Where do Macs get there power from

[niclights]

Give it a couple of years and the old 1630 spots and fresnels will no longer be used as movers and other digital fixtures will be the way to go. Does anyone agree with me on this?

 

Absolutely not! And I'm sure everyone else here will say the same.

 

I'm afraid to say that this thread, albeit horribly offtopic, have really highlighted serious failings with BTEC courses. Not only should they have covered the basics regarding dimmed and hard power (for safety reasons if none else), but also the key differences between types of lantern, especially as automated (not 'digital' - only the protocol is 'digital'!) lighting has been available for over 30 years now.

 

There are no 'replacements'. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. They are tools to be used in design.

 

While a moving yoke fixture with colour changing and multiple gobo might be versatile and exciting, they often cannot do things that more traditional generic lighting can. Specifically you should be aware of lamp source (colour temperature) and it's affect on available colours along with dimming method and its interaction. The same is true for the latest LED technologies.

 

It is understandable that you would find automated lighting to be fun. I'm sure everyone does in the beginning and it is only experience that will show you that they are not the answer to everything, for many reasons. But I really am shocked that you haven't learned this from your course. What on earth do they teach? I would cover all this in one day of work experience!

[Nick S]

becuase by the sound of it it obviously doesn't get plugged into a circuit onstage which then takes the power to the dimmers like with notmal lanterns.

 

Well, not in all cases. Some theatres will run hard power along the same runs as the dimming power - and sometimes hard power can originate from modular dimming systems with circuit breaker modules in place of traditional dimming ones. For example, ETC Sensor racks can support a number of plug-in modules designed for hard power, fluorescents, etc.

 

And I think most people would disagree with your opinion that movers will replace conventional fixtures. There are a number of applications where a mover simply can't replace a Source 4 - and vice versa.

[gareth]

Give it a couple of years and the old 1630 spots and fresnels will no longer be used as movers and other digital fixtures will be the way to go. Does anyone agree with me on this?

Absolutely not - what a load of tosh. If Yale is teaching you that moving lights are going to replace generic lighting in "a couple of years" they're talking out of their hats.

[indyld]

But we just don't have things like movers. If we need them we tend to hire them in but this rarely happens due to the cost amd we have to have a pretty good reason to need to use them in our LX designs.

 

Sounds like real world theatre to me (though not corporate events when movers are constantly pitched to clients by hire companies trying to get more kit on the bill).

 

When I was a college (quite a while ago!) our Chief LX hired in some "exciting" intelligent kit (Intellabeams and controller - ** laughs out loud **! ) for a couple of days and we set it up to play with and understand a bit about the systems. Surely an option?

 

Intelligent lighting, LED etc is more common in lighting today and so more attention should be paid to education on this subject. But this is no substitute for learning the basics of lighting and getting the most of a 16/30 is a big part of that. I find a good many people coming into lighting now without a basic lighting education (from DJing and even dodgy corporate events) don't even really understand all the controls on a Source Four Zoom.

 

I feel slightly reassured that my concerns on the state of lighting skills education (that no one knows how to focus a decent general cover anymore because they are all messing about with nodding buckets and LEDs) might be incorrect. It may be that the college and tutor are trying make sure everyone gets the basics right first.

 

So, try to get a bit of experience of intelligent lighting by one of the methods suggested in the answers to this thread but we will all be long dead by the time stage lighting design kicks the conventional profile spot into touch. I shall ask for Patt123s to light the coffin at my funeral ( "Centre on me - Wide as she goes - No Doors - NEXT!)

[SoLiEn]

O.K. as it has already said, Macs/ Moving heads draw power via a Practical/ Non Dimmable channel/ Socket. meaning its either Turned ON or OFF. there is NO in between. the standard power connector being IEC to either 13a sq pin 15a round pin or 16a ceeform.

 

hope this has helped.

 

oh and, I agree with with Gareth/ James May, at no time in the near future will intelligent lighting replace generic fixtures.

 

standard practice as far as I understand it is you light a show with your generics, then enhance with movers.

[Glyn Edwards]

O.K. as it has already said, Macs/ Moving heads draw power via a Practical/ Non Dimmable channel/ Socket. meaning its either Turned ON or OFF. there is NO in between. the standard power connector being IEC to either 13a sq pin 15a round pin or 16a ceeform.

 

I can think of many "intelligent" units that don't have IEC sockets on them.

 

G

[techie18]

Give it a couple of years and the old 1630 spots and fresnels will no longer be used as movers and other digital fixtures will be the way to go. Does anyone agree with me on this?

Absolutely not - what a load of tosh. If Yale is teaching you that moving lights are going to replace generic lighting in "a couple of years" they're talking out of their hats.

 

 

Thats not what Yale teach us but it is my opinion.

[Andrew C]

There is one point worth making here. MOST moving lights take just a non-dimmed supply. There are a few that have tungsten lamps, that need a dimmed supply to the lamp, in addition to the non-dimmed supply to the electronics and motors.

[gareth]

Thats not what Yale teach us but it is my opinion.

Well, it's been said that everyone's entitled to an opinion. That's perfectly true - but in this case your opinion is, quite simply, completely wrong.

[techie18]

Paulears - thanks for telling me all about how BTEC works but I already know what units I have to do as part of my course.

