Moving Head lighting

[Eskie 0]

A mate of mine is thinking of buying some moving head lighting.

 

What are the practicalities of this regarding mobiles? are they easy to mount on T-Bar/Goal-post stands?

 

Some of them seem to be quite heavy so having a few on a bar is gonna bring up weight issues I would imagine?

 

Likewise, they seem pretty bulky so I'd guess unless you're using a van, transporting becomes an issue?

 

Are they robust enough to be constantly moved around?

 

Those of you that have used them; which models are good/bad?

 

Any other factors that should be considered when buying these types of lighting?

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

first thing is they are not cheep....

 

a assume you mean things like the ones on display at DJU Max.....

 

control is the major problem , it takes time to set them all up and program them to point in the right directions and we all know that every new venue will need a new program....

 

the local marquee company uses a whole load of martin heads for mood lighting in there big setups.....

 

they work well on the floor pointing up ...... but not too close to the dance floor or they get lost ......

 

not realy somthing i would consider my self for mobile work unless it was a very large event... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Gary 0]

Well, I've taken a quick look at a few moving head lights and they seem to be typically 30kg to 53kg (thats 66 to 116lbs). The Ultimate Pro stand (winch'n'wheel) which I reviewed a few months back, as an example of one of the stronger stands around at the moment states that it will hold 80kg of overhead lighting - so you might get away with 2 of the lighter moving heads... however, remember that some moving heads, by their very nature will add "swing" to your stand, as, unlike effects with internally rotating discs etc, the weight, torque and shape of moving heads will cause sway on a gantry.

 

Alternatively, you could mount moving heads "upward", eg place them on a flat surface eg: Front of stage, or on top of their own flightcases etc - I've seen several effects mounted on a reversible flightcase lid, where the light stays bolted to the lid, but you just open the lid, turn it (and the lighting effect) upside down, and close the long-reach butterfly clamps on the sides of the case - instant light stand. Given the weight of the lights, as discussed above, I doubt you could consider flightcasing more than one light per case - it'd be too heavy.

 

Some moving head lighting have the options for Arc-light bulbs instead of the normal fragile filament bulbs, this would mean that the bulbs wouldnt suffer vibration damage if you placed the lights on top of your speakers...however, you'd still need to secure the lights to the speakers to ensure that the speaker vibrations didn't cause your lights to "lemming" their way off onto the audience during gigs...

[YourBigEvent 0]

You can have two in a flightcase, but you will need a van to transport them.

[dfinn 0]

Hi,

 

Thanks to the great people at prolight and A DJ Magazine I now have a pair of ACME Spotknight moving heads on my rig.

 

Gary - 30 to 66kG. Hmm my Spotknights weight about 12Kg each. If you are looking at the mac 250 they are 22.4KG (49lbs). Now I have used Mac 250s and they are pretty big for disco use. Unless you have a van I would suggest looking at lights such as the spotknight, spot queen, mini mac and robe xt160 spot.

 

You can flight case moving head fixtures in more than one. When we hired in they came in twin fligthcases but again you are looking at needing a van to transport them.

 

As the spotknights are only 12kG they can easily be mounted on a rig. I had my pair on my T bar the other day and they were fabulous. they come with the correct hanging fixings to attach a G clamp or bolt too.

 

I use mine on the floor because I currently have only 1 T bar and that holds 2 chameleon 4's.

 

The spotknights come with sound to light programs built in. There are two shows which are meant for on floor or flown fixtures which means that the pan and tilt parameters are altered depending on the location of the fixture.

 

However I have found that even thought the sound to light is good a dmx desk is required to ensure the movers dont spend half the time sending beams behind to the stage insead of to the dancefloor. i dont think you would have to reprogram the show. Just be clever with how you place the ligths so you wont have to reprogram.

 

As for the moving lights moving into the audience I would love to see that. im pretty sure that becuase these things have rubber feet on that they wont move. the 12Kg fo light may also keep them in one place. if not try gaffer tape or stick back velcro.

 

In conclusion if you have space in the car for smaller moving heads like the spotknight and you like to have a versitile lightshow then go for moving heads. but if you have a van go for the bigger moving heads. I see nothing wrong wiht using moving heads unless they are blinding the audience. If i get complaints I simply manual spot using a dmx controller and have the two mh's projecting towards me or onto the ceiling or run a program that just pans across the ceiling changing colour and gobo which won't blind the audience but give a cool effect.

 

sorry for the long post guys. Hope this helps

 

Daniel

 

 

 

 

[Jimbo55 0]

Saw the display on sunday and bought two Knight spots and a contoller to play with yesterday.

 

Heavy but gives a feeling of "got something for my money" these are the cheapest available but I consider them to be well built. When I have had them for a few months I will write a full review and post it here.

 

Setting up new programs for a valentines gig this monday.

