I need help!

[stjc15]

Alright, I know I'm really a sound tech, but I also the over-all tech-guru at our church. We are in the process of renovating our sactuary and want to install a complete lighting system (board, dimmers, racks, etc.)

What all do I need (so I know I don't forget anything)?
What companies do you suggest?

Any help you guys can give me would be very much appriciated!

[Footer]

Call Grandstage, they have an office in Milwaukee. They should be able to do anything you need. (800) 43-STAGE

[Dustincoc]

This is really going to depend on how much your willing to spend and what your needs are. In general, I'd recommend the these:

Lighting units

-Ellpisoidals
if cost is an issue - Altman 6x
otherwise ETC Source 4
-Fresnels
Altman
-Pars
Altman

dimmers
ETC Sensor Rack with Sensor Dimmers

light board
ETC Express (a little outdated, but a good basic board)


As far ar the light board and dimmers go, if cost really is that important and you need to go with a lower end board, avoid Leprechaun equipment, It may be cheaper but I've never had any luck with it, it tends to break easily and often.

[Footer]

Its much more then that. Its getting power in the right location, DMX distribution, power distribution, architectural limitations... For a new install, you have to go with a company. Its much more then just saying "I want these dimmers".

[Titanium]

Visit www.leviton.com

[Radman]

I'll second Mainstage.

[drawstuf99]

Originally Posted by Dustincoc

...if cost really is that important and you need to go with a lower end board, avoid Leprechaun equipment, It may be cheaper but I've never had any luck with it, it tends to break easily and often.

Yes, I agree...

I'm not sure how the price is in relation, but Strand Lighting makes some OK boards. I don't prefer them over ETC any day, but at least they work. Just get something generally new, bc some boards are sorta fiddly from the 'older days.'

The Express board from ETC is an excellent, very easy board; yet, it's able to do so much. They're great for educational settings, and good for a church too I'd imagine. It's widely supported, it's layed out logically, and chances are the price has gone down over the past year or two since it's not 100% new.

As for the PARs and Fresnels, Altman is a good company. Generally, Altman's ERS instruments have been trouble for me in the past. They seem to get jammed easily, and sometimes they are just a pain. The 360 & 360Q, however, both are decent instruments-just find them new or almost new. Don't waste time with those old Altman KL instruments (they look like huge boxes...they were good at, well, one point). They are a pain!! You may be able to get them for like 5 bucks from an old company, but I'd still (unless you're like, in some huge unorthodox pinch) not get them...by some gel with the money.

Since you're at a church, you may be able to nab some things from a local community college or communtiy theatre that is wishing to renovate their stuff to. Stuff like fresnels and pars, perhaps.

If you've got the money, ETC makes their S4 PAR and S4 ParNEL which seem to work well. The ParNEL isn't perfect (sometimes it leaves a lesser hot spot in the center in flood mode) but any fresnel, even those Altmans, do that.

Out of curiousity, what sort of scale productions/events do you stage in your church? At mine, which I really go to to be honest, does really small, pittily things; however, if you're doing rather large productions then you're in good shape.

One thing, I can say all this stuff but as others said, GO WITH A COMPANY. And I suggest you find someone who you know is a really good LD or Electrician (preferablly both if possible, but I'd pick an LD over and ME). Ask them for advice. Find a good good company, not some random "yeah sure! we can do lights..." company. I didn't see where you were locate, but check to see what the local lighting supply company is and contact them. I know Barbizon, though expensive I'd imagine, does installations and planning. Even if they don't help you out, I'm sure they'd be able to help you out finding a GOOD company just bc you would prob would be buying from them in the future.

Don't do this alone. Find a good, LIGHTING company. I can't stress that enough. My school has gotten some really bad company to oversee our new blackbox's construction and they've gotten us all ETC dimmers and instruments and board, which is nice, but the instruments are just sorta like 'what were you thinking?' The dimmer layout blows, their aren't NEAR enough. They're doubled everywhere and crap. Nothing but PARS and ParNELS... no ERS. It's just stupid.

Good luck with your project!

[icewolf08]

Don't knock the Strand consoles. The Strand 500 series is IMHO a far superior console to the Obsession II any day. In reality, none of the consoles in the Strand line can compare to any of the ETC consoles other than the Obsession or the new Eos. The new LightPalette series from Strand seems very promising and in the same ballpark price range as an Eos anyway.

That being said, I have to agree with what everyone has been saying, this is a job for professionals. Get an electrical contractor to work with your dealer and do the install. Unless you are a licensed electrician an install like this is something you really can't do yourself.

[soundlight]

Source Fours and Source Four Pars. That's all you should need for instruments unless you want striplights. Sensor dimmers, ETC Express console. ETC for data and power distribution. Yeah, can you say ETC again? my theater's whole system is ETC (except some of the fixtures). This way you also only have to keep one type of lamp (bulb). ETC can provide the cabling, distribution boxes, and raceways.

You should really have a company come in, look at your space, and then you can tell them what you want to do with it. This usually helps alot. They'll really be able to help you realize what you want to do.

[BillESC]

All good suggestions... but no one asked the primary question.

What kind of lighting do you want to do? Simple washes? Spot lighting? High energy lighting?

These questions would be followed by:

Do you have a budget in mind?
Where and how much power is available?
What is the ceiling construction?
Can your fixtures be visible or must they be hidden?
Does your church have a licensed electrician as a member?

Once the basics are known the help offered will be more useful.