 

Thanks for all the answers to my questions guys. I can honestly say I did not know where macs were plugged into to get there power but know I know they are not plugged into the dimmers like normal stage lights. For some one who has never used macs or had the chance to set one up it would be a bit difficult to imagine where they are plugged into. As I have said in a previous reply I would know how to set a mac up to an extent i.e. connecting it to the board using XLR cables but would just not know hwre to plug it into!! With the answers I have been given by you guys I would have a pretty good idea of where to plug one into know!!

 

Thanks again for all the answers although some were pretty sarchy!! You are told that electric comes from power stations in primary school!!!

 

I will certainly take onboard some of the answers I have been given by some poster on this topic.

 

Cheers

James

[Andrew C]

Paulears - thanks for telling me all about how BTEC works but I already know what units I have to do as part of my course.

I think you've missed Paul's point; You understand what the course requires, as does Paul, but many have missed it. I suppose, by concentrating on wigs, props and costumes, that you might get a BTEC in "technical theatre" without ever touching ANY sort of lantern.

 

Lots to learn for everyone here!

[iamchristuffin]

Out of curiosity, techie18, what units are you doing?

[Ynot]

OK, James, I think you're approaching the point where you'll be needing to step back, take a deep breath, and rethink your strategy in posting here on the BR.

 

You've admitted to us that your experience is limited, and asked for help - that is no problem whatsoever.

However, what IS likely to be an issue with the regulars here is the way that you seem to be railing against some of the comments from those here who DO know what's what with Macs, Robes, Clay Pakys, and many many more fixtures.

 

One minute you've told us you're thinking of buying a DMX controller, presumably to use at the college.

The next you give us a rather important bit of info in that the college is running a Strand 520.

So why precisely do you want to look at buying a disco-quality controller for what is, to be honest, a pretty decent theatre style moving head!

 

Some of the sarcasm, I'm sure, comes from seeing that you are indeed on an industry based course, yet have no apparent idea on how the majority of 'intelligent' fixtures are supplied with power. This, to many, is pretty elementary, and is something certainly that your course tutors should know.

 

The Blue Room is a great resource for asking questions, but to be perfectly frank, some things asked here should really be tackled by those who are supposed to be educating the questioners...

[techie18]

Sorry for that. I would not be using the DMX controller in college. I would be using the DMX controller outside of college for personal use. I have decided not to go with the Macs now as I have been told in a number of posts here that I should be using more easier moving heads rather than Mac 500s or any other moving heads in the Mac range. I am going to look at purchasing moving lights which I know would be compatible with DJ style DMX controllers.

 

Thanks for pointing out about what I said about my college using a Strand 520i but I was obviously giving out wrong info as you guys must of thought that I was going to be using a mini DMX controller in college.

 

As you metioned about being educated in intelligent lights as I have metioned in a previous post my college does not own movers or other DMX fixtures we only own 2 mojos but I would not say these are the kind of fixtures you would use for lighting a show. Consuquently as we do not own movers I am guessing there is not reason why we would need to be taught about where movers get there power from etc but we would only need to be taught knowledge of DMX and how it is used etc. I guess if we ever hired in any movers for a particular show then we would be told how they work, how they are powered etc but I was just asking how they are powered or where they get there power from (in theatre dimmers, domestic power supply) out of curiosity as moving lights is an industry I would like to train in and even work in. I am guessing there is such a job as a moving LX isn't there? I enjoy stage lighting ask anyone who knows me YOU COULD SAY I AM A LIGHTING GEEK as this is the area I am more stronger in rather than sound or design. I am a person who likes to take there learning out of the classroom into the real world which is why I asked the question 'where do macs get there power from' as I have said this was something I did not know other than the fact the power comes from a power station. I know where stage lights get there power from because I am forever rigging lights. Sorry I did not want to sound rude and I am not a rude person I am always willing to learn something new and appreciate the help I am getting from you guys but all I ask for is a bit of respect and I respect other people. Cheers

James

Out of curiosity, techie18, what units are you doing?

I am doing the following units:

Lighting 1, Lighting 2, Sound 1, Sound 2, SM, DSM, ASM, FOH, Arts business, Arts context, Arts administration, Design 1, Mask making, Production workshop, Production planning and I think there are others but I can't think of these off the top of my head. A pretty good course overall a good course to help me get into uni (if I ever decide to go)

[gareth]

as we do not own movers I am guessing there is not reason why we would need to be taught about where movers get there power from etc

But I think that's kind of the point that people are making, James. It's clear that you're taking this course as a springboard into a career in technical theatre. When you start working in the industry, sooner or later (probably sooner) you're going to encounter moving lights, scrollers, and other bits of automated kit. If you came out of your National Diploma course not knowing about how to get power to these kinds of things, wouldn't you feel a bit under-equipped?

 

I am guessing there is such a job as a moving LX isn't there?

Well, yes - but it's a very limited market! It's only when you get to productions on a fairly large scale that you come across people engaged solely to look after moving lights. (Or those people empolyed as warehouse monkeys in the moving light department of large hire companies.) It would be very unusual to walk straight out of college and into something that specialised - you'd be better off setting your sights more broadly and getting some good solid general electrics experience first. I did some moving light tech work, for theatre and TV, while I was freelancing - but it was a very small proportion of my work compared with all the other stuff. There's only room for a very few people to make a good living doing moving lights stuff exclusively.