High End Systems Introduces Solawash 1000

17 Sep, 2019 | ETC, High End Systems

High End Systems introduces the newest member of the Sola Series, the SolaWash 1000 automated luminaire. SolaWash 1000 is available in two versions; either with an Ultra-Bright engine producing 20,000 field lumens or a High CRI Engine featuring incredibly accurate colour rendering. 

The fixture includes a full framing shutter system, CMY/CTO linear colour mixing system, a seven-plus open position replaceable colour wheel, iris and dual Linear Frost systems for medium and heavy frost. Sharp edge focus performs throughout the entire 12° – 55° zoom range. A TM-30 Filter boosts the Ultra-Bright engine to 85+ CRI.

Automated Lighting Product Manager Matt Stoner commented, “The SolaWash 1000 offers an elegant feature set for our users.  Whether you are using the fixture as an Ultra-Bright wash light with framing, a High CRI key light for face lighting or even a wide and soft edge wash fixture, the SolaWash 1000 is designed to give designers a great light, a wide gamut of pure and even colors, and a beautifully simple feature set.”

“From a feature perspective, the SolaWash 1000 is a wash light with the best of the basics: fantastic colour mixing possibilities, great output and near-silent operation,” says High End Systems Brand Manager Tania Lesage. “The fixture is designed with fast serviceability in mind and is of course equipped with High End Systems’ patented lens defogger. SolaWash 1000 will be a great complement to our SolaFrame 1000.”

ETC and High End Systems showcase new products at PLASA 2019

13 Sep, 2019 | ETC, High End Systems

ETC and High End Systems return to PLASA on stand J38A/B with a selection of their latest products, ‘Tech Talks’ seminars by ETC specialists and an evening of networking and Augment3d games.

Visitors to the Olympia London from 15-17 September can explore the newest innovations including High End Systems’ TurboRay effects fixture, ETC’s Augment3d software being added to the Eos family of controls and the ArcSystem range of house light fixtures.

Augment3d is ETC’s first integrated 3D programming environment which will be a part of the upcoming Eos v3.0 software. The power of previsualization, live interaction and augmented reality are combined in this Eos tool allowing users to work more effectively before and during production periods. Visitors to the stand on Monday 16th September can attend ETC’s networking event from 5pm where there will be an extra chance for attendees to experience first-hand how to program from a new perspective with Augment3d.

A range of the latest moving lights will be displayed at the tradeshow including High End Systems’ SolaWash 1000, TurboRay and ETC’s Relevé Spot. The newly launched SolaWash 1000 includes a full framing shutter system, CMY/CTO linear color mixing system, a seven plus open position replaceable color wheel, iris and dual Linear Frost systems for medium and heavy frost. Sharp edge focus performs throughout the entire 12° – 55° zoom range.

TurboRay’s radial diffusers give it a classic retro look. It is truly versatile and can be used as a punchy narrow-angle wash light or as a powerful hard edge beam producing beautiful aerial effects and spectacular textures unseen in any other fixture.

Relevé Spot is the first member of a new automated lighting family for ETC. Specifically designed for use in theatre Relevé Spot brings the color quality, control, and consistency of the ETC LED product lines to the automated lighting world.

ETC’s Eos and High End Systems’ Hog 4 family of entertainment control systems will be on show and available for demonstrations at PLASA. The powerful console desks, including Hog 4-18 and Eos Ti, use the very latest technology and are suitable for all sized venues.

ETC’s newly acquired ArcSystem, BluesSystem and CueSystem product lines will be present on stand J38A/B alongside interactive product presentations with product specialists on hand to provide demonstrations of the new options and features ETC has added to ArcSystem such as Fade to Warm and RDM versions of the entire ArcSystem range.

Product specialists will present ‘Tech Talk’ seminars throughout the three days covering a range of topics including ‘Maximising your LED Colour System’, ‘Power Up – managing your LED power infrastructure’, ‘The Illusion of Colour’ and ‘Effects & Affects’ sessions on both Eos and Hog.

