerce, logistics and greater employee motivation.

Needless to say, the customer experience is at the top of every endeavour that the team at SOUND.COM embarks on. www.online-sound.com https://twitter.com/warren_dsouza

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Creating Integrated Experiences

C

by Thomas Richard Prakasam

oncerts and installations in entertainment venues generally create an inclusive ambience through light, sound and visual.

This is expected as the intention is to target all our senses for that euphoric feeling that one gets in a concert or club. For a long time, spaces such as museums, art galleries or even science centres were considered static in terms of drawing visitors into their realm. But this has changed in recent times as light, sound and visual systems become more creatively deployed to create an integrated experience for visitors.

Of course the intensity of the visual and hearing experiences as expected are more muted than at a concert but a new lease of life to engage visitors has created more visitors to museums and piqued their interest in learning or understanding more about history or artefacts. Creating a certain ambience with loudspeakers is one instance of immersing the visitor. In Singapore, the Gardens by the Bay conservatories use this fairly effectively in reflecting the region or country where the flowers or plants are naturally from with audio effects. Similarly Madame Tussauds uses audio effects at its Spirit of Singapore boat ride at the start of the experience through to the different wax figures.

The biggest impact however in changing experiences has been the use of visual solutions – be they huge canvasses projected with images or interactive touch screens that create a ‘personal’ experience for visitors. The fact is sound, light and visual are increasingly being used in what once were sedate environments to become an integrated experience for many. Considering that the young are already so much into digital interaction it is just what is needed to continue to capture their attention. The good news for the industry of course is that this has allowed AV companies to expand beyond the usual to offer more exciting options.

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Here are a few recent examples of how sound,light and visual have created an impact in visitor attraction spaces.

The Australian War Memorial

Soundscape effects around the Ascot Boat at The Australian War Memorial

Located in Canberra, The Australian War Memorial is a combination of a shrine, a world-class museum, and an extensive archive of artefacts and historical data. The Memorial’s purpose is to commemorate the sacrifice of those Australians who have died in war and serve as public space of respect for those who lost their lives.

Rutledge AV was commissioned on behalf of the Australian War memorial for the redevelopment of the First World War Galleries. This included the supply, installation, testing and provision of audio-visual hardware to design a creative integrated multimedia display platform for the world-class museum.

A highlight of this project were the soundscapes which are thematically linked to create cohesive sound for the entire First World War gallery.

The creative soundscape for the gallery allows visitors to ‘discover’ each exhibit with atmospheric sounds and elements. Sound design for this space was created by Luke Mynott, Director of Sonar Sound.

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There are altogether five different 45-minute soundscapes in five different zones.

Dandi Kutir Museum

Holography is used at the Sabarmati Ashram to create a sense of realism at the Dandi Kutir Museum

The Dandi Kutir museum, part of an ambitiously large Mahatma Mandir project in Gandhinagar, the capital city of Western Indian State of Gujarat, is arguably among the most incredibly executed audio-visual projects in the country. The world’s biggest permanent, technologypowered museum based on the life and message of one person – Mahatma Gandhi – the Dandi Kutir, perhaps, scores more than any similar structure in the world.

Designed like a salt mound to symbolize the historical Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha of 1930), the conical structure measures 90 meters in diameter, 41 meters in height, spreads over 10,700 square meters of area, with as much as 1900 square meters of exhibition area, 82 minutes of multimedia experience with as many as 14 distinct multimedia technology exploits.

The all-important aspect of this mega initiative is exploring AV technology to its best. Instead of using only exhibit artefacts and telling conventional hagiographies, the museum employs the most

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modern technological means to cultivate new dialogues around a towering global figure that the Mahatma was. The museum narrative places the visitor in the centre of Gandhiji’s life experiences and thought in his own words, alongside many people, who inspired and strengthened the ideals he embodied. Innovative Systems & Solutions (P) Ltd was the appointed Systems Integrator.

