Vintage Lighting Vintage no-name board in Slovakia

[essentials]

Hi all,

my former collegues just sent me these pictures of a vintage no-name custom made four scene preset board, still operating conventionals in Trencin, Slovakia (mid-Europe, should you wonder). I have no further details yet, I just thought I´d share. I am seeing those guys later this week, I might add some info if you were interested.

 

[porkchop]

That's pretty awesome. I like how the followspot operator is close enough to be an extra set of hands for complex scene changes..... Or is that follow spot there to "give the board op something to do" between cues?

 

[venuetech]

That's pretty awesome. I like how the followspot operator is close enough to be an extra set of hands for complex scene changes..... Or is that follow spot there to "give the board op something to do" between cues?

that would be the preset operators task, (a welcome relief from triple checking preset levels)
the board operator gets to look at the stage and visually check the preset operators work.

 

[NickVon]

It looks that thing should be launching missiles not turning on lights! Thats neat.

 

[SteveB]

Looks German.

 

[zmb]

It looks that thing should be launching missiles not turning on lights! Thats neat.

Or run a nuclear power plant, a complex factory, or possibly anything else that has need of a bunch of individual controls.
Looks so neat and slightly daunting to use under pressure at the same time.

 

[JD]

I'm sure (with their arms aching from pulling autotransformers) the techs in this theater looked on this new equipment as a modern miracle!

(Unless it really is a missile silo)

 

[David Ashton]

I think it is an ADB board, the faders look identical to those I had on a small ADB desk, those quadrant faders were hugely expensive and used mainly in TV studios.

 

[essentials]

Unfortunately, guys had not had really chance to catch one of the venue's veterans to get any info so there is not much I can tell. Though I assure you that it is indeed a preset board.
We do not distinct light tech professions such strictly, dedicated Board Op or Followspot Op is an unknown here in Slovakia. Therefore there are usually just a few "light techs" doing whatever is necessary for a show. Is there a followspot cue in between two preset cues? Well, go ahead, grab the handle and point it as needed! Oh, you have to prepare another cue on board at the same time? Now, you DO have two hands, don't you?

I am not sure ADB manufactured that beast. Every other piece of equipment was made by Tesla, so that is the first suspect, though I have never heard of a lighting control by Tesla. I guess we are talking 60's or 70's here, that rules out every non-Soviet or not Soviet-friendly country - Slovakia (part of Czechoslovakia by then) left Soviet block in 1989. I am not really familiar with ADB history. Originally found in Belgium, wasn't it? I presume they were not under Siemens until at least 80's or later. Furthermore, there was certain collaboration between ADB and Czechoslovakia (Svoboda's batten, anyone?). That makes ADB a valid guess.