ProSoundWeb Community

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Down

Author Topic: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers  (Read 6004 times)

Scott Holtzman

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7530
  • Ghost AV - Avon Lake, OH
    • Ghost Audio Visual Systems, LLC
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2021, 01:37:47 AM »

As others have said, yes, Traditional dimmers are pretty much a thing of the past.  Fixtures get sent a signal and they output what they are told.

Upside is no dimmers. Downside is you have to supply both power and a signal cable to each fixture, unless you go with a wireless system.  Wireless always has its risks though, so people still wire.  As long as you properly maintain your wires, it's not a big deal. However, an intermittent break in a cable, or a rogue fixture spitting out random DMX can become quite the nightmare if you're not ready for it!

All of my dimmers have been relegated to the annual Christmas light show.  But that too will eventually change as LEDs are becoming individually addressable at somewhat reasonable prices.  Times they keep changing.


I bet some of the kids today never even seen a 100kw of dimmers. 
Logged
Scott AKA "Skyking" Holtzman

Ghost Audio Visual Solutions, LLC
Cleveland OH
www.ghostav.rocks

Jeff Lelko

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2017
  • Cape Canaveral, FL
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2021, 01:33:38 PM »

I bet some of the kids today never even seen a 100kw of dimmers.

Or heard 100kw of dimmers!

Bob, there's lots of great information out there on how to design a modern lighting system, but your resources might be best spent by hiring a vendor to handle your install.  Not only will they be well-versed in modern system design but can also address issues such as electrical and rigging which both need to be done by a licensed/qualified contractor.  Good luck!
Logged

John L Nobile

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2658
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2021, 02:02:01 PM »


I bet some of the kids today never even seen a 100kw of dimmers.

Don't see them much anymore but I have no intention of retiring my CD80's. I have a 96 channel in one room and a 24 channel in another. Still haven't found an affordable LED that can replace a 1K Leko out front. But the last lights we bought were LED's and so will the next. I don't think you can give away incandescent PAR/Fresnel/Leko fixtures these days.
Logged

Brian Jojade

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3391
    • HappyMac Digital Electronics
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2021, 06:22:15 PM »


I bet some of the kids today never even seen a 100kw of dimmers.

Well, I've still got this nice dimmer rack that's filled with 7K and a few 12K dimmers. It was from at TV studio installed around 1982.

Crazy to have control of 12KW on a SINGLE dimmer.
Logged
Brian Jojade

John L Nobile

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2658
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #14 on: February 12, 2021, 10:29:44 AM »

Well, I've still got this nice dimmer rack that's filled with 7K and a few 12K dimmers. It was from at TV studio installed around 1982.

Crazy to have control of 12KW on a SINGLE dimmer.

I didn't think it was possible but that is a gorgeous looking rack.

Dimmer Porn
Logged

Mac Kerr

  • Old enough to know better
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7551
  • Audio Plumber
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #15 on: February 12, 2021, 11:23:54 AM »

Well, I've still got this nice dimmer rack that's filled with 7K and a few 12K dimmers. It was from at TV studio installed around 1982.

Crazy to have control of 12KW on a SINGLE dimmer.

In TV, 12k could have been a single light.

Mac
Logged

Bob Rhead

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #16 on: February 12, 2021, 03:32:16 PM »

Thanks for all the input and suggestions.. we are all very preliminary here... !
Logged

Brian Jojade

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3391
    • HappyMac Digital Electronics
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #17 on: February 12, 2021, 07:38:46 PM »

In TV, 12k could have been a single light.

Mac

Well, in this particular studio, the largest lights were 2K. However, the dimmer was attached to a patch panel where you could connect multiple lights to single dimmer channels.  You could patch up to 6 circuits to each dimmer, which would get you to that 12K level.
Logged
Brian Jojade

John Fruits

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1004
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #18 on: February 13, 2021, 06:22:21 AM »

Well, in this particular studio, the largest lights were 2K. However, the dimmer was attached to a patch panel where you could connect multiple lights to single dimmer channels.  You could patch up to 6 circuits to each dimmer, which would get you to that 12K level.
I worked with one of those Kliegl dimmer racks for a while.  Had the 2 scene with split crossfader console.  It was a smaller 12 X 3.6KW rack with the plug patchbay.  On the smaller systems there was a countertop high flat panel with the plugs pointing up, the cable was below the counter with a weighted pully to help retract the cable.  The sockets for the dimmers were interesting since there was a circuit breaker by each socket.  When you pulled out a plug it flipped the breaker off.  When you plugged in a cable you had to flip the breaker on and the end of it covered the flange of the plug.  I have seen photos of larger systems with an angled housing over the plug bay with the cords hanging down. 
Logged
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs.  There's also a negative side."-Hunter S. Thompson

Brian Jojade

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3391
    • HappyMac Digital Electronics
Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #19 on: February 13, 2021, 03:08:44 PM »

I worked with one of those Kliegl dimmer racks for a while.  Had the 2 scene with split crossfader console.  It was a smaller 12 X 3.6KW rack with the plug patchbay.  On the smaller systems there was a countertop high flat panel with the plugs pointing up, the cable was below the counter with a weighted pully to help retract the cable.  The sockets for the dimmers were interesting since there was a circuit breaker by each socket.  When you pulled out a plug it flipped the breaker off.  When you plugged in a cable you had to flip the breaker on and the end of it covered the flange of the plug.  I have seen photos of larger systems with an angled housing over the plug bay with the cords hanging down.

Yup. Good description.
Logged
Brian Jojade

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Stage Lighting WITHOUT Dimmers
« Reply #19 on: February 13, 2021, 03:08:44 PM »


Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Up
 



Site Hosted By Ashdown Technologies, Inc.

Page created in 0.053 seconds with 22 queries.