Konya Science Centre’s Health Gallery Interactive touchscreens offer visitors an engaging experience at Konya Science Centre’s Health Gallery

Konya Science Center – Turkey’s first and large interactive institution, which is also claimed to be the world’s third largest – dedicated to informal learning about science and technology – had added a gallery on human health with a fair level of audio-visual systems. Multinational AV systems integrator Electrosonic took the honour of deploying and programming the AV systems at the prestigious project.

The new gallery offers a wide range of exhibits designed to inform and engage visitors.

Sui-Tang Luoyang City National Heritage Park Located in the Luoyang city centre, the Sui-Tang Luoyang City National Heritage Park is a tourist attraction constructed on the remnants of the palaces when Luoyang was China’s imperial capital during the Sui (589-618 BC) and Tang dynasties (618-907 AD). It aims to emulate

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Large projection canvas in the backdrop help to form a complete panaroma that brings ancient culture and history to life.

the original Ming Tang and Tian Tang conic towers that symbolized the splendour and opulence during the reign of Tang Dynasty Empress Wu Zetian, the first and only female emperor in China and provide a glimpse of the history to its visitors.

Lifelike visuals such as blue skies, birds in flight, junk ships sailing on the river and endless mountains in the background are displayed on the backdrop using projectors installed by Wincomn Technology so as to create a stunning contrast against realistic buildings, flora and figurines meticulously put together by skilled craftsmen.

Kolkata Science Centre Science Exploration Hall India’s National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), opened to people its most ambitious project ever, the Science Exploration Hall, at the famous Science City in Kolkata, it meant not just a new launch; it meant etching a new ‘record’ in the annals of Indian, if not world’s

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scientific history; heralding a new era of harnessing digital technology for popularizing scientific understanding among people.

While the whole Science Exploration Hall with its three new galleries is holistically unique in their content and intent, the ‘Digital Panorama’ is something that speaks volumes in itself for Pro-AV people.

Imagine a canvas of static painting measuring 20m wide and 1.8m high, and being tasked to digitize the whole stretch of it, in a meticulously seamless fashion, as if it were one single frame – without giving an iota discontinuity of the frames – enhance it six times, without allowing even a fractional loss of clarity, and then projecting that huge image on to a cylindrical wall that measured as long as 122m in circle, with a diameter of 39m, and height of 11m, post full acoustical treatment! And that was what was exactly achieved by AV Consultant and Integrator VizExperts.

The 360 degree cylindrical wall surface features a seamless “Digital Panorama” at Kolkata Science Centre Science Exploration Hall

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MONGOLIA

AV Integration At Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar Hotel

Swee Lee (Shanghai) Trading Co Ltd combats temperature to provide top-end AV solution

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ompleted in May 2015, the AV installation at the Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar Hotel’s location in Mongolia, is in itself a challenge.

Though Mongolia has about 250 sunny days in a year, the typical exigencies involved with AV integration meant that the system integrator had to also battle the depths of the winter temperatures which can remain below zero degrees for several weeks with cold snaps bringing the temperature further down to minus 30 degrees Celsius. This did not just have an effect on personnel but equipment as well and much care was needed in ensuring all the solutions were in working conditions.

Lim Tiong Han, General Manager at Swee Lee (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd spent the best part of 2014 and 2015 in Mongolia to ensure that the installation was up to the mark. Tiong Han, informs us that the

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engineering, programming and tuning of the systems was done by Swee Lee personnel whereas the actual installation work was done by the local team in Mongolia, which “provided a challenge as the work culture is different from what we would generally be used to.” The appointed consultant for the project was CCW Shanghai.

“We literally had to ship in more equipment than needed as we were concerned about the weather and its effect on the systems,” said Tiong Han. “We also had to ensure proper grounding to sort out the static caused by the weather. This was indeed a challenging project but we are pleased that we managed to pull it off successfully.”

The entire hotel’s AV needs were catered for by Swee Lee (Shanghai) Trading Co Ltd. These included the following areas: • • • • •

The Information Display systems throughout the hotel.

