The Briefing Room

Christie® will demonstrate its powerful digital visual display capabilities that are transforming the architectural/design, retail, and corporate branding display industries at Canada’s largest contemporary design fair, the Interior Design Show (IDS), January 26 to 29, at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto. The multi-faceted entrance installation, “StripTease”, designed by RAW Design, will feature the latest in projection and an ingenious, two-sided Christie® MicroTiles® configuration with interactive capabilities provided by GestureTek® and Acid Technologies, for creating a blen

d of high touch and high tech.
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As an integral part of the StripTease entrance display at IDS, the two-sided Christie MicroTiles design evokes a city skyline with 50 Christie MicroTiles and two external control units (ECUs) that drive the interactive content, camera-enabled, gesture-recognition technology from GestureTek, with content developed by Acid Integrations. The projection element consists of 1,300 individual strips of felt that create the 52-foot-by-19-foot “screen” with front-projection using two Christie Roadster S+22K-J 3-chip DLP® digital projectors capable of delivering brightness levels of 20,000 ANSI lumens. Show visitors will experience a live video camera feed of themselves interacting with the content on the Christie MicroTiles. Conceived by Canadian architectural firm RAW Design, it is the first installation of its kind at IDS that integrates visually dynamic content with interactively playful technologies.
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“RAW is delighted to be working with Christie using their projection solutions to add an additional layer of enjoyment onto our StripTease felt installation. The incorporation of an interactive component using their MicroTiles adds a particular richness to the experience, with its potential for rotating through digital art across an expansive and malleable canvas,” said Roland Rom Colthoff, principal architect and partner at Raw Design. “We particularly like the fact that the shape of the images on the MicroTiles are not limited to simple rectangles but can take on complex shapes to suit the designer’s vision.”
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Coltholff added: “MicroTiles are interesting because they allow for changeable images that can be manipulated individually or in any combination without having to fit discreetly into a screen or one frame. We look forward to engaging visitors by the playful interplay between the projected images and the MicroTiles.”
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“The old saying, ‘you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression,’ has never been truer than at IDS,” said Shauna Levy, Vice President of MMPI Canada and Director of the Interior Design Show and IDS Week. “A signage concept must meet the highest standards of innovation and art to dazzle and amaze design professionals, savvy consumers, and media converging at the show. In StripTease, Raw Design, with Christie and other partners, have created a visually compelling installation that fully delivers the ‘wow’ factor and effectively sets the tone for the astounding range of innovative displays to be found inside.”
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At IDS, Christie is introducing its Christie MicroTiles technology to the Canadian design community – the architects and designers who imagine solutions to achieve almost any design element installed in virtually any indoor space – whether it be a museum, a condo building or corporate lobby, a fashion show, or retail display. Christie MicroTiles offer spectacular color and image quality, modular flexibility and maximum creativity. They are also a green solution – RoHS compliant, an important consideration when many of today’s builds require LEED certification.
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Many of Christie’s award-winning turnkey signage solutions are also 2012 Apex Award Finalists, for Digital Signage Expo 2012 in March. They are found in diverse venues such as Calgary’s Telus Spark, The New Science Centre, Fresh® beauty stores, the London Stock Exchange, the HP Pavilion at San Jose, and Milan Design Week, where Christie partnered with BlackBerry® PlayBook™ to help British lighting and furniture company Tom Dixon realize its highly praised Multiplex exhibition last year.

CHULA VISTA, California, January 27, 2012 — Hitachi America, Ltd., Digital Media Division, Business Solutions Group today announced the introduction of its CP-A301N, CP-AW251N and CP-A221N ultra short throw 3LCD projectors, three new models that offer upgraded features for enhanced flexibility and ease of use. All three can project an 80-inch image at just nine inches from the front of the projector, making them ideal for use in classrooms, conference rooms and applications where space is limited yet where bright, clear image quality is required.

The CP-A301N, CP-AW251N and CP-A221N all combine compact size, light weight (8.6 lbs) and versatile features with total ease of use. Their ultra-short-throw lens design enables them to be mounted close to a projection screen or whiteboard, which prevents obstructed images and shadows and avoids light shining in the presenter’s eyes. Adding to their value, the new projectors offer extended 5,000-hour lamp life (in Eco mode).

