Robe - Leaderboard - 27 Aug25 - Jan26
ISE 2026 - Banner - Oct 2025

Video and AV

Details
UK - XL Video exhibits at PLASA for the first time this year, aiming to introduce the company to the business and live event communications sector of the AV industry, and demonstrate the potential for crossover of equipment from concert touring - the market with which XL is most commonly associated.

XL Video is the UK and Europe's largest and busiest touring video rental company, supplying expert technicians and equipment to rock 'n' roll, concert touring and festival productions. XL Video works across all sectors of the business, leisure and entertainment industry as well as the above, including special events, theatre productions, public arts projects, product launches, corporate presentations and parties. With operations in England, Belgium, Germany, plus the East and West coasts of America, XL Video is an international group, investing in the best practitioners in the busine

Details
Australia / USA - The International Communications Industries Association Inc (ICIA/InfoComm), the premier trade association for the audiovisual industry worldwide, is pleased to announce its participation at Entech 2006 (Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre February 13 - 15 2006).

ICIA/InfoComm will offer a one-day program consisting of four 90-minute seminars featuring AV design, display, signal management and presentation support for end users. The seminars are being presented by InfoComm Academy's instructors at Entech. A breakfast meeting of the newly created ICIA Australia and New Zealand Member Council will precede the seminars. In addition, ICIA will host a booth on the exhibition floor.

"ICIA is delighted to participate at Entech next year," said Terry Friesenborg, CTS, senior vice-president for international development of ICIA. "Demand has dramatical

ISE 2026 - Banner - Oct 2025

Details
UK - Avesco plc's Creative Technology fulfilled the screen requirements for the recent stadium section of a tour by Oasis. The company positioned four Barco D-Lite 7 LED screens at the rear of the stage, controlled by a Kinesys tracking system with slow start/slow finish actuators that allowed them to move in the vertical plane, to fly in and out of the set during the show. Two further 8.1m x 5.4m D-Lite 7 screens, were positioned left and right on the stage wings to provide straightforward IMAG footage.

SDI feeds from a front of house PPU were routed into a central matrix, allowing any of the feeds to be switched into any of the screens at any time. This meant that if an input feed dropped out, there was the means to send a good feed to another screen without a break in video footage. The combination of stage and IMAG screens allowed video director Dick Carruthers and his compa

Details
UK - The propellerplasma. rotating video display, which spins on its Z axis, just like a propeller, is available exclusively from Arcstream AV, which holds distribution rights for the UK & Ireland and the Middle East. A number of screens can be used simultaneously, with seamless sequencing from one screen to another, says Arcstream. The effect is intensified when several propellers are synchronized. A whole range of display configurations are possible if more than one propeller is employed. The type, direction and duration of the rotation can be set according to requirements. The display receives wireless video signal and power supply, which means permanent rotation in both directions is possible.

(Jim Evans)

Details
UK -Large format projection specialist E//T//C UK is supplying spectacular projections for the 2005 Edinburgh Military Tattoo. It's the first time this visual medium has successfully been incorporated into this world famous event. E//T//C UK's Ross Ashton states, "It was an honour to be asked to design for the Edinburgh tattoo. It's a world class event with a global reputation, and I hope that I have added a new element to the already existing excellent mix."

This year, the special theme of the Tattoo is the bicentennial commemoration of the Battle of Trafalgar, and Jameson thought all the elements were in place to integrate projection into his show.

Ashton was asked to storyboard a 10 minute projection show narrative and design artwork to be beamed onto the Castle battlements and Gatehouse for the Battle of Trafalgar sequence. The 60 metre wide by 30 metre tall pict

Details
UK - With little more than two weeks to go until PLASA 2005 opens its doors, here are 10 reasons why you can't afford to miss out on this year's Show - taking place between Sunday 11 and Wednesday 14 September at Earls Court, London:

1. You'll see lots of new ideas - over 1,000 new products will be launched, and the best of these will be featured in the Innovation Gallery.
2. You'll see all the major international brands and manufacturers from around the globe.
3. You'll find more new companies exhibiting this year than ever before.
4. You'll hear about numerous new industry initiatives.
5. You'll find out what others are spending their money on and why.
6. You'll get to talk to lots of different people, many of them potential customers.
7. You'll take back knowledge to your workplace.
8. All the major industry trade associations will be there to offe

Details
UK - DJs keen to see all the latest DJ technologies should head to this year's PLASA Show, which runs for four full-on days at Earls Court 1 in London, from 11-14 September. Both show floors will be packed with the hottest DJ gear - everything from the smartest decks to top-of-the-range mixers.

