Plasa 09

[Joe Bleasdale]

Most impressed by the Varilite VLX.

 

Indeed. The see through version was funny, especially that they are now making them as well as the black ones!

 

Thanks Haydn Williams for taking the time to show me the fixture! B-)

 

Best,

[handyandi]

Picked up some kraken repair tape on Le-mark stand. Very impressive. Did notice numbers down on Tuesday & definitely smaller & less stands but I had as better show than for many a year in catching up with people. Thought the KV2 demo was very impressive. To my ears sounded better than the Nexo PS. Actually did a seminar with Mick Spratt from Wigwam which proved a very useful hour spent. Did also notice a distinct lack of plastic bags (must all be going green) but eventually got one of those nice Martin pro shoulder bags.

[Chas at Halls]

There was a half coupler style thing in Hall two that caught my eye - it was a half coupler, with a welded reciever for 48mm pipe, and a short diagonal brace downwards to take the strain integral as part of the connector. It was powder coated black - if anyone could remember the manufacturer I would be very grateful.

 

our good friends at "City Theatrical" do those - www.citytheatrical.com.....

 

Cheers

 

Chas at Hall Stage

[TomHoward]

our good friends at "City Theatrical" do those - www.citytheatrical.com.....

 

Cheers

 

Chas at Hall Stage

That was them, thankyou - I think that was one of my favourite products I spotted, because it meant you could make boom arms out of ali tube offcuts. The 48mm one isn't listed in the online catalogue yet but they did have some.

[henny]

So , more than enfugh led , too many led walls , but the 3d one was a god idea .

 

No pyro demo this year but nevermind

 

so many stand shares with people on other peoples stands

 

some names missing zero 88, barco & Bose to name a few, hall 2 was 1/2 empty .

 

And many had simpler and sometimes smaller than past years.

 

Also a lot less noise , prob because of less dj stuffs.

And a lot cooler prob owing to there being more led and less conventionals Espeshley with people lighting their own stands, I don't think I saw a good old par 64 anywhere.

 

Some nice toys in the innovation gallery , who's was the mover that had 360* cont pan and tilt?

 

Ian

[tokm]

who's was the mover that had 360* cont pan and tilt?

I think it was DTS..

 

T

[Bryson]

Definitely check out the pre-release version of Jands Vista 2 (or "Vista Byron" :) ).

 

Hey! They spelled Bryson wrong.

 

;)

[niclights]

who's was the mover that had 360* cont pan and tilt?

I think it was DTS..

 

T

Yes it was. Neat product and a company I recommend.

[tokm]

who's was the mover that had 360* cont pan and tilt?

I think it was DTS..

 

T

Yes it was. Neat product and a company I recommend.

Ah good, glad to see my memory of my day there wasn't completely blurred by the drink!

 

Did anyone catch a glimpse of this new 'touch' gear from Avo? Apparently there's a new Tiger Touch & a programming wing for the Expert along the same lines. The literature I've seen on the net seem to imply it was being on show at Plasa, yet I don't remember seeing it anywhere on the Avo stand. Maybe I'm just going blind!

 

Any more info people?

 

T

[Davethsparky]

Did anyone catch a glimpse of this new 'touch' gear from Avo? Apparently there's a new Tiger Touch & a programming wing for the Expert along the same lines. The literature I've seen on the net seem to imply it was being on show at Plasa, yet I don't remember seeing it anywhere on the Avo stand. Maybe I'm just going blind!

 

I saw them, they were the ones with the white front panels as opposed to the normal black. And the constant crowds of people getting demo's on them.

[niclights]

Yes they were both on the stand.

 

I have been testing the Touch for a short while and I am genuinely very impressed. Expert hardware & Titan software in a smaller, lighter more affordable frame with the significant advantage of a built-in screen. More suited to theatre and pre-programmed concert touring than busking.

 

The wing is intended to provide some of the programming advantages that the touch screen gives to the Expert. It also potentially doubles as a second or replacement to external screen.

[Nick LX]

Any more info people?

Yeh I got a demo on the Tiger Touch. It was one of the consoles round the edge. Very nice experience. A lot easier than the rollacue. Shame you missed it. The Expert touch wing was just a slide show (so a concept) but looks like it will do good. Apparentley it has been made so that people who just bought an Expert don't feel hard done by seeming as a touch Tiger will come out in January. (Although I got told that orders had been taken and they might appear as soon as November).

