Automated Lighting
for the Theatre

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Need: Digital control for all controllable properties of each individual light fixture independently.

Solution: Computer processor located inside each light fixture controlled by a command console.

Controllable Properties

• Intensity
• Color - dialable dichroic color wheel, or color scroller
• Distribution - iris, pattern wheel, auto shutters
• Angle - 540 degrees pan, 270 degrees tilt
• Movement - coarse and fine
• Focus - soft or sharp

How it's done:

• Lighting control console sends signal to on-board computer telling it to choose which features to use at which particular time in order to sequence all light fixtures together.

• Control console connected directly to fixture rather than to dimmers.

• DMX 512 is the signal protocol used to send information to automated fixtures.

• Automated units may require 30+ control channels on the command console.

• Automated lights have a dip switch that indicates which channel is to be the first channel for that fixture.

• Each function on fixture is controlled by 256 steps on the assigned channel on the control console.

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Intensity

Incandescent - controlled by dimmers

Vari*Lite
VL 1000 ERS

Enclosed arc - always on, irised out

Color

Scrollers - moving gel strings in front of unit

SmartColor Scrollers

The Odyssey
2007

LEDs

Color Blast

Internal Pattern Wheel - up to 13 dichroic filters to choose from

Subtractive mixing with multiple dichroic filters

Distribution
(iris, patterns, shutters)

Internal Iris

Pattern Wheels - up to 13 patterns in each

Rotating Patterns - 3 patterns

Diffusion for soft/hard beam edges

Focus at one or other pattern wheel for illusion of depth

Angle

Size and weight dictate where fixtures can be hung

Smaller units can be placed in more places, but have less functionality

Movement

Moving Mirror

Moving Yoke

Separate motors for coarse movements and fine tuned motion control.

Speed often creates more noise.

Issues for the Theatre

• Expense
• Noise
• Wattage/Energy Efficiency
• Programming time

Moving Yoke

High End Systems StudioSpot

High End Systems Cyberlight

High End Systems StudioColor

Hubbell HX Series

Sweeney Todd
2005

Source 4 Revolution

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Flea in Her Ear
2008

Martin Mac TW-1

WholeHog III

Designed specifically for automated fixtures.

ETC Exprssion III

Designed for both automated and conventional fixtures.

ETC Ion

Action/Reaction Dance Concert
2010