Video and AV

Paradigm for the bigger picture at AITC

Details: 14 March 2016

UK -The Association of Investment Trust Companies was set up 73 years ago in the City of London as non-profit making trade body of the investment trust industry. In the past few months it relocated its HQ a few doors along Chiswell Street, and up to the ninth floor of new purpose offices.

One of the advantages of the new facility was the ability to incorporate a long 24-seat rectangular conference room, divisible into two separate spaces. It was important that high resolution images could be placed easily onto a sufficiently large screen from the lectern position.

With a large membership, AITC's convention room already enjoys high utilization and while the bulk of the projected content is Powerpoint presentation, AITC also need access to finance satellite channels, with overall ease of operation. The AITC had already received a quotation for the multimedia infrastructure when

BSS video switching gives Cube the edge

Details: 14 March 2016

Germany - AV retail entertainment creators and provider, Cube Music, has been specifying BSS Soundwebs as the digital hub of its distribution systems into high-end retail sites on a regular basis. When Ed Manwaring of EM Communications was asked to put a BSS-driven network onto the Cube Group's stand at the recent EuroShop retail trade fair in Germany - using a pair of SW9016 video/audio matrix switchers and an SW9010 'Jellyfish' remote - it was not only to enable salesmen to stream different content to potential clients via the remote panel, as Cube CEO Fiona Ryder explained: "Soundweb has become an absolutely key element of our retail installations," she said. "The first time we used it was for a client at the Bull Ring and we love the whole flexibility and the way it works. From that point on it became standard for us, and so it was critical we had one to show on

Stage Electrics moves London base

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Stage Electrics London has complete the move into its new shop, after more than 12 months at its Long Lane premises. "We wanted to give our customers easier access to the facilities at Stage Electrics," says Linda Moore, head of sales and marketing for the company. "We have the added value of parking at the rear of the building where we now have customer access to the shop and hire warehouse."

There have also been some additions to the team at Long Lane. Stephen Bray has joined as sales manager for the branch. Bray has come to Stage Electrics from a background in sound, most recently at Media Tools. Also, James Morris has joined as a customer service representative after working at Vodafone. Bray and his team will shortly be holding a series of open evenings to introduce products and services now available from London.

Pictured left to right are: Ed

Richard Hogg, Shonny Aitkenhead and Phil Haldane.

Event-ful changes at Black Light

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - It's been a case of in with the new at Scottish lighting specialist black light, with two new faces on the team. Hire manager Alan Jackson has decided to return to his native England, so managing director Gavin Stewart has taken the opportunity to reorganize the company's hire department.

Richard Hogg was already doing a fine job running the day-to-day business of the department and Seonaid "Shonny" Aitkenhead has now joined him, having worked with black light as a freelancer at the end of 2004.

This has allowed Jackson's successor to fulfil an expanded role. Phil Haldane has now joined the black light team as events manager to actively develop the company's specialist events work.

"We are seeing our events business develop with an increasing amount of themed weddings, presentations and corporate projects running alongside events like the Edinburgh Fringe

XL Video - First in the UK with Soft-LED

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - XL Video UK has purchased 625sqm of Main Light Industries' Soft-LED drape. This is the first Soft-LED product to be purchased in the UK. 300sqm of it has gone straight out on the Kylie Minogue Showgirl world tour, which kicks off next week in Glasgow - for which XL is supplying full video production. The Soft-LED was specified by LD Vince Foster.

The remaining 325sqm is designated for other up-coming XL projects - including Maroon 5 and Destiny's Child. The company is also about to invest in a further 1000sqm of Soft-LED. XL's Lee Spencer said: "When I saw it in action at the Kylie rehearsals I was well impressed. The product's incredible impact has achieved exactly what the designers where looking for". XL Celebrates its fifth birthday this month. "Five years on, and XL is still at the forefront of video display technology" continues Spencer &quo

Coemar get the utmost of Led technology

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Panorama Led RGB and Panorama Led White are two Led-technology professional projectors suitable to perform in most applications such as outdoor: architectural and urban applications, amusement parks and circuses, exhibitions, theatres, convention centres, cruise ships, tourist and resorts precincts, orchestras, musicals and touring, fashion catwalks.

Panorama Led RGB is recommended for TV studios, disco and entertainment venues, concerts and events; Panorama LED White is a solution for halls, shopping malls, schools, churches, hotels and restaurants as well as interior decoration.

