Italy - Outline has announced the new position of worldwide technical support, application engineer and GTO network manager, to be held by Vincent 'Vinnie' Perreux.

Starting his professional career in France as a theatre sound technician, Vinnie, embarked on almost 20 years of worldwide touring, supporting major PA companies.

Outline's Board of Directors decided to invest on this new position to enable audio pros worldwide to count on the support and advice of a person with in-depth hands-on experience in the multi-faceted world of sound reinforcement - somebody who speaks their language.

Vincent has an impressive track record, having worked in many roles with some of the world's top touring companies and their world-famous clients, including U2, Muse, Justin Timberlake, Smashing Pumpkins, Leonard Cohen, Gloria Estefan, Beyoncé, Green Day, Michael Jackson, Elton

Finland - Media server specialists Picturall has announced the release of their major new software version 2.3.0 which is available for download with immediate effect. The new release, which is compatible with all Picturall server products, includes a host of improvements and enhancements, but most importantly two essential new features: support for Apple Inc.'s ProRes video codec, and a new web configuration tool.

The 2.3.0 update adds a Web Configurator for each Picturall product which replaces the previous configuration tool, Console Configurator. The Web Configurator includes the familiar features of Console Configurator plus lots of brand new functionality and enhancements including import and export of an existing configuration; a license update tool; system diagnostics; and support for viewing and editing configuration parameters whilst the server is running. The whole

Germany - Hirose Electric Co, based in Tokyo, Japan, and Harting Electronics GmbH, Espelkamp Germany, held a joint press conference presenting a miniaturised high-speed connector for robust Ethernet cabling at the autumn trade show,electronica,on 9 November 2016 in Munich.

The ix IndustrialTM arose from a collaboration between Hirose and Harting. It offers a broad technological basis for a new standard in the area of the familiar RJ45.

As a response to the challenging and increasing demand for global digitalisation, both partners - Hirose and Harting - recently agreed to combine their strengths. The result of this joint effort is the ix IndustrialTM - a new miniaturised Ethernet interface for high-speed data rates. The two partners have jointly standardised the ix IndustrialTM mating face in compliance with IEC/PAS 61076-3-124. Meeting this standard provides for future tec

UK - The production behind British comedian Ross Noble's latest stand-up tour Brain Dump has turned to a tourable lighting control system for the first time. The team has invested in an Avolites Titan Mobile console to power the eccentrically brilliant set, made of giant inflatable light bulbs each with an LED light source at its core.

Production manager Shaun Weager, who has worked with Noble since 2012, came up with the 16-ft high dream-like design in response to a creative brief Noble ingeniously constructed using his daughter's Play-Doh. Every one of the 59 inflatable bulbs' internal LEDs has its own RGB panel through which Weager powers vibrant chases and isolation effects using the Avolites Titan Mobile.

"Shaun needed a small but powerful and highly portable lighting control solution," says Pete White, sales manager of Stage Electrics that supplied the console. "Stag

UK - Event policing specialist TSG has been invited to put its solutions into practice at the UK Security Expo, Olympia this month, as part of the Immersive Demonstrator.

Introduced last year, the Immersive Demonstrator is run by organiser Nineteen Events in association with the Home Office, the CPNI and other government departments.

Themed 'Securing Crowded Places' in 2016, this practical part of the Expo will show how a combination of technology, processes and techniques can be applied, in a variety of operational scenarios, to improve protection from terrorist attack.

Nicola Greenaway-Fuller, managing director of Nineteen Events, comments, "TSG offers a different service from other private security companies. We liked the fact that the resources it uses are trained and managed by police professionals. They can help us bring the scenarios to life through their experi

Belgium - A renowned Belgian rehearsal studio has kitted out its main performance space with a series of HK Audio Elements Line Base systems.

ST Events, which regularly plays host to some of the country's most famous musical performers and acts, decided to replace its previous sound systems for musicians, and invited a number of companies to show them the best solution for the future.

The clear winner for pure acoustic sound was Elements, as ST Events explain, "We tested a lot of different systems in different price categories. HK Audio's Elements was the best - no discussion about this. We loved the 'warm' sound, the styling and the fact that it's a very compact system.

"In particular, the sound of the vocals was the best of all the systems we tested. And that's very important in rehearsal studios. AB Music, HK Audio's Belgian distributor, was very supportive in helpi

USA - Riding a wave of success with a breakout EP and hit single Gold, singer-songwriter Kiiara made her television debut 15 September on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and had a back line of Elation ZCL Series lighting fixtures to support her. Used for backdrop visuals in the form of columns of eye-catching vertical lighting effects was Elation Professional's ZCL 360i single beam moving effect light.

