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UK - Paradigm Audio Visual has successfully achieved their ISO 9001:2000 certification at the first attempt. Managing director Greg Jeffreys describes this as an important development for the Bedford-based company, which distributes dnp high resolution screens, in addition to manufacturing its own rear projection rigs (and bespoke solutions).

This, says Jeffreys, is the culmination of Paradigm’s programme to bring more substance to its infrastructure. Last year the company recruited Paul Wood MBA as general manager and set out a much more aggressive business plan. "Part of the rationale in increasing our business as a manufacturer was to improve our capacity in a controlled way, and ISO was a useful exercise in that it gave us the chance to review our business and highl

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USA - Shure has started to ship its new DFR22 audio processor, a powerful and affordable 2-in, 2-out DSP product featuring Shure’s patented automatic digital feedback reduction algorithm (DFR).

Primarily designed for the sound contracting market, the DFR22 also includes modules for equalization, dynamics processing, delay and matrix mixing and is easily configured through a flexible, drag-and-drop Windows software interface. "The DFR22 will give current users of our DFR11EQ and P4800 the best of both products in a new form. It will function as an out-of-the-box, two-channel feedback reducer or as a fully configurable 2 x 2 device with a full complement of software-configurable audio processors," said Bob Rieder, Shure category director of audio processing products. "It also answers the many requests we’ve received for a stereo version of our patented f

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USA- Further news from Ballantyne of Omaha, this time concerning the appointment of Daniel E. Faltin, 46, as executive vice-president and chief operating officer.

As COO, Faltin will oversee day-to-day operations at the company, assuming those responsibilities from Brad French, who added those duties to his chief financial officer role during the company's restructuring process. French will continue to serve as CFO, a position he has held since 1996.

Faltin most recently served as an executive consultant to Ballantyne's senior management team. Prior to this, he was president of Chief Automotive Systems Inc, a Nebraska-based manufacturer of collision repair equipment for the body shop industry, which was acquired by Dover Corporation in 1988. In this role, he oversaw the introduction of several new products, thecreation of a successful product trade-in programme and the implem

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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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France - With the small cable size and with no audible electromagnetic interference, the use of Ethernet technology has many advantages in the audio word. It can often enable audio installation in areas where traditional methods would be difficult or impossible. Functioning as Ethernet audio bridges, Digigram’s EtherSound ES8in and EtherSound ES8out offer an easy and affordable way to install and distribute up to 64 channels of high-quality audio using standard Ethernet switches and Cat 5 cabling, and are the first off-the-shelf products to feature Digigram's EtherSound technology.

EtherSound ES8in injects eight analogue balanced audio signals into an EtherSound network, while the EtherSound ES8out extracts eight analogue audio signals out of an EtherSound network. System set-up, control and re-configuration are operated remotely via straightforward PC software, with no sp

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UK - London-based theatre sound specialist Orbital has combined forces with The National Theatre to co-produce their third advanced training course for final year Stage Management and Technical Theatre students wishing to pursue a career in theatre sound.

The importance of sound in theatre continues to grow at a rapid rate, and as audio technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, both Orbital and the NT are concerned that there is a skills shortfall, and that young people entering the industry have little experience of the latest technology.

The course was co-designed by the NT’s head of sound Rob Barnard and Orbital’s Simon Whitehorn as a ‘top-up’ to the very good, but basic training offered at drama schools. 20 candidates were nominated from drama schools nationwide to participate - at no expense to students or schools - in carefully structured cla

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USA - Stanton has announced what it calls ‘a revolution in DJ mixer design’ - SST f(Superior Sound Technology) is found in the latest crop of Stanton mixers including the new SA-5, SMX-401, SMX-301 and RM-22. This technology offers audio quality on a par with professional studio consoles, but at prices working DJs can afford, say Stanton. Features include ultra low-noise circuitry, transparent sound, no channel bleed and superior construction throughout.

SST is the result of a new strategic initiative at Stanton to bring pro audio specs to a more affordable price point, which the company has achieved by utilizing a new team of engineers from broadcast and recording mixer backgrounds - in conjunction with Stanton’s own DJ product managers.

All SST mixers boast a flat frequency response from 20Hz-20kHz +/-1.5dB and a dynamic range better than 110dB (noise and d

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UK - Music Bank, the London rehearsal facility, has opened two new rooms, nearly doubling its studio space as a result of a major expansion programme. The main event is the opening of the East and West studios, more than 3,500sq.ft of natural light rehearsal space, each studio boasting its own ground-floor load-in, private office and kitchen.

Each room is offered with a Soundcraft 40-channel MH4 mixing console. "The rooms are aimed at four or five piece bands, perhaps a bit more budget-conscious than our current clients," explains Music Bank's Nunu Whiting. "All of us here believe that there's going to be a resurgence in the rock 'n' roll market, so we're getting ready for the new upcoming bands. Music Bank will give them a decent and affordable rehearsal environment, rather than the traditional black room with sticky carpets!"