The technical specification is of 36 luxeon LEDs (1W each; declared lamp life 100.000 hours) luminous source with step zoom, dimmer, strobe, built-in automated functions, remote control, DMX 512, DR1 compatibility and an IP66 protection rating.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

Midas Heritage Finds Window Of Opportunity

Details: 14 March 2016

France - Proving that some people will go to any lengths to procure their mixing console of choice, French sound, lighting and video company ETF-Procon recently hired a JCB to install a Midas Heritage 2000 at front of house for the Festival International des Pyrénées, Olorons Ste Marie, France.

The concerts during the festival took place at various outdoor venues, including the town square, where the front of house position was in a control room constructed above the performance area. As 800 temporary seats for the public had already been installed in the town square, access for the 56-channel console into the control room was restricted. Heads were put together, and it was decided that the easiest way of delivering the console was through the rear window of the control room.

The remainder of the equipment, which included a Midas XL250 for monitors, was delivered to the squa

Lighthouse at Schiphol

Details: 14 March 2016

The Netherlands - Dynamic signage systems are becoming increasingly popular in international airports, where they provide an ideal platform for both passenger information and advertising. One of the latest locations to benefit from such an installation is Lounge 1 departure hall at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

Installed by systems integrator, Hecla Professional Audio & Video Specialists, two Lighthouse 10mm LED screens, one measuring 2.56m (w) x 6.72m (h), the other 2.56m (w) x 1.92m (h) are flown above a pool of water in the centre of the lounge. "We chose these screens because of their perfect pixel pitch for this application, reliability, and their IP-65 water resistant front rating, as they are above water and need to meet with stringent safety regulations," explains Peter Slütter of Hecla. "M4 Technology [Lighthouse's proprietary uniformity control system

Soft-LED for CT Germany

Details: 14 March 2016

Germany - The 35th 'Ball des Sports', organized by the foundation Deutsche Sporthilfe, and under the patronage of the German Federal President Prof. Dr. Horst Koehler, took place on 5 February in the Festhalle Frankfurt under this year's slogan Nacht der Sterne. More than 2,000 guests, including celebrities and Olympic champions, enjoyed a spectacular show equipped with latest technology.

As the show's media technology partner, CT Germany provided the LED specials, projections and peripheral equipment for the Ball des Sports. On behalf of event producer Kogag, the CT team offered full service including installation, support and dismantling with the technical project management of the CT Düsseldorf sales office.

The highlight of the stage set was CT's new Soft-LED: a dynamic LED curtain, it showed video and graphic content which was created specifically for this show.

Projected Image Digital moves

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Digital media specialist Projected Image Digital has moved to larger premises in West London. Meanwhile, its sister company, gobo manufacturer Projected Image, remains in East London at its purpose-built laboratory and office space on Three Mills Island. "It was always intended to move PID when we outgrew the space," explains David March, "And that's happened much quicker than expected in just two years since the launch of 'Digital'".

The new PID building features a vast workshop facility with more storage, increased office space and a full-scale demo and training area. It means PID can offer comprehensive demos for its entire range including Catalyst and Element Labs products. The move also enhances PID's ability to provide thorough product training on all products, they say.

The Grade II listed building at 53 Northfield Road is a slice of productio

CT does Fame Academy

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - For the recent Comic Relief Does Fame Academy show, Creative Technology contributed to the groundbreaking production visuals, described by director Alex Rudzinski as "extending the boundaries by creating a synergy between set design, lighting and display systems."

The team of Mark Kenyon (lighting director), Patrick Doherty (production designer) and Alex Rudzinski combined virtual and real world technologies: 3D mid-air effects were projected from the HES Catalyst onto CT's 16sq.m hi-res Barco i6 LED display, which was creatively framed against the panelled fabric of the building - St Olaves School, near London's Tower Bridge. Creative Technology's Adrian Offord commented: "Because of the close proximity of the screen from the camera we had to field the highest resolution screen we own in order to guarantee the quality of close viewing - particularly

First glasses-free 3D videowall

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - London-based virtual reality specialist Inition has supplied the world's first glasses-free 3D videowall, including bespoke stereoscopic content, for the flagship Gizmondo store in central London. Gizmondo is the ultimate multi-entertainment handheld, featuring an arsenal of functionality such as gaming, messaging, music and movie playback, a digital camera, and GPS - which can be used for satellite navigation, location-based services, even gaming. The sleek Regent Street store, opposite Hamley's toy shop, boasts a giant videowall featuring spinning and rotating monochrome 3D images which leap out at you in 1280 x 768 resolution - without the usual need for 3D eyewear.

