HME is proud to partner with XM Automation and present XMove automation to the live event industry in Australasia. XMove is integrated into HME’s control architecture to allow us to deliver powerful control over our world-class machinery at a price point that puts solutions within reach of smaller venues.
“As the world’s first official XM Automation System Integrator, we have been given unique access and insight to integrate this control solution with our products,” commented Glenn Harris, HME’s Managing Director. “The XMove automation user interface offers complete flexibility to connect to any system.
“We’re looking forward to bringing this innovative product to the Australian market, and have already collaborated with the Sydney Theatre Company to provide an automation solution for their recent production Strange Case of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde.”
Key to XMove is a simple, graphics-only approach to programming and the display of information that provide the user with a visual representation of the state, moves and cues. Because the universal language of symbols and numbers replaces words, the interface is truly international.
Even complex multi-target moves are given a clear display that shows the moves that the axis will undertake.
Complex multi-target moves can be created simply with a visual interface that allows all parts of the move to be edited, and speeds and delays to be modified – either individually or all together. The complete sequence can be repeated multiple (or an infinite number of) times. The user is given clear feedback on the current status of the sequence when it is played back.
A 3D visualisation tool is key to an automation UI. Automation, by its very nature, is stage-time intensive. If automation cues are being rehearsed, the stage needs to be clear of any other activity, so the ability to program cues offline is paramount.
The visualisation view also provides a very useful training tool, with operators and programmers able to gain familiarity with the system quickly without the need to use valuable stage time.
Further, being able to show the creative team how an automation move will look, and plot the show, potentially even before it is built means that the speeds/accelerations and travel distances can be checked before the automation is designed/built, potentially saving money.
The XMove control console features four independent playbacks with UP/DOWN/START/STOP and speeds control for each. Speed control is via a belt, with a visual display of the current set speed. Custom illuminated programming keyboard and trackpad interface to XMove. There are dead man’s handles (for both left or right-hand operation) with optional foot switch output.
Earlier this year, XM Automations won the ABTT Engineering Product of the Year 2022 for XMove with the judges’ commenting: “A very flexible console with lots of potential to fully integrate into venues of many sizes. The console has been designed with the user in mind, including the ability to develop the programming offline with visualisation of the model included as standard. Also of note is the development of a standard protocol for automation control.”
In September, the XMove platform won a PLASA award for Innovation. The judges felt that this product was deserving of an award for being the first controller to potentially bring industry-wide compatibility to automation.
Features
- Simple to learn and use. Intuitive and powerful.
- Fully graphical interface for plotting and displaying moves.
- Metric/imperial display modes.
- Full 3D visualiser included as standard, to show representation of the theatre space.
- Multi-target moves, locked groups, multiple users, shows, and multiple venues.
- Rigging & referencing and scenery modes to support repertory theatres.
- Developed and running on the Apple Mac (using the new super-fast M1 chipset).
- Powerful robust application created in Apple’s latest pro -SwiftUI.
- Interface to multiple hardware architectures (e.g. Siemens/Beckhoff/Control Techniques).
- Retro fit to control existing systems (our experts can provide expertise as required).
- Available for use with new systems with control/mechanics provided by a third party.
