Archive for March 7th, 2012

Boston, March 7, 2012– The Boston Opera House is a striking example of the finest theatre architecture set in opulent French and Italian styles. Originally constructed in the late 1800s but extensively renovated in 2002, the 2,677-capacity theatre has been the sole performance venue of Boston Ballet since fall 2009 and was originally constructed as a tribute to vaudeville’s greatest impresario: Benjamin Franklin Keith. As a credit to both the original design its recent painstaking renovation, the Opera House is nothing short of stunning, featuring outstanding acoustics and superb craftsmanship throughout.

Recently, this landmark performance facility took its breathtaking natural acoustics one step further by installing a discrete and ultra-compact K-array sound reinforcement system for the Boston Ballet, customized and painstakingly finished to match the luxurious décor of its interior. The system, designed and installed by Talamas Broadcast Equipment, includes Sennheiser distributed K-array KK100 and KH15 speaker arrays plus KL18 and KS4 subwoofers, together with KA10 and KA40 Class D power amplifiers — all of which have been installed to maintain the visual and sonic integrity of the original space.

Nick Jabour of Talamas Broadcast Equipment, a Boston-based company serving the audio and video needs of New England’s film, television and broadcast production industries, worked with Boston Ballet’s Ben Phillips, production manager and technical director, and Benjamin Young, sound designer, on the design of the system. “There are three KK100 vertical arrays on each side of the proscenium arch,” explains Jabour. “Those are primarily for the orchestra level and the first few rows of the balcony.”

To allow shading of the coverage patterns of the KK100s, two arrays are driven from each channel of a KA10 amp. The KK100 is an ultra-slim vertical line array comprised of multiple two-inch neodymium transducers in a stainless steel chassis. Two KL18 subs, which each feature an 800W, 18-inch driver, are positioned below the left and right main arrays to provide low frequency reinforcement.

Flown systems provide additional coverage of the orchestra and balcony seating sections of the 2,500-capacity theatre. “There are two KH15 arrays and a KS4 sub array on a truss that’s flown above the downstage lip of the stage,” says Jabour. “The KH15s mostly cover the balcony. There’s another KH15 positioned behind the KS4 pointing straight down at the orchestra level to complete the stereo image.”

The self-powered KH15 is an ultra-compact two-way line array that provides consistent 120-degree horizontal coverage. The self-powered, ultra-compact KS4 subwoofer offers a unique dipole figure-8 coverage pattern capable of delivering very high SPLs.

Talamas worked closely with power distribution specialists Motion Labs and Sennheiser, exclusive distributor of K-array products in the U.S. and Mexico, on the unusual A.C. power set up for the system. “KA10s and a KA40 amplifier power the KK100s and the KL18s,” Jabour elaborates. “The KA10 and the KA40 amps are being run at 120 volts, but so that we could use a more standard style cable for the power run to the truss we run those speakers, which are self-powered, at 230 volts.”

The theatre’s acoustics were originally designed to deliver the spoken word to every seat in the house in an age before microphones and amplifiers. “So Boston Ballet wanted something that they could use very, very subtly,” comments Jabour. “But they have a choreographer who, for one of his pieces, requires the theatre to get very loud. So we had to be able to cover both extremes.”

“The K-array system helped us accomplish everything we set out to achieve,” says Benjamin Young. “The subtle reinforcement of a gentle orchestra is undetectable, and the intricacies of more modern electronic orchestrations are clear as can be, while powerful at the same time. I am certain that the majority of the patrons don’t even realize that they are there; they are the ninjas of speakers!”

“The key point in our original directive was that the speakers could not interrupt the aesthetic of the stage — and Talamas and Sennheiser worked with us to achieve that goal,” he adds. “All in all the system has turned out to be a huge success for us.”

The newly installed K-array system made its debut on March 1 with the opening of “Play With Fire.” The production features “Rooster,” choreographed by Christopher Bruce to the music of the Rolling Stones.

NATICK, MA, March 7, 2012 — Original music and audio post production house Earhole Studios in Chicago has installed a Genelec 5.1 Active DSP Monitoring System as part of an upgrade to surround sound mixing capabilities in Studio B. Concurrently, composer and engineer Eric Lambert acquired a Genelec SE (Small Environment) DSP Monitoring System for his home studio to enable him to seamlessly transfer projects between Earhole Studios and his home composition room.

