The Second Cut Is The Deepest

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I’m back, and this time it’s personal, i.e. I am here to recommend a few more exhibitors and products that are worth your LDI time to check out in the flesh. This is due solely to the good people that give you Live Design magazine and the LDI tradeshow. I admit LEDs provided a mighty easy target in my first column, so needing to add a little required weight to my writing, in each subsequent offering I will continue to leak info about specific innovators in this field. But let’s first branch out and breathe in one of my favorite words: “control.”


Want to see a mythological wonder, the box that, when opened, reveals all? Look no further than coolux’s Pandoras Box 4.1. The company's award-winning realtime 3D compositing and rendering system is now equipped with a series of added features that extend users’ power and flexibility in live video playback applications. Among the additions to the software's robust feature set is the latest Pandoras Box (PB) Warp Engine, video processing capability with field- and frame-blending, and new HD and SD de-interlacing options on the system's ultra-low-latency HD/SD-SDI input cards.


The PB Warp Engine is an image-shaping tool that enables quick projection of complex objects onto almost any shape and surface. Through the engine, the output from multiple Pandoras Box servers can be adjusted for realtime compositing and reproduction from any number of projectors onto curved or non-planar screens. The simple adjustment of complex shapes via Bézier curves allows for parallel curves and single-point editing. Visit coolux online at www.coolux-us.com.


Next up, how about communication? I humbly turn toward (and listen to) perhaps the oldest and most respected name in the field, Clear-Com. The company, now a Vitec Group brand, is taking another step in the evolution of its CellCom® digital wireless beltpack system with the newly enhanced CellCom® (formerly CellCom10) Version 2.0. The system now features enhanced beltpack capacity, Interrupted Foldback (IFB) functionality, and improved group operations between beltpacks, party-lines. and other external inputs. This is a digital wireless intercom system based on a cellular architecture that offers license-free communication and can allow up to 20 beltpacks to roam seamlessly between remote active antennas. It operates in the 1.9GHZ frequency range, and will not be affected by the migration of competing wireless systems to the 2.4GHz range once the FCC in February 2009 performs its RF spectrum reallocation.


And now, for something completely different. Visit Firefly, and check out the Energy Series™, Satellite Series™, and Industry Series™ high visibility battery-powered LED illuminated cable protectors, designed to reduce accidents and potential liability, and increase pedestrian awareness. The all-weather design and durability meets the rigorous demands of the live event, broadcast, and production industries, with maximum protection for electric, data and other cables. Don’t forget to surf fireflycableprotector.com.


I could go on, but editors agree I must provide a “colorful” close to this column, so I suggest my old compatriots Martin Professional be given a closer lookin’ and especially the company’s EvenLED™ fixtures. Yes, they have another exciting new thing on the horizon, but I’ll save that for next time. EvenLED is a high-powered modular system of RGB LED panels used to back-project a completely uniform field of light over a projection surface. Each module consists of 16 evenly spaced and individually controlled 6W RGB LEDs, capable of projecting a totally even and flicker free field of light onto cycloramas and other backdrops.


DMX controllable and capable of extremely smooth dimming, each color features smooth 16 bit resolution and waves or gradation of color across a surface is easily achieved. By driving segments of the EvenLED wall separately, all shades of color can be achieved over the height of the surface for effects like a multi-hued sunset or rainbow of color. On the internet, www.martin.com, is still where you will find them.


So what was my third C? Email me at [email protected]. Winners chosen at random may get to enjoy a Vegas tradeshow hotdog with yours truly and assorted touring royalty!