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Coemar Introduces New LED Profile Fixturea – Reflection LEDko

Last week at Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt Germany, Coemar added three new LED fixtures to their Reflection lineup of fixtures.  All of the three new fixtures fall into under the name LEDko.  Nice use of word play if you ask me, mixing leko and LED.

The three new fixtures are the Reflection Ledko FullSpectrum, Reflection Ledko VariWhite and the Reflection Ledko White. Each of the fixture include “multi-LED” light source at 120w for producing uniform beams of light with no pixels or dots, patent pending.The life span of the LED’s are expected to last 50,000 hours at 70% lumen intensity maintenance.

To learn more about the different versions of the Coemar Reflection Ledko, visit their website at www.coemar.com.

Review: BrickBlaster Pro RGBW LED Fixture

I mentioned the BrickBlaster Pro LED fixture a couple of weeks after LDI this past year in Vegas.  My late writing about the BrickBlaster Pro is a prime example of how large industry trade shows can be.  I totally missed seeing The Black Tank company on the show floor.  Lucky for me, a friend emailed me about the company and their brand new BrickBlaster Pro LED fixture.

The Black Tank company was kind enough to send me a demo kit of the brand new fixtures in order to provide you a review of the BrickBlaster RGBW LED fixture.  Lets start by taking a look at what the BrickBlaster is.  It is a small, I mean really small. It’s an LED fixture housed in a 4″ cube with Red, Green, Blue and White LEDs.  The Black Tank company is using 16 Luxam Rebel, 3 watt LEDs to produce 1200 lumens of max output with all the colors. That would be four LEDs per color. Each LED has a life expectancy of 50,000 hours. Pretty impressive for the size, number of LEDs and the output.

In addition to the RGBW BrickBlaster, The Black Tank company also produces a Variable Color Temperature BrickBlaster that can produce a white light from 2700 kelvin to 6500 kelvin.  Although the Variable Color Temperature, (VCT) fixture wasn’t available for my review, It would be safe to say that the VCT fixture has to have a higher output of lumens compared to the RGBW fixture.  Information on those numbers haven’t been made available yet, but should be ready soon.

Lens System

Taking a closer look at the RGBW version of the BrickBlaster Pro, there is a lot happening in this small cube. First has to be the lens system.  Like many LED manufacturers out there, to offer different beam spread with the fixture, there are lens over lays to widened and narrow the beam. The BrickBlaster Pro uses this same sort system and offers a 20, 40 and 60 degree lens option. What is unique about the lens system is how they attach.  Rather than a slide clip, the lens have four holes in the corners that line up with the thumb screws on the fixture which will certainly keep the lens in place.  A downside of this type of lens holding system is the small thumb screws.  Not that anything is wrong with the thumb screws, but the fact that they are small pieces. I think it is some unwritten law of the universe that at some point a small piece or part will go missing or lost.  Just something to be mindful of when changing out lenses.

Speaking of changing things out, the BrickBlaster Pro has an interesting design when it comes to how the fixture is designed inside.  While I would love to show you what I am talking about, it is something The Black Tank company wants to keep under wraps for the moment.  It has to deal with the exchanging of the entire LED board. Lets say and LED or two are failing on your fixture.  Rather then swapping out or having to carry extra fixtures around, bring some spare LED boards with you.  Just a couple screws, the board comes out and disconnect it, re connect the new one and put back the screws and done.  The brains of the BrickBlaster Pro, which stays with the housing, knows which type of LED board you placed in, whether it be the RGBW, Variable White or a custom LED array that you had built.

The Menu System

Controlling and configuring the BrickBlaster Pro is fairly straight forward.  The menu system on the back is easily readable and provides helpful information such as the current temperature of the fixture.  Now I am one of those people that like to jump right in and start playing… manual, who needs a manual?!  The BrickBlaster Pro was easy to get started and up and running and spitting out lumen goodness.

Within the onboard menu system, you have three different modes that the fixture can run in, DMX, Color Wash and Manual Mode.  The DMX mode is pretty easy to understand, set the DMX address and either 8-bit or 16-bit mode and away you go.  The other two modes are for control at the fixture.  With Manual Mode, you can set any of the four colors to a specific DMX value from 0 to 255 and leave it, no DMX console or control required.  The last mode, Color Wash has all kinds of control and function for a set-it-and-forget-it running.  You have the ability to control the speed and colors of a wash that will keep scrolling until you turn the fixture off.

