We here at ETC get a lot of questions about which cyc light to choose. (They’re all so great and honestly, it’s like asking to pick our favorite child!) We’ve found that it’s not a simple question to answer because there are a number of factors that play into the decision. It’s about your hanging...
With the many recent changes to the US National Electrical Code (NEC) regarding emergency lighting, I am often asked whether an emergency luminaire is allowed to be cord-and-plug connected. The answer to this question, which will be revealed here, involves a careful reading of both the NEC and...
We continue our tour through ETC’s repository of gear and ephemera of lighting days gone by with another entry from the company’s early history: the 1982 Entertainment Lighting Control System (ELC). After a number of years partnering with Berkey Colortran to produce the Channel Track desks, the...
Today we take a look at another behemoth from ETC’s collection of lighting industry equipment and ephemera: a Skirpan Autocue Astral Stage Lighting Control System from 1977.
Network reality shows have a varied life expectancy – many fall straight into the ‘What were they thinking?’ bin, others drift into the ‘Oh, yes I vaguely remember that’ halfway house of falling ratings, while a few are good for the lighting industry but collapse under the weight of their own...
When a hurricane strikes, the strong storms often cause nasty electrical interferences, failures, brown outs, spikes, and more. To be extra prepared in your theatre, house of worship, business center, or wherever you happen to use ETC equipment, we recommend backing up and saving your show files...
There’s no doubt about it—LEDs are shaking up the industry as we know it. There is a lot to be excited about as venues make the transition from tungsten light sources to LED. One of the largest areas of impact is color capabilities.
Welcome to the Monthly(ish) Museum, where we take a look into the historical lighting collection at ETC. In this entry, we’re keeping it in-house with a look at some industrial design prototypes for the Gio console.
Nicknamed the “Showplace of the Nation,” Radio City Music Hall is truly one of the most iconic entertainment venues in the US. When the stock market crashed in 1929, plans for an opera house fell through and John D. Rockefeller began looking for a way to turn the Manhattan property that now holds...