The new 5.1 system in Earhole’s Studio B comprises five Genelec 8240A Bi-Amplified DSP Monitors for the front LCR array and rear surrounds, with a 7260A Active DSP Subwoofer. Lambert’s home 2.1 setup consists of an 8130A Digital Monitoring System plus an SE7261A Active DSP Subwoofer, which is designed specifically for use with the 8130A stereo pair.

Initial plans were for an aesthetic makeover of Studio B, which is one of three rooms at Earhole, says Lambert. “But we said, while we’re at it, let’s see if we can make some sonic improvements. We have surround capability in my composition room but that was being used primarily for music and we didn’t really have time to do mixes in that room. We wanted to move mixing to another room so we bought the Genelec 5.1 DSP system.”

Genelec’s AutoCal™ software, the industry’s first integrated process for automated measurement, analysis and adjustment of every monitoring loudspeaker in the control network, has been especially useful, according to Lambert. The system’s multiple setup capability, in particular, which allows the 5.1 Active DSP Monitoring System to be calibrated for several listening positions, has become very popular with Earhole’s clients, he says.

“If you’re sitting in the engineer’s position you have the monitors calibrated specifically for those two ears,” explains Lambert. “But we have a huge room with clients sitting all over the place. A lot of times they’ll be frustrated by the fact that when they’re listening to a surround mix it doesn’t seem focused on them. With that DSP, we can calibrate that sweet spot to those other positions. So you can set up multiple listening positions, expanding the flexibility of the system.”

He continues, “The clients love that it sounds better, but they’re also impressed that a company like ours has that technology. We’ve even had engineers from other facilities around town come in, guys who have been around a long time and really know what’s going on, and they have been really, really impressed. It blows some people’s minds that there is the technology to do that, and it makes Earhole look good, because they’ve never seen that anywhere else.”

The GLM.SE™ (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager for Small Environments) software and the extended AutoCal capabilities of the 7260A Active DSP Subwoofer have allowed Lambert to overcome some challenges in his home studio. “I’ve had a lot of acoustic issues in that room. There’s only so much I can get away with as far as sonic treatment goes. When you share a house with somebody else they don’t necessarily want it to look like a studio, so you make compromises. All of the other speakers that I’ve tried sounded okay but there were always some pretty big issues. But when I got to hear the Genelec DSP system in action at Earhole I realized it actually works. The following night after we got the DSP system installed at work I bought the SE system for home.”

The new SE setup ensures that projects translate accurately and consistently between the studio and his home, according to Lambert. “I’ll start a project at Earhole and have to finish at home, or get a call late, when I’m not at work, and decide to work on things at home. It’s nice to have a similar, consistent monitoring environment at home. They’ve really made all the guesswork go away.”

Lambert reports, “All of our rooms have Genelecs. The other two rooms have older Genelecs that we’ve had for several years. We have some other composers who work in other areas; a couple of them also have Genelecs. It was about 10 years ago that we bought our first pair, and we’ve been happy with Genelecs ever since.”

Tom Wiebe, co-owner of Wiebe Music, which was established in the early 1990s, opened Earhole Studios in December 2003, moving the business and staff, including Lambert, into a new location in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Simultaneously, the company made the transition from a jingle house into an original music and audio post production venture. Today, recent Earhole clients include Chrysler, UPS, Sprite, Motorola, Allstate, BP and MGD, among others.

For more information, please visit www.genelecusa.com/.

Coordinated Services Offering puts Integration and Efficiencies into Game Development

(Burbank, CA/London, UK) Testronic Labs, Kuju Entertainment, and Doublesix Digital Publishing, sister companies of the Catalis Group, have unveiled FullCycle, an integrated, quality-focused services package for the development, digital publishing, and testing of video games. Kuju Entertainment is one of the world’s leading independent game developers; Doublesix Digital Publishing has pioneered the development and publishing of digitally distributed games, and Testronic is the recognized global leader in quality assurance and compliance for games and a host of other industries. The combination of services under these affiliated companies will create an end-to-end development cycle for the games industry, which can streamline the entire process and increase savings for customers.

