PLASA 05 saw the introduction of the 5.8 GHz frequency range to compliment the established 2.4 GHz frequencies that eDMX currently works at. eDMX is now the only system on the market which allows the user to send the signal wirelessly at both 2.4 and 5.8GHz - to ensure connectivity at all times.
PLASA 05 also saw the launch of the new mDMX system that will be available from Avolites in the New Year. mDMX currently allows for up to four universes of DMX to be modulated down the mains cable up to 400m. dAFTdATA expect to be able to increase the capacity in the new year in addition to supporting video over mains as well.
The partnership with Avolites to incorporate dAFTdATA's WENDI system into its eDMX product has seen eDMX used for wireless DMX data transfer worldwide - from Wellington New Zealand for the British Lions tour to corporate presentations in the Sinai Desert to car shows on ice rinks in Denmark.
eDMX was used successfully on "The Storr - Unfolding Landscapes" an ambitious environmental arts project on the Isle of Skye. It was used to create a wireless network covering the side of the Storr Mountain, working up to a height of 1,450 feet above sea level through the clouds. A temporary link was also established to the Isle of Raasay - 8 kilometres away - across the straight of Raasay.
The partnership with Essential Lighting to provide the industry with a large rental stock of bespoke eDMX systems has also proved very fruitful, with most of the large presentation and lighting rental companies accepting the challenge of "moving to wireless".
The retention of eDMX as the London Eye's preferred system, coupled with the installation of a wireless system within the Royal Albert Hall have both demonstrated the reliability of the system against some stiff competition. eDMX remains the only system to be approved by OFCOM for use within the UK, and by embedding 802.11b is approved for use worldwide by the IEEE, ETSI and the FCC.
It is envisaged that the mDMX system will be fully compliant with the WENDI protocol that eDMX supports, thus allowing mDMX systems to be used co-operatively with eDMX. mDMX will also be embedded within Avolites' consoles and dimmers and therefore available through Avolites' distribution worldwide.
Finally, it will soon be possible to send data to moving lights down the mains cable which supplies them dAFTdATA say: "watch this space and the dAFTdATA magic blog for more details!"
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