ETC and High End Systems’ showcase at Prolight+Sound NAMM Russia

27 Aug, 2019 | ETC, High End Systems

ETC and High End Systems’ dealers will present the newest product innovations from both companies at the 2019 Prolight+Sound NAMM Russia tradeshow. From 12-14 September, visitors to the Sokolniki Exhibition Center in Moscow will find the latest additions to ETC and High End Systems’ fixtures and controls families in Hall 4.

DOKA Center will demonstrate Augment3d, ETC’s new fully integrated 3D programming environment in Eos v3.0 on stand C6. Users can interact with their fixtures through augmented reality as well as controlling and designing in a three-dimensional space. Augment3d will be shown on an Eos family console desk.

They will also present Relevé Spot, ETC’s moving light specifically designed for theatre which brings affordable, high quality color mixing to smaller venues.  Alongside this there will be EchoTouch, a standalone intuitive touchscreen that provides control of lighting in architectural spaces and can work as an interface with other Unison Echo products.

ETC dealer, Sistema Ltd will be on stand C8 and will showcase the acclaimed Source Four LED fixtures as well as the compact and powerful Ion Xe, and Gio console desk which has the full programming power of the Eos family software.

Theatre Technical Corporation, a partner of ETC, will be on stand C12 at Prolight+Sound NAMM. A Gio @5 and selection of Source Four LEDs will be displayed on the stand. The portable console offers powerful and professional-level lighting control for smaller sized venues.

On stand B27, dealer LLC Imlight-Showtechnic will also provide a demonstration of Augment3d and present a selection of ETC products including Relevé Spot and Eos family control.

High End Systems’ dealer SIM will exhibit the company’s latest LED automated fixtures and powerful Hog 4 consoles on stand C5. Attendees can look out for the renowned Hog 4 product family of consoles which have led the world of large scale automated lighting control. High End Systems’ LED automated fixtures such as the SolaFrame 3000, SolaSpot 1000 and

SolaFrame 1000 will be on display including much more to be revealed at the tradeshow.

Product specialists and trainers from both ETC and High End Systems will be on hand during the 3-day tradeshow to support all dealers and partners, provide demonstrations and answer any questions that visitors may have.

HOGS Rule Robbie Williams’ Vegas Residency

6 Aug, 2019 | ETC, High End Systems

Following the success of Robbie Williams’ first U.S. residency in March, the British pop phenom returned to Las Vegas for another sold-out run this summer. In all performances, High End Systems Hog lighting consoles were networked for the lighting, lasers and media servers’ video content.

To make a splash in the American market, Williams put together his “Live in Las Vegas” setlist at the Wynn’s Encore Theatre to include more well-known Rat Pack standards, with fewer of his own #1 U.K. hits.

LD Sean Burke not only designed the production and the lighting but also programmed and served as lighting director. Barry Lather worked with him as the show director and set co-designer.

“The design came from Barry,” Burke notes. “He had this vision of a ‘swing’ show with dancers, props, and so on. The band is pretty big for this small stage, so trying to fit it all in was a challenge. Different levels were needed to give a visual perspective in this small space.”

To deal with the narrow width and low proscenium, Burke added six vertical ladders which flank the video screens and the downstage areas. “This gives a lot of really good looks toward the audience; it’s right there in front of them and being low produces a big impact visually,” he explains.

Having been a Hog console user for many years, Burke dedicated specific desks for different segments of the production.

“We used a Full Boar 4 and a Playback Wing 4 for the lighting and video content control. The video content on a media server is triggered via ArtNet. We also had a second set as full back-up on the network.”

The LD continues, “We had four DP 8000 units on the show: two active and two spares, for a full redundancy on the system. Two units ran as a Hognet network, which went to the rental lighting gear. We ran the HogNet DPs to aSCN devices giving us DMX. The other two DP 8000 units were outputting ArtNet, which took over the house system. We also had a Road Hog to run the laser system.”