FullCycle is a one-stop-shop that allows all the services necessary to make a game to be provided as a single product – including design, development, production, localization, testing, publishing and marketing. It can handle all the relationships with digital distribution channels, hardware manufacturers and suppliers, and provides efficiency, faster turnarounds, creative continuity and improved workflow. Previously these were services that major media companies, IP rights holders and investors would need to source separately and with significant overhead.

Alastair Harsant, Vice President of Games Services Operations for Testronic Labs, notes, “Simply put, our clients absolutely cannot afford to miss any of the milestones and quality assurance benchmarks that are mandatory for success in game development. FullCycle ensures the highest level of operational efficiencies with the combined strength of Kuju, Doublesix, and Testronic. Creating a one-vendor pipeline means straightforward communication throughout the process and the full coordination of the development, testing and delivery pipeline. FullCycle will lead to greater visibility at that critical point of hand-off from development to testing teams as we take on greater responsibility.”

Testronic, Doublesix, and Kuju are recognized industry experts who are respected for confidentiality and security. The companies are part of the Catalis group, a world-leading outsourcing provider that focuses on high-end technical services relating to the creation of digital content for the entertainment and digital media industries. The companies of the Catalis group operate from ten locations throughout the US, the UK, Poland, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Japan. The breadth of services and capacity is highly beneficial to industries at work across vast geographic areas. Jeremy Lewis, CEO at Catalis, said of the announcement of FullCycle , “It took time and planning to develop these companies into highly functional, tightly integrated collaborators. We invested the time, money and intellectual capital to make FullCycle a viable offering, and we are pleased to unveil it during The Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA.”

Seth Hallen, CEO of Testronic, noted, “Working closely with our colleagues at Kuju and Doublesix, we have put the most powerful development and testing pipeline into existence in the industry. Putting testing expertise into the process earlier allows our experts a proactive role in the pre-alpha phase of the development cycle, and allows us to forecast any potential challenges while enabling better test approaches. That saves money, time, and improves functionality. After collaborations with our sister companies on a number of projects, we see this as an evolutionary step in development and as a valuable service to our clients.”

Adrian Hawkins, COO of Kuju, concluded, “Kuju has built its reputation on a high-level of technical and creative expertise and Testronic is one of the most respected companies in testing and consultation. We see the collaboration on FullCycle as an important development that will advance the industry with efficiencies and significantly improve the experience of those wishing to bring games to market. Whilst the integration of services are important for a number of pragmatic reasons like time and money, we consider it crucial to the next phase of the industry and to the professional treatment of Intellectual Property.”

About Testronic Labs
Testronic Labs’ high standards have been protecting clients and safeguarding the consumer experience since 1998. As the leading global provider of quality assurance, compliance, and localization services for a notable array of industries; including media, entertainment, games, education, e-commerce and consumer electronics, Testronic Labs ensures efficient and secure delivery of the highest quality consumer deliverables. Based in Burbank, CA; London, UK; Diepenbeek, Belgium; Warsaw, Poland; and Tokyo, Japan, Testronic Labs offers an unparalleled history of next-generation innovation and service excellence across the entire digital media industry.

For further information, visit www.TestronicLabs.com.

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Media Contact:
Chris Purse, 818.303.8088
ignite strategic communications
chris@ignite.bz or mimi@ignite.bz

Van Nuys, CA, March 7, 2012 – Celebrating its 30th anniversary year as one of the oldest location agencies in the Los Angeles area, the Real to Reel Location Agency has announced that the Hollywood & Highland Center has renewed its relationship with the agency for another two years as its exclusive representative. Real to Reel first began its relationship with the Hollywood & Highland Center in 2006, and since that time has arranged for the filming of numerous projects at the site, including, most recently, Fox TV’s “Mobbed” series starring Howie Mandel, and previously such TV shows as “Entourage,” “How Do I Look?,” “NCIS: LA,” “Nip/Tuck,” and “Weeds,” to name a few.

The Real to Reel Location Agency specializes in representing commercial properties, ranging from the complex to average, either open or closed including open and closed hospitals, along a variety of residential properties. The agency operates in a similar fashion to a talent agency, but with buildings instead of actors as its clients. The agency helps owners secure and manage on-location filming for TV shows, feature films, commercials, and still photography shoots.

