Lighting

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Germany / UK - In response to the increasing demand for a touring hazer that can be flown in a theatre environment, hazebase has worked in conjunction with Lighting Partners to find a means of hanging the base°hazer. Andy Parkes from Touring Custom Products was called in to find the means of simply and effectively flying the unit, the result is the new base°flyer.

Made from durable metalwork the base°flyer simply slides on the base°hazer and locks into place, with no modification to the basic unit. This allows the bracket to be left on the unit when moving venues or being stored, saving time and space. Flightcase lids still fit even with the bracket attached while only having a marginal effect on overall dimensions.

Uta Raabe from hazebase comments: "The base°flyer really was a response to customer demand and something that really enhances the range. T

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UK - Raoul Simpson was recently commissioned to create two site specific light installations by curator Carl Slater for an exhibition entitled SITU, held from 18 August to 3 September at the Holy Trinity Church Tattershall, Lincolnshire.

The commissions are made up of two pieces, Moondial, a time-based light installation to the exterior of the bell tower and Kinetic Pixels, an interactive light installation sited either side of the main aisle in the church. Support for the projects was given by Richard Martin Lighting (IP65 Thomas Pixelline 1044, Ether-Lynx ArtNET), PRG Lighting (cabling) and ChamSys (control for Moondial).

(Jim Evans)

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USA - John McKernon and City Theatrical have announced that Lightwright 5, the newest version of the software for managing entertainment lighting paperwork, begins shipping 1 September 2009.

New in Lightwright 5 is Lightwright/Vectorworks Data Exchange, a "new and easy way" to share data with Vectorworks Spotlight 2009. This allows lighting designers, for the first time, to make changes in either programme and to have those changes be automatically updated in the other programme, eliminating importing, exporting, and merging, and saving designers time and trouble.

Some of Lightwright 5's new features include: any number of show files can be open at the same time; worksheet reconciliation compares and synchronizes show files; share files and new fast and flexible work notes via built-in email; a drag and drop color scroll design window, and automatic dimmer load balan

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UK/Australia - In a prelude to the release of its new lighting and media control software, LSC has been revealing some of the power of its new product LSC Clarity via short videos on the company's website.

The first four videos released over the last few weeks cover Copy and Pasting, LED matrix control, media server integration and also Freesets - a new powerful innovative extension to the humble Preset.

The fifth video in the series released this week shows the power of Fixture Substitution built into LSC Clarity and further video releases are planned prior to the product's formal release.

LSC Clarity will be officially released at PLASA09. The videos can be seen by visiting the company's website at www.lsclighting.com

(Jim Evans)

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Benelux - ADB Lighting has unveiled full details of the new products that will add up to a high profile appearance at IBC 2009 at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam this month.

The company will launch six new products for the television studio market. Heading the list is the ALC4 LED Cyclorama fixture, billed as "the first of its kind in the world". With four advanced 40W Philips Lexel RGB+White LED light sources, one ALC4 can deliver the equivalent of 1250W of halogen power for an actual power consumption of just 160W, says the company.

The cool-running DMX-controlled ALC4 - which can be floor mounted or hung - provides over 1m shades of colour, including pure yellow and soft ambers, and for extra ease of use provides seven pre-set white light options from 2,700°K to 6,700°K. A precision optical design ensures smooth, homogenous, even light output with no coloured

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Czech republic / UK - Robe will launch several exciting new products at PLASA 2009, in anticipation of a busy year ahead. The company's R&D department has been focused on developing the new generation of ROBIN (Robe Innovative Technology) products - the first in the world to utilise the new plasma lamp technology. The Robin range consists of the ROBIN 300 Plasma Spot and Plasma Wash, the ROBIN 300E Spot, ROBIN 300E Wash and the ROBIN 300E Beam.

The ROBIN 300 Plasma Spot - the first of the plasma lamp based fixtures from Robe - offers a colour rendering index (CRI) of 94, an extremely flat and even light beam (1.3 : 1) and a lifespan of 10,000 hours, say Robe. The new plasma lamp source offers an electronic dimming capacity from 100 - 20% and a semi-hot restrike function (of less than 120th of a second for full lamp brightness to return after shutting off). Other features include

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UK - Working at height on trussing grids has always been a slow and potentially risky business - and show technicians are often impeded by the use of harnesses and dual lanyards.

