Gilray Densham, president of CAST says, "BlackBox is a live, realtime, 7D positioning and high speed communications solution that will change the way that productions are planned and produced in the future by providing a common communication interface for all the different technologies used in show production.
"BlackBox, to be released later this year after thorough beta testing, will use wysiwyg files as a primary source of information concerning the 'space', and then links to existing proprietary systems such as lighting consoles, media servers, 3D audio positioning systems, RFID tracking, imaging systems and the Raynok Motion Control system. Input data is received, the position(s) determined and then communicated in realtime between all the devices which are 'plugged in' to BlackBox but previously could never communicate with each other."
Paul Jordan, director of Hoist UK says, "I've not seen anything like this before. The positional information on objects that I'm flying using Raynok is made available to all the other systems that are connected to BlackBox, with all the control and safety protocols still being handled by their respective control systems, in this instance Raynok.
"All the same people are required to safely control the moving objects but now BlackBox communicates with the other controllers in realtime to specify where my objects are in 3D space, so they can work together for an effect and also enhancing safety."
Jordan continues: "It doesn't matter what cues I'm running in either the 2D or 3D modules within Raynok, the positional information from the hoist or object is given to the other systems that need it, which means we can project images onto fast-moving flown items or instruct lighting consoles where to focus their moving heads whilst their support structure is being moved. These advancements will create some really unique and difficult to achieve effects for shows in both the theatre and live touring event industry."
Joseph Jeremy, president of Niscon says, "Our Raynok system is the perfect machinery control solution to be linked to this revolutionary new product. We can control any piece of stage machinery through a single control interface."
(Jim Evans)
