Gator Cases: Uplifting Video Solution

Gator’s new G-Tour^TM Lift Case is a multiple position lift case that uses non-
electric hydraulic assisted technology to lift and retract. The case locks at various
heights of 70″, 64″, 58″ and 52″ with a maximum height of mount center at 72 inches.
The lift extends smoothly with a load of up to 125 pounds and the integrated “lock block” safety feature prevents accidental release. The interior of the case is 52″ long and fits most 42″ to 52″ screens. The G-TOURLCDLIFT50P also features a built-in retractable UL approved electrical cord with 3 outlet power strip for powering your equipment, a removable laptop shelf, black case drape and universal mounting bracket. The lift case includes the superior quality construction of Gator’s G-Tour^TM series; such as 12mm plywood with PVC exterior, Red Penn Elcom® recessed MOL twist latches, spring-loaded rubber-gripped handles, heavy-duty Penn Bright® zinc-plated hardware and reinforced ball corners. The attached caster board with 4 wheels, 2 of which are locking, make Gator’s new lift case a complete solution for storage, transport and display.

New Solid-State Visual Presenter from EDIROL Turns Heads

New Solid-State Visual Presenter from EDIROL Turns Heads
12, March 2008, Frankfurt - Today Roland Systems Group introduced the EDIROL P-10
Visual Presenter, their newest, compact and most affordable offering in the growing
lineup of visual performance products. Although many presenters and visual artists use
computers for their video and still playback, they are limited in accessibility, reliability,
control and tactile approach to triggering content - which the P-10 provides.
The P-10 is equipped with 12 keypads, dedicated knobs and dials; the user has tactile
control and accessibility to all their material. The P-10 uses SD or SDHC memory cards for
solid state, reliable storage and supports motion jpeg and still jpeg formats. A bright
color LCD display enables viewing with no need for an external monitor. The P-10 is a
stand-alone dedicated hardware device providing a very stable environment and is not
susceptible to stuttering, virus attacks or hardware and software compatibility issues
inherent with computers.
Analog capture inputs provide a quick and easy way to directly capture to the P-10 -
and then immediately play it back with effects enhancing any presentation or
performance. Additionally, the slide show function allows you to piece together still
images to create a motion video effect.
The P-10 is the ideal solution for corporate presentations, VJ’s, clubs, houses of worship
and sporting events - anywhere you need visuals available instantaneously and
spontaneously. The sleek and compact design lends itself to portable applications and
permanent installations when size and space are considerations.
The P-10 is also the perfect compliment to the newly released EDIROL V-8 Eight Channel
Video Mixer as a dedicated input source for video performance and playback.
Additional product information can be downloaded at www.edirol.com/p10
Roland Systems Group U.S. (RSG) supplies the commercial and performance
audio/video industries with application specific equipment from the RSS by Roland and
EDIROL by Roland product lines. These product lines address applications for houses of
worship, clubs/casinos, theaters/performing arts centers and rental and staging
companies. Roland Systems Group U.S is headquartered in Bellingham, Washington. RSG
is a member of the worldwide group of Roland companies. For more information, visit
www.rolandsystemsgroup.com or call 800.380.2580.

Roland Systems Group Unveils EDIROL V-8 Video Mixer

Today Roland Systems Group debuted its highly anticipated
EDIROL V-8 Eight Channel Video Mixer. This next generation video mixer represents the
natural expansion of the industry standard EDIROL V-4 four channel video mixer
incorporating the same primary feature set. Doubling the video inputs and adding
computer inputs truly addresses the needs and requests of the SD video market segment.
The EDIROL V-8 appeals to VJs, schools, houses of worship and corporate AV users who
need more inputs, more effects, and regularly incorporate computer graphics and
presentation software applications in their video performance and presentations.
World renowned VJ artist Grant Davis (aka VJ Culture) comments, “The V-8 is a truly
amazing visual instrument and video mixer. For some shows that require more than 4
inputs we need to use multiple mixers, plus scan converters to get our computer inputs
into the video mixers. The V-8 does it all in one unit, plus it has some pretty cool new
effects and control surface cross-faders”.
The V-8’s sleek and compact design lends itself to portable applications as well as
permanent installations when size and space are considerations. In addition to a
number of new powerful video effects, the user interface incorporates fader controls for
effects on each bus and master output fader. Each of the first seven input channels has
BNC connectors and loop-thru functions for individual channel monitoring. The eighth
input can take either s-video or computer via 15-pin D-SUB. There can be two computers
connected, accessible via a selector switch which auto detects the format accepting
signals up to 1600 x 1200 eliminating the need for outboard scan converters.
Additional product information and photos can be downloaded at: www.edirol.com/v8
Roland Systems Group U.S. (RSG) supplies the commercial and performance
audio/video industries with application specific equipment from the RSS by Roland and
EDIROL by Roland product lines. These product lines address applications for houses of
worship, clubs/casinos, theaters/performing arts centers and rental and staging
companies. Roland Systems Group U.S is headquartered in Bellingham, Washington. RSG
is a member of the worldwide group of Roland companies. For more information, visit
www.rolandsystemsgroup.com or call 800.380.2580.
# #