Hall Stage is pleased to announce the arrival of IAStage's new product line -Truss-Mounted Wire Tension Grid systems.

This innovative system is a modified, near standard lighting grid consisting of truss and SkyDeck TWG panels. The standard grid is actually transformed into a flexible working platform that provides access to lighting and sound equipment as well as a perfect floor for riggers to work from, complete with handrails and safety gates.

SkyDeck panels are modular which makes them ideal for touring shows, as the panels are easily adaptable to fit any type of truss system. Focusing a show will be more efficient and trouble free since the electrician can simply walk across the whole rig, says

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UK - Following its initial preview at InfoComm 2009, Stardraw.com has announced the official release on 1 September of its latest system control application, Stardraw Control 2010. Control 2010 is a significant step up from the previous 2007 version, the company says, offering users greater flexibility, improved User Interfaces (UIs) and the ability to exploit the ever-increasing processing power of modern hardware.

Control 2010 is also fully compatible with 2007, so all current projects can easily be transferred to the new platform and benefit from its improved features and capabilities.

The Control 2010 platform includes a generic HTTP, or WebServices driver. This means that anything that talks HTTP can talk to any system controlled by Stardraw Control, anywhere. For example, you can use any browser on any device anywhere on the planet as a UI - that includes Smartphones of

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Finland - Clay Paky's Alpha Beam 300 recently aided a dynamic mix of choir-meets-rock'n'roll at Kuorosota (Battle of the Choirs) in Lahti, Finland. The format is similar to a singing contest, although the participants are not what you would expect. If you're picturing a stoic and formally robed choir singing hymnals, you're way off. After all, this is Finland.

The concept of the program is that choir leaders, who are already established in the music industry, pick ordinary people for a choir from their respective hometowns. The choirs then compete with popular songs during a six-week live television broadcast, with long hair and rock music a common theme. TV viewers vote and determine the winner, and each week another choir gets voted off. The final winner gets to select a charity from their town to receive 40,000 Euros. Approximately half a million people watch every week - rou

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UK - Next week's PLASA Show (Sunday 13 - Wednesday 16 September, Earls Court, London) will feature a hands-on demonstration area showing products utilising the new Remote Device Management (RDM) extension to DMX512 (ANSI E1.20).

Visitors to the area will be able to learn how RDM works to discover and configure products from different sources. Address configuration, mode changes, product status and sensor reporting - all are functions offered over existing DMX wiring using RDM, and in a manner offering defined interoperability between manufacturers. Get introduced to the latest developments in suite of protocols that make up ACN - the Architecture for Control Networks.

Staff from several companies leading the introduction of ACN and RDM will be available to answer questions and provide valuable insight into how it all works.

The area, which can be found on Stand 1-J40 in Earl

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France - The European Space Agency hosted a spectacular celebration on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing at the Citadelle, an ancient fortress high above St. Tropezon 29 July, 2009.

As a highlight of the evening's festivities, an audience of around 1,200 invited guests from around the world experienced a laser performance by tarm Showlaser GmbH. A 15-minute collage of video projections and laser effects above the Gulf of St. Tropez and St. Maxime motivated attendees to rousing standing ovations.

Buzz Aldrin, one of the three astronauts who, on 20 July, 1969, were the first human beings to set foot on the moon, thanked the host organization with the words "a wonderful evening with an outstanding show."

(Jim Evans)

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UK - LDDE is set to launch some creative product novelties for the entertainment and architectural markets at PLASA09.

The LedCyc9*RGBW LED-panel is a powerful, modular backlight system for rear projection on cycloramas and useful effect lighting system. It creates a completely even and flicker free field of light. The panel was developed for use in the theatre, entertainment and Film/TV market.

Each panel integrates nine symmetric high power RGBW LED pixels, each capable of producing any colour temperature across the entire spectrum of visible light. Special diffuser caps (additional accessory) in front of each pixel enable a new dimension in set design, says the company.

Each pixel can be controlled by DMX512, ArtNet* or EcuNet. Different settings like panel mode, start address, PWM (pulse wide modulation) and other functions can be set via remote control.

LDDE's SharkLe

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UK - HSL once again supplied lighting and power distribution to C venues' performance spaces at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. C venues is the home to the largest theatre and new writing programme at the event, featuring a busy schedule of physical theatre, drama, comedy, dance, music, musicals, mime, opera, children's shows, visual arts and more.

