Selected Lighting System Design Projects

NBC Studio 6B, New York (completed January 2014)

Complete studio renovation, anticipating the arrival of the Tonight show with Jimmy Fallon. New Grid and connector strips installed, More dimmers added. Three ETC EOS Ti consoles installed. System designed to conventional incandesent fixtures. Network and data distribution infrastructure improved to allow full use of LED fixtures. Ultimately, it was decided that this would be the first All-LED production at 30 Rock.

NBC Studio 6A, New York (completed May 2008)

New Grid and connector strips installed, dimmers added. Network infrastructure improved. Two ETC EOS Ti consoles installed.

NBC Studio 8G, New York (completed May 2005)

In the second major modification of this very active studio the counterweight fly system was replaced with a fixed grid. The Obsession networking system was upgraded to UTP from Thinnet. And ETC Net2 EDMX nodes were installed.

WNBC Studio 6B, New York (completed February 2003)

This second largest studio at Rockefeller Plaza, at the time used by WNBC-TV for Local News. The aging manual winched pipe system was replaced with a new 4' x 4' lighting grid at 18'6" high. A complete new lighting system was installed, including 50-amp dimmers, 20-amp dimmers and Ethernet based DMX distribution. Two ETC Obsession II consoles, the second as back-up, provide control.

NBC Studio 3A, New York (completed September 1999)

This complete renotation combined the original studio, 3A, with adjacent office space to form a bigger facility. The new studio now measures 44 by 73 feet. Overhead structure and HVAC ducting were redesigned to allow a new 4' x 4' lighting grid to locate at 16 feet, more than two feet higher than before. A complete new lighting system was installed, including 66 50-amp dimmers, 598 20-amp dimmers and DMX distribution. Two ETC Obsession II consoles, the second as back-up, provide control for conventional and moving lights. Full networking enables an additional remote console to operate from the studio floor and provide console display at lighting director stations in the four NBC News control rooms. Click Here for Details

NBC Studio 3C , New York (for NBC Nightly News) (completed August 1999)

Obsession I consoles and lighting networking installed.

Bayard Rustin High School for the Humanities Auditorium, New York (completed September 1999)

The beautiful murals in this Chelsea neighborhood school auditorium were created by WPA artists in the 1930's. It is now a interior architectural landmark. A new lighting system and rigging renovation was undertaken under the auspices of PENCIL, Public Education Needs Civic Involvement in Learning.

NBC Studio 3K, New York(completed August 1997)

New connector strips with 480-20amp and 96-50amp Dimmers were installed. Two ETC Obsession I consoles control the new Sensor AF Dimmers.

Bronx High School of Science Auditorium (project awaiting funding)

It is appropriate that this renowned science high school is proud of it's very early electronic dimming system. The early Izenour preset console with thyratron tube dimmers was installed by Century Lighting in the early 1960's. This historic antique will be preserved after it is replaced by a new state of the art system.

NBC Studio 8H, New York (completed September 1997)

NBC-NY's largest and most historic studio was the home of the NBC Symphony conducted by Arturo Toscanini in the '40s and '50s and is now the home of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. All lighting and rigging elements were replaced. Click Here for Details

NBC Studio 8G, New York (completed September 1994)

Existing counterweight lineset lighting pipes were renovated with new connector strips. 484-20amp and 78-50amp Sensor AF dimmers, two ETC Obsession I consoles and DMX distribution were installed. In September 1998 production demands were met by upgrading consoles to Obsession II and doubling available power.

NBC Studio 6A, New York (completed August 1993)

The total number of dimmers were nearly doubled to 470 at 20amp and 81 at 50amp, by the installation of additional pipes, connector strips and all new Sensor Dimmers. Obsession I consoles were installed. (Upgraded to Obsession II in July '99) 

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NBC STUDIO 3A - 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City Completed September 1999

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NBC STUDIO 8H - 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City Completed September 1997
CLICK ON ARROW FOR PHOTO - More details Below

Studio 8H - Click On Arrow for Photo

Dimensions:
130x76 - 9886 sq. ft.
Height to Grid 26'-0"
Max. Clearance under pipes 23'-6"

Rigging System
The studio is equipped with counterweight linesets.
From South to North, the studio is transversed by 31 electric pipe sets alternating with 28 production pipe sets.
Each electric pipe set is split into three pipes labeled Near, Center and Far in relation to the locking rail on the West wall.
Each production pipe set is split into two pipes labeled Near, and Far in relation to the locking rail on the West Wall.

Lighting System
1020 permanent outlets connected to ETC Sensor AF dimmers were provided in the following distribution;

Dimmer Type

On Battens

On Wall Boxes

Total

20 amp

745

75

820

50 amp

118

56

174

100 amp

8

18

26

Two ETC Obsession II Consoles operate in the lighting control room. A remote console provides control from the studio floor. The second Obsession console was provided as a fully independent back-up. Additional CRT displays are provided in the control room and on the studio floor.
32 DMX outlets were provided on the grid for the control of moving lights, color scrollers, additional dimmers etc. Distribution of DMX is accomplished by a matrix cross connect system.
Two architectural dimmer racks provide 12 additional dimmed circuits for remote shots in the hallway outside the studio and within the main control room.
Additional 3 x 2kw and 6 x 1kw dimmer packs were provided for temporary additional dimmed circuits in the studio or mounted on scenic units.
Dedicated main power transformers raise input voltage to the dimmers. The output is regulated by the dimmer to insure 120 volts at each pigtail, near or far. These transformers also insure isolation of nearby office power panels from any harmonics generated by the operation of this large number of dimmers.

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