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South Africa- DWR Distribution and LumenRadio have embarked on a week-long CRMX wireless promotional tour across South Africa, visiting Johannesburg (16-18 January), Cape Town (19-20) and Durban (21-22).

"South Africa is a fast growing market for wireless systems and DWR is uniquely positioned to effectively promote and support our entire CRMX product line in this market. The initial response to our tour was overwhelming and we therefore extended the tour to an entire week of meeting and working with key DWR customers to accelerate their transition into the wireless age", comments Anders Ardstål VPO of LumenRadio.

"LumenRadio has emerged as the obvious technology leader in wireless lighting controls. The CRMX products offer unparalleled functionality, reliability

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Singapore - Lighting design and rental company Highlight Systems - run by Roy Chooi - has just invested in 36 Robe Robin 300 Spots for its hire stock.

The company has been operating for five years and is currently based in the central Ubi Avenue area of Singapore. Highlight's core business is lighting design - and for these projects they will also usually supply the equipment, as well as doing direct rentals and installations.

Chooi bought his first Robe moving lights - ColorSpot 700E ATs two years ago from Louis Teo at Robe SEA (South East Asia), since which time they have not stopped working and have been utilised for a wide array of shows and events.

"I like the brightness and the features/functionality of the Robin 300 Spots," he says, "and the fantastic support and service from Robe SEA."

Louis Teo comments, "The fact that a respected designer

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UK - Hudderfield's Festival of Light was taken to a new level this year with the help of PixelRange PixelLine 1044 LED batons and a Green Hippo Hippotizer HD, hired through HSL.

The annual winter event put on by Kirklees Council was this year expanded to fill the weekend across 2-5 December. As well as the usual street theatre spectacular which traditionally packs out the town's St George's Square, the council prepared other events, all project managed by TG Events' Tim Garbutt.

The major new addition to this year's festival was the illumination of The Media Centre. James Bawn - normally of A.C. Entertainment Technologies - designed a temporary lighting installation for the exterior of the prominent building. Bawn has worked with TG Events on many architectural designs in the past.

Eighty-four PixelLine 1044 batons were each situated on the building gantries within th

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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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Finland - msonic, the Finnish entertainment technology company set up by Mikko Palomäki, has added to its roster of advanced audio tool solutions after winning the territorial distribution rights for Optocore.

"When we set up msonic in 2009 our aim was to represent only leading brands and manufacturers with top quality service, and ensure 100% satisfaction for both our partners and customers," he says. "Optocore certainly falls into that category." The brand joins a developing portfolio of studio and broadcast audio, lighting, truss systems, LED and video projection.

With a background in professional audio and lighting distribution dating back to 1985, Mikko Palomäki has been quick to establish his new sales and service operation, which gives him a nationwide marketing reach, aided by a strong social network presence.

"Optocore is regarded as the b

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UK - Entertainment lighting supplier White Light have supplied new lighting systems or lighting system upgrades - and in some cases also rigging, drapes and audio systems - to a wide range of schools around the UK.

Close to White Light's base in Wimbledon, south-west London, the company supplied new internally wired lighting bars and a new LSC EKO twelve-way dimmer system for the Drama Room at Merton's Rutlish School; White Light have also carried out PAT testing on the equipment in the school's main hall.

Elsewhere in London, White Light undertook projects for St Andrews Primary School in Enfield (supplying a mixing desk and radio microphones for the school hall), Roe Green Junior School in Harrow (supplying gobo projection for the school's new Eco Building), Langley Park School for Girls in Beckenham (load testing and rigging remedial work), and Esher High School in Esher (s

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UK - Visitors to ISCEx2011 at the Park Inn Hotel in Watford on Tuesday 1 March will once again have the opportunity to network with professionals from the sound industry and view the latest products during the ISCE's annual exhibition and seminar day. The seminars, which run alongside the exhibition, will provide the latest information on a wide range of topics.

Of particular interest to those who work in the Voice Alarm industry will be Voice sounders for evacuation - where are they now?, by Tony Payn of Vimpex.

Technologies continue to converge and Video for audio engineers, by David Tyas of Ikon AVS will be of interest to many. Gordon Morris of Gordon Morris Ltd , who is himself deaf, will present Why loop systems are failing, and Peter Alberry-King of Penton UK who have recently been through the third-party certification process, will present Loudsp

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Germany - Optocore has announced the release of the DD4MR-FX and DD2FR-FX dual MADI, video and data network devices.

Following on from the release of the DD32R interface last Autumn, these two 1RU products have been designed for compatibility with Optocore's new Cat 5-based SANE platform, allowing up to 256 channels over Cat 5. The existing DD4ME and DD2FE MADI devices have thus been re-engineered to function within this environment, and include RJ45 SANE network connectivity, while the optical port upgrade (to 2Gbit LC SPF's) allows for simple user exchangeable single or multimode fibre transceivers.

