Chauvet Professional’s ÉPIX 2.0 series of linkable LED display fixtures let designers add pixel mapped video content to their shows and designs using Art-Net or Kling-Net. Multiple ÉPIX 2.0 series elements can also be linked on top of one another to easily build vertical displays.
More details from Chauvet Professional (www.chauvetlighting.com):
Chauvet Professional is providing a faster, easier way for lighting professionals to add high-quality video content to their shows and designs. The company has launched the ÉPIX 2.0 series of linkable Art-Net and Kling-Net compatible LED display fixtures, which can be set up in minutes to produce full-color pixel mapping video displays, even by users with limited technical knowledge.
A near-effortless way for designers of all experience levels to tap into today’s red-hot video trend, the ÉPIX 2.0 series includes two linear fixtures: ÉPIX™ Strip 2.0, a one-meter strip containing 40 tri-color RGB SMD 5050 LEDs; and ÉPIX™ Bar 2.0, a one-meter bar with four rows of 40 (total 160) tri-color RGB SMD 5050 LEDs. Designed to work together seamlessly, both fixtures feature a 25-millimeter pixel pitch, excellent color rendering, and a wide 120° viewing angle. The series also includes a dedicated controller, the ÉPIX™ Drive 642, which can operate up to 16 ÉPIX Strip 2.0 or 4 ÉPIX Bar 2.0 units, using either industry-standard Art-Net (3.0 compliant) or Arkaos Kling-Net protocol.
The ability to create and control pixel mapping displays via Art-Net or Kling-Net is what makes the ÉPIX 2.0 LED displays such an ideal, easy-to-use video solution, even for novices. Unlike DMX protocol, which requires a separate channel to control each individual pixel — and thus can get quite complicated and unwieldy, with each fixture essentially needing its own DMX universe — Art-Net and Kling-Net are TCP/IP based and communicate through the Ethernet. When using ÉPIX 2.0 LED displays with Kling-Net protocol and Arkaos Media Master Express software (sold separately), the fixture will immediately appear on the computer screen with a very intuitive graphical “drop and drag” interface that requires little training to operate. If Art-Net protocol is used, multiple universes of DMX can be run over the same cable, eliminating the time and effort required to install separate cables to connect each fixture to the control console.
“LED video displays are becoming a must-have design element at concerts and productions of all types, as well as in nightclubs and other installations,” said Anthony Chiappone, Product Manager for Chauvet Professional. “We came out with the ÉPIX 2.0 series to give designers a fast, easy way to create professional video displays for their clients, regardless of their technical knowledge.
“By offering Art-Net and Kling-Net control options instead of being restricted to DMX, the ÉPIX series takes the complexity out of pixel mapping,” Chiappone added. “If you use Arkaos Media Master and Kling-Net with the ÉPIX fixtures, you essentially have a plug-and-play system that allows you to easily patch and play back even the most elaborate shows. Even if you don’t have Media Master software, Art-Net is now included in most major lighting controllers, so you can run the ÉPIX fixtures through your console’s video mapper, which again is much simpler than using DMX.”
Another feature that makes it easy to build high-impact video displays with the ÉPIX 2.0 series is Chauvet Professional’s new hardware linking system. The system allows multiple units to be linked on top of one another while maintaining perfect alignment, for the fast, effortless construction of vertical displays.
Ideal for both the club/installation and touring/production markets, the ÉPIX 2.0 series delivers stellar performance, along with its ease of use. Exceptionally bright in output, the ÉPIX Strip 2.0 produces 1176 nits and the ÉPIX Bar 2.0 an impressive 2,586 nits. This extreme brightness, along with the units’ vivid color rendering and wide viewing angle, combine to create a stunning, high-quality video experience at any venue or event.
Two different lens covers are included with each ÉPIX 2.0 unit, giving the fixtures added design versatility and value. One is a frosted cover that produces a smooth transition between pixels; the other is a clear cover for high-contrast, high-impact visuals.
In addition to making pixel mapping easy, the ÉPIX 2.0 series was designed to provide a conveniently lightweight and transportable video system. The ÉPIX Strip 2.0 weighs just 4.4 pounds (2 kg) and measures 39.4 x 1.4 x 4.6 inches (1000 x 37 x 118 mm). The ÉPIX Bar 2.0 weighs 7.6 pounds (3.5 kg) and measures 39.4 x 4.2 x 4.6 inches (1000 x 107 x 118 mm). Both fixtures are CE, MET and RoHs approved to meet universal safety and compliance standards.
