Now beginning to ship worldwide, Congo jr is the compact version of the larger Congo console, with all of the processing power of its bigger brother. With its full-featured Congo functionality - identical channel and output counts as well the same potent operating software - Congo jr handles lighting rigs filled with conventional lights, moving lights, LEDs, media servers, and other DMX-controlled multiparameter devices. Congo jr also features the convenient modularity of an optional Master Playback Wing, which accesses all 40 multipurpose masters of the main console for full playback functionality.
Congo jr is part of the new generation of ETC consoles that master the reality of multimedia lighting production with what ETC is calling Complete Control. Like the Congo, which was introduced in 2005, Congo jr is being readily specified wherever ambitious production work needs to be done. The difference, however, lies in its smaller footprint. Congo jr is ideal for space-compromised venues such as touring applications, TV studios, blackbox theatres, and event lighting. A fully independent main console when portability is paramount, Congo jr is also equally adept as a convenient back-up desk to the main console in a more complex system.
Coinciding with the release of Congo jr is ETC's introduction of Congo software version 4.2.1, which serves as a patch, primarily supporting the new Congo jr hardware. However, since Congo and Congo jr use the same software, Congo owners will find great benefits here as well -including fixes for issues found in v4.2.0. The complete list of what has been implemented in v4.2.1 is available in the console Release Notes, for download from ETC web site.
ETC recommends Congo owners also update their systems, downloading and installing this patch version from the ETC web site.
(Chris Henry)
