High End Systems

High End Systems, or HES, is a major manufacturer of fixtures, effects, and controls for stage lighting. It began in the 1980s as an importer/reseller of Clay Paky fixtures, and established itself as one of the premiere suppliers of lighting equipment for "Gentlemen's Clubs" in Texas. In 2000, it purchased Flying Pig Systems and thus the WholehogII, the most successful moving light console at the time. It subsequently launched the Hog3 console in 2003, a family of consoles which has grown to include Hog3PC, Road Hog, and Full Boar. A subsidiary, Lightwave Research, brought dichroic color filters and other effects to the market. Some of HES's legendary fixtures include the Trackspot, Intellabeam, Dataflash/AF1000, Cyberlight, Studio Color, Studio Spot, Studio Beam, and Technobeam (sold to followspot manufacturer Strong in 2007).

Most recently HES has introduced the ShowGun, ShowPix, and StudioPix. High End has also been reponsible for the Catalyst media server, and DL.1, DL.2, and DL.3 digital luminaries (a video projector on a moving yoke). High End was purchased by video giant Barco in 2008, continuing the convergence of lighting and video.

For discussion on where High End/Barco may be headed, see this thread: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/l...ping-ball.html.