In addition to the menu system on the back, you’ll find a 5 pin DMX in and Out to daisy chain fixtures together.  You’ll also find a Neutrik Powercon connector for powering up the fixture.  I personally would have like to seen a powercon pass through connector for powering up multiple fixtures at once.  But with the 4″ cube size of the fixture, that might not be possible.

Built into this small package is a fan that help keep the LEDs cool.  The fan is fairly quite, I really only noticed the fan running when I was adjusting settings on the menu and a breeze from the fan was coming out the air vent on the back of the fixture.  As with any LED fixture, the LEDs must be cooled in order to prolong their life.  The on board thermal management helps keep the temperature in check and assures they keep pushing lumens out for their life expectancy.

Conclusion

Over all I was highly impressed with the output of the fixture.  Would would have guessed that four LEDs per color would be able to produce so much output in such a small package.  While the distance that I was throwing the LEDs was less then 20 feet, the area that I was hitting was well covered and super saturated. The RGB white was like many LED mixing towards white, not the typical “white” that we preserve as white, but more of a pinkish hue.  Thus the addition of the white LEDs.  Adding those in softened the white and made some paler and pastel colors which make me giddy with joy.

The BrickBlaster Pro holds up fairly well and packs a punch for such a small package.  The fixture can find use in a wide variety of venues and situations where color, small form factor are essential.  Since the fixture is not sealed from the elements, dry locations are a must. The BrickBlaster Pro would fit into almost any type event for uplighting and washing where control is not necessary, but maybe simple color changing to static colors are.

I enjoyed my time with the BrickBlaster Pro.  Thank you to The Black Tank company for allowing me time to experience the fixtures.  Again, sorry I missed you at LDI. Next time, that will not happen! Look for some enhancements and up grades to the fixture as well as new LED fixtures from The Black Tank Company. To learn more about the BrickBlaster Pro, be sure to visit The Black Tank’s website at www.theblacktank.com.

Your Thoughts

Have you seen the BrickBlaster Pro in person?  What did you think?  I would love to hear your thoughts about the fixture in the comments section of the review.  While you’re writing something, what did you think of this review? Did it help, did you feel it was informative? I always love to hear what you think!

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Elation Introduces Outdoor LED Fixture, ELAR 108 Par

The great outdoors have gotten even greater, or at least brighter and more colorful, thanks to the new Elation ELAR 108 par. Housed in a rugged die cast aluminum case, the IP 65 rated RGBW LED was designed to meet the rigorous demands of outdoor applications, with a maximum operating ambient temperature parameter of 113° F, yet still with an LED life rating of 100,000 hours.

Featuring smooth linear RGBW color mixing and built-in color macros, the ELAR 108 offers infinite color possibilities to dramatize building exteriors, landscaping and other outdoor objects. The unit’s light source comes from 36 x 3-watt single SEOUL semi conductor LEDs – 12 red, 9 blue, 9 green and 6 white.  Its smooth color mixing, flicker free operation and consistency of color from unit to unit, make it ideal for concerts, theatrical productions and video applications as well as architectural.

The ELAR 108 has a 10° beam angle, 22°field angle and a 15° lens as standard.  The included diffusion filter with gel frame provides for a 40° beam angle effect.  An available option is a barn door kit.  There is also upgradeable firmware available via the Elation E-Loader Data Pack.

There are two dimming modes available with the ELAR 108: linear and standard, both offer 0-100% dimming. The ELAR 108 also strobes at 18 flashes per second, has 1,672 total lumens, 4,480 lux and a 100 volt to 240 volt electronic switching power supply pulling a total of 120 watts at maximum output.

The ELAR 108 offers auto and manual control, and four DMX operational modes (4, 5, 7 and 9 channels), a 3 or 5-pin DMX input.  The unit also has 120 v AC ppg connector adaptors available for the IP 67 connectors supplied.  A user-friendly 4-digit LED menu display makes the unit easy to set.

Measuring just 12.4” x 10.6” x 14.5” (315mm x 269mm x 368mm), the 15.4 lb. (7 kgs.) ELAR 108 is easy to transport. Available in Black or Silver finish – the Elar 108 RGBW Par is cETLus approved and has an MSRP of $1,199.95.

For more information, visit Elation’s web site at www.elationlighting.com.

