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JUNE 2007 |
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Listen to the Youth2007 will mark the official debut, by United Methodist Communications of the Igniting Youth initiative, aimed at welcoming teen seekers into the life of the church. Welcoming, extending an open invitation to spiritual seekers, is a United Methodist hallmark. The highly-visible and very successful adult “Open minds. Open hearts. Open Doors.” welcoming campaign has been in place for the past five years. The origins of the Igniting Youth initiative extend back to May 2004 with a General Conference vote approving funding for a youth arm of Igniting Ministry. Igniting Youth builds on the success of the adult welcoming campaign. But the thinking behind Igniting Youth, based on extensive research, breaks significantly with the adult effort in its innovative approach and means of reaching its audience. “The Experience:” Launched & Christened at Youth2007
Igniting Youth is totally teen-focused, teen-aware, and importantly, teen-produced. The online teen welcoming experience is one of three components in the initiative, but central to effort as a whole. Designed to engage 14 to 18 year-old seekers in a radically different way from their grownup counterparts, it’s not a traditional informational website. Instead, it builds on an interactive and organic model—an “ecosystem”—where teens’ personal contributions help grow and shape the site. “The online teen welcoming experience, both the concept behind it and the functionality of the site itself, are something we have never attempted before,” says Igniting Ministry Director of Igniting Youth, Susan Crawford. “In fact, there’s not much precedent for what we are doing here or in the secular arena either. Our experience with welcoming adult seekers is very well established and has been quite successful. But we knew that if we were going to reach out to teen seekers, we would have to completely rethink our approach. We’d have to go where they live. And in great part, that’s online.” The Ecosystem is a portal for teen seekers into the values and inclusiveness of the United Methodist faith community. It’s an active invitation to journey into a relationship with Jesus Christ. The Ecosystem guides teen seekers to the new United Methodist social network where the welcome deepens with more interaction. The virtual experience eventually leads to an offline relationship with a local church. The Experience “soft” launches on the web in June. Hard launch and “Christening” of the site will actually take place at Youth2007 where URL will be named by popular vote.
“Planning and design for Youth 2007 really began in 2005,” says Youth 2007 Director, Jay Clark. “This year’s theme is SPLAT!—Seek, Pray, Learn, Act, Teach—and that pretty much summarizes both the content of the event as well as its spirit. The event covers the Coliseum arena for worship settings and concerts, the Expo Center with the store, vendors, Cyber Café, vendors, and destination stations based on each word in our theme. We also have a Missions Pavilion on the Coliseum site. At the Convention Center site, we have an interactive worship center and all of our workshops. Over 6,000 youth and youth leaders from all over the world will come together here and then be challenged to go back to their local churches and communities and be agents of positive change.” A/V, staging, and lighting in the main hall will be provided by This Side Up (Grand Rapids, MI and www.thissideup.com). Not all equipment decisions have been made at this point, but This Side Up’s Marshall Yoder says the audio package for the multi-band event in the arena (headlined by Fusebox) will include: a JBL Vertec line array system; multiple house and monitor consoles (including a Midas Heritage); a complement of Yamaha, Drawmer, and TC outboard processing; a Shure UHF wireless system; a 20+ output channel monitor system to handle multi-band setup; EV/JBL wedges; in-ears monitoring; and Crown I-Tech amps and control. Lighting will be Thomas PRT for conventional lights, plus Martin 500, 600, 700 and 2k moving fixtures, with AVO lighting and control systems. Video I-MAG systems include Sony D35/50 cameras, with Synergy Switch and GlobeCaster Graphics special effect switch. Projection will likely be Barco large venue systems--SLM R12's or similar. “Layout/show design is not complete at this time,” says Yoder, “but we are planning on simultaneous setups for two bands, plus a general event stage for presentation. Scenic design is ever-changing, but will be fun and youth-oriented.”
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 Bend Seventh-day Adventist Church Steps Up to Electro-Voice Bend Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church in Bend, Oregon, is one of the installs completed by GJM Sound Advice of Placerville, California. GJM, who have already completed Electro-Voice (EV) systems at five churches this year, completed a system featuring EV products from input to output: four FRi+122/66, 12-inch two-way boxes with 60 x 60-degree coverage; two FRi+181S subwoofers; 48 EVID C8.2 ceiling speakers; eight channels of RE-2 wireless (with N/D767a handheld and HM7 headset mics) with an APD-4 UHF power distribution system; eight N/D767a wired mics; two CPS2.8, two CPS2.4 and one CPS2T amplifiers; Dx38 processing; four force monitors; PolarChoice podium mics; and Telex SoundMate assisted listening system.
