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UK - 1 and Dolby Laboratories have announced a collaboration to study 1's proprietary Digital Sound Projector technology for the commercial cinema market. Digital Sound Projector technology creates highly controllable sound beams. From a single panel, which comprises an array of transducers, sound beams are formed which can be focused and dynamically steered to create exciting new audio effects.

David Lewis, 1's sales and marketing director told us: "Our technology could offer a new level of realism to cinema audiences. For example, we can align the movement of a sound beam with an aeroplane as its sweeps across the screen, or position a beam above the audience to accurately locate the noise of a helicopter landing."

The collaboration opens up a new market for 1's tech

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UK - Formed by the performers and technicians of the Central Show at the Millennium Dome as their year's work there came to an end, The Generating Company is a circus-based performance company that, over the last year, has managed to balance the demands of pure performance and the need to be commercially viable. A large part of this success has been due to their show Storm, which has enjoyed a number of successful performances, most recently at the Barbican Theatre in London, but which also formed the centrepiece of last year's launch of the new Audi A8 saloon.

As Storm's lighting designer, White Light North's Jack Thompson, explains: "We first created the show at the Circus Space in Hoxton, then we converted it to a proscenium arch format at the Theatre Royal in York in late 2001, and we then toured that production. Lots of people saw the show and enjoyed it,

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UK - Eddie Hirad, the former engineering manager at Lighting Technology, has set up a new company - Vipco Lighting & Sound - to service the lighting and sound industries.

Based in West London, the company will specialize in the manufacture and distribution of connectors and extension cables, details of which feature on the company's recently-launched website, which previews the full range of products and services on offer. Hirad is a well-known industry figure, and his company is fast becoming known for working weekends and through the night, to deliver those all too common, industry rush jobs.

(Ruth Rossington)

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Indochine X PixMob Fan Immersion

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 - Avolites, the west London-based lighting control manufacturer, is holding a series of 'Awareness Days' for its new ART 2000i installation dimmer range of products. The Days are designed to highlight the benefits and practicalities of using the ART 2000i dimmer range and will feature a presentation from designer JB Toby.

The ART2000i was launched at PLASA last year, and is already proving popular for all types of installation applications. Recent ART installs include 672 channels for a new studio in Beirut for the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, a smaller system for the new Moat Theatre Club, Naas in County Kildare, Ireland, and the first UK system into Blackpool Grand Theatre. It is the first foray into the installation market by Avolites, and the company has plans to expand its installation product range in the future.

Huge interest has been registered in the dimmer f

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UK - Shuttlesound, the UK distribution subsidiary of Telex EVI, has announced the promotion of its sales manager Sean Maxwell to the position of director of sales. Maxwell, who joined the company as a sales rep five years ago, will now assume a key role in Shuttlesound's strategic planning and corporate development. He told us: "One of my main responsibilities will be the positioning of Shuttlesound, both in the marketplace we currently operate in but also in terms of exploring new market opportunities which can offer us fresh potential."

His remit will also include further streamlining of the Shuttlesound sales operation, ensuring greater coordination between the sales office in south London and its team of representatives on the road.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - Marquee Audio has designed and supplied a new stage monitor system to be piloted by the McKenzie Group in their Carling Academy in Bristol. According to MKG's managing director, John Northcote, the move is not only in line with the company's policy of maintaining a solid audio infrastructure for visiting bands, but also reflects the expanding secondary usage of Academy venues for smaller up-and-coming groups.

If successful, the move could lead to a standardization throughout the McKenzie Group's live venue portfolio. Explaining the rationale, John Northcote told us: "We look at Academy venues from three viewpoints: for full-on shows, for club nights and now for small 400-500 capacity gigs where up-and-coming bands can plug into an existing set-up."

In addition to the new stage set-up in Bristol Marquee Audio has provided FOH augmentation with the first of Soundc

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France - Since 2000, the French theme park Puy du Fou has used L-Acoustics sound systems. In 2001, the park enlarged its equipment inventory for the Gallo-Roman Stadium show, delivering a high quality and invisible sound experience for the audience.

Won over by the quality of the dV-Dosc system used on the Gallo-Roman Stadium show, the Puy du Fou decided in 2002 to bring the same audio signature to the Cinescenie, one of the biggest permanent stages in the world (3 acres, 14,000 capacity audience per show) and asked its technical team to chose an L-Acoustics system that could be adapted to the geography (an outdoor show arena with a lake in the middle, several different stage locations, night shows, totally exposed to the elements, etc) and to the audio requirements (high intelligibility and predictable directivity, off-site noise pollution, etc). The sound engineers eventually

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UK - Le Mark has developed a new fire retardant gaffer tape. Manufactured from high quality, waterproof, vinyl-coated cloth tape, with a natural rubber based adhesive, it has a special flame retardant coating. Offering high tensile strength, it conforms to Ford specifications - ESB-M3G71-B and S95GG14K024CA.

