I love the opening line to JR Clancy’s latest Press Release.. What kind of a system do you want controlling the heavy scenery over your students’ heads? Easy, something that won’t fall on them, or me!  But seriously.

JR Clancy is introducing a new, powerful rigging control called Altus at the LDI Show. More from the Press Release:

Created with middle and high schools in mind, Altus is based on a PLC computer platform—the same operating system that controls elevators, CNC manufacturing and assembly lines. Clancy put its long history with its popular SceneControl 500 rigging control system to work to create a system that’s as dependable and powerful as its leading controller—while making it affordable for schools.

Altus can control up to 36 hoists, each with individual ramp speeds for each cue.  The console is available in wall mount, desktop or pedestal mount models, making the operation of rigging an ADA-compliant, accessible task for students with disabilities.

Students will love the easy-to-use, intuitive Altus touch screen, which allows them to create up to 200 cues with different speeds and trims for each hoist. Operators can name the cues, program each batten’s acceleration and deceleration, choose soft end-of-travel limits, and make adjustments on the fly with the built-in joystick.

“Altus is more suited to the backstage environment than controllers that run on an operating system meant for offices,” noted Tom Young, J. R. Clancy vice president of marketing. “Altus is sealed from outside elements like sawdust, dirt and other contaminants we find in the air backstage.  While competitors’ units become clogged with dirt and eventually fail, Altus is unaffected—making it an excellent long-term investment for school use.”

For more information on the Altus, visit JR Clancy’s website at www.jrclancy.com or visit their booth at the LDI Show, # 1702.