The Central BGM system.

The Beauty Salon, Gym and Spa. Staff Training and Dining rooms.

Swimming Pool.

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Function Rooms at B1, L1 and L2.

Ball Room and Pre-Function Room.

Lobby Lounge and Entrance.

All Day Dining Restaurant.

Level 3 Restaurant VIP Bridal Room.

Western Restaurant Horizon Lounge The Presidential Suite and Bay Suites

Key Solutions Video switching for the staff training room, function rooms, ballroom and prefunction room is taken care of by an Extron MTPX128Plus Twisted Pair Matrix Switcher.

Keeping in mind that the hotel is positioned to handle different types of events, an Extron IN1608 Eight Input HDCP-Compliant Scaling Presentation Switcher with DTP Extension has also been installed. Various-sized Draper screens with a fixed 10000 lumens Epson projector supported with 5 units of portable Epson 4000 lumens projectors comprise the visual projection solutions in the hotel. Crestron wall mount keypads help in setting the environment for the Ballroom and Pre-Function Room as well as the VIP Bridal Room.

Swee Lee also provided tie-lines to extend the sound or stream videos via CAT6 & Fibre should there be a need.

The hotel’s information display system comprises of Spinetix HMP200 media players supported by the Spinetix Elementix Information Display System Software Server, with various-sized Samsung visual panels broadcasting the different types of information.

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The central BGM is handled by a Peavey Media Matrix system. A mix of Cloud Audio mixer amplifiers and MTSi amplifiers are installed in tandem with various-sized QI ceiling speakers at most of the spaces within the HK Audio Caddy One speakers installed at the hotel. Shure microphones Lobby Lounge including the ULX wireless as well as the SM57 and SM58 play their role in sound reinforcement at the Function Rooms and Western Restaurant with a number of microphones also making up the inventory to be used where needed. Yamaha MG166x and MG24/14FX mixers handle mixing duties.

“The Lobby Lounge has HK Audio 112XA powered stage monitor speakers for the performers. But what is interesting is that we are using 2 units of HK Audio Caddy One speakers for the sound reinforcement in the space. This slim speakers really pack a punch and provide crystal clear sound across the lounge. The size of the speakers betray the sound that comes out of them,” said a pleased Tiong Han. Tiong Han also points out to us about the 5 units of Technomad Verna 15T wall mount weather proof speakers installed at the outdoor area of the Western Restaurant. “Technomad has proven its reliability where extreme weather conditions are concerned and we were confident that the system will be able to perform in Mongolia as well and we have not been disappointed.”

Keeping in line with its 5-star image and branding, the Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar Hotel also ensured that the AV solutions are on par with top-end brands and solutions that work to ensure a pleasant userexperience. www.sweelee.com.sg

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AUSTRALIA

Lighting Control Upgrade Brings Flexibility And Reliability To Brisbane Powerhouse Pathport nodes offer flexibility

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n August last year the Brisbane Powerhouse upgraded their lighting data distribution system with the installation of a Cat-6 network with Pathport nodes and Pathport manager software.

Nine Pathport C-series nodes were installed around the venue where they convert lighting data that has been distributed over the Cat-6 network to DMX. Previously the venue had two cabled universes of DMX and if they were required to expand beyond that, extra cables and infrastructure had to be installed which was very time consuming.

“We looked at a few options but the Pathport hardware allowed us to easily output any combination of two universes at any node, for example Universe 1 and 2 on node A and Universe 8 and 15 on node B and so on,” explained Simon Cook, Head of Lighting at the Brisbane Powerhouse. “You can use Pathport manager to configure everything to suit the particulars of your show.”

Due to the Cat-6 network that Pathport runs over, it is simple to scale your system up with additional nodes as required making it very flexible.

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“We also have a Pathport Quattro which we can use anywhere when we require additional universes, added Simon. “It’s great if you need to build a pixel mapped LED wall on stage or something similar.”