"We chose to use the ZCL 360i because we needed a stand-out lighting element that had a variety of effects and one that could respond to the demanding cadence structure of the song's tempo," said Michael Keeling, vice president of entertainment at SEIBO LLC, a leading production and event company based in Palos Verdes, California.

"For those that know my design work, I like to have an illumination source that provides a simple but dominate statement," Ke

Germany - Attracting more than 900,000 visitors and 1000 exhibitors, the IAA Commercial Vehicles Show is the leading international trade fair for transport and logistics.

At the 66th IAA, held recently in Hanover, Germany, an 11,000sq.m exhibition space was the stage for an impressive presentation from the biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in the world, the Daimler Group. Several brands from Daimler's successful portfolio were represented, including Mercedes-Benz, Fuso and Setra. A carefully selected combination of 650 ETC Source Four fixtures illuminated the dedicated Daimler area, and the 70+ trucks, vans and buses displayed within it.

The Daimler exhibition space incorporated two stages, three distinct brand worlds and a striking 'media ring' that stood a staggering 90m wide by 3.5m high. PRG was appointed as technical service provider, while rgb GmbH was entr

UK - It's not often you bump into Jimi Hendrix in a former Victorian main railway terminus, but then the Co-op is no ordinary organisation. How it chooses to celebrate the reinforcement of Co-operative values by its employees through the Pioneer Awards is a reflection of its special character.

This year's annual event, staged at Manchester Central, featured a reception area themed around an ice palace and a breath-taking 50m wide projection screen in the main function area to ensure everyone felt like they had a front row seat. The whole evening was topped off with a performance by the Kaiser Chiefs followed by a late night DJ-hosted after show party elsewhere in the building just for good measure.

Manchester Central has its own particular demands when it comes to staging a prestige corporate show of this dimension, one reason why event specialist Black Arts engaged the se

UK - VME and sister company Creation Live joined forces with We Are The Fair recently, to provide full production for the opening launch of the new BoxPark Croydon retail event venue at East Croydon railway station.

The new retail space, filled with eateries and drinking establishments, provided a backdrop for this venue, a space allowing for 2,000 people to come and be entertained by Headline Hosts for Saturday's Eskimo Dance, while for the Sunday NME hosted its latest Future Sounds of London event. Both events were broadcast through VME's premium Martin Audio MLA Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array.

VME and Creation Live had previously worked with We Are The Fair at Gottwood Festival where MLA was also used in 2015, and this was the centrepiece of a fully integrated production provided by the Manchester based specialists for this high profile opening launch. MLA was chosen

France - Paris's famous multi-purpose Bercy Arena has recently been transformed into the flexible AccorHotels Arena following a makeover costing around €150m.

Originally built in early 1981, and affectionately known as 'POPB' (a derivation of Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy) the maximum seating capacity has been expanded to 20,300, making it the world's fourth largest arena. The integration of an Optocore / BroaMan digital fibre network in the new look facility allows for 30 different room configurations, enabling it adapt to the range of sporting events and concerts with ease.

While the main design team was led by architects, DVVD and engineers, Populous, the new technical infrastructure was provided by ENGIE Ineo. The company responded successfully to an audio-visual delivery tender issued by project management company, Astell, under the direction of Patrice Buniazet.<

New Zealand - Southward Car Museum in New Zealand recently purchased an Allen & Heath Qu-16 rackmount digital mixer as part of an upgrade to its events audio equipment.

The renowned museum houses a collection of over 400 vehicles, as well as three aircraft, and hosts various events from balls and festivals to conferences.

"We need to offer our clients a professional service, including good quality audio equipment. The A&H mixer is a no brainer - it's easy to operate from setup to pack down," comments Levi Hampton, booking & events coordinator at the Southward Museum Trust.

Staging at the venue alters depending on the type of event and its requirements.The Qu mixer's simple dSnake Cat 5 connection allows the venue to install the console wherever it is needed.

"For me, Qu's greatest assets are the touchscreen interface, which makes tasks such as EQ-ing and routing ve

Namibia - Robe BMFLs, LEDBeam 1000s, Pointes and other moving lights provided by leading Namibian technical production specialist dB Audio illuminated the Namibia Breweries Ltd (NBL) site in Namibian capital Windhoek for the launch of the country's first biomass boiler.

