MY BUDDY:

Written By: Matt Williams

We often get random solicitations to carry all kinds of products…most of them are minimally relevant to the entertainment industry, cheaply made, or just plain bizarre. Occasionally, something comes our way that sticks out from the masses. One such recent item is the Ladder Buddy.

How many times have you been up on a ladder only to find yourself climbing back down to grab another tool you either forgot or didn’t think you needed? How many times have you precariously balanced your screw gun on the top of a step ladder? How many times has that screw gun fallen? Everyone knows the best technician is the one who has the most tools in use. Why not use a device that will hold many of those tools while you are on a step ladder? Save yourself time and wear & tear on your knees with the Ladder Buddy. The Ladder Buddy is a sturdy tray 10” wide x15” long x 3” deep that securely clamps onto the rail of most ladders. Tired of dropping your extension cord? There’s a clip on the Ladder Buddy for that. The heavy duty plastic body and steel mounting hardware will easily support up to 25 lbs. of your stuff. At $18.95, it is a cost-effective and simple way to save time and hassles.

The manufacturer sent us a demo unit to try out and we were impressed with the durability and convenience. This one is a winner.

Enjoy!
Matt

A Shure Bet...

Written By: Steve Roudebush

Hello everyone! Hope you are having a fantastic spring. We've taken some time off from the blog in recent weeks to complete special projects, attend tradeshows, and help our hard-working customers during this hectic time of year. We have a wide variety of topics to chat up this summer...we hope you will join us!

On to the topic at hand: Earlier this year, we signed on as a dealer with a fantastic, long-running manufacturing of audio gear, Shure, Inc. Shure is well-known for their broad range of microphones, most notably the tank-tough indusry-standard SM-58. Shure wireless systems are also widely praised and are available in many configurations to suit almost any budget.

Shure offers up a wealth of knowledge on microphones. This link is a great place to start if you are trying to pin down the right mic for a given production requirement:
Shure Buyers Guide

You can read all about Shure's long history (founded in 1925!) here:
The History of Shure Incorporated

And, finally, check out their excellent rebate program (ending June 30th 2010) for outdated wireless mic systems operating in the 700Mhz band:
700 MHz Rebate

Cheers!
Steve

New Focus as BMI Locations Merge

Written By: BMI Supply

BMI Supply of Queensbury, NY, announced an expansion of sales operations at its Queensbury headquarters by consolidating resources from its smaller sister company, BMI Supply South. “As BMI Supply continues to develop broad product offerings, superior service, and overall industry expertise, we elected to focus our energies here in NY to ensure the best overall experience for our nationwide customer base,” commented Cynthia L. Barber, President and CEO of BMI Supply. “We have an immensely talented team of experienced professionals who are poised to attend to our customers’ needs in all 50 states and internationally. Our centralized operation and diverse inventory will serve as a springboard for continuing growth,” said Steve Roudebush, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and Development.

For customer convenience, all phone, fax, and email communications to BMI Supply South will automatically forward to BMI Supply effective March 22nd, 2010. Direct contact information for BMI Supply is as follows:

BMI Supply
571 Queensbury Avenue
Queensbury, NY 12804
Toll Free Phone: 800.836.0524
Fax: 518.793.6181
General e-mail: bminy@bmisupply.com

#GaffDressChallenge

Written By: Carl Spaulding

Watch out team @lekogirl is on a roll!

Yes the pun was intended :-)

Gaff Dress Challenge

Written By: Carl Spaulding

What do you get when you mix two ladies, two cases of gaff tape and all of the creative styling of two up and coming creative professionals?

Daphne	Amanda Lynne

THAT'S RIGHT YOU GET ...

aluPAR Family of Lamps gets Wider…

Written By: Steve Roudebush

After a few delays, Osram has finally gone to full production on the aluPAR64 1000W Wide Flood lamp. This is the final piece in the 1000W PAR64 family of aluPAR lamps (the Very Narrow Spot, Narrow Spot, and Medium Flood are already available…).

aluPAR lamps feature a lightweight aluminum reflector instead of the traditional coated glass reflector typically found in a PAR lamp. This results in significant weight savings for large truss rigs, safer lamp handling, and reduced shipping weight/cost. Furthermore, the enhanced optics result in a cleaner wash of light, better heat management, and reduced light spill from the back of a PAR fixture. To top it all off, the aluminum components are recyclable! aluPAR lamps are an environmentally preferable ECOLOGIC® product.