HSL project manager Mike Oates worked closely with C venues' production manager Richard Williamson co-ordinating the requirements for their 16 different performance spaces spread across five buildings in central Edinburgh.

Williamson says: "HSL has been great to work with as always - they are efficient, flexible, and extremely quick at sorting anything if the need arises. They are not the cheapest option, but we wanted a quality and level of service to suit our extremely busy and demanding production schedules."

The

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UK - The A.C. Entertainment Technologies stand at PLASA09 will feature new innovations and product highlights from the ranges distributed by the company in the UK.

A.C.'s Lighting division will be displaying the complete lineup of Chroma-Q LED products.

The new Color Block 2 LED fixture combines its predecessor's core elements of modularity and versatility with new single colour RGBA optics, 530 lumens output (almost double the original model) and theatrical grade dimming to create an exceptional feature set. The stand will also preview two new Chroma-Q products joining the range later this year. The Color Charge is a battery powered, ultra portable LED light source which combines wireless control with an advanced feature set. Also appearing is the Color Force 72, a 12,000 lumen, 1.8m / 6 ft output LED batten for washing large areas with full RGBA extended colour palette.

Ot

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Sweden/UK - Wireless Solution Sweden is once again using PLASA to showcase new W-DMX products, as well as hosting an educational on the benefits and advances in Wireless DMX technology.

On prominent display will be the UglyBox Performance Kit, nominated for a PLASA Innovation Award. The kit includes the new W-DMX UglyBox and Co-Existence Dongle with a wide selection of antennae to provide feedback on all aspects of wireless signal, never before available to lighting technicians. The rugged UglyBox test tool measures the DMX channel data values, the real time signal strength, and the history of signal stability. The Co-Existence Dongle ensures harmony of multiple wireless protocols by enabling custom channel selection and adjustment of output power. Together with the accompanying software for radio spectrum monitoring and antenna calculation, the kit ensures a safe, controlled en

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UK - PixelRange will launch SkyLine, a family of "extremely durable" outdoor architectural LED floodlights this month.

Capable of high projection, even washes and focused feature lighting - each luminaire can feature one or two robust, stylish housings with a highly flexible variety of LED and circuit formats.

Other new products include the new PixelPar Festival - an outdoor IP65 rated version of the industry standard PixelPar.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Cast Software has a lot in store for visitors at PLASA09. Every day during the show, Cast will host a professional wysiwyg User for attendees to meet. This relaxed format will display samples of work, Q&A time, and a chance to meet new faces. Visitors during the Guest Speaker times can enter a business card in a draw to win a free 3-month extension to an existing membership (or a special price for new software). The guests include:

Richard Cadena (Sunday), the author of Lighting Design for Modern Houses of Worship, Electricity for the Entertainment Electrician and Technician and Automated Lighting: The Art and Science of Moving Light. He is a freelance lighting designer/consultant and an Authorised wysiwyg trainer.

Mikael Berglund (Monday) who has a 30-year career in lighting design in everything from theatre and live concert tours to architectural a

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Record-Breaking Fringe - The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has broken its own box office records by selling more than 1.8 million tickets. Ticket sales for the Fringe were up by 21% on last year and 9% on its previous best ever year, which was in 2007. Organisers said a drop in international visitors had been offset by a marked increase in UK audiences.

The 63rd Fringe, which ended on Monday night, was the first with new chief executive Kath Mainland at the helm. She said, "Even in tough economic conditions, festivals chime with people in a way few other events manage to. Over the past three-and-a-half weeks I have seen some amazing work, sometimes perfectly trivial and enormously entertaining, sometimes incredibly challenging and often hugely moving. I have been blown away by the creative energy, artistic vision and drive of the people taking part, from performers and director

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Taiwan - Event production experts TAO Productions put together a team to manage European entertainment interests at the opening ceremonies for The Deaflympics 2009 in two venues in Taiwan this summer.

NewSubstance Creative Agency employed the TAO Group to provide logistics support, production management, CAD planning, health & safety and event consultancy for four shows in Hsinchu and Taipei

To achieve the client brief, head of TAO Andy Cotton flew a crew to Taiwan, including TAO's Ben Price (production), Darren Wring (lighting); Steve Waddington (rigging) and Gareth Lewis (sound).

