Here’s a quick look at some products we saw on exhibit at Infocomm, which wrapped up in Orlando Friday. I’ll have more from additional manufacturers this week.
AC Lighting Inc. showed its range of LED lighting products exclusively distributed by the company in North America. New products include the Chroma-Q™ Color Block 2™ LED fixture and Magic Box™ EtherSwitch 7™ Ethernet switch. The Color Block 2 is a 530-lumen unit that features camera-friendly, single color output RGBA LEDs; theatrical grade dimming; increased color palette; and a color rendition index (CRI) of 90. EtherSwitch 7 is a touring grade, high quality Ethernet switch that supports simultaneous computer connections land comes with seven shielded EtherCon ports (RJ45) providing 10/100/1,000 Mbps bandwidth in full duplex mode. The standalone unit enables the concurrent use of various multimedia devices within a network without traffic restrictions.
Daktronics Inc. has launched its newest indoor addition to its PST product lineup, the PST-6i-b modular LED video panel designed for high-profile rental and staging applications. The thin, lightweight PST-6i-b panel is first in a series of black-package LED displays. Daktronics says the display face is 50% blacker than traditional indoor LED video displays. The panel uses a thermally efficient module housing to evenly disperse heat, prevent hot spots, and protect critical elements, while a fanless cabinet design makes it appropriate for environments that require a noiseless solution. The panels also use an advanced louver design to eliminate module seams, or “checkerboard effect,” and aid in achieving the widest indoor viewing angles available in the industry, at 140 degrees horizontal and 110 degrees vertical.
Draper, Inc. is showing the new StageScreen, designed to save setup time and cost, as it allows building of different screen formats and sizes with different combinations of the same parts. Despite the modular design, the 8” truss system is stronger than traditional truss, with virtually no deflection even in large sizes. Truss segments attach quickly and securely end-to-end without no parts to unfold and no hinges. The company’s proprietary screen attachment system also works without snaps. In less than 10 minutes, two people can have a 17 x20’ screen fully assembled and ready to fly.
Evans & Sutherland is claiming to have the highest resolution production projector in the world with its launch of the 8Kx4K laser projector, the ESLP 8K, that provides 16 times the resolution of 1080p HD and fidelity that exceeds the human eye. The unit’s NanoPixel silicon imaging chip provides an image free of artifacts, with no visible gaps between pixels and absolutely zero persistence in moving images. The unit can also be powered by an ordinary wall outlet and requires only minimal cooling.
Tomcat exhibited its newest products: Sky, Edge and (core). The company has also teamed up with InterAmerica Stage, the specialty rigging and show system solutions provider to the broadcasting and entertainment industry, to promote the SkyDeck™ modular wire grid system. Shown alongside InterAmerica’s SkyDeck™ system is Tomcat’s Sky product, a ladder beam truss product with a sturdy spigot connection designed for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty applications over short and large spans. Edge is the company’s newest intelligent pre-rig truss in a 30" x24" format that allows stacking in a truck of four trusses wide and three high, with added flexibility of rotating spigots and interchangeable ladders. Tomcat’s (core) range is brand new and has two sizes available: (core)12 and (core)18. It features conventional 12"x12" and 12”x18” light-duty box truss, modified to provide a more efficient truss.
Drape Kings showed a number of products, including the patent-pending Skirt/Header Clamp for masking any screen from 16:9, 4:3—almost any format—up to 16’ wide. Users can adjust screens down to various ratios. With a few more components, an existing pipe and drape system can serve as a universal screen surround. The system also allows for a continuous wall of drape to accommodate changes in ceiling heights, with no need to add additional uprights. The clamps are sold in pairs cased in a vinyl zippered pouch.
Representing several manufacturers, and a manufacturer itself, TMB had several new offerings. From Green Hippo comes UberPan, a new advanced multi-server control system that allows multiple Hippotizers to work as one, creating a single virtual canvas. Also at the TMB booth was a separate demo room with amBX’s amBIENT XC, an ambient lighting control system for the creation and delivery of immersive entertainment experiences. Additional new products include the ProFan high-velocity DMX fan with detachable remote for manual control; the ProPlex RMT (Remote Media Transceiver) system for DVI video, audio, and serial data transmission and distribution over fiber-optic or CAT5e cable; the ProPlex GBS (GigaBit Switch) built specifically for use in portable entertainment production; the ProShell Professional RJ45 housing that converts a standard RJ45 into a rugged, road-worthy connector; and the Solaris CF-35 strobe, an IP-rated, UV-stabilized strobe for architectural and architainment installations and available in six colors.
Harman Professional has launched HiQnet System Architect™ version 2.0, an upgrade to the audio configuration and control interface for designing specialized audio networks for a wide array of applications. The new version features a new system design philosophy centered on workflow and the use of a diagrammatic representation of the installed or live sound venue. Devices are arranged by both their physical and logical placement allowing the designer to ‘educate’ System Architect about how they are to be used, and the software can provide automation of many of the laborious system design tasks for free. In addition, the company is demonstrating HiQnet™ products streaming Ethernet AVB in a technology preview, showcasing new Ethernet AVB products including a dbx SC 32 Digital Matrix Processor, an Ethernet AVB architectural wall-plate from BSS Audio, and a Crown CTs amplifier.