On a separate note, Le Mark's custom printing division had an incredibly busy start to 2003. January saw the production, for the first time, of a uniquely complicated multi-text identification label system for the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Le Mark adapted its heavy-duty PAL Label identification system to meet the Philharmonic's requirement that every single piece of flight-cased equipment be uniquely named and identified with a reusable label. This required a total of 73 individual stencils to be produced and then screen printed.

(Ruth Rossington)

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UK - Sennheiser UK's guidePORT Health & Fitness Partner, TrackTones Ltd, has won the Barclays Bank Award for Commercial Innovation 2003. The award was presented at the recent seventh annual London Innovation Awards ceremony at the British Library, to TrackTones inventor and managing director, Steve Parkin, by Minister of State for E-Commerce and Competitiveness, Stephen Timms MP, and Huw Evans, Barclays Bank Corporate Director of Technology, Media & Telecomms.

The invention, which earned Steve Parkin's company accreditation as Sennheiser's first guidePORT Health & Fitness Partner, incorporates the new Sennheiser guidePORT intelligent, wireless personal audio guide system in a product designed to enhance music delivery and improve performance benefits in health and fitness facilities.

TrackTones can provide up to 16 simultaneous high quality audio channels via the digital RF gu

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UK - Stephen Hall has been appointed as managing director of UK rental and installations company RG Jones as part of a major management restructure of its operations in Wimbledon. Hire department manager John Carroll and financial adviser Max Cohen have also joined the board of directors.

Owner and chairman Robin Jones says: "In this industry it's important that companies continually evolve. This restructure passes the running of the company over to the hands of a young, dynamic and very experienced team. Stephen is the ideal person to lead the team and take the company forward. I wish him and the team every success."

Stephen Hall commented: "It's very exciting to be given the opportunity to further develop one of the longest established sound companies in the industry. Having been in the industry for over 25 years and having an association with RG Jones for nea

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UK - Ignoring Arctic temperatures and driving blizzards, to say nothing of London Underground grinding to a halt, crowds packed out Leicester Square recently to catch a glimpse of the perfect couple of the moment, Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock at the premiere of their slick romantic comedy, Two Weeks Notice. The couple, along with co-stars David Haig, and Alicia Witt, attended the glittering after-premiere party for 450 guests held at the Asia de Cuba restaurant in St Martins Lane hotel. The Sound Division Group's hire department provided the sound system and DJ services for the event.

The main system comprised two JBL SRX 4702 mid/top loudspeakers, two JBL SRX 4718 subs and a C-Audio Pulse amplifier rack, with a further four EV Sx300 loudspeakers as room fills. DJ Control was courtesy of two SL1210 turntables MkIII, an Allen & Heath mixer, a Denon 1800 CD player and a JB

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Finland - Genelec has launched a giant active subwoofer - ideal for large surround sound or stereo installations. Known as the 7073A, it features four 305mm (12") drivers, fast-acting, low distortion amplifiers, an incredible 124dB sound pressure output, 19Hz lower cut-off frequency, plus a full 6.1-capable bass management system - so it can easily handle the most demanding high SPL applications. Essentially the 7073A has twice the sound pressure output of Genelec's previous largest sub-woofer, the 7071A.

All the new subwoofer's electronics are fully integrated into the cabinet, including the active crossover filters, driver overload protection circuits and power amplifiers. The integrated bass management system with its six inputs and outputs (L/C/R front and L/C/R rear), plus LFE input and summed signal output connectors is very flexible. The dedicated LFE input (which ca

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UK - Entec Sound & Light supplied production co-ordination services and lighting and sound equipment for the UK and Irish leg of John Squire's hugely successful 'Time Changes Everything' tour. The tour has received much critical acclaim, and is the first time since Stone Roses' demise, that a former band member has performed much of the group's music publicly.

Despite the fact that many venues offered house sound and lighting systems, Steve Adj, John Squire's co-manager, and tour manager Martin Herbert, persuaded fellow manager Simon Moran to increase the budget, so that a consistent level of production could be ensured by means of a touring package. Entec won the contract and supplied Herbert with equipment and crew. The latter even included some Stone Roses stalwarts like Grub and Mouse from caterers Cat'n'Mouse, Stardes trucking and the unflappable Trapper as stage manager an

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UK - Gobo and projected effects specialists Projected Image, and sister company Projected Image Digital, joined forces recently to host a highly successful open day at their premises in Three Mills Island, East London.

The event attracted a broad cross-section of industry professionals. It's main objectives were to launch the new Version 4 software (available soon) for the RADlite visual manipulation system, also to highlight the new gobo manufacturing facilities offered following Projected Image's recent expansion and takeover of a second unit at Three Mills. There was lots of interest in the new gobo manufacturing laboratory, and guests were treated to a guided tour and a run-through of the precise science of gobo making. Projected Image also offered a sneak preview of the new Beacon Choice gobo catalogue, with Micke Tannemeyr, CEO and marketing director of the Swedish-based B

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UK - Edinburgh-based lighting specialists Tower Productions were called in to light a section of Castlehill in Edinburgh's historic Old Town during the Christmas period. The brief stipulated strictly no pea-lights and no flashing santas!The area presented a number of challenges, not least the height of the buildings, the pitch of the roofs, fixing consent from different parties and mains and control to all areas. Coupled with the road having to remain open, this meant some diligent cherry-picker work.