Now in its 21st year, the Deaflympics, features 20 sports, from athletics to taekwondo. The event was previously known as The World Games of the Deaf, having been granted permission by the IOC to change names in 2001.

The opening ceremonies and parades were produced by Mirag

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UK - With just days remaining before the PLASA09 exhibition opens its doors (13-16 September, Earls Court, London), PLASA Media has published the Show Guide online in a digital format.

Readers of Lighting&Sound International's digital edition, which has been available worldwide for the past two years, will be familiar with the freely accessible online format.

This is the first time the PLASA Show Guide has been available prior to the show, and will allow those planning on visiting PLASA09 ample opportunity to browse the exhibitors' detailed information and plan their visit in detail. The PLASA09 Guide includes full listings for all exhibitors, with a quick reference A-Z listing and floorplans to make planning your visit as straightforward as possible.

In addition to this, the Guide also features advanced information

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Belgium - ADB Lighting Technologies will launch the latest in its line-up of memory lighting control desks, the Domino series of lighting control desks, headed by the Domino XT, at IBC 2009.

Designed to provide a flexible and intuitive solution for both professionals and novices to use, the "highly price-competitive" Domino combines all the functions of a television studio or theatrical console, allowing fully automated control, required studio and for theatre lighting, in a sleek, lightweight ultra-modern casing whose compact footprint will readily fit into the tightest control rooms.

The four-strong series is available as Domino 24, 48, 48XT and 96XT versions. Aimed squarely at the large mid-range controller market for television and broadcast studies and theatres, medium to large venues, convention centres and more, a major feature of the Domino is a dedicated cro

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UK - The current Tracy Chapman tour lightshow has been re-programmed on to the new grandMA2 platform for its European and US legs. The show - which has been out since last year and is reaching its final stages - is designed by UK-based Paul Normandale. It was originally programmed onto a grandMA full-size by Canadian lighting director/operator Graeme Nichol. Due to other commitments, he couldn't work the final sections, so the role of lighting director was assumed by Glen Johnson from the UK.

Johnson had just been using a grandMA2 light on the Maximo Park tour, and was happy running the version 2 software, while rental company Lite Alternative has also just invested in grandMA2 consoles. So he and Normandale made a joint decision to re-programme the Chapman tour onto grandMA 2.

Johnson did this using a grandMA2 full-size and a visualiser, which was particularly helpful, and it

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World - GE Lighting is supplying LED signage to Holiday Inn in a refit which is estimated will deliver savings of $4 million annually. As part of the hotel chain's $1 billion global relaunch, more than 3,200 hotels are being updated to improve quality at Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express hotels around the world.

A redesign of the iconic brand logo required new exterior signage for over 3,200 locations. The new signage incorporates energy-efficient, long-life GE Tetra LED lighting systems, which are GE ecomagination certified solutions from Lumination, GE Consumer & Industrial's LED business.

The signage will save Holiday Inn an estimated $4.4 million annually over previous neon and fluorescent lighting ($3 million annual maintenance savings and $1.4 million energy savings). This massive signage project involves more than 20 sign manufacturers creating 9,300 channel letter an

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Denmark - The MAC 250 Beam is a new member of Martin Professional's popular 250 watt series, a punchy and compact beam fixture that generates variably sized pencil beams as well as wash effects via a motorised frost filter. It is available as an easy and inexpensive upgrade that installs in only five minutes on any existing MAC 250 Wash fixture.

The MAC 250 Beam upgrade kit consists of a new front module with micro Fresnel lens and a set of six beam effect gobos/apertures. It converts any standard Martin Professional MAC 250 Wash into a MAC 250 Beam in a matter of minutes, bringing new life and value to existing MAC 250 Wash fixtures for very little cost, says the company.

The MAC 250 Beam's intense light output and tight beam make for a powerful mid air effect. The output is optimised via a glass cold light reflector.

A large diameter micro Fresnel lens produces a distincti

  1. MAC 250 Beams added to Coldplay production
  2. Major expansion at Robe Lighting
  3. American DJ turns up the juice
  4. grandMA2 on course in South Africa
  5. Clay Paky shines on Deep Purple
  6. PLASA09: Martin showcases expanding LED range
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