UK - Chester-based Lighting and Sound Services (LSS) has specialized in providing full production services for themed entertainment in the private and corporate sectors for over 20 years. This can include anything from large, themed corporate parties with entertainment from some of the top stars in show business to celebrity weddings or private parties. The company has recently invested in a multi-purpose Midas Legend console to enhance their inventory of PA equipment.

LSS directors Phil Johnson and Ian Preston say they were drawn to the Legend by its versatility. "The kinds of productions we stage are often short on real estate," said Johnson. "It's rare, for example, that we have room for a separate monitor desk, but yet the same production is likely to be very hungry in terms of sends required for delays or feeds for radio mics or in-ear monitors. The Legend wa

UK - At the Good Employers Awards ceremony in London on 29 July, Soundcraft Ltd from Hertfordshire was presented with the overall winner award, after being nominated by Councillor Harpinder Singh of the London Borough of Greenwich.

The Good Employers Award is organized by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) and is promoted by individual local government councillors who nominate their own full-time employers in recognition of being flexible with working arrangements, thereby assisting their employees in carrying out their roles as councillors. Held at Local Government House, in Westminster and sponsored by the Guardian newspaper, the event saw entries from as-far-a-field as South Tyneside and the South Downs.

Speaking about the Good Employers Award, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, commented: "Councillors have a vital role to play in leadi

UK - Creative sound and lighting installer CP Sound has installed four of its new colour-changing etched glass LED lighting panels into Bar Square, a trendy new social space in Camberley, Surrey. Bar Square's independent owners wanted 'something special' when it came to backlighting the bar of their contemporarily designed venue, and CP's new product was the ideal solution.

The company has developed the fixture specially for a diversity of day and night applications. It's a screen encased in a custom aluminium extrusion, supplied as a 10mm thick panel, and capable of unobtrusive integration into any environment. Made from laser etched acrylic or glass material, it's side-lit by DMX controllable LED strips that criss-cross the light across the screen surface. When the light is caught in the etchings, a prism effect directs it evenly across the panel fascia.

The panels in Bar Sq

UK - Yamaha's 02R96 digital mixing desk was the choice of the production team for the BBC's popular children's TV serial, Byker Grove. "All the mixing for the show is done in-house," said freelance dubber/mixer, Paul Flitcroft, "and we wanted a desk that would work with Pro Tools v.6."

Consulting with pro-audio specialists Mediaspec of East Kilbride, the choice was between Yamaha's DM2000 or its 02R96. "In the end, the 02R96 won the day, principally because it suited the programme's needs precisely and was within budget," said Flitcroft. Used for remote and post-production mixing in conjunction with Pro Tools, the desk links together all three production rooms used on the programme.

Mediaspec carried out the installation, working with Steve Salem of independent film company Dean Films. Training and familiarization took place over two 'intensive' d

Australia - The long-awaited Federation Square, the new centre of cultural activity in Melbourne, is now officially open. Winning the tender to provide an audio infrastructure for the complex, contractor Rutledge Engineering selected BSS Soundweb as the DSP networking devices for several of the project areas. Rutledge senior project manager, Matt Edgcumbe, says Soundweb was preferred because of the ease with which it connects remote locations together.

A multimedia fibre and Cat 6 backbone provides the connectivity for a 9088iiMM and two 9088iiLL devices. The sound systems in the Plaza, and architecturally-challenging BMW Edge auditorium, are fed with audio from the scheduled multimedia system, which is then mixed with the local PA desk. Because the mixing desks are temporarily set up for events, the Soundweb also provides the ability for the client to connect several microphon

UK - Mackie Designs Inc has recruited Dave Hartley to its sound reinforcement and installed sound division. He joins as Northern Area sales manager and will be based in the new UK office. Hartley began his career back in the late 1970s, working for Sound Advice Installations, pioneers at the time in the field of sound and lighting manufacture. He subsequently went on to work as a freelance engineer and installer for 10 years, and more recently has been working for Bose UK.

(Ruth Rossington)

UK - E M Acoustics' new EMS-81 compact full range speakers were recently trialled in a production of Mozart's Don Giovanni, staged for the benefit of the UK charity, Hope and Homes for Children. The week-long production earlier this month was installed within a huge, thatched, tythe barn near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

The reflex loaded 8" and 1" compression driver cabinets were specified by sound designer Ian McDonald of Ivysound and flown unobtrusively from the building's massive oak beams to provide the smooth mid and top end response essential for realistic orchestral and choral reinforcement.