“We can go from two universe shows to sixteen universe shows with multiple protocols very easily,” commented Simon. “What’s also great is that any node can be an input or an output. Before we installed Pathport nodes, if you wanted to run the lighting console side of stage you had to run DMX cables back to the control booth. Now we can just plug a network cable in if we require more than two universes or make a node an input rather than an output if that suits, using the system management.”

The new system was invaluable when the Brisbane Powerhouse recently hosted the Australian Performing Arts Market where artists and producers presented excerpts of their shows. Several theatre companies brought their own lighting consoles, which would usually require DMX input merging or cabling swaps between shows, but thanks to the Pathport system this was not a problem.

“We could have multiple inputs into the system at the same time and with a little pre-planning have no worries about playback clashing or anything like that” remarked Simon. “You could leave your house console plugged in, they could patch their consoles in and playback their shows really easily.”

Simon commented that since its installation the Pathport system has been completely reliable.

“When a touring console comes in we change the IP address on the console and everything talks – it’s that simple. In addition, when the show bumps out we can re-load our standard input/output configuration from the control booth with no need to visit each node and reconfigure individually.” www.jands.com.au

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MALAYSIA

Digital Aid Heats Up Future Sound Asia 15th Year Anniversary Clay Paky and d&b help create the right atmosphere

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L Live, where great concerts are held, was fully transformed to host the Future Sound Asia’s 15th anniversary event.

Established since 2001, Future Sound Asia is one of Malaysia’s leading events company. Future Sound Asia is known for managing and organizing successful events such as Above & Beyond and Go Hardwell or Go Home. Future Sound Asia celebrated their 15th anniversary with DVBBS and a special guest, Dash Berlin. With such a great line up the event was the highlight of the week.

The crowd patiently waited outside the event venue, as sound engineers, lighting engineers and organizers made their final preparation for the event. “Lights and sound, these are important elements for such an event,” commented one of the crew, involved in the lighting coordination. “It is important for lighting fixtures to run in harmony to the DJ’s beat. The lows, the highs and the drops of the beat accompanied with the right lighting display creates an immersive atmosphere for the crowd,” commented another. Rental company Digital Aid (D8) was no stranger to KL Live. Being a regular in the venue, they were familiar with the setup and stage layout of

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KL Live. Peter, the lighting engineer for Future Sound Asia coordinated the lighting smoothly with precision and dedication. “There were some technical difficulties during our final rehearsal, but nevertheless we were able to go through the event just as planned and it was definitely a great experience,” commented Peter.

A total of 73 lighting fixtures were used on the stage and truss system in KL Live that night. According to Amin, D8 Lighting coordinator and Planner, the installation of lights were divided into Truss Towers, Fly Bar and Floor. A total of 6 units of Atomic Martin 3000, 6 units of Clay Paky Sharpy and 6 units of Clay Paky K-20 B-Eye were used for the truss towers. As for the Fly Bar above the stage, 14 units of Clay Paky Sharpy, 8 units of Clay Paky K-20 B-eye, 8 units of Atomic Martin 3000, 7 units of Showtec Sunstrip and 4 units of Clay Paky 1500 Alpha Spot were used. Lastly for the floor, 4 units of Clay Paky 1500 Alpha Spot and 4 units of Clay Paky K-20 B-eye were used. “It was a tight setup process, we were only given a short time to install all of the equipment. However, we managed to beat the time and everything went well,” added Amin.

“I’ve always been impressed by Clay Paky especially with what D8 does, bringing the lighting and the quality of the lighting fixtures. I am really impressed with Clay Paky B-Eye. The effects of Clay Paky lighting fixtures, their wash and beams it makes them very versatile for all kinds of events,” addressed Russel, Future Sound Asia’s Production Coordinator. “It is definitely an important part of the event especially for dance music such as these. We rely heavily on visual effect. It is also very responsive as we always need the lighting to be on point,” mentioned Russel when questioned on the importance of lighting fixtures such as Clay Paky.

