Philips buys Genlyte!?

What more is there to know? First Phillips gobbles up ColorKinetics and now Genlyte. The profitable brands will be left alone and the losers will be dissolved.
 
Eh, I guess by "more" I mean, does this matter much for us?
 
I doubt we'll see a difference. They seem to have not changed Color Kinetics any. Perhaps Gafftaper can ask his friendly Strand rep about this and report back to us?
 
Even if it does make a difference. You, or any end user, probably won't see one for 12 - 18 months after a purchase. It usually takes that long to make any corporate changes that will have an effect that the customer can see....
 
**** Left-Wing rant alert******
I have to say that this makes a very scary player out of Phillips. As if they weren't powerful enough already, they now control Color Kinetics and all of their patents, and Genlyte, which has a huge market share of both the Entertainment and Architectural worlds. I believe Phillips has some manufacturing base for LEDs, but Color Kinetics has, or had a larger one. CKs strangle hold on the patents for LED technology and the three color process, and the "computer lighting control console", in the hands of a Benevolent dictatorship could be really scary too, since the only reasons those patents exist is to discourage smaller start-ups. Just another example of the fascists gaining more power through consolidation.

*****Left-wing Rant over*****
 
Gafftaper, get those leather straps ready, I think it's time...
 
I doubt we'll see a difference. They seem to have not changed Color Kinetics any. Perhaps Gafftaper can ask his friendly Strand rep about this and report back to us?

Hey she's your friend you ask her! I don't even know how to pronounce her last name. :mrgreen:
 
What does it mean? Well as Van so paranoidly pointed out. The light bulb people (Phillips), the LED people (Color Kinetics), and the console/instrument people (Strand) are all on the same team now. There could be some really cool products that develop out of that mix.

On the flip side, C.K. has been downright evil with their use of the patent process so it makes you wonder if the end result will be good or bad for the free market. Giant conglomerates with lots of patents that control the future of the industry... Yikes... Will Strand be the only manufacturer with the license to control color mixing LED products some day? The law suits could be endless on all those abusive patents... I may need some of those straps myself.
 
That's right Van, they ARE out to get you. And next, Gafftaper, the evil CK will be going after people who use RGB cyclights, and RWB Xrays, as they too, mix color. It's all a big conspiracy, designed to take over the, highly lucrative, theatre controls and fixtures market.

What are we going to do today, Brain?
 
I'm with Van. I hate the idea that too much control ends up in the hands of too few people. That starts to get close to monopoly. Mind you as Bill Gates has proved if you are powerful enough anti trust doesn't have much effect.
 
Interesting implications for Vari-Lite, I should think--increased partnership with Philips lamps. Could be better, lead to more effective optics, etc; but at the same time, Philips could try to pressure V*L to come out with Philips-only fixtures? (at the outset, at least)
 
my concern is since phillips makes lamps for many other movers they may soon have a conflict of interest.
 
my concern is since phillips makes lamps for many other movers they may soon have a conflict of interest.

There's still USHIO, OSRAM/Sylvania and G.E. - who's is not exactly a mom and pop. It's un-likely that the Fed's would move on Phillips as being a monopoly. They didn't blink about some of the acquisitions PRG made - though this is much bigger.

My take on the Phillips/Genlyte is more money for development. The theater business has always had a ton of folks who excel in coming up with creative new ideas. Finding funding sources has always been a big problem. Maybe now some of the funding issues get easier.

If I were an employee at ETC, I'd be looking over my shoulder, though. My take on ETC has always been that Fred and family really want to keep it family owned, let's hope they can continue to afford to run it that way.

Steve B.
 
my concern is since phillips makes lamps for many other movers they may soon have a conflict of interest.

Strategically speaking that makes very little sense. If for no other reason than the amount of business vari-lite does is such a very small percentage of their overall bottom line. I would be surprised if the whole vari-lite, et, strand conglomeration registered much more than 1-2% of their overall sales. We are by far such a niche market in comparison to the other aspects of their business. They would waste more money on any lawsuits that might happen, (not to mention drive end users to competitors products), than the business is worth.
 
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My take on the Phillips/Genlyte is more money for development. The theater business has always had a ton of folks who excel in coming up with creative new ideas. Finding funding sources has always been a big problem. Maybe now some of the funding issues get easier. .............

I think one of the issues with this is that the patents that have been granted to CK would specifically discourage development of new technologies by rival companies and start-ups. Again it may be my anti-corporate leanings, but, consolidation of technologies under one large conglomerate rarely leads to diverse technologies, but rather typically leads to a lack of diversity and lowering of quality if for no other reason than, " where else are you gonna get it ?"

On an aside, Isn't Phillips owned by Thorn/EMI or vice versa? and doesn't GE have a big portion of Phillips? Or am I crazy ? < Logos, don't answer that last bit>
 
Darn and I had such a good answer too.
 
Aww and Strand just came out with their updated site and product line... Although they probably have a few months till corporate wants to change format.
Personally i feel if anyone can make a functional LED ellipsoidal spot it's going to be phillips now.
This makes me wonder about the new "joint venture" between HES and phillips to develope the new short arc for the showgun? interesting...
 

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