Denon, Numark, Pioneer, Stanton and Vestax will be just some of the big-name brands at the Show, and a key part of the 300-strong line up of exhibitors showcasing current trends in lighting, sound, AV and multimedia technologies.

DJ Sunday, sponsored by iDJ magazine, will get the show off to a flying start with numerous events, giveaways and on-stand demos by leading DJs. In the DJ Lounge (at the back of the hall), visitors can watch the winners of iDJ Magazine's monthly Raw Talent competition and there will also be an opportunity to take the first steps into music production with a Tal

Details
UK - Blitz Charter Group has appointed Neil Gordon as group finance director. Blitz Charter Group was founded in 2004 when it acquired the businesses of Blitz Communications and Charter Broadcast. Neil Gordon's appointment completes the structure of the Board of Directors of the Group.

With over 25 years in financial management and control, Gordon gained his professional accountancy qualifications at Ernst & Young and has worked internationally with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Michael Breen, CEO of Blitz Charter Group, comments: "Neil's financial and corporate strategy skills will enhance the company's credibility with our shareholders and funders and increase business opportunities. We look forward to benefiting from his professional expertise."

(Jim Evans)

Details
UK - Scenechange and Green Hippo have merged to form Green Hippo Ltd. Until recently digital media specialists Scenechange had been working as the exclusive worldwide distributors of the Hippotizer media server.

James Heron, director of Green Hippo comments, "It became more and more apparent over the last year or so that the combination of Green Hippo and Scene Change as a force for furthering the Hippotizer has really been a meeting of like minded enthusiasts. For Hippotizer to continue going from strength to strength, the merging of the two companies was the only sensible option."

He continues: "We now have the team we always wanted under one roof and this puts us in a strong position to develop, evolve and support our media server range."

As part of the merger, the two companies have completed a move into larger premises. Nigel Sadler, formerly technic

Details
UK - Following the success of Pro Display's LCD Projection Glass Technology, the company has developed a new LCD projection film which can be applied to any existing glass or Plexiglas.

"A revolutionary new product which will transform the world of visual display and advertising", according to the company, this film consists of a liquid crystal polymer which can change its visual appearance when an electrical current is activated. The edge of the film has an electrical contact strip which transforms the film from clear (transparent) to frosted (translucent) using a simple On/Off switch.

When the film is in its translucent or frosted state, images can be projected onto the glass creating a high definition digital display screen (up to UXGA resolution). Other applications for the LCD Film include privacy and security.

(Jim Evans)

Details
UK - PID has enjoyed a busy year including moving to bigger premises in west London and launching a new web-site along with supplying digital media products like Catalyst, Pixel MAD and Versa TUBE to various live entertainment sectors. The company's client base is also diversifying into architectural installations for both retail and commercial projects.

At PLASA 2005 PID will feature Element Labs' Versa TILE and Versa TUBE products from their ever-increasing range of LED-based video input display technology. These will be controlled from a Pixel MAD system which allows the playback of low-res video across LED or DMX fixtures.

The latest Catalyst software will be displayed, running on both Apple Powerbook and G5 platforms illustrating the many cost-effective options now available for this video-optimised digital media system.

PID will also highlight the latest D-Tek products

Details
France - While Lance Armstrong was making history on the world's stage for his seventh Tour de France win, another stage was being set up for his victory and retirement party. High End Systems digital lighting products and a Wholehog 3 console helped set the celebratory scene for the cyclist and the Discovery Channel cycling team at The Ritz Paris.

Capital Sports & Entertainment (CSE) hosted the post-awards party. The main party room in the hotel's indoor swimming area accommodated 700-plus guests by adding a custom dance floor over the pool. Four ballrooms upstairs were also used.

Rudiger Haeming of Arcus supplied technical support and 4 High End Systems DL1s, 4 Catalyst Pro media servers and a Wholehog 3 console. French event producers Adelie Evenements and STe Displays provided additional lighting, audio and video equipment plus local crew.

The party's visual elements cen

Details
USA - The government of San Luis Obispo County, California recently moved into its new administration building. The move was the culmination of more than five years of designing and building a facility tailored to its specific and varying needs.

