Best of the Rest
This year Abstract demonstrated its versatility within the chameleon bar and small club markets. There were first time showings for a new concept in wall lighting, designer scanners and effects. Abstract also launched its VR family of colour changers and effects to complement its highly successful VR8 scanner. In addition, the company showed a high powered version of the Galactic Star, plus a new Arc Discharge effect. From AVR, the architectural arm of the group, a stunning range of programmable wall panels take the mock theme bar into another dimension, whilst for the DJ, four new value effects were on display.
Australian Distributor: ULA www.ula.com.au
PLASA 2001 saw the launch of Nu-Light's acclaimed Laser Animator System, a Windows-based software package for controlling any laser system. With over 250 graphics and 50 animations in the library, this flexible and user-friendly package brings a new dimension into laser show control. From selecting desired fonts for script writing, to reproducing logos, graphics and animations via scan and trace, this system makes comprehensive show designs simple.
Also on stand was a range of DMX Laser Graphic scans, available from 5mW to 3W, all air-cooled. Visitors could also see the highly successful Airoamer fragrance generator, with two product awards to date, and now with a selection of new Aromas.
Australian Distributor: Mediavision www.mediavision.com.au
Fal Lighting, based in Castel Goffredo, Italy, produces high quality lighting for the leisure industry, nightclubs, bars and theatres. The lighting range includes moving heads, scans, strobes, followspots, profiles, cyc lights, colour changers for inside and outside and gobo projectors. New for PLASA 2001 was a moving head with laser, a range of uplighters, plastic moving head and a range of smoke machines.
Australian Distributor: LSW 02 9568 2100
Spotlight products included plano-convex, fresnel and profile spotlights, symmetric and asymmetric floodlights, beam lights, special effect projectors and followspots. The fixtures range from 300W to 5000W for the halogen lamps and 150W to 4000W for the discharge lamps. New products featured included high definition halogen and discharge 1200/2500W profile spots with DMX 512 mechanical dimmer and 5000W plano-convex and fresnel, in addition to a whole new range of DMX motorised yokes.
Australian Distributor: Mediavision www.mediavision.com.au
Kupo is a manufacturer of stage lighting equipment in Taiwan. The company's product range includes full series Par Can, 19-pin connectors, couplers, clamps, audience blinders, stage flood lighting, Fresnel spotlights, dichroic filters and lighting stands. New products for PLASA 2001 included a Drop-In Iris for Source Four fixtures, DMX LED spots, Fan Effects, and slim half couplers for hanging lighting fixtures.
Australian Distributor: Show Technology www.showtech.com.au

Robert Juliat Marius
Nomainated for a PLASA Award is the Robert Juliat Marius 1200W MSR followspot which has a zoom range of 8.5/16° and cold strike. Other features include a 100% closing iris with backplate follower in a removable cassette, a 100% closing mechanical dimmer, “A” size movable gobo holder (Ø100mm), 6 way «Boomerang» colour changer system fitted with removable filter frames, a 3 meter follow spot cable and G22 auto blocking socket. Options include a push/pull colour changer and a heavy duty adjustable yoke.
www.robertjuliat.fr
Australian Distributor: Bytecraft www.bytecraft.com.au

Clay Paky new products
Clay Paky presented a series of new product lines, as well as expanding existing ones. This wide range includes the ‘Silent Version’ (SV) models, designed to guarantee maximum operating silence and the ‘Golden’ models, which ensure high performances at a low expense.
With Stage Profile 1200 SV, Stage Color 1200 SV and Stage Zoom 1200 SV, Clay Paky have developed three projectors that are over 50% quieter than normal. This is due to an innovative cooling system designed by Clay Paky’s R&D department.
Golden Spot 1200 is a very powerful moving body effects projector with a HMI 1200W/S lamp that offers cutting-edge performances while meeting any budget. In the 10+3 channels, the projector offers two separate and combinable gobo wheels: one for bi-directional rotating gobos with adjustable speed, all indexable on 540° with selectable 8 or 16 bit resolution, and the other for interchangeable gobos. The optical unit uses a lens with a wide-angle 24° aperture and electronic focusing, which ensures a perfectly clear image at any distance and aperture. An additional lens, housed inside the projector, can be fitted by hand to reduce the light beam down to 15°.
Golden Color 1200 is a powerful washlight that can meet even limited budgets. It uses an HMI 1200W/S lamp, CMY colour system and the Amber disc with gradual insertion, which creates ‘pastel’ shades and linear correction of the colour temperature from 6000 to 3200K. It comes with a microlens frost filter, ovalizer, dimmer, stop and strobe, for a total of 8+2 control channels. Golden Color 1200 also boasts broad and smooth movements (450° pan, 252° tilt) with selectable 8 or 16 bit resolution, a moving body lock for transport, automatic return to the starting position of the moving body after accidental movements and easy access to inside the projector.
www.claypaky.it
Australian Distributor: Show Technology www.showtech.com.au

