ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.) is celebrating its 30th year. More ETC Source Four® fixtures were shipped in 2005 than in any other year, and 2006 will be a company record for the highest number of product releases of any year in ETC history.
ETC is set to release 14º, 70º and 90º field-angle versions of the ETC spotlights. The new 14o Source Four provides an intermediate-throw field angle to fill the gap between the 10o and 19o fixtures. Short-throw applications such as blackbox theatres and dance lighting will benefit from the potent 70o and 90o Source Fours.
The Source Four Enhanced Definition Lens Tube (EDLT) option, introduced at LDI 2005, will soon be available in 19º, 26º, 36º, and 50º field angles. The EDLT enhances gobo projections in both HPL and HID-equipped fixtures, pleasing theatrical and architectural designers alike.
For architectural lighting control in the North American market, ETC’s SmartLink™ system will include Sensor®+ with CEM+, and the SmartSwitch48™ Relay Panel.
ETC will also release new entertainment-control offerings this year, including software and accessories. ETC is expanding the range of its Congo console with Macintosh support for the Congo Offline Editor, and a Congo Radio Remote Focus Unit (cRRFU). The Congo Offline Editor, which allows designers to view, create, and edit Congo show files on a computer, will be available for both PC and Mac OS X computers in the first quarter with the release of Congo v4.1 software. This release will also provide support for the cRRFU, which is based on the popular RRFU unit for ETC’s Expression® console line. For the European market, ETC offers the IES Matrix™ Mk II installed dimming system with new Swing Frame Rack format, plus a potent touring rack version. For the German market, ETC debuts its Transtechnik NT-X™, which adds further power to the respected NT-line of control consoles.
The biggest buzz, however, is reserved for later this year – when, rumor has it, ETC will unveil a new control product that reaffirms ETC’s operational philosophy while breaking new boundaries for entertainment-lighting technology.