Automated Fixtures looking for cheap good moving head light for me and school use

[damjamkato]

I know that there are some rental companies in RI that have movers available to rent. PMA Industries is one, and I think ATR Treehouse has some as well. I know the ones at PMA don't get out of the shop a lot, and they should give you a decent rental price.

 

[metti]

You can rent something like a MAC700 for about 220 a week in many areas, more in some areas and less in others (depends on the rental market), and that would be a very good use of your money.

In case you aren't aware of who your local rental houses are, a quick Google (combined with my knowledge of rental companies near Boston) shores ATR Treehouse stocking Elation Design Spot 575Es which would probably be a good intro mover. If you want to drive a little further and get towards Boston, you could hit up ALPS in Randolph, MA (this is who I usually use). For spot fixtures (as opposed to wash fixtures) they have Mac250 Entours ($125/wk), Design Spot 575Es ($150/wk if you can get them), Mac700 Profiles ($250/wk), Mac2000 Performance Spots ($300/wk), VL3500 ($300wk), and VL1000 (I forget pricing on these). They have a room they use for classes and demos and they would probably set you up with a mover or two and something like an Ion to try out if your teachers called and asked since they tend to do their best to be helpful for schools.

 

[metti]

Also, my offer from earlier in this thread still stands. That would be to try out Clay Paky Alpha Spot HPE 300s and Alpha Profile 700s.

 

[gregeye]

ok so i looked more into different comapnies and found this

Musicworld.bg - B&K Braun GLP Ypoc 250 Basic

let me know

 

[Les]

ok so i looked more into different comapnies and found this

Musicworld.bg - B&K Braun GLP Ypoc 250 Basic

let me know

You're going in the wrong direction, sir

Never heard of this fixture, but the description is obviously a very poor translation. Not a good sign. Also, this is not an American website. Shipping would kill you and if/when the fixture breaks down (under warranty or not), how much will it cost you to send it back? What is their lead time, and what if you have a show in three days?

If it isn't Martin, High End, Vari*Lite, Clay Paky, Robe, Elation or Coemar, we probably can't be of much help (and pretty much anything cheaper than Elation is a crapshoot as far as reliability goes). Many of these Chinese "music store lights" come off of the same assembly line.

If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. And if it looks like a well-known fixture but has a different name, buyer beware... This honestly looks like an Elation knock-off.

 

[shiben]

"ugh, the money I spent on that coulda paid my rent for two months!" ....


I still keep a few small par cans, inkies, birdies and micro ellipses for events that I do such as weddings and small shows, .

+1 to the rent thing. I was going to buy a cople of minispots to play around with and light parties with, but then something inside said that each one was a month of rent, utilities and then some. So instead I bought 8 PAR 16s, 6 of which are currently in use in my room (no installed lights), and saved a lot of money on them (20 bucks a pop in 2 sets of 4, spread it out over a couple paychecks), and they get a lot of use at parties and whatnot. Believe you me, when your in college, the calculus changes from hey my job buys me gas and snacks to hey my job doesnt even cover my rent, mom and dad, can you pitch in?

 

[mstaylor]

At the risk of making you mad, you don't seem to be grasping the concept that buying movers of your own is a horrible idea that would be a complete waste of money. If you don't have a board of your own to run them, what can you do with them? Nevermind the cost of repair and lamp replacement. If they aren't on Les' list you probably don't want to consider them at all. If they are you need to check here if they will do what you want.

 

[JD]

I say split the ticket.

Buy something super cheap for use at home to learn concepts. You can download a computer based controller like the Chamsys MagicQ PC, and buy an inexpensive USB/DMX adapter and some cheap halogen based DJ movers.

As for the school, when you need it, rent something good.

 

[Les]

I say split the ticket.

Buy something super cheap for use at home to learn concepts. You can download a computer based controller like the Chamsys MagicQ PC, and buy an inexpensive USB/DMX adapter and some cheap halogen based DJ movers.

As for the school, when you need it, rent something good.

I can't believe I'm about to say this, but if you do follow JD's advice (which is a pretty good suggestion, by the way) go with Chauvet or American DJ. My thinking is that at least they have a large dealer network that will hopefully be able to help you with any problems that will arise. It may not be speady or super-efficient service, but at least you can haul the fixture back up to Guitar Center rather than sending it back to some random overseas address on your wallet. The Chauvet Intimidator scanners are neat, and about $200 last I checked. They will keep you busy for a little while without being too big of an investment. A scanner may also be less likely to break down than a full-on moving head fixture.

