Nicolaudie showed new additions to the Sunlite suite for 2006. An Ethernet DMX512 interface of Nicolaudie's "Easy Stand Alone" replay module called IP, allows designers to control a lighting system over a network or over the Internet using any computer. Also new was a new visualizer - Magic 3D Easy View - which accepts signals either via Ethernet or via a USB DMXIN interface.

Dutch stage technology manufacturer Roden Staal was enjoying its third PLASA. The company sells a full range of winches and control systems, and engages in all types of steel work as well as complete stage machinery systems. Its newest products was the UCQ control system, based around a 19" TFT touch screen, back-lit keyboard and two joysticks and Roden Staal's unique 'I-Drive' special functions. The monitor and the stage plan being show on it can be flipped in all directions for viewing in different orientations.

Forward-looking Digidesign presented several new augmentations for its digital desk, the Venue. D-Show 1.1 is a free update, giving a new Variable Group mode that permits operators to configure 24 discrete mix busses, in addition to main LCR bus. Drawmer TourBuss gives live sound engineers four plug-ins for the desk, noise gate, expander, comp/limiter and a bracketing filter. D-Show Script Tray is a simple flat transparent tray designed to fit above the console surface and roll across it without disturbing any controls, while supporting notes, cue sheets - even a Laptop, anything reasonable the operator needs to hand. Personal Q Monitoring software and hardware allows for remote mixes from the main desk transmitted over a four-pin XLR to PQ wired controllers.

Taking its first outing onto the floor of PLASA, well-known live entertainment industry video screen specialists XL Video was looking to meet clients and reinforce its presence. As it transpired, (we visited them at the top and tail of the four-day show) imparting knowledge such as, 'XL is the biggest stockists of Barco LED screens and Catalyst media servers in the UK', as well as possessing large numbers of more exotic items such as the High End DL1, attracted a great deal more attention than the company imagined.

Amptown Cases, one of Europe's leading flightcase manufacturers, was showing its wares alongside Wembley Loudspeaker.

The company launched a number of new products including the new Monitor Q ceiling speaker, MQ50C, a compact designed, limited depth, lightweight ceiling speaker. RCF says this is ideal for use in any PA system, or background/foreground music system, where high quality sound reproduction is required. The unit offers quick and easy installation.

Also new, the ART 110-Ti is a two-way high efficiency compact speaker system, offering high intelligibility, say RCF, and an ideal solution for fixed installation thanks to M10 inserts and optional accessories. The ART 110-Ti is recommended for permanent installations with constant voltage or low impedance speaker connections, sound reinforcement systems in small spaces or with distributed speakers and AV playback.

RCF also showed the latest additions to the 4PRO speaker range, the 4PRO 7001 passive loudspeaker system and the 7001-A (active) to

The ever popular Kino-Flo soft light range for camera work now has a DMX controllable dimmer. The Zip from Kino is small unit with a pair of 55W tubes inside, ideal to add some professional lighting to your Board member's face when making that all-important conference call. These products are offered by Cirro-Lite which is well known for the giant Lightning Strikes series of high-power strobes. Also shown by Cirro-Lite was a new 200W HMI lamp from Dedolight, a tiny lamp with a remarkably clean, even beam. Variable focus, the lamp goes from flood to very tight beam.

Lycian launched two new followspots at the show. A new version of its successful Midget - the Midget II - was the first of these and features a 575/750W halogen lamp and a new dichroic glass reflector. The second new followspot is a wide-beamed, short-throw 3k spot nick-named 'Stubby'. The 1292 3K-ST includes a centre-mounted, six-colour boomerang, a two-position dichroic colour changer and a single-lever trombone that intensifies the beam as the diameter is reduced.
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South America - A Jands Vista T4 lighting console was chosen for tribute band The Australian Pink Floyd Show's first visit to South America by touring LD and console programmer Phil White. Lighting designer Dave Hill chose fixtures to suit the very demanding technical needs of shows, which feature a lot of instant changes and quick movements. To re-create the classic look and feel of the band's light shows, the rig features a circle of light suspended from an outer box truss goalpost behind the band to illuminate the stage in a spectacular wall of light.

Due to a smaller production budget for the band's first visit to South America, and the logistics of shipping the band's tour rig between venues in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Malta, the production team decided to source the lighting rig equipment locally in each region. However, owing to the very cue-intensive nature of the t

Lamba distributes Stanton, KAM, Cerwin Vega (see elsewhere) and KRK in the UK. KAM's section on the Lamba stand featured over new 130 products including three new speaker ranges - the 2 Series, KSF and IMS Mk II. Also new was a wireless microphone range - the KWM - offering a complete range of systems from entry level to 96-channel UHF dual mic systems with IR.