The sound design was complex in that unusually, the orchestra was located well behind the stage, and with a long thin 200-seat raked auditorium, the system needed careful dispersion control, multiple delays and brightening of the otherwise dead acoustic. This was achiev

UK - Summit Steel supplied six SmarTmasts to provide site-wide PA and lighting rigging points for the 2003 Henley Festival of Music & The Arts. The popular event, founded in 1983, is a complete entertainment experience across five evenings, immediately following the famous Henley Regatta, and sharing the same infrastructure and picturesque riverside location. Summit was hired by production manager Bob Caple, who needed an easy and elegant solution for placing lighting and sound equipment around site.

After utilizing three masts for the first time last year, Caple believes the SmarTmast trademarks of a neat footprint, robust construction and stylish appearance make them the best product of this genre on the market. He was also impressed with Summit's service and attention to detail. Set-up time was extremely limited, so SmarTmast was again the ideal choice. Another constructional

UK - As part of Carlsbro's devotion to supporting musicians and helping in breaking new talent, Carlsbro Electronics will provide the backline for new Carlton Television series, Xposure. The programme will showcase new unsigned talent and will be broadcasted in September.

This show has grown from the success of the Midlands Finest Competition, a showcase for up-and-coming bands - held at the Hard Rock Café, Birmingham, in conjunction with DEP International, the home of UB40.The programme will be hosted by Lisa I'Anson and gives unsigned talent a platform to reach a much wider audience. Each show is to be opened and closed by an A-list artist who will also critique the unsigned bands on their performance.

Andrew Bishop, the new owner of Carlsbro Electronics, commented: "We need these new bands now, after the last few years of manufactured music everybody is ready for a su

UK - An aggregate quarry and production plant might sound like a challenging venue for high-level corporate hospitality, but when Aggregate Industries wanted to entertain 300 VIP guests at the end of June, that was the location they suggested to event management consultancy Corporate Innovations.

The venue was Aggregate Industries' North End Farm Works site in the Cotswold Water Park, near Cirencester. As well as being a working production plant, the site incorporates a man-made lake, created from quarrying activities, which now forms a wildlife haven. Corporate Innovations, working with AV specialist Blitz, transformed the lake-side venue with a creative concept designed to raise awareness of Aggregate Industries' environmental activities, whilst also providing spectacular entertainment in a novel setting.

The guests were first taken on a tour of the working production plan

Thailand - Bangkok-based Fuzion Far East Ltd has been appointed distributor for Allen & Heath in Thailand and Laos. Confirming the appointment, FFE managing director, Tony Oates, said: "I have known Bob Goleniowski [A&H sales and marketing director] for many years and have also previously worked with Bardy Hayes, who looks after the Far East for them. The company was looking to expand its business in Thailand - particularly in the light of their new and forthcoming contracting products. FFE had no mixer brand in its portfolio and is strong in the installation sector - so it was a great match."

Goleniowski added: "Fuzion displayed incisive knowledge of the audio market in their territory and a keen awareness of the Allen & Heath product range. We are confident that they can expose our portfolio to its full potential in the Far East's growing and dynamic market.&quo

UK - Having supplied Lighthouse Technologies' latest LPV1650 16mm LED display to Endemol UK for the 10-week run of Big Brother at Elstree Film Studios, CT Screenco were then asked to provide a second Lighthouse display for the grand finale, which saw 32-year-old Orkney fish trader, Cameron Stout, emerge victorious. The announcement was made by presenter Davina McCall in an explosion of pyrotechnics, as crowds assembled outside the purpose-built house on the Elstree lot at Borehamwood, to witness the action on a 28sq.m (6x6) 16mm LED display.

The screen was used as the main backdrop to the outdoor stage for the finale, beaming live pictures of the housemates out to the awaiting audience. The structure was supplied by Elstree Light & Power. The show's production staff - and director Tony Gregory - commented that the screen delivered the best transmission they had experienced on an

UK - The National Trust has invested £500,000 to refurbish Buckland Abbey, the Cistercian Monastery and home of Sir Francis Drake, using the latest audio-visual technology from Integrated Circles.

