New Products Unveiled at CUE: ETC GIO, LED S4

[Footer]

Re: New Product(s) to be Unveiled at CUE: ETC GIO, LED S4

Wrong. Film at 11.

ST

Looking forward to it Steve. In all seriousness, I am really interested in this product. I'm sitting on the same rig that you wrote the maintenance contract for when you were at Production Arts. Pragmatech keeps the system running with bubble gum. We are looking at a capital project in the next few years for both venues, from control to dimmers to distribution to fixtures. Lower power, less HVAC, and a quicker show turn around is something we are really looking at. So, if you guys have the product we are looking for, I'll take 600. Right now I am at the point that if they offered me the money to do the project tomorrow, I think I would hold off for a year or two and wait and see whats out there. We are on the cusp here, and we were all waiting to see ETC make their move.

Micro$oft "PowerPoint-ification" was happening before Apple Keynote, and of course 35mm slides way before that. Thank goodness companies are willing to spend money "on these type of things," as I've never been paid to light a press release.

By Keynote I don't mean the program, I mean the "keynote" one more thing exciting product announcements that are live blogged/tweeted/video casted/whatever.

 

[STEVETERRY]

Re: New Product(s) to be Unveiled at CUE: ETC GIO, LED S4

I'm sitting on the same rig that you wrote the maintenance contract for when you were at Production Arts. Pragmatech keeps the system running with bubble gum. .

Wow, that is one old and tired system! It was bad then, and it must be really bad now.

Cheers

ST

 

[epimetheus]

I've been trying to talk ETC into investigating Ethernet over power line and ACN in the fixtures. It would be great to be able to supply power and networking in one connection rather than having to inventory and run multiple cables to each fixture. It might happen but it would be on their schedule and only if they can support it.

I don't think ethernet over powerline is such a great idea when your power source also feeds modern dimmer systems. The chop of the dimmers is not exactly conducive to successful power line carrier.

 

[Footer]

Re: New Product(s) to be Unveiled at CUE: ETC GIO, LED S4

Wow, that is one old and tired system! It was bad then, and it must be really bad now.

Cheers

ST

And it makes Steph REALLY tired. The day she never has to go up to either patch panel, fix a bad strand/centery lamp base, or get 3rd degree burns trying to run a barrel is going to be one of the best days of her life. When we explain what gear we have to visiting LD's, it usually makes their head explode, especially the younger people that have never worked with a dimmer over 2.4k.

 

[MrsFooter]

Re: New Product(s) to be Unveiled at CUE: ETC GIO, LED S4

Wow, that is one old and tired system! It was bad then, and it must be really bad now.

Cheers

ST

You have no idea. The worst is when I do a prep call for a show, dimmer check before I leave like a good girl, everything works when I close up and go home for the night. Then I walk in the door the next morning and starting turning on the system to show the LD and BAM 7 fixtures out and BAM I look like a dumbass. I swear everything worked last night...

And it makes Steph REALLY tired. The day she never has to go up to either patch panel, fix a bad strand/centery lamp base, or get 3rd degree burns trying to run a barrel is going to be one of the best days of her life. When we explain what gear we have to visiting LD's, it usually makes their head explode, especially the younger people that have never worked with a dimmer over 2.4k.

It's that last bit that gets really frustrating. Of course the rest of it sucks, (especially when I loose my fingerprints--OW,) but the most difficult part of my job is trying to communicate the way our rig works to road LDs. Each one of them has to go through their own emotional cycle of disbelief, anger, sadness, and finally acceptance. Once we get to the acceptance stage we can have a good day, but until then it's going to be a fight. Every time...

Right now I am at the point that if they offered me the money to do the project tomorrow, I think I would hold off for a year or two and wait and see whats out there.

If I find out you're sitting on that money while I'm fixing base caps and fighting with fixtures I WILL GUT YOU IN YOUR SLEEP. Love you!

 

[dvsDave]

Re: New Product(s) to be Unveiled at CUE: ETC GIO, LED S4

Alright, to get back to the topic at hand, there is supposedly a factory walkthrough today and a close up with the LED Source4s. Here's hoping more information pops up about them.

 

[Grog12]

I know that. But is it variable white? Or just 5600K or whatever? There are a lot of designers that don't want that color temp out of their lekos is my point.

I'd argue that that statement isn't as true as you think it is...

 

[rsmentele]

I know this product is not as new, but they also had a working Foundation rigging control unit. It controls up to 48 variable and/or fixed speed hoists. Its software system is roughly based on the Eos control software, meaning you can record cues, wait times, rate times have part cues (if I remember correctly) it has a touch screen monitor for control, as well as a joy stick, and 'go' buttons. It was quite user friendly and very familiar (as they intended) They also unofficially announced that they are going to be releasing a variable high speed hoist system some time soon, but gave no timeline. Not sure if this is common knowledge to everyone, but I figured I'd put it out there incase its not!