 

[derekleffew]

I say split the ticket.

Buy something super cheap for use at home to learn concepts. You can download a computer based controller like the Chamsys MagicQ PC, and buy an inexpensive USB/DMX adapter and some cheap halogen based DJ movers. ...

Might I suggest that the funds would be better spent on a visualizer (WYSIWYG, ESP Vision, Capture)?
1. One could learn programming of many types of fixtures, rather than one that isn't useful for the stage.
2. One could learn how to pre-viz, a more useful skill than intimately knowing a cheap DJ light.
3. If grandMA is the console of choice, both the OLE and the visualizer are free. If not, the console software is free (unless you actually want to output DMX to control real lights), but one must purchase the visualization software.
4. This would also allow for the learning of many different consoles, via their OLEs.

 

[rochem]

I have another suggestion. I may have missed it, but I don't believe you ever said why you want to purchase a moving light, other than to use it in productions. Is this to give you an introduction to ML technology? So you can learn to repair them? Program them? Just be able to work with them?

If you're just looking to learn how to use them, contact a local dealer and pay them a small fee to train you on the fixture, or if you have more time and money, go directly to the manufacturer and get trained at their facility on their entire line of products. Want to learn to program them? Download the OLE of the console of your choice, then spring for a training class, either through a dealer or through the manufacturer directly. If you just want to see how they react to a console, just rent two or three fixtures of different types and observe how you can manipulate them. Some dealers may even give you a console, a few MLs, and a room to yourself and let you play around for little to no cost.

 

[metti]

Some dealers may even give you a console, a few MLs, and a room to yourself and let you play around for little to no cost.

Yeah, like six different people have more or less said this exact thing and gregeye doesn't really seem to have any interest in listening. I actually offered twice earlier in this thread to let him drive an hour to Boston and play with a Chamsys MQ100Pro and some top-of-the-line Clay Pakys and he has ignored that.

 

[cprted]

Gregeye,

If you're looking for things that move around and do tricks for a theatre setting, you'll be much better off (more bang for your buck) picking up a couple of icues and a dmx iris or two. You'll get far more use out of those than any junk or ancient mover.

 

[lightingguy1]

Using the gafftaper method, I hope we do Understand when the Instrument has a gobo in it, The overall efficiency(Usefull-ness, not energy) of the fixture, is drastically reduced.

And without a gobo, (depending on what we have attached to the fixture) we basically have a colored, Iris-able, spot. I would be happy with that setup, but with I would be intoxicated with joy if I could change the Gobo in the Instrument remotely.


~And that kids, Is why ETC came out with the Source four Revolution~

--
Just my Observation & $.02
-Lightingguy1

 

[derekleffew]

... but with I would be intoxicated with joy if I could change the Gobo in the Instrument remotely. ...

Wybron, Inc. - Goboram II
GAM Products SX4®
CB thread: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting-electrics/20065-gobo-rotator.html

 

[lightingguy1]

Wybron, Inc. - Goboram II
GAM Products SX4®
CB thread: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting-electrics/20065-gobo-rotator.html

Nevermind then! It would be more economical to own one of those, a Source four, Color Scroller, and an Icue unit.......

Thank you Derek!

 

[Pie4Weebl]

~And that kids, Is why ETC came out with the Source four Revolution~

*facepalm*

 

[rochem]

~And that kids, Is why ETC came out with the Source four Revolution~

Oh great, now look what you've started.

 

[lightingguy1]

If it makes you fell any better:

-Forget ETC-

go buy VL1100s!


Vari-lite

 

[gregeye]

Thank you all, I have listened and read over and over again on all your advice. For now, I am going to save my money, and plan a visit to my local dealer to leran more and play around with some fixtures. You all have been very gracious with your help and time put into helping me.

PLUS:

I just saw MAMMA MIA yesterday....and wow....it was a great show! Great use of lights. I was about to leave to avoid the traffic when the lighting truss lowered revealing 20 plus moving head lights. Elations or macs I coulnd't tell. Both washes and profiles. Three songs with them down. Amazing programming. If anyone has not seen it go see it! It is now just a womens show lol.