SoftLED is a high quality theatrical drapery with tri-colour LEDs embedded in the material. The LEDs are virtually invisible until energized, so that the effect is as dramatic as possible. Each LED pixel (or node) is individually addressable for intensity and colour. SoftLED drapes are available with their LED nodes spaced in a number of different resolutions: Low resolution is with the LED nodes placed on 30cm centres, medium resolution is on 20cm centres, Medium-X with the LEDs placed on 20cm x 10cm centres and high resolution is on 10cm centres. Main Light makes each SoftLED curtain to order so there is every possibility to customise the curtain to the application. There are also however a number of standard configurations also available.
The SoftLED drapery ships with a touring rack containing a rack-mounted Video System Manager, multi-pin connectors, rack-mount power supplies, and a rack-mount 10/100 Ethernet switch for data distribution. Once the simple mapping process is completed the system becomes totally 'Plug and Play', with the Video System Manager taking an input from a DVD, a Media Server or a digital video camera and outputting it directly to the drape.
There are a number of distinct advantages of the SoftLED drape over other low-resolution LED products, say Architanment. The SoftLED drape is not a rigid product, so it's flexible and conforms to irregular shapes easier. It's also thin and lightweight, so it works well in tight hanging positions such as on award shows and in theatres, SoftLED might work where an LED video wall simply wouldn't fit. According to Architainment, standard 5m x 10m (approx) curtain weighs about 70kg, uses far less truck space than a videowall and can be erected by two crew in 20 minutes.
SoftLED drapes have been touring the US for nearly a year now, and proven not only to be reliable but visually awesome, on a number of major tours including Elton John, No Doubt, Maroon 5, Blink 182, Green Day, Marilyn Manson, R Kelly and Jay-Z, plus specials with Celine Dion and Bon Jovi. In the UK they have recently been seen on tour with Pop Will Eat Itself and Killing Joke and on TV on CD:UK and An Audience With Joe Pasquali, and are about to hit arena's Europe-wide on the next Kylie tour.
(Lee Baldock)