Martin MAC2000 Forma
The Martin MAC 2000 Forma is the new version of Martin's successful 1200-watt MAC 2000 profile spot. It features an internal framing device for precise stage lighting and new sub-gobo rotation wheel useful for theatrical fire and water effects.
www.martin.dk
Australian Distributor: Show Technology www.showtech.com.au

Coemar launch I-Spot 150
Coemar officially launched the I-Spot 150 at the show, a luminaire for bar, pub, café, restaurant, club and retail and other leisure markets. I-Spot 150 features an 150 Watt CDM SA/T short arc lightsource, 530 degrees pan and 284 degrees tilt, six interchangeable rotating gobos, seven colours, motorised focusing, strobe effect, sound-to-light mode, master/slave operation and hugely efficient light output for the size of fixture/lightsource.
www.coemar.it
Australian Distributor: Coemar De Sisti www.cdaust.com.au

ETC WYSILink
ETC has introduced another industry first at PLASA with the launch of WYSILink, the simple-to-use dimmer monitoring tool that enables you to deal with potential problems before anyone else knows they exist.
The first product created through the alliance of ETC and CAST Lighting, WYSILink combines award-winning WYSIWYG visualisation software with Sensor Advanced in the world's most sophisticated system diagnostics. Whilst WYSIWYG enables you to visualise your lighting system in 2-D or 3-D, WYSILink is a powerful tool which monitors the system, telling you exactly where and what the problem is.
When an error occurs, WYSILink shows you the information on your paperwork. It doesn't just tell you that a circuit breaker has tripped, it shows you, on your lighting plot, on the affected luminaire. In the case of a live performance you might not be able to fix it straight away, but you'll have enough information to be able to re-work your programming before anything is noticed by the audience.
WYSILink operates with any level of WYSIWYG software (WYSIPaper, WYSICAD or WYSIWYG) to display fault reports in a different way at each level. Operating over ETCNet2, ETC's powerful Ethernet communications system, the main advantage for live performances is that it enables the user to monitor the system in real time.
Facility managers at large venues will be interested in the capacity of WYSILink to monitor system activities over a specified period of time and track information for indications of any adverse trends, enabling the user to spot fault patterns in the system.
The Warner Brothers Movie World Madrid theme park, which is opening in the spring of 2002, will be one of the first European installations for WYSILink. "With WYSILink, assessing where problems exist will be immediate, and the time and cost efficiency is expected to be enormous," said David Gray, ETC's project manager, who is supervising technical installations at the theme park.
WYSILink will also store fault reports in a database for analysis and it will deliver tailor made reports, when set to log load and dimmer status. On these or on-screen, the user can easily see which console is controlling which instrument, and information from any dimmer or dimmer rack on the system is never further away than the touch of a button.
www.etcconnect.com
Australian Distributor: Jands www.jands.com.au

DHA YoYo+
PLASA has seen the launch of DHA’s new YoYo+, ideal for revealing images and for creating effects such as sun rises, opening doors and windows, bouncing balls and floating balloons. Available in single and double versions, with the option of a gobo-changer on the double design, the YoYo+ was initially designed for the current production of My Fair Lady, in which it has been used to create a window effect on stage. Using ETC Source Fours, each with a distortion corrected glass window gobo with a net curtain, the YoYo+ gobo has a heavy curtain profile - when Higgins pulls a rope all four curtains 'open' to reveal the window patterns and the room floods with light.
www.dhalighting.co.uk
Australian Distributors: Rosco and Clearlight www.clearlight.com.au

