Zero 88 stages successful Congress livestream
- Details
The 30-minute broadcast was hosted at the Congress Theatre in Cwmbran, the nearest theatre to Zero 88’s manufacturing facility, and was presented by general manager David Catterall, supported by Jon Hole, Tyler Holpin (who also works as a technician at the venue) and Edward Smith.
Local singer / songwriter Tobias Robertson appeared as a special guest, treating everyone to his captivating vocals and some proper live entertainment as the stream was broadcast live on Zero 88’s YouTube and Facebook channels. It can subsequently be watched on-demand at zero88.com/event.
Focussing on the three product ranges enabled the team to highlight specific elements like Zero 88’s three-year warranty on all control products, together with the UK manufacturing set up and the range of training opportunities available at zero88.com/training.
This includes a complete array of online training, established as a positive response to learnership during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The presentation also emphasized the support work in which Zero 88 has engaged for the National Health Service (NHS) that has included lighting up three local hospitals for the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB).
The company has also participated in the #LightItInRed campaign throughout the summer to draw attention to the live music, events, and performance industry’s need for special sector support from the government during Covid-19.
Additionally, some premium installations completed in the last 12 months were detailed, including at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai and at P&J Live in Aberdeen.
The stream announced that the latest version of ZerOS software has entered its ‘Public Beta’ phase and will be launched officially later in the year, which brings a whole new library to ZerOS, providing more detailed control, improved macros, better gobo previews and enhanced colour information.
Product manager Jon Hole walked viewers through a complete refresh of Zero 88’s networking products made up of Splitter 8, a DMX/RMX splitter that includes a ‘Fix Switch’ billed as a Get out of jail free card for systems with compatibility issues or poorly designed fixtures causing flickering!
Edward examined the new Betapack 4 unit which supports both dimming and hot-power connectivity in a single portable box that can be toured or installed. The new variants include a 15a / 16a mixed and a Neutrik PowerCON TRUE1, together with the ‘classic’ 15a, 16a, Schuko and Swiss options for which Betapack is famous!
Tyler highlighted the usefulness and practicality of RigSwitch, a remote-controlled power switching solution for any size of venue or space. It supports the same button panels, touchscreens, sensors etc. as the ZerOS Server. Along with 8 standard variants, RigSwitch is fully customizable, providing up to 34560 different bespoke configurations.
It was important for the team at Zero 88 to support The Congress which is normally a lively hub of Cwmbran city and its surrounding areas.
Since being shut by the Coronavirus pandemic in March, it has been transformed into a streaming studio, with local rental company Green Room Events and theatre manager Martyn Redwood collaborating to generate revenue and keep the venue going. The project has so far proved very popular and the facility has been used by several local artists to stream performances or record new music tracks.
Zero 88’s stream was the first corporate event staged in the pop-up studio. Jon commented, “Utilising the Congress – which is super convenient and offers excellent facilities – was really heartfelt as it’s a centre of the community here and showcase for local talent that we all want to see continue in that vital role for years to come.”
(Jim Evans)
