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[sligmasta]

hey, im a techie at a high school and i was just put with the task of finding some intelligent lights that we could get, unfortunatley i have no experiance with the stuff other than watching it in other peoples shows, due to finacial restrictions i need to find something that that would be versatile and fairly cheap, so i looked at the meteor elipscan which is a moving mirror you can attach to ellipsoidals to make them intelligent, what i need to know is if it would come with what i would need to use it, or would i have to buy seperate software, or a dmx controller, im really lost, any help would be usefull

[Dustin Strobush]

The first question I have is what do you want to use tem for?  depending on what you want to use tem for will depend on what type of light you want to get.  As for a controler what lighting console do you have.  Most newer consoles will run a moving miror or light just fine.  You will also need cable to get from the fixture to the lighting console some how.  good luck.

[len woelfel]

I've seen a lot of venues that installed some new dmx fixtures, only to be totally unhappy.  They buy something small to get their feet wet, and are disappointed because the fixture isn't powerful enough to do the job.  So make sure that the first ones you get are worth having in your venue.  If I were you I would insist that I could return them within a week or two with no questions asked (or at the most a 10% - 15% restocking fee) so you're not stuck with something totally under what you need.  Or better still, ask if the retailer will demo them in your venue.  If I were a retailer I'd be happy to do that.  I'd have 7 - 8 choices, some within and some just slightly over your budget if I thot it would help make a sale.  

[Craig Leerman]

The Meteor Elipscan is basically just a moving mirror that fits over the end of a Leko (or other light)  While it will allow you to locate and move the fixture's beam, it hardly qualifies in my opinion as making the fixture intelligent.  BTW, Rosco has a similar unit called the I-Cue.

When I think of an "Intelligent" fixture, I picture one that will allow you to move the beam AS WELL AS change the color of the beam, and possibly add gobos or alter the size of the beam.

The moving mirror units are great if you only need beam positioning. If you want to change colors or gobos or beam shape/size with those same elipsoidals, then you would need so many aftermarket accessories that it would be cheaper to just buy a real Intelligent fixture in the first place.

First you need to define what you want the lights to do.  If all you want is beam positioning, then the moving mirror adapters will fit the bill.  If you need large areas washed in colors that can also move, then a WASH type fixture is in order.  If you want to projects gobos and patterns in different colors, then a SPOT type fixture is in order.

Next you need to figure out how  bright you want the fixtures, how far will they throw, what other lights will they have to shine through, etc.  

If you are looking to be able to use just a few fixtures for many special spot cues, then the moving mirror adapters like the I-Cue would fit the bill.  If you want to add some sizzle and have a few moving beams with limited abilities, then an entry level unit (like a DJ size) might fit the bill.  If you need a unit with many features and the ability to cut through a bright stage wash, then a pro unit is the answer.

As for control, most moving lights and dimmers today use a protocol called DMX. This signal can be used to tell dimmers to fade up or down, or have lights move their beam, change colors, gobos, etc.  Most lighting consoles today output a DMX signal.  If your school's current board does not have a DMX output, you would either need to buy or rent another console to control any moving lights.

Craig

[Dave Bigelow]

What do you need them for?

More than likely you could get away with some used tracspots and a universal controller for pretty cheap. If you have to buy new I'm not sure what to say since I'm an audio guy first. I just try to know what I can to get by and make some side cash.