School House Rock

How to rock the house, in high (school) styleOften in life, the most rewarding experiences come with the most work. It seems the more a person works; the more they are rewarded with pay, satisfaction, and piece of mind. As many businessmen will note, there is really is nothing more soul-satisfying than a job well done. In the DJ world, large school dances are the closest some of us get to being rock stars and playing in front of thousands-all the while living out our life-long dreams. The feeling of 3,000-plus people singing the song, swaying and dancing to the music, and thousands of watts of sound rippling through the room is, in my humble opinion, unmatched by any pharmaceutical or recreational drug available.

Professional Production Process
Disc jockeys have been filling up their off nights with school functions since the inception of the industry. Few, however, give the school market the respect and time that it deserves to make each event a success, particularly the large ones. There are some who really take the time to create the production values (sound/stage/video/lights), and there are some who treat these shows as a way to make a quick buck without all of the planning involved in a wedding or mitzvah. If you are wondering why your school client list and return bookings are lagging, its because your competition realized a long time ago that the days of simply showing up and playing at major school dances were over.
To start with, any entertainment company that does not have a solid relationship with all the sponsors (students, faculty and parents) probably will not last for long. Little things ARE big things in the school market just as in the wedding market. Confirmation calls, edited music, timeliness, and general courtesy will go a long way to building your reputation with a school.

Secondly, being prepared is key. For all of my major events, I request meetings at the venue with students, faculty and venue staff to go over our plans for the evening. It is also important (if not in person) to at least meet by phone with the photographer and designer for the evening, to try to anticipate any and all “bugs” that may arise during the event. It is also important that if there is an event theme, that you coordinate with each entity to stay true to the vision of your ultimate bosses-the students.
Once you have met with your students, faculty and staff, you have developed a relationship that reassures everyone involved that you are a professional and will do everything in your power to make the occasion a success. After all, that is the reason why you were hired.

In addition, viewing the venue also helps you determine the amount of production that is necessary for your event. It’s wise to ask your students what their vision of the production is-from “low key” to “high tech.” For those of you playing the home game, this is the perfect opportunity to up-sell your client (on production and interactive features, such as video and textlive) while they are at the venue and excited about the prospect of something new and exciting.

Thirdly, it is important to allow as much direct input as possible into the music that will be played. For all of my school events, I allow direct access to all students via the DJ Intelligence online system-allowing pre-event requests in a neat format. At my events, I then play the danceable requests, leaving off selections that will “tank” or be too vulgar. It is imperative to purchase and become familiar with any new music that has been requested. The students are counting on you to be their entertainment “tour guide” for the evening, and if you don’t know the way, the party can get lost rather quickly.

Next, you must call and confirm all of your plans and keep a lookout for anything that may have changed since your last conversation or meeting. Open communication will alleviate most of the pressure you may have put on yourself by confirming your role in the event. Talking with your sponsors a week or two before your event will also clear up any miscommunications that may have occurred since the first meeting.
Additionally, one or two weeks may be needed to kick start the process of getting paid from the schools. Different school districts have different processes and some may require a physical signature on not only an invoice, but an “independent contractor’s form.” Whatever the case, just make sure no one forgot about you.

Fully Equipped to Rock
When your clients expect professional services, they also expect professional equipment. All equipment that is used should be attractive-sonically and aesthetically. All speakers should be aimed, calibrated, and elevated if necessary, and should be properly amplified, not overdriven. A good concept to embrace is the idea that if it needs to be overdriven, then you need more. No matter how good they are, or what brand of speakers you’re using, a single pair will not do for a large group of people. Sound, in its finest form, embraces the philosophy of even distribution. Distribution entails careful planning and a slight fringe overlapping of signals designed to increase quality and decrease distortion and destruction of equipment. In other words, your system, at show volume, should be peaked at about 60% of its total capabilities to be able to handle the variance of signals.

Sound is the key technical aspect of a show. Without sound, there is no show-no reason for you to be there and get paid. As a result of this, your setup time should be dependent on getting your sound right first. From there, you can work on the window dressing of lights and the wow factor of video.

