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LED moving heads V's Traditional Moving Heads


acjuk

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Hey, first time I have posted but I am currently designing a light show for the auditorium at the old rep in Birmingham without using the stage which is a bit odd. so I was looking to create a blue wash over the auditorium but am a bit iffy on weather to use LED movers or Mac washes. any advice would be most welcome!
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Agree - a blue wash from a pile of PARs could be much,much cheaper than the hire of moving lights capable of the same brightness.

 

The problem with a blue wash (depending how intense the colour is) is you need a whole shedload of PARs, whereas a few big discharge sources can get you the same brightness because they are much stronger in the blue region. And you only get big discharge sources in moving heads.

 

In terms of power consumption LED fixtures are much more efficient at doing blue, but almost certainly more expensive for the same brightness.

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Um, yes - but the cost of a 1200W 60 degree wash is what? £200 a week? vs £5-7 a week for a PAR64 - so you could have 30 PARs for the same price (power, I have conveniently ignored, but you can see my thinking - and this is for just one high power washlight, come down to 575W and the brightness is now much lower - and I know my 4 575W movers are just not up to washing 1200 seats on one level at my venue in anything darker than pink!
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I would look at it the other way.

 

If thy are considering hiring in movers, then surely they can afford to hire in LED Par's, which would still be a cost saver compared to the price of a mover I would imagine.

 

A Fixture with RGBAW would allow you to create almost any shade of blue you desire.

 

Also having just LED Par's would cut down on the noise (Movers would have more fans), cut down on the power requirements over regular PAR's and avoid the hassle of finding/ purchasing the right Gel to create the wash needed and then gelling all the fixtures up.

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avoid the hassle of finding/ purchasing the right Gel to create the wash needed and then gelling all the fixtures up.

 

Really? Finding a blue gel and sticking it in a pile of PAR cans is more hassle than addressing a similar number of LED PARs?

 

And purchasing? Well whoever you are sourcing the lights from can probably add a sheet or two of gel to the order for a few quid!

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I guess it depends if physically possible to rig and power the required quantity of pars.

If not movers or LED may be the only option.

 

I am thinking of an event where we had to wash the high ceiling of a hall in dark blue with pretty white stars. We got less light out of a 6K par bar than from a 575 wash. It was only a one night event but the blue gels were all burning through by the end.

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You've got to compare some variables.

 

First off, have you got the crew to rig any quantity?

 

Next up, how big is the venue/stage?

 

Heavy equipment vs light equipment?

 

Parcan's are fairly light, cheap to hire and will give you a punchy light although they cannot automatically move and the gels may tend to burn out.

 

LED pars give you more options and are cooler to use but may not throw out the same intensity and won't be as cheap to hire.

 

Moving lights are moving lights really. Good for various looks, moving around and light output but are heavy and cost you the most to hire. Do you need the extra colours and effects though?

 

If it were me, investigating some bright LED pars would be the best choice if this light is not used primarily for lighting people. Backwash fine, sidewash fine, colour around the room, fine......

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Hang on lads, let the guy answer the first question. Why movers?

 

There may be a multitude of good reasons but we are speculating, or as my dad said, farting in the wind.

 

yeh, well I had looked into the use of some Mac's just because of the power of them and the brief we received was a bit vague so I am trying to cover as many bases as I can. this is one of the weirdest jobs I have had so far but with a very large budget it seems to be a very good one!

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So...

What exactly IS this show at the Old Rep?

 

Is there something else going on ON stage and you're tasked with doing something else with the auditorium?

 

yes there is a dance show and a play happening on the stage after this intro but as it is for 9yr old's we wanted to make it a different and special experience from the off.

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