"InfoTrace simplifies the set-up, maintenance, repair and integration of professional stage lighting," says Keny Whitright, founder and president of Wybron, a leader in performance lighting innovation (inventor of the scrolling colour changer and the industry's first automated spotlight tracking system). "Time saved during load in and pre-show checks translates into more time to create innovative lighting sets for stage, touring shows, architecture, and other spaces."
A complete InfoTrace system consists of four components: Wybron's new line of IT products (Coloram IT colour changers, Eclipse IT and Eclipse II IT mechanical dowsers, and CXI IT dual scrollers), InfoGate software, InfoChip, and finally, InfoStore. The heart of the system is InfoGate, specialised software that uses RDM to facilitate remote addressing and diagnostics for potentially every piece of equipment mounted on a rig. InfoGate works with all IT products and all RDM-compatible equipment from any manufacturer. In addition, any non-RDM equipment can be upgraded with the installation of an InfoChip. Because InfoGate can work with any equipment, the setup, unit testing, and troubleshooting for an entire rig can be coordinated from a single laptop.
Wybron's "IT" equipment (Coloram IT, CXI IT, Eclipse IT, and Eclipse II IT) is equipped with a series of sensors that can relay a wealth of information to InfoGate. These sensors can detect everything from light, temperature, and voltage to fan speed and even gel-string frame colour information. So while RDM equipment will allow identification and remote addressing, IT equipment can give more specific status information and even warn of potential problems, possibly averting failures in the middle of a show. If the status of a device indicates any problem, InfoGate displays an alert with the nature of the problem and the exact location. Troubleshooting is now done in a fraction of the time.
For operations requiring remote monitoring or multiple locations, Wybron offers InfoStore, a web-based program that gathers all the information sent from InfoGate. This makes the supervision of multiple sets possible, even from a distance. For instance, at the close of several touring productions, complete status reports can be sent to InfoStore. The lighting dealer or rental house can view reports immediately, and any replacement parts or repair orders can be arranged in advance. When equipment arrives on site, it is already known if every piece of equipment is present and working.
InfoStore can also analyse combinations of readings, detect trends, and store unlimited amounts of information. Before long, it will be able to know the average life of a lamp or gel-string under various conditions.
In the past, setting up and monitoring a lighting system required constant access to a lighting console, hand addressing dipswitches at each fixture, and locating problems by physically inspecting the equipment. With InfoTrace, all of these things can now be done by one person equipped with a laptop.
"InfoTrace makes it easier to do what we could only accomplish with long costly hours in the past." Whitright explains. "The benefits of InfoTrace go beyond traditional lighting products because with the introduction of this bold new technology, lighting designers and engineers will buy themselves time and ease of production."
InfoTrace is easy to learn and easy to use. To see a demonstration of this new technology, visit Wybron during LDI in Las Vegas, October 20-22. The system will be on d
