Richmond Sound Design
Encyclopedia
Richmond Sound Design Ltd. is a theatre sound design and show control
systems and software developer and manufacturer. It was founded in 1972 by Charlie Richmond. The company began as a manufacturer of specialty mixers and theatre sound design
consoles. It is a leader in digital audio
and show control
software and hardware
for live entertainment.
Show control
Show control is the use of automation technology to link together and operate multiple entertainment control systems in a coordinated manner. It is distinguished from entertainment control , which coordinates elements within a single entertainment discipline such as lighting, sound, video, rigging...
systems and software developer and manufacturer. It was founded in 1972 by Charlie Richmond. The company began as a manufacturer of specialty mixers and theatre sound design
Sound design
Sound design is the process of specifying, acquiring, manipulating or generating audio elements. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including filmmaking, television production, theatre, sound recording and reproduction, live performance, sound art, post-production and video game software...
consoles. It is a leader in digital audio
Digital audio
Digital audio is sound reproduction using pulse-code modulation and digital signals. Digital audio systems include analog-to-digital conversion , digital-to-analog conversion , digital storage, processing and transmission components...
and show control
Show control
Show control is the use of automation technology to link together and operate multiple entertainment control systems in a coordinated manner. It is distinguished from entertainment control , which coordinates elements within a single entertainment discipline such as lighting, sound, video, rigging...
software and hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
for live entertainment.
History
- 1972 Founded as a manufacturer of theatrical sound consoles. Its first product was the single prototype Model 1224 with a 12 x 24 matrix, custom made for the Stratford Festival of Canada and rented by the Old Globe TheatreOld Globe TheatreThe Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons...
in San Diego continuously for the next 28 years. Since then, they originated many sound and theatre industry advancements.
- 1973 The Model 816 became the first production unit, made through 1985. It was equipped with an 8x16 matrix, at the time a revolutionary feature. Many still perform daily in theatres around the world, a testament to their reliability and functionality.
- 1974 The M82 range of portable stereo mixing consoles was eventually expanded to a full line of multitrack, broadcast and live mixers. Units from this era in pristine condition regularly appear on eBayEBayeBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.
- 1977 Introduced the VCA-4 mixer module for dedicated audio control in complex routing applications. Thousands of VCA-4's are still at work in paging systems at convention centres, hotels, hospitals, and industrial installations worldwide.
- 1986 Created COMMAND/CUE(TM), the computerised audio control system, with the patented AUTO-PAN(TM) programmable fader. At the same time a router/switcher, automated virtual console, and panoramic sound controller, COMMAND/CUE CONCURRENT, in the opinion of top sound designers, was for many years the world's most capable surround sound tool and many systems are still operating reliably.
- 1991 Unveiled Stage Manager(TM) show control software for a whole new level of presentation ability. Stage Manager pioneered the use of MIDI Show ControlMIDI Show ControlMIDI Show Control, or MSC, is a significant Real Time System Exclusive extension of the international Musical Instrument Digital Interface standard...
to manage a variety of intelligent media controllers: lighting, sound, lasers, staging and more.
- 1994 Released MIDIShowCD(TM), the world's first software for synchronizing multiple CD drives. MIDIShowCD provided multichannel audio and multi source effects at a fraction of the cost of alternative systems, using common and reliable CD's.
- 1997 The AudioBox(TM), developed by Tim Bartoo of Harmonic Functions Inc. (HFI), combined an onboard eight-channel digital sound source with a flexible 16x16 DSP matrix. After years of research, almost any form of sound manipulation could finally be done in real time, completely in the digital domain, with one box.
- 1998 The AudioBox was presented TCI Magazine's Sound Product of the Year Award. Software support on all platforms allowed multichannel audio to be equalized, delayed, manipulated and distributed in ways previously only dreamed of.
- Introduced ShowManShowManShowMan is show control software developed by Richmond Sound Design. It supersedes the original Amiga show control software named Stage Manager and is capable of reading shows created by that application. Show control is the use of technology to link together and operate multiple entertainment...
(TM) software for Windows by Loren Wilton, providing the power and capability of both Stage Manager and MIDIShowCD on an industry standard platform. ShowMan signifies real compatibility and true live show interaction.
- 1999 Presented E-Show(TM) Network Tools by Joanne Dow. E-Show is simply the most significant show control concept yet, composed of industry standard computing hardware and industrial standard interface cards all networked using world standard TCP/IP network protocols. Now any IT department can effectively assemble and support the world's most powerful show control system.
- 2000 E-Show was presented Entertainment Design Magazine's 1999 EDDY Award in the Show Control category. The Award states: "Charlie's done it again. The E-Show Network is based on industry-standard Windows NT computers interconnected via a TCP/IP-based network; normally EthernetEthernetEthernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
, but essentially any TCP/IP-compatible network, even the Internet, can be used. The system features RSD's Virtual PLC Hardware, composed of industry-standard industrial PCI/ISA computer cards, and is driven by ShowMan(TM) software. E-Show also supports direct Ethernet connection with Ethernet-capable industrial control devices, thereby eliminating the need for host computers at remote terminals. 'This is a great step in the right direction, putting show control on a standard Ethernet network,' says one of the judges. 'No more serial lines, MIDI lines, etc.'"
- Introduced the AudioBox AB1616 including 16 digital audio playback channels on board with automatic input switching between live and playback on the first eight channels. On September 16 in Los Angeles, the Ride Vehicle version of the AudioBox (used in every ride vehicle on the Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
ride at the Universal Studios FloridaUniversal Studios FloridaUniversal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
Islands of AdventureIslands of AdventureUniversal's Islands of Adventure is a theme park located in Orlando, Florida. It opened May 28, 1999 as part of an expansion that, along with CityWalk Entertainment District, the Portofino Bay Hotel, and Hard Rock hotel, converted Universal Studios Florida into the Universal Orlando Resort...
theme park) was awarded the Thea Award 2000 for Outstanding Achievement in the area of 'Breakthrough Technology' by the Themed Entertainment AssociationThemed Entertainment AssociationThe Themed Entertainment Association is an international non-profit association that represents creators, developers, designers and producers of themed entertainment...
(TEA). The award states, "Having been judged to represent the highest standards of excellence and creative achievement in the arts and sciences of the Themed Entertainment Industry."
- 2005 Introduced the AudioBox AB64 with up to 64 digital audio playback and recording channels, 64x64 DSP audio matrix, 64 analog and/or CobraNetCobranetCobraNet is a combination of software, hardware and network protocols designed to deliver uncompressed, multi-channel, low-latency digital audio over a standard Ethernet network...
audio inputs and outputs and, of course, a full function Show Controller on board - all in a compact, modular format.
- 2007 Introduced SoundMan-Server, a virtual sound system (VSS) API with up to 1000 playback, live input and output channels and a million crosspoints with vectored gain, EQ and delay at each crosspoint. Also SoundMan-Designer, a theatrical playback, sound and show control application that fully emulates the older model AudioBox. The Universal Studios HollywoodUniversal Studios HollywoodUniversal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use...
WaterworldWaterworldWaterworld is a 1995 post-apocalyptic science fiction film. The film was directed by Kevin Reynolds and co-written by Peter Rader and David Twohy. It is based on Rader's original 1986 screenplay and stars Kevin Costner, who also produced it. It was distributed by Universal Pictures...
live stunt show based on the film was the first to be upgraded to this software, along with the latest version of ShowMan in September.