Our first batch of aluPAR64 1000W Wide Flood (WFL) lamps is on the way to BMI Supply! Best of all, aluPAR lamps are offered at the same price as standard PAR64 lamps, $24.50 each.

Quantity discounts are available.

Feel free to call or email with any questions, or if you’d like to get your hands on the new aluPAR lamp.

Cheers!
-Steve

New Product Line: Swisson!

Written By: Steve Roudebush

BMI Supply is pleased to announce the addition of Swisson USA to its list of quality manufacturers!

Swisson is best known for the XMT-120 DMX Test Tool (pictured), a powerful DMX troubleshooting device capable of generating DMX, analyzing DMX, recording/editing scenes, sequencing, testing cables, and more. BMI Supply will offer the XMT-120 set (includes case and XLR adapters) for $339.50.

Swisson also manufactures a variety of DMX splitters, mergers, and recorders, in addition to sine wave dimmers. Watch for some of these products in our forthcoming 2010 catalog.

Cheers!
-Steve

New Product Line: Jiffy Mixers!

Written By: Mark Ross

BMI Supply is proud to introduce the Jiffy Mixer line of paint mixing tools! Tired of the cheap plastic paint mixers that are sold at the “Big Box” stores? We found a real paint mixer that is made in the USA. Jiffy Mixers are made of Grade 304 polished stainless steel. Their unique designs ensure excellent mixing, durability, and time savings.

ES Model
The ES model is designed for medium to heavy jobs in 2-5 gallon containers. It easily fits any 3/8” or larger electric chucked power tool. The ES model is designed for a max speed of 1000 RPMS. $42.85 each

HS-2 Model
The HS-2 model is designed for medium jobs in 1-2 gallon containers. It easily fits any 1/4” or larger electric chucked power tool. The HS-2 model is designed for a max speed of 1200 RPMS. $14.65 each.

Both the ES and HS-2 are in stock at BMI Supply.

Thanks!
- Mark

Happy Holidays All!

Here is the upcoming Holiday schedule for BMI Supply and BMI Supply South:

Wednesday Dec 23rd - OPEN 8am-6pm
Thursday Dec 24th - Closed
Friday Dec 25th - Closed, Merry Christmas!

Monday Dec 28th - OPEN 8am-6pm
Tuesday Dec 29th - OPEN 8am-6pm
Wednesday Dec 30th - OPEN 8am-6pm, critical shipments only
Thursday Dec 31st -Closed
Friday Jan 1st - Closed, Happy New Year!

Normal schedule resumes January 4th.

Have a safe and enjoyable Holiday! Thank you for a wonderful year.
--- The BMI Supply and BMI Supply South Team

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Written By: Matt Williams

Many scenic paints and coatings become unusable if they freeze, and during this time of year the possibility of that happening is high. So, it is best to plan ahead. BMI strongly discourages shipping paint and scenic coatings when it might sit over the weekend on its journey from us to you. For instance, if you place a paint order with us on a Wednesday and the typical UPS transit time is 3 business days, the shipment may sit in an unheated trailer over the weekend before being delivered to you on Monday. We would hate for you to open the box only to find 1-gallon, colored ice cubes. To avoid this, we could ship the paint via an express 2-day service, but paint is heavy and shipping changes can add up quickly. The best solution would be to order the paint Tuesday morning for delivery on Friday. We understand that deadlines and production schedules can change in an instant, but if you do have the chance to plan ahead, you can save yourself frustration and an expensive shipping bill.

Happy Holidays! -Matt

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BMI Supply Announces RevEAL Dealership Agreement

Written By: Steve Roudebush

BMI Supply and BMI Supply South are pleased to announce a dealership agreement with Prism Projection for the new RevEAL line of LED fixtures. The initial offering, the RevEAL CW Wash fixture, represents a significant step forward in LED engineering for the theatrical lighting market. The RevEAL CW won the “Best Debuting Lighting Product” award at the LDI 2009 convention in November 2009.

With considerable experience supplying and installing LED fixtures for theatrical venues, we are excited to offer our customers the unparalleled features of the RevEAL CW. These features include an extended color gamut with multiple primaries, tunable white color temp, mixed source with no color separation, closed-loop optical feedback for consistent color & intensity, and theatre-quality dimming.

