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Chauvet's ColoRADO 6 LED Washes Out the Competition

By BulbAmerica Editor

Chauvet has entered the outdoor lighting ring with their IP66 rated ColoRADO 6 wash unit and has served a veritable KO to its opponents. The 149w ColoRADO 6 features 108 one-watt LEDs, each rated at 50,000hrs each, to give the fixture its powerful light. The ColoRADO 6 is perfect for both architectural and entertainment applications. The flicker free functioning of this unit also allows it function perfectly in film and video broadcasting applications. By choosing to control the ColoRAO 6 in a stand alone mode via its on board LED controls you can leave it alone to illuminate the side of a building or a wall. Or, opt to use a controller and control your ColoRADO 6 in 3, 4, 9, or 12 channel modes. By using the dimmer and strobe features, you can introduce dynamic lighting into your wall washing, these features can all be controlled through a password protected LED display on board the ColoRADO 6 itself or via a DMX controller.


Chauvet has outfitted the Colorado 6 with two features to its sturdy construction that make it easy to use. One is that multiple ColoRADO 6 units can be easily interlocked to create a blinder, wall, or strip light effects. Secondly, the intelligently designed ColoRADO 6 can be easily rotated to adjust the angle at which it shines by using two easy to use knobs on either end of the luminaire.

BulbAmerica has ColoRADO 6 units in stock so act now and get yours today! We also stock a wide range of Chauvet’s other products to get your lighting looking great. As usual, leave comments or questions on our blog or Facebook, or give us a call at 1-877-622-0897 with any other further inquires.

By Victor Lopez | 24 November, 2014 | color, led, lighting, lights, outdoor | 0 comments | Read more

Elation's DLED PRO 36: Light Bright, Light Right

By BulbAmerica Editor

Finding a LED PAR can that is bright, durable, and can be used in both outdoor and indoor applications is no simple task. In this article I will provide an overview of Elation’s DLED 36 PRO, an indestructible LED PAR Can that will last a long time and not break the bank. The DLED 36 PRO has an ingress protection (IP) rating of 65 and features a die cast aluminum housing. The 108w DLED 36 PRO has 36 three watt LEDs to produce bright and vibrant RGB color changing and has a 15˚ lens kit with a 14˚ beam angle and a 25˚ lens kit. To get the most out of your DLED 36 Pro, you can run the DLED in stand alone, sound activated, master/slave mode, or DMX controllable mode. With a built in strobe (up to 18fps), you can easily use your DLED in DJ lighting or club settings, making this LED luminaire extremely versatile. To further increase the usability of this fixture, Elation outfitted it with a dual yoke for mounting which can also be used as a split bracket if you want to stand the DLED up for uplighting purposes.

Like many high end LED PARs, the DLED is flicker free, making it a useful light source in film production and live video broadcasting. To get the most out of your light and further customize the quality of light coming out of the DLED pro, it comes with a gel/lens frame which allows you to put an additional lens so you can further diffuse the light or change the light in some other way. The DLED weighs only 15lbs and is small enough to be easily transported, making it ideal for the DJ, theatre, or church on the go.

In my opinion you cannot go wrong with Elation’s DLED 36 Pro. Its durability and performance coupled with Elation’s commitment to excellence make it irresistible. Check it out, and also check out the other fantastic products by Elation that we offer. As always, leave a comment or question on our blog or Facebook or give us a call at 1-877-622-0897.
By Victor Lopez | 24 November, 2014 | color, led, lights, par can | 0 comments | Read more

Griven's Gobo Projectors Sends Your Logo on the Go

By BulbAmerica Editor

For outdoor projectors and color changers, there is simply no match for Griven. Griven’s gobo projectors, like their outdoor color changers, search lights, and promotional projectors are unmatched in their quality, power, and durability. The Goboclip, Gobostorm, and Gobostorm Plus gobo projectors will project your logo with unmatched brilliance will give your business the attention it deserves. Griven’s Goboclip MK3, Gobostorm, and Gobostorm Plus represent the cream of the gobo projector crop, in this article I will go through some of the key features that make Griven’s gobo projectors great.

