Buyer’s Guide

LED Pars
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideJanuary 2020 | January 12, 2020Ever since the first LED “PARs” came on the scene 15 years ago, the “Par” part has been a misnomer. Originally an acronym for “Parabolic Aluminized Reflector,” LED Pars, by contrast, just use LEDs mounted on a circuit board facing the opening of a fixture enclosure. With less amperage and more output lumens, the tungsten […] Read More...
LED Strobes
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideDecember 2019 | December 13, 2019Conventional strobes, as we knew them, are [for the most part] a thing of the past. Solaris still offers a new conventional model, and you may still be able to buy the old Atomic DMX from Martin or find a Lightning Strike in a Hollywood shop. And the GAM StarStrobe (marketed by Rosco) is now […] Read More...
Video Cabinets
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideNovember 2019 | November 9, 2019LED display models may seem to change every year, but every year, PLSN also presents a Buyers Guide feature on video cabinets, so our readers can keep up with what’s out there. Since we last covered this category (PLSN, Nov. 2018, page 66), just about every company has updated their product lines. I’ve seen quite […] Read More...
Moving Profiles with Framing Shutters
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideOctober 2019 | October 10, 2019 There are moving wash, beam and spot fixtures, but here we zoom in on profiles — moving lights that include framing shutters. If the fixture in question doesn’t offer these, it’s simply a spot fixture. And since many designers will only spec a fixture with framing capabilities, that’s good news for the following companies […] Read More...
The Buyers Guide on Moving Beam Fixtures
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideSeptember 2019 | September 9, 2019Moving beam fixtures took the live event business by storm a few years back. Everyone got on the bandwagon, and tons of discharge lights came into play with the R-Series of lamps. Now, with the advent of hybrid fixtures and LED technology, the Moving Beam as we know it has changed. It’s shrunk in size […] Read More...
House Lights
Nook Schoenfeld | August 2019Buyer's Guide | August 9, 2019We at PLSN have never devoted an entire Buyers Guide to this particular niche of lighting fixtures before. But the fact is that every lighting vendor is going to be asked to spec some sort of house lights at some point of their career, usually for a permanent install. Many manufacturers include an architectural division […] Read More...
Truss Products
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideJuly 2019 | July 12, 2019It’s been two years since PLSN has had a Buyers Guide on truss. While many manufacturers seem to make the standard 12-inch and 20.5-inch box truss, the various connections and weight loads can vary greatly. Many of the products listed here tend to be special items that each company has designed, differentiating them from the […] Read More...
Smoke Machines
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideJune 2019 | June 16, 2019Every couple of years, we like to check in with all the manufacturers of smoke. We like devices that shoot out cryo (or what looks like plumes of steam) that rise 20 feet in the air. Since the last time we covered this category, more manufacturers of hazers and foggers have jumped on the bandwagon […] Read More...
Cyc Lights
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideMay 2019 | May 3, 2019The original idea behind linear strips of lights was to be able to cast a wide swatch of colored light across an area, typically to light scenery or to serve as footlights in troughs for front light on stage. Along the way, concert and television LDs found they made great eye candy when placed at […] Read More...
LED Fresnels and Softlights
Nook Schoenfeld | April 2019Buyer's Guide | April 8, 2019This month’s Buyers Guide ties in with this issue’s focus on lighting for TV and cinema, both of which are lit with the images captured by cameras as a key consideration. Fresnels have been around since French scientist Augustin-Jean Fresnel was studying optics and light waves back in 1822. Today’s lens designs follow the same […] Read More...
Data Distribution and Opto-Splitters
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideMarch 2019 | March 6, 2019One of the most important pieces of gear in the dimmer area has always been a dependable opto-splitter for getting signal to every fixture spread over your stage, trade floor or installation. Nowadays there are several types to choose from. They range from the simple one-universe-in and four 5-pin out varieties to the Swiss army […] Read More...
LED Ellipsoidal Fixtures
Nook Schoenfeld | Buyer's GuideFebruary 2019 | February 11, 2019It’s amazing how almost every manufacturer of LED ellipsoidal fixtures has improved their range since the last time we covered these lights a few years ago. Some make a profile that is more suited to serve as a spotlight, while others are dedicated for use as gobo projectors. Many companies offer both warm and cool […] Read More...