All three models can also be used with an optional tabletop stand that enables images to be projected directly onto a tabletop—ideal for small group presentations or rooms where space is at a premium. The projectors’ Perfect Fit 2 image adjustment system corrects for any geometric image distortion and precisely fits the images to the screen or tabletop.

All three projectors feature network connectivity. All include an RJ-45 Ethernet jack for connection to a local area network (LAN), allowing content to be sent directly from a computer to the projector via the network, and facilitating monitoring and maintenance via the LAN. Hitachi’s PJMessenger function allows text messages and audio alerts to be sent on all networked projectors, an effective way to send announcements throughout an entire campus or facility.

The projectors provide XGA and WXGA resolution with up to 3,000 ANSI lumens brightness (depending on model), and include a host of inputs and outputs including HDMI, S-Video and composite video inputs, USB and RGB computer connections, RCA, stereo mini-jack and microphone audio inputs, and audio and video monitor outputs. In addition, an RS-232 port enables integrated system control when used with control systems including Crestron® and AMX®.

The CP-A301N, CP-AW251N and CP-A221N provide a host of convenience features. All include a built-in 10-watt audio amplifier that eliminates the need to connect external speakers, and the mic input operates even if the projector is in standby mode. Hitachi’s exclusive Template function projects four types of line templates, making it easier to write on a whiteboard. In addition, the optional TB-1 wireless drawing tablet and pen enable users to write over the projected image for more engaging presentations.

Hitachi’s unique Input Source Naming feature lets the user customize the names of input sources instead of using the factory default settings, and the supplied remote controls have customizable MyButton and MySource and Document Camera keys to create shortcuts to frequently used functions and sources. The operating frequency of the projector’s remote can be changed to avoid conflict with fluorescent lights or IrDA IR signals from notebook computers. Additional useful features include a security sensor that disables the projector if it is moved without authorization, a power saving Eco standby mode, an improved hybrid filter that provides up to 4,000 hours between maintenance, two optional wall-mount arms and more.

For more information on Hitachi visit www.hitachi-america.us/digitalmedia

Follow Hitachi on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hitachi-Projectors/131067323636829

Follow Hitachi on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/HALProjectors

ABOUT HITACHI
Hitachi America, Ltd., headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., and its subsidiary companies offer a broad range of electronics, power and industrial equipment and services, automotive products and consumer electronics with operations throughout the Americas. For more information, visit www.hitachi-america.us. For information on other Hitachi Group companies in the United States, please visit www.hitachi.us.

Hitachi America, Ltd., Digital Media Division, Business Solutions Group markets LCD projectors, interactive panels and whiteboards and security and observation system products through value added resellers, system integrators, distributors and OEMs.

Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 360,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2010 (ended March 31, 2011) consolidated revenues totaled 9,315 billion yen ($112.2 billion). Hitachi will focus more than ever on the Social Innovation Business, which includes information and telecommunication systems, power systems, environmental, industrial and transportation systems, and social and urban systems, as well as the sophisticated materials and key devices that support them. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at http://www.hitachi.com.

Special effects guru Kevin Harris is a fan of Look Solutions’ foggers and hazers and uses them every chance he gets, especially on the USA Network hit series “Burn Notice” where he serves as special effects coordinator.

“I used the Unique2 hazer on the entire last season of ‘Burn Notice,’” he says. “I also used the Viper NT and Viper S foggers since we do a lot of explosions on the show. The reason I use the Vipers more than any other machines is because I can work them off remotes; I can put out eight machines and have one button work them all.”

The Unique2 haze machine offers minimal warm up time, minimal noise and minimal fluid consumption. Its new, more efficient fan quickly distributes haze in a room, and its variable output can achieve any desired effect from the finest mist to a thick haze similar to fog.

The Viper NT fogger unites current digital technology with proven technique and power. It features DMX 512 as standard, has an internal timer and easy-to-use LED-display panel, and offers fine adjustment of the output to produce everything from a tiny fog cloud to the thickest fog. The compact, lightweight Viper S is known for its low power- and fluid-consumption but powerful output. Equipped with all the features and reliability of the Viper range, the unit is an inexpensive alternative to bigger machines.

