JonCarter
Well-Known Member
OK, all you lighting guys, here's another hypothetical for you:
You've been employed to design the electrical system for a new theatre. The facility is now under design and planned for completion and opening will be 01 JAN 2020. The plant is to be a 500-600 seat proscenium facility, and according to the architect, tentative lighting positions will be two ceiling coves (one of which will have space for arcs & their operators--which one?), two side-of-house positions on each side of the house, a light bridge just upstage of the P/L, 3 upstage electrics, a cyc electric ~6' DS of the back wall, a cyc light pit also 6' DS of the back wall, and 3 or 4 lighting connection positions on each of SR & SL stage house side walls (or floor pockets) for towers, floor units, or whateve the future LD calls for. (You will have the architect's ear and can modify this if you want.) You may plan as many circuits at each location as you like. There will be a projection/light/sound booth at the back of the house with room for, say, 3 arcs, projection equipment and control equipment for lighting and sound. Now., the GOOD PART. You have NO BUDGET to design this--dream big. Would you:
1) Plan a "traditional" system, with dimmers located (in a dimmer room somewhere--don't worry about that) and dimmed circuits up the yingyang provided at all locations, OR,
2) A "DMX-controlled system, with constant power (both 120V and 240/208V) available in quantity at all locations with DMX control circuits a\vailable at all locations in quantity such that daisy chain limitations are of no concern, OR,
3) A mixture of dimmer-controlled circuits AND constant power (both 120V and 240/208V) available in quantity at all locations with DMX control circuits a\vailable at all locations in quantity such that daisy chain limitations are of no concern at each location..
Now, which would you choose and why would you choose it? Or, what would you add/subtract form this, and why?
You've been employed to design the electrical system for a new theatre. The facility is now under design and planned for completion and opening will be 01 JAN 2020. The plant is to be a 500-600 seat proscenium facility, and according to the architect, tentative lighting positions will be two ceiling coves (one of which will have space for arcs & their operators--which one?), two side-of-house positions on each side of the house, a light bridge just upstage of the P/L, 3 upstage electrics, a cyc electric ~6' DS of the back wall, a cyc light pit also 6' DS of the back wall, and 3 or 4 lighting connection positions on each of SR & SL stage house side walls (or floor pockets) for towers, floor units, or whateve the future LD calls for. (You will have the architect's ear and can modify this if you want.) You may plan as many circuits at each location as you like. There will be a projection/light/sound booth at the back of the house with room for, say, 3 arcs, projection equipment and control equipment for lighting and sound. Now., the GOOD PART. You have NO BUDGET to design this--dream big. Would you:
1) Plan a "traditional" system, with dimmers located (in a dimmer room somewhere--don't worry about that) and dimmed circuits up the yingyang provided at all locations, OR,
2) A "DMX-controlled system, with constant power (both 120V and 240/208V) available in quantity at all locations with DMX control circuits a\vailable at all locations in quantity such that daisy chain limitations are of no concern, OR,
3) A mixture of dimmer-controlled circuits AND constant power (both 120V and 240/208V) available in quantity at all locations with DMX control circuits a\vailable at all locations in quantity such that daisy chain limitations are of no concern at each location..
Now, which would you choose and why would you choose it? Or, what would you add/subtract form this, and why?