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Published byJuliana Marsh Modified over 9 years ago
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Notes taken from Michael Gillette’s Designing With Light
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Company Switch A disconnect box to which portable dimmers may be connected Normally 240 VAC Located in wings
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Every theatrical lighting system is made up of three components Dimmers Dimmer Control Electrical Distribution
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Two kinds of Dimmers Mechanical Electronic
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Involved direct physical movement of mechanical components, not frequently used in theatre anymore
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Resistance Dimmer – Archaic dimmer using a variable-capacity resistor Lights off - resistance increased energy converted to heat and does not reach the lamp Lights on - resistance decreased and current reaches the lamps Difficult to use, requires a lot of space,
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Saltwater Dimmer Oldest type of dimmer Involved dipping metal plates attached to one leg of a circuit into salt water with another set of plates already immersed in the water. Current dependent on depth of metal plates being dipped.
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Use a low-voltage current to regulate the high- voltage current
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Autotransformer Dimmer Rarely controls stage lights, but sometimes house lights Control switch in booth regulates a mechanical linkage that controls the dimmer and enables it to raise and lower the lights Motor runs a single speed so fades cannot be controlled
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Autotransformer Dimmer
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Silicon Controlled Rectifier Dimmer (SCR) Operates on a gating principle On for 1 second – full intensity On for ½ second, Off for ½ second – 50% intensity On for ¼ second, Off for ¾ second – 25% intensity Solid state power transistor No moving parts, reliable
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Silicon Controlled Rectifier Dimmer (SCR)
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Digital Control Systems for Electronic Dimmers The new “Standard”
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Digital Control Systems for Electronic Dimmers Analog Requires a constant signal Every dimmer in the system must be connected to the light board by its own control line Line –The wires in low-voltage control systems
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Digital Control Systems for Electronic Dimmers Digital Discrete (separate and complete )steps binary code, on, off, 0, 1 Multiplexing – can send multiple messages at the same time
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Analog Digital
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Group Master Individual dimmers controlled by a submaster, which is controlled by a grand master
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Preset Two-scene Preset, Three-scene Preset Controls for each dimmer are repeated for two or three scenes Dimmers can be set up for each scene and using a fader can be shifted from scene one to scene two
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Combination Combines preset and group master Provides more options and flexibility
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Computer Memory Most flexibility Hard Drive – Device for storing and retrieving data Back-up disk Volatility – Nonpermanence
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Computer Memory Channel Control – An electronic patching system in which one or more dimmers can be assigned to a control channel which in turn controls the intensity level of those dimmers Group – grouping of two or more dimmers/channels under one controller
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Computer Memory Timing capabilities Fade-in – gradual increase in intensity Fade-out – gradual decrease in intensity Split time fade – Fade up and out are at different rates Delay - Refers to the time interval that the second part of a split time fade follows the first
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