Tucked away in its own secluded valley above the River Tavy, Buckland was originally a small but influential Cistercian Monastery. The house, which incorporates the remains of the 13th century abbey church, has rich associations with Sir Francis Drake and his seafaring rival, Sir Richard Grenville, containing much interesting memorabilia from their time.

The three main exhibition spaces have been overhauled to feature several new displays, including an auditorium built in the shape of the castle of a Tudor sailing ship, with the story of Sir Francis Drake's life projected onto the ship's sail. Integrated Circles installed a Sanyo video projector, plus the company's own show-control

UK - Combining high-tech with low-tech: that was the approach taken by The Moving Light Company's Alex Murphy to produce a stunning display of lighting co-ordinated with pyrotechnics for the launch of the recent Bath International Music Festival.

Murphy and The Moving Light Company were working alongside pyrotechnic specialists Rocket Pyro, who were providing fireworks for the night. Murphy's challenge was not just to light Bath's famous Royal Crescent, but to co-ordinate the lighting with the fireworks in the sky above. To achieve this, he opted to use The Moving Light Company's StudioDue CityColor colour-changing exterior floodlights, which have proved hugely popular on all manner of projects since being added to the company's rental stock in 2002.

"Originally the plan was to use the CityColors just to light the central block of the Crescent, then use MAC 2000s to proj

UK - For the 2003 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) summer season, Skan PA Hire utilized part of its new L-Acoustics dV-Dosc inventory: all the shows comprised nine flown dV-Dosc per side, with two dV-Subs ground-stacked per side, all driven with LA48a power amplifiers. A DiGiCo D5 Live was used to mix the Orchestra.

Skan, based in Reading, has been providing audio systems for the BSO summer concerts since mid 1990s. This year, the season comprised 10 concerts along the south coast of England. The Skan crew, including Ant Carr (chief and dV-Dosc engineer), Rob Hodgkinson (FOH engineer) and Nick Stagg (patch) were able to cover all the concert sites, typically 150m x 100m with a 4,500 - 6,500 audience capacity, without the need for any supplementary delay systems.

Chris Fitch, managing director of Skan, comments: "We are carrying less than three tons of equipment to the

UK - Ampekko continues its investment into the Millbank range with the launch of its own website dedicated exclusively to Millbank's extensive range. Formally owned by US giants Federal Signal, the Millbank brand has lacked dedicated marketing support for a number of years. Having acquired the range in May 2003, Ampekko is determined to re-establish the Millbank brand as one of the strongest brands in the global VA and PA contracting market.

The site goes live in August 2003 and reflects Ampekko's commitment to Millbank. Fully linked to Ampekko's site, it emphasises the complementary nature of the two companies and their product ranges. From the company's industry standard voice evacuation systems - JustiFire and VeriFire - through to its induction loop systems and CM8 ceiling-mounted loudspeakers, the site provides comprehensive information on product and application led system

UK - Leeds United Football Club's Elland Road stadium has a new Martin Audio-based public address installation carried out by leading system integrator, Advance Integrated Systems. The company were one of four firms asked to tender to their own design and their submissions where checked for statutory compliance on behalf of the Football Trust by consultants, AMS Acoustics. AIS's managing director Alan Inkster says that the requirement was for an emergency sound system that would comply with BS7827 and the Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds (The Green Guide). His company were supported by a large product catalogue from Martin Audio, and the expertise of Martin's EASE specialist, Peter Child, who produced data and system verification for all four stands alongside AIS director Stephen McCay.

In total AIS have distributed 25 Blackline F12 (12" + 1") enclosures in the North,

UK - In recent months, Reading-based Martin's Lights have used Coemar ProSpot 250LX moving heads on a variety of events. LD Dom Smith used the fixtures on tours with Aqualung and The Cooper Temple Clause, while the units also lit Athlete's London show at the Astoria, run from the in-house Avo Sapphire 2000, with the Coemars patched into the desk along with the house lighting system.

ProSpot 250LX heads were also in action at the National Dancesports Championships at Crystal Palace, Summer Balls at the University of Westminster and Reading University, and also Supergrass at Reading University (LD Ali Bale).

