MediaMatrix by Peavey will release version 1.4.2 of its NWare™ software, as well as memory upgrades and new I/O hardware, for the NION® programmable digital audio processing node at InfoComm 2008.

NION NWare version 1.4.2 is fully compatible with the Windows® Vista® operating system and adds support for network time protocols that allow NION to sync with network time servers or an Internet-based atomic clock. In addition, NION nX, n6 and n3 nodes now ship with upgrades in flash memory up to 2 GB to enable additional storage of audio, project files and background music loops, plus enhanced efficiency for messaging, audio playback, recording and multi-tasking within the NION system. more

Coemar Infinity Wash XL lights will headline as Grammy award winning performer Cher graces Ceasars Palace for 110 performances starting this month. With a series of shows following that of Celine Dion, Cher will be complemented, yet not out-dazzled, by the premium lighting essentials that have become a stageshow industry standard.

With the aim of capturing a rock arena feel within the Vegas magic-land that is Ceasars, show lighting designer Baz Halpin (bazhalpin.com) had his hands full. Prior to the initial design Halpin worked with Peter Morse (lighting designer for Bette Midler’s show) to choose stock of lighting fixtures, which would work for all shows (with Halpin bringing some extras for Cher). The pair decided upon 98 Coemar Infinity Wash XL lights as part of a new system to be purchased as an upgrade for the theater, as lighting technology had advanced since the Celine Dion performances. more

Shure UHF-R, SM58s, and KSM9s look good, sound better onstage

LAS VEGAS, NV, May 27, 2008 —Once again there was no red carpet at the 43rd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, but the now traditional orange one rolled out in its place at the MGM Grand proved just as able to support a glittering array of Nashville’s hottest talent. On a night highlighted by the presence of country music’s rising young stars and a generation of legendary figures, Shure endorser Brad Paisley took home male vocalist honors for the second straight year, while Carrie Underwood–who opened the show with “I Don’t Even Know His Last Nameâ€?–received her second consecutive female vocalist trophy. The two also performed a duet of country icon Eddy Arnold’s “Make the World Go Away,â€? which was especially poignant given Arnold’s recent passing on May 8, just short of his 90th birthday. more

Popular Rock Band to Kick-Start InfoComm 08

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, May 27, 2008 — Popular recording artists, the Gin Blossoms, will headline the NSCA ExpoJam! on June 17, 2008, during InfoComm 08.

Attendees will begin the night at 6 p.m. with the Opening Reception in the Hilton Center at the Las Vegas Hilton. ExpoJam!, sponsored by Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc., will begin immediately following the reception at 8 p.m. more

Orange, CA (May 27, 2008) – Radian Audio Engineering is introducing a new line of Professional and Contractor horn-loaded enclosures at InfoComm 08 that feature the company’s best quality drivers, which are all manufactured in Southern California. The first products to be released are the Professional Series RPH-1594/1564 and Contractor Series RCH-1594/1564 two-way arrayable speaker systems, which combine perfectly focused, hand-laid fiberglass horns with long-throw woofers to provide exacting pattern control and unmatched durability in high SPL applications. more

Orange, CA (May 27, 2008) – Radian Audio Engineering is launching the company’s new Professional Installation Series of speakers with the RC-500 two-way speaker system. A small enclosure with a big sound, the new RC-500 — which is manufactured entirely in the U.S. — has been designed for demanding church, theatre, restaurant and home theatre applications and bridges the gap between quality and price. more

– Free download offers industry-first capabilities for educators. –

CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA, May 27, 2008 — Hitachi Software Engineering America, Ltd. today announced the release of its StarBoard Viewer software for interactive whiteboards and panels. Hitachi StarBoard Viewer is a free download that not only allows users to open any file formatted with Hitachi’s industry-leading StarBoard software, but also to make edits and save work—even while disconnected from Hitachi StarBoard presentation products. StarBoard Viewer is the only software of its kind that allows users to save their changes for later use on interactive whiteboards panels and tablets. more

Brea, CA – May 2008… Altinex, recognized globally as a leading manufacturer of Modular AV Solutions™, is pleased to announce that its AVSnap V3.3.9 professional AV system integration tool has been enhanced with the inclusion of the new Draw Assist engine. With Draw Assist, the new version of AVSnap significantly decreases the time required to prepare AV system drawings. This robust, intuitive software application is the ideal tool for integrators, system engineers, sales professionals, and consultants to take a job from concept to completion—enabling their clients to visualize their project from the onset. more

Twin digital live sound consoles soon to be joined by two more for upcoming Club NOKIA

A pair of Soundcraft Vi6 digital mixing consoles – one at front-of-house and one at the monitor position – are at the front end of an installed sound system featuring a variety of Harman Pro brands at the new NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, which recently opened in downtown Los Angeles. A centerpiece of the L.A. LIVE entertainment, residential and retail complex, located adjacent to STAPLES Center, is the 7,100-seat venue which will be joined later this year by the 2,300 capacity Club NOKIA, which will also feature a pair of Soundcraft Vi6 consoles and various other Harman Pro products. more

(WOODBURY, NY) – Lencore Acoustics Corp, a manufacturer of commercial sound masking systems announces the availability of its Music Page Interface, a radically different type of paging distribution system that will change the way audio and sound contractors design, install, and manage paging communication systems.

The Lencore Music Page Interface (MPI) replaces all the bulky head end equipment that is typically associated with music and paging systems. With the MPI there is no need for additional amplifiers, separate equalizers, special switching equipment or matching vendors for compatible product interfaces. In fact, the MPI technology is so sophisticated that it can make zone additions, modifications, deletions and other changes to the paging system on the fly and eliminates the need for running multiple home runs back to the electrical closet or through building risers to create separate or additional zones. more