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Germany - Following on from the recently established Turbosound Japan subsidiary, Prolight+Sound 2011 marks the formation of a new Turbosound sales channel for Germany.

The Italian based Proel Group has established a direct-to-market sales channel to manage its Proel and Turbosound brands and their product lines in Germany.

"With our rapidly growing German customer base and our strategic drive to be more directly connected with our customers, the creation of the Proel Group Germany as a direct sales channel solution is the logical distribution choice for us," says Turbosound's sales director Dom Harter.

The new Proel Group company is headed up by long time Turbosound veteran Tobias Schulte as Proel Group Germany market manager and Stephan Grawe as Proel Group Germany

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Belarus - Robe moving lights and DigitalSpots have been installed at the new Minsk Arena in the Belarus capital. It is part of a complex of buildings that includes the flagship 15,000 seat ice hockey arena, one of the largest in Europe, which is also utilised as a concert hall.

This is the first installation for the DigitalSpot 7000DT series in Belarus. The fixtures were specified by Robe's Belarus distributor Art Ramos - also a technical design & build specialist - to the installers as part of a government contract. Main contractor Belcultproject was responsible for supplying the products to the venue.

Art Ramos's Anton Streltsov reports that the 12 DigitalSpot 7000DTs were specified as the most cost efficient product of their type available, and that the 16 ColorSpot 700E ATs also supplied were chosen for the brightness to size ratio of the unit and the general reliability o

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UK / USA - By Design Day, the joint fundraising day for Light Relief in the UK and Behind the Scenes in the US, is now in its third year and once again the organisers are hoping for a bigger response than ever before.

Scheduled this year for Saturday 23 April, By Design Day has the full backing of a host of award-winning designers: Neil Austin, Scott Pask, Ken Billington, Howard Harrison, Ken Posner, Paule Constable, Scott Lehrer, Jennifer Tipton, Jonathan Deans, Tony Meola and Hugh Vanstone, along with Light Relief's co-founder, Rick Fisher.

By Design Day is the chance for all of us in our profession to support two charities dedicated solely to helping entertainment technology professionals in need. You can join your colleagues by making a donation in support of this special day. One way to support the day is by voluntarily giving a day's royalties to one or both of these cha

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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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Germany - In mid-February Yamaha invited 30 influential system designers from across Europe to a two-day seminar, where a comprehensive range of issues was discussed.

Held in Wiehl, Germany, this was the third such event hosted by Yamaha over the past few years. Company staff who led the sessions were Ron Bakker, Ruben van der Goor, Arthur Koll, Andy Cooper, Max Ota and Pawel Zachanowic. Kai Koennecke and Jan Prins provided technical and logistical support, while the technical preparation was aided by Atsushi Kitagawa.

The designers who took part came from a number of European countries, including Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland.

The seminar used specially-constructed application setups which allowed for fully interactive learning. Featuring a range of Yamaha digital mixing consoles, amplifiers, SB168-ES stage boxes and third party interface cards,

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UK - As the service company contracted to maintain the PA/VA system throughout the entire O2 complex, Eddie Thomas's ETASound find themselves supporting between 150 and 200 events per year.

The main arena itself is equipped with a full Harman Pro rig, offering a matched JBL / Crown / BSS system solution, operating on a Cobranet backbone running HiQnet. But Thomas also holds a serious inventory of complementary Harman Pro components which makes him well placed to add any further reinforcement when the occasion arises.

The most challenging events, he says, are not so much the conventional music gigs as the sports events - such as the NHL (ice hockey) and NBA (basketball) matches. For the past two years ETASound has provided sound and broadcast facilities for the NBA basketball Europe Live event, and over 16,200 people attended the first game between the Miami Heat and NY Jets, w

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UK - DB Systems has taken on three new members of staff to help facilitate a growing list of clients.

Nobunao Amos, who is fluent in Japanese, has joined as an account manager and will work with DB's design agency and event organiser clients. In addition, Dan Hunt has joined the company's Hire Desk and will handle equipment rental to venues and exhibitors, as well as other AV companies. Meanwhile, Carrie Martinge has joined the company's DBpixelhouse division in an account management and administration capacity.

David Bulley, DB's managing director, said, "We've had a busy start to 2011, which has included contracts in the UK, Europe and Middle East, as well as recent contract wins to be an official AV supplier for Reed Exhibitions and Clarion Events, so the addition of Nobunao, Dan and Carrie to the DB team is most welcome."

(Jim Evans)

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UK - For Sky Movies Oscars Night presentation, lighting designer Malcolm Reed opted for Chroma Flood TC's and Richard Martin Lighting's most recent purchase - Clay Paky Sharpys, to help create a vibrant and neon look to the retro set. Also utilised were Pixel Par 90's.

The Sharpys were used to create the impression that the studio was live in LA, the beams moving around the sky line.

"For part of the set dressing - lighting plants and louvered windows, I wanted a wide beamed LED Light source so I chose the Chroma Flood 200 TC," says Reed. "For me this was an ideal light as it gave the beam spread that I was looking for a great colour range and being Tri colour LED's I get very good and strong colour coverage."

