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[Cameron Wink]

hi,

i'm looking to pick up some lights for a show i'm doing over new years and my dj with lights backed out last minute.  my new dj just spins so...  i have been looking around and was looking at a 4 pack of ADJ pocket scans and the chauvet wash 900 along with an ADJ mega strobe and a few foggers all run by a lsc dmx operator pro.

are the pocket scans good or just a waste of $$$.  would i be better off with seperate par cans or is the wash 900 a good unit?  i seem to have this problem occasionally where the dj with lights flakes and leaves me high and dry.  i have a large sound system and book some jobs and rely on others for the "talent".  i do medium to large events both day and night.  would i be better off just renting something or?

any help would be appreciated

thanks

cameron wink

[Rob Blohm]

The usefullness of the pocket scan really depends on your conditions. It isn't very bright, so if you're looking to light up performers....don't waste your time. For an all dj show..it might work. You're going to want a lot of haze on the stage to see the beams and such. Compared to the really nice intelligent lights, the pocket scan is crap...but for your budget it might be a good idea.

I also have the 900s, and they're ok. I wouldn't use these with the pocket scans, since they are kinda bright, and will wash out the pocket scan. How big is the room you're doing this in? A couple of those ultra cheap DJ foggers might not do the trick....since those can only crank out so much fog before they need to heat up again. I'd look into getting a good hazer for the job. The good ones can keep going without a need to reheat, and usually have some nice control options.

Forget par cans...if this is a DJ gig just get some pin spots, make sure you slap some different colors on them, and use a chase controller. With the haze those should look really nice.

With all that you may not even need a controller. Forget programming the pocket scans...just gang them together and let them chase to music. It'll save you a lot of time, and since this is for a DJ show it's not a big deal. I've never used the LSC dmx operator.

[Craig Leerman]

I like the Pocket Scans!  A friend of mine specializes in small club lighting for bands. He bought a bunch of Pocket Scans and uses them across the back and sides.  They look really good on a small stage, and don't eat up a lot of power (which is always limited in a small club or on most DJ gigs)

I have used Pocket Scans as "Beauty" lights on televised boxing gigs for USA TV and ESPN. Beauty lights are the small colored lights that are usually seen before the match and in between rounds. They point into the cameras and end up looking like small colored stars (because of the way a camera sees lights pointing right into the lens) Beauty lights are faded/blacked out during the rounds so as not to distract either fighters or viewers.

Usually we just used Par46s as Beauty lights, but on many of the shows we would have to place twice as many Par46s because the director wanted Beauty lights in both a front, and Jib Boom camera shot. Instead of hanging 16-20 Par 46s, we decided to invest in 8 Pocket Scans.  That way, we could focus the scans into the front camera, and then also use the same lights refocuses (positioned) for the Jib Boom camera.  In addition to using fewer lights, we also got the ability to change colors, instead of just having single color Par 46s.

We used the Pocket Scans one day a week for over a year with no problems other than a blown bulb!  While they are not a very bright unit, I think they work pretty good for short throw applications like a small band or DJ.

[len woelfel]

If you're renting these for one night, I wouldn't pay more than $15 - 20 each for them, especially when around here one can rent a Mac Entour for $75 and get 10 times the fixture, or a Technobeam for about $60.  By comparison, a package with 4 Martin 812 and controller rents for about $160, or about $35 per head and $20 for the controller.  If you're buying, there's a lot of much newer designs in the $200 - $400 range that will give you more features, more brightness (not because of bigger lamps, but because of improved optics).  The Pocket Scan is an old fixture, with old technology.  I skimmed a few sites and found it for just under $400, but you could probably do better.  But the VEI Novascan has better output and is about $200.  I've used some VEI fixtures, and they're not bad.  Or for the same money, you could buy a Martin MX-1.  Granted, only one color/gobo wheel, but waaaay better output, faster scanning, wider pan and tilt, and just a better build.  A PocketScan will work, but I just don't think they're a good buy any longer, especially compared to what else is on the market.  

As for the Show Designer, it's ok.  Not bad, but the learning curve may be greater than you have time for, unless they have it pre-programmed (if you're renting).  Smaller controllers aren't great for ballyhoo stuff (imo) and you'll probably want a lot of that with a dj show.  

Assuming you're in Orange County, I'd try calling a production house and just tell them the parameters of the show, give them a budget and let them go crazy.  

[MOONLIGHTING]

Be sure to check if there is a "duty cycle" on those pocket scans. I've gotten some great use out of low cost scanners, but some of them will auto shut-off if they are on constant.....
Please post more on the pros/cons of those wash 900's

Michael Schutte

[Rob Blohm]

I'm pretty sure the pocket scans have a continuous duty cycle. The only problem is if you leave the shutter closed for more than say...5 minutes, it'll shut of the lamp. But it turns the lamp back on once you open the shutter, so I kinda like that feature.

There's another thread around here about the 900's.
http://srforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/t/3717/4096/?SQ=56 8e76016fb6522786ece9d1759ead58