MA Lighting release grandMA ultra-light
MA Lighting have released new software for their award-winning grandMA lighting control console. It contains unique features such as an ‘Undo’ function to restore the last 10 commands or actions taken with the recorded function list and an ‘Agenda’ with timed functions for use in theme parks, daily shows or in architectural lighting, fully equipped with astronomical real-time clock. There is a new ‘move in black’ function for automatic prepositioning of any feature whilst shutter is closed or light is dimmed, selectable per sequence or single cue. Last, but not least, what makes programming even more easier is, the new ‘knockout’ function for partial release of changed values while programming.
Additionally, MA are broadening their product range with the inclusion of grandMA ultra-light, which fits into the gap between the grandMA light and renowned Scancommander lighting desks. grandMA ultra-light provides “diabolic power at gentle price”, is very compact, offers 1.024 control channnels (2 DMX lines) and almost all of the software and programming features of the grandma light. It uses the same future-oriented grandMA software and therefore is compatible with other showfiles. The console features a full-colour TFT touchscreen, ten manual executor faders, ten executor buttons, four encoders and one multifunctional trackball (for mouse and wheel-operation). It has ethernet, MIDI and timecode, floppy and a built in hard-disk. Two control desks (combinations with other grandMA range controllers) can be linked for full tracking backup or playback tracking in order to increase the channel count.
When compared to grandMA light, the ultra-light comes without a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) and cannot be upgraded to more control channels. An external mouse and keyboard is an option, an offline-editor is available and the software can be updated via internet (www.malighting.de). The hardware design allows compact measurements as well as low weight, which opens up new market segments, where powerful tools are needed but only restricted space and budget are available.
www.malighting.de
Australian Distributor: Show Technology www.showtech.com.au

James Thomas Engineering launch new Exterior MR16
James Thomas Engineering has launched its new Exterior MR16 fixture at PLASA 2001 as well as the new Image Plus focusing device for the MR16 lantern. JTE will also highlight examples of its large, versatile range of standard aluminium trussing, ground support and roofing structures and theatrical lanterns.
The MR16 outdoor lantern, with an IP rating of 65, has been developed for use in all types of weather conditions. This highly durable fixture’s body is made from corrosive resistant, robust, cast Aluminium. There’s no need for a colour frame or delicate coloured gel as a 50mm diameter dichroic glass can be fitted inside for maintenance free running. The MR16 Exterior is available for all 12V lamps and the new GU10 230V lamps. All models conform to the low voltage directive and are CE marked. Any colour in the RAL / BS range can be specified – to maximise the range of applications – be they for bold, bright highlighted fixtures, or those that blend into the background. The MR16 Exterior is perfect for lighting gardens, buildings, outdoor exhibitions and fashion catwalks or anywhere needing tough well-engineered environmental illuminations.
James Thomas Engineering put the irrepressible MR16 ‘Birdie’ lantern on the map and this year introduced the latest evolution for the Par 16 lantern – the Image Plus. This is a simple and cost-effective focusing device that attaches to the lantern’s colour frame runners, increasing yet further the massive versatility of this already dynamic lantern. The Image Plus 3 takes a standard size ‘E’ Gobo, enabling any desired image or logo - in either glass or metal – to be projected onto a surface or wall up to four metres away. Taking the concept a stage further, James Thomas also offers an MR16 gobo rotator that will rotate either one or two gobos. Two types of lens are available - for narrow or wide effect options, and there’s also a set of four shutters for beam shaping and masking of the projected image. For the sharpest focus, lamp types required are either E49 or EXT both of which are 12 volt 50 Watt, the Osram Titan 12 volt/65 Watt or the EYF 12 volt/75 Watt.
Also highlighted is the Thomas followspot chair which has received a major upgrade in the last year! The halo is now circular giving increased flexibility and connectivity in under-hung situations. The seat itself has also been changed and made far more accessible but still as comfortable. The foot rest has been raised to enhance comfort and reduce strain on the back of the operator’s legs. The unit is now lighter, yet retains the same capacity and robustness as the original.
A streamlined version of the James Thomas Moving Light Truss (MLT) with enhanced ergonomics is on the stand. Moving Light Truss is exactly the same dimensions as a standard section of pre-rigged truss, but designed to house three moving yoke lighting fixtures per section. Just like conventional pre-rig, the fixtures can be stored and travelled within the truss, and dropped down (on their bars) for operation once the truss is in place. All popular types of moving head can be accommodated. JTE is offering customers the chance to convert their existing pre-rigged sections to this format if they desire. The reverse operation is also possible – to re-convert the truss back to conventional pre-rig.
www.jamesthomas.co.uk
Australian Distributor: Clearlight Shows www.clearlight.com.au

