ShowTool Swatch brings your gel swatch book to life. It’s the easiest and most beautiful way of viewing the information most important to you, helping you to make the right decisions when time matters. Share your ideas with friends or send orders straight to your local dealer.

ShowTool Swatch comes fully stocked with the most up to date catalogs for Lee, Rosco, Gam and Apollo with updates as new gels are added. Browse gels by manufacturer and range or search for a specific color by name or number. Gels can be sorted by number or in catalog order just like your old swatch book. Mark your favorite gels for quick and easy access or simply view a list of your most recently viewed gels. Notes can be added to each gel for when you just need a little reminder.

ShowTool Swatch is a universal app designed to run on the iPhone, iPad and the iPod Touch running iOS 5. Visit the iTunes App Store and pick up a copy for $5.99 USD. Learn more about ShowTool Swatch by visiting Daniel’s website.

New iOS App: ShowTool Swatch is a post from: iSquint.net

The first offering is a six-pack of trackspot Bolt moving mirror luminaires.  The LED trackspot Bolt provides designers with unprecedented light output, large feature set, and extremely fast movement – all in a compact fixture design.  With a three year warranty and no need to ever change the lamp, the trackspot Bolt is a very economical choice.  Now when customers purchase five fixtures, the sixth is free!

More details are available here: www.highend.com/sixpack

The new DLV Digital Light is also available for purchase in bulk.  The DLV is a compact digital light outputting 4000 lumens.  Based on the same engine as the renowned DL.3 Digital Light, the DLV has the same capabilities and large content package.  Now until June 29, 2012 when customers purchase four DLV fixtures they will receive a Road Hog lighting console free of charge!  The Road Hog console is a full featured Wholehog console capable of controlling 2048 DMX channels.

More details are available here: www.highend.com/DLVbundle

Also available through June 29, 2012, High End Systems is offering a special reduced purchase price for select replacement stepper motors.  This special is limited to quantities on hand and partial shipments must be accepted.  Customers can receive this parts special directly through their High End Systems representative.

High End Systems Offers a Six Pack Deal on Trackspot Bolt & DLV is a post from: iSquint.net

Points to be discussed include:

* Memory consoles changed the way shows were cued and lit.
* Automated lighting changed the way shows look.
* DMX512 changed the way consoles are run.
* LEDs changed the way shows are colored.
* Media servers changed the way video is controlled.
* Networking is changing the way shows are built.
* RDM will change the way shows are tech’d.
* Technology is changing everything in the live event production industry.

What’s coming in the future? New technology. Hang on for the ride of your light. You can learn more about the webinar by visiting Creative Stage Lighting’s blog and register for the webinar on GoToMeeting.

CSL’s Next Webinar: Green is a Number is a post from: iSquint.net

Here is more information from the Press Release:

4Wall Entertainment is pleased to announce the asset acquisition of TLS, Inc.  Since its inception in 1981, TLS, Inc. has been at the forefront of theatrical lighting in the southern United States.  The company features headquarters in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as offices in Nashville, Tennessee and Jackson, Mississippi.

In addition to acquiring a large amount of inventory, 4Wall will also gain members of the TLS, Inc. team who will assume roles within the company.  TLS, Inc. Owner David Milly will assume the role of Executive VP of Business Development while current TLS, Inc. Touring Manager Scott Devoss will become the VP of Concert Touring for the company.

Milly, speaking of the sale of TLS, Inc. to 4Wall, stated:

“This move will allow us to provide our customers with access to 4Wall’s rental inventory, which contains the newest lighting products available.  In addition I feel our customers will receive the same attention to detail we have always provided at TLS, Inc.

Milly, in addition to his role of Executive Vice President within 4Wall, will also be a Co-Owner and Shareholder in the new 4Wall Nashville, which will act as the headquarters for the company’s Southern US operations.  4Wall Nashville will be the fifth 4Wall location joining New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Washington DC.

4Wall CEO Michael Cannon spoke of the purchase, saying:

“TLS, Inc. and David Milly have a great reputation throughout the industry.  By combining 4Wall’s inventory with the experienced staff and established presence of TLS, Inc., I feel we can build upon the customer relationships they have created while at the same time forging new ones.”

4Wall’s purchase of TLS, Inc. is expected to be completed as of June 1^st.

Breaking News: 4Wall Purchases Assets of TLS, Inc. & Announces Nashville Office is a post from: iSquint.net

Just 10 short years ago, High End released to the market, a media server… something revolutionary and forward thinking… the Catalyst. It was shortly followed by a digital projector and a media server mounted into a moving yoke, the DL.1.

Through June, High End will be celebrating their 10 years in the digital lighting arena by holding a 10 year digital lighting promotion.  All you have to do is fill out the form and High End will contact you with more details.

Wanna know more about the history of digital lighting from High End?

The first DMX controlled media server and Orbital Mirror Heads were sold in 2002 and the digital lighting revolution began.  Back then, the Catalyst media server provided designers with the ability to control and manipulate media content from any lighting console.  Prior to the release of Catalyst, video control from a lighting console was merely a dream for most designers.

Within a year after the first product was sold, the DL.1 Digital Light was released.  This self contained unit was a video projector on a yoke with a direct connection to a Catalyst media server located away from the moving head.  Suddenly designers were able to incorporate their own “fixture” and move away from using large video projectors with moving mirrors.  But High End Systems had bigger plans for a fully integrated digital light.