“This was a challenging room, as there are large lighting fixtures right where we would normally hang boxes,” reports Greg Mace of GJM. “We spec’d left and right hangs of single FRi+181S subs above two FRi+122/66 full range boxes, though we were initially concerned about phase cancellation, as boxes this size are normally flown wider apart. As usual, we confirmed our spec with an EASE model prepared by Robert Deyarmond at EV Tech Support, and sure enough, we didn’t have any phase issues whatsoever. These speakers sound fantastic.” As is normal in Houses of Worship installations, GJM’s clients were concerned about cosmetics, so Mace had the FRi+ boxes custom-painted to blend into the ceiling space. Coupled with the clear, seamless sound, the system offers the ideal balance of acoustic and aesthetic discretion. “We found our clients the right sound system to match their budget, their décor and their space, all with no compromises necessary,” Mace adds.
The church held its first service with the new system on Easter weekend. “Usually, the parking attendants in the foyer wear SoundMate assisted listening systems so they can hear the service while they park cars. The sound quality was so good that no one needed to use one.” “They were looking for a smooth system with great voice reproduction—something that EV does best,” Mace says. “They don’t run it that loud; they simply wanted an easy-to-use system for full coverage and intelligibility for sermons and worship team music. All these EV speakers—from the EVIDs to the FRi+ boxes—sound great right out of the box. Very little tuning and tweaking was necessary with the mains, and though this is a serious PA, it’s proven equally effortless for the church staff to use and enjoy.” For more information, go to www.electrovoice.com. Advertisement
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Audio Pioneer Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser Celebrates 95th Birthday
A pioneer in the field of electroacoustics celebrated his 95th birthday on May 9th, 2007. Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser has had a decisive influence on the development of sound transmission technology with his company Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG. It was in June 1945 that Prof.Dr. Fritz Sennheiser founded his "Laboratorium Wennebostel" with a staff of just seven employees - but with a great deal of pioneering spirit - in an abandoned laboratory of Hanover's Technical University. Virtually overnight, the developer became a businessman - and a very successful one at that. Today, more than 1,650 people work for Sennheiser throughout the world, and the company now has production sites in Germany, Ireland and the USA.
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Prof. Dr. Fritz Sennheiser |
The history of electroacoustics in Europe is inseparably linked with the name Fritz Sennheiser. Born in Berlin, Fritz Sennheiser grew up to experience, and to influence, many epoch-making developments in electroacoustics and transmission technology. Even as a young boy, he had a keen interest in all things technical. "I built my own radio receiver in1924 from a slide coil and a crystal," the 95-year-old recalls. His passion for making new discoveries has accompanied Fritz Sennheiser throughout his life. He describes it as his 'creative restlessness' "We were always dissatisfied with the 'state-of-the-art' and always wanted to create something new, something better. Our main priority was to have fun in developing something. And we certainly had a lot of fun when we discovered something really new. We had so many ideas. While others were busy copying our products, we already had our next inventions up our sleeve."
The family company's most important innovations included the shotgun microphone in the 1950s, open-back headphones in the 1960s, infrared transmission technology in the 1970s and the revolutionary developments in multi-channel wireless technology in the early 1980s. In 1982, Fritz Sennheiser handed the management of the company over to his son, Prof. Dr. Jörg Sennheiser, who has continued to secure the company's success and is today Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
Even today, the company still places great emphasis on research and development, in keeping with Fritz Sennheiser's motto of "allowing our developers to give free rein to their creative ideas, no matter how crazy they might seem," as it is often these ideas that result in the best developments and the best products...
For further information about Sennheiser please visit us at: www.sennheiserusa.com.
Pacific Media Associates Reports Hitachi As Top ProAV Projector Brand In March 2007
Pacific Media Associates’ Pro AV Projector Tracking Service reported Hitachi as the top brand in March (on a unit and revenue share basis).
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Hitachi Projector |
The report listed Hitachi with a 26 percent share of unit sales, almost six points higher than the second-leading brand. Additionally, Hitachi had a 20 percent share of revenues, which eclipsed the second-leading brand by more than three points. Hitachi also boasted the two top selling models in March, with the CP-X251 3LCD projector taking an 11.8 percent unit share, followed by the CP-X260 3LCD projector, which had a five percent unit share.
The 2,000 ANSI lumen CP-X251 projector offers advanced functionality for the education market, including Hitachi’s exclusive Input Source Naming function, which allows users to customize the names of their individual input sources. The CP-X251 also features two RGB inputs, MyScreen/MyMemory preset options, and a remote control with Hitachi’s “MyButtons” function.
