DVI is a versatile digital format that is now widely used in PCs, DVDs, projectors and display devices. The three-letter acronym is short for Digital Visual Interface, and this is one powerful video signal.
DVI was designed by the Digital Display Working Group (DDWG) for carrying an uncompressed digital video signal to a digital display device such as a LCD display or projector.
In the live entertainment industry, certainly a very important aspect of a production is the set. With today’s technology, there are many options for what to do with a stage from a scenic standpoint, including new ways to incorporate video elements into the stage.
Horao, pictured here, is one of the manufacturers allowing designers to create LED arrays showing off dynamic graphics with depth.
I recently programmed the lighting for Gospel Superfest, a nationally syndicated television show aired on gospel cable channels. For the past couple of years, the executive producer has been increasing the use of video in the show by adding video walls and plasma screens to the stage. This year, however, he asked Set Designer and Show Technical Director Rene Lagler to incorporate video projection into the design, and the result was impressive. My quest to find out how it was accomplished and what equipment was being used led me on a little backstage investigation of my own.
HD is rapidly becoming integrated into our world of live production. Many video and lighting professionals are saying the same thing: HD shows everything and hides nothing. What does this mean for the people who are developing the video content that is being used in our events today? Here’s a quick look at some of the issues involved with switching over to HD.
Until recently, most productions have been relying on video equipment with resolutions in the range of 1028 x 768 (referred to as 768p). Now, however, with HD, the resolution has been increased up to 1080p (1920 x 1080).
Princess Cruises plans on captivating its audience.
If you have ever thought about taking a cruise in the Mediterranean, now might be the best time to start planning for it. Why? Because Princess Cruises’ new flagship, the Emerald Princess, recently set sail from Rome, Italy, and in the process launched a new era in cruise ship entertainment production.
You’re going to work with it a lot, so it’ll help to choose a console that matches your style.
As new digital lighting fixtures and media servers are introduced into our industry, there is a crucial need for an easy way to control what can be a very complicated set of video functions. This is where the lighting console layout can hinder or help the programming process. How a personality for a digital lighting fixture or media server is implemented into a lighting console has a tremendous impact on the performance of the lighting programmer.
Most lighting designers and programmers have done a corporate show at some point, right? They are the bread and butter of our industry in many ways, so it’s hard not to find yourself sitting in a hotel ballroom at 3:00 a.m. from time to time, working on a show that will end as soon as that CEO makes his big announcement.
“Stars on Ice: Double Exposure” is the new professional ice skating tour from champion Scott Hamilton featuring top skaters who get to let their hair down and show the audience many sides of their lives beyond the skating rink. Lighting the many talented performers is a simple but effective lighting rig that allows the ice to be completely covered by patterns and colors throughout the show, and with the versatility of Vari*Lite VL3000 Spots, each production number and solo performance looks entirely unique.
High rollers ring in the New Year with a visual feast at Bellagio Las Vegas.
How do you impress some of the world’s wealthiest VIPs in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve? You throw one major party, and you spare no expense. The Bellagio knows how to throw just such a party and in a big way.
An important part in the convergence of lighting and video is the evolution of DMX-controlled lighting projectors. Have you used one, yet? With the increasing use of media servers on productions, many designers not only want to control the video content from a lighting desk, but they also want to have control over how and where that image is being projected. This is where digital lighting fixtures like High End Systems’ DL1 and DL2, as well as the new Robe DigitalSpot 5000DT, step up to the plate.
Many media servers feature a control channel for Media Play Speed. How does this feature affect your content? Have you ever used it? Well, if you have, you will very quickly know whether or not that media server uses frame interpolation, also called frame blending or video smoothing.
The gig you’ve just landed will be using 30 media servers, and you need to upload custom content into all of them. Some of the questions that are probably popping into your mind right now are: How long will that take? Will I have the opportunity to load the content before the load-in date? If not, will I have enough time to get everything organized on site at the gig? If any of these sound like questions you’ve asked yourself on a show using digital lighting fixtures and/or media servers, then you will appreciate this article.