LEDs replacing gobos

[Russ83]

Nevertheless, at present LED pars look nothing like real pars, and LED profiles (certainly ones that would take a gobo) are a long way away from being usable.

If When they sort out the spectrum of white LEDs and the light output continues to increase then the need for traditional gobos will surely decrease. We can't be that far off having an LED projector in a moving head that can project any colour image or video at the press of a button for a fraction of the cost of fixtures like the Robe DT series?

[Ynot]

Nevertheless, at present LED pars look nothing like real pars, and LED profiles (certainly ones that would take a gobo) are a long way away from being usable.

If When they sort out the spectrum of white LEDs and the light output continues to increase then the need for traditional gobos will surely decrease. We can't be that far off having an LED projector in a moving head that can project any colour image or video at the press of a button for a fraction of the cost of fixtures like the Robe DT series?

Hmmm...

So you think it won't be very long before a multiple light source (because I for one cannot see in my lifetime there being a SINGLE LED source capable of producing anywhere near the output of incandescent/discharge) will be able to project a crisp, focussed image comparable to a gobo?

[Russ83]

So you think it won't be very long before a multiple light source (because I for one cannot see in my lifetime there being a SINGLE LED source capable of producing anywhere near the output of incandescent/discharge) will be able to project a crisp, focussed image comparable to a gobo?

I would not have expected 10 years ago that the little pathetic diodes I was using in my tech projects would light my house but that day is now here. LED projectors are also out there now (equally pathetic to those original LEDs) so who knows what we will have in another 10 years? I'm sure some phone manufacturer must be thinking about using your phone to project a video/image onto a wall to share with your friends, gone are the days of having a phone to just speak to someone :P .

 

I'm sure this thread must need splitting by now or else Brian's findings are going to seem out of place.

 

Moderation: Split made.

[Colin]

Nevertheless, at present LED pars look nothing like real pars, and LED profiles (certainly ones that would take a gobo) are a long way away from being usable.

If When they sort out the spectrum of white LEDs and the light output continues to increase then the need for traditional gobos will surely decrease. We can't be that far off having an LED projector in a moving head that can project any colour image or video at the press of a button for a fraction of the cost of fixtures like the Robe DT series?

Hmmm...

So you think it won't be very long before a multiple light source (because I for one cannot see in my lifetime there being a SINGLE LED source capable of producing anywhere near the output of incandescent/discharge) will be able to project a crisp, focussed image comparable to a gobo?

 

I suspect they may have meant LCD projector, however these aren't that cheap, by the time you have rammed everything together I dont think you would get much change from £5k for a 5000lu projector on a yoke with DMX controllable zoom, focus, shutter etc. and even then its not going to be that bright

 

I'll stick with my source 4 for now.

 

Random thought..... plasma lamps in generic units?

[musht]

Nevertheless, at present LED pars look nothing like real pars, and LED profiles (certainly ones that would take a gobo) are a long way away from being usable.

If When they sort out the spectrum of white LEDs and the light output continues to increase then the need for traditional gobos will surely decrease. We can't be that far off having an LED projector in a moving head that can project any colour image or video at the press of a button for a fraction of the cost of fixtures like the Robe DT series?

 

Current crop of DLP LED Pocket projectors are hitting all of about 10 ANSI lumens.

 

Going to be using a variety of sources for a good while yet would think, there is no universal plug in replacement.

[peter]

I'm sure some phone manufacturer must be thinking about using your phone to project a video/image onto a wall to share with your friends, gone are the days of having a phone to just speak to someone :P .

[Tomo]

I'm sure some phone manufacturer must be thinking about using your phone to project a video/image onto a wall to share with your friends, gone are the days of having a phone to just speak to someone :P .

That's done with very small LASERs combined with DLP.

And very cool they are too. Also ludicrously expensive at the moment - don't think there's a commercial phone yet, but there are a few proofs-of-concept.

