Showtec Sunstrips Anyone used 'em?
#1
Posted 17 May 2011 - 08:39 PM
I've a gig coming up and I've been offered a pile of Showtec Sunstrip Active DMX's and having never used them before I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or thoughts as to what they are good for.
I'll be driving them from an MA, and so shall likely have them in their full channel counts. Are they bright bright, and useful as a blinder effect or should I be thinking of them more as subtle eye candy?
Cheers
Smiffy
Ignition Creative Ltd
Association of Lighting Designers member No. 907
PSA Member
#2
Posted 17 May 2011 - 08:46 PM
Smiffy, on 17 May 2011 - 08:39 PM, said:
I've a gig coming up and I've been offered a pile of Showtec Sunstrip Active DMX's and having never used them before I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or thoughts as to what they are good for.
I'll be driving them from an MA, and so shall likely have them in their full channel counts. Are they bright bright, and useful as a blinder effect or should I be thinking of them more as subtle eye candy?
Cheers
Smiffy
Yup, very bright in the face.. I've got the task of bunging 23 onto the Ice Show rig this year, and the only thing I've ever had an issue with (and I never pinned this down, but would be good for other users opionions) is when they share a data line with other fixtures - always seemed to be fine if Desk and Splits were on before the sunstrips, otherwise got flickers.
They are great units imho.
#3
Posted 17 May 2011 - 08:48 PM
This one's already a bit of a blinderfest, but if the setlist pans out the way I hope then it's going to be well paced. You can never have enough blinders though hehehe.
I'll bear that in mind about the splitterers too. Might chuck a couple more onto the list to be safe,
Cheers ta
Smiffy
Ignition Creative Ltd
Association of Lighting Designers member No. 907
PSA Member
#4
Posted 17 May 2011 - 08:50 PM
They may make a decent effect as blinders or framing the stage if you had enough channel control to chase around the units.
#5
Posted 17 May 2011 - 08:52 PM
Cheers
Smiffy
Ignition Creative Ltd
Association of Lighting Designers member No. 907
PSA Member
#6
Posted 17 May 2011 - 08:54 PM
Quote
they aint no moleflay,but the do an alright job for the size and can produce good beamnage if you've some smoke,dimmed down a bit then yep you got eye candy
#7
Posted 17 May 2011 - 08:58 PM
Smiffy, on 17 May 2011 - 08:52 PM, said:
Just to clarify - I'd meant that the beam spread is really uneven, rather that the dimming - although that's most likely down to the lamps we use.
#8
Posted 17 May 2011 - 09:07 PM
You can do some nice stuff with fade times and playing with the thermal lag on the filaments, they're fairly quick to get going but seem to have a longer glow on fade out. A twinkle chase can look very pretty on them.
Rigged pointing up you get a howiebatten-esque beam into haze, but I've always used them facing the audience. I've had them both level and at strange angles, and both ways work. I'd like to try them vertical at somepoint, hanging down from the rear bar/truss.
Setup wise, they work in all the locations you might put pixelline, but you get the warm rosy tungsten glow instead of bright saturated colour.
Jon Pearce
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#9
Posted 17 May 2011 - 09:12 PM
Much appreciated
Smiffy
Ignition Creative Ltd
Association of Lighting Designers member No. 907
PSA Member
#10
Posted 17 May 2011 - 09:16 PM
The front of the actual lamp is very close to the grille, and there's just not enough standoff distance (nor indeed any runners or frames) to fit gel.
If you need colour, it's either coloured GU10 lamps, or a bodge involving Black-Tak and large swooping pieces of gel leaving an air gap (the exact same problem as gelling cheap 500W security floods).
Other than that, nice little fixtures, and good value for money.
#11
Posted 17 May 2011 - 09:38 PM
Cheers
Smiffy
Ignition Creative Ltd
Association of Lighting Designers member No. 907
PSA Member
#12
Posted 17 May 2011 - 10:36 PM
Really good on 10ch DMX mode. The amount of visuals you can generate is mindblowing. Chase city!! When they're all on a glow and pulsing gently, it looks lovely.
Make sure the prod LX has plenty of spare lamps though. The little buggers drop like flies.
We used to have them in flightcases holding 9 or 12 stored vertically and usually a couple of leftover units ended up being the spare lamps supply.- if we forgot to pack any......
Whack up some pics Smiffy of the beautys in action when your done

#13
Posted 17 May 2011 - 10:37 PM
#14
Posted 18 May 2011 - 11:01 AM
http://www.youtube.c.../10/kRI8gqw2kdg
#15
Posted 18 May 2011 - 11:37 AM
I've got 18 of them to play with on a very small stage so things should look quite busy hehehe.
Cheers
Smiffy
Ignition Creative Ltd
Association of Lighting Designers member No. 907
PSA Member