The slow pace of design and construction was a reflection of the desire to get everything correct. This was particularly evident in the increasingly vital area of audio/visual and information technology, according to Joey D'Angelo, principal consultant with Charles M. Salter Associates, Inc., the San Francisco-based consulting firm who designed the facility's A/V system.

The design specification went through several incarnations, but one element recommended by D'Angelo at the outset remained on the list: SymNet Audio Matrix from Symetrix. "Much of the project's architecture and A/V system design changed over the years, but the rec

Details
UK - In order to make full use of your days at the PLASA show, the show's organizers are encouraging visitors to 'check in' early. The doors to the exhibition will be open from 9am every morning and you will be invited to go up to the Top Deck to collect your show catalogue, and have a cup of coffee at one of the outlets around the PLASA stand while planning you day, prior to the show's official opening at 10am.

Please note: due to the current security situation, there will be full bag checks as you enter the show and all visitors are being asked for their co-operation. In the meantime, to help you plan, don't forget to check out the show website - see address below - for all the up-to-date news in the final run-up to the show.

Details
USA - A solo tour by Tori Amos is not what immediately comes to mind when thinking about a high technology production, but then again, Tori is anything but predictable. On this month-long tour of US theatres in support of her latest album, The Beekeeper, she performed over 90 different songs - a challenge for all concerned.

"I program, on average, three new songs every afternoon," sighs Dan Boland, Tori's long-time lighting director and, for the last few years, lighting designer. "It keeps the afternoons very interesting." Each night, Boland receives the ever changing set list minutes before Tori takes to the stage. Even then, the set can change midway through a show. Boland, however, incorporates this unpredictability into his design, and this was a key factor is his decision to use video.

"Every time that it's just Tori and a piano on stage, she can

Details
Canada - XL Touring Video's Des Fallon from the company's London office and John Wiseman from the Los Angeles office worked together as the video contractor for Coldplay's Twisted Logic Tour 2005. Video content consists of two of the new Barco SLM R12 Plus Performer projectors, a Sony 5 camera system, and a Lighthouse LED screen provided by Pete's T.V.

Production design was conceived by Bryan Leitch, Hangman and Coldplay. Touring on behalf of XL Video is Andy Bramley as video director/creative consultant, Alan Yates as video crew chief, Mark Antonuik as camera man, Jimmy Johnston as projectionist/camera perator and Mark Wilkinson as camera operator. Tour production is under the management of Mark Ward and tour management is Andy Franks. The North American leg of the tour began 2 August in Toronto and wraps up on 9 September in Bristow,Va.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

Details
The World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne - the highlight of which was the Pope's visit on the Marienfeld - was an exceptional event, equipped by CT Creative Technology Germany, the international supplier for audio-visual media technology, with a gigantic array of LED screens, LED trucks and the latest production and broadcast technology. CT Germany together with XL Video as supplied more than 1,200sq.m of LED screens and mobile LED trucks, which were used in and around the city.

For the Pope's visit on 20-21 August, 20 modular LED large screens and 12 mobile LED trucks were set up and technically supported by CT and XL. Each modular LED screen measured more than 40sq.m and the mobile trucks were equipped with LED screens which with a size between 25 and 40sq.m. About one million of pilgrims met on the former open-cast mining area of more than 2.5sq.km. They were able to experience live the

Details
UK - XL Video is exhibiting at PLASA for the first time, aiming to introduce the company to the business and live event communications sector of the AV industry, as well as demonstrating the potential for crossover of equipment from concert touring with which XL is most commonly associated.

The UK and Europe's largest touring video rental company, XL Video works across all sectors of the business, leisure and entertainment industry and has bases in England, Belgium, Germany and America.

XL PLASA the company is showcasing a selection of key products - including the latest exotic LED screen technology from Barco and Lighthouse Technologies, and Soft-LED drapery from Mainlight Industries.

XL will illustrate how video equipment and techniques from the world of rock 'n' roll and concert touring are crossing over into theatre, conferences and other live events.

New products incl

Details
UK - The 2005 PLASA Show opened its doors at 10 o'clock this morning, and the crowds streamed in to the show floor, which looks better and brighter than ever. Sunday at PLASA is DJ day, of course, and the annual Gemini DJ competition will once again prove a big draw for budding mix artists, with the contest taking place in the DJ lounge at the rear of the hall, and the final taking place at 4.30pm. There's plenty more going on as part of DJ Sunday, supported by iDJ magazine, offering all kinds of opportunities to learn about the art and practice of DJing.