[henny]

does any rember who it was who was showing a mic system that had small self contained radio mic's that charged in a holder and worked in the 1 gig range and had mon return audio in each mic, he had a tresure chest on the table. he had no stand to speek of only a table and was just down from harting left hand side of hall 1 againts the escalator I think.

its just they are not on the map

[Guest lightnix]

Some pretty fair observations coming in, I think.

 

All the exhibitors I chatted with, agreed that visitor numbers were down; but that it was the "timewasters and tyrekickers" who were missing from the crowd. The quality of visitor was, on the whole, high.

 

Several interesting conversations were had; including one, which said that a lot of the freelancers who have had to quit this year for "economic reasons", are the ones with lower rates, who got work by undercutting others. One reason given, was that they were unable to afford the training and certification, which people are now asking for on a regular basis. It's also good to hear, that the excessive hours culture, seems to be being brought under control :)

 

Sunday got off to a very quiet start, but gradually warmed up.

Monday was busy from the word Go. Apart from a couple of loo breaks, I didn't get off the stand all day.

Tuesday morning was quiet, but things picked up around midday and it was at least as busy as Monday by the end. On both Monday and Tuesday, we were on the stand for 30-45 mins after close of play, showing people stuff and talking over ideas.

Wednesday was definitely quieter, to the point that I'd almost suggest canning it for the next year or two; make it a three day event, until things really start to recover and pass the savings onto the exhibitors.

 

So , more than enfugh led , too many led walls...

I didn't think it was possible to get any more LEDs into PLASA after last year, how wrong I was :** laughs out loud **:

 

Still... It ain't what ya do, it's the way that ya do it... ;)

 

...but the 3d one was a god idea .

I liked that, too (on VER's stand), but thought that black boxing it might have helped magnify the 3D effect; which I felt was diminished, by being able to see the edge of the carpet at the bottom of the screen.

 

I also like the I-Pix LED units, which were just over the way from us. I like the quiet, unflashy way they just get on with the job of being lights, while offering up-to-date features, like content-mappability (if that's a word).

 

Seeing Pete Smith (AKA Spliffy, who I've not seen for a year or two) dressed up and on his stand was also amusing. It was also good to meet Lightnix too.

Thanks, Pete, it was nice to meet you, too, along with the various other BR members, who dropped by to say Hello :) Yes - it was good to see Mr. Smith, too, looking all clean cut, business-like and everything. I was "in Greenford back then", too... as it were... so to speak...

 

The attitude of some stands,OK im not going to spend 7658857 million with you,but im seriously interested in one of your products its exactly the solution im looking for...

The approach of one of the chain hoist manufacturers confused me... I couldn't work out what they were exhibiting for if they weren't looking to generate interest.

I found a couple of suppliers almost questioning why I was there, esp one company who I love, the rep was just not friendly.

It's tricky to strike the right balance, sometimes, although there's no excuse for rudeness. I got picked up by my boss on the first day, for spending "too long" talking to a student. He pointed out, quite fairly, that this encounter had cost the company a measurable sum of money and that although it was right to encourage TNG, we had to remember why we were there :)

 

The balance struck was, that we'll chat with anyone as long as we're quiet. But if we find ourselves chatting to someone who has just a general interest, or who's simply looking for a cheap solution, and somebody who does have 7658857 million to spend rocks up; then I'm afraid that we must regrettably draw the conversation with the lower-budget prospect, politely to an end. Sorry chaps, but that's business and that's what PLASA is about. It has to be - it's a very expensive undertaking. ;)

 

So, with all respect: If you want a friendly chat or some odd bits and pieces, visit ABTT or PLASA Focus - that's where exhibitors go to meet The People. PLASA is where they go, to (try to) make some proper money; partly in order to pay the people who work for them, so they can keep rooves over their heads and put foods on their tables :mellow:

[quinch]

Did anyone get a demo of the shadowless followspot thingy? I thought it was probably the most innovative product shown there this year but since no-one else has mentioned it I'm beginning to wonder if I hallucinated the whole thing!

 

s :)