Design LED INSTALL OPTIONS?

[Cjblighting]

Hello all. I am the house LD at a regional PAC in NJ. We are well stocked in terms of Source Four gear as well as aged but still running moving lights (8 - HES Studio Spot 575 CMY, 8 - Studio Color 575, 8 - Robe Colorspot 1200 AT, and 12 Elation Design Spot 250). We are a road house doing everything from national headliners, to ballet, to comedy, to local cultural events. Our Administration is not afraid to invest money in lighting, as long as we do our due diligence in sussing out the right gear. They have recently approached me about adding LED elements to the house rig. I'm not sure where to start but we are looking at many options (LED Strips, LED Pars, LED moving heads etc....) my question to you all is does anyone know of a resource be it book or person or venue who has experience making the LED jump in the way we are looking at. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks in advance for you help!

 

[Footer]

Sounds like you need to book a flight to LDI this fall. Look heavily at the ETC stuff. Its the first LED units I have used that is "there". The real conversation we have been having around our place is how to fill riders/plots with LEDs. You guys in a rep plot situation and shoehorn groups into your rep or do you re-hang per show?

I personally don't know of any venue that has done a total transfer to LED. I have a feeling you don't want to do this either. There are plenty of members here who have a boatload of D40 and D60 fixtures, I'm sure they will chime in.

 

[len]

They have recently approached me about ADDING (emphasis added) LED elements to the house rig.

I would begin by asking what it is you need/want to do with them. More stage/wash looks? Replacing conventionals (not really adding, then)? Eye candy? House lights? ???

Decide what it is the tool is to accomplish, then find the tool that can accomplish it.

Do the end users ever say "I wish you had ___________."? Is there a rider request you see all the time?

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Sky drop (cyc) lighting first. Lots of choices but LEDs there first. If realmping house lights is a challenge, I'd go there second. Both of those will payback quickest in terms of relamping cost and color for the sky drops.

 

[JChenault]

Sky drop (cyc) lighting first. Lots of choices but LEDs there first. If realmping house lights is a challenge, I'd go there second. Both of those will payback quickest in terms of relamping cost and color for the sky drops.

Bill
I have not looked in a year or so. Are the 'commercial LED par units' good enough to work as house lights yet? I have seen some 2700 K units, but how do they dim? How big is the final drop. Do they flicker?

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

We tried Affineon - which perform well but all sorts of nervousness about the company and service - and now are using Altman (Chalice - a star par in a different housing) or Gotham (Acuity Brands - who bought Pathport - their Incito line) but it is a market segment that changes often - weekly if not daily - so could be something else next time. In our opinion the white is acceptable and the fade to and from blackout is very acceptable. In new - if you add in all costs - wiring, hvac, initial and life time - and relamping including catwalks or hoists or some other system so it's not scaffolding the whole room - it does not cost more and is well worth it.

Find a dark room - like a stage - and get some samples - and hang them at a typical house trim - along with a S4PAR or par can for comparison and judge for yourself (with management of course). Some folks have gotten some subsidy from their eclectic company for this.