Strobe Lights

[MarcusL]

Good afternoon CB,

We get a lot of dance shows in to our space (HS Theatre, 700+ seats) and often receive requests for strobe lights or strobing effects. We run an ETC Express 125, and we usually just randomly press the bump keys on our area subs or write an effect involving very quick flashing of different areas. These looks work, but S4s don't really have the crisp nature of a true strobe, so I'd like to find/build cheap strobe lights that can be plugged in to a dimmer and controlled on the board. Any ideas or suggestions?

- Marcus

Edit: They do not need to be dimmable, just able to be plugged in to a dimmed 120V circuit via Twist-Lock

 

[DuckJordan]

with a house of 700+ you really can't go cheap without loosing the effect.

 

[MarcusL]

Hmm. Well, what would be an expected price range for a decent set up?

Also, we've noticed that camera flashes look like really good strobes. Is there any way to rig up flash bulbs to run off of something other than a camera?

 

[DuckJordan]

Hmm. Well, what would be an expected price range for a decent set up?

Also, we've noticed that camera flashes look like really good strobes. Is there any way to rig up flash bulbs to run off of something other than a camera?

As far as prices go a 125-KODIAK goes for about $80 but you will need about four of them as well as access to a DMX line to control them.

You could do the flash bulb thing but it would require a lot of wiring and you would not be able to control them all at once without an extensive knowledge of circuitry.

 

[tyler.martin]

i tried it once, i took a capacitor and flash bulb hooked up to a 9v battery. resulted in a bit of electrocuting

 

[dcolson003]

I've seen the Martin Professional ATOMIC-3000 strobe used in a 1400 seat theatre and it works great for the strobing effect.

Martin Professional ATOMIC-3000/120

Martin Professional ATOMIC 3000 120 90424300 Atomic 3000 DMX Strobe Light Fixture (3000W, 90-120V, US Model) | Full Compass

It's DMX Controlled and does a great covering of the stage. Its $586. But a great strobe. It just comes down to what you want, and the price you are looking at.

 

[MarcusL]

access to a DMX line to control them.

This is my problem. We have absolutely no DMX wiring and the catwalk would require about a 100' run without EMC, a huge code problem if we get an inspection.

 

[xander]

There is a "strobe cap" for the standard S4 ellipsoidal. Don't know how much they cost but they are probably your easiest solution. The Martin Atomic is a good strobe, pretty much the industry standard.

 

[zmb]

Diversitronics does sell a Source 4 end cap with strobe and power supply that runs off DMX. However you can only put 2 on a 120v 15a circuit.

Dome & Ellipsoidal Strobes

 

[DuckJordan]

Diversitronics does sell a Source 4 end cap with strobe and power supply that runs off DMX. However you can only put 2 on a 120v 15a circuit.

Dome & Ellipsoidal Strobes

He does not have a DMX line to the position.


So here's the problem, You can do a lot of things but not many without a DMX line, my suggestion go out and get the cheap consumer grade strobes make a twist lock 3 fer to Edison and run 3 of them off the same line, it will not be the same effect but it will be better than the S4's bumped, also if there is a setting on your console to go from 0 to full that would be a good idea. We did the whole strobes connected straight to dimmer thing for a couple tallent shows and it works okay.

So without a DMX line your pretty much stuck to stand alone devices.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Sounds like a solution for......wireless DMX!

 

[MarcusL]

Sounds like that will be my best bet, probably. Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

[JChenault]

This is my problem. We have absolutely no DMX wiring and the catwalk would require about a 100' run without EMC, a huge code problem if we get an inspection.

I'm not sure I understand your issues with codes and inspection. DMX cable is low voltage. There should be no problem with running it outside of conduit. ( Assuming you are using standard Belden DMX cable here ). In any office building I have ever seen, there are trays of cat5 cable running all over the place. If they don't have to be in EMT, you should not have to be there with DMX.

True it might be a hassle to run the cable, but no code issues that I am aware of.

 

[MarcusL]

Really? I was always told that any large run of open cable is a code problem. Now that I think of it, there is some Cat5 run through the overhead crawl space outside of tubing. I would be able to run several DMX items off of a single wire run, right?

 

[xander]

Really? I was always told that any large run of open cable is a code problem. Now that I think of it, there is some Cat5 run through the overhead crawl space outside of tubing. I would be able to run several DMX items off of a single wire run, right?

Yes, you can daisy chain DMX fixtures as long as each has a DMX thru port; or you could get a iso splitter to give you multiple runs. There is also DMX over ethernet, if your desk supports that, and a node.

 

[MarcusL]

There is also DMX over ethernet

Are you referring to ETCNet? If you are, we run an ETC Express, which does have an ETCNet port. Not sure how that system works, but it would be much easier to get my hands on a large amount of Cat5 and/or hijack one of the already run Cat5 lines to get much closer to the catwalk (there is a network distro room right next to the catwalk that we could use to run right in to the catwalk). Could you explain a little more about how this setup works?

 

[Esoteric]

In Texas there is virtually no code about running low voltage cables. We run CAT5 and low voltage Belden cables all over the place without a code issue.

Mike

 

[xander]

Are you referring to ETCNet? If you are, we run an ETC Express, which does have an ETCNet port. Not sure how that system works, but it would be much easier to get my hands on a large amount of Cat5 and/or hijack one of the already run Cat5 lines to get much closer to the catwalk (there is a network distro room right next to the catwalk that we could use to run right in to the catwalk). Could you explain a little more about how this setup works?

Well, without getting into the very specifics, yes I am referring to ETCNet. An Express can only talk ETCNet (not Net2 or Net3), so if I am not mistaken, that means you would need a Net2 Node. These may be hard to find and I don't know how much it would set you back. Net3 gateways or I/Os cannot speak Net1 so they will not work. The Net2 Node can be configured to speak Net1 and will emulate what the board is outputting, thus give you 2 universe output and an RFU output. Essentially all you need is a twisted pair Cat5 cable run from the board to wherever you want the node. I don't believe you can go through a router, someone correct be if I am wrong, but you can use a hub to get more than one node, I think(?) My point is that you don't want to share this network with the building's network. The board and the node are the only things you want connected, but you can use the already existing cabling if it's there.

-Tim

 

[MarcusL]

I wouldn't go through the network. I would hook up to the ethernet port in the booth, then find that port on the distributor and unpatch it from the network. Basically just using the port's wire, not the network.

 

[Sony]

One problem if I recall correctly is that ETCNet1 does not do DMX. I do believe that ETCNet1 only provides device feedback to the console for things like AF dimmers where it can report dimmer load and things of that nature. It still requires a direct DMX line to actually control the dimmers themselves. Therefore ETCNet1 on the express would basically be useless in this situation. DMX over ethernet was not introduced until ETCNet2 I do believe (Someone please correct me if I am wrong.) I think you best bet would be to just pick up one long DMX cable and run it through said cable troughs. A 100' DMX cable can be had for relatively cheap, say $80 max, MUCH cheaper than buying an ETCNet1 compatible node anyways which can cost you upwards of $800 to $1200.