Color Kinetics new products
Color Kinetics are showing their C-Splash, iColor Cove LT, iColor Fresco and iPlayer 2 at PLASA.
C-Splash, the newest fixture in the C-Series line, brings beautiful coloured light and colour-changing effects to underwater locations. Fully enclosed in a switch-free brass housing, C-Splash is easily programmed through Color Kinetics' new external, handheld Zapi controller, and is powered by the brand-new sMOPS power supply.
iColor Cove LT (right), is the newest cove light fixture in the popular iColor Series of digital lighting products. It extends significantly the types of applications in which digital cove lighting is used. Specifically designed for installations requiring lower intensity light
output and a lower cost, iColor Cove LT offers all the intelligent control capabilities and benefits of Color Kinetics' patented, digital LED-based Chromacore technology.
iColor Fresco is the world's first digital cove light for indoor/outdoor installations and provides beautiful color and dynamic colour-changing lighting effects via Chromacore intelligent lighting technology. It is housed in stylishly rugged aluminum, and is available in 4-foot, 2-foot and 1-foot lengths.
iPlayer 2 is the next generation of Color Kinetics' compact iPlayer show storage and playback device. It offers eight times the original show storage capacity and multi-show storage. Users may easily select one of eight custom light shows at the push of a button with the optional Controller Keypad, or with Lutron's GRAFIK Eye, Homeworks Interactive, and RadioRA systems, as well as standard contact-closure keypads.
This year Color Kinetics is up for two PLASA Awards for C-Splash and the Surround Light Entertainment System. Surround Light adds a whole new dimension to entertainment by combining digital lighting technology with entertainment media. This immersive entertainment environment can be created with Color Kinetics ColorPlayT 1.5 authoring software, iPlayer 1.5 playback device, Chromacore-based lights, and ckAmp MP3 music visualisation plug-in.
www.colorkinetics.com
Australian Distributor: Coemar De Sisti www.cdaust.com.au

Griven Goboclip
Making its UK debut at PLASA is Griven Italy’s new exterior gobo projector, the Goboclip. Sister product to the Kolorclip exterior colour changer and sharing Kolorclip’s compact IP55 rated main housing and 9000 hour 150W metal halide lamp, Goboclip has selectable 19 or 30 degree projection angles and uses ‘D’ size gobos with static image or three rotation speeds.
www.griven.com
Australian Distributor: ULA www.ula.com.au

Jands HUB24C Digital Dimmer/Distro Unit
Eliminating the usual 'birds-nest' of cables associated with separate pieces of equipment, the new Jands HUB24C combines the functionality of a 15 x 10A digitally controlled dimmer, a 9 channel power distribution unit and a 1 in, 3 out DMX Splitter. The HUB is the ideal choice for anyone using a mixture of conventional and intelligent moving lights and is perfectly suited for use in trade shows, small to medium sized live performances, schools and other similar applications.
HUB24C features microprocessor control with a 128 x 64 pixel graphics LCD to provide parameter and editing information via an easy-to-use menu driven user interface. Control is provided using front panel 'Select' and 'Cancel' buttons and an encoder wheel for function/level selection. All parameters are stored in battery-backed memory.
The 15 x 10A dimmer channel outputs are provided on CEE16A connectors and default to a digitally generated control curve to accurately map control input to output power in a linear relationship. Additionally a switch curve and two user definable curves are selectable for use on a per channel basis. The hub has in-built current transformers enabling the current consumption to be monitored on the display. The 9 distribution outlets are provided on 3 circuits, each with 3 CEE16A connectors. Each circuit is protected by a single phase 20A fast acting thermal-magnetic circuit breaker. Separate three-phase RCDs protect the dimmer and distribution outlets.
The in-built DMX Splitter provides DMX in and thru connections and two opto-isolated DMX outputs with full isolation up to voltages of 500V peak. The dimmer will receive continuous banks of 15 channels on any valid start address or may be patched out of sequence. In addition the dimmer operating system may be upgraded through the DMX input connector.
HUB24C is supplied as standard with a 3-metre three-phase power cable fitted with a CEE63A connector. The Hub is designed to operate as a free standing unit with optional mounting kits available for 19" rack or wall mounting.
www.jands.com.au

LSW Mantis Projector
LSW has released the economical and versatile Mantis light fixture to suit many architectural aesthetics. The light weight Mantis is enclosed in a new sleek two toned alloy and black housing with a black truss-tubing subframe and universal mounting yoke to suit a variety of installations.
The Mantis can be used individually as a single beam gobo projector, or by adding the quick release interchangeable mirror dishes, the Mantis then becomes a multi rotational beamed projector. Couple many Mantis units together in a master/slave configuration that can operate in stand alone syncronization or DMX 512 controlled for spectacular effects.
The Mantis features an on board mic, audio sensitivity / speed control, manual lens focus, DMX512 control and a unique quick-change rotating dish that can creatively alter projection scenes. A range of
Interchangeable rotating heads are available separately, and for a limited time, LSW will include a bonus mirror dish with each Mantis.
The eight internal dichroic colour GOBOs plus open white and blackout coupled with the range of external concave and convex reflective coloured mirror dishes create a unique range of colour / pattern projections. The illumination is from the common EHJ 240v 250watt lamp.
Australian Distributor: LSW 02 9568 2100

