Even though most automated lighting fixtures have a strobe function, I very rarely use it, for several reasons. First and most important, it can be nearly impossible to synchronize various fixture types, even when they come from the same manufacturer. There is no standard for how fixtures should strobe, so their speeds vary greatly. Furthermore, most manufacturers limit the strobing capabilities to keep their fixtures quiet or within an acceptable working tolerance. I often find that I can strobe a fixture faster from the intensity channel than from the strobe channel. However, many fixtures now have electronic strobing that cannot be recreated via the intensity channel. Second, if the production might be changing fixture types in the future, I can ensure that the programming will remain the same since the strobe is generated from the desk and not the fixture. Third, if I need to change from a strobe to a softer fading effect, it is easy to do so with a simple change to the effect. By utilizing effects on the intensity channel, I gain all these benefits and more..
—Brad Schiller, from “Feeding the Machines,” PLSN, July 2009
