Mexico - The 17th edition of Sound:Check XPO, Mexico’s leading music industry show, is taking place on 28-30 April at the Mexico City’s World Trade Centre, with the latest developments in audio, video, lighting and staging set to be showcased across more than 13,000sq.m of exhibition space. Over 22,000 attendees are expected to visit the show, which will also include a programme of masterclasses, with musician Simon Phillips, Mimi Fox and Camilo Laro from Instituto Mexicano del Sonido/Mexican Institute of Sound, the AES Mexico Annual Conference and the Tendencias (Trends) sessions. The Harman Auditorium will be the stage for product presentations that can be heard and seen in full operation, accompanied by technical talks with leading industry professionals. The AES Annual Conference will feature Sergio Molho (Waters-Storyk Design Group), Jonathan Wyner (mas
Germany - Calibre’s new HQPro1000 4K/UltraHD scaler/switcher is receiving its first public showing at Prolight + Sound (4-B35). The first in the company’s HQPro series along with the new HQPro1050 remote controller will be available for Q2/2019 delivery. “The HQPro1000 is the result of an extensive market research effort that revealed a real need for higher performance at lower price points,” said Willy Tsai, managing director at Calibre UK. “There is a whole market segment that is not being catered for - and we believe the HQPro1000 responds to what those customers are looking for by setting a new level of price/performance. It features extensive functionality that has traditionally been associated with a high price - and delivers it at a much more affordable level.” Designed for professional AV and LED large venue applications, the HQPro1000 features a
USA - Established almost four decades ago, event technology specialist WorldStage makes a practice of investing in equipment that matches its goal of supplying top of the line technology to its clients. With that in mind, WorldStage has made a major commitment to Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processors. WorldStage operates in multiple markets throughout the US. The company’s projects include Broadway productions, art installations, television shows, touring productions and high-end corporate meetings. “The past three years have been a period of significant growth for us, and whenever we make large investments in technology we partner with the best players in the market,” explains WorldStage CEO, Gary Standard. “Our high-level engineering staff always looks at technology from that viewpoint. “We understand the importance of good processing and wa
The Netherlands - Integrated Systems Events, the organiser of Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), has issued a clarification as it seeks to differentiate its flagship trade show from industry events with similar monikers. The organisation says in a statement: “There are some events in the pro AV and systems integration field with which [ISE] has no connection, including the AV Integrated Systems Expo Mumbai, or AV-ISE in a shortened format. ISE wishes to make this fact clear to its exhibitors and attendees to ensure that there is no confusion. Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, comments: “We put a lot of time, resource and effort into creating a show experience at Integrated Systems Europe that is second to none. We trust that, when deciding whether to attend any given show, AV and systems integration professionals will look beyond the chos
Saudi Arabia - AV equipment supplier Production Technology (Protec) has reported that, thanks to recent purchases, it now offers the same brands and services from its new warehouse in Riyadh that it does from its Dubai HQ. The company has already been involved in a string of major events, including Formula E. Saudi Arabia, one of the first major international sporting events ever staged in the country. For this project, Protec’s audio team chose a range of L-Acoustics to cover an extensive area across six grandstand viewing areas, two hospitality areas, the podium, a gaming area and the e-village stage. Video turned to Barco’s S3 and Luminex networking to livestream to 140 screens across the venue which required 19km of fibre to ensure 4K video with less than one frame of delay. Lighting used their new SGM P-10 and Claypaky lights for the E-Motion club and hospital
