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UK - Misys Network Services Life and Pensions, the UK's largest Financial Intermediary Network, recently held a convention for over 400 of its members and product providers about future market changes. As the Convention was entitled 'Tomorrow's World', it chose to use the presentation technology itself to reinforce the messages.

Production company, 3D Communications together with their technical staging specialists, The Show Company and computer graphics design house, Cadco, teamed up with Blitz Birmingham to give the presentation a futuristic look. It was delivered on a hemispherical centre screen and the challenge for Blitz was to select projection equipment that would ensure the sharpest images and allow maximum flexibility in manipulating both videotape and graphics images on

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Australia - Perth, Australia-based PIVoD Technologies has teamed with ARX Systems to create new ground-breaking audio streaming technology. ARX's ZA Series multi-channel amplifiers have been installed by PIVoD Technologies into the Victorian Arts Centre, the hub of performing arts in Southern Australia, comprising the Melbourne Concert Hall, Victorian State Theatre and many other performance venues and spaces.

The ARX ZA400, ZA600 and ZA800 amplifiers have been fitted by PIVoD with their new audio streaming technology, VIPA (Venue Internet Protocol Audio). With VIPA, each ARX ZA amplifier features an Internet Protocol (IP) interface that allows the amplifier to be monitored for the operating and control status of each stereo channel pair and the AC power control 'on/off' of each amplifier. The amplifiers are then controlled and monitored with the PIVoD Technologies Show Control

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UK - Here's a rather unusual application for lighting more usually seen on a film set or in a TV studio. Land Rover and Jaguar, the two UK-based manufacturers, have opted for ARRI lighting for their respective vehicle safety component test facilities.

Both are part of Ford Motor Company's Premier Automotive Group, which allows them to work together on some purchasing activities. Land Rover, which tests components externally at its Gaydon site in the Midlands has just taken its first shipment of ARRI 2.5K Compacts, which it plans to follow up with ARRI 1.2Ks. One of the benefits of these lights in this respect is their lack of heat and the fact that they are flicker free.

(Ruth Rossington)

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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's - 40 thousand LED pixels on a ceiling!!! Indochine's whirlwind tour transports fans to another level of the live experience - immersing them from floor to ceiling with PixMob's X4 wristbands, and an LED ceiling made entirely of its NOVA Minis! With the vision of Indochine's creative team, PixMob used its LED fan-technology to turn attendees and venues into an ocean of effects, and a starry sky of LED magic. Très très cool!

Read more about the Indochine tour in the latest issue of LSi

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UK - The setting was a muddy field in Worcester in the cold and wet English December weather - not exactly the ideal location for a designer clothing brand. However, a photographic shoot featuring a range of projected images was the order of the day and Fourth Phase London was called in to supply a BP6 projector, complete with generator.

Regarded as a label for conceptualists, fashion label Comme des Garçons fuses fashion with art, science and perfect tailoring. Established in 1973, the label specializes in 'anti-fashion', austere, sometimes deconstructed garments, often lacking a sleeve or other component. The image of Comme des Garçons' trademark blacks and greys, often worn with combat boots, fitted perfectly with the English winter weather scene, although the conditions were so grim that the original day for which the shoot was scheduled had to be called off, the mud makin

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UK - In a move that will be welcomed throughout the industry, Chris Cronin of Total Fabrications Ltd (TFL) and Mark Surtees of Outback Holdings, have announced the merging of Slick Systems into TFL. "With rigging at our core, we had taken on Slick and really knocked it into shape over the past few years," said Mark Surtees, "but now's the time to take it to the next stage. As the biggest stockist of Slick trussing in the UK, we can't think of a better, safer pair of hands than Total Fabrications for the company to be in."

Chris Cronin was equally animated: "We will be maintaining all Slick's excellent product line. There will be consolidation - for us as manufacturers, and for the wider client base who will see real benefits from the sharing of technologies and expertise. It's a real matrix of talent, skills and trussing."