The Goboclip comes ready to brave the elements with an IP rating of 65 and a compact and light weight aluminum with a scratch resistant grey coating that allows the Goboclip to remain inconspicuous. The 200w Goboclip uses either a 150w CDM-SA/T 150 metal halide lamp or a 150w HSD 150 metal halide lamp. There are two main differences between these two lamps, the CDM-SA/T150 has an output of 12,900lm and a color temperature 4,200K while the HSD lamp has a slightly lower light output at 12,000lm but has a cooler color temperature at 7,000K. The Goboclip zoom and focus can be adjusted manually, thus allowing you to change the beam angle from anywhere between 19° and 30°. The Goboclip can be controlled in a stand alone mode by using the electronic display at the back of the projector, or it can be used with a DMX controller. The Goboclip is designed so you can be as flexible as you want not only with regard to adjustable beam angle and method of control, but also regarding changing your glass or metal gobos. With the removal of two screws, the entire front of the projector lifts up, allowing you to easily swap in and out gobos and dichroic filters to get your projection perfect.

The 750w Gobostorm is the bigger sibling of the Goboclip. The Gobostorm uses either an MSD or MSR 575w metal halide lamp to ensure that the image being projected can been clearly and at substantial distances. The MSD 575 features a light output of 42,000lm and a color temperature of 6,000K compared to the MSR 575’s 49,000lm output and 7,200K color temperature. The MSD however, has a signficatnly longer life hour rating at 3,000hrs compared to the MSR’s 1,000 life hour rating. The Gobostorm features even more optical variability than the Goboclip with a manually adjustable beam angle of between 10° and 20° via the zoom and focus adjustment. The Gobostorm features the same IP65 rating and die cast aluminum exterior, but also an advanced convection cool system to keep the projector working its best. The Gobostorm shares with the Goboclip its control options as well as convenient and easy access for changing its dichroic filters and gobos. In addition to all of the features of the Gobostorm, the Gobostorm plus has a series on board effects including a mechanical dimmer, a strobe, and special effects (three prisms, five prisms, distortion and frost filters).

The Goboclip and Gobostorm series are among the best outdoor gobo projectors available. Their versatility and durability make them an unbeatable tool for outdoor promotions. BulbAmerica has all of Griven gobo projectors plus more! Check it out.
By Victor Lopez | 24 November, 2014 | gobo, led, lighting, lights, outdoor | 0 comments | Read more

Outdoor LED PAR Cans: Bright Light in Any Weather

By BulbAmerica Editor

Finding durable outdoor lighting with fantastic performance has always been a problem. Luckily, as LEDs are further integrated into PAR cans it seems that there has been a steady flow of weather-resistant LED PAR cans with impressive brightness and RGB color changing abilities. In this article I will review three outdoor LED PARs that I think deserve special attention for their outstanding durability and exceptional performance and features. 


Acclaim’s Rebel PRO PAR 36 is built for outdoor abuse. The fixture IP44 rated fixture is encased in a durable IP65 rated case that guarantees the long life of the fixture. Despite its sturdy aluminum casing, the PRO PAR weighs only 11lbs and is ideal for the DJ, church, or venue on the go. Acclaim’s Pro PAR is particularly well suited for outdoor television and video production because it is engineered to be flicker free and mitigate the cycling of LEDs bulbs that occurs naturally from the use of AC current. The Pro PAR also features a dual yoke and integrated floor stand for either mounting on a truss or standing on the ground. The Rebel Pro PAR features full DMX controllability in addition to an auto and manual mode that can be initiated via the Pro PAR’s LED display.

Chauvet offers the Colorado 2 PAR64 LED, a powerful and durable LED PAR64 can. The COLORAdo 2 has an IP66 rating and weighs only 20lbs, making it ideal for a mobile theatre company or church that demands a bright wash. The ColoRADO has 48 bright 2w-3w LEDs that can mix brilliant colors with or without the use of a DMX controller. One feature that I particularly like on the COLORado 2 is its variable color temperature presets (3,200K – 10,000K), this feature gives you an additional degree of control over your quality of light and therefore an additional degree control over the ambiance you are trying to create. The 11˚ beam angle coupled with the COLORado’s light intensity of 15,061lux (@ 2m) makes the COLOado a formidable PAR with an excellent and consistent wash effect.