 

[shiben]

I'd argue that that statement isn't as true as you think it is...

I would agree with Grog here. Honestly, if LDs didnt want it, they probably would not have this "feature" in every whitelight LED product worth the money you spent...

 

[sk8rsdad]

I don't think ethernet over powerline is such a great idea when your power source also feeds modern dimmer systems. The chop of the dimmers is not exactly conducive to successful power line carrier.

The technology has greatly improved in the past 18 months as has the price point. It's worth investigating. Maybe it's not viable everywhere or only viable in certain situations like a smart R20 module in a Sensor Rack. BTW, I'm also an electrical engineer working in telecom (VOIP) so the suggestion is not just idle speculation.

 

[sk8rsdad]

Another tidbit about Gio, the integrated touchscreens are rumoured to be multi-touch. The implication is the user interface will start to take advantage of it in coming years. It would be nice to be able to organize the rig using some other paradigm than numbered lists, and break the implicit link between fixture type and screen layout so that channels can be organized by purpose for instance. It would also be nice to select channels by dragging a finger over the screen, or lassoing, scroll by gesture, and stuff like that. I don't expect ETC to take advantage of it in the first release since it's a pretty significant change and maybe a compatibility challenge for the other consoles in the family.

 

[Grog12]

Another tidbit about Gio, the integrated touchscreens are rumoured to be multi-touch. The implication is the user interface will start to take advantage of it in coming years. It would be nice to be able to organize the rig using some other paradigm than numbered lists, and break the implicit link between fixture type and screen layout so that channels can be organized by purpose for instance. It would also be nice to select channels by dragging a finger over the screen, or lassoing, scroll by gesture, and stuff like that. I don't expect ETC to take advantage of it in the first release since it's a pretty significant change and maybe a compatibility challenge for the other consoles in the family.

Sounds like you should investiage the Jands Vista....

 

[doctrjohn]

Sounds like you should investiage the Jands Vista....

Or an ETC Congo/Jr/Kid. This line gives you the ability to create channel layouts that can resemble your rig, a magic sheet, etc... You can quickly switch between this view or your, more normal/typical, "tombstone" view. You can check out a few examples here.

Best,
John

 

[chausman]

Another tidbit about Gio, the integrated touchscreens are rumoured to be multi-touch. The implication is the user interface will start to take advantage of it in coming years.

Multi-Touch! Handling multiple parameters better then encoders!

 

[MNicolai]

All of my photos from CUE are finally up on Flickr. A good chunk of them are from "Fun at the Factory" Tuesday night, where live music and a picnic were held on the front lawn, and inside there were tours, tasty food, and a hallway filled with the history of ETC consoles.


Gio Wooden Model by smoke-test, on Flickr


Gio by smoke-test, on Flickr


Gio by smoke-test, on Flickr


Gio by smoke-test, on Flickr


Gio by smoke-test, on Flickr


Gio by smoke-test, on Flickr


Ion Prototypes by smoke-test, on Flickr


Ion Prototypes by smoke-test, on Flickr

This is the first Ion prototype. At the picnic Tuesday night, David North and Dennis Varian were explaining how this originally ran the Expression software and Dennis actually ran shows on this prototype.



Console Museum by smoke-test, on Flickr


Console History 101 by smoke-test, on Flickr


Console Museum by smoke-test, on Flickr


Fun at the Factory by smoke-test, on Flickr

Check out the Flickr link at the top of this post to view the full set of 60 photos.

 

[tjrobb]

About heat - the LED will need to dissipate heat just as much as the Halogens, just not as big a quantity. LED's HATE heat, and will die quickly if too warm (over 40°C, typically, and the life starts to plummet). Although I am not an engineer, they may be able to keep the existing tailcap, if it provides enough dissipation. Would make the LED units blend in better as well.

 

[tyler.martin]

It is a pretty cool factory... I bet no other manufacturer uses Glass Gobos on their factory floor for Area Identification... I wish I had more time to explore when I was there in May

 

[gafftapegreenia]

One must remember that a large and ever-growing segment is the archtectural market and other long term installation projects. LED's might not be completely ready to fully fill our fickle and demanding theatrical needs, but their long life, low maintenance, low heat and lower power consumption makes them very attractive for many other users, users that will be just peachy with this first gen of S4 LED.

 

[shiben]

One must remember that a large and ever-growing segment is the archtectural market and other long term installation projects. LED's might not be completely ready to fully fill our fickle and demanding theatrical needs, but their long life, low maintenance, low heat and lower power consumption makes them very attractive for many other users, users that will be just peachy with this first gen of S4 LED.

This is a very good point. Lighting up a painting for 10 hours a day is probably much better accomplished by a LED S4 rather than a conventional on multiple levels. I would imagine museums would love this product...

 

[druma159]

Now that CUE is over, are the PowerPoint that were given out available for download somewhere?