Sennheiser Electronic Corporation introduced a new distributed brand, K-Array, manufacturer of thin, lightweight loudspeakers for medium to large-scale applications. Models include the Vyper 3D line arrays, Tornado point-source speakers, and the Kobra series of ultra-slim 3D line arrays. The flagship Vyper KV50 ultra-flat 3D line array element is less than 1.5” wide, and half as deep, but can fill a space that seats hundreds. The Red Line line includes the KR100, KR200 two-way speakers, and KL12 and KL18 ultra-light subwoofers. The KR speakers measure only a couple inches across, and the KL subwoofers weigh just over 25 pounds. The KH series, which consists of the KH4 two-way flat panel line array and KH15 two-way ultra-compact line array, are self-powered and measure 6” deep. The KH4 is suited for long throw applications, such as arenas, while the KH15 is designed for medium throw applications, such as theaters, concert halls, and churches. Other products on display include the KS series, the KA series, the Overbass series of self-powered subwoofers, and the KM8 stage monitor.
Neutrik showed its new opticalCON QUAD, a four-channel version of its ruggedized-protected fiber optic connector system designed specifically for multichannel point-to-point cabling applications. It is IP65-rated for dust tight and water jet protection and features three variations: 4-channel, 4-channel X-treme, and Triple-Split 12-channel assemblies. The company also introduced an upgraded USB/Firewire chassis connector to meet the increasing demands for lockable and watertight digital interface connections. The new chassis connector design features a sealing ring and offers optional screen-to-chassis grounding for improved shielding effectiveness. And to correspond with the USB and FireWire connectors, as well as to accommodate HDMI connectivity, Neutrik launched a HDMI 1.3 feed-through in its universal D-style chassis connector. It is equipped with the same optional screen to chassis grounding and sealing gasket features for a lockable and watertight digital interface connection.
Continue on Page 2Harkness Screens showed its entire line of rear-projection event screens designed with PVC surfaces that can be used where a specific screen size or shape is required for both temporary and permanent installations. The line includes Translite Gray for use in controlled light conditions; Translite Super Gray with higher transmittance; Translite Blue for high-contrast images; Translite Midnight, a dark grey screen for high-contrast images; Translite Super 2, a cream-colored screen for use in low ambient light; Translite White, an off-white screen similar to Translite Super 2; RP 230, a gray high contrast, high transmittance screen surface; and RP3D for use with 3D systems using polarized light.
Wireworks celebrated 35 years in the biz and introduced SPEN and SPE5 Loudspeaker Cords designed specifically for use with Meyer Sound’s MM-4 and MM-4XP speakers. The SPEN cords feature 2-pole EN3 water-resistant connectors and are available in both link and extension configurations, and in a variety of standard lengths with custom lengths to order. Each assembly features two 16-gauge, 26-strand conductors in a round matte-finish flexible jacket to deliver high-quality speaker level signals with minimal signal loss. SPE5 cords are constructed to accommodate both the power and audio signal requirements needed for MM-4XP Self-Powered Miniature Loudspeakers. The cords feature a 5-pole EN3 water-resistant connector on each end. The cable contains one 18-gauge pair for power to the speaker and one 22-gauge shielded pair for the audio signal. The EN3 connectors feature gold-plated contacts for excellent signal transmission in a tough thermoplastic fiber body with positive locking ring. Both cords are manufactured in link versions to connect speakers together and extension versions to allow the cables to be extended.
XTA Electronics showed the DC1048 Installation Audio Processor with its full matrix mixing and wide range of EQ functions. Twenty-four-bit high-end converters and a 96K sample rate ensure a bandwidth in excess of 30kHz and a dynamic range of over 112dB. With four inputs and eight outputs all electronically balanced on 3-pin Phoenix connectors, the unit also has GPIO interface built in along with the USB front panel connector and RS485 networking.
EAW launched the DX1208 DSP Matrix Mixer, a 12-input, 8-output 1U-rackspace DSP matrix mixer. Eight inputs are mic/line capable, with selectable 48-volt phantom power provided when the user selects mic level. Four additional inputs on unbalanced RCA connectors allow the users to stack inputs, increasing the number of audio sources that can be connected. An additional four digital inputs are available on S/PDIF with sample rate conversion to 48 kHz. All 12 inputs are included in the audio matrix and can be assigned DSP functions prior to distributing signal at line level. The unit can also receive up to six logic inputs and send up to three logic outputs, combined on a single 18-pin connector and programmable via the included EAW DX Navigator software. It comes with EAW DX Navigator software that allows access to all of the system's settings and configurations.
Ahnert Feistel Media Group (AFMG) introduced its new A/D-D/A converter, the 8-input Easera Gateway x.8, with its worldwide distributor Renkus-Heinz, which was celebrating its 30-year birthday. The x.8 is the product of a collaboration between AFMG and German hardware designers DSPECIALISTS and designed to complement AFMG’s Easera and SysTune audio measurement software tools to provide sound system engineers with a complete PA system tuning package.
SurgeX unveiled the SX1120iP IP-addressable power conditioner. Designed as a 20-amp, 1U rackmount unit with eight individually controllable outlets, it can be configured and managed via a web browser to control and monitor individual outlets online. The unit monitors outlet status, current draw, power consumption, and rack temperature. Email notifications can be sent based on certain conditions and thresholds. Additional features include Advanced Series® Mode surge elimination, Impedance Tolerant® EMI/RFI filtering, SurgeX ICE® Inrush Current Elimination and COUVS® Catastrophic Over/Under Voltage Shutdown. Like all SurgeX products, the SX1120iP is also backed by a 10-year warranty.