We’ve recently added GDS products to our roster of innovative technologies for the entertainment industry.  Based in Bristol, UK, and with offices in the USA, GDS (Global Design Solutions) designs and manufacturers a range of stage management, control and test products - encompassing analogue and digital cue light systems, and bespoke Stage Managers Consoles.  The products are a logical and welcome extension to our theatre and live event communications systems, and we are very pleased to have them on board.

GDS Stage Managers Console
The Stage Managers Console forms the heart of every production, supporting multiple aspects of show operation, from time keeping, to ensuring every cue is being executed in the right order and on time. The Stage Manager has this challenging and unenviable responsibility, and needs a control position from where they can co-ordinate all areas - back stage, as well as front of house.
GDS design and manufacture a range of bespoke stage managers consoles for any size venue to the international theatre and event industry. The company started manufacturing Stage Managers Consoles in 2006 and since then has supplied numerous consoles worldwide.  At the design stage, GDS took the opportunity to evaluate how the industry currently approached this complicated piece of equipment and gave it a much-needed review. As a result, GDS has developed a new approach in both hardware and software, increasing sophistication and flexibility. Due to its modular design, every desk differs slightly according to the customer's requirements, but always maintains a standardised approach. This enables a desk to be easily expanded in the future, as and when required. For example, the CueSystem integrated into the SM Desk is modular, and can start as small as a 4-channel configuration and be expanded to 8, 12 or more channels.

GDS Cue System
The GDS cue light system provides simple, reliable cue light control for theatres, conference areas, and any venue that requires a cue light system. It consists of master controllers and cue light outstations.  All master controllers are available in 4, 8 and 12-way, for rack or desk mounting, with larger versions available to order. Analogue or digital controllers are available. 

GDS analogue devices have an XLR per channel (3-wire) at the controller, while the digital systems have an RS485 RJ45 point-to-point connection to I/O units, for connection to the outstations via 3-pin XLR.  GDS TCP-IP cue light systems are designed for seamless network integration, and offer total flexibility in terms of patching and configuration on standard networks.

Analogue Controllers
The analogue cue systems uses standard 3-pin XLR connectivity for 3-core cable runs to either normal or large cue light outstations.  The controllers come as standard in 4, 8 or 12-way configurations, with each cue light outstation plugging directly into the controller.

Digital Controllers
The GDS digital RS485 controllers come in the same reliable form factor as the analogue controllers, but offer transportation of all the cue light channels down a standard CAT5 Cable. The Digital Controllers are used in conjunction with either the 12 or 4-way I/O nodes – the 12-way nodes are rack mountable, while the 4-way nodes are portable. Using RS485 enables multiple point connections of a single system within an installation.  This is particularly useful for venues with many plug-in points, and significantly reduces physical cabling. Each cue light outstation plugs directly into the 4 or 12-way nodes.

TCP-IP Controllers
GDS TCP-IP controllers run on a standard TCP-IP network and use the TCP-IP 4 and 12-way output nodes, with standard or large GDS outstations to complete the system.  By using an output node mesh approach to the TCP-IP cue system, single point of failure is significantly reduced compared to some serial linked systems.  The controllers come in 4, 8 and 12-way configuration as standard, with desk or rack-mount options. Larger versions are available to order.