Aside from the lights, D8 also provided the sound system for the event. “For this event we used the d&b audiotechnik professional speakers,” commented Wan, D8’s sound engineer who was in charge of the Front of House monitor. “For the line arrays we used a total of 12 units of d&b J8, 6 on both sides, while 4 units of d&b J12, 2 on each side,” continued Wan. Additionally there were 12 units of d&b J

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Subs used in the event. “I needed 8 speakers on each side as I need the angle to cover the overall venue. The Subs are definitely needed to bring out punchiness of the DJ beats,” mentioned Wan. Aside from the speakers and lighting system, Wan also gave us a glimpse of the D80 amplifier used for the event. “The D80 is a high powered density amplifier, with the digital display panel located at the amplifier, I am able to configure the settings with much ease. It allows me to input the details directly onto the screen, which in turn automatically adjusts the amplifier to a suitable setting,” commented Wan. Last but not least, we asked him about the performance of the speaker that night. “It was amazing. We were able to listen to the full range of frequencies of the songs played by the DJs. Not only it sounded good, these speakers are easy to be installed, almost plug and play,” responded Wan.

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Things began to warm up as DJ Goldfish & Blink started off the event with countless remixes and originals beats. The crowd heated up as Dash Berlin made his guest appearance on stage. It was a spectacular show as the crowd started lifting their hands in the air accompanied by wonderful lighting display. Dash Belin, hyped up the stage even more when he played one of his famous remixes Faded by Alan Walker. When we thought that the rave was over, DVBBS brought one final blow of excitement to the crowd before ending the event. Future Sound Asia has done it again, creating events showing the different side of music to the local community. Stay tuned for Good Vibes Festival which will be another significant event by Future Sound Asia in August 2016. http://futuresoundasia.com/ http://d8projects.com/ http://www.acousticlighting.com/

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UAE

Maestra Dubai Supplies Technical Production For WWE Dune Bash

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ward winning event production specialist Maestra Group provided a complete technical solution – utilising resources from both its Middle East and London operations - for the recent WWE Dune Bash staged at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai, UAE. Maestra was asked on-board by sports producers PROACTIV to provide all the rigging, sound, video, lighting, staging and draping needed for the popular two day event, project managed for Maestra Group by managing partner of Maestra Dubai, Tom Clements.

The brief included co-ordinating the extensive soft-goods required around the site and setting up a workable backstage space using creative draping to give dressing and green rooms and technical areas.

Maestra also supplied the local crew and specialised event security.

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Says Tom, “Delivering a project of this size was a great challenge and one enabling us to illustrate the potential, synergy and talent of our Middle East and European teams working together to produce a high profile event for a world class brand�.

Sourcing all the technical elements from one company offered an efficient and cost-effective solution for PROACTIV and their client.

Rigging & Video Two ground supports were installed for the 5000 capacity event, a 12 x 12 metre self-climbing trussing system above the wrestling ring at the centre of the action and another 12 metre wide by 3 metre deep immediately behind this, which was used to support the LED screens.

The main screen was a 7.5 metre wide by 4 metre high 6mm pitch product used for IMAG relay of the ring action. Below this and slightly further back were two more 3 x 3 metre 6mm pitch side screens with a small gap in between to allow contestants to enter / exit on their way to the ring.

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Playback video content for these entranceway screens was run via a Dataton Watchout control system from Maestra.

Lighting The company has recently invested in more Atomic strobes, used for the first time on this event as special effects, helping to ramp up the excitement for all the thrills and spills of the high energy performances.

Martin MAC Auras and Clay Paky Sharpy moving lights were rigged all around the main ground support to highlight the wrestling action and provide key lighting for the IMAG cameras, with individual PARs dotted all over the place for the base washes and illumination.

Lighting was controlled via two ChamSys MQ100 consoles and Maestra also supplied one of their new 400A power distribution boxes and new Avolites ART dimmers.