Zap Technology from Paris highlighted its DMX controlled 'Biglite 4.5' searchlight. This literally very big light consumes 13 DMX channels and moves extremely fast. Integral to the design are the three-colour scroll wheel across the front of the housing for CMY mixing facilities. It also has an electronic strobe and is very accessible and easy to fix or maintain. The lightsource is a 5kW Xenon bulb and the unit has an electronic ballast.

Not content with the 2,000+ products it currently sells, Equipson launched a few more at PLASA, including the Arcdim 610 - a six-channel, 10A per channel dimmer for installation, complemented by the Scan-1000 lighting controller, which features 192 DMX channels for the control of moving lights.

5 Star showcased its recent major investment into 3D modelling software, 'Solid Edge' from UGS. Demonstrated by Andy Stockdale, who has been implementing the system into the company's facilities, the main software capabilities include the fabrication of case fittings and hardware, case assemblies and photo-realistic rendering. Integration into other company facilities was also demonstrated, such as generation of production ready geometry for use with CNC machining systems. XpressReview, a free 'client-based' application was also shown. Keith Sykes, 5 Star's works director, said: "The interest shown by both new clients and existing customers in this new software was fantastic."

Cases on display at this year's show included a range of Robe Show Lighting moving head trunks, and a 'Special Projects' production console used for the Solid Edge demonstration and there was particular

Dutch firm Trekwerk specializes in theatre and fixed installations. Its modular SyncroDisk vari-speed winches can easily be fitted next to each other in a theatre flywall situation, and each has a control panel attached to the machinery for easy access and maintenance. Each motor also has its own drive unit - just plug in power and data and the winch is ready to use. The company's Point Hoist also works on the same principles.

Stirling Audio is a distributor of studio equipment and live mics including the Audix brand and Ashley installation graphic EQs, amps and distribution units. The company also handles Aphex rack-mounted compressors and mic preamps. An assortment of products were on the stand, together with the Metric Halo Mobile 10 for location and broadcast work for those who travel and want to record on the move.

Ian McCarthy - probably one of the most popular men at PLASA - reports that sales of MC2 amplifiers have gone through the roof. The company, set to expand production by up to 50% by Christmas, has also recently expanded into an adjacent unit at its production facility, a move that McCarthy hopes will help to ensure that MC2 can keep up with demand. As if they were not busy enough, they'll be announcing a brand new product - the E4750 - at Frankfurt, but everything else about it is top secret . . . watch this space.

Community UK became its own entity on 1 July this year, making this the first time the company has exhibited at PLASA in its own right. On show was the expanded iBOX range of installation speakers, which has numerous array and dispersion pattern options, all in cabinets of identical size. The new iBOX HP3500 series, which are slightly larger than the existing 1200 and 1500 series, are a high performance 3-way system. Both the iHP3564 and iHP3594 are loaded with a 15" and 8" low- and mid-range drivers plus a 1.4" throated, edge-wound voice coil compression driver. Dispersion from the two boxes varies from 60° x 40° for the iHP3564 to 90° x 40° for the iHP3594, and both loudspeakers can operate in either passive or bi-amped modes.

To complement the range, two subs have also been released in the form of the i118S and i215LVS, and have the same physical dimensions as the

Studiospares arrived at PLASA with the imminent release of its new catalogue, which is due around the same time as L&SI goes to press. It will feature around 500 new lines supplementing, and in some cases replacing, the 4,000 already stocked. The company was also promoting its Esmono isolation booths: a flexible, expandable and cost-effective way of providing acoustic isolation for recording and rehearsal studios.

Dominating an entire side of the White Light stand was French manufacturer Robert Juliat. Always known for its beautifully made products, Juliat has now turned its hand to improving the humble PC fixture. The Lutin 1000W PC features a series of interchange lenses (Fresnel, Pebble and PC) as well as a host of other minor improvements such as a graduated ruler printed on the side of the unit. Also on display from Juliat was its new Super Korrigan 1200W HMI followspot and its new Espion 2 DMX512 tester.

The Camco UCA Network module from UK distributor Fuzion gives full DSP function to any speaker system you wish to input. Only German specification sheets were available on stand, but we can confirm this is a two-channel unit - visit www.camcoaudio.com for more.

From Australian Monitor, the new QF5A ceiling speaker, a quality 5" unit with multi-tap transformer is an upgrade of the QF5 which it replaces, and is designed for fast-fit installation.

A full-range system for bars and theme venues, the FG Series from T&M comprises five models with a choice of three subs. The new RMW-1152 MicroWedge from Radian is a line of ultra-compact stage monitors for live sound applications. Finally, from Work comes the Studio Series install speaker for bars and clubs using a small horn tweeter. With a 100V/70V line option - the Studio series is designed for hi-fi background music.

Offered at any weight capacity you require, the SpecialzLift is another neat product from this problem-solving house. A direct pickle- or DMX-controllable scissor lift, the raising/lowering mechanism is especially smooth, being helical screw driven. Within the confines of a stage set, Specialz can make these devices bespoke with a closed depth of just 300mm.

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