Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. (ETC) has begun to fill orders for its Congo jr lighting control console, which was introduced to the world at the PLASA and LDI 2006 tradeshows. Now beginning to ship worldwide, Congo jr is the compact version of the larger Congo console, boasting all of the processing power of its bigger brother. With its full-featured Congo functionality (identical channel and output counts as well the same potent operating software) Congo jr handles lighting rigs filled with conventional lights, moving lights, LEDs, media servers, and other DMX-controlled multiparameter devices. Congo jr also features the convenient modularity of an optional Master Playback Wing, which accesses all 40 multipurpose masters of the main console for full playback functionality.

Congo jr is part of the new generation of ETC powerhouse consoles that master the reality of multimedia lighting production with what ETC is calling “Complete Control™” Like the Congo, which was introduced in 2005, Congo jr is being specified wherever ambitious production work needs to be done. The difference, however, lies in its smaller footprint. Congo jr is ideal for space-compromised venues such as touring applications, TV studios, blackbox theaters, worship-production, and event lighting. A fully independent main console when portability is paramount, Congo jr is also equally adept as a convenient back-up desk to the main console in a more complex system.

Coinciding with the release of Congo jr is ETC’s introduction of Congo software version 4.2.1, which serves as a patch, primarily supporting the new Congo jr hardware. However, since Congo and Congo jr use the same software, Congo owners will find benefits here as well, including fixes for issues found in v4.2.0. The complete list of what has been implemented in v4.2.1 is available in the console Release Notes, for download from ETC website (Products > Controls > Congo > Downloads). ETC recommends Congo owners also update their systems, downloading and installing this patch version from the ETC Web site, following the same path above.

Since market response has been high, ETC recommends that customers place their orders for Congo jr soon, to beat the increasing rush in 2007.