Source 4 MCM pars as effects projectors

[Rob]

I need to use a couple of effects projectors with VSFX discs to project clouds. I'm told S4 MCM pars are nearly as bright as a 2Kw Toccata or Cadenza. I've seen S4 pars used for this before but have never experimented with it myself.

 

Has anyone tried this?

[Ynot]

I need to use a couple of effects projectors with VSFX discs to project clouds. I'm told S4 MCM pars are nearly as bright as a 2Kw Toccata or Cadenza. I've seen S4 pars used for this before but have never experimented with it myself.

I seriously doubt that a S4 Par will be any good as a projector simply because you cannot focus it. Couple that with the eliptical qualities of the lenses (a-la normal par beams) and any image you get will certainly be distorted...

And as for being nearly as bright as a 2Kw Cadenza, again, I doubt it. They may well be close to a 1kW Par bubble in lumens, but 2kW is a bit unlikely.

 

That said, I've never tried it either, so .................

[Stu]

We have had a S4 Par MCM come on in a tour with a projector disk before - from memory (it was a while ago) it wasn't particularly good optically but was reasonably bright. The bit that did the focusing was the lens on the front of the disk, ala any other EP. I suppose optically it was no worse than a Tocatta/Cadenza EP... Of course the bonus is a much smaller unit to tour and uses less juice.

 

Stu

[Tomo]

That's a rather odd suggestion.

 

The S4 Par MCM can only support a 575W HPL lamp, as opposed to the 750W HPL of the EA version.

 

With the VNSP lens at 11m:

The S4 Par EA @ 750W/240V produces 2223 lux

The S4 Par MCM @ 575W/240V produces 1362 lux

 

Source: S4 Par datasheet

 

The advantage of the MCM version is that the beam is much cooler, so the projection media would last longer than in front of the EA.

 

That said - the S4 Pars are parcan replacements, not effects projectors!

 

There are several effects units that fit in the gate of a standard Source 4, which at 750W is very similar to a Cadenza's output.

 

Cadenza 12/22 at 22deg ~ 180,000 candlepower

750W Source 4 19deg ~ 186,000 candlepower

[iaindennis]

I need to use a couple of effects projectors with VSFX discs to project clouds. I'm told S4 MCM pars are nearly as bright as a 2Kw Toccata or Cadenza. I've seen S4 pars used for this before but have never experimented with it myself.

I seriously doubt that a S4 Par will be any good as a projector simply because you cannot focus it. Couple that with the eliptical qualities of the lenses (a-la normal par beams) and any image you get will certainly be distorted...

And as for being nearly as bright as a 2Kw Cadenza, again, I doubt it. They may well be close to a 1kW Par bubble in lumens, but 2kW is a bit unlikely.

 

That said, I've never tried it either, so .................

 

 

The source 4 par MCM does make a very good replacement for a cadenza / 252. Its not focusable but neither is an EP!

 

The key is to use the clear lens and you certainly do not get a distorted eliptical image. We had one running in our warehouse on test for quite a while.

 

Consider the amount of glass through which light has to travel in an EP then consider the lack of it in a source 4 par. Add the dichroic reflector and you do indeed have a very bright lightsource.