East and West Studios have be

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Italy - For the 2004 edition of SIB (13-16 March 2004), the show’s organizers are promising a cutting-edge expo with a new image, new targets and two new sections as part of a plan drawn up in conjunction with research and consultancy company Cermes-Bocconi.

"We’ve carried out support activity for Rimini Fiera’s management on the basis of our experience in the sector of exhibitions of international importance," explains Professor Francesca Golfetto, joint director of Cermes-Bocconi. "Bearing in mind the on-going evolution of its business sectors, it’s extremely important for strict scientific surveys to be conducted on an event of SIB’s international calibre, to ensure the utmost satisfaction of its numerous clients." As a result of this plan, SIB now also has a new subtitle - the International Exhibition of Event and Entertainme

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UK - SCV London has appointed Eamonn McGonagle to the newly created position of UK sales manager for PA and installation products. Julian Blyth, SCV London managing director, says: "As we are continually expanding the PA and installation market side of our business, we needed to find the right person to manage our rapidly increasing portfolio of products. We believe Eamonn fulfils the role perfectly."

McGonagle was previously national sales manager for Celestion Pro Products, and before that he was the marketing manager for Van Dam Cables.

(Lee Baldock)

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UK - The funeral of Keith Ferguson, the former general manager of the Production Services Association (PSA), will be held this Saturday 7 June, at 11.20am at Putney Vale Crematorium, Stag Lane, London SW15. Ferguson, who also served as a trustee of the PSA’s Welfare & Benevolent Fund, died in his sleep during the night of Friday 23 May. He was 56. Freddie Nyathela of the South African Roadies Association (SARA), who worked closely with Ferguson, described him as "a gentle giant - a man with a soft heart and vision."

He leaves a son, Guy, and a daughter, Meredith. The family has requested that flowers be sent from family members only, while anyone wishing to contribute should send a donation to the family’s chosen charity, Diabetes UK, c/o the Funeral Directors at: Fred K W. Paine, 24 Old London Road, Kingston, Surrey, KT2 6QG.

Following the service, a Mem

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France - Nexo GEO S cabinets have been installed in the Ice Arena in Valence, near Grenoble in France. As part of an extensive refurbishment programme of the venue, Lyon Audio Equipement has designed and installed a new sound reinforcement system, using a combination of PS8 and GEO S805, driven by Yamaha PC Series amplifiers.

The Ice Arena is used regularly for ice hockey, accommodating an audience of 850 for matches. The auditorium can be re-configured for ice shows, increasing its audience capacity to 1050. Providing coverage for the ice surface itself are eight Nexo PS8 compact full-range cabinets, bi-amplified by the PS8 processor and four Nexo LS400 power amps. For the audience seating, Bernard Maigre of Lyon Audio Equipement has specified two clusters of three GEO S805 tangent array cabinets.

"There is a truss, what you could call a bridge, that runs the length of

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UK - Essex-based sound and light company Xtreme Audio Visual has ordered a new Electro-Voice X-Array rental system, complete with P3000RL Precision Series Remote Amplifiers, and a Midas Venice 320 mixing console, all to be supplied by Shuttlesound.

Xtreme has been building up its rental business, and, last year, invested heavily in expanding its lighting capability. In 2003, it is the turn of the sound department, which already has a healthy client list: the company recently provided audio services for two film launches in Leicester Square, is heavily involved in corporate events and conference work throughout Europe, and regularly supplies systems for dance events. One of their goals for the coming year is to increase their list of music clients, and the purchase of the X-Array is intended to attract more music touring business.

Xtreme's new X-Array system comprises four Xcn

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Latvia - A new rigging innovation, the Verlinde CyberHoist, made its début recently at the Eurovision Song Contest in Riga, Latvia. The system’s designers, Dutch lighting and rigging company Flashlight, who worked closely with lead lighting contractor Spectra+ of Sweden, say the CyberHoist is the world's most intelligent hoist motor system, capable of a high level of accuracy under the control of Flashlight's Ethernet-based 3D HoistShowControl programming and control software system. At Eurovision, it was used to perform intricate movements of six circular truss ‘pods’ containing large LED video panels and lights around the Eurovision set.

Flashlight's R&D team, headed by its engineering manager Fried Buttstedt and Anne Bokma, developed the CyberHoist around a Verlinde Stagemaker hoist body as well as creating the 3D HoistShowControl software. A truly 'intelli

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UK - Thanks to a unique new integrated system soon to be installed as part of a major refurbishment of the Blackwall Tunnel in London, by Tyco Integrated Systems of Cambridge and Tyco Control Systems, motorists will now be able to listen to radio programmes and receive radio messages (RDS) and PA announcements about traffic conditions, incidents or emergencies while in the tunnel.

