SHOW REVIEW: PROLIGHT + SOUND Working together
If there was a dominant theme to this year’s Prolight + Sound, it was the increasing instances of manufacturers working together to provide a more complete, integrated solution. Paddy Baker and James McGrath report from the Frankfurt show
PLENTY OF people took the opportunity to visit Frankfurt last month for Prolight + Sound – the show’s attendance was 42,267 (a similar number to last year). Ninety-eight percent of visitors polled by the organisers stated they had achieved their goals in visiting. So, what did they find? One of the strongest themes of the show was audio and video networking. Optocore connected its stand with those of its technical partner companies Clear-Com and DiGiCo, via single-mode fibre – providing video, audio, intercom and data connectivity between the stands. “I believe this is the first time that anything on such a scale has been implemented,” said Optocore managing director Marc Brunke.
Video transmission was by means of a combination of the Route66 core router, from sister company BroaMan, at the Optocore booth, and BroaMan Mux22 satellites at Optocore, DiGiCo and Clear- Com. A duplex fibre between each of the stands carried multichannel video, intercom, audio and data. Each video or audio source could be routed to any output in the network. Clear-Com, meanwhile, launched ProGrid, a fibre- based infrastructure system for the transport and distribution of audio, intercom, video and control data. Based on the open AES3 and AES10 (MADI) standards, it runs over the Optocore and SANE platform – and, significantly, enables Clear-Com to offer end-to-end signal distribution solutions for many types of installation. Clear-Com president Bob Boster denied that this signalled a move away from AVB. “We’re no less interested in AVB than we were,” he said. “We’ve been developing solutions that don’t require special switches – but because they run on standard networks, they will run on AVB networks as well.” Focusrite’s stand had the
20 April 2014
theme of integration with third-party equipment. To demonstrate the capabilities of its RedNet range of Dante- based networking modules, it emulated three different kinds of system on its network: a recording studio, a live stage system and a broadcast truck. Boschwas in bullish mood
following the launch of products at last year’s show based on its OMNEO networking technology, which combines Dante transport with OCA control. “We’ve seen this technology roll out into a variety of markets through our different brands,” said platform strategist Ethan Wetzell. “This is simply the end of the beginning – many more technologies, products and applications are yet to come.”
AUDIO CONSOLES Manufacturers of audio consoles made an impressive showing at Prolight + Sound. Yamaha chose the event to launch its smaller form-factor QL series (see Products, page 48) and Stagetec debuted its modular IP-based Evolution console (page 47). Lawo presented the
mirroring of two mc2 consoles – a feature that is especially useful in theatre applications. One console can be located in the auditorium to prepare and fine-tune the mix during rehearsals. Its settings are mirrored to a console in the control room, where the show mix is handled without disturbing the audience – and with the first console removed, the seats in the auditorium can be taken by paying visitors. Cadac introduced its new UK sales manager, Rob Hughes (see page 8), whose appointment also marked the company’s move to take UK distribution in-house. The company debuted a number of products, including its new MegaCOMMS system network. Built on Cadac’s proprietary digital audio protocol and based around the MC CDC Router, the solution has been developed in response to customer demand for networked
Focusrite highlighted the cabailities of its RedNet range
The DiGiCo press conference featured MD James Gordon in person, and marketing director David Webster on a link from the Optocore stand
Sarah Clausen, senior product manager at ETC, with the Cobalt 10
www.installation-international.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64