‘Tis the season of trade show lighting. And whether you are starting to design the lighting for your client’s booth or you are already on site, you must make sure to put some thought into bringing a box of lighting accessories; you know, those little things good designers can’t live without.
Elation Architectural’s new ELAR Image X image projector features a 32-watt xenon lamp source with a color temperature of 6,000K and an average lamp life of 3,000 hours. It is available in two versions: the ELAR Image X with stationary projection and the ELAR Image XR with rotating projection. Both versions accept metal and glass gobos with an O.D. of 37.5mm and an image diameter of 20mm. Each is supplied with a four-foot power cord. The MSRP of the ELAR Image X is $419.95. The MSRP of the ELAR Image X is $479.95.
The new SceneStation from Interactive Technologies is an architectural wall station for DMX playback. It can control nearly any DMX device and it can be programmed to run shows up to 64 steps. It features five customizable buttons that can be programmed run chases, step sequentially through scenes, toggle on and off, or act as a momentary switch. Each button includes programmable RGB backlighting and the button caps can be engraved with custom legends. An infrared Programmer’s Remote can be used to set up and program the SceneStation with fade and follow times, button colors, DMX channel levels and more.
The new Xtreme Value Rack/Tower Series (XVRT) Uninterruptable Power Supply from Xtreme Power Conversion provides power protection including battery backup, line-interactive voltage regulation, noise filtration and surge protection. The series is comprised of four models: 1000VA, 1500VA, 2200VA and 3000VA. All models are available in a variety of physical form factors including tower mount, rack mount or wall mount. Features include an LED display, 50/60Hz frequency auto sensing, 1-in/1-out RJ45 surge protection and UPSMON monitoring software. Included are three 8AH batteries in the 1000VA unit, two 9AH batteries in the 1500VA unit and four 9AH batteries in the 2200VA and 3000VA units.
The ElectriCalc LT is an electrical handheld calculator that helps solve electrical calculations in compliance with the NEC. It works in volts, amps, volt-amps, watts, kVA, kW, power factor percentage, efficiency percentage and DC resistance. It can calculate wire sizes for copper or aluminum in various insulation ratings and it adjusts for ambient temperature. It figures voltage drop, parallel conductors, de-ratings and grounding conductor sizes. It also works as a standard math calculator and has a battery-saving auto-off feature. Includes user guide, vinyl case, lithium battery and a one-year warranty. The retail price is $49.99.
A new version of Martin Professional’s ShowDesigner™ (MSD) lighting and set design software is now available. It includes a new 3D graphic engine with “near rendering quality” in real-time. Some updates include: fixture beams with true-life light distribution; animated smoke with adjustable density and evenness; camera animation with time-line control; new user interface with sidebar for quick access to all features; drag-drop of object and fixture onto 3D space; ISO camera view for easier manipulation of objects in 3D view. Five versions include: Gold, Live, Live-4, Silver and Live-LJ.
DUSSELDORF, Germany — Lighting designers Andreas Ellmerer and Thomas Brügge used nearly 180 Robe ColorSpot 1200E ATs for “TV Total Stock Car Crash Challenge,” a show staged at the LTU Arena that featured the car-racing skills — and aggression — of celebrities from the music, TV and sporting worlds.
The Chauvet Colorado Batten 80i is an RGBW DMX-512 LED color strip with 80 1-watt to 3-watt LEDs. Control modes vary from three to 80 channels and it produces color washes with 4.2 billion color combinations. The output is 5,918 lux at one meter in standard operation or 11,373 lux at one meter in Hyper Color mode, which drives the LEDs at a higher current. Standard features include RGB, RGBW and HSV control modes, vector settings and pixel mapping with control over individual LEDs, allowing the display of low-res video, in 80-channel mode. Color temperature presets range from 3,200°K to 10,000°K.
The new Wholehog DMX Processor 8000 from High End Systems is designed to manage up to 16 DMX universes with the Wholehog control system. The unit outputs DMX and ArtNet and it is 50 times more powerful than its predecessor, the DP2000. Version 3.0 software for all current lighting console products is also now available with support for the DMX Processor 8000 and Art-Net output from the DMX Processor 8000 and Road Hog Full Boar console. Many network configuration windows, patch windows and other dialogs have changed to add new functionality or improve existing functionality.
ETC announced the release of the newest version of ETC SmartSoft, now compatible with all ETC SmartFade consoles. Previously only compatible with the SmartFade ML console, SmartSoft now supports connection to and simulation of the SmartFade 1248, SmartFade 2496 and SmartFade 1296 lighting control consoles with screens customized for each version of the product. This version is compatible with Windows XP/Vista PCs and Macintosh OS X computers. It can also be used offline with Capture visualization software from Capture Sweden (www.capturesweden.com). The SmartSoft software and release notes are available for free download from the ETC Web site.
The ColorBug is a pocket-sized wireless color- and luminance-testing device from Ocean Thin Films, a division of Ocean Optics. It measures CIE color values and luminance in lux or footcandles for theatrical, studio and architectural applications. Its software allows technicians to wirelessly share data with their iPhone or iPod touch via 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi. The ColorBug can be mounted on walls and other fixtures to assist in taking measurements remotely or hands-free. It’s smaller than a typical mobile phone and features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and mini USB connectivity.
Specialist LED lighting manufacturer Anolis has launched its new Anolis ArcPad 3-48, an LED RGBW “brick” fixture with 48 Luxeon Rebel LEDs, a standard 25° lens array and convection cooling. The fixtures dimensions (6-3/8 inches by 8-1/4 inches by 3-15/16 inches) enable it to be recessed in small places. It has an average life of 60,000 hours and it is IP 65 rated for exterior use. The cast aluminum head has a manual pan range of +/-46° and a tilt range of +60/-90° and the base can be floor or wall mounted. The Anolis ArcPower 48 driver provides control with RJ45 connections.