| History | | | | board. Because RJ-45 (and equivalent |
| There are many patents dating back from 1906 | | | | technologies) use bidirectional digital |
| when Edmund Sohlberg of Kansas City. The | | | | communication, bit-checking abilities allow for |
| lantern used a carbon-arc bulb and was operated | | | | lighting control networks to safely operate devices |
| not by motors or any form of electronics, but by | | | | that can interfere with human saftey (pyrotechnic |
| cords that were operated manually to control pan, | | | | devices, rigging mechanisms, etc.). |
| tilt and zoom. | | | | Moving lights are programmed using a fixture box |
| 1925 saw the first use of electrical motors being | | | | in ETC light boards |
| used to move the fixture, and with it the beam | | | | Moving lights are much more difficult to program |
| position, by Herbet F.King. Patent number: | | | | than their analogue cousins because they have |
| 1,680,685. In 1936 patent number 2,054,224 was | | | | more attributes per fixture that must be |
| granted to a similar device, but where the pan | | | | controlled. A simple conventional lighting fixture |
| and tilt were controlled by means of joystick as | | | | uses only one channel of control per unit: intensity. |
| opposed to switches. From this point on until | | | | Everything else that the light must do is preset by |
| 1969, various other inventors made similar lights | | | | human hands (color, position, focus, etc.) An |
| and improved on the technology, but with no | | | | automated lighting fixture can have as many as |
| major breakthroughs. During this period, Centuary | | | | 30 of these control channels. A slew of products |
| Lighting (now Strand) started retailing such units | | | | are available on the market to allow operators |
| specially made to order, retro fitted onto any of | | | | and programmers to easily control all of these |
| their existing lanterns up to 750 watts to control | | | | channels on multiple fixtures. Lighting boards are |
| pan and tilt. | | | | still the most common control mechanism, but |
| George Izenour made the next breakthrough in | | | | many programmers use computer software to |
| 1969 with the first ever fixture to use a mirror | | | | do the job. Software is now available that |
| on the end of a ellipsoidal to redirect the beam of | | | | provides a rendered preview of the output |
| light remotely. In 1969 Jules Fisher, from Casa | | | | produced by the rig once fixtures are connected |
| Manana area theatre in Texas saw the invention | | | | to the program or console. This allows |
| and use of 12 PAR 64 lanterns with 120watt, | | | | programmers to work on their show before ever |
| 12volts lamps fitted, 360 degrees of pan and 270 | | | | entering the theater and know what to expect |
| degrees of tilt, a standard that lasted util the | | | | when the lights are connected to their controller. |
| 1990s. This lamp was also known as the | | | | These products usually feature some method of |
| 'Mac-Spot' | | | | converting a computer's USB output to a DMX |
| In Bristol, 1968 progress was also being made, | | | | output. |
| mainly for use in live music. Peter Wynne Wilson | | | | The latest generation of moving heads are |
| refers to the use of 1kw profiles, with slides onto | | | | integrating digital projection capabilities, creating a |
| which gobos printed, inserted from a reel just like | | | | real convergence between lighting and video |
| on a slide projector. The fixtures also had an iris, | | | | projection. These new generation of heads do not |
| a multiple coloured gel wheel. These lights were | | | | only require intensity, position and focus control, |
| also fitted with mirrors and made for a | | | | but will require video content control as well. |
| impressive light show for a Pink Floyd Gig in | | | | Construction |
| London. Another fixture known as the 'Cycklops' | | | | Intelligent fixtures usually employ compact arc |
| was also used for music in the USA, although it | | | | lamps as light sources. They use servo motors |
| was very limited in terms of capabilities with only | | | | or, more commonly, stepper motors connected |
| pan and tilt functions and at 1.2meters long and | | | | to mechanical and optical internal devices to |
| weighing in at 97kg including the ballest, they were | | | | manipulate the light before it emerges from the |
| heavy and cumbersome. | | | | fixture's front lens. Examples of such internal |
| In 1980 after the invention of Dichronic colour | | | | devices are: |
| filters by Jim Bornhurst in early 1980 the dawn of | | | | Mechanical dimming shutters used to vary the |
| the VariLite moving head became reality, starting | | | | intensity of the light output. Mechanical dimmers |
| with the VL0, demonstrated to Genisis in the | | | | are usually a specially designed disk or a |