The change is effective

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USA - At the NAMM exhibition in Los Angeles (16-19 January) D.A.S. Audio of Valencia, Spain, will be introducing the new Compact 115, a self-powered loudspeaker system aimed at a wide range of portable and permanently-installed sound reinforcement applications.

The Compact 115 is a versatile three-way, biamplified system, say D.A.S., designed to be used as a full-range stand-alone unit without the need for bass reinforcement. It incorporates a state-of-the-art 1000W 'Class D' switching amplifier which utilizes two 500W ICEpower amplifier modules. One 500W channel is used for the low frequency section and another 500W channel for the mid-high section.

The low frequency section employs the highly efficient D.A.S. 15 GN4, 15" low frequency speaker with 4" voice coil and neodymium magnet structure. Mid range frequencies are reproduced by the new 8 BN mid-range device, wh

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USA - Visitors to this week's NAMM exhibition (Los Angeles, 16-19 January) will be able to see Audio-Technica's new AT3060 which, according to the manufacturer, represents ground-breaking developments in tube microphone technology.

Tthe AT3060 features standard 48V phantom power operation, meaning that it doesn't require a separate power supply and cable, which makes it as easy to set up and use as a standard condenser microphone. Audio-Technica has made this possible at an affordable price point. Other features include a new, large-diameter diaphragm cardioid condenser element, delivering high sensitivity and smooth sound with low overall noise levels, while a precision-machined, nickel-plated brass acoustic element baffle provides enhanced element stability and optimizes sensitivity. The tube used in each AT3060 is hand selected and aged to maintain peak performance, and the t

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UK - North-west-based audio-visual services company A to V has successfully completed 30 events in its first three months of trading and has now moved into new premises on Manchester's Science Park. The events have included a range of corporate and private sector meetings, conferences, awards dinners, product launches, road shows, exhibitions and special events, with the client list including Cancer Research, Co-operative Group Travelcare, The Environment Council, CIS, Excellence in Cities and Manchester's first 'Fashion Week' sponsored by Midas.

A to V's specialized area is visual communications, in particular the field of projection, control and switching/routing. Larger clients, however, prefer the company's management style to oversee an entire project, including set design and construction, lighting design, audio specifications, equipment hire and crew.

Directors Phil Wes

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Canada - A.C. Lighting has announced the formation of A.C. Lighting (Canada) Ltd. The new company will be operational in the early spring, and will share Spectrum Manufacturing Inc's facilities in Toronto, Canada, after their relocation to a new 18,051sq.ft headquarters.

John Evans, formerly general manager of the Canadian sales subsidiary of Telex/Electro-Voice, a worldwide leader of professional audio products, has been appointed to develop the Canadian market. Evans commented: "A.C. Lighting has a dominant presence within the international entertainment lighting market. I am excited by the new appointment, and look forward to growing the business in Canada."

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Applications are now being accepted for the first Lighting Masterclass held in London by Selecon on 21, 22 and 23 March 2003. Selecon is very proud to have Rick Fisher and Chris Parry to lead this unique event. Places on this first Masterclass are limited, and the aim of the event is to expand delegates' lighting craft with the assistance of two giants of the lighting industry, both working in different parts of the globe, bringing a wealth of experience to the debate. The Masterclass will be a hands-on lighting workshop held in a theatre environment.

The event is aimed at people working within the entertainment lighting industry who have experience in lighting or re-lighting shows; theatre electricians, technical assistants or similar grades within the industry.

The three-day Masterclass will use the 'Light Lab', a system used by Chris Parry at The University of Californ

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UK - A regional meeting of the Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) is to be held at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama on Wednesday the 22 January between 5.30 and 8.00pm. The Conference Room in the Alexander Gibson Opera School has been booked and the meeting is being hosted by David Ripley, the Academy production manager and ALD member. Opera 1, a Ravel Double Bill, is on stage in the New Athenaeum (the main house) and there are also concert halls and a studio that members can have a look around, depending on production schedules.

