The lighting fraternity were out in full force at the recent Philips Entertainment Group 2010 Roadshow. Touring Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and showcasing the latest in performance lighting and control technology from Selecon and Strand, the event drew an enthusiastic response from audiences.
To those in the trade, the Philips Entertainment Group Roadshow is not only an opportunity to view and experience new products, but to meet with the team of lighting professionals at the Group’s core. Familiar industry faces, Peter McKenzie, Paul Lewis and Phil Sargent were all on hand, providing expert advice and product demonstrations. A keen audience of lighting professionals shared thoughts and ideas and provided insight into the challenges they face. This invaluable input guides future development, ensuring the needs of the industry are being met with each new product release.
The Roadshow highlights the huge investment that Philips is making in the local entertainment industry, drawing on the global technology leadership of this lighting giant, delivering unique new solutions for creative lighting in stage, museum and gallery applications.
In a world where continually evolving technology drives change, from the perspective of the lighting designer, efficiency and reliability remain the two key features in any lighting product. Selecon and Strand have a solid history in the professional lighting space; they understand improvements and introductions in new product should never sacrifice output performance or familiarity of operation for the user.
Strand has engineered and designed lighting controls for nearly a century and now offers a new generation power management system that addresses changing technology needs as LED sources become more prevalent in the performance space. New high performance products complement the most extensive offering of entertainment portable, wall cabinet, plug-in module and single unit dimmers and switch packs, combining unique functional advantages with affordability.
Generating interest at the Sydney event, the LightPack single 1200W distributed IGBT dimmer is more efficient than traditional dimming technology, programmable leading or trailing edge and quiet enough to position in the performance space.
Working demonstrations of ShowNet, which runs some of the most complex lighting shows in the world, and Vision.net touchscreen technology drew an attentive crowd. Designed to bring exceptional control and flexibility, Vision.net provides a wide range of fully scalable solutions. Easy to set up and program, Vision.net touchscreens can be combined with Outlook VN control stations, offering a wide range of push button and slider options. Any system command may be programmed to any push button for exceptional flexibility.
New console offerings from Strand include the 100+ and 200+ which continue the brand’s tradition of control expertly meeting the needs of theatres and performance venues.
Selecon continues to deliver superbly engineered, innovative and intuitive products. Already an industry favourite, the evolutionary SPX Ellipsoidal Profile retains all the features of its predecessor, while delivering more light (up to 63% more than current industry benchmarks) and handling more heat, attributable to the isolated lamp housing design. Increased performance and a lean toward energy efficiency so often come at the expense of simplicity, but not in this case. Described as ‘easy and effective to operate’, the SPX is already being used by many of the world’s top lighting designers.
Attracting attention at the show was the pioneering PL1 display profile LED luminaire. High output and full control, this revolutionary fitting had attendees queuing for a closer inspection. Designed around the core principles that guide Selecon product development – precision, performance, simplicity and safety – the PL1 delivers on all counts, with the added advantage of inherent energy efficiency through the inclusion of a fully tunable LED light engine. Supporting colour temperatures from 3000K to 5600K and full colour mixing, the PL1 has a maximum output similar to that of a 70W metal halide luminaire. The integral dimmer ensures no colour shift at low light levels; colour, value and saturation remain constant, making the PL1 perfect for use in galleries, museums and commercial interiors, where aesthetics and precise control are paramount.
Complementing the PL1 is Selecon’s second LED luminaire – the PL3 which was shown in pre-production form. This powerful variable beam (15°–55°) wash luminaire delivers light levels in ‘warm tungsten white’ similar to that of a 1.2kW Fresnel and at higher colour temperatures considerably more, all with a power consumption of only 400 watts. Featuring colour mixing capabilities ranging from subtle tints to strident saturated colours the PL3 is complemented by three ‘white’ presets to assist with matching to existing light sources making it eminently suited to any entertainment application. This luminaire brings all the advantages of high powered LED to theatres, studios and film location lighting.
More good news for entertainment aficionados, with a new range of PL-TR LED colour wash fittings that deliver incredible output, without the higher energy consumption associated with traditional luminaires. A full range of options are available; White, RGB and RGBAW extended colour palette, providing the perfect alternative for any stage or studio application. Long-life LED sources ensure that maintenance requirements are kept to a minimum in even the most demanding conditions.
2010 has been a great year for the Philips Entertainment team, seeing the release of some exciting new products that herald a significant shift in the performance lighting landscape. The Roadshow provided an opportunity for industry professionals to witness the change first-hand and to gain a deeper appreciation of what’s in store. For those of you unable to attend, be sure to keep your eye out next year, as the announcement of a 2011 Roadshow can only mean big things to come!
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