The boiler was inaugurated by Namibian Vice President Dr Nickey Iyambo in a high profile ceremony for which dB Audio provided full technical production for Sindana Communications who delivered the project to end client, NBL owners Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group.

The dB Audio Namibia team was led by event producer Zellmari Brandt, with the event space lighting design created by Ramon le Roux and Gillroy Barmann, assisted by Natangwe Ndenge. The three young designers collaborated to produce a walk-through lighting spectacular spanning 200m of the ultra-modern brewing facility, leading from the main NBL receptio

UK - When Peter Daffarn was first offered the opportunity to work as a lighting consultant for some new London studios, little did he know at the time that he'd be specifying kit for one of the biggest names in the industry - YouTube. "I was approached by a broadcast consultant who was unable to name names, but it sounded like an exciting project so I got on board and, based on the project brief, I immediately knew that I'd be getting Doughty Engineering involved too," explained Peter.

The brief was to kit out three studios, two of which were double height. It is in these studios that YouTubers with more than 10,000 subscribers can book free studio time to create the content required for their channel. Peter drew up all the designs and prepared all the documents, sending them through to the client, ready to go out to tender. In a twist of fate, the job never went out to tender

UK - Students and performers at theatre company Chickenshed will now be performing and rehearsing in newly refurbished spaces, thanks to Unusual Rigging which, as a long-term supporter of the company, has contributed to a much needed make-over at the venue.

Unusual has installed a new auditorium floor in The Rayne - Chickenshed's main performance theatre as well as donating a floating stage platform for this year's Christmas production, Adventure to Oz and all the rigging equipment required for the installation.

Frances Thomas, head of theatre management at Chickenshed commented, "We are delighted to be supported by such a prestigious company as Unusual and the changes they have made to our venue are massive. We are an inclusive theatre which means that we have some performers with varying access requirements, including impaired vision and mobility problems etc. Unu

Italy - The first tour in Italy to use Nexo's STM Series modular line array has enjoyed great success, with over 200,000 tickets sold. Aldo Giovanni e Giacomo are three well-known Italian comic performers, currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of their comedy career.

The 2016 tour, which also featured live orchestral music from the Good Fellas, was an important one for sound rental company Joint Rent, based in Ravenna. To service the extensive tour, the company invested in Nexo's STM Series modular line array, purchasing the new omnipurpose STM M28 cabinet to use as the main module alongside B112 bass and S118 sub modules.

"From the beginning, we believed in the potential of the M28 and the STM concept. For a tour like this, it was definitely the right PA product, offering complete modular assembly, very fast rigging and ease of set up," said Gianni Fantini, CEO of Jo

USA - With its 3,500 capacity, tiered seating and intimate design, The Myth Live Event Centre has earned a well-deserved reputation as a venue that provides big name artists with an opportunity to connect to fans. Prince enjoyed performing here; so too have rock icons like Counting Crows and ZZ Top.

Given its history, this suburban St. Paul music hall served as an ideal setting for a recent concert by Hardwell, the Big House star who elevated fan-artist connectivity to new heights this summer by creating a first-of-its-kind Facebook Messenger Bot that gives his 8.5m followers direct input into his weekly international radio programme.

Ryan Warffuel and Max Koehler of Antic Studios supported Hardwell's connectivity to his Myth Centre audience with an expansive video wall and floor package that featured products from Chauvet Professional. The pair used the company's P

UK - Blitz|GES, the audio visual provider to live events, has been selected as an official supplier to the UK tour of Sister Act.

The stage show is adapted from the award-winning film and stars Alexander Burke (X Factor) in the lead role with direction and choreography from Craig Revel-Horwood.

Blitz|GES worked with the production team behind Sister Act earlier this year, when they provided sound equipment for the tour of Tell Me on a Sunday.

"I always enjoy working with Blitz|GES," said Richard Brooker, sound designer to the Sister Act UK tour. "The team understands the requirements of modern touring and the way in which they assemble the equipment ensures that we keep to the demanding schedule for this tour. It is excellent to be working with the team again and I'm confident Sister Act will be a hit."

Chris Jordan, head of sound and th

UK - TiMax developers, Out Board, claim 'the busiest summer ever' following this year's prolific run of outdoor shows using the unique TiMax SoundHub spatialisation and TiMax Tracker performer tracking automation systems.

