Gobo Changer or Some Other Alternative

[mstaylor]

This may sound like a dumb question but I have worked very little with theatre in the past ten years. As a result I have only used metal gobos and singles at that. I had a client that wanted three gobos, glass, in one instrument that would royaye to give you multible images. We ended up using three instruments per side. I wasn"t involved until load-in and the tech that talked to them ordered a spinner not rotator. Where is the best place to buy one and what does everyone recomend to use? I supposed they are DMX controled and need some type of power supply. Is this something that goes on the front of the instrument or in the accessary slot?
As many years as I have been in the buiness you would think I would know this but I have not a clue.

 

[avkid]

Quite honestly, I can't find any 3 gobo rotators.
You would probably be better off with a moving fixture that has an internal gobo wheel.

 

[sk8rsdad]

A GAM SX4 can offer you 6 interchangeable rotating gobos.

Wybron's Goboram II handles 3 in the same unit.

 

[GreyWyvern]

Wybron, I believe, at one time had a unit that stacked 3 vertically. You had to send the back end of your S4 to them so they could modify it with a slot in the bottom opposite of the iris slot. The unit went all the way though the fixture. It could rotate them too.

EDIT: The bottom picture in the previous post! Missed that somehow...

 

[sk8rsdad]

I added it after the first posting when I remembered the manufacturer.

 

[GreyWyvern]

That would be how I missed it! Not a bad unit, just kind of big and clunky IIRC.

 

[BDS0111]

I have seen the Goboram used a couple of times, and I know of those that have used the SX4 but I do not have any direct personal experience with them... Correct me if I am wrong, but if you were using these units with three different custom patterns, wouldn't there be focus issues between the three different patterns?

I would say better to use three individual units or an automated fixture where you can adjust the focus...

Just my thoughts...

 

[derekleffew]

... and the tech that talked to them ordered a spinner not rotator. ...

There's no such thing as a gobo spinner. The TwinSpin and SmartMove are gobo rotators. To change gobos requires, surprisingly, a gobo changer. Note that both changers pictured above also have rotate functionality, but no rotator has changing capability.

Using multiple fixtures often makes more sense. In a changer, all of the patterns would have to have the same edge. I don't think even City Theatrical has developed a motorized focus for SourceFour (yet?).

 

[mstaylor]

There's no such thing as a gobo spinner. The TwinSpin and SmartMove are gobo rotators. To change gobos requires, surprisingly, a gobo changer. Note that both changers also have rotate functionality, but no rotator has changing capability.

Using multiple fixtures often makes more sense.

I agree that it makes better sense to use three instruments but this guy was hellbent he wanted it as one ficture. I didn't understand it but since he was paying the bills I figured it was a good idea to try and give him what he wanted.

 

[shiben]

There's no such thing as a gobo spinner. The TwinSpin and SmartMove are gobo rotators. To change gobos requires, surprisingly, a gobo changer. Note that both changers pictured above also have rotate functionality, but no rotator has changing capability.

Using multiple fixtures often makes more sense. In a changer, all of the patterns would have to have the same edge. I don't think even City Theatrical has developed a motorized focus for SourceFour (yet?).

I thought they had, for use with the AutoYolk.

*edit*: They have, its called AutoFocus, and it allows you to "change the sharpness of the beam of light". Costs about 700 bucks.

 

[JChenault]

There are effects you can get with multiple gobos in a single fixture that you cannot get with multiple fixtures because the single beam of light can be affected by multiple pieces of glass. You can get three gobos in a fixture if you use a rotating gobo holder ( that holds two gobos ) in your accessory slot, and put a steel gobo in your shutter plane. The steel gobo will not rotate, but the other two can.

There is not a way to get three glass rotating gobos in a fixture that I am aware of. There is a way to get two rotating glass gobos, and one steel gobo in a fixture.

The other possibility would be to add an effects wheel to the front of the fixture. This would affect the beam of light and give you some movement. This would give you up to two rotating gobos, one fixed steel gobo, and an effects wheel. Lots of fun.

Now you are not going to be able to change the gobos in the middle of the show - that is what a changer does for you, and I am not aware of anything that fits into a conventional fixture that lets you have more than one gobo. ( You could of course still use an effect wheel, but you could not change that).

Gobo rotators I am aware of are made by Rosco, Gam, and Apollo. (I have used Rosco and Apollo). The only manufacturer that makes and add-on effect wheel that I know of is Rosco.

 

[carsonld]

So for our upcoming show we will be using ALOT of gobos, Well we do not have alot of stage lights that we arent using for gels, Or for our main lighting. And alot of the gobos point around the same place. So I was wondering if there is a such thing as a gobo rotator for like a source four light? I was thinking about getting 2 cheap DMX moving heads, but was wondering if there was a cheaper way than buying new lights.

 

[danTt]

Just to clarify, what you are looking for is a gobo revolver? (sounds dangerous...) not a gobo rotator... you want something that change switch between gobos, not something that can spin a gobo, yes?

 

[carsonld]

Yes! I am very sorry!

 

[joeb]

I've never used it and did not look up the cost, but I know I've seen GAM offer a product for this purpose. GAM : Lighting Equipment For Architectural, Specialty & Theatrical Effects

 

[len]

I think rosco makes one but I couldn't find it on their site. GAM? Apollo?

Also, a moving light will use a much smaller size gobo than a S4, etc., so decide on fixtures before you buy gobos. And remember that the lower end of the moving light spectrum will typically not offer color mixing, but a color wheel which may or may not have the colors you want.

 

[LSkerpon]

Does anyone have any recommendations on a gobo changer for a Source Four Ellipsoidal unit?

We have 2 gobos that we want to be able to change in units without having to pull the frame out during the show. I know they make units for this purpose, but was wondering if anyone had suggestions on which were good/poor, etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[derekleffew]

As far as I know, there were only two:

A GAM SX4 can offer you 6 interchangeable rotating gobos.

Wybron's Goboram II handles 3 in the same unit.

Now down to one as Wybron is out of business, (and maybe zero if Rosco, who recently bought GAM, doesn't continue the SX4). Both required some modification to the fixture. Either one cost more than simply using an additional Source Four.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

There is also this unit from Apollo http://apollodesign.net/Products/View/2533.aspx

 

[Nexx]

So I want to project several gobos using a 70 degree source four. Would anyone know of a device that could attach to a source four that would allow the gobo to be changed? Or could someone suggest an alternative fixture or gobo projection unit that could also serve the same purpose?