Skip to content

Bits and Bobs: 8-Bit vs. 16-Bit DMX Control

An exponential increase in granular control

Bits and Bobs: 8-Bit vs. 16-Bit DMX Control

Automated lighting consoles are built around a basic infrastructure dependent on the DMX protocol (or map) of a fixture or device. Understanding how DMX values control specific parameters of a fixture is essential for any automated lighting programmer. However, modern consoles utilize complex pre-built libraries or profiles that alleviate the programmer from having to understand DMX functionality. One of the core concepts that should be understood is the difference between 8-bit and 16-bit DMX control.

Read More »
Robb Jibson calls Train’s ‘Play That Song’ tour design ‘a love child of the Hollywood Bowl and a jukebox.’ Photo courtesy Craig Mitchell and LMG Touring.

Jibson Gets Train on Touring Track; Take That’s ‘Wonderland’ Tour; More Cues

Robb Jibson put Train on its tracks with their new “Play That Song” tour, which kicked off May 12 and runs to July 15 in the U.S. before heading to Australia. Along with his creative company So Midwest Inc., Jibson designed the production and media content; Brent Sandrock designed the lighting and programmed, while Brandon J. Clark takes it on the road as director.

Read More »
Illustration by Andy Au

“The Great One” and Stage Lighting

A good LD lights where the guitarist is supposed to be. A great LD lights where the guitarist is going to be.

I recently moved from Las Vegas to Canada for a number of reasons. One reason for moving is the current political climate in the U.S. Canada has proven to be very polite and rather pleasant. I moved to a small community where my services as a concert lighting director might not be in high demand. Belle River does not have any casinos, convention centers, ballrooms or arenas. But it does have hockey rinks — lots of them.

Read More »
Photo courtesy Wonder London

Google Cloud Event at London’s ExCeL Lit with White Light Support

LONDON – Google Cloud NEXT took place May 3-4 at the ExCeL Centre in East London. The event’s production team from Wonder London turned to White Light for a lighting assist. White Light provided more than 150 moving lights (VL3500 Spots, Martin MAC Auras and Robe Robin 1200s) and more than 300 ETC Source Fours and Fresnels, along with 130 LED fixtures (including Chroma-Q Color Forces). Alongside this were more than 200 hoists and over 1100m of Prolyte truss.

Read More »
Bandit provided Vari-Lite, Claypaky and other fixtures for three stages with grandMA2 consoles for control.

Bandit Lights Up Beachfront Stages at Hangout Festival in Alabama

GULF SHORES, AL – At the Hangout Music Festival, the annual three-day music festival staged on the public beaches of Gulf Shores, AL, Bandit Lites provided lighting for the Mainstage, Surf Stage and Fitz Stage. This year’s event, held May 19-21, drew crowds with Mumford & Sons, Chance the Rapper, Phoenix, Major Lazer, Weezer, MGMT, Sigur Ros, Band of Horses, Franz Ferdinand and Charli XCX. Bandit Lites worked closely with Hadden Hippsley of Lambda Productions on the event.

Read More »
Video elements included the 20-by-50-foot center-hung LED CS8 screen, which featured the movie, plus projection-mapping on the Bowl’s bandshell and a 10-camera setup for I-Mag screens.

‘La La Land in Concert’ Debuts at Hollywood Bowl with Video Assist from Upstage Video

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Upstage Video was tapped to provide video elements for the premiere of La La Land In Concert, A live-to-film celebration at the Hollywood Bowl. The May 26 and 27 events were staged by the creative team from Kraft-Engle, and Bowl promoter Andrew Hewitt & Bill Silva Presents with a 100-piece orchestra, choir and jazz band playing live music from the film.

Read More »
The Weaver Room

LEED-Certified Proximity Hotel in NC Colorizes with Iluminarc Fixtures

GREENSBORO, NC – In 2008, the owners of Proximity Hotel and Print Works Bistro in Greensboro noted a first for the U.S. hospitality industry – a LEED Platinum rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. When the hotel wanted to add color changing fixtures to its Weaver Room, management opted for an energy-efficient design by Audio & Light that incorporates Iluminarc fixtures. QW Services, also from Greensboro, handled the installation.

Read More »
Alcorn McBride RidePlayer

Alcorn McBride Reveals Plans for InfoComm 2017

ORLANDO, FL – Alcorn McBride will showcase its new RidePlayer, the expanded V-Page product line and the AES67-compatible Binloop family in Booth 3911 at InfoComm 2017, June 14-16 at the Orange County Convention Center. RidePlayer, a complete on-board audio and control solution for themed entertainment, makes its debut at InfoComm.  It is ideally suited for dark rides, parade floats, tour vehicles and roller coaster applications.

Read More »

Luke Bryan’s Huntin,’ Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day Tour Rig Includes 200+ Elation Fixtures

[caption id="attachment_277176" align="alignnone" width="800"]Luke Bryan using Elation fixtures on his show[/caption]

ATLANTA – Luke Bryan’s LD, Justin Kitchenman of Align Design Group, specified more than 200 Elation Professional fixtures for the country artist’s current 2017 tour, “Huntin,’ Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day.” Along with 180 of Elation’s compact ACL 360i fixtures – which bumps up the count from Bryan’s previous tour – the new rig includes 20 Cuepix Blinder WW2 and 16 Cuepix Blinder WW4 fixtures. Nashville-based Elite Multimedia Productions is providing the gear.

Read More »
Painting with Light's designers opted for a contemporary, slightly urban stage presentation for the 2017 Schlagerfestival. Photo by Elke Briers

Slick Urban Look for 2017 Schlagerfestival

HASSELT, Belgium – The 2017 Schlagerfestival, produced by PSE Belgium and Medialaanwhich, included five sold-out shows at 21,000-capacity Ethias Arena in Hasselt, Belgium from March 24-April 1. Painting with Light’s served as production designer, Paco Mispelters was lighting director and Michael Al Far handled the playback video elements along with content designer Sina Sohn. All combined their ideas to present show director Luc Koenen with some big, bright and epic looking settings to deliver a three hour performance featuring 42 different schlager artists.

Read More »

Harman Names Fairlight as Distributor for Martin Products in Belgium and Luxembourg

BEMMEL, The Netherlands – Harman Professional Solutions announced that its Dutch distributor, Fairlight, would also serve as distributor of Martin products in Belgium and Luxembourg. The expanded agreement applies to the full range of Martin product categories throughout the Benelux area. Fairlight will focus on the lighting segments and Harman’s internal team will concentrate on business development of audio and video solutions for the region.

Read More »