Audio A Nexo Geo 12 line array sound system was installed, picked for its aesthetics – with sightlines in mind - and power to deliver great sound all around the arena. Arrays were hung on each side of the main ground support – four in total -and focussed for clear, even coverage.

Sound was mixed using a Yamaha LS9 console complete with new Rio Rack for processing and a mix of wired and wireless radio mics completed the sound detail.

With this and another large show for Disney being serviced simultaneously in Dubai, key crew from Maestra London joined the WWE technical crew, together with elements of kit like the sound and lighting consoles, radio mics, etc.

Tom underlines the international reach of Maestra Group and the value and dynamics that can be brought to the client by running a multi-site company in accessible locations. www.maestra-group.com

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Tourism Technology Asia and PRO AVL Facts and Figures Event: Tourism Technology Asia and PRO AVL Dates: 20 and 21 July 2016 Venue: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Number of Exhibiting Companies: 64 Number of Presentations: 17 seminars and workshops on sound reinforcement, lighting design and hospitality technologies.

Number of registered visitors: 2,066 trade visitors comprising 18.6% overseas visitors

“I am delighted that the inaugural event concluded successfully attracting quality visitors who were here to source for the latest products and technologies available.

Besides, we also had good feedback from those who attended the seminars and workshops that they gained much from renowned speakers with knowledge exchange and learning.�

Rosalind Ng, Organiser, GLOBE INTERNATIONAL Events Consultancy Pte Ltd

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d&b audiotechnik's Asia-Pacific office took the opportunity to showcase its presence in Singapore at the exhibition. The office was recently opened in Singapore and plans are already on the way for a bigger space to accommodate warehousing. Imran Hariht (Left in picture) has also recently joined the company as their Service Manager and Application Support personnel. Pictured here are also Kenny Chng, Education and Application Support and Ben Millson Technical Sales Specialist APAC. www.dbaudio.com

Panasonic had the largest and the most impressive booth at the exhibition. Showcasing its live solution including its recording and streaming solutions as well as its projectors, guest DJs and live band performances complemented the set-up. www.panasonic.com.sg

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PRO-Toys, an outfit from Thailand, exhibited their MATRIX DSLRs Control Suite – an interesting solution for unlimited DSLR camera array control for bullet time (time slice) technic filming. It combines hardware and software solution and offers a unique perspective for the events and broadcast industry. To know more details you can visit www.trinity2k.com

It has been a while since TMB has had the opportunity to re-connect with its long standing customers in Asia and this event provided them with an excellent opportunity. TMB also highlighted to customers about their new outdoor FLARE IP LED outdoor wash architectural fixture. “We were able to catch up with old contacts and meet some interesting new ones and so we are very pleased with the show,” said Colin Walters. www.tmb.com

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Swee Lee Projects took the opportunity to showcase state-of-theart projection technology implying the System Integrator's capability of being at the forefront of technology. The main emphasis however was to highlight the company's footprint within Asia and its abilities, capabilities and expertise to handle different types of projects.

Pictured here are Ian Stott with CEO Lim Yew Seng. www.sweelee.com.sg

Lynx-Technik showcased their fibre optic transmission solution for video, audio and data. “The show has been good for us,� said Managing Director, Joehan Tohkingkeo. www.lynx-technik.com

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The Sindo Exports booth saw a collaboration of sorts with XC Lighting highlighting 4K BARCO projection, ESS for show control and Shin Taiyou Technology, D.A.S. Audio’s Singapore Exclusive Distributor highlighting the audio company’s speakers. The combined companies showcased a range of new products from the new QSC E series, MyMix Install, DAS ARTEC Line Arrays, DAS VANTEC, BARCO 4K Laser projector and BARCO Event Master Controller. “The exhibition is better than expected with a good visitor mix from hospitality, SI and Event companies,” said Sindo’s Director Koh Yock Kee. www.sindoexport.com