Gary Onyshko, President and CEO of The Real to Reel Agency, said, “We’re very pleased that the Hollywood & Highland Center has once again retained us to represent them to the filming community for another two years. We will continue to serve as their exclusive representative for all on-location filming at this extremely popular site.”

In related news, 2012 is off to a robust start for Real to Reel. The agency has just secured a four-month booking for a new MTV television series at one of their sites—a former warehouse now turned soundstage. Real to Reel has also just booked a multi-week cable TV reality competition series, based on a hit musical show, at a Downtown LA cultural center and theatre, formerly represented by one of its competitors.

Additionally, the agency is just now wrapping up a multi-month booking for the comedy medical TV show “Children’s Hospital” at the former Northridge
Medical Center-Sherman Way Campus. This is the third consecutive season that “Children’s Hospital,” the winner of Comedy Central’s 2011 first annual “Comedy Awards” award for “Best Sketch Comedy/Alternative Comedy Series,” has selected one of the agency’s closed hospitals as their primary filming location. Real to Reel’s booking of “Children’s Hospital” follows on the heels of the success the agency experienced during the two prior years booking the TV series “Hawthorne” into that same facility. That “Hawthorne” booking generated close to $1-million per season for the owners of that site.

ABOUT THE REAL TO REEL LOCATION AGENCY:

One of the largest, most prolific, and successful location agencies working within Southern California’s entertainment industry today, The Real to Reel Location Agency, founded in l982 and now celebrating its 30th Anniversary, represents the owners of virtually every imaginable variety of property, including both open and closed hospitals, offices, mansions, schools, warehouses, apartments, and even the iconic Hollywood & Highland Center. Real to Reel has provided locations for thousands of feature films, television programs, music videos, still photography sessions and commercial productions, and has also managed tens of thousands of prep shoot and wrap days during that time.

Among TV series Real to Reel has worked with in the recent past are “Bones,” “American Horror Story,” “Parenthood,” “Prime Suspect,” “CSI NY,” “Body of Proof,” “Castle,” “The Finder,” “Up All Night,” “Next Big Thing, “ “Rizzoli & Isles, “Perception,” “Chuck,” “Sons of Anarchy,” and “Face Off,” to name some. Other TV series which have filmed at Real to Reel sites over the years, include “Scrubs” (7 years), “Hawthorne” (2 years), “Children’s Hospital” (3 years,) “True Blood,” “CSI,” “CSI: Miami,” “CSI: New York,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Entourage,” “Weeds,” “The Office,” “Californication,” “Luck,” “The Closer,” “Criminal Minds,” “House,” “Ugly Betty,” “Alias,” “24,” and countless more. In fact, Real to Reel refined the idea of securing a multi-year deal for the use of a single practical location for an on-going television series.

Many Real to Reel-represented properties have been used to shoot scenes appearing in such hit films as “Horrible Bosses,” “Due Date,” “The Backup Plan,” “Green Hornet,” “Spider-Man 1 & 2,” “Transformers 1 & 2,” “Frost/Nixon,” “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “Jurassic Park 3,” “As Good as It Gets,” “Pineapple Express” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” among many others.

Music Videos for The Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, R. Kelly, Bon Jovi, Cher, Snoop Dog, Neil Young and Janet Jackson have been shot at Real to Reel locations. Location Managers working on Commercials for such major brands as
Mercedes Benz, McDonalds, Intel, United Airlines, IBM, Fed Ex, Coca-Cola,
Honda, Toyota and Gatorade have also turned to the Real to Reel Location Agency.

Based in Van Nuys, CA, Real to Reel has also been a longtime associate member of the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP), and regularly exhibits at the AFCI Locations Trade Show. A regular supporter of both the Location Managers Guild of America, and the Hollywood Teamsters Local 399, Real to Reel is one of the few location agencies in Southern California licensed as a real estate brokerage corporation by the California Department of Real Estate and is also notable for the fact that the company’s President and CEO, Gary Onyshko, is a licensed California attorney. For more information, please visit: www.rtrlocations.com

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Filmmakers, Game Developers, Production Designers, Digital Artists, Urban Planners, Architects and Design Aficionados Invited to Explore New Approach to Content Creation
Through Virtual Production and “World-Building”

Immersive design consortium 5D | Institute will kick off their world-building design discussion series in Los Angeles on March 13, 2012 with ’5D | FLUX’ presented in association with Autodesk and USC School of Cinematic Arts. ’5D | FLUX’ will consist of three, 120-minute interactive sessions spanning three evenings aimed at encouraging in-depth conversations about world-building across disciplines. Each session will be held 7-10pm at the Ray Stark Family Theater at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Tickets are available for purchase here. Sessions are $25 each or $60 for a three-day pass.