The Black Tank Introduces the BrickBlaster PRO LED Fixture

This is a perfect example of how big tradeshows are and how much I miss due to that fact.  A month after LDI, I have been turned on to a new LED fixture that was introduced at the show, the BrickBlaster Pro from The Black Tank.

There are two versions of the BrickBlaster Pro, the RGBW and the Warm/Cool White fixture.  The first thing that stuck me about the fixtures is the ability to transfer the LED boards between fixtures!  Say you need more RGBW fixtures, change out the Warm/Cool White LED board on a fixture, and change it to an RGBW LED board. How cool is that?!

One BrickBlaster is 4″ cubed and draws just 50 watts of power, put puts out 1200 lumens per “brick”. Using latest Rebel LED technology and an innovative, patent pending, management system, it is capable of outputting 1200 Lumens cool while doing it.

The BRICKBLASTER PRO can be controlled using two universes of full speed 8 or 16 bit DMX512 or by selecting internal preprogrammed effects using the rear mounted LCD panel. A fixture set in Manual or Color Wash mode will output DMX allowing for multi-light synchronization. These options make the BRICKBLASTER PRO ideal for users with or without an external control source. Additional features include, automatic thermal shut down, flicker-free operation, low noise fan, 120VAC Neutrik Powercon Input, 5-Pin DMX connections, LCD control panel with intuitive user interface, three user selectable tungsten dimming curves and many more.

This BRICKBLASTER PRO is designed to allow for field replacement of key components including the LED module, power supply, control board and fan. The fixture is sold individually or in custom ruggedized, watertight road cases in two or eight pack bundles. To fit all applications, the BRICKBLASTER PRO also comes standard with three different holographic light shaping diffusing films: 20, 40 and 60 degree are included with each light.

I highly recommend jumping over to The Black Tank’s website, www.theblacktank.com, and checking out the 2 minute video about the BrickBlaster fixtures.  While there, learn more about the fixtures and how to pick one up.

Pixel Range Introduces Q12 & Pixel Smart LED Fixtures

Brad White from Pixel Range is such a super nice guy.  He took some time out of his busy, BUSY booth to walk me through his two new fixtures, the Q12 and the Pixel Smart fixture.  Both fixtures are coming on line and getting ready to ship from Pixel Range before the end of the year.  I love Brad’s description of the Smart Pixel… “It’s Eye Candy”.  Boy was he right!

Now, I have to warn you.  My Flip camera is not the best for filming right into fixtures.  With the dark hall and then the bright fixtures, the camera iris went crazy so don’t judge the output by the video.  You really have to see these things in person, they are BLINDING!

Thanks Brad!

Strong Entertainment Shows of the Neeva LED Profile Fixture

Couple of weeks before LDI, I mentioned something about the latest LED product from Strong Entertainment, the Neeva.  This is one of the things that I was dieing to see at LDI and I was some what impressed.

What is neat about the Neeva is that it is the same size as our beloved tungsten fixture that we use day in and day out, but it uses LEDs.  More specifically, it uses RGBA or RGBW depending on which fixture you decide to go with.

What really floored me about the fixture… the price.  The retail price of the fixture is $895.  895 USD DOLLARS!!!  Talk about a mind trip! Here is the quick video I shot of the Neeva on the show floor.

Thanks Paul!

#LDI2010: Preview of Stong Entertainments Neeva LED Profile Fixture

I had a chance to take a look at Strong Lighting’s latest LED product at the Broadway Lighting Master Classes this past April.  I held off on writing about it as it was still in the prototype phase. After talking with Strong recently, they are preparing to launch and starting shipping the Neeva LED profile fixture.

Neeva is a RGBA or RGBW LED luminarie that produces a hard edge beam that can be focused, framed, and have gobos introduced into the optical path. Neeva produces a flat even field of light generated by our custom engineered LED light engine and custom optics system. Dimming and control are completely integrated via DMX 512. Neeva is designed to visually integrate into your existing lighting system and offer designers a range of possibilities were not previously possible with any LED luminaries.

If you are heading to LDI in Las Vegas in a couple weeks, make sure to stop by the Strong Lighting booth and check out the Neeva.

Futurelight Announces EYE-60 LED Washlight

Futurelight EYE 60Futurelight now offers a more compact version of its flagship EYE-108 RGBW – the new LED moving head EYE-60 RGBW. The EYE-60 comes with all features that have made its older brother a convincing tool for all professional light designers.