In short, the RevEAL CW truly performs as a theatrical fixture should. The uniform beam, control flexibility, and superior low-end dimming are fantastic. We were stunned to see the fixture’s ability to “ghost” at 2%, feeling as if we were looking at an incandescent source.

RevEAL CW is in stock at BMI Supply and ready for shipment! Manufacturer’s Retail Price is $2,295.00. Please give us a call to discuss specific product and pricing details for your venue.

BMI Supply - NY – 800.836.0524 BMI Supply South – SC – 800.670.4264 www.bmisupply.com

Link: PDF Data Sheet for the RevEAL Color Wash Fixture

City Theatrical DMX Iris Price Drop

Written By: Steve Roudebush

Effectively immediately, City Theatrical has slashed the price of its pioneering DMX iris.

Here are the details:

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City Theatrical #2192 DMX Iris

Original MSRP = $775.00
New MSRP = $575.00

As a result, the new BMI price will be $460.00 per unit (was $620.00).

Big "thank you" to City Theatrical!

Cheers!
- Steve

LDI 2009 Product Highlights - Part 1

Written By: Steve Roudebush

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We are back into full swing here with phones ringing steadily and email inboxes filling quickly with holiday production needs.

We thought we would take a brief time-out to recap the recent LDI 2009 convention in Orlando, Florida. It was an excellent show with intriguing product developments and generally positive vibes about the year ahead. We had a wonderful time catching up with old friends, making new acquaintances, and learning more about the latest product developments.

While there were countless fascinating products at LDI2009, reviewed in wonderful detail via numerous industry media outlets, we will concentrate on a handful of products that will soon be added (or already have been added) to BMI Supply’s comprehensive arsenal of product offerings. Part 1 will focus on some of the smaller widget-ish products, while Part 2 (future post) will feature fixtures, large consoles, big toys, etc.

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Osram introduced a new 375-watt lamp in the popular GLC/GLA/GLD/GLE family of lamps. The new lamp will have the ANSI code “GLG” and feature the same 3250°K color temperature and 300-hour average life that the GLC (575-watt) and GLD (750-watt) lamps have. The 375-watt GLG option will suit many applications where energy savings are particularly important and lumen output is not as critical. Gel life will also improve.

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Stage Junk showed off their new ratcheting Ultimate Focus Tool. Every lighting tech loves a new toy and this one will not disappoint. It features all the goodness of the original Ultimate Focus Tool with a clever (and sturdy) ratcheting socket addition that accommodates a wide variety of bolts/nuts. This unit will be selling for around $100.00. The original Ultimate Focus Tool has dropped down to ~ $75.00.

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Baxter Controls (BCI), home of the “Pocket Console”, showed off a new Pocket Console built directly into a Pelican Case (with power and DMX built into the side of the case). Well done. They also have a prototype iPhone app and associated receiver/DMX box in the works for wireless control. Stay tuned.

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ENTTEC won an ESTA award for the DMXIS control system, a simple yet slick interface and control system for flexible lighting control by artists, bands, small performance groups, etc. It can handle everything from a simple PARCAN rig to moving lights. We had a chance to play with this in the BMI Studio a few months ago and were impressed. Works with MAC or PC, price is just $259.00. Congratulations to ENTTEC! Be sure to check out their other unique interface and control devices including the USB-DMX Pro, ODE Ethernet/DMX Nodes, and more.

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Rescue Tape had a booth overflowing with myriad examples of their product in use – plumbing, electrical insulation, watertight seals, hammer grips, and countless others. In case you haven’t seen it, Rescue tape is silicon based “tape” that adheres to itself and forms a permanent bond in about a minute. Amazing stuff. Coming to the BMI Supply catalog in 2010.

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Seachanger introduced a line of dichroic glass filters. These precision glass filters come preinstalled in a sleek frame with easy-grip handle for dropping into your fixtures, all for about the same price offered by other glass manufacturers (who do not include a frame). The initial offering includes Congo Blue, Deep Blue, Deep Red, Amber, Magenta, CTO (various levels), CTB (various levels), UV/IR, and Woods Glass. More color choices will likely follow. Currently available for 6.25” color frame slots.

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Ultratec FX is working on a prototype pyro module that will convert a traditional Pyroflash (two-pin base) standard pod into an updated pod that will accept their new line of squib-style Theatrical Flash effects (and other effects). This will open the door for much cleaner and brilliant effects than older Pyroflash cartridges, without completely abandoning the robust and convenient Pyroflash hardware. More details to follow in 2010!

