Light Control Systems
By Nicolay Lapin

The light designer receives wide creative opportunities using light protocols of separate as well as all luminariers that are situated in the TV studio. Due to that the necessary light level and get the most quality image during filming can be received. The filming equipment and character of filmed programs determine the necessary light level. For contemporary three-matrix cameras used in the information-news studios this level must be in the 800...1000 pc limits and for studios with use of virtual technologies about 1200 pc. It is necessary to consider that voltage change for halogen luminariers provides fluctuations of light temperature, what leads to distortion of image color transfer. That is why for the halogen light the regulation limits are limited and are about 20%. The fluorescent luminariers of "cool" light do not change the color temperature when brightness changes. That is one more advantage of use in the studio luminariers of "cool" light.

Significantly different ways of light control realization are the light change by common potentiometer (rheostats), use of electric facilities with providing of analogous or digital signals on them. The digital interface DMX512 became well spread, which has the big advantage as simple protocol structure, general complex of luminariers (using that protocol) economy, opportunity to control up to 512 channels and more, if it is necessary.

The majority of big manufactures of luminariers such as Sachtler, Balcar, produce different models with opportunity of darkness control.

Build-in regulator on Spotflux luminariers of Balcar company for brightness control

Swing series control consoles

At present on the market of both foreign and domestic produces different dimmer facilities and control panels of light on different loads with different channels amount and wide price diapason can be found. The Belgium Company ADB offers wide range of such facilities.

EURORACK dimmer

The simple small dimensional control panels per 6, 12, 24 channels such as Swing6, Swing12, Bolero12, Bolero24, Tango24 have the DMX control (for control over analogous signal of 0...10 V the additional accessories are required), can be applied in small TV studio, and outdoor filming.

Control panels per 48, 96, 120, 240 channels such as Tango48, Cantor48, Cantor96, Tenor120, Tenor240 have the opportunities of information saving (scene setting) on special memory cards, tuning on of different special effects, etc. The Cantor96, Tenor120, Tenor240 control panels include color monitor and mouse.

Main advantages of digital dimmer ADB systems are: setting comfort, friendly users menu, saving of last setting in case of casual shutting down of power supply, current saving of all programmed data, scheme of protection against overloading of mains, self-diagnostics (testing), control of DMX signal presence, automated protection against overheating, low facility operation noise.

Rack mounted MICRORACK dimmers

These facilities maintain few dimmer conditions with reflection of current value on the display:

• condition of linear voltage of 220 V;
• condition of linear voltage of 120 V;
• condition of prior warming;
• television condition;
• condition of fluorescent lightning;
• condition of mean-square voltage value;
• unregulated condition;
• special (reserve) conditions.

All of the facilities correspond to the European CE standards.

Technical characteristics of dimmer systems:

The "Era" Company.

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