The expanded capacity provides each ring with the capability of carrying up to an unprecedented 1024 audio channels over a 2 Gbit network, and at the same time create cost-effective copper based, 24 ID sub network rings from any of the 24 devices that can appear on the prime fibr

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USA / UK - Chauvet has announced the debut a new family of products - SlimPAR Pro. This new series will be available in three styles: variable white (VW), red/green/blue/amber (RGBA) and tri-colored (Tri) LEDs.

All three are high-power LED wash lights are flicker free - making them a video-friendly choice - and housed in rugged cases. The fixtures fill a small footprint - just over 279.4mm high, under 254mm wide and only 88.89mm deep - and have hanging brackets which double as a floor stands. The cast alluminium housing protects them from the rigours of the road and helps dissipate heat. The cost-effective line also features locking IEC connectors for power, LED control displays for easy addressing and access to functions, and multiple dimming curves for smoother dimming no matter what controller is used, says the company.

The LED-fitted wash lights emit very little heat and h

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The Netherlands - d&b audiotechnik marks its inaugural appearance at Integrated Systems Europe 2011 with the promised launch of two new series within its White range.

Designed to target permanently installed applications where selection of components is driven by technical specifications and application requirements, the xS-Series and the xA-Series address stand-alone and arrayable permanent applications respectively.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Rycote has added three telescopic carbon-fibre boom poles to its range of accessories for broadcast and location sound recordists: the 1.63m long G3, with three sections, and the 2.49m long G5, with five sections. The G5 is itself available in two versions, a standard version and one with an internal coiled cable and built-in Neutrik XLR connector in the hilt.

For several years, following their takeover of US boom pole manufacturer Lightwave Audio, Rycote has been selling telescopic boom poles under the Lightwave name. However, with the launch of the Rycote-branded G-series carbon-fibre poles, the entire range, including the A3 and A5 aluminium poles, will now be rebranded as Rycote products.

Featuring the same lightweight patented triple-cam 'grip and twist' locking system as the A3 and A5 poles, and with no metal parts to add to their weight, the new G3 and G5 combine l

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The Netherlands - Professional loudspeaker systems manufacturer Fohhn Audio will exhibit its Linea Focus electronically steerable, active line array systems at Integrated Systems Europe in Amsterdam next month.

The company will present its entire family of Linea Focus loudspeakers, which range from the flagship LFI-450 and LFI-350 systems, to the more compact LF-220 and LF-120 models. Designed for both mobile and fixed installation applications, particularly in environments with challenging acoustics, the loudspeakers' design enables their vertical sound dispersion characteristics to be directed towards specific audience areas and remotely controlled in real time, from a central location, without any need to mechanically alter the speaker's position.

The speakers' slim appearance makes them suitable for integration into a range of architectural settings, from cathedrals and co

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UK - Tannoy's VQ Live self-powered portable PA system has been winning new fans across the live touring sound sector over the past 18 months since its launch. Ted Pierce, FOH engineer for the Michael Jackson tribute show, Who's Bad, counts himself as one of the most fervent of recent converts, having had the opportunity to try out the system on the UK leg of their current tour.

This production comes direct from the US and brings Jackson's music back to the stage. Formed in 2004 by Vamsi Tadepalli, the band have been playing Michael Jackson's hits, including everything from ABC to You Rock My World, across America. Now, the show is on the road on this side of the Atlantic, with over 30 dates in the UK from Glasgow to the IndigO2 in London.

Experienced system tech Pierce previously specified conventional line array systems on earlier Who's Bad tours but after readi

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Germany - Berlin-based AFMG, creator of EASE, the software for acoustic simulation, will assume the German distribution of its software packages EASE, EASERA, and SysTune as of January 2011.

Former German sales partner audioone will continue sales and support through March of this year to guarantee a smooth transition. "Our relations with audioone are very cordial," says Stefan Feistel, managing director of AFMG. "We have made this move with great accord to provide continuous and extensive support to our customers now and in future. All our software from audio measurement through to acoustical simulation will now be available from one distributor."

Historically AFMG has been the distributor of their applications EASE Focus, EASE Address and EASE SpeakerLab for a long time. Several new versions and programmes will be available soon - all of them with "g

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UK - The National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural is getting ready for its biggest event of the year, the Annual Industry Conference. On Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March 2011, training providers, industry employers and membership organisations, will join forces at the newly renovated Pavilion Dance in Bournemouth, to work on the future of skills in the music and backstage theatre sectors.

Building on the success of the 2010 inaugural event in London, the conference is delighted to host John Hayes MP, Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, who will address delegates on the importance of improving and consolidating partnership links between the creative and cultural industry and the education sector.