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If you have any questions about the above items, feel free to give us a call:
BMI Supply – 1.800.836.0524
BMI Supply South – 1.800.670.4264

- Steve

Wrapping up LDI2009...

Written By: Steve Roudebush

It has been a whirlwind past few days at the LDI 2009 convention in Orlando!  We saw many interesting new products including ETC's Rigging, fresh innovations from Seachanger, oodles of truss, and of course myriad LED fixtures.

A special congrats to Prism Projection for the new Reveal Wash LED fixture which won Best Debuting Product for the lighting category!  Check out our post earlier this month and keep an eye out for product availability very soon.

We have lots more to share about the show in the coming days.  For now, goodbye from Orlando!

- Steve

ETC Enters the Rigging Market

Written By: Carl Spaulding

ETC has just released the big news for LDI 2009! They have a new automated rigging hoist and controls! The full press release can be viewed here.

BMI Supply had the opportunity to preview the product and we think it's fabulous! Be sure to stop by the ETC booth at LDI 2009 and see this new innovation first hand.

Thanks as always
Carl 11-19-2009

LDI 2009

Written By: Steve Roudebush

Good Morning!  We're off to Orlando today for LDI 2009.  We will check out the latest industry equipment, catch up with old friends, and hopefully make some new acquaintances.

In addition to walking the show floor, we will be exhibiting our TheatricalHardware.com line of innovative scenic hardware.  Please stop by and see us at booth #1205

Introducing the RevEAL Color Wash

Written By: Carl Spaulding

An old friend of ours stopped by the other day to show us the new LED fixture from Prism Projection. The RevEAL Color Wash is one of the most well engineered LED fixtures we’ve seen. The RevEAL uses 5 separate “primaries” creating a very broad spectrum of available color. The color engine uses proprietary technology to create a fully mixed beam with no color shadowing. The beam is very even and similar to a PC spotlight. The processor automatically calibrates the color to ensure consistency from one fixture to the next. The shell is primarily made of durable plastics which allow it to be lightweight (20lbs). Power consumption is a scant 180 watts. Power pass-thru makes it a simple task to stack up 13 fixtures on a single 20 amp circuit.

The images below show the beam from the RevEAL Color Wash on the left compared to a classic SeaChanger on the right.The SeaChanger was lamped with an HPL 750 and intensity was set at approximately 80% to match the colors produced by the RevEAL Color Wash.

(Click on the images to see them full size)

Red	Green	Blue

The Colors from the RevEAL Color Wash showed very well. The Red is very saturate, the blue was very strong and the greens were punchy and bright.

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And a picture of the fixture up close and personal!

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Thanks as always - Carl 11-11-2009

LEE Urban Effects Filters

Written By: Steve Roudebush

Welcome to November everyone! It has been a hectic fall here at BMI Supply. Back in September, LEE Filters launched seven (7) new gel colors under the umbrella of “Urban Effects Filters”. These are specialized filters intended for a distinct design purpose – presenting sodium streetlight/industrial color temperatures using standard theatrical or studio fixtures. Each filter was developed to work with specific source temperatures to yield a variety of strengths/types of sodium lighting effects. These will help many designers take the guesswork out of picking traditional filters to mimic an “urban” lighting look. Unlike traditional new gel color introductions (which usually consist of random colors across the spectrum), LEE has smartly addressed a niche design need. Kudos!

Why write about this now? Well, the gel is finally here in the USA! Our first order is en route from LEE in California. We’ll have stock by the middle of next week. As with all standard LEE colors, BMI Supply’s price is $5.85 per sheet.

Here are the colors in detail:

You can check out LEE’s new colors at the LEE Filters booth at LDI2009 in Orlando Nov. 20-22.

Feel free to call or email with any questions

Have a great weekend!
-Steve

RIP 120-watt BR40 Flood

Written By: Steve Roudebush

In countless theatres and auditoriums hang rows of R40 borderlights. These titans of area lighting are often lamped with a general lighting mainstay - the 120W BR40 flood lamp. As our country “goes green”, the BR family of lamps (in select wattages) is being legislated into the National Museum of Inefficiency (one might argue there are countless items that should go in such a fictitious museum ahead of BR lamps, but that’s another post…).

So, supplies of 120 BR40 Flood lamps are dwindling…and they can’t be offered for sale into certain states. Most major lamp manufacturers have ceased producing them. For owners of R40s, what are the options? Well, there are plenty, including one we’ve tested here in the BMI Studio that should suit a broad range of users and doesn’t cost twice what a BR40 did.

