Lighting Manufacturers

[DELO72]

Hi everyone,

I'm doing a lighting assignment at college where I need to compare different manufacturers of control desks, lights, dimmers etc. I can't seem to find any good sources on Google so I was just wondering if anyone could tell me the post popular manufacturers used in the industry. Thanks

EASY! Got to www.LDIShow.com and click on Exhibitors! That will get you most of the largest ones!

 

[Focus]

If I were you, I would probably compare each category. Like ETC consoles, MA2, HOG, Strand consoles(lets face it, nobody wants a strand).

For fixtures compare individual products with the same intended use, Ellipsoidals- S4, Altman, and Garbage(Leviton)

Compare Manufactures target market, Theater, rock'n roll, clubs/dj's. etc


Or compare individual products within one product line.
For example; A VL1000 is a theater fixture for sure, a Vl3000S is suited well for Rock, and a VL 3500S does both pretty well. WHY?

 

[ebailey]

If I were you, I would probably compare each category. Like ETC consoles, MA2, HOG, Strand consoles(lets face it, nobody wants a strand).

For fixtures compare individual products with the same intended use, Ellipsoidals- S4, Altman, and Garbage(Leviton)

Compare Manufactures target market, Theater, rock'n roll, clubs/dj's. etc


Or compare individual products within one product line.
For example; A VL1000 is a theater fixture for sure, a Vl3000S is suited well for Rock, and a VL 3500S does both pretty well. WHY?

thank you

 

[ebailey]

Is it best to use the same manufacturer for the desk and dimmers?

 

[SteveB]

Not necessarily required if a simple one universe system running DMX only.

If you plan or desire to expand beyond 2 universes, then having Ethernet distribution makes for a very flexible configuration, and at that point using controls, networking gear and distribution (nodes/gateways) as well as dimmers and relay/direct power systems is easier to operate and maintain if all from the same manufacturer.


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[gafftapegreenia]

Just want to put my two cents in.

I don't see "Strand" as a lighting manufacturer, I see them as a brand name in the corporate portfolio of Phillips Group. It also appears that Phillips has made Strand the "dimming and control" label, while making Selecon the label of most of their lighting equipment. Leviton has NSI and Colortran along with Leviton as brand names for their equipment. Equally, Phillips has Strand, Color Kinetics, Vari*Lite and Selecon.

 

[SteveB]

Just want to put my two cents in.

I don't see "Strand" as a lighting manufacturer, I see them as a brand name in the corporate portfolio of Phillips Group. It also appears that Phillips has made Strand the "dimming and control" label, while making Selecon the label of most of their lighting equipment. Leviton has NSI and Colortran along with Leviton as brand names for their equipment. Equally, Phillips has Strand, Color Kinetics, Vari*Lite and Selecon.

Would you not call Chevrolet an automobile manufacturer even though they are owned by GM ?. Strand still makes the consoles and accessories, dimmers and power systems and networking gear. Selecon the lighting fixtures as does Vari-Lite, etc.... all manufacturers under a parent company.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Would you not call Chevrolet an automobile manufacturer even though they are owned by GM ?. Strand still makes the consoles and accessories, dimmers and power systems and networking gear. Selecon the lighting fixtures as does Vari-Lite, etc.... all manufacturers under a parent company.

My point was more that everyone was saying "Include Leviton" but only mentioning Strand instead of the entire Phillips family.

 

[Focus]

Leviton is a joke, and strand is more of a name than a company. Strand and selecon are both basically product lines of of varilite. Their products are built from the same components. Philips happens to own varilite, and also other brands like Saeco, who makes espresso machines. Selecon and strand are beholden to f varilite and not directly to Phillips. Philip[s wants brands that fill different parts of the market, not to compete with themselves.

 

[Focus]

Is it best to use the same manufacturer for the desk and dimmers?

Not at all. I use Lepercon dimmers; they are solid, and reasonably priced. Plus replacement modules are very inexpensive compared to Etc. I do use lepercon desks, and for the price they are okay, but Im not a huge fan. ETC dimmers are great installed, but for touring they are absolute rubbish. All the modules come loose in trucking, they are really heavy, and they don't load balance well(wired 1-8 on X, 9-16 on Y, 17-24 on Z, and so on) That's just plain stupid. Really poor design.

It does not mater what console and/or dimmers are used, I have had some bad DMX interactions between brands of fixtures, but an opto-split usually fixes those. Dimmers should be chosen for practicality, and reliability. Consoles should be chosen for...practicality and reliability. one manufacturer does not necessarily fit the needs of both, in every situation.