[Russ83]

The phone in the youtube clip is exactly what I was thinking of. I specifically mentioned phone manufacturers as they seem to have more money available to spend on R&D and hopefully the technology can then be transfered.

 

That's done with very small LASERs combined with DLP.

I didn't realise that, I've not seen one up close yet so I'd just imagined it to be a LED in place of the lamp and smaller due to reduced cooling/power requirements. Proper technical info doesn't appear to have filtered onto the web yet.

[Joe Bleasdale]

Hmmm...

So you think it won't be very long before a multiple light source (because I for one cannot see in my lifetime there being a SINGLE LED source capable of producing anywhere near the output of incandescent/discharge) will be able to project a crisp, focussed image comparable to a gobo?

 

Hi Tony,

 

I dont think a single LED will ever be able to provide a bright enough source and still be able to obtain superior optics from the fixture it is in. I do however believe that the new plasma technology Robe are pushing will provide a solution that is tiny in size, but big on output.

 

Thanks,

[Ynot]

I dont think a single LED will ever be able to provide a bright enough source and still be able to obtain superior optics from the fixture it is in. I do however believe that the new plasma technology Robe are pushing will provide a solution that is tiny in size, but big on output.

Yes - but as the question is around LED technology, NOT plasma, I would say that is largely irrelevant to this discussion, no?

[Matt Cowles]

I dont think a single LED will ever be able to provide a bright enough source and still be able to obtain superior optics from the fixture it is in. I do however believe that the new plasma technology Robe are pushing will provide a solution that is tiny in size, but big on output.

Yes - but as the question is around LED technology, NOT plasma, I would say that is largely irrelevant to this discussion, no?

 

No I don't think it is irrelevant. Plasma lamps have the energy advantages of LED and the lifespan but with much better colour rendering and much better output. So, if Plasma can provide the holy grail that LED so far has been unable to produce - a single light source bright enough to replace discharge or incandescent sources, we will probably see the development of LED slow down and become far less relevant. Manufacturers will put their resources into Plasma, in fact they already are. If Plasma progresses as much as we expect it to I don't see LED going much further in our industry.

[Ynot]

No I don't think it is irrelevant. Plasma lamps have the energy advantages of LED and the lifespan but with much better colour rendering and much better output. So, if Plasma can provide the holy grail that LED so far has been unable to produce - a single light source bright enough to replace discharge or incandescent sources, we will probably see the development of LED slow down and become far less relevant. Manufacturers will put their resources into Plasma, in fact they already are. If Plasma progresses as much as we expect it to I don't see LED going much further in our industry.

Er, No - the discussion in THIS topic (check the title) is whether we will see LED replace the incandescant light sources for such things as profiles projecting gobos and the like.

 

Whether plasma sources can or indeed will be able to do so is really outside of that.

 

Pedantic, you may cry, but all the same.....

[Matt Cowles]

Except that the reason that LEDs will not be able to replace incandescant light sources for such things as profiles projecting gobos and the like, is Plasma. - In my opinion

[Joe Bleasdale]

The only reason I mentioned plasma, was the fact that it is tiny... just like LED. I was trying to point out the fact that something of a similar size will actually blow LED right out of the water.

 

I completely agree with what Matt has said,

[Ynot]

Except that the reason that LEDs will not be able to replace incandescant light sources for such things as profiles projecting gobos and the like, is Plasma. - In my opinion

So what you're saying is that you believe that R & D into higher and higher power LED will be stalled because there will be a surge towards plasma instead?

Not sure that will necessarily be true - though I accept there may very well be an effect.

But whilst plasma technology is still in its infancy, LEDs in one shape or another are well established to a great degree, and are pretty cheap & cheerful in comparison, so I suspect that they'll be around for quite some time yet...

 

But still in pedant mode - the topic title is quite clear, as split from the original thread - "LEDs replacing gobos..."

Not "LEDs or other small light source replacing gobos"