No agenda has been set, but one of the main intentions of these regional meetings is to give members the chance to meet up and discuss issues about lighting and the lighting industry. It could also be an opportunity to talk about future regional meetings and how the ALD can help support them. A meeting in Bristol came up with several s

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UK - The Manchester Evening News Arena recently played host to the Top of the Pops Awards 2002 hosted by by Ireland's greatest pop export, Ronan Keating. Thousands of fans and industry personalities alike were treated to performances from pop princess Kylie, Will & Gareth, Ms Dynamite, Craig David and Moby to name but a few. Hand Held Audio were asked by audio contractors Britannia Row to supply all of the wireless equipment and arrange licensing for the event.

HHA supplied a 10-way Shure UHF hand held system and an 8-way Shure PSM-700 in-ear monitoring system for stage use that was hot-swapped between the various performers, plus an additional PSM-600 in-ear shout system with three Shure UHF headset mics for the crew for the purposes of line checking. There were a further four hand held Shure UHF systems for the presenters and another 3-way hand held system for press interviews

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UK - The prestigious Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, has invested in the recently upgraded SoundField MKV RV microphone system. The ROH, a long term SoundField user, has in the past used SoundField systems at concerts by the lake in Kenwood, North London and also for amplifying and recording numerous open-air performances.

The MKV RV uses unique SoundField technology to generate both stereo and 5.1 surround from a 'single point source' and will be a useful addition to the ROH's already extensive microphone collection. The ROH, now under the leadership of ex-BBC man Tony Hall, is reporting an increase in revenue and the aim is to bring its performances to a wider audience group.

Laila Jantunen, SoundField sales, commented: "There have been discussions about the possibility of relaying ROH performances to outside venues. If this does materialize, the MKV system

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USA - Mackie has announced a major software upgrade for their Digital 8·Bus (d8b) recording console with the release of Version 5.0, which includes a completely updated graphical user interface (GUI) for improved navigation, a HUI (human user interface) emulation layer, surround monitoring control, as well as an extensive list of new features.

"Version 5.0 is the direct result of our listening to d8b users and providing them with real-world features and functionality that will improve their overall productivity and efficiency," says Keith Olsen, corporate director, global recording market and product development at Mackie Designs Inc. "The HUI capabilities, for example, were implemented specifically for artists and engineers that are interfacing more and more with desktop systems, but still require the sound-quality, routing, and I/O capabilities of a high-end mi

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UK - Packed with a host of facilities to satisfy a wide variety of different requirements, the 8-channel FSM8 stereo mixer from Formula Sound now offers a flexible solution for many different applications. Compact, versatile and easy to operate, the FSM8 is ideal for use in clubs, pubs and bars, conference centres, hotels, cruise ships and theme parks.

The 8 channels of the single-zone FSM8 are configured as a microphone section with 4 mono input channels (all with optional phantom power), plus a music section with 4 stereo input channels. Each section has its own tone controls, every input has a preset gain control, and all are adjustable through holes in the rear panel. The flexibility of the FSM8 is underlined by the option to connect an auxiliary input such as a jukebox, via a preset gain control, which will automatically take priority over all other music channels.

Other

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France - The Digigram Group has agreed to a management buyout led by top management from Digigram and Audemat-Aztec. The management group, as well as venture capital company Perfectis Private Equity and the Digigram co-founders, will create a new private holding company, Audiendis, which will control three companies: Digigram, Audemat-Aztec and Digigram subsidiary Innova Son.

Three professional audio veterans lead the management buyout: Digigram managing director Philippe Delacroix and Audemat-Aztec managers Daniel Werbrouck and Bruno Rost. Delacroix, Werbrouck and Rost will make up the new executive board of directors for Audiendis: Delacroix will become managing director of Audiendis, in collaboration with Werbrouck as production director and Rost in charge of special duties for the board.