Most recently the fixtures illuminated the Club WOMAD stage at the WOMAD Festival in Rivermead, Reading. This was a co-design between principal lighting designer Geoff Blindt of Mystic Lights and Martin Dudley of Martin's Lights, who was also charged with making the design

UK - Building on their new slogan of CRT Forever, Barco has appointed Owl Video Systems as its exclusive distributor of CRT projectors for the leisure industry. The leading unit will be the Barco Cine 5, which offers high performance brightness, reliability and the long life expectancy that CRT projectors produce. The unit offers a highly efficient cooling system with no fans, which means that it is ideal for use in environments prone to smoke and dust. The Cine 5 incorporates 7" high performance CRTs to optimize picture geometry and sharpness, to give greater detail and extended durability. Optically coupled lenses give contrast and automatically correct colour deviations. Auto-diagnose LEDs indicate when maintenance is required and 'Mean time between failure' is greater than 20,000 hours.

Commenting on the partnership, Peter Dangerfield, managing director of Owl said: &qu

UK - Enlightenment has recently supplied an ADB Vision 10 lighting control desk to the Marina Theatre in Lowestoft. The system comprises a 1024-channel Vision 10/ST with a Vision 10/RB back-up crate both running the company's ISIS software which provides total control of light, colour and movement through astate-of-the-art 32-bit multi-tasking Linux operating system.

Since its inception in 1997 Enlightenment has been fully committed to both the Vision 10 and Phoenix range of lighting control desks from ADB and has supplied the systems to numerous venues in the UK.

(Ruth Rossington)

Germany / The Netherlands - Telex, the owner of the well-known Electro-Voice loudspeaker brand, has announced that it is taking legal action against companies distributing counterfeit copies of the Electro-Voice Sx300 and Sx100 loudspeakers, anywhere in the world. Already in March this year, Electric Audio, the importer of Electro-Voice product in the Netherlands, gave notice that on the instructions of Telex, it had commenced legal proceedings or issued statements of claim against a number of defendants.

Telex reports that increasing numbers of counterfeit copies of these loudspeakers have been coming onto the market recently, in violation of the company's copyright. The first cases have already been decided in Electro-Voice's favour, the court having decided in each case that the defendants should seek the return of the counterfeit copies from their customers and deliver them

UK - Britain's only exhibition for the out-of-home leisure industry is now just six weeks away. Leisure Industry Week (16-18 September, NEC, Birmingham) will showcase the latest innovations and solutions as well as the top suppliers from across the leisure industry.

At the heart of the show is a keynote seminar programme, which features a line-up of industry heavyweights and opinion formers, including Rt Hon Richard Caborn MP, Minister for Sport and Tourism, as well as speakers from Alton Towers, Pret a Manger and Marriot Hotels. With around 15,000 visitors and over 400 exhibitors, LIW is where the leisure industry joins together annually to exchange and source ideas, knowledge and expertise about industry strategies and trends, and to access solutions and leading suppliers.

And, for the first time this year, LIW features a PLASA Lounge wherein the PLASA organization will mee

Australia - The School of Audio Engineering (SAE) is set to open a new teaching facility in the world-famous costal resort of Byron Bay, which will incorporate a Solid State Logic SL9000 K Series Superanalogue console in its main studio.

The console, which was featured at this year's European AES exhibition in Amsterdam, was immediately snapped up by the facility for its new AUS$40 million campus, where there are a total of 31 audio and video studios. Currently the only XL to be used for training - and the second to be delivered to an Australian customer - the console has pride of place in the main studio at Byron Bay. Students studying for a full range of courses in sound engineering, including degree programmes, will be able to study the latest recording and mixing techniques on the new console which features Solid State Logic ergonomics.

Tom Misner, founder of SAE, comment

UK - CT Screenco collaborated closely with Chris Bird of United Visual Artists (UVA) to produce a huge and original interactive data display for Massive Attack on their latest international tour. During the course of the show, current newspaper articles and e-mails to the band's website were progressively relayed to the 15mm LED screen.

This required a unique use of technology: under normal circumstances graphic output would be sent to the screen as a video signal and then be converted to data. But the use of scan conversion on a standard 640 x 480 VGA resolution display would have failed to align the pixels correctly. "When the signal gets converted to video and back to data the processor simply doesn't recognize how to line this up," explained CT Screenco's Mike Walker.

The answer lay in the SACO processor. "At the time, this was the only processor that would

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