Lighting Fixtures and Wireless DMX

[tonyd]

I work at a Church in the USA. I am looking to pruchase lights for my stage. I have 3 lighting trusses with 30 lights that cover the front part of the stage to midway of the stage, so I am fine there. But my lighting from the Mid-stage to the back is not good. I was thinking of using moving lights to help light the back part of the stage. The reason I want intelligent lights is that it will give me some flexibility. The question I ahve is this.

Floor to ceiling is 20ft. I fiegured I will need 6 lights to cover the area. We currently have 4 studio spot 575's shooting on the trusses over seats.

I don't have the budget to buy them. So I am wondering if I could go with less powerful lights. I could also sacrifice not as many colors or Gobos?

Any suggestion on what intelligent lights I could get that would be way under $5000.

 

 

Also anyone work with the wireless DMX units, if yes which ones?

 

Thanks

[woody74]

Apollo Design's Right Arm would be my suggestion.

 

Others will say it, but I'll be the first: more information please.

 

-Is your budget $5000 per fixture, or $5000 total?

-What is your DS wash lit with?

-Are you trying to blend your DS and US washes, or create a separate look?

-20' to the ceiling, or 20' to a pipe that the new units will hang on?

-What are you rigging from?

-Do you have non-dimmed power for moving lights?

-Do you realize that for the amount of money you would spend on moving lights, you could easily buy three times or more as many conventional lights?

-Who maintains the Studio Spots? Will they be okay with you introducing another type of fixture/lamp/replacement parts to their budget?

 

Lastly, to the best of my knowledge, there is no such thing as a wireless DMX fixture; there are wireless DMX solutions, just not imbedded into a head.

 

-w

 

PS: I edited for spelling; please return the favor on future posts.

[frazer]

Lastly, to the best of my knowledge, there is no such thing as a wireless DMX fixture; there are wireless DMX solutions, just not imbedded into a head.

 

Wireless DMX is beginning to be intergrated into some heads. For example the FutureLight PHW-265. Sorry can't comment on the performance as I have never used them before. There are a limited number of fixtures out there with the technology and so I would suggest to go down the cable DMX route to give yourself more options.

[Kelite]

I've got to agree with Woody74. With your limited budget and need for flexibility our Right Arm with either ellipsoidals and/or PARs could get your needs met and still be within the budget. (Consider also that a video projector could be added at a later date to one of the Right Arms for scenery/text/special effects.)

 

 

Just a thought-

[soundscu]

re: wireless DMX

 

There are currently several different vendors of wireless DMX (I'm one of them), and none are compatible with each other. That is, the transmitter from one vendor will not talk to the receiver from another vendor.

 

Wireless Solution in Sweden has done the best job of getting their W-DMX technology integrated into fixtures made by others, thus they are closest to being a "standard". Different brands of equipment using W-DMX will work with each other, and it's a growing list.

 

For those on a limited budget, our RC4Magic system is probably the best compromise between cost and performance. We have numerous church users who are fully satisfied. Have a look at http://www.theatrewireless.com/rc4magic.htm for product info, http://www.theatrewireless.com/users.htm for a list of users.

 

Jim

RC4 Wireless

[Congo]

seeing that you are in america, you might want to have a read on the lightnetwork as there has been a recent thread on wireless DMX there.

 

all I will say is be very careful do you research and find out the pros and cons to the different types of wireless DMX, all have pros and cons !!!

 

as for manufactures

 

there is

City Theatrical (WDS and NewShow DMX)

DMX solutions

Daft Data (wireless DMX and mains DMX)

RC4 wireless

Martin Professional

Avolites eDMX and mDMX(mains DMX)

 

 

there is an interesting report on City theatricals web site, I would recommend reading it, it is a commisioned report !!!

 

depending on the system it can affect wifi.

 

happy reading

[HobitLight]

How about this one from Zero88?

[martinw]

How about this one from Zero88?

They look an awful lot like this

 

Martin

[Congo]

could be explained by the new headline on Daftdata's web site "dAFTdATA announce partnership with Zero88 - August 2007"

[tonyd]

Thanks for you advice!!!!!!!!

[Nick S]

How about this one from Zero88?

 

We're talking about the USA. Zero88 are great, but their one major distributor in the States that I know of is based in Cali. Support for Zero88 products on the east coast is just plain rubbish. I'd try calling a company like Barbizon, and get an informal consult / quote round. It's likely what's available to you cheaply and effectively in NJ might not be what's available to most of us on this forum (this is certainly true when it comes to things like LED units in the US).