Inition provided the store with nine SynthaGram 40" autostereoscopic displays for the 3 x 3 tiled videowall. The StereoGraphics SynthaGram is an exceptionally clear, bright and crisp 3D monitor, say the

California Dreaming with Maxedia

Details: 14 March 2016

Canada - Canada's Stage West is a unique entertainment complex, combining a hotel with a first class restaurant and featuring internationally known television, screen, and stage stars. Over the past three years, the venue has become recognized for its lavish production values. Stage West's latest offering, California Dreaming - a musical revue of the 'California Sound' from the 60s to 90s - is no exception.

In the early stages of the design process resident lighting designer Al McMillan expressed an interest in having an element of projection incorporated into the show. Originally, he had hoped to have five rear screens for the production, but space and staging requirements dictated otherwise. It was finally decided to go with one large rear screen with separate Act 1 and Act 2 positions, in addition to two front screens incorporated into the scenery. Once the screen det

ECA2 creates Toyota Pavilion

Details: 14 March 2016

Japan - Yves Pépin and his ECA2 team were selected by the Toyota Group to design and produce a major multimedia show in the Japanese automotive giant's Pavilion, which is one of the most important, prestigious Pavilions at Aichi's 2005 Expo. Under a 25m high ceiling, the theatre-in-the-round designed by Yves Pépin is a symbolic representation of the universe. The show mixes performances by dancers and trapeze artists, giant images, special effects involving fire and water, and Toyota's most advanced technologies, and which celebrates the relationship between the individual, machines and the environment.

No fewer than 30 "i-units" (described as 'futuristic individual mobility prototypes'), and 3 "i-foots" (robot transporters), as well as 26 dancers, five trapeze artists and 100 or so technicians are working together to ensure that 14 presentations of the sh

Toshiba's bendable LED Videowall

Details: 14 March 2016

UK / Japan - Toshiba has announced a world first in the videowall market as London-based Anna Valley Displays (a Shooting Partners Group company) take delivery of the first Toshiba 6mm bendable videowall. This brand new next-generation LED Videowall has arrived for hire and has the ability to curve both in either direction to produce convex and concave displays.

Jon Perkins, representing Toshiba Technorainbow said: "This order, the first in the world for this product, represents a massive leap in the mechanical elements of LED design and coupled with Toshiba's established reputation for unparalleled image quality and uniformity has raised the bar at the high-performance, high-resolution end of the LED market."

Phil White, Shooting Partners Group MD, said: "Anna Valley Displays has always been at the forefront of the display business and the introduction of the

Top, the U2 set, and above, Barco's MiSphere. (U2 photo: copyright AFP Photo/Robyn Beck.)

Barco, Innovative & XL with U2

Details: 14 March 2016

Worldwide - U2's much-anticipated 'Vertigo' tour has kicked off in San Diego, USA. Barco, Innovative Designs and XL Video - three key providers to the professional entertainment industry - have worked together to bring to life Willie Williams' spectacular design. All visualization aspects of the show, from the various projection set-ups (using Barco RLM G5 and ELM G10 projectors) to the video-driven LED projection units, the image processing (Barco Folsom Encore) or the new revolutionary MiSphere curtains above the centre stage, were designed, integrated and produced by Barco or Innovative Designs and delivered by Barco Rental Partner, XL Video.

Designed and developed by Barco at its R&D headquarters in Belgium especially for the Vertigo tour, the MiSphere takes the use of LED technology in the concert and staging market to a new level, say Barco. With 360° viewing angles, opa

Hawthorn expands

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - As a result of continued growth, Hawthorn has taken over the adjoining industrial unit, in a move that more than doubles its warehouse space to 90,000sq.ft. The extra space will be used to house the company's brand new AV Department, along with its ever increasing inventory of lighting, sound, rigging, staging, drapes and 65 full-time staff.

Hawthorn prides itself on its ongoing investment in new technology: most recently this has seen the purchase of James Thomas's brand new PIXELpipes and RADlite's revolutionary Pixeldrive, currently on tour with The Chemical Brothers, and their new Martin Line Array. Martin Hawthorn, managing director, says: "We just had nowhere left to grow. After building mezzanines in our current unit, we were delighted when we heard our neighbours were moving, as we could literally double our space overnight without relocating or running a spli

Liquid submerged in video

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Harlow's Liquid nightclub has recently undergone a £2 million refurbishment. Curved surfaces create an open inclusive space, and a state-of-the-art projector and light cluster dominate the centre of the dance floor to create a new clubbing experience. The installation combines lighting effects and video projection onto a raised circular wall that envelops the dance area. Video is controlled from the DJ booth, prominently situated on a raised stage, and managed by one of the first UK installations of Pioneer's revolutionary DVJ-X1 DVD turntables.