In an emergency, special radio break-in messages on RDS car radio can provide information or instructions, and the Public Address system makes sure that people hear messages even during an evacuation. CCTV cameras will also allow tunnel operators to monitor traffic throughout the tunnels. The entire system is controlled via a single SCADA integrated control system provided by Tyco Control Systems which links all the facilities together - it can even deliver pre-recorded messages automatically when sens

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UK - Lightfactor Sales has supplied installer Chris Gunton Associates (CGA) with LDR Suono profile theatrical lighting fixtures and LightProcessor dimmers and control to realize an interesting projection concept in the Cavendish Arcade, Buxton - the historic spa town’s main shopping centre. The supply and demo was managed for Lightfactor by Peter Coles, who was approached by CGA in their search for an inventive solution to project images up a blank wall in the shopping center, protected from fixings by the building’s listed status.

The Arcade building contains Buxton’s famous spring, and originally served as the old bathing house buildings. In the mid 1980s, a large arched stained glass roof was added along one section of the arcade. At the time, it was the largest continuous stretch of stained glass in Europe. Below and at one end of this barrel-ceilinged stai

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UK - British audio and speech technology company, NXT, has announced the launch, by 3M, of a rear projection screen using SoundVu technology. The ‘Vikuiti XRVS-120 extended resolution video screen with sound enhancement, which is part of 3M Optical Systems Division's suite of Vikuiti display enhancement products, was unveiled yesterday at the annual InfoComm exhibition in Florida.

The Vikuiti XRVS-120 is a result of a recently reached in-principle agreement for 3M to exclusively provide SoundVu technology to the professional rear projection screen market. NXT's SoundVu technology turns the projection screen itself into a Distributed Mode Loudspeaker (DML) by using actuators positioned at the 'invisible' edge to vibrate the screen, locking sound and vision as one. NXT's SoundVu technology works without adding depth or size to the unit and, by using the screen, eliminates th

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UK - For the recent all-Italian UEFA Champions League final between AC Milan and Juventus at Manchester United’s Old Trafford football ground, rigging specialist Summit Steel rigged 20 4m diameter inflatable footballs at a height of 30m above the pitch.

Summit was asked to realize this audacious feat of rigging - it was a world first for objects to be flown above a football pitch during a match - by their clients Production Team, led by Dave Keighley. The project was co-ordinated for Summit by Ken Nock. Summit used catenary technology, a method they’ve pioneered and perfected in the past, including at the M2002 Commonwealth Games.

The starballs, each weighing 20kg, were suspended in four lines of five, each row attached to a 240m length of catenary wire running lengthways above the stadium. The catenaries were anchored to the main supporting structure of the venue&

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UK - BT eGovernment's Innovation Centre, in Westminster's Queen Anne's Gate, is a demonstration and discussion venue, which uses available and emerging technologies to illustrate innovative electronic solutions across the public sector and with other businesses.

The Centre was originally opened in 2000, but just over three years ago the Government started to review ways in which it could restructure in order to have all its services online by 2005. It wanted to transform the way it did business internally, and at the same time improve dialogue - and so it turned to its nearby resource, BT Stepchange, who created the Innovation Centre, with environments that were more theatrical, virtual and dynamic, and with a reception area that would have high visual impact.

"The idea," said outgoing centre manager Joe Crofts, "was to move people's mindsets away from their da

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The Netherlands - At the forthcoming Cinema Expo (23-26 June, Amsterdam), newly-founded Alcons Audio will make its first appearance with a complete line of cinema loudspeakers and amplifiers. Alcons Audio is a newly formed Dutch company, active in developing and manufacturing professional sound systems for quality-conscious clients in the cinema industry.

The company was set up by Tom Back in October last year, together with the former Stage Accompany R&D team, with a wide experience of transducer, acoustics and system design, as well as DSP and amplifier technology. The new Alcons cinema product range consists of two 3-way front systems, featuring Alcons’ patent-pending ribbon transducer technology; a radically different, but proven way of reproducing mid and high frequencies, resulting in hi-fi sound quality with truly unsurpassed clarity and intelligibility at full digi

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UK - After seven years at Metier, Duncan Sones has announced his intention to stand down from the post of chief executive to work in a freelance capacity in education, training and regeneration projects.

Matthew Griffiths, chief executive of PLASA and also the Chair of Metier commented: "On behalf of the Board I’d like to express my thanks to Duncan for his achievements since his arrival in May 1996. During this time he has overseen considerable changes in Metier's fortunes and has been instrumental in raising the annual turnover of the organization from £250,000 to £1.5m. We believe that Duncan has been instrumental in bringing £10m to the sector - a large proportion of this has been invested in partnership projects helping to support the viability of around 35 other organizations."

Metier has made the successful transition from a National Training Organiza

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UK - Aberdeen University has installed Allen & Heath's new Digital Signal Processing (DSP) audio system, iDR, to manage sound reinforcement in its chapel building. The system uses TCP/IP over Ethernet to connect to the network, enabling the audio system to be managed not only from a central point but remotely from any PC on the network.

University Head of AV, David Walton, chose Creative Light & Sound to install the new system. MD, Charlie Fleet, commented: "Our brief was simple; the University needed a system that offered flexibility of control. The education sector infrequently adopts new technology, so investment needed to be in a system that was at the cutting edge and would remain up to date. Similarly, the education sector contains a majority of non-technical staff, so we also needed a user friendly system that could easily be operated by University members."

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