Smiffy Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Hi Guys: I'm considering speccing some DHA Pitching Light Curtains on a project, and being as I've never used them, was wondering what Control Options are available for them these days. I vaguely recall that they used to have a Mac that drove them, and that was then triggered by a protocol out of the console. MIDI if memory serves. Are they available as good old fashioned DMX these days? Given that Consoles have moved on a tonne since the DLC was created, I'm hoping that the Mac's have been dispensed with. Cheers Smiffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 I'm pretty sure they now have a box which converts DMX into the appropriate DHA protocol - at least the non-pitching ones I used did. They are great bits of kit but I would be wary of the reliability of the things - make sure you can drop the bar in at short notice as you don't want to be swapping them out from the top of a ladder! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiffy Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 Thanks Richard... They'll be on single hoists with a Lightlock so can come all the way to the deck with ease. If not them, then some sort of LED type device if I can find one / get one built that can live up to a similar role. Cheers Smiffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_s Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 There is indeed a DMX-to-Light Talk converter. You might find this useful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjdj Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 I agree with richard, they look great when they work but they don't tend to be that reliable. I used some for a show over the summer and not long into the show one of the color scrollers got stuck. And yes there is a DMX converter box for them. I was running them from a chamsys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiffy Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 Thanks guys. Looking at the responses regarding reliability. It might be time to have a chat with a Lighting Manufacturer and see if we cant do something similar with LED's. I'm not expecting the same results but with the right light engine behind it, it could be a cool and useful fixture. Cheers Smiffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 There's an ETC tilting LED bar that might offer a similar effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiffy Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 Thanks Jon I'll have a look at that. Cheers Smiffy Edit: Had a quick look at the ETC Site, nothing jumping out at me. Am I being blind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 Maybe it wasn't ETC then... It definitely exists though, seen them at trade shows and on publicity, just whose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewGrant Posted December 17, 2010 Share Posted December 17, 2010 DLCs are controlled by LightTalk. This used to be a separate box which talked straight to a Mac. Nowadays you can squirt DMX into a LightTalk box. I have a feeling you can only running three DLCs from one LightTalk controller. The ones I have used didn't fail once over the month period I was using them. The scrollers on them were very good, the units have a good tilt range on them and move nice and quickly for the old Les Mis sweeps. The only issue I had was that they would trip their circuit if I snapped them on. They were 2KW units on a 2.4KW dimmer, this was easily rectified though with a cheeky curve limiting them to 95% (hopefully the LD isn't reading this!!) From what I can remember I ran them in Mode 1 (on the LightTalk box.) A Lightlock is a very good idea, I had to slow the position marks down because they were making the trusses swing and all the lovely shuttering on the Mac 2Ks was looking slightly odd!! HTH Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiffy Posted December 17, 2010 Author Share Posted December 17, 2010 Thanks Andrew: Being as I only want 30 of them I suspect that if I do get issues a sensible compliment of spares will be available. I'm struggling to find what I need among the worlds supply of LED fixtures. In an ideal world about 6 to 8 Vari-Lite VLX Light Engines down to a Narrow Par Lamp in a DLC Like housing with individual lamp colour control would be the ideal solution. Perhaps something to talk to VL about when I'm back in the UK, although unlikely that something would come along in the timeframe of this gig. It's certainly something a few people might be interested in (if you are reading this VL, we can talk about royalties whenever you like hehehehe :wacko: ) Hohum. Your DLC Experience seems positive enough. With a quality crew on it I'm sure we'll be fine.... If it happens. I love these concept to cost gigs :| Cheers Smiffy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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