Entertainment Services and Technology Association
Established1987 Edit this on Wikidata (37 years ago)
HeadquartersNew York City Edit this on Wikidata
Part ofProfessional Lighting and Sound Association Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.esta.org Edit this on Wikidata

The Entertainment Services & Technology Association (ESTA) is an American non-profit trade association that represents the entertainment technology industry and is dedicated to promoting professionalism and growth within it. It also provides a forum where interested parties can exchange ideas and information, create standards and recommend certain practices, and face problems in terms of training and certification.

ESTA members provide a wide variety of products and services to the industry, which range from large corporations to individual designers. Its members include distributors, manufacturers, companies in the field of service and production, designers and consultants.

ESTA is currently in charge of reviewing the DMX512 protocol (Digital MultipleX) as well as the development of the new sACN protocol (Advanced Control Network), both communications protocols used to control the lighting of scenarios and special effects.

History

In 2010 ESTA merged with PLASA[1][2] and demerged in 2015.

As of January 2011 ESTA, the Entertainment Services and Technology Association in North America, has merged with the Professional Lighting and Sound Association, a similar organization in the UK. The new organization was called PLASA. In 2015 PLASA Governing Body chairman John Simpson announced that the organisation had been facing "critical cash-flow problems", precipitating the sale of its Eastbourne office, staff reductions, business restructuring and a reduction in services provided to members. In addition, the de-merger of the American arm of the organisation into a separate body.

All ESTA standards are now maintained by ESTA.

Standards

In 1994 the ESTA started a technical standards program for the development of industry standards. This program is officially recognized by ANSI as a "Standards Developer". Standards developed by the ESTA go through life as ANSI E1.-number-year - description .

Example standards are:

References

  1. ^ Low, Andrew (4 Jun 2010). "PLASA and ESTA members approve merger". Audio Pro International. Archived from the original on 28 June 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  2. ^ Vanderkar, Lauren (18 Jun 2010). "PLASA and ESTA vote to merge". Lighting.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
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