The independent panel of judges said: "Eos is a radical move forward in console design that allows everyone to see whichever displays they prefer." Marian Sandberg, editor of Live Design magazine, presented the award to ETC's CEO Fred Foster and the Eos design team.
Eos is a fully networked system, managing conventional fixtures, moving lights, LEDs, fog machines, media servers and more. The system is both forward thinking and reverse compatible, as it simultaneously outputs both ETCNet2 and the new Net3 protocol, ETC's network powered by the new ESTA ACN standard.
ETC's Eos product manager Anne Valentino comments, "In complex real-world productions, a desk or remote station may be used by a programmer, a designer or ALD, an electrician and others - all approaching the system with different purposes and varying requirements, but the common issue for all is time. They are all interested in reducing the time it takes to programme the lighting system. So we developed this desk that is familiar and comfortable, while providing better, faster ways to programme a show."
Eos offers what ETC calls 'partitioned control' to support the layers of production work that can be done simultaneously. Multiple programmers can work within the same show file, while electricians with remote focus units and a designer at a remote workstation work independently.
Eos is available in two models: Eos 8K (which supports 8000 outputs) and Eos 4K (4000). Accessories include the Eos Remote Processor Unit (RPU), which provides additional backup options and stand-alone playback functions; the Eos Remote Video Interface (RVI), supporting two DVI video ports and providing a workstation for designers, ALDs and stage managers; and Eos Radio Remote Focus Unit (RRFU), purpose built with integral LCD, backlit buttons and encoders, to support the most common maintenance and focus functions.
(Jim Evans)
