Lighting Control round-up

January 2009

A break down of the market's most recent and hottest products:

Avolites: Pearl Expert Titan
ABD Lighting: Mikado
Compulite: Vector Red
High End: Wholehog DMX Processor 8000
ETC: Ion
Jands Vista: T2 and S1
ChamSys: MQ200 Pro
MA Lighting: grandMA Full Size and grandMA 2
Zero88: Leapfrog
Martin Pro: Maxxyz Compact

AVOLITES
According to Avolites, the effort behind its new Titan operating system for Pearl Expert can be equalled to fitting a Ferrari engine into a Mini Cooper! But aside from the oh-so-slightly inflated analogy, the Titan operating system is Avolites’ most
significant software step ever.
    As well as bringing compatibility between the Diamond and Pearl ranges, Titan brings the powerful Diamond 4 functionality and feature set to the lower cost, compact Pearl Expert Titan. Headline features include ‘Fixture Exchange’, ‘Times on Attributes’, ‘Fixtures Clone’ and ‘wireless remote via iPod Touch’.
    There has been massive demand for the Pearl Expert Titan from the huge Avolites Pearl user group who have been wanting not only to progress to the new feature set but also benefit from the extra hardware features such as the split roller, ideal for separating control of media servers from lighting cues or ‘Mix and Match’ of movers on one roller and generics on the other.
    Sub-master faders are increased to 20 from 15 on the Pearl Classic and 60 fixture/Pallet or Flash buttons compared to 30 on Pearl Classic Turbo charging programming and live control flexibility. The Expert also offers integral keyboard, CD drive, floppy as well as USB drive. It’s the ultimate live busking console!
    The Pearl 2010 sees Avolites introduce a new contemporary streamlined look for its global best-selling console. This will include new graphics and an ergonomically curved front and back, complimenting the physical aesthetics of the Pearl Expert and Pearl Tiger consoles.
    The Pearl 2010 is a cosmetically updated Pearl 2008 with the addition of USB memory, giving storage for the complete set of personality files as well as multiple show files. It combines compact dimensions with plenty of power, offering full moving light control for up to 240 intelligent fixtures.
    Meanwhile, the Pearl Tiger is the lean and mean sprinter of the Pearl family, retaining all of the functionality of the larger Pearl 2010. Tiger has 10 sub masters on its familiar roller compared to 15 on the classic Pearl but the ‘missing’ five subs can be accessed via the fader wing.
www.avolites.com

ADB LIGHTING TECHNOLOGIES
Heralding the arrival of a new family of compact, budget-friendly multipurpose lighting desks, ADB Lighting Technologies has unveiled the new Mikado manual/memory control desk.
    With a host of features generally not available in its price category, the easy-to-use Mikado is intended for stage and studio lighting, particularly when manual and memory control are required.
    Major features include 12 channels/two presets or 24 channels/one preset, 36 memories or chasers on three pages, manual and automatic dipless crossfade, remote control of chasers, and audio input. Stored memories can be edited and previewed with channel level indicators.
    Speed control of chasers is provided, along with chaser effects including Start/Stop/Step, random, bounce, single shot, forward/reverse direction, and delete/add steps.
    ADB Lighting marketing manager Jerome Bel commented: “The new Mikado has been designed in response to growing demand for a more powerful compact and budget-friendly lighting desk.”
www.adblighting.com

BARCO/HIGH END SYSTEMS
The Wholehog DMX Processor 8000 is designed to manage up to 16 DMX universes with ease while expanding the power and reliability of the Wholehog control system as a whole. By providing DMX and Art-Net output at a steady rate, the possibilities for lighting design are expanded. DMX Processor 8000 is 50 times more powerful than its predecessor, the DP2000.
    In addition, Version 3.0 software for all current lighting console products is now available. Version 3.0.0 represents major improvements to core components of the Wholehog software.
    Furthermore, it adds support for the new DMX Processor 8000 and Art-Net output from the DMX Processor 8000 and Road Hog Full Boar console. Many network configuration windows, patch windows, and other dialogues have changed to add new functionality or improve existing functionality. Users of all systems will find significant performance increases throughout many areas of console operation.
    Brad Schiller, product manager for controllers, said: “We are very excited about the release of version 3.0 software and the DMX Processor 8000. Our development team has done a remarkable job with this release. Our beta testers have also provided important feedback and testing to help ensure the stability of the software and new processor.”
    Marty Postma beta-tested the DMX Processor 8000 on the recent Neil Young tour. He commented: “I have used both the DMX Processor 8000 and v3.0 software in beta on a full Wholehog 3 desk as the primary console for my entire fall tour without so much as a hiccup during playback. The issues that concerned me on old DP-2000s have been completely obliterated by the new DP.”
www.highend.com