Burke’s company, Holes in the Dark, provided the Full Boars and the Playback Wings. Christie Lites supplied the DP 8000 processors for the consoles along with other rental gear, and ER Productions brought in their Road Hog as part of the laser control package.

ER Productions frequently uses Hog consoles. For this stint, Lawrence Wright programmed, and Shane Davis operated the lasers.

“We were excited to support Robbie Williams with a large, visually impactful rig,” Wright says, adding that the Road Hog “triggered a vast array of laser effects and cues perfectly on time via timecode each night.”

SolaFrame Theatre Makes Bright Quiet Residency at the Bolshoi

1 Aug, 2019 | ETC, High End Systems

While the founding of Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre dates back to 1776, its production team is looking to the future with the newest LED technology from High End Systems.

The world-renowned theatre – a cultural landmark and home to the Bolshoi Ballet, Opera and Orchestra – opened a second venue, the New Stage, in 2002 to host performances while the Historic Stage underwent refurbishment. By 2011, both neighbouring performance venues were offering a full schedule of events in the heart of Moscow.

In 2018, it was time to make some changes over at the New Stage. Lighting Designer Anatoly Samosadny was seeking an alternative to the older lamp-based fixtures. Preferring to work with a modern, LED-based automated luminaire in his productions, he turned to High End Systems’ Moscow-based distributor SiM, which recommended High End Systems’ SolaFrame Theatre fixture. Engineered without fans, it is the industry’s first LED automated luminaire to deliver a completely silent operation.

Before being awarded the starring role, the SolaFrame Theatre had to pass the audition. The “chorus line,” so to speak, was set up onstage at the Bolshoi with various contenders under consideration. The LD gave the SolaFrame Theatre high marks and his approval as the lighting fixture to solve their needs.

Eight SolaFrame Theatre units were supported, tested and delivered by SiM to the Bolshoi in September and made their premiere in productions shortly after that. The main tasks of the fixtures are to serve as back truss lighting and front support light.

“The absolute silent operation allowed me to install the SolaFrame Theatre units directly above the orchestra or in the auditorium,” says Samosadny. “These positions are very important when working with certain productions, such as The Orchestra Survey and Camille Saint-Saëns’ The Carnival of the Animals.”

He adds, “The framing shutters are also extremely beneficial to my designs. The colour mixing, CTO, prism, zoom, gobo wheels, frost and iris add even more effects and solutions to a multitude of live situations. I like that the colours remain consistent with the LED source so that all my fixture colours match and don’t degrade as older lamp sources do. And the fixture has a bright white beam. I enjoy using the SolaFrame Theatre in my work.”

The LD has deployed the SolaFrame Theatres in other recent shows including the Bolshoi Ballet’s Etudes, Romeo & Juliet, Heroes Of Our Times, Russia Seasons, Golden Century, Petrushka, Paris, Joy, Undina, Lost Illusions, The Taming of the Shrew and Anuta. He’s also used it for the Bolshoi Opera’s Bogema, TPVG, Figaro’s Marriage, Idiot, Iolanta, The Stone Guest, Barber of Seville, Don Pasquale, and Rusalka.

The SolaFrame Theatres join other HES/ETC family products at the venue. In the New Stage, a Hog 3 console controls video while the ETC Titanium and Gio control lighting. Also in the house are ETC Sensor Dimmers, ETC Source 4 Fix Zoom 25-50 degrees and 15-30 degrees, and some Source 4 Lustr+ fixtures. The Historic Stage uses two Hog 4 consoles with DMX Processor 8000s to control video, while an ETC Titanium console controls lighting.

SiM’s Ivan Rumyantsev says, “With the SolaFrame Theatre, we solve typical and specific tasks for the creators. We are happy to supply high-quality solutions from High End Systems. We are thankful to the theatre; they trust our team and we are privileged to support the fixtures and consoles for the world-famous Bolshoi Theatre stages.”