USA - Reflect, an award-winning provider of retail digital signage programmes and long-time digital partner to Levi Strauss & Co, has teamed up with D3 and BrightSign to create a striking visual experience at the recently opened Levi’s flagship store in Times Square. At nearly 17,000sq.ft, it is the largest Levi’s flagship store in the world. The multi-level location employs AV treatments that create striking visual interest throughout the store. Originally established in 1853, Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world’s largest apparel companies with 500 stores worldwide, and products available in over 100 countries. When tasked with creating a modern environment that was not only welcoming, but also told the story of the brand, Levi’s turned to Reflect. Reflect - which also oversaw the digital design and integration of the San Francisco Levi’s store -
UK - Each year the Strictly Come Dancing Live show gets that bit more glitzy and that bit more glamourous. Now in its 12th year, the live production of the TV show has gone from strength to strength, playing arenas around the country. Each year the show specification is revisited and refreshed with each set piece and prop given a re-evaluation. This year, one of the recipients of a revamp were the chandeliers. Production manager Andy Gibbs reports: “We had maintained the chandeliers for 11 years, bringing them out of storage annually to add that extra dressing to the set look. Our tour director is Craig Revel Horwood and during the initial discussions about this year’s show, he was keen to include fountains and waterfalls. Clearly, with 1,200 panels of wooden dancefloor that gets loaded in and out and carefully laid at every venue, this was never going to
UK - Adlib supplied a Coda sound system, video equipment and crew to the recent UK leg of punk folk singer-songwriter Frank Turner’s on-going world tour. Adlib worked closely with production designer Ali Pike, FOH engineer Luke Buckbee and Johnny Stephenson on monitors. Taking on the full production designer role was an exciting prospect for Ali Pike who initially chatted with Frank about what he wanted video-wise, and had a very clear overall perspective of what she wanted to create. The focus was to bring something fresh and different to the visual mix. Assisting Ali to get all the kit and the effects she wanted on the road was Adlib’s Matt Hopwood. The white backdrop for the lighting and video projections was 18 ft high, and Panasonic RZ21K laser projectors were selected for their power and relatively compact size. These were fitted with short throw lense
Germany - At Prolight + Sound, Calibre (Hall 4, Stand B35) will be presenting two new products for the first time in a global launch. The HQPro1000 is the first product to be announced in Calibre’s new HQPro 4K scaler-switcher range of high-performance solutions. It features a modular architecture for optimum upgradability, tseamless switching and support for multiple sources and layers. Scaling is provided by Calibre’s low-latency proprietary HQUltra technology supporting 4K50/60 4:4:4 RGB formats. Also on show for the first time will be the new AIO LED display. Recognising the growing popularity of LED technology but the challenge of deploying LED-based screens, the AIO (All-In-One) is designed to be lighter and easier to install – typically, less than one hour - than competing solutions. The QUAD Series FHDQ130, targeted at demanding applications, features 4K
Germany - As part of its Fine Pixel Generation campaign, Absen will give centre stage to its headline touring product - the Aries Series - at Prolight + Sound 2019. The tradeshow will also allow the company to exhibit the capabilities of its award-winning Polaris Series. These products, and more, can be found on Absen’s stand in Hall 4.0, E35. Absen recently celebrated its 10th straight year as the #1 Chinese export brand for LED displays - a feat that was thanks in no small part to the strength of its rental products - and intends to retain this title with the help of the Fine Pixel Generation’s newest members. Absen’s new Aries Series is the company’s first NPP range that has been specially designed to meet the growing demand for sub-2mm fine pitch LED in rental staging applications such as auto shows, high-end conferences and live broadcasts. Support
UK - Pearce Hire has claimed the Best Power Supplier Award at the recent Event Production Awards (EPAs), held at Novotel London West on 19 March. The company provides production services and dry hire to over 2,000 events each year and is set to work on projects including Lovebox, Forest Live series, Classic Ibiza, Detonate Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival and Equifest in 2019. “It is a huge accolade to have even been shortlisted for an Event Production Award, as we have also been a finalist for a TPI Award and a Festival Supplier Award this season. But to actually win the EPA for Best Power Supplier was really the icing on the cake,” says Shaun Pearce, managing director, Pearce Hire. “I am extremely proud of the hard work and commitment our dedicated staff and crew put into our projects throughout the year, and a big thank you goes to every one of them.