CHAMSYS
ChamSys MagicQ Pro 2009 builds on the success of the highly regarded MagicQ consoles. The MagicQ Pro series retains the superb MagicQ operating system and application software whilst enhancing performance, styling, connectivity and feature set.
    Available in three sizes — MQ100 Pro, MQ200 Pro and MQ300 Pro — the MagicQ Pro series is completely compatible with the MagicQ series, utilising the same software and show formats. MagicQ Pro features the familiar and flexible GUI lighting control, media server connectivity options and in-built media server for pixel mapping LED grid arrays found in the original MagicQ consoles.
    MagicQ Pro pushes the boundaries with a massive 18 universes, all controlled and processed on-board without a need for external network processors. With 9,226 channels in a compact package, proven to run at full speed with all channels fully patched, the manufacturer claims there really is no similarly packaged console that can sustain this performance.
    MagicQ supports ArtNet and Pathport protocols and is ACN ready. In additional there are four fully patchable direct DMX outputs on the rear panel. MagicQ Pro features an in-built high speed Ethernet Switch and an inbuilt UPS — all for an extremely competitive price.
www.chamsys.co.uk

COMPULITE
Compulite has always been a pioneer and innovator, serving lighting professionals in the entertainment technology industry for more than 30 years. Developing and manufacturing high quality lighting control equipment, Compulite has repeatedly redefined the language and tools, lighting designers and programmers use to bring their creativity to life.
    Vector is Compulite’s flagship console. It is designed for speed and programming ease with 20 motorised faders, five parameter + dimmer wheels, illuminated trackball/mouse, three integrated TFT 12.1” folding touch screens plus three external monitors, illuminated text keyboard, stereo speakers, four USB ports & RW DVD.
    Vector uses Intel Core 2 2.4GHz running under Windows-XP embedded. Vector supports DMX-512 inputs/outputs, Ethernet (VC), Artnet, MIDI, SMPTE and MTC, and works seamlessly with media servers like Hippotizer, Catalyst and ArKaos, displaying thumbnails for easy programming.
    The Effects Editor is simple, powerful and generic. A robust Device Builder defines and alters device profiles.
    Vector is available in five models varying in faders, capacity and screens, with a variety of accessories, including Editor Wing, Playback Wing, Channel Wing and wireless PDA control, connected via Ethernet.
    Two Vector Red consoles recently supported the Smashing Pumpkins’ tour, whose LD Greg Shipley said: “The desk is absolutely amazing. I have the ability to compress or expand my shows at will. With the great support one can get from Compulite, the sky is the limit with this console.”
www.compulite.com

ETC
When the Queen’s University in Belfast was looking for a lighting control desk for the shows hosted there as part of the 2008 Belfast Festival, it knew it needed a desk that would be quick and easy to programme, while still sophisticated enough to handle the intelligent luminaires that would be in the rig.
    Production Services Ireland (PSI) was called in to help, and immediately recommended an ETC Ion.
    Brian Reilly, owner of PSI, explained: “Although we had several systems which could do the job, we knew that the Ion would be perfect. The venue provided a very small lighting control area, and the Ion takes up just 19” of desk space.
    “The Ion uses a theatrical style syntax which will be familiar to those experienced with theatre lighting control desks, while remaining quick and easy to pick up for beginners. The Ion ticked all the boxes.”
www.etcconnect.com

JANDS
With a choice of sophisticated all-in-one consoles or compact and affordable portable solutions, the award-winning Jands Vista lighting control system is ideal whatever your budget or event.
    The Vista’s intuitive interface lets you work visually, making it fast and simple to control your lights, ultimately allowing you to focus on creating even better looking shows.
    For real adaptability, when you are using local production the generic fixture model allows you to change fixture types as your rig changes. This enables you to take your show with you wherever you go.
    The Vista’s innovative timeline editing gives you the complete picture of your lighting events, making it easy to make sense of complex changes and put the finishing touches to your show.
    Featuring a Linux operating system, the Vista T2 provides an all-in-one solution that is ideal for venues, production and rental companies. Get all the power and sophistication you expect from a full size console, combined with the simplicity of the Vista’s visual interface.
    In addition, with its large colour pen tablet screen, plenty of playbacks and 16 DMX universes built in, the T2 makes a great live desk for your tour.
    The Vista S1 control surface provides all the benefits of the T2 console, plus it’s extremely portable. The S1 is perfect for those extra club or summer festival dates. When you are on tour, take your S1 as hand luggage and have your show on your own console wherever you go.
    Compatible with both native Mac and PC platforms, the control surface acts as an extension to your laptop. You can purchase the amount of DMX channels you need and upgrade your channels as your work dictates.
    The Vista range includes a choice of different consoles or computer-based hardware solutions. All models share exactly the same visual interface and controls. As a result, your transition between models is seamless.
www.jandsvista.com