 

They have a self test function and various other settings

 

Show 1 is for floor standing

Show 2 is for hanging, this limits tilt

Running time

Push button address select

 

You can also invert the led read out so you can read it when the units are upside down

 

Tried first with master slave on auto ( you will have seen this on sunday), Runs through every possible effect by time or sound control

 

Intitial set up took about 20 mins. After the channels are programmed it's easy.

 

move the faders to your next move record it move push button etc.

 

Then push review and the mine is "bigger and better factor" goes into overdrive http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/cool.gif

 

I have programmed open gobo, Orange/red/pink colour for the "smooches" to run with the 2x water effect I bought from Chris on Sunday with mirror ball and white spots. I have set the Knights to rove gently over the dance floor. It has given the effect I was looking for.

 

You can program as slow or as fast as you like. Tilt/Pan/gobo/colour

 

I have programmed routine to show off the pairing effect. I am considering buying two more. Have ordered a new Ultimate stand. The Knights come with a very strong hanging bracket and there are four ready threaded 10mm holes in the base should I decide to hang them. I am going to opt to mount them "base down" on either my new stand or I may mount them on top of my top speakers. Because of the risk of vibration, stand mount will be my first choice. If Do get the ok from the wife to buy another two (dinner out tonight) will mount the others on speaker stands.

 

Mounted like this and selecting Show 2 the tilt will only come to 5 deg above horizontal even in full auto. This will reduce the chance (not completly) of dazzeling the seated guests. This can be eliminated by creating your own programs.

 

This is a brief run down so far. I am learning just how much these lights can do.

 

Jimbo

 

 

 

 

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (dfinn @ Feb 9 2005, 04:25 PM)

30 to 66kG. Hmm my Spotknights weight about 12Kg each. If you are looking at the mac 250 they are 22.4KG (49lbs). You can flight case moving head fixtures in more than one. When we hired in they came in twin fligthcases but again you are looking at needing a van to transport them. As the spotknights are only 12kG they can easily be mounted on a rig. As for the moving lights moving into the audience I would love to see that.

To get weights of moving heads, I just Googled and looked at the first few that came up - thats where I got the specifications from. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/533.gif

 

Certainly if the chosen lights were lighter (theres a pun in there somewhere, I'm sure), then of course, the ability to have several lighter fixings in a flightcase becomes possible, as does weight limits on rigs.

 

Also the smaller units will kick out less momentum when starting and stopping, therefore less inertia related "rig-wobble"

 

Anything put on a vibrating surface could eventually move, but obviously, rubber feet, or at least a rubber mat between the light and the speaker would help prevent that.

[dfinn 0]

Hi,

 

As for the rig wobble I find these lights are really well balanced. i was concenned that they would throw my T bar everywhere but actually it hardly moves at all. the head itself is reletilely light so not much weight is moving. Its the motors and the transformers in the base that have the weight in.

 

Daniel

[MadGutts 0]

I have used the Mac 500's and these are deffinatly NOT for mobile use... 2 in a van and then a trailer for the rest of your kit?

 

However... Pearl River are an asian company and they make a MAC rival.. Th PR-300 has the same features as the much bigger effects, but are 1/3rd of the size. I am looking at getting a few of these because i think they are great effects and would look ideal with the bands...

 

I will review them once i have them !! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/thumbup.gif

[Digital discos 0]

I would look at some of the robe stuff personally. As Daniel recommends. Movers do have so many advantages over scanners.

 

To be honest though unless you're doing big gigs there's no real point. As they're blinding and you need to dmx control.

 

 

[XPS 0]

moving heads now come in so many variaties, you can get the very cheapest which is the Spotknights or you can go for another very good comapny EVL Lighting, I have 2 of there Minispot 150's and 4 of there scans and also 4 of there Spins, Yes that is a big rig, but not all out on a disco rig (when I do a disco of course hehe) I would highly recomend the EVL kit, very good personal service from the support technician, really if you look at the likes of Martin, Highend and Clay Paky then you are looking into the pointless lights for a mobile show! thats where the weight and the cost comes into it.

 

good companies to look at for mobile work is EVL, Robe, and Futurelight. The Geni Oby range is good, (however you dont see these much) Also Isolution but I have not really seen these in action.

 

Gareth

[YourBigEvent 0]

I once set up 36 MAC 500 http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/fear.gif

 

Wasn't for a mobile DJ though http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif

[DiscoStudio 0]

I think moving heads are the best thing since sliced bread. I wouldn't advise using them on a standard lighting stand & T-bar. The best thing for mounting moving heads is a wind-up trilite stand like this one click here, or mounting them on the floor like some other members have sugested.

 

I have two Chauvet Legend 250R which have a discharge lamp, and as mike says they don't suffer when cooling down and vibrating in the back of the van on the way home from your event.

 

I wouldn't advise flightcasing more than one as 30Kg - 45Kg per head and say 5Kg for the case can get incredibly heavy, so unless you are superman, I would stick to one per case, that way you won't break your back trying to get them in and out of the van.

Edited March 2, 2005 by DiscoStudio

[YourBigEvent 0]

Two per flightcase and an artic truck should be OK, as long as it has a taillift http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif