Judging from the new products and feature enhancements ETC Rigging is presenting this year, the company’s R&D department has been pretty busy lately. New developments include the Prodigy P75 Hoist, with 75 feet of vertical travel, up to 3,300 pounds of lifting capacity, and eight lift lines with quarter-inch wire rope. Also new: their retrofit-friendly Fixed-Speed Motor Starter, the Foundation Handheld Remote (FHHR) and a new QuickTouch+ Merge control board option that lets users alternate control between as many as six QuickTouch+ controllers on one rigging system.
More details from ETC Rigging (www.etcconnect.com)
As performance venues upgrade old counter-weight rigging systems with safer and more efficient motorized rigging systems, ETC Rigging dedicates time and resources in developing automated hoist technology that is reliable, versatile and exceeds current safety standards at a 10:1 ratio. ETC Rigging’s product family will get even larger this spring with the addition of several new products, such as the Prodigy P75 Hoist, Fixed-Speed Motor Starter, Foundation Handheld Remote, QuickTouch+ Merge, as well as SoftLift technology now available for both Prodigy EXO and P75 Hoists.
“The new Prodigy P75 Hoist was specifically created for large venues that demand more from their rigging system,” explains ETC Rigging Product Manager, Nils Becker. “It has over 75 feet of vertical travel, up to 3,300 pounds of lifting capacity, and eight lift lines with quarter-inch wire rope. P75 is also available with SoftLift technology, which facilitates start/stop transitions when heavy scenery is raised or lowered, such as flats, acoustic shells or large set pieces.” SoftLift is also immediately available for the EXO 2000 fixed-speed hoist models and will be an available option for future EXO hoist releases.
The Fixed-Speed Motor Starter makes it possible to integrate third-party rigging systems – such as line shaft and drum winches, curtain motors, projection screens and banner hoists – with ETC Prodigy hoist systems and controllers, and is ideal for both retrofits and new rigging installations. This small, stand-alone unit is easily installed in place of old motor-control equipment using preexisting wiring and also supplies power to QuickTouch controllers.
Stage managers and technical directors are bound to love the Foundation Handheld Remote (FHHR), because it offers remote control of rigging systems controlled with ETC’s Foundation controller. It shows the status and position of every hoist as well as preset information, cue stacks and playback information. The FHHR is the perfect solution for situations when a user needs to control their rigging system while maintaining a good line of sight of the stage.
For those who need even more control over their performance space, there is now QuickTouch+ Merge; a control board option that allows for alternating control between as many as six QuickTouch+ controllers on one rigging system. “It is particularly great for ballrooms and theatrical setups that need to access hoist controls from multiple locations,” says Nils Becker. QuickTouch+ Merge is compact, cost-effective, easy to install, and can control up to 24 variable- and fixed-speed motors.”
