On one of their stands, visitors were able to get an exclusive preview of the Eos console family software version 2.3, which is due for release in summer and adds a number of new options for controlling colour. Anne Valentino, ETC's Eos product manager, says, "Among the changes are multiple colour space options, which can be used for any type of mixing system and improved gel matching and new display options. Tinting tools - such as warmer and cooler - can also be used to adjust colour.
"Spectrum tools expose emitter settings for LED fixtures, and with ETC LED fixtures provide an adjustment at an emitter level that will maintain the white point. A number of colour fade path options are allowed, with a graphic to display the colour transition and timing tools."
Cobalt software, which is also due for release later this year, was also available for preview. As people found out, the main features of this release include cue sequences for those who prefer to work that way, targeted recording to a selected master playback, increased action macro commands and the ability to place action macros on the direct selects for direct triggering of actions. There are improvements to effects including the new Beat Boss speed controller.
The fixtures area, meanwhile, was busy with demonstrations throughout the day, as visitors queued for a first look at the new Source Four LED Fresnel adapter, which can be attached to a Source Four LED Series 2 or Series 1 light engine. Jim Uphoff, ETC's fixtures product manager, says, "With three different light engines in the ETC Source Four LED Series 2 range - Lustr, Tungsten HD and Daylight HD - along with Fresnel and CYC adapters; nine fixed focus lens tubes; and two variable focus zoom lens tubes, the Source Four LED system impressed people with its versatility."
Visitors also got to experience the new ColorSource PAR, which was on display in Germany for the first time.
ETC announced the two winners of an expenses paid trip to the company's CUE conference, which will take place 26-28 June. Young professional Stefano de Vito Malin from Italy, and Charles Lapage-Norris, a BSc Lighting Design & Technology student at the University of South Wales, will spend three days at the professional development conference in Madison, Wisconsin, and get to meet top lighting designers while networking among peers, as well as visiting ETC's head office and factory.
ETC's second stand also hosted power control demonstrations, including previews of the EchoDIN CE Power Control system, which is set to launch this summer.
(Jim Evans)
