Orion knock-off. With a
yolk. Without knobs.
But when you think about it, aren't many
stage lights (and thousands of other products for that matter) "knock-offs" of their predecessors? The only fixtures out there that are 'original designs' are Source Fours, and even they started out with a
platform that
ETC didn't invent (
Axial lamp placement,
ellipsoidal reflector, framing shutters). Arguably, the
HPL lamp came first and the "
fixture" was designed around it, but really, the
reflector and optics were designed around it. The rest is laid out just like many ellipsoidals proceeding it.
Source Four Par and Parnell are a different story, introducing a whole new species of
fixture, but even they (S4
Par) utilize the physics surrounding a
Par lamp, which someone else invented, they just made it modular. It's all about incremental improvements. You can't often expect something totally new coming right out of the gates in this industry, you have to accept one small step at a time. Those small steps could be considered knock-offs, or they could be considered progress. Much of it depends on the credibility of the company manufacturing and/or marketing them. The Shakespeare could be called a knock-off as could the Star
Par, but I see them as a step in the right direction in that more companies are manufacturing efficient lighting instruments. They may have had to borrow a few of
ETC's design concepts (which they pay for), but at least they didn't blatantly rip off
ETC like some other unnamed manufacturers. Several car companies are manufacturing Hybrid cars. Who is knocking off who in that case? I haven't seen anyone pointing fingers, mostly because it's best that at least companies are following in each others' footsteps and maybe even having a little healthy competition. It's good for us in that we now have choices.
and I'm sure there is a tilt knob on there somewhere
.
End hijack -- back to
CYC lights!
