Strobes

[Excalibur]

Do you use them, do you get asked for them, and if you do use them how powerful? I have seen links to them from single watt to kilowatt! When I was young I remember them falling out of favour and legally needing as much ambient light as the strobe power. I get requests for them now and then.

[spin mobile disco]

I used to use a 30 watt strobe for a while, but due to needing very dark rooms its the same problem you have with lasers. You cant use em everywhere, also have to use safety signs to say you use them. Basically I think there not worth the effort these days.

[super-hero]

I use a small strobe with a purple filter on occasionally. It helps to break up the lightshow a bit, so you don't have the same lights doing the same thing all night. I dont use it for hotel work or weddings but yournger crowds do like them. I also have a couple of 1500 watt megastar strobes for that nightclub effect, but they are use only if requested in advance.

[Excalibur]

I used to use a 30 watt strobe for a while, but due to needing very dark rooms its the same problem you have with lasers. You cant use em everywhere, also have to use safety signs to say you use them. Basically I think there not worth the effort these days.

Fairly much my opinion, but as I say they are requested, usually by the younger element!

[spin mobile disco]

Should buy a 25 - 100 watt version if you really want one, not worth paying much to get an effect you use rarelly.

[Corabar Entertainment]

Well, we've never had a request for a strobe light. We've been asked if we use them..... followed by "because we are worried about them triggering epilepsy", but never has anyone said that they want one. (We've got a couple we 'acquired' as part of a job lot of equipment we purchased - but they are just gathering dust!)

[Paul James Promotions]

I have a single Martin Atomic, which is 3kw, amazing piece of kit.

It very rarely gets used, but when it does, I always use warning signs on all entrances to the venue.

[Murrough]

I used to operate 4 strobes and a strobe controller, but to be honest, even used considerately, they did peoples heads in more than it added to the comfort of the evening. Oil wheel projectors seem to work much better :)

I also had to put up health and safety notices for photo enduced epilepsy.

Im not sure but I think in the Greater London area there may be a bylaw in place that restricts the speed of strobes to 8 cycles per second combined and you must notify the authorities when you intend to use them. It was part of the old GLC legislation and it also applied to lasers, but I can remember getting checked by some venue manager jobsworth once and decided not to use them in central London gigs

[Have a disco]

I have a Martin Jumbo Strobe and to be honest I rarely use it with modern lighting doing the same as the strobe. I use it mainly at 18 yr old parties wheere all the D & B crews love it apart from that it sits in my box until next requested. I have no problems using one but that epilepsy issue keeps popping up but there are many types of it so Most young do's get it regardles for about 10 mins constant, oldies events I dont bother normally unless asked

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Most young do's get it regardles for about 10 mins constant

Isn't that dangerous or illegal?

[Murrough]

10 minutes constant!!!!. I thought the maximum allowed was 30 seconds. that sounds like an awful long time for a strobe

[Have a disco]

depends on type of music and crowd your dealing with and it is not Illegal to do so neither is it required by law to put up warning notices. Remember a martin Jumbo strobe could be could be controled on density of strobe so Its not on full agitation all the time.. In fact Have had reports that dmx lighting is worse in many ways

[Murrough]

Just dug the HSE book out.... no indication on maximum time, but I have always stuck to 30 second bursts. Its not legally binding, as you say, but good old PLI will have something to say if punter falls on speaker stand and hurts head due to strobe not being used to guide lines.

And to be honest, I find 10 minutes quite irresponsible, but hey, thats just my opinion its late im going to bed.

"Carefully consider the use of strobe lights, as under some conditions they may induce epilepsy in flicker-sensitive individuals. Whenever strobe lights are used, arrange for a prior warning to be given at the entrance to the event or in the programme.

If strobe lights are used, keep flicker rates at or below four flashes per second. Below this rate it is estimated that only 5% of the flicker-sensitive population will be at risk of an attack. This flicker rate only applies to the overall output of any group of lights in direct view, but where more than one strobe light is used the flashes should be synchronised.

To reduce the risk further, mount lights as high above head height as is practicable. Where possible, the lights should be bounced off walls and ceilings or diffused by other means so that glare is reduced. They should not be used in corridors or on stairs. Continuous operation of strobe lighting for long periods should be avoided. Further information is available in the HSE HELA guidance note 'Disco lights and flicker-sensitive epilepsy'."

