Automated Fixtures Moving light selection

[JChenault]

Apologies in advance if this has been covered - I tried searching but came up blank.

I am specifying some movers for a club. ( Spots not wash ) The issue is that the ceiling is pretty low ( about 14 feet above the stage). I am looking for color control, rotating gobos, Focus, pan/tilt and not much more. ( Sure I would like multiple gobos, CMY mixing, Iris, etc - but it's not a requirement)

The club is concerned about reliability and maintenance costs ( IE long lamp life, and a dependable manufacturer). They are also concerned re cost.

To my mind - one issue is beam spread. With the low ceiling I suspect I need at least a 20 degree beam angle.

So far I have found the Martin MightyMac, and that's about it. What other models / manufacturers would folks recommend.


The other fixture I am looking for is one that I could put over the stage to use as downlight with gobo / color control. I could use a mover for this ( although I don't need pan/tilt) but I would need a really wide lens to get any kind of coverage ( my photometric handbook says 50 to 70 degrees). Any thoughts on this one?


thanks in advance.

John

 

[derekleffew]

I'll let others speak to the first part, but I suspect answers will include "250" and "Martin/High End/Robe/Elation". Beams wider than 20° are not necessarily required, as the beam will be moving most of the time, and intensity is more important than coverage.

For the second requirement, what about a 470 Seachanger with GoboRam?

 

[erosing]

I second Derek's reccomendation of Seachangers. However I disagree on using a 70, I'd go with a 50º (I just used 70's for top light from a 15' ceiling, and they were too wide for my tastes, I had to switch them down to 50's which looked better to me). As far as gobo control, do you need more than one at once?

As for the first part, have you looked at Studio Spot 575s? They should be able to get you what you need, and once you've opened them up a few times are pretty easy to repair/maintain.

Of course their is always the gafftaper method, http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/collaborative-articles/7572-gafftaper-method.html

 

[Synchronize]

What is your price range? What is the exact purpose? Are you just looking to add some motion to the stage? Have you considered scanners instead of moving heads? If scanners are an option, watch on ebay for High End Trackspots. They go for a pretty good price.

 

[JChenault]

What is your price range? What is the exact purpose? Are you just looking to add some motion to the stage? Have you considered scanners instead of moving heads? If scanners are an option, watch on ebay for High End Trackspots. They go for a pretty good price.

Thanks for the clarifying questions.

Price range is 'lower end'. IE we are buying a lot of equipment to light two small stages, an entry hallway, main room, etc - so we have a large budget, but a lot to get with that.

What I am trying to do is to add some gobos / movement to the stages. ( using color, hard edged focus, and movement). Additionally we want to be able to use the mover on either stage as desired. I had not thought of scanners. Good catch - I will research. Usually scanners have a narrower beam that what I think I need. Used is probably not an option here - we are under a very tight timeline and need to order stuff quickly.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[JChenault]

I'll let others speak to the first part, but I suspect answers will include "250" and "Martin/High End/Robe/Elation". Beams wider than 20° are not necessarily required, as the beam will be moving most of the time, and intensity is more important than coverage.

For the second requirement, what about a 470 Seachanger with GoboRam?

I had not considered a seaChanger - thanks for the idea. The incandescent version would not work ( maintenence issues / lamp life ) but the Nemo might. And I am ashamed to say I was not aware of the Wybron goboram. When did that come on the market?

 

[derekleffew]

GoboRam came to market sometime in the 1990s, as I recall.

...The incandescent version would not work ( maintenance issues / lamp life ) but ...

You want/need better lamp life than the 2000 hour HPL/X? Check carefully the specs on the lamp life on whatever movers you choose, (though it's 3000 hours for the very popular MSD 250/2--higher powered lamps don't come near that).

 

[JChenault]

GoboRam came to market sometime in the 1990s, as I recall.



You want/need better lamp life than the 2000 hour HPL/X? Check carefully the specs on the lamp life on whatever movers you choose, (though it's 3000 hours for the very popular MSD 250/2--higher powered lamps don't come near that).

Well - 2000 hours gets me four months. 3000 gets me six months ( Assuming we really die at 2000 hours - and I realize that with an incandescent load, if I don't bring up lamps too fast, I will likely get more ) - But the SmartMac with the CDM SA/T lamp gives me a year and a half.

 

[LightStud]

Even the most dependable automated fixtures in use 16 hours a day in a club atmosphere with no maintenance for 4 or more months at a time? Sounds like someone has some wildly unrealistic expectations, or low quality standards. Is this a "gentlemen's club" perchance? In Texas?

 

[JChenault]

Even the most dependable automated fixtures in use 16 hours a day in a club atmosphere with no maintenance for 4 or more months at a time? Sounds like someone has some wildly unrealistic expectations, or low quality standards. Is this a "gentlemen's club" perchance? In Texas?

I'm not sure what you mean by 'Club Atmosphere'. In this state there is no smoking allowed in any public building.

 

[shiben]

Anything in use 16 hours a day is going to need maintenance more often than once every 4 months. Yes the lamp might not need replacing, but if nothing else they need to get dusted. Dirt will accumulate. Also, if it is anywhere near people's ability to spill beer on it (read, anywhere within 12 feet), it will be need beer removal on its shell as well, not to mention motor wear and whatnot. I would think that youll need to be maintaining these things maybe every two or three months?