Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 1991 - 63

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Shure Brothers video Guide
Shure Brothers Incorporated has
announced the release of its "Guide To
Better Audio" in videocassette form. The
videocassette, like the booklet that they
have published, discusses
microphone selection and
technique, mixer operation, wireless microphone
systems, and audio accessones.
The price is $29.95,
shipping and handling
included. It runs 39 minutes (VHS only).
It may be ordered by calling 1-800-25
SHURE.

scene. Users can immediately change the
surface properties of an object as easily as
a word processing program changes fonts.
StrataFlight, an optional animation utility,
adds camera motion to Strata Vision 3-D,
allowing users to view walk-throughs and

For further information, contact NSI
Corporation, PO Box 635, Wilsonville,
Oregon 97070; 503-698-7976.

Pentel Plotter Pen

Pentel has announced a
new stainless steel plotter
pen, the CXP, a maintenance free pen using its
NEW PRODUCTS
patented ceramic tip
technology.
The CXP design is an
enhancement of Pentel's
present SRM-PP and CHP ceramic tip
fly-bys of3-D models.
pens. Ceramic tip technology encases the
For further information, contact Strata
plotter pen tip in a tough ceramic
Inc., 249 East Tabernacle, Sf. George,
coating. The ceramic tip measures 8.5 on
Utah 84770; 1-800-6STRATA.
the hardness scale of 1-10 while most
Strata 3-D Software
stainless steel points measure about 5.5.
NSI Lighting Controller
This harder point ensures line consistency
Strata Inc. announced an upgtade to its
throughout the life of the pen.
NSI Corporation has announced
3-D modeling scene layout and rendering
The CXP's main feature is an ink
introduction of its new MELANGE
software for the Macintosh called
regulator system featuring twO dozen
Strata Vision. The new version, Stratamemory lighting controller. The
MELANGE features 128 individual
horizontal chambers. To eliminate
Vision 3-D 2.0, is priced at $695
control channels with proportional
leaking, these chambers drain and fill
suggested retail and was scheduled to be
independently while adjusting to changes
softpatch capability for up to 512
available in November 1990. Registered
dimmers. 200 cues are available in
in atmospheric pressure and temperature.
Strata Vision 3-D owners can upgrade to
standard configuration with an expansion
The system balances the flow of ink by
Version 2.0 for $99.
option to double capacity. Cues are
recirculating it back into the reservoir
With version 2.0, extensions placed
retained in Non-Volatile memory. It
instead of forcing it out through the tip.
into the Strata Vision folder plug in to
includes fwO independent auto crossfaders
To prevent clogging, Pentel uses a
Strata Vision 3-D. Other new features
with individual go buttons and "softpOt"
primary and secondary capillary system. A
include:
porous material, centered in the pen's tip,
technology allowing touch sensitive
* Smooth shading of3-D objects;
aids in cleaning and regulating the flow
control for fast data input and relative
* Faster rendering;
and consistency of ink. The porous
adjustments. Up-fade, delay, down-fade
* More powerful modeling tools;
material is more flexible and therefore fore
and wait time is programmable from .1
* Rulers and optional numerical data
durable than the commonly used cleaning
second to more than 99 minutes. The
input;
wire found in many plotter pens.
MELA GE has 22 user definable
* Enhanced surface mapping ability.
To keep the CXP from drying out,
macros, recursive cue linking for multiple
Version 2.0 supports shading of 3-D
Pentel formulated a thicker dye-based ink.
simultaneous crossfades and a help
objects imported from other software
This special ink helps maintain line
packages, as well as those created in
program for instant screen assistance.
Strata Vision. The 2.0 ray tracer renders
Standard output ports include DMX consistency. Combined with the capillary
system which limits its direct exposure to
512, SI MICRO-PLEX, RS 232, and
three times faster than the current version.
air, the CXP never needs capping.
MIDI. A printer port is also provided as
Modeling enhancements include control
The pen is compatible with Hewletr
of lathe operations by degrees and control
well as a 12-inch CRT. Options for the
Packard, CalComp, Houston Instruof extrusion functions by user-specified
MELANGE include memory expansion
ments, Ioline, Enter, IBM, Mutoh,
unit measurements.
and removable card storage.
Roland, Schlumberger
Strata's optional Attriand more. Four tip sizes,
bute Library Series allows
.25, .35, .50 and .70, are
Strata Vision 3-D users to
ROBERT HELLER, EDITOR
available in black, red,
apply predefined surface
blue and green ink
textures and detail to three
colors.
dimensional objects with a

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TD&T

1991 WINTER

61
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Winter 1991
