what do you guys think of the 90's lights like NDJ Blitzer etc?

[pigeon_boy]

I got 2 "classic"? 90's lighting fixtures recently. NJD (which I assume is well known here) Blitzer, and something else called a Abstract "Hyper Moon" ** laughs out loud **

I got them and tried them thinking they'd have aged well, but maybe not so. I still like them but the effect of them is quite delicate compared to the fast sharp sweeping effect you get now with the LED scanners etc.

but imma still keep them cause they just have that nostalgia vibe to them for me. It's a shame both of them never came with DMX but I guess this was before DMX was standard.

[bigclive]

It's surprising how dim many of the older effects look compared to the modern LED versions. The classic moonflower is a good example. An original 50 or 100W unit was so inefficient that the new version with humble 5mm LEDs pointing straight through a lens complete blows them away.

 

The older heavily motorised effects are still good for adding physical movement though.

[kerry davies]

Mixing old and new rarely works in club lighting, the new overpowers the old. That isn't always a positive in raves and clubs unless Joe Loss is doing the live set. We used to use Solar 250's and Rank Aldis Tutor 2's with rare appearances on live bands by Solar 575's. Once the K Series Optikinetics appeared as replacements we used either or, never both together.

It is easier on festivals and dance tents to mix and match because you have distance to play around with using old stuff close in and new kit up in the air.

 

With the really old Martin kit it helps during maintenance to bear in mind that the gear was created originally by a bunch of Danish hippies absolutely stoned out of their minds. Hence the off centre cams, bits of rubber and wobbly things in front of glued on shards of reflector making those "funky" images. Technology tries to replicate them but is just a bit too precise, IMO. One of our guys used to scour antique and junk shops for crystal decanter stoppers to suspend in front of the lens and split the rays into a myriad more. Some crystals work, some don't but the best add a rainbow/prism effect.

[Jivemaster]

The old lights were good then! The NJD Datamoon was a PLASA Award winner but in 1986 IIRC. Their biggest downfall is that they used LOTS of electricity especially compared to the modern LED kit, and some weighed lots due to iron ballasts for discharge lamps.

 

Apart from recreating old disco lighting, maybe they don't have much of a future.

[ocfe]

I got 2 "classic"? 90's lighting fixtures recently. NJD (which I assume is well known here) Blitzer, and something else called a Abstract "Hyper Moon" ** laughs out loud **

I got them and tried them thinking they'd have aged well, but maybe not so. I still like them but the effect of them is quite delicate compared to the fast sharp sweeping effect you get now with the LED scanners etc.

but imma still keep them cause they just have that nostalgia vibe to them for me. It's a shame both of them never came with DMX but I guess this was before DMX was standard.

 

I think some of the NJD and Abstract products of this era did have some kind of DMX control, 3 pin of course.

[James Remo]

it's not uncommon to see a band touring a selection of bits from RML's "Disco Basement" as a retro look for a song or two, although they aren't the little mobile DJ oriented units you have

 

The control of these moonflower effects back in the day was just powering the mains on and off, from home made disco consoles with just banks of switched sockets, to (if you were fancy) touch panels and switchpacks (analog of course)

 

Sadly there are some things that have never been bettered from that pre-DMX control era, such as strobeflowers, arcline, quazars... Which ties in nicely to your post on strobes.

[J Pearce]

I think some of the NJD and Abstract products of this era did have some kind of DMX control, 3 pin of course.

 

There were some that had DMX on a 6.35mm jack too.

[ocfe]

You might also like some Facebook groups:

Vintage Night Club Lighting

Vintage Disco Lights from the 70/80/90's

[Jivemaster]

The 1/4" stereo jack was great for DMX because the switched sockets terminated the line when needed, and the switched DMX in socket meant they knew when to do their own thing or respond to DMX. Still didn't conform to standard though

[TheLX1]

I think some of the NJD and Abstract products of this era did have some kind of DMX control, 3 pin of course.

 

There were some that had DMX on a 6.35mm jack too.

 

 

Surprisingly some of the Astera wireless transmitters take their DMX in via a 3.5mm jack, which is very annoying when someone loses the adapter!

[the kid]

I think some of the NJD and Abstract products of this era did have some kind of DMX control, 3 pin of course.

 

There were some that had DMX on a 6.35mm jack too.

 

 

Surprisingly some of the Astera wireless transmitters take their DMX in via a 3.5mm jack, which is very annoying when someone loses the adapter!

 

 

I think they all do

 

Still not exactly sure why its formed as a belt pack.

[david.elsbury]

I think they all do

 

Still not exactly sure why its formed as a belt pack.

It’s primary function is not a DMX transmitter, that’s why.

It’s designed to translate Bluetooth from a phone or tablet to allow you to control the lights from the app.

Because Bluetooth is so short range you need to keep it close to the tablet- a belt clip is an easy way to do that