| summer. It also used one of the first lighting | | | | mechanical shutter. Shutters with high speed |
| desks with a digital core and this enabled lighting | | | | stepper motors can be used to create strobe |
| states to be programed in. The demo to Genusis | | | | effects. |
| compromised of the VL0 hung in the centre of an | | | | Color wheels with dichroic color filters used to |
| old barn. Changing colour and moving from one | | | | change the color of the beam. |
| corner of the room to another, the four | | | | Variable, incremental Cyan, Magenta and Yellow |
| executed steps were simple, but impressive to | | | | color-mixing filters to vary beam color via |
| anyone who had not seen the technology before. | | | | subtractive color mixing. Using this method, a |
| Genisis was later to order 55 VLO1's to use in | | | | much wider range of colors can be created than |
| their next chain of gigs across the UK. The lights | | | | is possible using single color filters. |
| were supplied with a VL series 100 console which | | | | Automated lens trains used to zoom and focus |
| had 32 channels , five 1802 processors and a | | | | the beam; irises are used to change the size of |
| dramatic improvement of the first console which | | | | the beam. Some fixtures have as many as 10 |
| was very simple, had an external processing unit. | | | | independently controlled prisms and lenses to |
| The VL1 also demonstrated the first ever use of | | | | focus and shape the beam . |
| a XLR cable in a lighting-control application, though | | | | Pattern wheels with gobos and gate shutters to |
| DMX was never sent through it. | | | | change the shape of the beam or project images. |
| In 1985 the first ever moving head was produced | | | | Some fixtures have motors to rotate the gobo in |
| by Summa Technologies to use the DMX | | | | its housing to create spinning effects, or use their |
| protocoll, which at the time was rare and was | | | | complicated lens systems to achieve the same |
| among many other formatts including DIN8, AMX, | | | | effect. |
| D54 and the protocols other companies such as | | | | Automated framing shutters to further shape the |
| Tasco, VariLite, High End and Coemar were | | | | beam and control unwanted spill. |
| producing. It also looked recognisable, a fixture | | | | These fixtures also use motors to enable physical |
| that wouldn't look out of place in a theatre. The | | | | movement of the light beam by either: |
| Summa HTI had a 150watt HTI bulb, 2 colour | | | | Pivoting an automated mirror which reflects the |
| wheels, a Gobo wheel, a mechanical dimmer and | | | | beam along X & Y axes, or |
| zoom functions. For the time, they had packed | | | | Attaching the entire fixture lens train to a yoke |
| more features into it than anybody else before. | | | | with motorized pan & tilt |
| In 1987 ClayPacky began producing the first | | | | Note that fixtures which use the former method |
| recognisable scanner, the Golden Scan. It utilised | | | | are not technically oving heads, since the light |
| stepper motors instead of servos and used a HMI | | | | source itself does not move. However, the term |
| 575 lamp, bright and with a far more uniform | | | | oving head is used interchangeably throughout this |
| beam brightness. Tbis was followed by the | | | | article. |
| Intellabeam in 1989, also realsed by High End, who, | | | | Usage |
| at the time were the Distributors for Clay Paky | | | | 5 Moving Yokes Lighting up a Mirror Ball |
| and Belliveau. | | | | Intelligent lights (now commonly referred to as |
| In the 1990s the future came closer with Martin, | | | | automated), can be used wherever there is a |
| a Danish Company producing Fog Machines. They | | | | need for powerful lighting which must be capable |
| manufactured a line of scanners known as the | | | | of rapid and extreme changes of mood and |
| Roboscans, with a variety of different specs for | | | | effects. Moving heads would, therefore, be |
| different users. Their range started with the 218, | | | | inappropriate in a setting which does not require |
| for the small venue and went up in brightness and | | | | strong lighting (such as a home) or where the |
| features through 518, 812, 918 and 1200Pro units. | | | | uality of the light required does not vary |
| Martin also invented a whole new range of Moving | | | | excessively (although it may need to be very |
| Heads including the Mac250, the Mac250+, | | | | strong for a venue like a stadium). Naturally, there |
| Mac300, Mac500, Mac600, Mac700, Mac1200 and | | | | are exceptions to this rule, most notably the use |
| more recently the Mac2000 and MacIII. Martin | | | | of large numbers of moving heads for |
| Mac's are popular in most rental situations and are | | | | international sporting events, such as the |