Lighting can make or break a show, but is not as system-critical as sound is, and should be viewed as an art form that compliments the science of sound. A basic light show may seem better for your budget, but a large, innovative light show will get you referrals.
The new norm in lights is, without question, DMX fixtures. If you’re not rocking DMX, you may be rocking the house, but you’re not rocking the future, as your light show will remain basic and become stale. With DMX, preset patterns and chases can be crafted before each “run” or “tour” of schools and changed for the next run, making your production seem more like a traveling rock show than a discount bin at your local DJ supply store.

Keeping It Real
Finally, and most importantly…your performance. Without question, this area is what every show depends on, and on which return business is based. It is important that you feel the energy of the room, amplify it and channel it back into your show. Have enthusiasm for what you do, but DO NOT be phony. There are few people in this world that can do what we do and be truly successful at it; if you’re faking it, it will be felt by the audience. Real professionals NEVER have off nights. The show must go on; the crowds of young people do not care about your personal life. They came to have a good time and escape their regular lives for a few hours.

Schools are a significant form of income and even professional enjoyment, but also a serious responsibility. You are providing a lasting impression for potential life-long fans of your work, who may potentially utilize your services at every future milestone event that necessitates them. Above all, you are providing memories that will last a lifetime and a reputation that will define you.

Beside being a youth event specialist and logistics manager for BC Productions in Des Moines, IA, Jake Feldman serves as coordinator for the print and online versions of the Mobile Beat/ProDJ.com gear guide.

Pioneer Ups Ante on Video/Audio Mixer

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. Professional Sound and Visual Division today unveiled the SVM-1000, the world’s first reference audio and video combination mixer designed for elite DJs, VJs and club venues to enhance their audio/video performance and provide their patrons and fans with an all encompassing sensory experience.In addition to mixing audio and video, the SVM-1000 mixer incorporates a built-in 11-inch LCD touch-panel display, symmetric channel layout, 4-channel audio and video inputs, Still Image Sampler and hundreds of combinations of video effects. Features and audio mixing capabilities of the SVM-1000 are similar to the industry standard Pioneer DJM-1000/800 mixers, which give DJs and VJs the creative freedom to easily build and create synchronized visual effects to accompany their audio mix for a complete entertainment encounter.

“Traditionally, the roles of DJs and VJs were separate - the DJ mixes the
music while the VJ controls the visuals - their performances awkwardly
coordinated with one another. With the SVM-1000 the audio and visual
effects are seamlessly controlled in one master area,” said Matt Dever,
vice president of sales and marketing for Pioneer’s Professional Sound and
Visual Division. “Best of all, operation of audio and video mixing are
done similarly to our popular DJM audio mixers making the SVM-1000 an easy
transition for any DJ and/or VJ.”

The SVM-1000 mixer was designed to easily integrate into a club
environment’s DJ booth due to its physical traits. The face of the mixer
incorporates a “channel symmetric layout” featuring an 11-inch LCD touch
panel in the center of the mixer. With a quick touch of the screen, video
manipulation follows the audio with fluid transition.

SVM-1000 Features Include:
Multiple Video Blending Technology
DJs can synchronize audio and video with up to four sources simultaneously.
Each of the four channels features independent fading and equalization for
traditional mixing techniques. The mixer is also capable of sound-only or
visual-only control for creative mixing according to the DJ/VJ style. For
enhanced visuals of any mix, the cross fader is capable of various video
effects such as FADE, WIPE and CHROMAKEY.

Audio Video Effect Function
An Audio Video Effect function enables the user to fully synchronize audio
and video effects utilizing a built-in 11-inch touch-panel LCD display.
With up to 30 built-in audio and video effects, users have the ability to
quickly create exciting visual treatments orchestrated to music. When
video isn’t available from a source, such as a CD, the DJ can still create
a visual performance through pre-loaded graphics and images accessed from
an animated on-screen icon for quick selection.

Pioneer SVM-1000 Mixer pg. 2

AV Beat Effect: The mixer automatically detects the tempo of the music and
synchs it with the video content. Twelve beat effects are available
including Delay, Echo, Pan, Transformer, Filter, Flanger, Phaser, Reverb,
Robot, Chorus, Roll and Reverse Roll which can also be combined with other
visual effects such as Inverse, Edge and Hue for numerous arrangements.
AV Touch Effect: Taking advantage of the large touch-screen display, users
can quickly access 12 touch effect patterns including Ripple, Lens, Spot,
Radiation, Cube, Block, Kaleidoscope, Twist, Zoom, Drop, Blur and
Distortion. Each effect contains four parameters to create different
variations on the screen.
Text Effect: Custom text messages can also be displayed to the tempo of the
music in various beat-linked expressions. Six text patterns are available
including Random, Zoom, Block, Rotation, Crush and Slide which can also be
inputted through its built-in USB connection.

