Geezers Of Gear - FutureTech Featuring ETC - Stage In Focus

0:19 All right, welcome back to Geezers of Gear Future Tech. I'm Chris, and as always, I'm joined by Lacey. Today we're diving into something that's honestly got me a bit excited. ET CS new rig POV camera accessory. Laci, have you seen this thing yet? I mean, I've seen the press photos, but I haven't actually played with one. But Chris, you were practically buzzing about it before we hit record. What's the big deal? Well, it's a bit of a game changer honestly. So rig POV is this camera you can attach directly to certain ETC fixtures like the Lone Star Hyperstar and the Halcyon family. What it does is stream a live NDI video feed straight from the rig right into your EOS console or even third party control systems so you get a real time view from the fixtures perspective.

1:05 No more climbing up into the rafters just to check a follow spot angle or see if your shutter cut is right. Wait, so you can literally see what the light sees like from the ground? Exactly, and not just for follow spot OPS. Think about programming, being able to see the stage from up there live while you're on the ground. I mean, back in the day I spent more hours than I care to admit crawling through dusty catwalks just to peek over a set piece or check a focus. I remember this one time actually. It was in Manchester and I was halfway through a tech sweating buckets trying to get a look at a shuttercut. Now with Rick POV you just pull up the feed. No ladders, no drama. That sounds honestly that sounds like magic, or at least like a lot less back pain for everyone.

1:54 And you said it works with EOS V 3.3 and other systems. Yeah, that's right. It's NDI, so it's low latency and pretty reliable. You can use it for remote follow spot operation programming, or just to give the stage manager a new angle. It's not just for the big concert halls either. Schools, film sets, anywhere you need a better view. It's all about making things safer and more accessible. I love that, especially after all those stories we've heard. Like, remember in our last episode we talked about how new rigging tech is making things safer backstage? This feels like another step in that direction. Absolutely. It's all about keeping people off ladders and out of harm's way. And honestly, it just makes the whole process smoother. But let's talk about how this actually changes things for designers and stage managers.

2:40 Yeah. So if I'm a stage manager or let's be real, a teacher running a school show, how does rig POV actually help me? Like what's different about my day? Well for starters, you can see above and behind set pieces without ever leaving the ground. Imagine you're trying to check if your shutter cuts are clean or if a prop is blocking a light. Instead of sending someone up a ladder, you just pull up the camera feed. I heard about a school theatre that started using rig POV for exactly that. They'd set up the camera and the teacher could check all the lighting angles from the control booth. No more running up and down stairs, no more worrying about students on ladders. It's just safer and honestly a lot more efficient. That makes so much sense.

3:22 I mean, I've worked in venues where the only way to see the top of the set was to climb up to the balcony, and half the time you forget your flashlight or your notes. This just cuts all that out. Exactly. And it's not just about convenience, it's a real shift in workflow. Crews can focus on the creative side rather than logistics. And, you know, fewer people getting hurt or wasting time on ladders is always a win plus for programming. You can make decisions faster. You see the result instantly, tweak it and move on. It's a bit like what we talked about with remote monitoring in that site link episode. Just more eyes on the stage from anywhere you need them. And I guess for smaller venues or schools it's a big deal because you might not have a big crew. Anything that saves time and keeps people safe is huge. Do you think this is going to become standard like in most venues?

4:14 I think so, yeah, especially as more fixtures come with this as an option. It's easy to install and it matches the fixtures warranty, so there's not much downside. I mean, once people get used to having that extra perspective, I can't see them wanting to go back. I can see that, and honestly, anything that means less time on ladders is a win in my book. But Chris, you mentioned the fixtures themselves. ET CS got a whole lineup, right? What's new there? Yeah, so ET CS automated luminaires have really come a long way. You've got the Lone Star and Hyper Star, both compact but packed with features. Then there's the Halcyon Family, Gold, Titanium, Platinum. They're all about high output framing, shutters and advanced colour mixing.

4:59 And of course they're compatible with RIG POV. But it's not just about the camera. The tech inside these fixtures is wild. Fanless operation for silent venues, modular design so you can swap out parts easily, and next Gen. color systems that let you dial in exactly what you want. It's all about flexibility and reliability. OK, so confession time. I used to be totally intimidated by high end fixtures like all those buttons and menus, but the last time I worked with an ETC rig it was actually kind of intuitive. I mean, I still needed help but it wasn't scary. The colour mixing was super smooth and the thing was so quiet I kept thinking it was off. I guess that's the fanless thing. Yeah, that's the solar Frame studio and theatre models, Totally silent, which is brilliant for drama or classical gigs.

5:50 And the modularity means if something goes wrong, you don't have to send the whole thing off for repair, you just swap the module. It's a bit like what we saw with the Prodigy balance rigging system, designing for real world use, not just specs on paper. And the support too, right? ET CS got that 24/7 365 days a year thing. I remember someone telling me you could call them on Christmas Eve and still get help. Not that I want to test that, but it's good to know. Yeah, they're legendary for that. And the warranties are solid. Two years on the fixture, 5 on the LED array. So you know you can trust the gear to last. Honestly it's making high end tech way more accessible even for folks who aren't gear heads. Like you said, it's not intimidating anymore. Yeah, and I think that's the real shift, making this stuff usable for everyone, not just the techies. All right, Chris, I think that's a good place to wrap. Any last thoughts?

6:44 Just that it's exciting to see these innovations actually making a difference, safer, smarter, and more creative. And as always, we'll keep an eye on what's next. Thanks for listening everyone. Yeah, thanks for hanging out with us. We'll be back soon with more future tech. Take care, Chris. Cheers Lacey, see you next time.