ACT Entertainment Announces Distribution Partnership With Visual Productions
ACT Will Present the Brand’s Latest Lighting Control Solutions at InfoComm 2023
ORLANDO, FL, MAY 23, 2023 ― ACT Entertainment, an industry-leading manufacturer and distributor of music and live performance equipment, will begin offering lighting controllers from Amsterdam-based manufacturer Visual Productions to customers in the United States. This includes the brand’s latest solution, RdmRelay,as well as its CueCore3 and TimeCore products, which will all be presented at the ACT Entertainment Booth at InfoComm 2023 (Booth 3643).
“The rationale for joining forces with ACT Entertainment is really a story of synergy: on the one hand, Visual Productions is expanding its distribution network with the ACT organization, which consists of several U.S. offices and a very strong technical support team,” Maarten Engels, Managing Director of Visual Productions, says of the collaboration. “We are, of course, delighted that ACT’s platform will make our products much more visible in the U.S. market. On the other hand, by bringing Visual Productions on board, ACT Entertainment strengthens its position in the systems integration market and can now offer high-end lighting control solutions across the board, both for entertainment and fixed installations.”
The latest Visual Productions innovation is the RdmRelay, a DIN rail-mounted device with four heavy-duty relays that are 16A/250V AC resistive. Controllable via RDM and DMX512-A, the RdmRelay can be set via an RDM commissioning tool. It can also switch 110V/230V equipment with up to 16 Amps per relay, ideal for controlling non-DMX equipment or switching off a lighting installation. Powered with 9-24V DC 5W (PSU optional), the EN55103-1/EN55103-2-compliant RdmRelay can operate in -4°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C) temperatures with humidity ranging from 10- to 80-percent.
ACT Entertainment will also showcase the Visual Productions CueCore3, a DMX lighting controller for fixed installations that boasts 2,048 channels. A completely solid-state device, the CueCore3 is a secure, low maintenance control solution. The on-board flash-drive memory allows for storing DMX shows, while programming is done through the CueluxPro lighting control software or dynamic web interface. Additionally, playback can be fully automated and triggered by various IP-based protocols ― such as DPI, MIDI or an internal scheduler. Featuring SMPTE timecode and a real-time clock with battery, the CueCore3 can be powered over ethernet or with 9-24V DC 500mA. The CueCore3 can be set on a desktop, on a DIN rail or as a 19-inch rack-mounted device using an optional adapter.
Finally, the Visual Productions TimeCore is a one-stop toolbox for timecode. It is a simple and reliable device for generating, following and converting various timecode protocols ― for everything from SMPTE and MTC to Art-Net. Capable of sending and receiving popular show control protocols, TimeCore can synchronize all AV elements of a show, such as sound, lighting, video, animatronics and pyrotechnics. Additionally, the built-in event system can be set on a timeline that enables users to send triggers to non-timecode-capable devices. The TimeCore can be controlled via web interface and all programming data is saved in a solid-state flash drive memory device. With a large seven-segment display, user-definable controls and mounting options that include desktop and DIN rail, TimeCore is also easy to operate.
“The more we got to know the Visual Productions team and their products, the more obvious it became that we had to find a way to bring their unique brand to our customers,” says Ryan Hindinger, Market Manager: Concert Touring & Live Experiences, ACT Entertainment. “Visual Productions’ products perfectly align with and match the quality of our other entertainment technologies―a high bar in itself. Even more impressive, they have crafted a very straightforward set of products for applications in nearly every entertainment technology market sector.”