The TINY FX fogger’s remote capabilities also make it a natural for “Burn Notice,” he points out. “I have three and use them for all kinds of things, including for an open freezer on the show. They are so small and easy to hide and are great for making something appear to malfunction. I’ve also used TINYs on the movies ‘Stuck on You’ and ‘Fast and Furious.’”

Truly small in its footprint, the lightweight TINY FX consists of just two components: the machine and its battery pack. It delivers efficiency and punch in a unit that’s easy to use anywhere.

Harris reports that he also put his Unique2 hazer at work on the upcoming film “Rock of Ages,” starring Tom Cruise – “we went through 30 gallons of fluid on that show” – and the new Starz network series, “Magic City.” The hazer has also been deployed at night clubs and marinas.

“I love Look Solutions’ products,” he says. “Everything works well with no problems. I get very good distance on the remotes with no interference. Look Solutions’ hazers and foggers work for me all the way around.”

San Francisco, January 26, 2012: For more than 60 years, Sennheiser has stood for the highest quality audio products across all areas of sound recording, transmission and reproduction. This month, the company announces the official opening of its San Francisco- based research lab: SFTC (Technology and Innovation California). The opening ceremony was attended by more then 100 guests from the audio community in the Bay Area. The new research facility — which relocated from Palo Alto in November 2011, is focused on improving the customer experience through digital signal processing (DSP) technologies and combining this with Sennheiser’s world-renowned expertise in electro-acoustics and wireless transmission.

As a research hub for Sennheiser, whose slogan is “The Future Made Right Here,” SFTC creates knowledge in selected areas of DSP and facilitates knowledge transfer to Sennheiser’s product teams around the world. Many of these ideas and technologies are then adopted and integrated into Sennheiser’s consumer, professional or installed sound divisions.

“The Sennheiser culture has always been rooted in innovation and exploring what may be possible in the future,” commented Daniel Sennheiser, president strategy and finance, Sennheiser. “Our new facility in San Francisco leverages an extensive ecosystem of talents that includes not only our own visionary thinkers and researchers, but world renowned academic institutions and corporations. In this environment, our engineers are free to experiment and play with technology and processes that may eventually find its way into various consumer, pro and installed sound applications.”

“Concept Tahoe”
After it finishes developing and testing a concept, Sennheiser may choose to introduce a prototype model to test its market value and gauge end-user interest.

For example, last year at the prolight+sound and NAMM trade shows, Sennheiser unveiled a project that was under development at its SFTC research laboratory: “Concept Tahoe.”

This wireless microphone prototype — which drew a lot of attention by trade show attendees — is not only able to function as a high quality, professional wireless microphone, but also as an effects and processing controller — providing an unprecedented level of creative options to DJs and performers. This functionality is facilitated by the transmission of control data to a receiver, which can control any number of effects or plug-ins in real time using the MIDI protocol. The microphone can also be transformed into a tambourine or a shaker at the press of a button. By using an accelerometer and a rotation sensor, it measures how quickly it is moving and at what angle in space it is currently located. This prototype was demonstrated during the SFTC opening event, and showcased by beatboxer entertainers Butterscotch and Eklips.

“By moving the location of the SFTC to the Bay Area, our team — and by extension the entire Sennheiser organization — is able to leverage our proximity to the technology industry’s leading innovators, product designers and thought leaders. These include other multi-national companies as well as a unique network of start-ups and highly regarded institutions such as UC Berkeley and Stanford University,” commented Veronique Larcher, director of research, North America, for Sennheiser. “At SFTC, our researchers have access to an enormous pool of talent and imagination; risk taking and the cross-fertilization of ideas is strongly encouraged.”

Sennheiser launched its SFTC in 2006 and since then, its research and development work have been manifested in Sennheiser’s groundbreaking products — including the IS-ADN conference system.

 

Parsons’ Interactive Installation, Online Website + Video Initiative  Raises Awareness Of Design’s Impact On Our Lives

 

Minneapolis, MN: CRASH+SUES was called upon by mono to bring its fresh aesthetic to the editing, color correction and graphics for SoundAffects, Parsons The New School for Design’s multi-platform exploration of the relationship between music, design and technology. Conceived by mono, a Minneapolis-based advertising agency known for its forward-thinking creative solutions, the physical installation, online experiment and media content are driven by Parsons’ mission to raise people’s awareness of design’s relevance and impact on their lives.