Let’s start with our top option:
90-watt PAR38 Wide Flood 50° 120V – Ushio – BMI Price: $4.75 each

25% lower wattage than a 120W BR40 Flood, less heat, more lumens, longer life! The primary drawback is the PAR38 lens vs. the simple frosted glass of a BR flood. Even with the wide 50° lens, the PAR38 cannot match the wide dispersion of a BR flood. The tighter control, however, may be ideal in some circumstances. Also, the PAR lens creates a more uneven pool of light compared to the BR flood. In a borderlight scenario, this is mitigated by the multiple lamp outputs blending and smoothing each other out. Light frost gel can also help smooth and widen the pool of light.

Here are key specs side-by-side:

	120W BR40 Flood 120V	90 PAR38 WFL50 120V
Watts	120 watts	90 watts
Voltage	120 volts	120 volts
Approx. Lumens	1150 lm	1300 lm
Center beam candlepower	1000 cd	1500 cd
Color temperature	~ 2750°K	~ 2925°K
Average life	2000 hours	2500 hours

We fired up the above 90W PAR38 WFL50 alongside a 120W BR40 FL here in the Studio. See the picture below (PAR on the left, BR40 flood on the right).

Note the BR40 (on the right) spreads out much faster (bright spot on the wall) and fades out towards the bottom (see bottom right corner of wall). The PAR, however, is providing better center beam brightness and overall lumen output (see even brightness along bottom of wall). Note the PAR edge streakiness, which would be reduced in a borderlight by the individual lamp compartment sides.

We used to sell the 120W BR40 Flood at $3.45 each. PAR lamps, as you might guess, are inherently more costly. But, at just $4.75 each, the 90W PAR38 WFL50 is a good value. You gain 25% improvement in longevity, 25% energy consumption savings, and 13% improvement in output.

Other options:

• 300 BR40 Flood – Oddly enough the legislation doesn’t care about much over 250-watts. So, you could actually use more energy and you’re fine. We don’t necessarily recommend that, but wanted you to know the options. Beware your dimmer capacity, however.
  
  
• Other PAR38 Lamps – There are other PAR38 flood lamps in a variety of wattages (75W, 90W, 120W, 250W, etc). However, most of these flood lamps max out at a 30° beam spread. Again, these might work for some situations, but represent less than half of the spread of a BR40 lamp. We’re happy to discuss options if you are interested.

Hope this helps! We welcome your thoughts and/or suggestions.

-Steve

LED Tech & The LIFI Source

Written By: Carl Spaulding

Mr. Rick Slaugh posed a question on our Face Book discussion forum and I’d like to open the conversation to a broader audience. Please comment and let us know your thoughts.

Rick Slaugh (York, PA) wrote:

How about lamp technology? Are you seeing any shift towards LED technology in your industry?

Carl Spaulding (Queensbury, NY) Wrote:

We are definitively seeing a move toward LED sources. With RGB and RGBA color mixing and quickly improving output these fixtures are providing a new tool in the art of lighting. The troubling part is the shortcomings of LEDs as a light source in entertainment venues. Sure LEDs are more efficient (lumens/watt) than traditional Tungsten/Halogen sources but total lumen output still has yet to catch up. Also, LED fixtures are primarily used for wash lighting since a point-source LED isn't capable of producing enough lumens for use in a traditional profile fixture. Undoubtedly manufacturers are tackling new forms of profile-type fixtures than can employ LEDs.

On a different but related note, the LIFI plasma source by Luxim produces more lumens/watt than an LED and is essentially a point source making it useful in profile fixtures. While it isn't an RGB source (so it doesn't natively provide color mixing options), the efficiency alone makes it a viable alternative. The trade-off is limited dimming capability. Unlike other discharge sources, it can be dimmed using a standard dimmer but the bottom of the curve cuts off at 20%. This hard cut doesn’t provide the kind of dimming curve we prefer in theatrical applications. The current solution has been to simply integrate some form of mechanical dimming into the fixture.

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LIFI "How It Works" Flash Animation from Luxim Corporation:

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Links to further reading on the LIFI source:

Church Production – August 2009

Robe Lighting – Robin 300 Plasma Spot

OceanOptics – SeaChanger Nemo

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Thanks as always - Carl 09-17-2009