Altman Phoenix

Looking over the spec sheets, it just dawned on me (even though I'm not really a fan),
Can the Altman Phoenix be used with Dimmer Doubling technology, if equipped with a 77v HPL? Does it have 750W and 77V holes in the correct locations on the socket plate?

This might give the Phoenix an advantage over the GLA-based SPX, or the Hi-Brite FastFit-based Leko Lite.

... So sorry to say, but the HPL lamp is a superior lamp and socket combination. ...
Other than the HPL's integrated heat sink and thus requisite different socket configuration, it seems to me there's little difference between the GLA and HPL lamp families (the GLC's lumen output is slightly less, but perhaps that's due to the HPL's extra 50 Kelvins). GLAs cost more generally, but that's likely a factor of economy of scale, as there's more demand for HPLs. I think everyone has to admit the socket situation is much better now with a GLA in a TP220, than it used to be with an FEL in the TP22.
 
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Looking over the spec sheets, it just dawned on me (even though I'm not really a fan),
Can the Altman Phoenix be used with Dimmer Doubling technology, if equipped with a 77v HPL? Does it have 750W and 77V holes in the same locations on the socket plate?

This might give the Phoenix an advantage over the GLA-based SPX, or the Hi-Brite FastFit-based Leko Lite.

Other than the HPL's integrated heat sink and thus requisite different socket configuration, it seems to me there's little difference between the GLA and HPL lamp families (the GLC's lumen output is slightly less, but perhaps that's due to the HPL's extra 50 Kelvins). GLAs cost more generally, but that's likely a factor of economy of scale, as there's more demand for HPLs. I think everyone has to admit the socket situation is much better now with a GLA in a TP220, than it used to be with an FEL in the TP22.

We are still buring FEL's in all of our fixtures and socket failures are not really that common when you consider how many fixtures we have and how hard they are ran. We are currently swapping out with the TP-22 Osram sockets, not the 220 and have not had any issue with them.
 
Humm. This has not been my experience for the HPL burners that have the spring clip that keeps the lamp firmly seated in the socket. I have no records, but my strong impression is that those sockets ( with the spring clip) have a much longer life than the standard bi-pin socket.

Now I have had issues with S4 using older burners before they put in the spring clip - and with S4's where the spring clip was missing. But if the spring clip is there my maintenance experience with the S4 has been much better than the old style bi-pin.

The lamp retaining clip was added to the source 4 in the fall of 1997. At one time half of my Source 4s were the early (no clip) version. We use to have at least one or two lamps a show burn out and most of those were burned pins. Being a less than wealthy community theatre, we would put one or two lamp socket conversions on each gel order. Our managing director wouldn't spring for the bucks to bring all of our instruments up to the 98 and later specs. It took just under two years to get them all modified, but since that time, about four years ago, I have only replaced about two sockets for almost 160 instruments. Also our lamp life has improved remarkably.
If by chance Altman didn't include a similar device in the phoenix, then they have a problem.

Tom Johnson
Florida's Most Honored Community Theatre
 
We are still buring FEL's in all of our fixtures and socket failures are not really that common when you consider how many fixtures we have and how hard they are ran. We are currently swapping out with the TP-22 Osram sockets, not the 220 and have not had any issue with them.

Doing some investigation with my electricians revealed that our headaches are with 48 - 30 & 40 degree Shakes purchased used as a swap for older 360Q's from a local rental house. Thus It's entirely possibly the sockets are of a generation that had a bad batch. As I also use approx. 72 of the vintage Altman 4.5" zoom's which also use the TP22 series sockets, and have no problems with them at the rate I have problems with the Shakes. I also have 18 Shake 15-30 zooms purchased new, whose bases are OK. So as Kyle stated, probably a bad base batch.
 
Yea, that is possible. I do a lot of work for a community theatre which was renovated in 1995. They have all Shakespeares and got about 10 years of life out of their FOH units' sockets. Their fixtures are what I'd call "regular/heavy use".
 
At my one theater we don't necessarily have socket issues in our Shakespeares other than the fact that they are old units bought used off tour utilized in a busy rental venue setting where the plot is taken down completely quite often. However, we do find that their lamps do not last as long as those in Source 4 Fixtures. We default to HPL 575 WC (standard life) and GLC/HP600 (also standard life). If someone decides to buy HX family extended life or standard life lamps, forget it. The older style single filament is just too fragile; focus movements that are not perfectly smooth and regular movement of fixtures kills them. As near we can guess, the Shakespeares don't transfer heat off as well as the Source 4. Seems especially the case with StarPARs I went all summer replacing 3 lamps due to actual burn out in Source 4 Lekos and PARs. 8 Shows a week or Tech for 5 months. Several socket issues, but that is likely due to the fixtures being heavily used from a major rental house. Just my experience.
 

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