Lights and Sound: LED lights and controller for live theatre use

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LED lights and controller for live theatre use

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Lights and Sound
Forum Discription: Technical discussion
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5009
Printed Date: 5/19/24 at 7:39am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: LED lights and controller for live theatre use

Posted By: MusicManD
Subject: LED lights and controller for live theatre use
Date Posted: 3/21/11 at 1:16pm

Good morning, everyone!

I'm looking at updating and revitalizing our high school auditorium's lighting capacities. Right now we use an outdated system with heavy, inefficient lamps. Our board (which looks like it is at least 15-20 years old) is quickly falling into disrepair and our lights are barely sufficient to light the stage, much less to add color or do zone lighting.

Thus, I am looking for inexpensive ways up update things, starting with some color. For our musical this year, we were able to borrow 6 PAR 64 LED fixtures from a local DJ, and did uplighting on a projection screen for some color. Worked well, although I would have liked for them to be brighter. I am looking at purchasing a few LED color panels for this purpose, but was wondering about lights that I could install overhead- especially for color to compete while the bright, older lights are on.

I also need a controller that will run alongside our older board, but possibly replace the old board when the time comes. Most of the things I can find are geared toward the live music/DJ world. Does anybody have some advice trying to work with LED fixtures in theatre, especially trying to use them in tandem with traditional lamps?

Replies:

Posted By: ChanaGoanna
Date Posted: 3/21/11 at 2:54pm

I'm looking to do something similar but would also like to purchase a new light board soon. We have an old Strand MX lighting board with no software and I can't find it on their site to download. The manual is so badly written that none of us can make heads or tails of it. Any suggestions for a new console as well that's $500 or under and pretty much plug-and-play?

(Please don't flame me if I'm asking for something ridiculous because I know NOTHING about lighting technology and am doing my best to learn!)

Posted By: didj1028
Date Posted: 3/22/11 at 7:52pm

as an easy to use console you can't go wrong with an ETC Express. I know they've moved far beyond it in technology but you ought to be still able to find them (used maybe). It's a workhorse and pretty common. Not sure they still support or manufacture them but they've got to be out there.

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Geoff Ehrendreich
Waterloo Community Playhouse
Waterloo IA

Posted By: ChanaGoanna
Date Posted: 3/23/11 at 11:36am

Thanks! I will look into that one.