The EYE-60 just like the EYE-108 offers high luminosity at a low weight and low energy consumption as well as trendsetting color mixing out of the four components red, green, blue, and white for even more color mixing options. Adding a fourth primary color brings a variable color temperature. The difference between the two state-of-the-art multifunctional spots is the number of 3-watt LEDs that was reduced from 108 to 60 (22 x red, 17 x green, 15 x blue, and 6 x white). This equals 250 watts with standard spots with discharge lamps.

Up to 14 EYE-60 RGBW can be operated with a single 16-ampere IEC outlet and including the suspension weigh only a little more than 100 kilograms. This makes the washlight most suitable for a sophisticated light design even on small stages or at crowded venues with limited budget and power supply. With its compact size, running smoothness even at high speed, and high luminosity the EYE-60 RGBW is applicable particularly for galas and fairs, and is simply a must as economic alternative for rental companies and light designers that need to set value on parameters like brightness, weight, power consumption, and speed.

All settings on the washlight can be made quite easily and are well readable thanks to its clearly arranged LCD screen. The ESDC function (easy service data check) of the battery-backed control panel ensures the readout of operating hours and various other parameters at any time – even without mains supply. A time-saving feature for rental companies often faced with a large number of devices.

The EYE-60 RGBW weighs less than 8 kilograms and can be operated at 100 to 240 volts due to its switch mode power supply. Power consumption is at 250 watts maximum. Further highlights of the new spot are a versatile strobe effect with up to 25 flashes per second, a random function, and not less than 56 programmed scenes for the operation without controller. Music control can be done via the built-in microphone at any time. The LED’s beam angle is 28°.

To learn more about the Futurelight Eye-60 LED washlight, visit their web site at www.futurelight.de.

Elation Announces Design Wash LED Pro

elation-design_wash_led_proElation Professional, an American DJ company, has just announced the latest LED fixture to the Pro line series of fixtures, the Design Wash LED Pro. The Design Wash LED Pro is an RGB+W color mixing moving head with an output comparable to a 250w discharge lamp fixture.

The Design Wash LED PRO is designed for entertainment and theatrical applications, where dramatic movement and a sense of excitement are demanded. A fully automated moving head, it delivers a 180 watt output from 60 3W RGBW SSC LEDS (22 red, 17 green, 15 blue and 6 white). The addition of white LEDs to the unit’s RGB mix makes it possible to produce more vibrant colours and pastels as well as a true white.

The flicker free Design Wash LED PRO features a smooth dimmer (0-100%), 15° lens / 28° beam angle, 603° pan, and 265° tilt. Other features include 13 DMX channels, 3 pin and 5 pin DMX control, LCD display and on board control. The Design Wash LED PRO operates in DMX, Master/Slave and Sound Active modes.

Weighing in at only 16.75 lbs. (7.6 kg.) and measuring just 16.5” x 12.5” x 19” M (420 x 320 x 480 mm), the Design Wash LED PRO is afford ably priced with an MSRP of $2,499.95.

For more information on the Elation Design Wash LED Pro, visit their website at www.elationlighting.com.

Update: Vari-Lite VLX LED Light

vlx_drawingVari-Lite has released a preliminary spec sheet on their up coming VLX LED Wash Light. Some of the interesting points of from the Spec Sheet.

  • Smooth, high resolution dimming control of R,G,B, and W LED’s.
  • Seven x 90 watt RGBW CBM380 LED chipsets. Each chipset contains high density red, green, blue, and white LED emitters.
  • Patented, 3:1 optical system with continuously variable field angle from approximately 22° to 60°.
  • Color Temp. White: Variable between 3000 and 6500 degrees Kelvin. CRI: 93
  • Manufacturer Rated Life: In excess of 50,000 hours. (L10 – 70%) Output: Exceeds 10,000 lumens.
  • 62 lbs. (28 kg.) with included pair of hanging rails.

The luminaire offers five-pin DMX in and thru connectors, Ethernet input, and a backlit menu panel for easy installation and operation. Control is achieved through a variety of DMX consoles and output devices. Large, rugged handles  insure easy installation, and subdued style and understated lines allow for seamless integration into any lighting rig or stage setting. Pan and tilt transport/service locks and low fixture weight make moving the VLX as simple and efficient as it’s
operation.

To learn more about the VLX LED light from Vari-Light, visit their website at www.vari-lite.com.  Prices have not been released, but fixtures are expected to begin to ship towards the end of April, beginning of May.  For pricing, visit the dealer section of Vari-Lite’s website.

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