Absolute Newbie - Simple Stage lighting effects

[PhantomD]

True, no chaser though.

 

[Chris15]

Which has no chaser?

 

[PhantomD]

What have I missed?

You have missed that the monoPAK does not have a chaser.

Get a price from Entertainment Services or a NSW LSC Dealer for a "proper" price.

 

[Chris15]

I am certain that I read that there were plans for at least 2 channels, if not more. On that basis, even a price of $300 each, I would still think the better deal was in a 4 pak. That would give the requested audio interface as well.

 

[PhantomD]

Correct, as long as it's a mkII.

 

[Chris15]

I think even the MkII has been superseded. I was guessing that since the question implied purchase of equipment, that it would be the current model being bought new. I could be wrong though.

 

[PhantomD]

My experience with the Jands unit is that it caused a lot of noise in the audio in certain stages of operation (and OK it has a high capacity, but it plugs into the normal 10A mains!?).

Make sure you carry spare fuses too if you buy it.

 

[Chris15]

My experience with the Jands unit is that it caused a lot of noise in the audio in certain stages of operation (and OK it has a high capacity, but it plugs into the normal 10A mains!?).

Is this not the reason we try and avoid putting audio and lights on the same circuit? I think that it is the rubbish that gets introduced by the chopping process of the dimming. I've seen it with all types of dimmer. Sounds like the chokes were shot if it was really bad. (Was it an older unit you had troubles with?)

In terms of power capacity, I got the impression that the original post that the application involved PAR56s, so you would get 8 of them through it. It also neglected any mention of 3 phase, so I assume that it is single phase stuff that is desired, and 10A is about the max you'll get in a single phase unit. Plus it allows you to plug it in anywhere rather than having to find say a 15 amp outlet or a 3 phase one.

Make sure you carry spare fuses too if you buy it.

Jands have been thinking of you. The new model has a breaker in place of the fuse. (Assuming that the fuse in question was a main supply fuse.) In fact now all of their dimmers use breakers instead of fuses.

 

[beam_1973]

Is this not the reason we try and avoid putting audio and lights on the same circuit? I think that it is the rubbish that gets introduced by the chopping process of the dimming. I've seen it with all types of dimmer.

I have had a few different opinions and experiences with this one. A mate of mine is a PA owner/operator and I have put my lighting rig in with his gear into venues before where there is only one 3 phase circuit available so we have run both systems on the same power. Sometimes we get buzzes and hums, sometimes we don't. Other venues I have worked at where the circuits are separate, same things happen (possibly where power cables might be looped near audio, other times there is nothing like this present). It sometimes seems like its a totally random occurrence. I've also heard that if the power coming into the venue is "dirty", that can also be the culprit.

 

[PhantomD]

This was a mk1 I was using (fuse), and the actual thing was really noisy, plus there was a little noise in the audio.

 

[Chris15]

I've also heard that if the power coming into the venue is "dirty", that can also be the culprit.

I know exactly what you are talking about. Any light I stick on a dimmer channel fed by phase B flickers. VERY annoying. One of our woodwork teachers still has his sparky's licence and he said it could be a fluoro ballast somewhere in the school or a loose connection somewhere in the mains distribution through the school. Whatever it is, it make life really interesting...

And PhantomD, I think that really it is a case of you actually notice the audible noise on the 4 pak since you are close to it. In my experience, all dimmers do it, just with bigger systems, we aren't normally in earshot of them.

 

[PhantomD]

he said it could be a fluoro ballast somewhere in the school or a loose connection somewhere in the mains distribution through the school.

And PhantomD, I think that really it is a case of you actually notice the audible noise on the 4 pak since you are close to it. In my experience, all dimmers do it, just with bigger systems, we aren't normally in earshot of them.

Your friend is correct - these connections loosen over time with high load, and when they get too loose there is heat generation which can cause all kinds of problems including melted wires and in my case, a phase dropping out of spec in the dimmer.

Wrong. I could hear it in the subs out the front a long way away. Of course all dimmers make noise internally. Except those new-fangled things I remember reading about a while back.

 

[Chris15]

My problem was that I was somehow getting nasty harmonics onto the mains from somewhere upstream of the three phase outlet. Makes it a right pain in the rear to even think where to start looking for the problem.

Sounds like the Audio & Mains cable ran parallel and the EMF from the mains has gotten into the audio. Else something else happened...

 

[iancl]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Although you kinda went into your own conversation.

In the end, I found a $35 unit which dims lights and has a rating of 600W. So I'm plannign to buy that after my holiday.

It is controlled by a rotary potentiometer, which I'm assuming will be a low voltage. If that's right, then I'm hoping I can input my own voltage controlled by audio going through a rectifier+capacitor+resistor, coming from a guitar amplifier. I'll let you know if I think it's possible when I buy the dimmer. And then if I try, I'll let you know what the result is!

 

[PhantomD]

That's good.

Excuse us going off topic for a second there.

 

[Chris15]

Nice to see a solution has been found.

I would be very hesitant to make the assumption that just because it has a pot it is low voltage. Household dimmers have a rotary pot and are most definitely NOT low voltage.

 

[iancl]

Yes yes. I'm not buying it purely because I think that. I'm buying it, and hoping that it does. And IF it does, I'll be able to use it for more things too.