The final scheme involved 131 Par cans (dichroic filters fitted to those in inaccessible places), 22 Source Four profiles, 34 exterior birdies, 11 400W HQI floods, a pair of Studio Due City Colors and over 220m of rope light. The existing street lighting was gelled to reduce brightness, and the whole supplied by one 300A 3-phase mains supply with dimmers dotted around the rooftops!

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UK - Glasgow is the latest location for the development of McKenzie Group's Academy venue roll-out. Having taken over the 1920's art deco New Bedford Cinema just outside the city centre, they immediately committed £3 million to a conversion, which will see it fully operational by 26 March 2003 for the opening night with Deacon Blue.

To supply and implement the audio infrastructure, MKG's managing director, John Northcote, has again enlisted Shepperton Studios-based Marquee Audio, who first worked with the company on the conversion of Birmingham's Hummingbird to the Academy in Britain's second city two and a half years ago. The 2,500-capacity venue in Glasgow - purchased from Edinburgh-based development company EDI - will operate in three formats: as a full concert venue, a short hall arrangement and a full-on night club.

Marquee project managers, Spencer Brooks and Scott

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UK - Nocturne Productions & Vidicon are providing Barco high-performance display technology for Paul McCartney's 2003 'Back in the World' European Tour, which kicks off in France on March 25th. Nocturne and Vidicon are supplying approximately 149sq.m of Barco's LED video displays and 16 of its high brightness ELM Series DLP projectors for McCartney's World Tour in Europe. The Barco LED displays are located on both sides of the stage, each in a spectacular separate display. 16 Barco ELM R12 projectors are rear-projected, side-by-side, onto eight projection screens left and right of the stage. The configuration is used to show live image magnification and video playback during the show.

Following his successful North American tour, McCartney toured Mexico City and Japan for concerts in November. His 2003 European tour kicks off in France at the end of March, after which it proceed

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Australia - Sydney Opera House recently celebrated the opening of its sixth venue, the Forecourt - one of the city's most spectacular outdoor venues, situated on and around the Opera House steps. Throughout the summer, the Forecourt will host a diverse range of free and ticketed events - from the Sydney Symphony, jazz and rock concerts, folk and country music to unique large-scale participatory performances, all set against Sydney's impressive harbourside backdrop.

As the Forecourt will stage a diversity of productions, each with differing requirements, it was decided to initially hire the staging, starting with a domed stage supplied by Edwin Shirley Staging.

When it came to the lighting and audio equipment, the choice of equipment was driven by the fact that a versatile and modular production package could easily be utilized in other venues within the Opera House. "It's

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USA - It's not just about products, you know. Financial news from Mackie, the launch of Apogee Lighting and company transfers all dominated the show. Phil Ward reports.

The news came not at the official press conference, but several hours later when public notification was green-lighted by shadowy figures on the other end of mobile phones. New senior VP of marketing Ken Berger - returning to the EAW fold - clearly expected to announce the deal at the conference, but was forced to play out a double act with PR manager Kyle Ritland, as ink failed to dry on remote contracts. Still, the sigh of relief come 5.00pm, and official confirmation, was almost louder than Behringer's hairy metal duo on the next stand.

Berger's appointment was one of many 'people launches' in a show more crowded with new executives than new toys. At Soundcraft, Andy Trott lived up to his name and covered a

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USA - Electrosonic has formed a new division, MediaSonic - the Media Networking Division.

The new operation, based in Burbank, will design and manufacture network-enabled media products and systems for the delivery of rich media content to the control and presentation markets.

Some of the first offerings from MediaSonic include control systems and storage devices only previously available exclusively in Electrosonic systems and installations, including the ESCAN Control Area Network for Media Control and Management, FrEND Far End Network Device, The MediaSonic MPEG-based HD Player and MediaSonic HD Decoder card which decodes all 18 ATSC formats and custom formats.

MediaSonic is also establishing OEM relationships based on the technologies of these products and other Electrosonic products and designs.

Jim Bowie, previously the general manager of Electrosonic in Burbank, has

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UK - SSE Audio Group has taken delivery of the first production Nexi GEO T Tangent Array Systems - a total of 96 full-range Tangent Array cabinets and 24 CD-18 Controlled Directivity sub-bass units.

The order is a reflection of SSE's close involvement with the Nexo GEO Technology project, from the conceptualisation of the first tangent array devices, the GEO S Series launched in 2001, to the realisation of the GEO T Series and, in particular, its remarkable flying system, designed by Chris Beale, SSE's Group hire director. SSE has been field-testing GEO T full-range and sub-bass units since the summer of 2002, with the complete system fulfilling its potential most recently at the larger venues on Tori Amos' European tour. At Le Zenith in Paris, before a 7000-strong crowd, the SSE/Melpomen team flew single arrays of 17 T4805s on each side of the stage, with four CD18 sub-bass uni

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