Belgium - Fisheye, Painting with Light, PRG Belgium and WIcreations - four of the technical partners involved in the 40-45 Spektakel Musical production - have been featured in a behind-the-scenes film. 40-45 Spektakel Musical is being staged at the Pop-Up Theatre in Puurs by Studio 100. The short film, available for free on YouTube, was shot during the set up and first weeks of the production and features clips from the show as well as exclusive interviews with director Frank van Laecke, technical director Bart Caels from B-Art Production Design, creative lighting expert and video designer Luc Peumans, innovative entertainment engineering specialist Hans Willems, Fish
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) hosted a Seeing is Believing event featuring leading video brands NovaStar, Prolights and Green Hippo, with nearly 80 delegates attending the training and demonstration day on 6 March. Held at Production Park in Wakefield, the day provided specialist training for professional video users on NovaStar's award-winning LED display processing solutions, to get the optimum picture results out of video screens. The products were demonstrated using Prolights' flagship OmegaPIX LED displays, which feature NovaStar's A8s card to deliver stunning image quality. Content was fed from a Green Hippo Hippotizer V4+ Boreal media server. The event was geared for all levels of video user, from novices through to highly experienced professionals, and attended by rental companies, designers and AV installers from a wide range of se
Germany - Malte Polli-Holstein, key account manager for maritime projects at Hamburg-based system integrator Amptown System Company (ASC), and his team have recently finished integrating media technology into the entertainment surfaces on the AIDAnova, the first cruise ship in AIDA Cruises’ Helios class. The ship was put into service in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in December 2018. It has more than 2,600 cabins, and is the first cruise ship to be run entirely on liquefied natural gas (LNG) in keeping with the concept of green cruising. “In the highly competitive cruise market, it’s important for a shipping company to set itself apart from its competitors. A great deal has been done with the entertainment offerings and the restaurants on the AIDAnova to wow the guests even more,” explains Polli-Holstein. “We and the shipping company literally started with a blan
China - LED video processors manufacturer Brompton Technology has opened a new China office. Based in High Tech Industrial Park, Nanshan, in Shenzhen, the new office was opened in response to customer requests. “At the first few meetings I had with potential customers in China, there were two immediate comments made,” explains Elijah Ebo, Brompton’s general manager (China). “I was told, ‘It’s nice to meet you, but we don’t speak English, so you’ll struggle to deal with us,’ and ‘London [where Brompton’s head office is located] is a long way away and the time difference is considerable. But if you had an office here . . .’” In response, Brompton had employed two Chinese speaking field application engineers (FAEs) to help its customers with system design and technical support, whilst Elijah, who is also learning Mandarin, started to travel
UK - Hundreds of television buyers from across the globe headed to ACC Liverpool for BBC Studios Showcase 2019. Taking place on 17-20 February, the event brought together producers, talent and BBC executives as well as Britain’s most successful creatives. For the 13th year running, creative technical event production company Hawthorn supported BBC Studios to showcase its premium programmes, delivering two hotly-anticipated evening events. Previously known as BBC Worldwide Showcase, the 2019 event marked a new chapter for Showcase, the first year under the Studios banner. Celebrating British creativity, the exclusive events previewed some of the BBC’s new programmes including Top Gear, The Planets and One Planet: Seven Worlds. Led by the BBC Studios team, Hawthorn’s group creative director Peter Harding helped to produce and deliver a production des
Europe - ROE Visual Europe has appointed Erik Baum to lead business development in the DACH region. “Having worked in the AV market for several notable partners in various sales roles, Baum is the perfect candidate to further grow our brand in the German speaking region” comments Roelof Bouwman, “We’re delighted to have him joining our team.” Operating from the Munich area, Baum is close to the market and able to react swift whenever product or sales support is needed. “Combining his likeable personality with great commercial skills, Baum offers the perfect support for our German speaking clientele, catering for their commercial needs as well as growing our business in the region,” continues Bouwman. “Working with ROE Visual products for a long time, I have experienced what a great product it is. I’m very pleased to join the professional t
Europe - AVIXA reports that there are now 1,000 AV professionals with a Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) certification in Europe. “This marks a significant milestone in AVIXA’s development in the European market,” said Chris Lavelle, senior director of development Europe, AVIXA. “The AV market is flourishing in the region, and we are thrilled that many industry members are committing to professional development. CTS holders across Europe are reaping the benefits of their hard work, with the programme allowing dedicated AV professionals to stand out from the crowd and prove their expertise. “We would like to congratulate all our CTS holders for achieving this hard-earned credential, and we look forward to seeing them utilize their knowledge to deliver outstanding integrated experiences.” (Jim Evans)