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

s.

And to be honest, I find 10 minutes quite irresponsible [/I]

Me too.

[Have a disco]

hence my point of using for no more than 10 minutes in the heat of the nights music most are oblivious to it and its aimed towards a wall/ceiling 10 minutes is not a long time even in a club situation whom most would normally exceed my 10 minute quota regularly. IF asked it gets turned off immediately without question but most parties dont ask me so I use common sense

[Corabar Steve]

It doesn't matter where it's aimed. If it's at a rate that will set off photo sensitive epileptics (not all are & not all those that are will be set off) you could point it away from them, the brightness of a strobe would be enough in most instances

[Corabar Entertainment]

Murrough - you are right about the byelaw - and what I find funny though is that the rate they specify is higher than the HSE recommendations!!!!! :omg:
(From memory, I think you are right quoting the figure 8, but I think HSE recommend no more than 5..... but don't quote me on that!)

[Creature]

i have 10 small strobes and to be honest when i try n use them get complaints :( so they will all shortly find there way on egay i suppose

[super-hero]

Do you mean 10 minutes in one go, or 10 minutes spread out accross the whole evening.

I think 10 minutes in one go will be a bit much for anyone.

[Corabar Steve]

I think 10 minutes in one go will be a bit much for anyone.It would explian a lot though :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:

[Have a disco]

depends on the flash rate??? and remember scanners are worse for epileptics when they are on strobe mode than old fashioned jumbo strobes on a slow pulse

[Corabar Steve]

http://www.epilepsy.ie/Ease/servlet/DynamicPageBuild;jsessionid=tv6legk553?siteID=1909&categoryID=62
http://www.epilepsynse.org.uk/
http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/

[Have a disco]

regardless of this information provided. Epilepsy in most forms is controllable by medication I will continue to use them with care and thought. Im not going to stop in the middle of a night to announce that Im turning it on, to much PC in this country as it is. Any disco lighting can set of a bout of epilepsy even faulty UV tube lighting blinking away can set someone off..

In the end Its a disco they must know the risks to themselves already before they attend a disco, Therefore they attend at they're own risk

[Corabar Steve]

regardless of this information provided. Epilepsy in most forms is controllable by medication I will continue to use them with care and thought. Im not going to stop in the middle of a night to announce that Im turning it on, to much PC in this country as it is. Any disco lighting can set of a bout of epilepsy even faulty UV tube lighting blinking away can set someone off..
depends on the flash rate


In the end Its a disco they must know the risks to themselves already before they attend a disco, Therefore they attend at they're own risk
Most epileptics are not of the photosensitive variety, any number of factors can trigger a siezure

[Have a disco]

So why should we need to pander to them, they can attend just like any other person. If asked I will oblige gladly if its requested by the disco hirer.....?

[Dragonfly]

used to work in a school where all but one of the students were epileptic so didnt use strobes .... i never have its personal choice and i suppose if used responibly the risk is lessened again personally i dont see them as a good effect maybe in the 80s but for me now no ta. just my personal thought.

[Corabar Steve]

So why should we need to pander to them,
Your attitude never ceases to amaze me!

[Dragonfly]

So why should we need to pander to them, they can attend just like any other person. If asked I will oblige gladly if its requested by the disco hirer.....?

if they are a service user and have concerns about the show that will mean them not enjoying the experience 100% ..... i shall pander :teeth:

[Corabar Entertainment]

You're providing a service and surely that is exactly what any service does.... 'panders' to it's customers. If you don't, you don't have any customers.

[soundtracker]

I am absolutely gobsmacked! Perhaps Watchdog would like to do a series!!!!!

[xtreme040]

The Martin Atomic is the most xtreme light effect that we use we are doing a gig up in Leeds this weekend and we’re using 6 of them to great a thunder storm at the back of a stately home along with some mac2000’s and sky trackers.
:lightning :omg: :lightning

[Danno13]

Epilepsy issues aside, to be honest, i'd have thought 10mins of strobing would be enough annoy anyone, even the 18 year old DnB crews. It looks terrible as well, big clubs never use stobes for that anywhere near that long cos it just looks a mess, the idea is to use short bursts at the end of a buildup or similar breaks in the song.