World-building refers to the iterative design process that creates and actualizes the story space across media, be that game, film, animation, theatre or architecture. This process of developing a dimensional, fictional world created for that story to take place occurs before a specific narrative is locked down. Tuesday’s “Inception” session will cover imaging and developing of worlds; Wednesday’s “Prototyping” session will discuss testing the story space and visualizing the world; and Thursday’s “Manufacturing and Finishing” session will center on building and experiencing the world.

The collaboration with USC School of Cinematic Arts has been a vital component in bringing
’5D | Flux’ to life as the school has been a steadfast supporter of the 5D | Institute. As an education facility, the school’s importance to the film, television and interactive community is undeniable, making it the perfect partner to host the design forum. The detailed schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 – Inception: Imagining and Developing the World
“World-building for independent cinema: ‘Upside Down’”
Presentation By: Alex McDowell, 5D Creative Director, Designer (Man of Steel, Fight Club, Minority Report)
Opening Remarks: Tom Wujec, Design Software Innovator, Autodesk Fellow
Moderator: Peggy Weil, Adjunct Producer USC and Digital Media Designer
Panelists: Rick Carter, Production Designer (War Horse, Avatar, Jurassic Park)
Angus Wall, Editor (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network)
Tom Wujec, Design Software Innovator, Autodesk Fellow
Michael Wilkinson, Costume Designer (Man of Steel, 300, Watchman)

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 – Prototyping: Testing the Story Space and Visualizing the World
“Building Worlds in Animation: ‘How To Train Your Dragon’”
Presentation By: Pierre Olivier Vincent, Production Designer (How to Train Your Dragon, Flushed Away)
Patrick Hanenberger, Production Designer (Rise of the Guardians)
Moderator: Henry Jenkins, Media Scholar/USC Provost Professor
Panelists: Jerrica Cleland, Cinematographer/Animator (Arthur Christmas, Finding Nemo, Toy Story)
Jim Bissell, Production Designer (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, 300, E.T.)
Alex McDowell, 5D Creative Director, Designer (Man of Steel, Fight Club, Minority Report)
Tom Meyer, Production Designer (Real Steel)

Thursday, March 15, 2012 – Manufacturing and Finishing: Building and Experience the World
“Design for Virtual Production: ‘Real Steel’”
Presentation By: Andrew Jones, Art Director (Oz: The Great and Powerful, Avatar, Alice in Wonderland)
Jeff Wisniewski, Art Director (Tintin, Real Steel)
Opening Remarks: David Morin, Autodesk
Moderator: Mike Fink, VFX Supervisor (Avatar, TRON: Legacy, Blade Runner), USC SCA Faculty
Panelists: François Audouy, 5D Founding Committee, Production Designer
Ron Frankel, Previs Innovator (Fight Club, Minority Report)
Habib Zargapour, Creative Director (Microsoft Games Studios), VFX Supervisor (Twister,
A Perfect Storm, Star Wars: Episode I)
Chris Defaria, Producer, Warner Bros (300, Watchman, Harry Potter)

For more information about ’5D | FLUX’, please visit: http://5dconference.com/articles/824

About 5D | Institute
5D | Institute is a global community of multi-disciplinary creators who are engaged in the pursuit of world-building for the sake of generating exciting new storytelling experiences, across multiple media and narrative disciplines, using digital design processes. 5D has created a global narrative through a unique ‘distributed’ conference format, extending and curating the discussion of the role of digital, immersive design across narrative media at numerous international venues, year round. 5D challenges the current and traditional design thinking through their conferences, which bring together a careful cast of speakers, as thought leaders representing the broad spectrum of narrative media.

HUDSON, MA – The Facilis TerraBlock 5.5 Shared Storage Solution with the Facilis Shared File System for Linux is now available. New features such as integrated server spanning and mirroring, Adobe Premiere Pro CS 5.5 project sharing and the TX16 capacity expansion product offer post production, broadcast and content creation professionals expanded capabilities and scalability, in addition to enhanced value and performance.

