Norfolk DJ 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 About 8 years ago I bought a couple of Chameleon 4 DMX and a Pro-Twin. All three have served me well. What happened to Constella? Link to post Share on other sites
Dukesy 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Have their lights gone out?! Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk DJ 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Have their lights gone out?! yep someone pulled their plug Link to post Share on other sites
Kingy 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 When Dereck retired they stopped making lighting for DJs and now do car accesories as far as I know. Link to post Share on other sites
YourBigEvent 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Andy is correct, Derek retired, and his son (I think) concetrates on car parts. .....but what do I know ? Your Big Event Office:01803 813540 Direct: 0797 0717 448 e.mail:info@yourbigevent.co.uk Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk DJ 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 Andy is correct, Derek retired, and his son (I think) concetrates on car parts. pity they made some good durable effects. Link to post Share on other sites
superstardeejay 0 Posted April 8, 2009 Report Share Posted April 8, 2009 My overriding impression of Constella was their unreliability. . Link to post Share on other sites
supersound dj 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 My overriding impression of Constella was their unreliability. No way...I had 2 pro twins and they lasted me years,well built too. I also got a source pro twin..lasted me a year then it literally melted. Link to post Share on other sites
Kingy 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 My overriding impression of Constella was their unreliability. Oh? Having sold literally hundreds of their products i had a very small return rate. The transformers occasionally failed and maybe the odd motor, but that was all. The transformers under run (22volts) the bulbs as standard and this made the bulbs last a lot longer. Dereck used to send spares out first class the same day and was a great bloke to do busines with, very helpful indeed. The Chameleon 3G was miles ahead of it's competitors. Link to post Share on other sites
spinner 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 I still have 2 Constella Twin Orbiters. I've had others from their catalogue and always found them very well built and reliable. I think competition from cheaper, Chinese manufactured products was probably a factor in the demise of the Constella range. Link to post Share on other sites
supersound dj 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 yes they were more expensive but worth it in the long haul. Link to post Share on other sites
superstardeejay 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Maybe ok for mobile discos, but I move more in nightclub circles and they just weren't up to it, most ended up in the bin! . Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk DJ 0 Posted April 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2009 Good second hand units are stll a good buy and cheap. Constella lights were built like a tank Link to post Share on other sites
Steve_Mitchell 0 Posted April 10, 2009 Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 are they like those datamoon things? Steve 5 European cups and 18 leagues, that`s what we call history. Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk DJ 0 Posted April 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 are they like those datamoon things? Yes they are, bit imo better built. Link to post Share on other sites
superstardeejay 0 Posted April 10, 2009 Report Share Posted April 10, 2009 Some were! Constella made all sorts of budget effects, some just sound to light, some DMX. The basic sound to light things were sort of ok, basically the same as the Abstract/Leisure/ACE stuff internally. We used to service equipment for a local Constella dealer and the usual things were failed motors (eg Pro-Twin) and intermittent DMX boards (Shockwave etc). Some stuff failed under warranty but we fixed it anyhow as it was cheaper than boxing it back up. I dont think you'll find much of it installed anywhere that still works. . Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk DJ 0 Posted April 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2009 Some were! Constella made all sorts of budget effects, some just sound to light, some DMX. The basic sound to light things were sort of ok, basically the same as the Abstract/Leisure/ACE stuff internally. We used to service equipment for a local Constella dealer and the usual things were failed motors (eg Pro-Twin) and intermittent DMX boards (Shockwave etc). Some stuff failed under warranty but we fixed it anyhow as it was cheaper than boxing it back up. I dont think you'll find much of it installed anywhere that still works. i think the last new units were sold in 2005/6, ebay still has some good examples. Was the shockwave any good/ Link to post Share on other sites
superstardeejay 0 Posted April 16, 2009 Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 The shockwave was similar to a datamoon or twister 4 and could work with a small remote metal panel a bit like the MAD units or of course sound to light. I didnt think much of them to be honest, the Datamoon is brighter and more reliable. . Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk DJ 0 Posted April 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 A mate of mine had 2 Tri-Stars which were very good but expensive. I think he paid about £200 each in 2003 for them Link to post Share on other sites
McCardle 1 Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 I've used both the Constella and NJD Offerings. The only issue I ever had with anything from Constella was a burned out lampholder and that happens in a lot of effects eventually. £2.50 and I was away again, not a bad outlay on a lighting effect which is 10 years old and in regular use. The NJD Datamoon was reliable when it was made in Nottingham and had a £349 price tag :scared: , however the ones I have had issues with are the ones made abroad (India?). They seem to have 'upgraded' to a Toroidal transformer which comes away from the mount and then smashes around the inside, taking out the mirrors and optics. I returned two (under warranty fortunately) with the same problem, however the replacements which were sent out have also since, both totally failed, one has a dodgy stepper motor and the other needs a complete new DMX board, which to replace costs about £5 cheaper than a brand new unit The only Datamoon which I still have and which still works 100% is one which I bought 2nd hand around 1998 and which still has the 'made in Nottingham, England' proudly on the back. I still have a couple of NJD Psycho's too from roughly the same period and still working 100%, the psycho was the cheaper end of the market even then, yet it still works, and yes, it was also made in Nottingham I suppose our endless quest for goods at pocket money prices has to come at a cost, quality seems to be the biggest sacrfice as we strive to save a quid on our purchases. "The voice of the devil is heard in our land" 'War doesn't determine who is right, war determines who is left, and you wont win this war.' Link to post Share on other sites
davee 0 Posted April 30, 2009 Report Share Posted April 30, 2009 Derek is a top bloke, Constella were the first lights we ever bought, are built like tanks, and guess what are still going strong now. They take a back-seat in our light-show now as martin lighting and lasers have taken over, but we still always put at least one constella on the rig. We have not invested in any LED lights as yet. Constella lights lost out to cheaper labour producing lights in china. Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk DJ 0 Posted May 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2009 Derek gave excellent service. I once had a newish Pro-Twin which didn't work properly and he paid for a courier to pick it up, and then delver it back to me once repaired. Link to post Share on other sites
djandywatts 0 Posted May 4, 2009 Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 About 8 years ago I bought a couple of Chameleon 4 DMX and a Pro-Twin. All three have served me well. What happened to Constella? They are based about 8 miles from where I live but they no longer manufature disco lights due to competion from Scource Lighting copying thier designs and banging them out cheaper than Constella. I've got 8 of thier lights and they,re great its a real shame they had to stop making them. They make some sort of specialist car parts now. Link to post Share on other sites
Norfolk DJ 0 Posted May 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 Agreed, built like tanks. Link to post Share on other sites
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