Audio Light Asia exhibited its Green-Go digital communication system from The Netherlands. At the exhibition, the wireless beltpacks were being showcased. “The system works on the wireless DECT system. I am pleased to say that we have already had our first GreenGo solution instalment in a reputable theatre here in Singapore,” said Thomas Tan, Managing Director, Audio Light Asia. www.audiolight.com.sg

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Exhibiting for the first time in any exhibition was GECKO Music Group. The company manufactures its own solutions in Malaysia and has a strong global following for its custom made solutions. “We used the opportunity to showcase our CRYSTAL Audiophile technology,” said Daniel Foo, Founder and Director (R&D). He adds, “The response at the exhibition has been great for us.” www.geckomusic.net

This event was the first opportunity for the Harman Asia office, now based in Singapore to show its full spectrum of solutions to the industry. “The breadth and width of the Harman solutions are shown here including the SVSi network solution,” said Robin Enlund, Managing Director, Enterprise SBU, Professional Solutions. www.harman.com

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Long established distributor AV Science showcased a range of products including competing products. “To many visitors it comes as a surprise that we are selling competing products side by side but we highlight to them that we are selling solutions and not products. We advise and suggest the best possible solution based on the customer’s needs. We are honest with the customers and our principals, which is why many of our principals have been with us for a very long time. All of them know that they can trust us to take care of their interest,” said Gan Beng Seng, Managing Director, AV Science. www.av-science.com

Aryton lighting fixtures took centrestage at Total Solution Marketing’s booth. Having taken distribution rights in April, the exhibition offered the company the opportunity to showcase the lights for the first time at an exhibition. Of course the company’s other solutions were also on display. “This exhibition was a very good marketing opportunity for us,” said a pleased Glenn Wong. “We were able to showcase our range of solutions to the industry.” www.tsm-int.com

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One of Singapore’s most established System Integrator and Distributor, Electronics and Engineering Pte Ltd took a different approach to their set-up for the exhibition. A number of tables with chairs were set-up for discussion and networking opportunities. “The set-up is meant to engage and continue to build our network and stay relevant to serve our customers’ needs. The booth environment is conducive for discussions. The latest technology is always available but how can we, as a company, offer you what is relevant to your needs? That is what we are here to achieve,” said Ronald Goh, Managing Director, Electronics and Engineering Pte Ltd www.enepl.com.sg

Outline officially announced the appointment of One Circle as its distributor for Singapore and Brunei, at the exhibition. The One Circle booth showcased the different Outline solutions and the company took the opportunity to re-introduce themselves to the market. Pictured here (L-R): Miqael Das (OneCircle), Rudy Winarto (Melodia, Indonesia), Hikam Ali (OneCircle) and Giorgio Biffi, Outline. www.onecircle.sg

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ETA August 2016

EVENTS LISTING 2016 Aug 23 – 25

Oct 31 – Nov 02

Integrate 2016 Venue: Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park Site: integrate-expo.com

Prolight + Sound Middle East Venue: Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Dubai Site: www.prolightsoundme.com

Aug 31 – Sept 03 Broadcast Indonesia/ Communic Indonesia 2016 Venue: Jakarta International Expo Site: www.broadcast-indonesia. com

Dec 06 – 08

Sep 01 – 04

January 19 - 22

PALM Expo 2016 Venue: China International Exhibition Centre, Beijing, China Site: www.palmexpo.net

NAMM Show 2017 Venue: Anaheim Convention Centre, Anaheim, USA Site: https://www.namm.org/ exhibit/WN17

Sep 12 – 14 InfoComm India Venue: Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, India Site: www.infocomm-india.com

Oct 26 - 29 Prolight + Sound Shanghai 2016 Venue: Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai China Site: www.prolightsoundshanghai.com

InfoComm Middle East and Africa Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Site: www.infocomm-mea.com

February 07 – 10 Integrated Systems Europe 2017 Venue: Amsterdam Rai, Amsterdam, Netherlands Site: www.iseurope.org