Attendees will have the opportunity to network with key industry figures, attend lively and practical seminars and celebrate achievements the S

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France - 80s rock group Indochine wrapped up their Meteor Tour at the Palais Omnisport de Bercy in Paris on 14 and 15 September, 2010. For the two final shows at the Palais Omnisport de Paris-Bercy, no fewer than 10 Christie projectors were installed by the technical services company, Alabama, so that every one of Indochine's 34,000 fans could simultaneously enjoy a show embellished with animations, archive footage and live video on two lateral screens.

The whole system was run by the light console using a Catalyst media server synchronised to the show's timecodes. The media server stored all of the various video displayed on the screens, while simultaneously managing the live cameras used for both recording the show and providing live video to the concert-goers.

This final show of the tour opened with a 25m wide Kabuki screen which appeared above the stage as the lights went

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USA / UK - Clear-Com, the voice communication systems specialist, has announced the appointment of Orbital Sound Ltd as its UK distributor in the Live Event/Live Performance market, with effect from 1 January 2011. Orbital, specialising in sound and communication systems for the theatre, event and broadcast markets, will offer Clear-Com's full range of professional intercom products.

Clear-Com says this partnership with Orbital "signals a continued commitment towards growth in the region, coupled with a dedication to enhancing the customer experience". Orbital Sound will carry a local supply of Clear-Com products, making it easier for users to purchase intercom systems based on the specific needs of a live event at short notice. Orbital Sound will also provide trained technical staff to assist with after-sales support and services, as well as designing and running a de

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Show Business - The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) has announced the final registration and exhibitor numbers for the 2011 NAMM Show. At show close, NAMM reported 90,114 registered attendees, a three percent increase from last year and representing a new attendance record for the 109-year-old show. International registration also experienced a two percent increase from last year to 10,400. Another sign of economic recovery in the industry, the association reported 1,417 exhibitors at this year's show, including 247 new exhibitors.

"The world's brightest minds and most innovative music companies came together in Anaheim for four amazing days of commerce, networking and learning," said NAMM president and CEO Joe Lamond. "After meeting with NAMM members from around the world, I am continually impressed and amazed at the resolve and optimism our indust

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UK - Madame Tussauds rounded off 2010 by unveiling eight figures of global pop star Lady Gaga throughout its sites worldwide, in what it describes as the most ambitious figure launch in its history. Working towards unveiling the London wax figure of Gaga, Madame Tussauds called on LED supplier, Architainment Lighting to illuminate the much anticipated figure.

Once Gaga had been designed, constructed and styled to perfection, it was imperative that the lighting selected for the wax figure, and the Music Zone set in which it resides, was superior. After assessing the functionality required to light the figure, Architainment supplied Philips Selecon PL1RHC03 Black PL1 Spot to Madame Tussauds, marking the first ever UK sale of this flagship fitting from the Philips entertainment group of products.

Working in collaboration with Madame Tussauds' show services manager, Simon Morris,

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USA - D-Tools has announced the release of SI5.5 Service Pack 3. The release will be made available to all customers via automatic updates beginning Tuesday 18 January. D-Tools System Integrator is currently used by over 3,000 companies to streamline the design, estimation, and documentation processes associated with the installation and integration of low voltage systems.

In addition to enhancements and bug fixes, SP3 includes expanded support for the tools that r customers rely on to manage their business, says the company. This includes new support for QuickBooks 2011, Outlook 2010 and Visio 2010. In addition, D-Tools confirms limited support for AutoCAD x64 installations. In combination with third-party Longbow software (purchased separately), SI5.5 SP3 has been tested against current versions of AutoCAD 64-bit.

(Jim Evans)

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USA - Harman Professional has named Mark Posgay as sales director for the United States. Posgay will be based out of Harman Professional's Elkhart, Indiana Sales & Support Centre and will report to Scott Robbins, vice-president of sales.

"Our moves to consolidate sales operations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Potters Bar, UK have paid a strong dividend in terms of effectiveness and efficiency," Robbins said yesterday. "Having Mark Posgay onboard to lead the Elkhart-based national sales team promises equally strong results from our new US sales operation.

"Mark's strong track record of sales success, coupled with his deep commitment to innovation and education, means our customers can look forward to a more responsive, effective Harman. Our sales partners can expect strong leadership and effective toolsets and our operations and suppo

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USA - David Taylor, the theatre consultant and lighting designer, died in Taipei, Taiwan on Monday, January 17. He was 48. He died falling from the 14th floor of the Howard Plaza Hotel. Early newspaper reports suggested that the death was a suicide; however, updated reports indicate that the police have refused to speculate on the cause of death. A full police report is said to be pending.

A popular, well-connected, and highly involved member of the industry, Taylor was born in London. He studied theatre aesthetics at the University of London, followed by attendance at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and graduate studies at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Taylor spent 21 years at Theatre Projects Consultants where he was involved in a number of acclaimed and high-profile projects, including the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, New Amsterdam Theatre in New York, Hyper

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