With 2,500 ANSI lumens of brightness, advanced connectivity and portability, the CP-X260 meets the needs of any classroom application. The CP-X260 features two RGB inputs, MyScreen/MyMemory preset options, and a remote control with Hitachi’s “MyButtons” function. The CP-X260 also features a low 34dB noise rating (in Whisper Mode), 1:1.2 manual zoom, and digital keystone correction. Additionally, the CP-X260 addresses the issue of equipment theft in schools, as it is equipped with a security bar, Kensington security slot and transition detector (a sensor located inside the projector that recognizes when the projector has been moved).
“The Pacific Media Associates report is a reflection of Hitachi’s commitment to performance, reliability and customer service,” said Pete Denes, vice president of sales, Hitachi America, Ltd., Ubiquitous Business Platform Systems Division, Business Group. “We look forward to a continued leadership position in the projector market as we ride our momentum into the education purchasing season.”
For more information, visit www.hitachi.us.
Digidesign Welcomes Michelle Rudiman as Director of Marketing Communications
Digidesign is pleased to welcome Michelle Rudiman to the position of marketing communications director. In this role, Ms. Rudiman will be responsible for the development and execution of Digidesign’s strategic marketing communications programs and will oversee the company’s internal marketing groups including the internal Creative Department, Press and Artist Relations, Media Production, Events Marketing, Segment Marketing and Co-Marketing Programs.
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Michelle Rudiman |
Ms. Rudiman most recently served as director of worldwide marketing at Autodesk, where she managed the subscriptions and services business and supported the revenue growth for that division from $68 million to $550 million annually. Prior to that, she served as director of corporate communications and director of marketing programs for technology companies such as Bentley Systems, Arc Second, and Engenia Software.
“Michelle brings a fresh perspective to Digidesign along with a proven track record for successfully leading marketing teams across a wide range of integrated marketing functions,” says Digidesign Vice President of Sales and Marketing Paul Foeckler. “In her most recent position at Autodesk, she demonstrated an impressive ability to grow and direct many integrated facets of the business. The combination of Michelle’s results-driven mentality and process-oriented approach to marketing is the perfect complement to the tremendous creativity and passion of our team.”
“The marketing team here is comprised of many talented individuals who are truly dedicated to their work and possess a real love for music,” states Ms. Rudiman. “I’m excited to join such a committed team and am looking forward to contributing to Digidesign’s ongoing success.”
Reporting directly to Digidesign Vice President of Sales and Marketing Paul Foeckler, Ms. Rudiman will work in conjunction with Digidesign’s executive management team to establish strategic marketing plans and objectives and with the internal marketing groups to execute those programs. Ms. Rudiman will also maintain successful alignment of marketing programs across other functional areas within the company such as sales and product marketing.
For more information, visit Digidesign’s website at www.digidesign.com.
Symetrix Announces SymNet Webinar Program
Beginning May 30, 2007 and continuing every other week through August, Symetrix is offering a SymNet Training Series delivered live over the web. The eight part series will cover all aspects of the SymNet | Network Audio Solution from hardware to software, remote control to commissioning. Persons attending all eight sessions and successfully completing the quiz at the end of each session will earn a SymNet Training Certificate.
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Symetrix SymNet |
All sessions start at 8:00am Pacific (11:00pm Eastern) and will run approximately an hour and a half.
To participate in one or all of the webinars, please contact Symetrix at: training@symetrixaudio.com to join the webinar and to receive your login information.
HERE'S THE SCHEDULE:
SymNet Hardware - May 30, 2007
This session is an in-depth look at the feature set for SymNet hardware. Attendees will learn the differences between various SymNet hardware units and rear panel functionality, along with an overview of the overall SymNet hardware architecture.
SymNet Designer: Full Sweep - June 13, 2007
This session is an overview of SymNet Designer software. Attendees learn how to navigate the SymNet Designer software, and are shown all the functions available for a SymNet system. Many of the topics presented will be covered in greater detail in other SymNet webinars.
SymNet Designer: Basic Design and Super Modules - June 27, 2007
This session demonstrates how to design a basic SymNet system. Attendees are shown step by step how to create a Background Music (BGM) distribution system for a SymNet DSP unit using SymNet Designer software.
Control Screen Design and Presets - July 11, 2007
This session provides detailed descriptions and methods for creating and editing Control Screens and Presets. Attendees will learn how to use the SymNet Designer tools to make an elegant user interface for system control.
SymNet Bussing - July 26, 2007
This session discusses the two bussing/routing architectures, SymLink and CobraNet, provided in SymNet. Attendees will design routing structures for multiple pieces of SymNet hardware. The advantages and differences between the two routing structures will be addressed.