 

The first phase of the experiment began with the installation of an interactive wall on New York’s Fifth Avenue. The structure housed a series of monitors and a complex network of sensors, each assigned a specific sound and color, enabling it to cull data about elements in its environment – from traffic and people to weather and movement – and then musically visualize them to show their correlation to sound and color. Pedestrians could plug earphones into jacks in the wall and listen to how their surroundings were influencing the music. CRASH+SUES collaborated with mono on the crafting of visually captivating and thought-provoking media content designed to break down the complex premise behind the experiment and present Parson’s unique perspective on how they interpret design’s role in the world. (“http://soundaffectsnyc.com/#making). Featured on the SoundAffects website, the creative communications tool delivers an elegantly simple message in a way that engages and intrigues everyday people.

 

CRASH+SUES’ editor Carrie Shanahan cut the piece on Final Cut Pro, marrying footage of the installation wall with images of cityscapes, traffic and people moving to the pulse of lights and the rhythm of the music they generate – along with by-passers who stop to put on headphones and plug into the wall and share their thoughts about it. The video opens with the voiceover posing a simple question: What if, instead of just looking at the world, we also listened?

 

It goes on to explain the premise behind the project: We listened to the light,the temperature, the connective, the movement, the noise and the colors of a city block in New York. We built a wall on Fifth Avenue that housed sensors, which allowed us to gather inputs that created a musical composition that responded directly to the environment around them. In addition to the music, we created a ‘visualizer’ that interpreted the sensor data and let us see our environment from a new point of view. Then we watched and we listened.

 

Shanahan began the editorial process by roughing out the visuals to fit with the story as it unfolded, incorporating text as needed and drawing from multiple sources to create sound design tailored to the imagery. Working with over two-dozen tracks of video concurrently, as well as intricately layered video, the potentially overwhelming story was woven into a tapestry of dynamic visuals driven by the script’s clear message.

 

“Editorial decisions had to be well thought out in order to ensure that we captured the essence of the journey, and used interviews, text and audio most effectively,” says Shanahan. “I cut a number of different versions and we experimented with many incarnations until we found just the right balance. What’s amazing is mono’s ability to communicate the essence of this complex experiment about a seemingly abstract hypothesis with a simply engaging story – without getting technical or heady,” says Shanahan.

 

“They’re artists at CRASH+SUES, and we always love working with them,” said Tracy Tabery-Weller, mono producer. “Carrie is a smart editor who dives in and can digest parts into a cohesive story. She helped us take a heady technological experiment and tell it so simply that even my grandmother could understand it.”
“I love getting the opportunity to dig into heavy sound design, and this was a project that was begging for it,” said Shanahan. “The SoundAffects website had a timeline spanning days of audio data from which to draw; I layered that with ambient city sounds collected in the doc footage. I wanted the experience of viewing the video’s content to echo the experience of being on a city street, at times cluttered and cacophonous, then cresting into stillness and calm.”

 

SUE, CRASH+SUES’ senior colorist utilized the Digital Vision Nucoda Film Master’s features to create an urban color pallet and a consistent feel for footage from multiple sources.

 

“We weren’t trying to create a “look” on this project – just something natural while also reflecting what was happening with the audio and sound effects,” said SUE. “ I was able to help out some of the darker scenes by opening them up and applying noise reduction.”

 

“This project was a welcome opportunity to collaborate with the pioneering creatives over at mono,” added Shanahan. “It’s the type of work that I love – extending beyond just a spot to a cutting-edge experiential ‘happening. In a sense, the experiment itself was like an edit session – writ large – an invitation to the public to take a moment for reflection on how what they’re seeing relates to what they’re hearing,” adds Carrie Shanahan. “The relationship between moving pictures and sound, which is what drew me into editing in the first place.”
mono creative co-chair Travis Olson noted, “CRASH+SUES was great at combining a really diverse set of assets including audio, digital and film into a great story. It was a complex project with lots of components and C+S helped craft a simple story about Parsons that they can now use to help define who they are and how they approach design’s role in this world.”