Germany - The Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology (IDMT) has upgraded the highly specialised audio setup at its Ilmenau headquarters with the installation of Powersoft’s Ottocanali 4K4 DSP+D amplifier platforms. Fraunhofer IDMT - which focuses on applied research in the field of audiovisual media - is widely known for developing technologies for the digital media industry. The institute has made the decision to invest in a new range of Powersoft Ottocanali 4k4 DSP+D amplifier platforms, further strengthening its long-standing relationship with the manufacturer. René Rodigast, business manager in the acoustics department at Fraunhofer IDMT, commented: “We have a long story with Powersoft and have developed a good understanding of their systems over the years. Back when we installed our first Powersoft amplifiers here, we had direct contact to
France - The Fête des Lumières in Lyon is a regular event in the French city’s calendar, taking place annually in early December. Having first participated in the festival in 2017 with the show Guignol Sur La Colline presented on the facade of the Collège Jean Moulin, Portuguese creative studio and multimedia company OCUBO returned in 2018 to work on a projection on the façade of the Saint-Jean Cathedral. Pigments de Lumière was the recipient of the Trophée des Partenaires awarded each year by the festival’s partners to the best artistic showcase. Inspired by a quote from author Goethe, who says "colours are actions from light”, Pigments de Lumière was conceived as an abstract tribute to and celebration of all the colours that make up light, represented one by one through an exciting succession of different effects. Nuno Maya, C
The Netherlands - Creative design practice Painting with Light was behind the delivery of the live performance show on the Panasonic stand at the 2019 Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) expo in Amsterdam. Under the creative direction of Luc Peumans, for the third consecutive year, the Painting with Light team presented a specially-choreographed five-minute dance show, complete with bespoke video content and a special soundtrack for which they commissioned Frank de Wulf to direct - and sourced two dancers from the Véronique Lenaers school of ballet. This showcased some of Panasonic’s latest technologies, including the new ET-D3LEF70 high resolution fisheye lenses for immersive projection applications and a new technical collaboration between Panasonic and AV Stumpfl, which has resulted in the development of their Pixera media server. The fast-paced, colourful and
Poland - Intel Extreme Masters - one of the largest e-sports events in the world - features a multimedia stage that has become synonymous with the event. The structure of the stage with its distinctive scaffolding was originally introduced in 2015, and the look has since become a signature feature of IEM Katowice. For the 2019 edition, the design features large automated LED screens on the central part of main stage, from which pro gamers enter the stage. The catwalk where the IEM trophy is located, has been completely reworked and combined with the rest of the stage. Despite set changes the lighting design has been completely renewed, featuring new lighting fixtures and LED bar frames built around the screens behind the teams. Almost 400sq.m of LED screens were used and 650 lighting units. “Every year we are trying to introduce something new to the stage
UK - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has launched a new website to showcase its portfolio of technologies. Created to deliver a better overall user experience, www.ac-et.com features a cleaner design, improved menu functionality with faster navigation, and is now fully responsive, adapting to the best layout for viewing on mobile, tablet and desktop. The website also reflects AC-ET's position as a one-stop supplier of lighting, rigging, video, audio and related technologies. AC-ET's UK sales and purchasing director, Jonathan Walters comments: "We are delighted to share our new website with you. The team have been working tirelessly to create a high-quality website, which reflects our (AC-ET’s) world-class products and services. We are confident that the smarter, slicker design will enable easier and quicker browsing to ensure you find the right products
Australia - DirectOut is establishing a cooperation with tm stagetec systems as their new distributor. The two companies will be offering the entire DirectOut product portfolio to the Australian market. Based in Sydney, tm stagetec systems specialises in high-end audio, video, PA and intercom solutions for institutions and enterprises and is also invested in product research, development and manufacturing. Treva Head, managing director of tm stagetec systems, comments: “DirectOut is a perfect fit for us. Both the philosophy of the products and the diverse range they cover will help tm stagetec systems better serve our customers in both broadcast and pro audio markets. With the suite of audio over IP solutions and the intuitive globcon software, DirectOut provides tools to solve many customers’ problems. We are excited to represent DirectOut and further build thei