Kicking off at Erfurt Domfest, TiMax SoundHub and TiMax Tracker brought Tosca to glory with rental partners Neumann and Muller. Switching from the traditional to the ultra-modern, the next role for TiMax was at the opening ceremonies of Switzerland's ground-breaking, Gotthard Tunnel. With world leaders in attendance, Basel-based audiopool provided sound production and put TiMax Tracker to work imaginatively, but most atypically, as a visual cueing aid to manage audio localisation down the length of the elongated arena.

TiMax was specified in the most picturesque locations: Switzerland's large-scale Thunersee Festspiele with its stunning Swiss lakes

Switzerland - Merging Technologies has announced that Nicolas Sturmel has joined the company. He was previously project manager and head of research at Digigram, investigating future platforms and innovative solutions for audio and video broadcasting; a position he held from 2012.

During his time there, he was intimately involved with RAVENNA/AES67 projects, including a joint initiative with Merging Technologies to produce a comprehensive RAVENNA/AES67 management tool. This project was revealed at IBC in September with the view to gathering comment and technical input from interested partners in the wider Audio over IP community.

Mr Sturmel gained a Ph.D in signal processing and information technology from the University of Paris Sud Orsay. Prior to that, he was working in the music production world with a two-year spell as assistant sound engineer.

Nicolas remains pas

World - Within a two-week window, Area Four Industries was present at two important exhibitions on two continents - LDI in Las Vegas and Prolight & Sound Middle East in Dubai.

When LDI opened its doors on 21 October, 2016, the lighting and sound Industry was introduced to the newest force in truss and support structures: Area Four Industries America.

In addition to MILOS and LITEC truss being represented at the Area Four Industries America booth, the new 8:1 EXE-RISE hoists and EXE Load Cell from EXE Technology were on display.

Also making its debut in Las Vegas was the entire Area Four Industries America team. All members of the team were available to answer questions during the three-day show and included Franti Zykan (CEO), Tim Waterman (CFO), Carmen Saverese (business development manager) and Eric Lawrence (sales specialist).

Eight days after LDI closed its doo

South Africa - DWR Distribution is introducing CableJoG to the South African market. Based in the UK, CableJoG designs, manufactures and distributes a range of cable testers from eight test points in the case of the AudioJoG Pro 3 audio cable tester through to 1024 in the CableJoG 512 cable tester with the extra 512 adaptor.

Eddie Zych, founder, director and designer of CableJoG recalls initially meeting DWR's Robert Izzett at PLASA a couple of years ago. "I seem to remember Robert coming to the stand and giving me quite a hard time but then sharing a table at the Price of Wales pub," said Eddie.

"I'm sure it wasn't me giving Eddie a hard time on the stand," replied Robert. "I'd never to something like that, though sharing a beer does sounds more style."

Rob purchased a couple of testers for office use at DWR at the time and has subsequently had many customers asking f

UK - VDC Trading has announced the production of two new Cat cables following more than 12 months of development and three stages of production design.

The new cables; a Cat 7 TourCat and a Cat 6A flexible TourCat, represent an increase in the solid core and stranded copper cables for digital audio in both bandwidth and length of run. Both cables are rated to carry up to 10G even though the likely maximum load for a digital audio network is only 1 Gb.

The Van Damme 268-470-000 TourCat Cat 7 S/FTP solid conductor is a polyurethane (PUR) jacketed 0.56mm solid conductor cable with individually screened pairs and an 80% coverage overall braided screen. It has been tested to provide a proven Gigabit Ethernet connection at 105 metres

The Van Damme 268-466-000 TourCat Cat 6A S/FTP stranded conductor is a flexible PVC jacketed 26AWG stranded conductor cable with individually s

USA - Elation Professional's new series of IP-rated moving lights, Proteus, won an LDI Best Debuting Product Award at the recent LDI trade show in Las Vegas. Recognized for 'advancing IP weather protection in a quality automated fixture,' the Best Debuting Product accolade was presented at an awards ceremony on 24 October on the LDI show floor.

Proteus, which will be available for delivery in early 2017, proved to be a talking point at the show with the first two fixtures in the series, the Proteus Beam and Proteus Hybrid, drawing a steady stream of interest at the Elation LDI booth. They were also featured during live entertainment on the LDI Live Outside stage, where the fixtures featured in an industry party performance by the Swinging Johnsons.

On hand to receive the Best Debuting Product award were Elation Professional sales director Eric Loader and ADJ Group presiden

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