Digigram founders and current majority shareholders, Philippe Girard-Buttoz and Marian

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UK - MC2 Audio has announced the first sales of its T4-250 amplifier, which is designed for multi-zone installations. This latest addition to the T Series has been in production since December and is available on a 10-day lead time. A pre-production prototype of the T4-250 amplifier (4 x 250W/channel in a 2U chassis) was shown to customers for the first time at PLASA in September 2002 and advance orders for this new model were taken at the show. The first production units were shipped to Greece and Austria in December, with orders to Portugal and Spain being fulfilled in the first week of January. In common with all MC2 Audio products, the T4-250 is covered by a five-year warranty.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Hayden Laboratories Ltd - exclusive UK distributor for Denon pro audio products - has announced two new machines, the DN-C615 and the DCM280, both geared to MP3. The DN-C615 is the first Denon Professional MP3 player - and a replacement for the DN-600F CD player. The DN-C615 features CD-R/RW playback, with a pitch control of +/- 12%, and MP3 playback with intuitive folder/title search. Direct Track buttons are available, as well as CD Text.

The unit offers 10 seconds of shock-proof memory, and other neat features include a preset, selectable Auto Cue. 'Playback' mode is also preset as well as selectable for Single Track or Continuous Play. General features include a tidy, standard 19" 2U aluminium front panel. User preset functions are available via an IR remote sensor or a wired remote control terminal.

The DCM280 is a high-performance CD auto-changer with MP3 which

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USA - The long-anticipated option to upgrade from halogen lamps to LEDs has arrived, thanks to a new speciality coloured LED lamp launched by OptiLED. Bernadette Olson at San Francisco-based Laser Reflections was one of the first in line to upgrade. Within a week of seeing the new lamps at Lighting Dimensions International (LDI) in November 2002, Bernadette had replaced 50W halogen spotlights at the Laser Reflections gallery with 2W LEDs.

The major benefits to the gallery, the world's most advanced holographic imaging studio, are three-fold: power consumption has been reduced from 750W to 30W, so reducing costs; the light output is confined to a narrow band, giving improved contrast and superior visual quality; and the long-life element means there'll be no need to replace them for about 20 years. Olson sees the launch of CHIP lamps as an exciting development, suggesting that th

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South Africa - On 28 December, 2002, 10 of Bollywood's biggest stars - including Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee and Shilpa Shetty - performed in a major extravaganza at Durban¹s ABSA Stadium. The concert, called Now Or Never Live, was put together by Anant Singh's Videovision Entertainment and Amitabh Bachchan, Indian cinema's biggest star.

Gearhouse Durban was awarded the contract to provide all the technical aspects of the show. Aside from the massive stage, and three enormous screens, the Gearhouse team managed the technical requirements of live singers, a band of 18 musicians (on a raised platform on the stage), dancers and chorus singers as well as the retinue of stars. The concert aimed to convey that sense of Bollywood opulence and extravagance and the Gearhouse team had to not only create this opulent stag

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USA - A new sound reinforcement manufacturing company, KV2 Audio, launched itself and its first new products at NAMM in Anaheim this week. Consisting of KV2 Audio Inc, based in Woodinville, Washington, and sister company KV2 Audio Europe, based in the UK, the new company has a strong pro audio pedigree, and strong ideas on sound reinforcement.

KV2 Audio Inc is headed by Marcello Vercelli (the 'V' of the company name). Vercelli, the former engineering product director for all Mackie loudspeaker products, is joined by a team of ex-Mackie personnel. The 'K' of the company name is George Krampera, the Czech designer who was responsible for many of RCF's most successful loudspeaker products.

Meanwhile, across the pond, Phil Price, former managing director of Makie/RCF UK, is joined by another well-known ex-Mackie/RCF figure, Andy Austin-Brown, and Jonathan Reece-Farren, until recen

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