MA LIGHTING
The grandMA consoles are the core of the fully integrated MA Lighting system. They are able to elegantly control moving lights, conventional lights and effects, as well as LEDs and video — even when working in real-time with maximum channel count.
    Additionally, MA offers powerful tools like the media server software, grandMA video, and the comprehensive visualisation and programming tool, grandMA 3D.
    grandMA video bridges the lighting and video worlds. Direct access to media servers from the grandMA console is as simple as accessing a fixture. The dedicated MA mediaPC ideally complements MA’s video solution.
    MA Lighting’s free design and programming software, grandMA 3D is capable of real-time rendering visualisation. The reliable and proven operational philosophy allows a direct, flexible and intuitive way of working.
    With the introduction of grandMA2 in 2008 — and the shipment, starting by the beginning of 2009 — MA Lighting consequently supplements and develops its successful grandMA system even further.
    grandMA2 comes with completely new designed hardware and a significantly improved, newly structured and easily accessible software supporting all current and proposed lighting control standards. This could only be achieved by listening closely to the market and considering the wishes of lighting professionals around the world.
    However, MA cleaned up, improved and extended the software, optimised colours and views. The advanced networking architecture is getting even more powerful and allows finally compatibility with the grandMA ‘series 1’.
    grandMA2 full-size offers: real-time control for 65,536 parameters (up to 256 DMX universes); 8,192 HTP/LTP-parameter (6 x DMX out); three internal TFT wide mode touchscreens (15.4” WXGA); two external TFT screens (UXGA, can be touchscreens); one internal command screen — multi-touch (9” SVGA); 30 motorised executor faders; two Ethercon connectors; motorised monitor wing; motorised A/B fader 100mm; individually backlit and dimmable, with silent keys.
www.malighting.com

MARTIN PROFESSIONAL
Based on the modular design of Martin’s Maxxyz Compact, a new range of stand-alone modules has been developed to complement the Maxxyz system. These new modules allow for customisation of the Maxxyz around the user and the specific control demands of a show.
    Five innovative modules are available to build a custom console or to be used with Maxxyz PC, Maxxyz or Maxxyz Compact and all of them can be used table-top, mounted in a 19” rack system or in the new Maxxyz Module Frame.
    Cerebrum: The heart of the system contains an embedded processer, a 12” touch screen and two master faders. A single Cerebrum module supports 32 universes of Artnet over the included RJ45 connection.
    Programmer Module: Based on the Maxxyz Compact, this module allows access to all programming tasks of the Maxxyz system. It contains a numerical keypad, command keys, five Encoder belts and several LCD buttons which change labels based on user interaction for fast and intuitive operation.
    Playback Module: Ten motorised faders are available for immediate access to the show. Utilising the same layout as the Maxxyz Compact playbacks, each module offers two assignable buttons, an LCD button and a dedicated flash button. Also each Playback Module contains a ‘Main Go’ section.
    Submaster Module: Offering numerous control options, the Submaster Module has 24 simple, non-motorised faders arranged in banks of six. Two LCD screens are integrated for labeling — no tape required.
    Button Module: This flexible multi-purpose module offers three rows of control combining 10 LCD and 10 flash buttons in each. They can be utilised for many functions of the Maxxyz software. Each row can be customised to support fixture selection, groups, presets and playbacks. The Button Module saves time during programming and gives more direct access to the show during playback.
www.martin.com

ZERO 88
Zero 88 is extending its Leap Frog Special Offer package until the end of January 2009. This incredible offer includes:
•    Leap Frog 48 console including Version 4.0 software featuring Colour Picker, direct links from offline editor to visualisation programmes and new low-light monitor options;
•    15” external touch screen;
•    Light Converse visualisation software (flat screen monitor not included);
•   Professional flight case and touch screen.
    The Leap Frog 48 offers all the tools to create sophisticated lighting shows including control of 200 fixtures plus 48 generics. It features four opto-isolated DMX universe, multifunction keys for fast programming and provides a familiar syntax for users of Avolites, Strand, ETC and Wholehog consoles.
    The all-in-one powerhouse, Leap Frog consoles provide the features and flexibility to run any show format. For corporate events and live music the console allows easy busking with direct fader access, support for touch screens, pallets and submasters. For those in theatrical environments the consoles offer many theatre rich features such as multiple times per cue, theatrical cue stack, full tracking and command line entry.
    The Leap Frogs are also a cost effective solution for many educational establishments. They are ideal teaching consoles. With cue stack and submaster playback, direct fader access and command line (via external Numeric keypad) the Leap Frogs provide the ideal platform to teach multiple programming and playback styles.
www.leapfrogdesk.com