 

Parsons, a pioneer in art and design education, initially approached mono after seeing the internationally acclaimed ‘Real Good Experiment,’ which its team conceived and orchestrated for the furniture designer and manufacturer, Blu Dot (http://www.bludot.com/bonus-tracks-dir/rge.) Both projects showcase the agency’s signature talent for translating complex concepts into straightforward yet unconventional messages.

 

SoundAffects was conceived by mono and engineered by Tellart in collaboration with Parsons and The New School’s communications and external affairs team.

 

About CRASH+SUES:
CRASH+SUES is a seamlessly integrated creative editorial, animation, FX, motion design, color correction, finishing and multi-media company. Its collaborative team of talent is dedicated to providing advertising agencies, brands and filmmakers with fresh, innovate and cost-effective creative content. For additional information about CRASH+SUES, contact executive producer Sven Shelgren at 612.338.7947 or visit www.crashandsues.com.

 

About mono: mono is a creative branding agency that believes in the power of simplicity. Founded in 2004 by Michael Hart, Chris Lange and Jim Scott, today mono creates inventive, idea-centric communications that earned them Agency of the Year in 2010 from both Advertising Age and the 4A’s. mono works with some of the nation’s leading brands including Apple, MSNBC, Harvard Business School, Prairie Organic Vodka, Revel Stoke Whiskey, Blu Dot, Angie’s Kettle Corn, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. Check out more of their work at www.mono-1.com.

 

CREDITS:
CLIENT: Parsons The New School for Design
TITLE: SoundAffects
2 ½ minute concept video

 

AD AGENCY: mono/MN

 

EDITORIAL COMPANY: CRASH+SUES/MN
Executive Producer: Sven Shelgren
Editor: Carrie Shanahan (Final Cut Pro)
Assistant Editor: Matthew Kroese

 

POST | FX | ANIMATION: CRASH+SUES
Executive Producer: Sven Shelgren
Colorist: SUE (Digital Vision Nucoda Film Master)
Online Editor: Ryan Wheeler (Autodesk Smoke Mac Autodesk Maya)
Flame Artist: Adam Celt (Autodesk Flame)

Mothership director David Rosenbaum teamed with OgilvyWest to tell a simple story about a complex concept in a “Robotarm” for Cisco that broke during the NFC Championship broadcast on January 22. Despite a four-week timeline, the all-CG spot delivers film caliber computer animation that is entirely photo-real.


The commercial depicts a cheerfully aware group of self-sustaining automotive assembly robots as a metaphor for Cisco Intelligent Networks that can fix and diagnose themselves. Nine unique robots star in the spot, all designed to emulate the look of classic factory machinery enhanced with distinct characteristics. Synchronized to Gary Numan’s “Cars,” the robots drill, rivet, screw, weld and hand body parts off to one another. The set was entirely built in CG, based on reference photography from modern automotive plants.


Rosenbaum collaborated closely with OgilvyWest co-chief creative officers James Dawson-Hollis and Bill Wright to approach the spot as if it were a live action shoot. Instead of shooting with cameras on set, they worked alongside Digital Domain’s previs team to frame up shots and work out compositions with rough animations.


“From the beginning we knew we wanted to use a factory metaphor to tell the story of complex computer systems that can diagnose and fix themselves,” said Rosenbaum. “Together with the OgilvyWest team we took that idea to a new place—doing away with a traditional assembly line, creating robots with distinct personalities and bringing them closer together so they could interact. In the end I think we were able to humanize the technology and make it more understandable.”


“The nature of the schedule forced us to work in an unorthodox way on this project,” added VFX supervisor Aladino Debert, also a Mothership director. “Doing look development and modeling while simultaneously animating, lighting and compositing, relied heavily on the technical and artistic prowess of our seasoned team and ability to turn around photoreal rendering very quickly.”