JPEG Viewer Function
The SVM-1000 lets users incorporate their own images and photos from an
external memory device for use in their performance through a SD slot and
USB connection. Its “Still Image Sampler” further enhances visuals by
mixing images, such as logos of DJs, events or sponsors with videos or
other still images with the ability to loop and play them as a slide show.

Audio and Video Quality

Audio: The mixer employs 96 kHz / 24-bit digital sampling and a 32-bit
Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for the highest quality audio. The SVM-1000
integrates various features to maximize audio quality: high rigidity
chassis for minimizing unnecessary vibration, dual-shield structure for
eliminating digital noise and high performance / low noise power supply for
clean and powerful sound.
Video: The video signal input through the Analog to Digital Converter is
image processed at 600MHz / 32-bit / 4800MIPS (Million Instructions per
Second) to maintain high dynamic range and minimized noise resulting in
accurate and clear visuals.

Other Performance Features Include:
Video Trim: Enables adjustment of brightness for each input video channel
Video EQ: Assignment of video parameters such as RGB, contrast, hue or
saturation allows equalization and synchronization of audio and video
Fader Start: Allows the cross fader to start other Pioneer players
Fully Assignable MIDI: Control of external MIDI equipment such as effectors
or DJ/VJ computer software
Video Monitor Select: One touch on-screen video selection

The SVM-1000 will be available in February 2008 with a manufacturers
suggested retail price of $5,999.

Pioneer offers a complete line of professional DJ equipment through its
Professional Sound and Visual Division. Their DJM, CDJ and DVJ
Professional DJ equipment are known for their high quality sound and
reliability and considered the industry standard at clubs, studios, mobile
rigs and homes around the world. For more information, visit
http://www.PioneerProDj.com.

Elation Show Designer 3D Ultimate Visualizer

With all the new hardware products on the floor of Elation’s LDI booth one of the things that caught my eye was a software product. Specifically, that was Elation’s Show Designer 3D. While you could easily describe this as the ultimate visualization program, it goes well beyond that.The software essentially works in layers - eight to be specific. There is a particle layer, a live text layer, a mask overlay layer and others. Two layers are also video layers so you can bring in video and incorporate that into your visualization scheme.

Using a Windows-based computer, you can craft visualization schemes on the fly, throwing in video or adding a text layer as you go. While the software has a lot of features, it is relatively straightforward in its interface.

If you so choose, you can also use any DMX controller to create your visualizations as well. Through a DMX to MIDI interface, you can adjust the various visualizations on the fly or use the computer’s own interface. With the number of functions incorporated into the software, you will utilize an entire DMX controller so you’ll need a second one - or Elation’s own DMX lighting control software - to control your lights separately.

While this $1599 list software isn’t for everybody, for those looking to take their video shows one step further this is one giant step for DJ kind in the world of video visualizations. Now if you use one of those slick LED curtains…

In the image below I’ve cut and pasted two of the screens so you can get a visual of what is possible. You can also overlay text, video and more over these images for an exciting multi-layer visualization.

Check out Elation’s web site for More Information.

FogScreen Lets You Project On A Layer of Water

There are a lot of screen technologies available in today’s market but Mobile Beat stumbled across one of the most unique and original screen surfaces yet - water. Now if you’ve been to some amusement parks you’ve already seen projection on high pressure water displays, but this is much different.FogScreen is a technology that turns water into a vapor and then drops it in a curtain of fog from a fixture placed atop where the screen is. The result is a layer of thin fog that you can actually project onto. Yet the most amazing thing about this technology is that you can walk right through the fog without any dampness transmitting to you whatsoever. It’s truly a unique technology.

Mobile Beat spoke to the FogScreen folks at the LDI convention and asked them what the impetus was for such a technology. The response? “We wanted to create an image floating in air like they do on Star Wars.” The company tried a number of chemicals to achieve the effect to no avail. Then they learned how to create the illusion with water and today we have FogScreen.

Now this is not something the majority of mobile DJs are going to want to rush out to buy partially because a unit costs about the same as a garage full of automobiles and it is no small appliance. Still, for some extreme events this might be a great tool in one’s rental arsenal and at the very least it’s infinitely cool. Imagine your guests walking into a James Bond New Year’s Eve party with images of the agent himself projected on the door way. Or, imaging your corporate holiday party’s boring PowerPoint taking life in a screen of fog that people can touch and walk through. It definitely has a market and makes a statement.

The density of the fog can be altered depending on the effect you wish you achieve. You can create a thicker or almost transparent fog with settings on the device. The company also showed an interactive display where you would draw on the fog with your hand and this would create an image that would be projected onto the screen. This is sort of like a gigantic, interactive Etch-A-Sketch except that it’s not quite as portable and a bit costlier.

FogScreen isn’t for everybody but there’s no doubt that everybody who experiences this device is going to remember the experience.