2004 marked the release of the innovative DL.2 Digital Light.  This unit truly defined the digital light moniker by providing designers with a single product that included a video projector and media server packaged together in a lighting fixture.  With no additional connections required, the DL.2 fixtures could be installed and operated just like any other lighting fixture.

Development of the DL.2 software led to the release of the Axon Media Server in 2006.  This new media server provided the playback and manipulation power of the DL.2 to be used with any type of video device.  Furthermore, 2006 also saw the release of the updated Catalyst V4 Media Server.

In early 2008, High End Systems released the DL.3 Digital Light that provided higher output and new software features.  In addition, every DL.3 was outfitted with a built-in camera and infrared illuminator.  The purchase of High End Systems by Barco in mid 2008 added the DML-1200 Digital Light to the product line.

Since the release of the DL.3, High End Systems has continued to add software features to the digital line such as the collage generator, increased layers, digital shutters and more.  In 2010 the DML-1200 was upgraded to use the Axon Media Server, and it too received a host of new features.

High End Systems continues to grow as a leader in the digital lighting market with the release of the DLV Digital Light in early 2012.  This new, small unit retains most of the capabilities of the full sized DL.3, yet at a smaller size and reduced cost.

High End Systems Celebrates 10 Years in 2012 is a post from: iSquint.net

Back on March 23rd, I joined Kevin Lorretto from Creative Stage Lighting on their first webinar of 2012, Emerging, Converging Technologies. After some time, travel and a little trade show in Long Beach… The webinar is up on YouTube thanks to CSL.  CSL has an entire line up of webinars planned for 2012. When more are announced, we’ll let you know.  Thanks CSl for having me on!

CSL Webinar: Emerging, Converging Technologies Is Online is a post from: iSquint.net

The winner is…

Karyn Lawrence

Karyn is a student at University of California, Irvine finishing up her Masters Degree in Lighting Design. Karyn entered her design of Abraham and Isaac in Jerusalem which was a realized design and performed at the UC, Irvine Claire Trevor Theater in September of 2010.

Congratulations Karyn! Thank you to all of the students that entered the 2012 Student Lighting Design Competition! You made this a tough choice for the judges this year! We would also like to thank all of the SLDC sponsors and Judges! Look for more details for the 3rd Annual SLDC in the coming months.

Karyn's Plot of Abraham and Issac in Jerusalem

Winner of the 2012 Student Lighting Design Competition Is… is a post from: iSquint.net

The ēSET (Essential Skills for the Entertainment Technician) body of knowledge developed and vetted by industry professionals has now been released as an iOS app available for download in the iTunes store.

The body of knowledge has been available on the ESTA Foundation site but ēSET committee member Dana Taylor thought it needed to be even more mobile so he decided to work to make it an iOS app.

The creation of the ēSET program was born of the realization that many current entry-level entertainment technicians lack fundamental knowledge and skills related to the industry. The resulting goal of ēSET is to provide technicians with the knowledge and skills they will need to function effectively across all fields of the live entertainment industry and a tool to organize and guide their learning.

The user of the ēSET program will be able to focus on self-selected topics utilizing a sequential approach to learning drawn from a database of textual and graphical content related to entertainment technology. Further, ēSET provides tools to better assist the user in organizing selected materials in a meaningful fashion, enhancing the learning experience and providing a ready reference to important data.

• For educators, the availability of in-depth materials and the ability to organize them for students will better enable them to assist and engage student learning while providing the student with the most up to date information available.
• Facility managers will be able to collect venue-specific information to better assist in the training of their workforce.
• Employers will have a new and powerful tool to identify employee skills and readiness for work and a mechanism to support further training of their staffs.
• Individuals will have a vast source of technical support materials literally at their fingertips.

The 99 cent ēSET app offers educators, managers, employers and individuals an on the go tool by which they can teach, learn and prosper within the industry. You can download the ēSET app from the iTunes App Store.

ESTA Foundation Announces eSet App for iOS is a post from: iSquint.net

In a surprise move which brought a shock and awe feeling to the national power grid association and power companies around the nation, advocacy groups are quick to bring praise to the president but question his timeline. “I was pleasantly shocked by the announcement until he mentioned the July 4th deadline.” states US power grid authority Dennis Rhinehold. “DC is absolutely the way to go, but just three months? What was the president drinking last night?” adds blogger and Washington insider Prez Hilton.

Details are still being worked out on the President’s new initiative to transform the national power grid. Major news networks were quick to point out that the new plans make it seem as though the county will be powered by the Energizer Bunny.  Comments were also made that this bold move leads some to think that this is an “Etch-A-Sketch” like media blitz for the President’s re-election campaign.

See more here:

CNN: Wolf Blitzer’s Situation Room – Special Edition

NBC Today: DC Power for US, The President’s New Plan

CBS: Break Morning News

ABC: This Week Sunday Morning Show

Fox News: President Wants WHAT?

C-Span: Breaking News from the White House

Breaking News: President Obama Announces That US Will Convert to DC Power is a post from: iSquint.net

How does the old saying go… “Get your head out of the clouds”. Clearly the good folks at Nemetschek, (the makers of Vectorworks) said screw that! I couldn’t agree more with them. Living in the cloud is nice! What does it mean though? A few weeks ago, Nemestschek sent out a teaser video about their upcoming service, Vectorworks Cloud. If you haven’t seen it, check it out.

A few days ago, Architosh, a website for architects and technology freaks like us, got additional info on the soon to be released service. A release date has not been announced yet, but sources have mentioned that we should be living in the cloud before the dog days of summer.

More Details on Vectorworks Cloud Service is a post from: iSquint.net