TerraBlock 5.5, which debuted at Broadcast Video Expo last month, is the latest version of Facilis’ multiplatform, high-capacity shared storage solution supporting 4Gb and 8Gb Fibre channel, and 1Gb and 10Gb Ethernet. New features include:
• Linux Shared File System Support – Mount Multi-user Write volumes on Linux workstations connected via Fibre channel or Ethernet
• TX16 Expansion – Cost-effective capacity expansion of 32TB per unit
• Integrated Server Spanning and Mirroring – Create volumes that span across multiple TerraBlock servers or mirror to another server
• Adobe Premiere Pro CS 5.5 Project Sharing – Avoid costly overwrites while sharing both Apple® Final Cut Pro® 7 and Adobe Premiere Pro projects on Multi-user Write volumes through the Facilis Project Manager Application
• Support for Avid® Media Composer® 6.0 and Symphony® 6.0 – Qualification of the latest Avid applications on Windows 7 and OS X Lion
• Recovery (Rebuild) Priority – Control the speed of recovery, or pause recovery when bandwidth-intensive work is required during the recovery process

TerraBlock 5.5 is now available free of charge for customers holding a current support contract. These customers may contact license@facilis.com for their free upgrade. Support contracts may be purchased through Facilis directly or the worldwide reseller channel. For more information and a full list of features, please visit: http://www.facilis.com/products.html

About Facilis Technology
Facilis Technology, Inc. was founded in 2003 to bring advanced shared storage to television and film post production at a reasonable price. The company designs and builds high-capacity, turnkey solutions that are open, flexible and scalable; enabling content creators to collaborate and work more efficiently. www.facilis.com

All trademarks and copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., March 7, 2012 – As the worldwide transition to HD imaging continues to accelerate, a diverse range of video users – including TV and Internet broadcasters, cable networks, houses of worship, businesses, education and government facilities – are seeking cost-effective, remotely controllable pan-tilt-zoom HD camera systems to provide convenient high-quality widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio) image capture from practically any visual perspective. Meeting these many needs, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, introduces the XU-80 Remote Control Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) HD Camera. This compact, integrated HD PTZ camera system offers exceptional picture quality, fast pan-and-tilt action, and a waterproof and dustproof design that makes it well-suited for either outdoor or indoor use.

Incorporating a CMOS HD 2.1 Megapixel imaging sensor, a Genuine Canon 20x HD zoom lens (with additional 12x digital zoom) for superb telephoto performance, and broadcast-grade features such as genlock input and HD-SDI output in a small design, the versatile new XU-80 HD PTZ camera is ideal for use in outdoor sports and event broadcasting, weather and traffic POV camera installations, houses of worship, indoor event videography, venue I-mag (image magnification), education, homeland security, medical, and many other applications.

“Today’s professional HD video users demand serious price-performance value, which is why Canon leveraged the success and economies of scale earned by its well-received BU-51H (indoor) and BU-46H (outdoor) HD PTZ camera systems to develop the cost-effective new XU-80,” stated Larry Thorpe, senior fellow, Professional Engineering & Solution division, Canon U.S.A. “The XU-80 incorporates the same open control protocol for flexible systemization options as its sibling products, along with widescreen HD imaging, great low-light performance, quiet operation, and several new features. We anticipate major interest in the XU-80 from the many professional sectors needing a versatile and cost-effective remote-controlled HD PTZ camera.”

Advantageous Features
The XU-80 HD PTZ camera is capable of fast, smooth, and highly precise movements even while simultaneously panning and tilting at a maximum rate of 60?/sec. The camera features a pan range of ±180? and a tilt range of +220?/-40?. As quick and nimble as the XU-80 is, it is also extremely quiet while in motion. With a maximum noise level of NC30, it is well-suited for use in quiet environments where noise distractions are not permitted, including video, radio, and performance studios, hospital operating theaters, conference rooms, and lecture halls.