About Mothership
Hybrid commercial production company Mothership creates advertising, branded content, and entertainment for screens of all sizes. A sister company to Digital Domain, Mothership represents top global creative talent and enables them with all of the resources and expertise of the world-class, Academy-honored studio. Mothership creates the content, strategies and campaigns that take ideas from concept through completion, to roll out brand experiences across multiple media platforms. http://www.mothership.net


About Digital Domain
Digital production company Digital Domain was founded in 1993. The company has created visuals for more than 80 movies, including Titanic, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and TRON: Legacy and hundreds of commercials. Its artists have earned multiple Academy Awards®. Digital Domain recently completed visual effects for Thor, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Real Steel and is in production on Jack the Giant Killer, 47 Ronin and a full slate of commercials. Digital Domain is headquartered in Venice, California with studios in Vancouver, San Francisco and Florida. http://www.digitaldomain.com


CREDITS


Credits for: CISCO “ROBOTARM”


Directed by: David Rosenbaum


Client: CISCO


Agency: OgilvyWest


Chief Creative Officers: James Dawson-Hollis, Bill Wright
Associate Creative Directors: Jeff Heath, Dennis Lee
Agency Producer: Eric Rasco
Agency President: Heather MacPherson
Account Director: Efren Gonzalez
Account Management Supervisor: Sarah Tabbush


Production, Animation, Editorial & Visual Effects by: DIGITAL DOMAIN


Ed Ulbrich: President, Commercial Division; Executive Vice President
Tanya Cohen: Executive Producer
Scott Gemmell: Head of Production
Aladino Debert: Visual Effects Supervisor
Lee Carlton: CG Supervisor
William Lemmon: Producer
Alex Michael: Coordinator
Fred Fouquet: Editor
Colin Woods: Editor
Brian Creasey: Generalist, Previs Artist
Tim Jones: Generalist
Trisha Mcnamara: Generalist
Val Sinlao: Generalist
Anthony Ramirez: Generalist
Rick Thomas: Animator
Stephan Brezinsky: Animator
Ruel Smith: Animator
Tom St. Amand: Animator
Adrian Dimond: Technical Director
Derek Crosby: Technical Director
Tom Briggs: FX Artist
Adrian Graham: FX Artist
Cody Williams: Motion Graphics Artist
Jeff Heusser: Nuke Compositor, Flame Artist
Scott Hale: Nuke Compositor
Niles Heckman: Nuke Compositor, Previs Artist
Sven Dreesbach: Nuke Compositor


Music:
Composition: Gary Numan “Cars”
Re-record: kinseywhitehouse


Sound Design: Henryboy
Sound Designer: Bill Chesley
Producer: Kate Gibson


Mix:
Rohan Young, Lime Studios

Vaddio announces new enhancements to the ProductionVIEW HD MV all-in-one camera control console with multiviewer capabilities, digital inputs/outputs, HD, RGBHV and SD video mixing, transitions, lower screen graphics and automated control functionality.

New Multi-View Input Screens allow the user to select between screen layouts that display four, five or six inputs. When set up with four or five preview windows, the preset video thumbnails become larger on the bottom of the screen. In addition, the Preview and Program windows can be swapped on the multiviewer output. With Vaddio’s TeleTouch touch screen monitors, all live video feeds can be selected and up to 12 video thumbnail presets can be created, recalled and stored by simply touching the monitor. The thumbnails are a snapshot of what the camera preset shot looks like, to make storing and recalling presets even easier. Simply touch a thumbnail and the camera will pan, tilt and zoom to that position. The Cut, Wipe and Fade buttons illuminate on the multiviewer display, giving a visual indication of which effect is active.
An additional capability of the system is Dual Bus Multiview output. “A big request from our integrators was to add greater flexibility in allowing them to configure the system output options,” explained President of Vaddio, Rob Sheeley. “As a result of this feedback we now allow the system to be configured in several different ways including a Preview/Program mode, a Split Bus mode, where the system can be configured as two independent 1 x 6 switchers, and a third discreet multiviewer output for control and display.”

All inputs are autosensing for video resolution, control and camera type. Video inputs include five analog HD YPbPr video, RGBHV, SD (Y/C and CVBS) and a single DVI-I input on channel six that allows for multiple formats (DVI-D, YPbPr, RGBHV and HDMI) with 36 additional input resolutions. The Program and Preview outputs have both analog (YPbPr, RGBHV, Y/C and CVBS) and digital (DVI-D or HDMI) outputs. HD resolutions up to 1080/60p are supported.   