| also a great compromise between the cheaper | | | | Commonwealth Games or Olympic Games, where |
| manufactured products and the top end luminaires | | | | many thousands of separate automated fixtures |
| such as a High End DL2. | | | | are often used to light the opening and closing |
| The future promises many great things as the | | | | ceremonies. The 2008 Summer Olympics, in |
| concept of digital lighting, a bright LCD or DLP | | | | Beijing, had a rig of around 2,300 intelligent |
| projector mounted in a yoke or moving head | | | | fixtures which is "the largest single automated |
| type fixture with an integrated media server will | | | | lighting system ever assembled for a single event" |
| allow for millions of colour choices, endless libraries | | | | Usually, however, the use of intelligent lights is |
| of gobos, image and video projections to take | | | | confined to theatre, concerts and nightclubs, |
| place. The DL1 and DL2 by High End Systems | | | | where the versatility of these fixtures can be |
| (Barco) and Publitec Beamover. | | | | utilised to its best extent. In these applications, the |
| Features | | | | uses of fixtures can be informally grouped into |
| Several intelligent lights in use at a concert. Note | | | | two categories: active and passive (although these |
| the white beams they produce | | | | are not standardised terms). |
| An automated light, properly called a luminaire, | | | | Passive use of automated lighting involves utilizing |
| fixture (or sometimes moving head), is a versatile | | | | their versatility to perform tasks which would |
| and multi-function instrument designed to replace | | | | otherwise require many conventional lights to |
| multiple conventional, non-moving lights. Depending | | | | accomplish. For example, six to eight moving |
| on the venue and application, automated luminaires | | | | heads can create a textured blue ight effect on |
| can be a versatile and economical addition to a | | | | the stage floor while applying amber light to the |
| stock of traditional lights because, with proper | | | | actors during one scene - this can create a |
| programming, they can swiftly alter many | | | | sensation of dusk or night. At the flick of a |
| aspects of their optics, changing the ersonality of | | | | switch, the fixture can change to an animated red |
| the light very quickly. Lighting is typically | | | | ire effect for the next scene. Attempting this |
| pre-programmed and played back using only | | | | transition with traditional lighting fixtures could |
| simple commands, although moving heads can be | | | | require as many as thirty instruments. In this |
| controlled ive if the operator is sufficiently | | | | circumstance, the automated fixtures are not |
| experienced. | | | | doing anything that could not be achieved using |
| Most moving heads have all or some of the | | | | conventional fixtures, but they dramatically reduce |
| features, each feature is set to a channel number, | | | | the number of lights needed in a rig. Other |
| such as this: | | | | features of automated fixtures, such as rotating |
| Pan | | | | gobos, are also possible with conventional fixtures, |
| Tilt | | | | but are much easier to produce with intelligent |
| Fine Pan | | | | fixtures. |
| Fine Tilt | | | | A martin mac 250 entour (profile - top) and mac |
| Dimmer | | | | 250 wash) wash - bottom). |
| Shutter | | | | Active use of automated lights, suggests that the |
| Gobo1 Select | | | | luminaire is used to perform tasks which would |
| Gobo1 Rotation | | | | otherwise require human involvement, or be |
| Gobo2 Select | | | | simply impossible with conventional fixtures. For |
| Gobo2 Rotation | | | | instance, a number of moving heads producing |
| Gobo3 Select | | | | tightly-focused, pure white beams straight down |
| Colour1 | | | | onto the stage will produce a fantastic effect |
| Cyan | | | | reminiscent of searchlights from a helicopter |
| Magenta | | | | (especially if a smoke machine or hazer is used to |
| Yellow | | | | make the beams visible). To recreate such an |
| Prism 3,5,9facet | | | | effect without intelligent lights would require at |
| Prism Rotation | | | | least one human operator seated directly above |
| Effects Wheel | | | | the stage with a followspot, which would generally |
| Gobo Animation Wheel | | | | be considered to be too expensive for such a |
| Iris | | | | small effect. |
| Lamp Shut off, fixture reset | | | | Moving head fixtures are often divided into spot |
| Remote patching channel | | | | and wash lights. They vary in use and functions |
| Control | | | | but many companies offer profile and wash |
| Moving lights are controlled in many ways. Usually | | | | variants of the same model of light. Profile lights |
| the fixtures are connected to a Lighting control | | | | generally contain features like gobos and prisms, |
