Barco/High End Welcomes Intellaspot XT-1 at ProLight + Sound

Barco/High End Systems just announced their offerings at ProLight + Sound this morning. One of the new offerings form the company is the new Intellaspot XT-1.  They also announced a new hybrid switcher and mixer for video/ lighting controller, the SDI-DMX Mixer Pro. Here is more from the press release.

Two new product announcements round out Barco’s new offerings at the 2010 Pro Light and Sound expo. First is the SDI-DMX Mixer Pro, a hybrid switcher that offers users the ability to switch, mix and matrix four video inputs to four video outputs — directly from any DMX lighting controller. Today’s controllers are required to interface with an ever-increasing number of sources and destinations, such as DL.3s, DML-1200s, Axon media servers, cameras, projectors and screens. To ease and simplify the overall control task, the new SDI-DMX Mixer Pro places the power of video switching and crossfades directly into the lighting designer’s hands.

The second and most important product announcement is the brilliant new intellaspot XT-1, an advanced lighting fixture from Barco that’s designed to set a new benchmark in price and performance for mid-market customers. As the industry’s newest professional moving luminaire, the intellaspot XT-1 follows last year’s successful introduction of Cyberlight 2.0. The intellaspot XT-1 offers remarkable innovations in optics, lamp configurations, high lumen output, energy efficiency, zoom range, and overall feature set — all at a highly economical price point. The intellaspot XT-1 is slated for release at the end of Q2.

Photos and prices have not been announced on either of the two new products. They are on display in Barco/High Ends stand at ProLight + Sound this week.  If you are attending the show in Frankfurt Germany, be sure to stop by and snag some pictures to share.

UPDATE:

Looks like Barco/High End just posted a short video and more information on the Intellaspot XT-1 on their web site – www.barco.com

Barco/High End Announce New Fog Generator FQ-100

Barco/High End just announced the release of a new fog generator, the FQ-100.  If you are familiar with High Ends F-100, then you might already be familiar with the FQ-100.

More from High End

The FQ-100™ performance fog generator is designed to meet the rigorous demands of the nightclub, theatrical and touring industries. This updated version of the industry standard F-100 fog generator produces any atmosphere – from dense fog to fine mist. The legendary Atmospheres® Fog Generating fluid is specially formulated to provide a dense, safe, water-based fog of a fine particulate size.  In addition to low noise levels ideal for theatrical and studio work, the FQ-100 also includes an internal LCD digital menu system providing the ability to set the volume control, timer control, and DMX functions as desired.  The FQ-100 performance fog generator continues the tradition and benchmark set by the original F-100.

Features

• Large 9.5 liter ( 2.5 gallon) removable fluid reservoir for extended use
• Atmospheres® scientifically formulated fluid provides optimum particulate size for lighting applications

Output

• 20,000 cu.ft (566m3) / min output
• 10 min / 1 liter  fluid consumption rate
• 11 minutes warm-up time
• optoelectronic liquid sensor with auto shutoff

To learn more about the FQ-100, visit High End’s website at www.highend.com.

Third Party iPhone App – WholeHog3 iPhone Remote App

With iPhone’s and iPod Touch’s gain more and more popularity and the addition of third party apps over a year ago, our little friend has become more and more useful by the day because of software developers and just all around smart people with in our small community.

Jon Griffin, a lighting design and owner of  www.housetohalf.com has been developing his own iPhone app to control a hog3 control desk which he calls the WholHog 3 iPhone Remote App.  Jon has been developing this app on his own and is not in any way affiliated with High End Systems or Barco. What is interesting is that he is not “developing” a stand alone app, but uses an emulation program for windows and the iPhone called Snatch Server and Snatch iPhone App.  Jon has made “screen overlays” with common buttons and functions found on a Hog3 desk.

Jon originally developed this app for his personal use but has now made it available for others to download and start using it with their Hog systems.  More screens are planned and in development and will be added to his site as they are finished. To download and setup the Hog3 iPhone Remote App, head over to Jon’s website at www.housetohalf.com.

If you are an iPhone App Developer, Jon is looking for you! Contact him via twitter @housetohalf.

JOL Goes In Depth on the Cyberlight 2.0

A couple of days ago, we broke the news that Barco and High End Systems is re-releasing the Cyberlight as the Cyberlight 2.0. JimOnLight.com just posted a great write up on comparing the differences between the old Cyberlight Turbo and the New Cyberlight 2.0.

Jim did some great research comparing the two fixtures.  We especially like the table view break down of the features of both fixtures that Jim put together.

Jump over to JimOnLight.com to read his entire comparison!

Thanks Jim!

Barco/High End Announce New Software for Digital Lighting Family

We recently wrote a rumor mill posting about Barco and High End systems getting ready to release a new version of their software for the Digital lighting family, the DL3  and Axon media server.  That rumor was put to bed this morning with Barco/High End latest press release.

More from the Press Release:

Rancho Cordova, CA — 27 April 2009 — Digital and Automated Lighting pioneer Barco announced today that new software is now available for the High End Systems Digital Lighting family, including the DL.3 Digital Light and the Axon media server.

The v1.5 software release expands feature functionality and provides a host of improvements and updates. Major features include frame blending, for smooth, slow motion playback, and the expansion of Collage Generator™ capability, which allows users to create a setup that is now up to 16 fixtures wide by eight fixtures high. A new Segmented Collage feature enables advanced users to pre-slice their content in order to create large collages with very high overall resolutions.

Another new feature is automatic content encoding validation. This unique process scans content as it is being loaded into the system, in order to ensure correct encoding, trouble-free playback, and the elimination of performance issues that might result from encoding errors.

Other features include new Graphic Effects, PAL support for the SDI input, plus the ability for users to add HD-SDI cards in the Axon media server. In addition, the Content Management Application (CMA) now displays more detailed data, such as movie length, resolution, frame rate and frame count.

“Version 1.5 is an exciting release that brings a number of often-requested and powerful features to our users,” notes Chris Colpaert, VP of Creative Lighting. “These features open even more creative possibilities for the product family and its ease of use. Our team is already hard at work on our next major release which will bring even more exciting capabilities to the product line.”

The v1.5 software is now available for free download at http://www.highend.com/support/digital_lighting/dl3.asp

High End Discontinues Studio Beam & Cyberlight

The good folks over at controlbooth.com have a report out that High End Systems/Barco have discontinues the Studio Beam and Cyberlight series Luminaires. Both of these fixtures have been used and loved by the entertainment lighting industry for over 10 years. There have been rumors that High End/Barco are moving away from producing traditional moving head/mirror fixtures and heading in the direction of digital projection like such fixtures as the DL3 digital projection moving head.

With the end of these two fixtures, it further proves that rumor that High End/Barco is in the move to just produce digital media servers and moving heads.  This is a true shame as many industry professionals loved these fixtures for specific reasons.

The complete run down as controlbooth.com reports:

At Barco/High End Systems, we are committed to developing new visual technologies that will excite audiences in new ways and boost attendance at entertainment venues.

As we continue to launch innovative new products, the time has come to discontinue some old favorites:

Cyberlight Series
Studio Beam

We will only take orders for these products through Jan. 31, with full distribution by March. We will continue to warranty and support these products indefinitely.

We have launched several new products this past fall and continue the parallel development in all four product categories: Digital, Automated Luminaires, Control and LED. At LDI 2008 we introduced the DML-1200 Digital Light (shipping now), the DMX Processor 8000, SHOWGUN 2.5 (shipping now) and SHOWBEAM 2.5 (shipping in spring).