James Hall, Liquid's general manager comments: "The state-of-the-art projection kit and Pioneer's DVD turntables enable our DJs to create a completely new and immersive audio-visual experience. When people enter the space and see the video in time with the beat for the first time, they are genuinely awed."

Liquid opene

Get Connected at PLASA 2005

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - PLASA 2005, Europe's definitive exhibition for professionals and decision-makers within the entertainment, event, corporate, architectural and installation industries, takes place at London's Earls Court from Sunday September 11 to Wednesday September 14 2005.

This annual event attracts visitors from all over the world and is run by people from within the industry - and the 2005 show promises to deliver precisely what the market requires - information, ideas and a strong forum for doing real business.

Over 300 companies are committed to making PLASA 2005 a solutions-led event: between them they will roll out over 1,000 new products and services designed to push existing technical and creative possibilities a stage further.

Both show floors will be packed with new ideas in audio, lighting, AV, rigging, system integration, engineering and effects: visitors will get to

JVC expands export sales team

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Christopher Darnley has been appointed as sales manager - export at the UK branch of JVC Professional Europe. Darnley brings 8 years experience working in the broadcast and audio visual industry. He joins the established export sales team headed by general manager Tim Rawlings, and will be instrumental in further developing business in the Middle East and Africa regions.

Darnley comments, "I am delighted to be working for JVC. They are strong players in the industry, with an excellent reputation, and I have a great respect for their products, service and expertise."

"To meet the increasing demand for systems solutions in this market, we are delighted to have Chris on board. He has a wealth of experience in the critical aspects of sales, and his practical experience in lighting, sound recording and post production will be invaluable to developing prospec

LED Screen Hire in action

Details: 14 March 2016

UK/Ireland - Hampshire-based LED Screen Hire reports a busy start to 2005.

LED Screen Hire Ireland, headed by Hamlet Sweeney is a new Irish sister company to the specialist LED screen operation. Based in Dublin 1, LED Screen Hire Ireland will service the company's existing clients in the region and capitalise on new and expanding commercial opportunities.

Hamlet Sweeney's background has been primarily music orientated for the last 15 years, and he has toured with a string of leading artists including UB40, Meat Loaf, The Hothouse Flowers and The Waterboys. For the last five years he has specialised in visuals and LED screens.

Meanwhile, LED Screen Hire UK has made a £750,000 investment in new screens so far this year. Both UK and Irish companies now have access to over 200 square metres of LED screen for all types of applications, including 120 m2 of product new to the

Blitz puts on the Style Awards

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - AV equipment and service provider Blitz combined resources from its Manchester and Elstree facilities to supply sound and video systems for the Elle Style Awards 2005, held at Spitalfields Market.

Blitz worked alongside events management company, urban productions, where project manager Monique Smith observed, "Blitz's expertise, coupled with their proactive approach and attention to detail had helped us tremendously at past events. When organising an Awards ceremony at one of the East End's most extraordinary and exciting venues, Blitz was well placed to provide us with both the equipment and proficiency to help bring Spitalfields Market alive on the night."

Steve Parker, based at Blitz Manchester, co-ordinated the efforts between Manchester and Elstree to make sure that the event ran smoothly. He commented: "Spitalfields Market is a truly remarkable locat

Gefen discounts cables

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - Gefen has discounted its HDTV Extreme cables, now available in 33, 50, 66, 75, 100, 135, 210 and 330 foot lengths. HDTV Extreme cables are designed for HDTV projection and computer video extension.

"By making fibre DVI cables cost similar to the price of DVI copper cables, we can offer unparalleled video quality to 1080p," said Hagai Gefen, president. "You can go as far as 300 feet from the source using one convenient DVI-equipped cable. Most flat panel displays manufactured today, including Apple's new Cinema Displays, are equipped with DVI to connect the display to the source."(Jim Evans)

The Mercedes-Benz stand at NAIAS. (photo: Andreas Keller Altdorf)

TLD helps launch M-class

Details: 14 March 2016

USA - When Mercedes Benz wanted to create an impact for the world première of its Mercedes Benz M-class at the 17th North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, it enlisted the help of media concept planning agency, TLD Planungsgruppe GmbH. TLD, which has a long established relationship with DaimlerChrysler AG, Mercedes Benz and Manufaktur Maybach brands, was given an open brief for the project. Aside from launching the M-class, TLD was also responsible for showcasing all the other Mercedes Benz vehicles on the stand, plus three cars on the Manufaktur Maybach stand.

A total of 20 vehicles had to be put in to perspective in only 2000sq.m. "Presenting so many different models on the stand provided a challenge as we had to define the separate identity of each model," said chief lighting designer Richard Profe. To maintain this distinction, a huge architectu

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