The housing of the XU-80 meets the IP-55 enclosure rating for waterproof and dustproof integrity, enabling the camera to be installed in environmentally challenging outdoor or indoor locations. Along with the standard XU-80, the XU-80W is a model optimized for permanent outdoor installation and comes equipped with a wiper unit to maintain lens port clarity and a servo neutral density (ND) filter unit to optimize picture quality. Both models are also equipped with an integral waterproof microphone that allows for the capture of sound at the camera location.

Further adding to the versatility of the new XU-80 PTZ HD camera is its advanced low-light capability and Night Mode. When shooting under low-light conditions, the XU-80 can acquire extra brightness by using a slow-shutter (frame accumulation) function. The camera’s black & white mode, without the Infrared cut filter, will also support shooting in near-darkness. Dynamic Range Compensation allows for shooting in environments with a high contrast of light and shade (such as an office building lobby on a sunny day) by automatically correcting the contrast of the video according to the range of scene illumination.

In addition to providing clear, crisp HD video, the 2.1 Megapixel CMOS sensor in the XU-80 PTZ HD camera also delivers native imaging performance. A locally switchable output/control feature enables users to select either 1080i or 720p HD output (via a convenient HD-SDI connection) with simultaneous SD analog composite (NTSC or PAL) for monitoring. A genlock input on the XU-80 provides it with the synchronization signal necessary for TV station use and other broadcast applications.

Remote control of the XU-80 PTZ HD camera’s pan, tilt, and zoom movements employs a non-proprietary control protocol that enables users and system integrators to interface the camera with their own control system or that of a range of third-party providers. Control can be toggled between RS-232 and RS-422, making the XU-80 extremely adaptable to new and existing multi-camera environments.

Compact and lightweight at only 14.5 lbs., the XU-80 PTZ HD camera includes a built-in handle for convenient portability. The XU-80 can be mounted upright or in an inverted ceiling mount. In either position, the picture image will automatically flip when the tilt angle reaches 90?.

The XU-80 PTZ HD camera is scheduled to be available at the end of March, 2012.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With $45.6 billion in 2011 global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in patent holdings in the U.S. in 2011† and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2011. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

Availability and specifications of all products are subject to change without notice.

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LAS VEGAS, Nevada — With AVB-enabled products now shipping from a host of manufacturers, six leading companies involved in AVB development and deployment are to co-sponsor a conference to examine real-world applications of the technology with the products available today.

The AVB Networking Conference 2012 is co-sponsored by Avid®, Biamp® Systems, HARMAN®, Lab X Technologies™, Meyer Sound® and Riedel Communications™ — all of whom have AVB-capable devices on the market today. The six pro audio companies will be joined by AVB switch manufacturer Extreme Networks. The applications-based event will provide consultants, integrators and system designers with comprehensive details on how AVB technology can simplify system design and maintenance, and how interoperable solutions are being deployed today.

The AVB Networking Conference 2012 will take place the Renaissance Hotel, Las Vegas on June 12 to be coincident with the InfoComm 2012 tradeshow. It will focus on real-world system showcases for house of worship, performance, sports facility, broadcast and hospitality applications. Confirmed guest speakers include Jim Risgin of On Stage Audio, and Vikram Kirby of Thinkwell, who will share the experiences of their AVB system deployment.

“As more manufacturers deploy AVB-capable components and more systems are installed, the value of AVB becomes more apparent,” said John McMahon, Director of Digital Products, Meyer Sound. “There is no need for complex switch management required by proprietary protocols – AVB is the evolution of Ethernet itself and as a result an AVB system is easier to deploy and an AVB infrastructure is future-proof.”

“AVB provides winning performance on cost-per-node economics – reducing system installation and maintenance with a standards-based Ethernet technology,” added Rex Reed, Business Segment Director, HARMAN Signal Processing. “Our goal in supporting this event to broaden the awareness of AVB’s comprehensive advantages and also to recognize the great work of some of our industry’s most progressive, successful integrators.”

“It’s the simple fact that the signal path through the network is protected by the network which makes AVB unique – it’s both the highway and the highway patrol,” said Matt Czyzewski, Executive Vice President of Operations, Biamp Systems. “It’s that inherent protection of audio data which provides the vital reliability our integrators – and most importantly their customers – have always demanded but have never been able to achieve.”

All seven participating companies are well-known in the promotion of the AVB technologies as a result of their AVnu Alliance membership and activity. It is their collaboration through the alliance and continued commitment to the technology which makes this unprecedented event possible.