Appropriately for DJ Sunday, seminars today include a session on Digital Turntablism and Mixing, chaired by David Eserin, editor of the Technoscan section of DJ Magazine, the session features world-renowned DJs Chris Liebing and Jonathan Lisle, and Eitan Zilkha of Sapphires. Following the session, Jonathan Lisle will be perform

Details
UK - The winners of the PLASA Awards for Innovation were announced last night during a well-attended awards ceremony hosted by PLASA CEO Matthew Griffiths on the main show floor at Earls Court. The Awards, which focus on the best design and development work going on across the industry, came at the end of a day that reaffirmed PLASA's reputation as a forging ground for future innovations.

The Awards, which are judged by a panel of professionals, attracted 66 nominations, leading to eight technical awards and an additional award for environmental impact.

The winning products were:

  • Artistic Licence's Visual Patch is going to prove the ultimate time saver for converged lighting and video applications. It creates an on-screen geographic map of two or three-dimensional pixel array, whilst automatically also assigning DMX512 start addresses. Described by the judges as anot

Details
UK - UK based performance video specialists Picture Works used PLASA to show off its latest LED screen, video projector, camera and production technologies. Founder and MD Robbie Wealleans said the show had been "very successful" for the company, adding "It has been an amazing year for us so far".

On show was the brightest video projector on the market, the 25,000 ANSI lumen Christie Roadie, currently on tour in the USA with Coldplay. It featured during the band's headline slot at Glastonbury where, the following day and on the second stage, Picture Works deployed what Wealleans describes as the "largest LED screen ever seen in the UK" for DJ Fatboy Slim's set. The production included a 3D effect achieved by issuing the audience with 3D glasses. Part of the screen also featured on the company's PLASA stand, demonstrating Picture Works' purchase of 1

Details
UK - Gatecrasher's long-awaited second club is set to open in Leeds this month following a £3 million fit-out. Named 'Discothéque', the 1400-capacity venue is the cornerstone of Gatecrasher's plans to increase turnover to £11.2 million by 2007 with the launch of its new 'Boutique Blueprint' clubbing concept. Featuring an expansive and flamboyant interior design scheme from Matt Rawlinson Design, Discothéque is also pioneering a groundbreaking new video dancefloor technology with the first installation of the new Ayrton DreamPanel - one of the product launch highlights of the PLASA Show this week.

Distributed in the UK by Ian Kirby's Lighting Effects Distribution, who are providing design support, the system has been installed as part of an automated lighting package by Hugh Frazer-Mann's HFM Lighting & Sound Ltd.

The DreamPanel floor will be controlle

Details
Finland - The Finnish visual technology company FogScreen was awarded the highly prestigious Plasa Award for Innovation on 12 September, at the PLASA 2005 show in London - Europe's foremost exhibition for the entertainment and presentation industries. The PLASA Awards focus on excellence in design and development work across these industries.

The awards, which are judged by a panel of professionals, attracted 66 nominations leading to eight technical awards and an additional award for environmental impact. The judges believe the FogScreen to be a genuine first.

The FogScreen is a penetrable projection surface consisting of dry fog made from pure tap water. The fog is cool and dry to the touch and can be walked through quite comfortably. Images projected onto the FogScreen take only seconds to reform.

"We are very grateful for this award as it represents another importan

Details
Hong Kong - Lighthouse Technologies has received a Highly Commended Award for Exhibition Stand Design at IBC 2005, held in Amsterdam's Rai Centre at the beginning of September.

The award was given for a successful combination of powerful visual impact, combined with a user-friendly yet creative configuration that allowed visitors free access around the stand. The design featured Lighthouse's flagship ultra high resolution R6 6mm pixel pitch screen in a 2.88 x 5.12m format, the super quiet R10 10mm pixel pitch screen hung in three vertical strips and the new portable, self-contained PopVision based on the 6mm pixel pitch screen, as well as sister company OptiLED's Linear Optical Array flow above the R10 screens.

"The highly creative nature of our product really lends itself to a visually impactful stand," comments Lighthouse managing director Mark Chan, "and bein

  1. Software showcase is a hit for 5 Star
  2. Lighthouse nominated for award
  3. ISE 2006 reports strong demand
  4. A Danish double for Lighthouse
  5. XL on tour with Tom Petty
  6. PLASA 2005: All about Business
Page 189 of 335

Latest Issue. . .