| console, which outputs a control signal. This control | | | | whereas wash lights have simpler optics and a |
| signal sends data to the fixture usually in one of | | | | wider beam aperture resulting in wider beam |
| three ways: Analogue (which has largely been | | | | angle, which may be altered by internal lenses or |
| phased out), DMX (which is the industry standard | | | | rost effects. Wash lights are more likely to have |
| control protocol), or Ethernet Control (which is still | | | | CMY colour mixing although it is common for |
| in development). The fixture then takes this signal | | | | high-end spot lights to have such features too. |
| and translates it into internal signals which are sent | | | | Spot units are generally used for their beam |
| to the many stepper motors located inside. | | | | effect (usually through smoke or haze) and the |
| XLR connectors, the most common method of | | | | ability to project texture, whereas wash lights |
| controlling moving heads. Note that these are 3-pin | | | | tend to be used for providing a stage wash. |
| XLR connectors, which are used by some | | | | A martin mac 250 entour (profile - top) and mac |
| manufacturers, rather than the 5-pin, which | | | | 250 wash) wash - bottom). Notice the difference |
| specified by the USITT DMX-512 Standard. | | | | in beam characteristics caused by the gobo of |
| The vast majority of moving heads are controlled | | | | the entour and the wider beam angle of the |
| using the DMX protocol, usually using dedicated | | | | wash. |
| twisted pair, shielded cable with 5-pin XLR | | | | Debate |
| connectors at the ends. Each fixture is assigned a | | | | Not all the light fixtures that have movement can |
| block of DMX channels in one of the venue's DMX | | | | be defined as intelligent. Basic club lighting is not |
| universes (a self-contained set of cables and | | | | controllable other than basic on and off. This lack |
| fixtures which can operate a maximum of 512 | | | | of features makes them just a small step above |
| individual channels). The central lighting desk | | | | a conventional Stage lighting instrument. |
| transmits data on these channels which the | | | | Moving mirrors are faster than moving head |
| intelligent fixture interprets as value settings for | | | | fixtures. However moving heads are visually more |
| each of its many variables, including color, pattern, | | | | interesting, and have a far larger range of |
| focus, prism, pan (horizontal swing), tilt (vertical | | | | movement. The movement from mirror lights |
| swing), rotation speed, and animation. | | | | tends to be rectilinear, because the centre of |
| Since moving heads did not attain prominence until | | | | movement for both axis is usually in the same |
| DMX's predecessor, analogue, had passed the | | | | place, while one axis of a moving head luminaire |
| zenith of its popularity, very few moving heads | | | | describes a circle (usually called "pan") and the |
| use analogue control (this is also due to crippling | | | | other (the "tilt") changes the diameter of the |
| restrictions on bandwidth, data transfer speeds | | | | circular movement. In early luminaires a pseudo |
| and potential inaccuracy). Some of the most | | | | rotating gobo effect could be achieved by moving |
| modern intelligent fixtures use RJ-45 or Ethernet | | | | the tilt in line with the other axis and then moving |
| cabling for data transfer, due to the increased | | | | the pan from end stop to end stop. |
| bandwidth available to control increasingly | | | | References |
| complicated effects. Using the new Ethernet | | | | ^ - scroll down to "Early Automated Lighting" |
| technology, control surfaces are now able to | | | | ~1970 |
| control a much larger array of automated | | | | ^ DMX512 Control Protocol Information - |
| fixtures. Because many devices can be connected | | | | Connectors and Cables |
| to a single RJ-45 network, these devices have | | | | ^ Cadena, Richard (2006). Automated Lighting. |
| the ability to not only listen to a control signal | | | | Focal Press. pp. 5658. ISBN 978-0-240-80703-4. |
| from a lighting control board, but have the ability | | | | ^ LeMaitre FireCtrl Device,An example |
| to transmit information back to the control board | | | | pyrotechnic control device that can accept RJ-45 |
| and other entities on the network. Now, it is | | | | control. |
| possible for a fixture to self-diagnose any | | | | ^ Barco | Barco digital moving luminaire tears |
| problems, announce itself on a network, or accept | | | | down boundaries between projection and lighting |
| setting changes from any place on the network, | | | | ^ Cadena, Richard (2006). Automated Lighting. |
| making obsolete older versions of the system | | | | Focal Press. pp. 253254. ISBN 978-0-240-80703-4. |
| that only had one central brain, the lighting control | | | | |