The AVB Networking Conference 2012 will be held at the Renaissance Hotel, Las Vegas June 12, 11:00 am – 4:30 pm. A buffet lunch will be served. For free advance registration and up-to-date information, interested parties should visit www.AVBNetworkingConference.com.

All company names and logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

NORTHRIDGE, California— HARMAN’s Soundcraft Studer has appointed James Tunnicliffe to the position of Field Support and Applications Engineer, covering the Eastern region of the United States. In this position, Tunnicliffe will be primarily responsible for providing service support and technical and operational training for the Studer product line as well as Soundcraft’s lineup of digital audio consoles.

Since September 2002, Tunnicliffe has worked for Euphonix as a Field Service Engineer and Product Specialist. In these positions, Tunnicliffe provided support for digital audio consoles in live, OB, broadcast post and music recording environments. Prior to his time with Euphonix, Tunnicliffe worked for Design FX Audio in Burbank, California and Westlake Audio in Hollywood.

“James Tunnicliffe is a perfect fit for the Soundcraft Studer team,” said Adrian Curtis, Senior Sales Director, HARMAN Mixing Group. “He has a deep understanding of the markets we serve and brings a tremendous level of technical expertise to the position. We are delighted to welcome James to the Soundcraft Studer family.”

“I look forward to supporting Soundcraft Studer’s efforts in a variety of markets,” Tunnicliffe said. “The Soundcraft and Studer brands are synonymous with quality and reliability, and my goal will be to put my experience towards strengthening these companies’ reputations and delivering the highest-quality service in the industry.”

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets — supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. The Company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,000 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported net sales of $4.2 billion for twelve months ending December 31, 2011.

New high definition (HD, 2K, 4K, 5K+) royalty-free stock footage time lapse clips and photos in Verona, Turin, Genoa, Italy have been added in different categories (City, Celestial and Marine) on HDtimelapse.net website.


Some of the locations from Verona, Italy are Verona Aerial View, Italy, Adige River, Ponte Nuovo del Popolo, Ponte Navi, San Fermo Maggiore, Santa Anastasia Church, Torre dei Lamberti, Chiesa di San Tomaso Cantuariense, Veneto Region, World Heritage Site, UNESCO, Stone Wall Bridge (Ponte di Pietra), Santuario della Madonna di Lourdes, Verona Arena (Arena di Verona), Roman Amphitheatre in Piazza Bra, Baroque Palazzo Maffei, Piazza delle Erbe, Ancient Town Hall, Lion of St Mark Column, Verona Cathedral, Cattedrale di Santa Maria Matricolare, Duomo di Verona, Via Mazzini, Christmas Lights, Shopping Street, sunset.


Some of the locations from Turin, Italy are Turin Aerial View, Mole Antonelliana, Po River, Alps, Monviso, Monte Rosa, Piedmont, Italy, National Museum of Cinema, Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Ponte Vittorio Emanuelle I Bridge, Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio, Monte dei Cappuccini, Chiesa di Santa Maria del Monte, Chiesa Cattolica Parrocchiale S. Massimo, Tempio Israelitico.


Some of the locations from Genoa, Italy are Genoa Aerial View, Cattedrale San Lorenzo, Genoa Cathedral, Santa Maria Assunta, Seaport, Mediterranean Sea, Palazzo Rosso, Liguria, Il Matitone, San Benigno Torre Nord, Highway Genova-Ovest, WTC Building, Teatro Carlo Felice, Terrazza Martini Tower (Piacentini Tower), Genova Piazza Principe Railway Station, Piazza Acquaverde, The Lighthouse of Genoa (Faro di Genova), Lanterna, Il Bigo in Old Port (Porto Antico), Container Terminals, Cruise Ship Maneuver, sunset.


A few new formats has been added on HDtimelapse.net website such:
QFHD (Quad Full High Definition 3840×2160 – 16:9 aspect ratio)
4K (4096×2160 – 1.9:1 aspect ratio)
5K+ (5616×3744 – Image Sequence)
Photos Pack (5 x Original Resolution).


HDtimelapse.net library contains 7500+ time lapse video clips from 128 locations in 40 countries.


Time Lapse royalty-free stock footage here: http://www.hdtimelapse.net