An additional capability of the system is Dual Bus Multiview output. This allows the user to switch the Preview and Program buses as discrete outputs – with one output going to an IMAG Projector and the other going to a recording device. The control surface includes a broadcast-style 3-axis Hall Effect Joystick with twist-handle zoom control and separate Pan, Tilt and Speed control knobs. Get an all-in-one camera control console with video mixing, built-in multiviewer and broadcast-quality effects.

This firmware upgrade is available at no charge for any customer who currently owns a ProductionVIEW HD MV. Contact Vaddio Tech Support at +1 (763) 971-4400 for assistance in loading the new firmware.

The ProductionVIEW HD-SDI MV is an all-in-one camera control console with HD-SDI/SDI video switching/mixing, a built-in multiviewer, lower screen graphics and automated control functionality.

“Our new Multi-View touch screen control panel layout options allow our integrators the ability to match their screen layout to the number of camera or computer input sources that they have connected to the system,” explained President of Vaddio, Rob Sheeley. “This way they can maximize the potential screen size available for previewing their live video feeds and not see unused multi-viewer input windows. The ProductionVIEW MV series of production switchers combines the best of Vaddio’s PTZ camera control technology with best-of-class digital SDI switching technology. Now with an integrated multiviewer functionality that includes touch screen control, we can’t think of a better customer experience than allowing the end user to visually control input sources, camera presets, and system control – all by just touching the screen.”

Vaddio’s TeleTouch multiviewer touch screen monitors allow switching of all live video feeds, and up to 12 video thumbnail presets can be created, recalled and stored by simply touching the monitor. The thumbnails are a snapshot of what the camera preset shot looks like, to make storing and recalling presets even easier. By touching a thumbnail, the camera will pan, tilt and zoom to that position.

An additional capability of the system is Dual Bus Multiview output. This allows the user to switch between Preview and Program as discrete outputs – with one going to an IMAG Projector and the other going to a recording device. You now have three options for configuring the system: Preview/Program mode, Dual Bus mode and a third discreet multiviewer output for control and display.

All inputs are autosensing for video resolution, control and camera type. Video inputs include five HD-SDI/SDI (480i to 1080p) inputs on BNC connectors and a single DVI-I input on channel six that allows for multiple formats (DVI-D, YPbPr, RGBHV and HDMI) with 36 additional input resolutions. The outputs have been enhanced to include both HD-SDI and HDMI outputs – a distinct advantage when choosing a set of inexpensive preview and program monitors or using Vaddio TeleTouch touch screen monitors.

The control surface includes a broadcast-style 3-axis Hall Effect Joystick with twist-handle zoom control and separate Pan, Tilt and Speed control knobs. Because ProductionVIEW HD-SDI MV is a live broadcast production console, not a computer, the entire system produces only one frame of delay – a critical requirement for live production where IMAG is used. 

Burbank, CA … Mojave Audio, a company founded by David Royer (known for his work with ribbon microphones) is pleased to announce the introduction of the Mojave Audio MA-301fet Condenser Microphone. Based upon the popular MA-201fet designed by David Royer, the new MA-301fet adds features that industry professionals have asked for, including a 3-position pickup pattern selector, a 15 dB pad, and a switchable bass roll-off. This exceptional new microphone is ideal for numerous applications, among them: vocals, voice over and broadcast, electric guitar, piano, acoustic instruments, both drum overheads and room mics (drum ambience), and high SPL sources such as kick drums and bass guitar amps. more…

CHICAGO—Partner and editor Brian Sepanik of The Colonie has completed a Special K spot with Leo Burnett Chicago just in time for the new year.

Scales focuses on the Special K Challenge and stresses the tagline, “What Will You Gain When You Lose?” With the ultimate goal of changing the conversation on weight loss, Scales aims to inspire women to participate by using visuals of women celebrating after seeing their results on the scale. The spot opens with shots of individual pairs of feet nervously preparing to step onto their respective scales before hesitantly doing so. As the numbers waver on the scale, they settle on, not a number, but positive, uplifting words such as “joy.” “drive,” “pride” and “laughter.”T he faces of the women then appear for the first time as they excitedly rejoice after receiving inspiration.

more…