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Videowall and large format display specialist PSCo has signed the deal with Panasonic to distribute its flagship 152" plasma, billed as the largest flat screen in the world.

The 152" Panasonic Plasma is a full HD display boasting 4K by 2K resolution and active 3D technology. First unveiled in 2010, the first screen to be available in the UK is ordered and will be delivered to PSCo in June.

Stuart Holmes, managing director or PSCo comments, "The 152" Plasma is at the forefront of display technology in terms of picture quality and 3D capability. PSCo will be working closely with Panasonic to provide the specialist transport, service and accessory packages to bring this product to market."

The 152" Plasma is currently available with either a bespoke pedestal stand or the 'Screenlifter' lifting device enabling the screen to be wheeled into posi

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Germany - The RE320 - the latest addition to the Electro-Voice RE Performance Group of wired microphones - puts many key features of the RE20 and RE27N/D Broadcast Group products into a versatile studio and live performance mic.

Designed to meet the demanding needs of project and pro studio operators, live and studio performers and engineers, as well as podcasters and broadcasters at any level, the RE320 brings heritage Electro-Voice technology and performance to bear in an exciting and versatile new MI product, says the company.

The RE320's key features include Electro-Voice's Variable-D proximity control technology for tight, bold, expressive, and consistent tonal performance; their patented humbucking coil for noiseless operation; and a high-output neodymium magnet structure capsule that delivers fast and accurate transient response and pronounced high-frequency detail.

R

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The Netherlands - Duran Audio has launched two Axys iPhone Apps and the AxysWireless Network Interface. Utilising the on-board pre-set programmability of the Axys products, the user can now simply switch programs from their Apple device and then adjust volume, EQ, mute or solo. The App is free to Axys users and will be promoted at ProLight+ Sound in Frankfurt next month.

(Jim Evans)

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Australia - Keith Prestidge has joined Harman's Studer team as sales director, Asia Pacific reporting to Adrian Curtis and with a brief to grow the expanding region in broadcast and performance installations for Studer audio mixing systems.

Previously general manager at Klotz Digital Asia, Prestidge has resided in the territory for 15 years. He started his professional life as a hands-on radio broadcast engineer and has spent 20 years in the industry, which has included periods in project engineering and sales.

"Extending the Studer sales team with Keith based in Sydney will further improve our customer focus in the Asia Pacific sales region," said Curtis. "He will work closely with Tat Nam Yee, our Studer applications engineer already located in our KL, Malaysia office."

Currently spending two weeks training in the Soundcraft Studer factory and Customer

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UK - Mention Dave 'Hawkeye' Hawker's name to anyone of a certain age in the industry and they will all have done 'stuff' with him - the big and not so big gigs, live events, parties and practical jokes.

Sennheiser UK's director of engineering was a man who always left a strong impression; a perfectionist's perfectionist and sound engineer par excellence. Never happier than when facing a challenge and putting those 30 years of hardcore experience to full effect, there are so many tales to tell of his technical brilliance, his irascible humour and warm friendship. It's difficult to know where to start. He will be truly missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday 1 April at Randalls Park Crematorium, Leatherhead, Surrey at 11.45am. Flowers or donations for St. Catherine's Hospice to be sent to Sherlock Funeral Service, Trellis House, Dorking, RH4 2ES.

Or why not plant

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Germany - Prism Projection will be debuting the RevEAL Profileat Prolight + Sound 2011.

The RevEAL Profile luminaire is a true high-CRI, LED Profile Spot with high lumen output. Its debut follows the successful launch of the RevEAL Color Wash (RevEAL CW) and the RevEAL Studio. The RevEAL Profile is off to an auspicious start having been named Best Debuting Product in the Lighting category at LDI 2010.

The new 16,000-lumen RevEAL Profile features a variable CCT range (2800k-6500k), adjustable focus from hard to very soft edge, changeable lenses for beam angles from 14º to 70º, and a flat field. It also offers four shutters on a tri-plane; an M-size GOBO; DMX, Artnet and local control; and universal AC input (90-260 VAC).

The bleeding edge of technology has been harnessed, delivering the future of framing profile spotlights. The RevEAL Profile has the output of traditional s

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Germany - Loudspeaker manufacturer dBTechnologies is set to launch a number of new products at this year's ProLight+Sound exhibition, augmenting their wide range of rental and installation equipment. Visitors to the Italian acoustic specialist's stand will be introduced to three new Flexsys stage monitors: FM8, FM10 and FM12 as well as two new digital subwoofers SUB 12D and SUB 05D.

Comprising three models, the new Flexsys range offers tailored monitoring solutions using innovative technologies. Each of the active coaxial speakers is housed in a compact multifunctional enclosure, which can be tilted at two different angles for accurate sound-to-audience alignment. Reputed to deliver extraordinary sound quality, the FM Series been engineered for precise directivity and uniform throw patterns, providing the same satisfying audio experience at every listening position, with a surpr

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UK - The Arena Group celebrated the 100th Cheltenham Festival anniversary with the provision of over 5,280sq.m of hospitality structures in March 2011.