Compulite release the Rave lighting control desk
The Compulite Rave is billed as a revolutionary new, compact, cost effectivelighting control desk ideal for clubs, small theatres and TV studios. It offers simple and quick set-up and operation, plus either manual or fully automated playback with a whole host of features including effects generator, tracking chasers, libraries, palettes and integral LCD screen.
Also new from Compulite is CompuCall which interfaces any telephone system that utilises DTMF tones into a lighting control system via DMX, directly to a ring intercom system or to sound equipment via MIDI.
www.compulite.com
Australian Distributor: Coemar De Sisti www.cdaust.com.au

Selecon Pacific MSR Dowser
Completing the Pacific MSR light system from Selecon is a mechanical dowser accessory which continues the modular design philosophy of the range. It is a separate accessory that simply drops into the Pacific lamphouse onto which can be mounted any of the Pacific lens systems. Using graduated optical filters the dowser provides a visually even fade from full output to black out. Control is via DMX.
The daylight colour temperature (5600K) and high efficiency of the 575w MSR lamp combine to deliver a high output, high impact beam. The Pacific collection and heat management system ensures even energy distribution at the gate allowing for the use of dichroic glass patterns. Hot restrike, standard MSR and MSD lamps can be used with the Pacific. Power supplies include a universal electronic power supply and 220 - 240v magnetic ballasts for architectural applications.
The dowser is also suitable for use with Pacific CDM luminaires.
www.seleconlight.com

Clay Paky CP Color Series

CP COLOR is the series of new Clay Paky colour mixers, designed as innovative and versatile tools for Lighting Designers in a wide range of settings.
The CP COLOR models use the tried and proven CMY system to create any colour tone, by superimposing three dichroic glass flags. A mechanical shutter creates smooth dimming from 0 to 100%. Both functions can run with a wide range of predetermined values, or controlled using DMX.
The "automatic" functions are used for inserting preset colours values, selecting the sequence type and setting the speed. Speed is adjustable from 2 seconds to 10 minutes. Two or more projectors operating in Stand Alone mode can operate at different speeds by using the onboard selectors: this can be used to create a "wave" of colours along an installation.
The CP COLOR models can be installed on the floor or on the ceiling and work in any position. All the models have a wide range of optional frost filters and lenses that provide beam angles from 20° to 80. The ovalizer lens provides a rectangular beam distribution of 40 x 65°.
The CP COLOR 150, CP COLOR 250 and CP COLOR 400 are extremely quiet making them ideal for stage, production and theatrical applications, television studios, backdrops or as footlights, truss lights and anywhere colour plays an important role in the scenery.
There are a variety of lamp formats as well. The CP COLOR 150 uses a 150 W CDM-SA/T lamp with an average life of 6,000 hours. The CP COLOR 250 uses a 250 W HSD lamp with an average life of 2,000 hours and the CP COLOR 400 uses a 400 W HSR lamp with an average life of 650 hours. All the models have optional revolving barndoors and a diffuser filter holder.
The versatile design makes these projectors also highly suitable for use in "everyday" environments, such as in shops and shopping centres, or in exhibitions, general lighting in discos and other entertainment settings.
CP COLOR-E is specially designed for outdoor use, as it has a special structure that guarantees total protection against dust and jets of water (IP65). It is also ideal for lighting external architectural elements, such as monuments, columns, fountains, details of facades and any historical/artistic elements to be enhanced, as well as other urban settings.
www.claypaky.it
Australian Distributor: Show Technology www.showtech.com.au

Selecon launch HiPort range
Responding to the demand for a high output projector that is fullyrecessed within the ceiling cavity, Ardiis, the architectural lighting division of Selecon has developed the HiPort range, a unique new tool for creative lighting at an affordable cost.
The HiPort is the ideal tool for pattern projection or where accurate beam control is required for either long throws and higher ambient light conditions or when a strong architectural lighting statement is desired. Using the 70 or 150w CDM / CMH lamp the HiPort meets the demand for precise beam control and shaping, colour and pattern projection from a relatively simple to use and maintain luminaire. Three fixed beam angles (10, 25 and 40 degrees) accommodate most throw distances.Typical applications include retail and corporate image projection, architectural accent in atria, lobbies etc, galleries and museum displays. Fixtures are available in a range of user specified configurations tailored to meet the needs of specific projects.
Electronic power supplies mounted within the luminaire for both the 70 and 150w can be supplied or the luminaire is available without power supply for remote ballast supplied by others (power supplies are CE and UL approved. Luminaire UL listing is pending).
Custom colours are available at additional cost.
www.seleconlight.com