ARC Programming and External Control - August 8, 2007
SymNet offers the best control capability of all the DSP platforms and this session will give an in-depth look at SymNet's external control system using ARC Wall Panels and third-party external control devices. Control Number and Push RS-232 concepts will be covered along with how to assign parameters to a controller. This session will also cover programming the ARCs and the Control I/O.
Commissioning a SymNet System - August 22, 2007
Now that you know all about how the SymNet systems works, this session will discuss the issues involved in commissioning a SymNet system for an installation. Among the topics covered will be: Site File downloading and uploading, firmware upgrades, hardware security, Ethernet connection and control screen boot up mode.
SymNet Applications - August 29, 2007
The SymNet Applications session teaches how to tie the concepts learned in the previous sessions to real world scenarios. Markets are grouped according to the "type" of system typically used for a given venue. The session involves one or two well-designed SymNet Site Files and then a short presentation. Discussion of the design shows the attendee how SymNet addresses the needs.
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LIGHTRONICS XC SERIES COMPACT DIMMERS
Lightronics is currently shipping its new line of compact dimmers. This new line, the XC Series, has a numerous features including a wireless DMX option, an LED digital display, 4 and 6 channel capacity, 600 and 1200 watts per channel, softpatch (each dimmer), dimmer limiting, dimmer curve/relay selection, DMX-512 protocol, built-in chase function, "set and forget" intensity, architectural interface, and AMX/Crestron interface. The XC Series has a lightweight design with rounded edges and an all black finish. The XC Series is covered by a full, five-year warranty. URL: www.lightronics.com |
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BLUE SKY EXO
Farmingdale, New York-based, Blue Sky, announces the launch of EXO. EXO is a complete, full-range studio monitoring solution high-quality audio performance while also integrating a number of unique features and benefits not currently found on other products. The system consists of an eight-inch powered subwoofer which also contains the amplifiers and bass management circuitry for the system, left and right, two-way satellite speakers, and a desktop remote hub. One of the more unique features of this hub is that it allows you to simultaneously plug in and monitor an assortment of peripherals via the XLR / TRS, RCA and 3.5 mm mini-jack inputs. For example, the user can quickly connect a computer, a MP3 player or a mixer, and monitor all three sources at the same time. In addition, the user can control the gain of the system and dial in the subwoofer level, all without needing to crawl around under a desk. The hub also incorporates a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which when used mutes the monitoring system. "EXO really redefines a new level of features and performance for the audio / video professional and hobbyist looking for studio monitors," says Blue Sky Vice-President, Chris Fichera. "We've taken all of our pro audio R&D expertise, applied, and packaged it into a system that delivers a number of unique features, but at the same time delivers the kind of performance synonymous with all Blue Sky studio monitoring systems. With the introduction of this new entry level system, an even wider group of users will be able to obtain Blue Sky full-range audio performance. EXO embodies Blue Sky's continuing commitment to provide the user the highest possible ratio of performance to cost." URL: www.abluesky.com |
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MITSUBISHI 42" WXGA LCD MONITOR FOR COMMERCIAL VIDEO DISPLAY
Mitsubishi Digital Electronics introduces its newest LCD digital signage monitor, the LDT421V (42" diagonal). With WXGA resolution (1366 x 768 pixels), the LDT421V is designed for high-impact, high-detail video displays and moving text in retail environments, movie theaters, information kiosks, and other commercial and public display venues. With a high brightness rating of 500 cd/m2, the LDT421V works perfectly in store windows, storefronts, or any venue where bright ambient light can cast a reflective glare on the monitor surface and diminish the display itself. With the matte surface of Mitsubishi's LDT series of monitors, the video displays can be seen through windows with minimal glare, and LCD technology provides the depth and detail necessary for even the most demanding video environments. "Our new 42-inch model complements our line of LCD monitors," said Frank Anzures, product manager, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America's Presentation Products Division. "Anyone who wants to show large, vibrant, and clear images in a commercial environment should consider it as the solution of choice." The LDT421V has a full range of professional AV connectivity for maximum integration flexibility and its own scheduling controls for easy planning of on/off operation, presentation timing, image changeovers, and more. Mitsubishi's monitors can also be networked using third-party solutions "Our dealers have been asking for a larger screen size, viable enough to replace outdated plasma screens in applications where LCD digital signage monitors are more suitable," said James Chan, director, product marketing, Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America's Presentation Products Division. "With the LDT421V, our dealers can now offer their customers a better option for more digital signage and public display venues." |
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Production Media, Inc.
info@churchproduction.com