A range of companies invited thousands of hospitality guests to join them and enjoy four days of racing in bespoke suites created by Arena.

Building on a close relationship with Cheltenham Festival organisers extending back 27 years through the provision of multi-storey structures, Arena was entrusted to supply a number of temporary structures for the 100th anniversary. All three structures, a double deck Horizon structure (20x30m), a four story Arena Scene structure (10x27m) and a 15m by 100m glass fronted double-deck hospitality suites, were located along the home straight providing uninterrupted views over the course.

Ron Smith, projects director at Arena Structures, has been working with the Cheltenham Festival for the pa

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Australia - The historic Strawberry Hills Hotel in Sydney has recently emerged from a six million dollar renovation. It's a classic pub with art deco windows, twenties style pub tiles and a State Theatre carpet but there is nothing old-school about the sophisticated audio visual system designed and installed by the Constant Group.

For audio, a range of JBL speakers and Crown amplifiers were chosen including surface mount JBL Control 25's along with JBL SB-210 and JBL ASB-6115 subs, which have been discreetly integrated into the walls and cabinetry making it as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Twenty-two JBL-8124 in-ceiling speakers provide background music in the toilets and hallways, along with the TAB area.

"We always prefer to use JBL speakers because they constantly deliver quality and Jands always provide great back up," commented Con Constantinou, director o

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USA - Chance Theatre's (Anaheim Hills, CA) production of The Who's Tommy received an impressive honour when it was invited to play at Orange County's Segerstrom Centre for the Arts this February. In this remount of the show, the lighting and video design was once again in the hands of KC Wilkerson.

For Wilkerson, the larger-scale reprisal of Tommy represented an opportunity to expand the lighting concepts he had developed for this classic rock opera.

Lighting and video were especially important at certain key points in the show, Wilkerson said, beginning with the opening scenes, in which the designer displayed actual historic British World War II footage, to the use of different colours to dramatise Tommy at different ages, to the spectacular Pinball Wizard scene. As in the earlier production, Wilkerson chose products from Elation Professional to light up

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Australia - Hillsong Church has selected Lab.gruppen's PLM Series Powered Loudspeaker Management System for its flagship Baulkham Hills campus in Sydney. The PLMs power the church's new speaker system and make full use of the Lab's integrated Lake processing and monitoring features.

Steve LeRoux and Jad Gilles head the Hillsong audio team. "We purchased our first Lab.gruppen amplifiers a few years ago and they have been rock-solid," says LeRoux. "We've also been using Lake processors for many years, so the combination of Lake processing built into a Lab amp made choosing the PLMs an easy decision."

A total of 24 PLM systems were supplied comprising 20 PLM10000Q (four 2300w) and four PLM20000Q (four 5000w). Two FP10000Q's (four 2100w) were also purchased to drive the stage monitor speakers.

Hillsong is using a feature of the PLMs called LoadSmart. A verifi

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UK - XL Events supplied video and visual production - including camera and PPU system, projection, playback and crew - for The Big Bang, a 2500 seater live performance space run in the ICC at London's ExCel Centre alongside the UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair.

The raison d'Ωtre for the whole event was to encourage young people to engage with the invention, fun and vast potentials of science. The ICC element was production managed for M4 Entertainment by Nigel Mousley and project managed by XL's Bill Hughes.

Over the three days, hour-long special versions of two high profile different TV science shows were showcased in the ICC - Sky 1's Brainiac, and the BBC's Bang Goes The Theory each with two shows a day.

This was followed on the Friday evening by the national finals of the CREST Awards (managed by the British Science Association) and the Young Engi

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USA - Renkus-Heinz is launching two InfoComm CTS accredited RU training programmes for audio technicians in the fields of Intelligibility and Digital Beam Steering. The senior course instructor is well-known pro audio developer, instructor, AES moderator, author and journalist John Murray.

Both courses will be hosted at multiple locations across the USA, including at the Renkus-Heinz factory in Foothill Ranch, CA.

The Intelligibility (Non-Manufacturer) course - worth four RUs - covers Line-Source vs Point-Source, Technology Theory and Intelligibility. Topics include understanding line-source versus point-source behaviour and their fundamental characteristics; understanding STI (Speech transmission Index) and how it can be used to assess a sound system's intelligibility; and understanding the relationship between high-Q line-array directivity and the resulting intelligibility i

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UK - HSL supplied lighting design, equipment and crew for four live stages at the 2011 Move It exhibition in Olympia, London - the UK's largest live dancing experience - working for Upperstreet Events - who organised and co-ordinated the exhibition.

The stages - Main, Freestyle, Arena & Flawless - were spread around Olympia, and a production lighting design for all of them was created by HSL's project manager Dave Singleton. Singleton has designed this show before but this was his first time working for HSL who have been lighting equipment suppliers for the last two years.

One of the challenges they had to content with was the high daylight factor due to the venue's arched glass roof, and the other was the very tight get in/rigging time.

For the load in HSL supplied 16 lighting techs, crew chief Simon Lynch and rigger Ian Stevens, plus four students from technical courses at

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