EVENTIDE’S ECLIPSE V4.0 SOFTWARE UPGRADE INCLUDES TIMEFACTOR and PITCHFACTOR EFFECTS

Eventide today announced the release of V4.0 software for its Eclipse Harmonizer® processor, further demonstrating its commitment to the thousands of Eclipse owners and the capabilities of the product. Most importantly, the new software adds the entire catalog of Eventide TimeFactor and ModFactor stompbox effects to over 500 presets. The V4.0 software release adds the ability to run full Eventide stompbox algorithms and other select Eclipse effects simultaneously. As an example, users now have the ability to run stereo delays feeding an ambience effect while the stompbox parameters will be mapped to the four hot keys on the Eclipse. The new software also significantly accelerates program loading.

Widely used by professional touring musicians, live sound engineers, and top recording studios alike, the Eclipse Harmonizer comprises hundreds of Eventide’s best effects in a compact dual-engine processor which is capable of running two stereo effects at one time, either in serial or parallel. Any parameter can be adjusted in real time using a standard MIDI foot controller or an expression pedal, making the Eclipse one of the most expressive effects processors available.

“This milestone software release makes the Eclipse even more enticing,” noted Ray Maxwell, Eventide vice president of sales and marketing. “We continue to add value and optimize the performance of this superb hardware processor with the addition of our best-selling TimeFactor and ModFactor algorithms. With this update, the Eclipse maintains its edge as the go-to rack processor for performance or studio. Now, in the studio, you can have the very same effects that appear in our stompboxes also accessible with S/PDIF, AES or ADAT digital I/O.”

The new software will be released to public beta by the end of January and will be released to production in February 2009. Eclipse V4.0 software is a free download for Eclipse owners who have registered their product at Eventide.com.

EVENTIDE ADDS TO ITS ARSENAL OF EFFECTS PEDALS WITH REVOUTIONARY PITCHFACTOR HARMONIZER STOMPBOX

In a highly anticipated introduction that brings the soundscapes and creative versatility of Eventide’s legendary Harmonizer to guitar pedal users of all genres, Eventide today unveiled the newest addition to its line of effects pedals: the PitchFactor Harmonizer® stompbox.

The versatile PitchFactor showcases ten of Eventide’s trademark Harmonizer pitch and delay effects as well as 1.5 seconds of stereo delay and simultaneous pitchshifting effects, which results in the most flexible stompbox in its class. PitchFactor features 100 stunning presets, instant program change, true bypass, tap tempo, three footswitches for immediate preset access, MIDI, and the lush, uncompromised Eventide sound known around the world. Useable in mono or stereo, with line- or instrument-level inputs and outputs, PitchFactor is adaptable to a wide variety of guitar or bass rigs, studio and live sound applications.

The effects featured in PitchFactor include: Micropitch, Diatonic Shifter, Quadravox™, Harmodulator™, H910/H949, PitchFlex™, Octaver™, Crystals™, Harpeggiator™ and Synthonizer™. Eventide has finessed these legendary effects into a full-featured, indestructible, cast metal performance machine that is small enough to fit on your pedal board or in your gig bag.

Commenting on the release of the PitchFactor is Ray Maxwell, Eventide vice president of sales and marketing. “Many groundbreaking guitarists have used Eventide effects to enhance their sound over the last 38 years, including Jimmy Page, Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, Brian May, Eddie Van Halen, Peter Frampton, Robert Fripp, and John Petrucci, to name a few. We are pleased to announce the introduction of PitchFactor at Winter NAMM.”

Eventide PitchFactor is available in March 2009 through premier guitar retailers worldwide and will retail at $599.

Hitachi Adds CP-WX11000 And CP-SX12000 Large-Venue 3LCD Projectors To Professional Series Lineup

-- The Professional Series includes projectors designed for large-venue applications such as auditoriums, lecture halls, large houses of worship and staging productions --

Expanding its new Professional Series projectors for large venues, Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc., Business Group is introducing the CP-WX11000 and CP-SX12000 3LCD projectors. As part of the Hitachi Professional Series, the CP-WX11000 and CP-SX12000 deliver on Hitachi’s trademark of reliability, versatility and performance to the high-end professional AV marketplace. This includes auditoriums, lecture halls, large houses of worship and staging productions.

The CP-WX11000 offers WXGA resolution, a 16:10 aspect ratio and a brightness of 6,500 ANSI lumens. As with all Professional Series models, the CP-WX11000 offers a 2500:1 contrast ratio and is equipped with five optional lenses.

Additionally, the CP-WX11000 features a hybrid filter, making maintenance and cleaning much less frequent. Moreover, the CP-WX11000’s dust-resistant cooling system results in the filter running for 10,000 hours without maintenance. Also crucial to high-end pro AV applications, the CP-WX11000 uses inorganic LCD panels, which feature a higher resistance to light. This translates into better picture quality and longer operational life.

The CP-WX11000 offers unparalleled convenience, with proprietary functions such as My Screen, My Memory and My Button as well as input source naming and blackboard/whiteboard/daytime modes. With networking connectivity, multiple projectors can be monitored and managed from a single, remote location. Security features include a PIN lock, Kensington slot and transition detector.

Offering SXGA+ resolution, the CP-SX12000 provides a brightness of 7,000 ANSI lumens and five optional lenses for various throw distances. The dust-resistant cooling system enables the filter to operate for 10,000 maintenance-free hours. The CP-SX12000 features a 2500:1 contrast ratio, while a variety of connectivity options are available, including DMI, BNC, DVI, RGB, composite, component, and S-video. Additionally, the CP-SX12000 includes inorganic panels, which offer a higher resistance to light, meaning better picture quality and longer operational life.

The CP-SX12000 also offers proprietary functions such as My Screen, My Memory and My Button as well as input source naming and blackboard/whiteboard/daytime modes. With networking connectivity, multiple projectors can be monitored and managed from a single, remote location. Security features include a PIN lock, Kensington slot and transition detector.

“The expansion of Hitachi’s new Professional Series projectors is in response to several demands from large venue market customers, including performance, versatility and affordability,” said John Glad, product manager, Hitachi Home Electronics (America), Inc., Business Group. “The new CP-WX11000 and CP-SX11000 3LCD Professional Series projectors address these demands for a variety of applications, ranging from houses of worship to performance spaces.”