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.