Automated Fixtures Tee Slot Moving Light Hangers

[derekleffew]

Does anyone use/has anyone used, these? A few of our sub-rented lights today came with them. First time I'd seen them in person. Terrific idea. Imagine a tour leaving the clamps on the truss, ensuring that every moving light will be hung in the exact same place every time. Plus, one person can hang/unhang a 90 lb. MAC2000 all by oneself (but still not recommended, unless swapping a light in the air on a truss with a rope and sheave). If only the blasted things weren't so darn expensive. (And still didn't stop someone from hanging a light backwards.) Thoughts, anyone?

 

[zac850]

Never used them, but I do like the idea.

Of course, i think that in a touring situation, swing wing truss will be faster, easier, and when you have to purchase them for the entire rig, not much more expensive.

 

[SteveB]

Does anyone use/has anyone used, these? A few of our sub-rented lights today came with them. First time I'd seen them in person. Terrific idea. Imagine a tour leaving the clamps on the truss, ensuring that every moving light will be hung in the exact same place every time. Plus, one person can hang/unhang a 90 lb. MAC2000 all by oneself (but still not recommended, unless swapping a light in the air on a truss with a rope and sheave). If only the blasted things weren't so darn expensive. (And still didn't stop someone from hanging a light backwards.) Thoughts, anyone?

Used them once and they have all of the positive attributes you mention, BUT (as memory serves) it can be tough for even two people to get the alignment of the slots exactly correct while handling a heavy ML, especially if the slot is below eye level. It's fast, but IMO I actually prefer a Mega-Claw.

Steve B.

Steve

 

[derekleffew]

Good comments, and I agree with both of you above. Zac, have you seen Upstaging's new HUD truss? [Living tribute to John Huddleston?] Looking forward to working with that, also. I wonder, if I ever ME a rock tour, if I could get HUD truss AND PRG's S400 system?

 

[Grog12]

Good comments, and I agree with both of you above. Zac, have you seen Upstaging's new HUD truss? [Living tribute to John Huddleston?] Looking forward to working with that, also. I wonder, if I ever ME a rock tour, if I could get HUD truss AND PRG's S400 system?

Wasn't there a truss like this at LDI a few years ago where you didn't have to remove the wheels they just stayed on?

 

[Jezza]

Derek -- I like the thought, however it would mean that truss won't slide easily into a truck -- ie truss stacking would sort of be a big pain in the butt.

Until they can come up with a flush-mount system, I'd opt for no. I agree with Steve, Megaclaws will do for me -- that and some good Etape labels on the truss.

However, I am a big proponent of the HUD system -- any pre-rigged ML truss is OK with me as long as the lights aren't mine! Those things seem to beat up fixtures.

 

[JD]

Nice idea, but $$$ for what it is. I'm still waiting for someone to come up with a mini battery powered wench! You know, something you would plop on the top of the truss that has a short cable that you would attach to the mover, hit the button, it pulls it up out of the case and up to a position where you can attach the clamps, then move on to the next position. I don't know about you all, but my back really doesn't like movers Age is catching up with me.

(sorry about the run-ons, but yesterday was 18 hours and my brain hasn't recovered.)

 

[derekleffew]

...a mini battery powered wench! ...

!
The winch pulled the wench ashore, and the pirates rejoiced.

Also, I'm sure you know that you meant hoist.

Everyone (mini Question of the Day): What's the difference between a winch and a hoist?

 

[tomed101]

Everyone (mini Question of the Day): What's the difference between a winch and a hoist?

Just a guess:

A hoist is designed to lift and hold the load and a winch is purely for lifting and the load must then be secured once in place??

 

[MNicolai]

A hoist lifts and a winch pulls.

Take that for what it's worth.

 

[JD]

Also, I'm sure you know that you meant hoist.

Everyone (mini Question of the Day): What's the difference between a winch and a hoist?

Well, googling the wench (with safe search off) gave me a lot of pictures that I like, but none would help me get my movers up... ahhh.. That might boarder on being crude... So, hoist it is!

 

[derekleffew]

A hoist lifts and a winch pulls...

Correct.

So what does a wench do?

 

[SteveB]

Correct.

So what does a wench do?

Serves Ale, what else.

SB

 

[porkchop]

Correct.

So what does a wench do?

Must resist urge for pirate/ninja joke. So I have to agree with Steve serve ale.

 

[soundman]

if I could get HUD truss AND PRG's S400 system?

The HUD truss is pretty sweet because you don't have to store the cart like some other intelligent prerig and you don't have to swing the arms up which takes space.

I am not sold on the S400 system though. The connectors are pretty robust but if they were to get damaged good luck fixing them. Also because PRG is the only place to get the cables from if someone runs over your FOH HOD with the forklift in Seattle you have some series issues. If you were using socapex and 5 pin XLR you could call up any lighting shop in the world and be able to get replacements and just swap out the cables leaving the distro and the breakouts.

I would also like to see fan outs instead of breakout boxs, a small mess of cable distributed over some length instead of a big bundle at one point. Another possible improvement that would be nice would be boxes with pass throughs. With most prerig set ups you are getting 3 fixtures on a stick. This means if you are running 15 amp fixtures you have to run single cable from somewhere else or have 3 empty ports. It would be nice to be able to have some 3 output 15 amp breakouts with a pass through so that you could run one s400 cable between outputs 1-3 and 4-6.

I do like that the system will not send mis matched power IE 120 to a 208 box.

 

[Jezza]

Speaking of mismatched power -- I just tossed some VL1000s up in a rig today and realized they didn't care whether they were getting 208, 240, or 115. Thank GOD for autoranging power supplies. I already had some 208v drops hanging around from the last Atomics that were in the space. Made life totally easy. Thank you PRG/Varilite!

 

[derekleffew]

Careful there, Jezza. Only the VL1000s with Arc lamps are auto-ranging: VL1000AS, VL1000AI; and not the T models, with or without on-board dimmer. Incandescent lamps and dimmers get angry when supplied with the wrong voltage. Most current Moving Lights, strobes and LEDs are auto-ranging, a few require flipping a switch or moving a jumper, and MAC2000s require changing two fuses.

The ability and choice to run at 120 or 208 means even more care must be taken when calculating loads.

Oh, and why thank PRG? What did they have to do with Vari-Lite making variable-voltage fixtures? http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/members/jezza.html