Last, but certainly not least, is Elation’s Design LED 108IP. This color changing LED PAR can is IP65 rated and features a weatherproofed LED display and button panel at the back of the can for control in any situation. The Design LED features 36 powerful 3w LEDs, each rated at 100,000hrs of continuous bright light. The Design LED comes with a 15˚ standard beam angle in addition to optional 25˚ and 45˚beam angles kits. One interesting feature of the design LED is that it offers three distinct levels of control with 3 channel, 4 channel, and 6 channel DMX modes. This feature allows you versatility in using your Design LED while conserving channels on your controller that you may want to assign to other fixtures depending on your outdoor show’s needs.

These three outdoor LED PARs are all excellent and exemplify the latest in LED PAR can technology. For the sake of brevity I did not go into all of the features of all of these cans, but I assure you there are many more than the ones I discussed. Be sure to check out all of these LED PARs and our other outdoor LED options, you won’t be disappointed!

By Victor Lopez | 24 November, 2014 | color, colorado, led, lights, par can | 0 comments | Read more

Griven IP65 Color Changers Shine Bright No Matter What the Weather

By BulbAmerica Editor

Griven is the recognized world leader in color changers, their line of IP65 outdoor color changers is no exception. The ingress protection (IP) ratings measure a device’s ability to resist the entry of different size solid objects and amounts of liquid. A rating of 65 means that Griven’s outdoor color changers are pretty much impermeable and can be placed in any outdoor environment with no performance deterioration. The Colosseo OS CYM 1000 and the Griven Coloseo OS CYM 1000 HFT (built in wireless transmitter version) are two of Griven’s best IP65 color changers and have been used to light up some of the world’s largest and most impressive structures.

The Colosseo OS CYM 1000 line is seriously powerful; its HQI-TS metal halide lamp produces an amazing 90,000lm at 1,000w. The OS CYM 1000 changers have 3 DMX channels and are fully controllable in stand alone or in master/slave configuration. Griven offers the option of a built in wireless DMX receiver. This is handy because the OS CYM 1000 line is extremely versatile and can be mounted literally anywhere and therefore direct cable connectivity would prove cumbersome. The OS CYM 1000 series comes with the option an IP65 rated universal controller to make sure that not only your color changers can survive the elements, but your controller can too.

The OS CYM 1000 line’s color options are just as versatile as the fixture is itself. Its step motor powered CYM color changer can achieve virtually any color through the mixing of magenta, cyan, and yellow dichroic filters. In addition to nearly limitless colors, the OS CYM 1000s have a built in black out that functions by the closing of all the dichoric filters. The DMX controllable black-out and can be used as another lighting effect for the OS CYM. The Standard beam angle for the OS CYM 1000 and OS CYM 1000 HFT is 35˚ with the option of a 29˚ and 49˚ filter.

If large-scale, long-term, out door color changing lighting is on your horizon then the Given OS CYM 1000 line is the best choice for you. Draw attention to your hotel or nightclub and you won’t be disappointed by the increased attention your business gets thanks to the Griven OS CYM 1000s. The Griven Colosseo line are not the only IP65 color changers they offer, be sure to check out their entire line on our website right now!
By Victor Lopez | 24 November, 2014 | color, led, outdoor, projector, promotional | 0 comments | Read more

Griven Promotional Projectors Bring Your Venue To Life

By BulbAmerica Editor

Promotional projectors are great for projecting images on buildings or most other surfaces for your trade show, outdoor or indoor event, exhibitions, or concerts. They are a great way to advertise and get people excited about your attraction on a large scale. Promotional projectors are typically powered by powerful high intensity discharge lamps (HID). The Griven Pro-Motion 1200 projector uses either a 1,200w Osram HSR bulb or a 1,200w Philips MSR bulb. Both bulbs are metal halide based with life hour ratings of 1,000 hours and 800 hours respectively. The Pro Motion 1200’s big brother, the Pro-Motion 2000 uses a 1,800w 160,000lm HTI lamp, which is known for its power and brilliant light. Aside from the difference in lamp, the Pro-Motion 2000 features a 9fps strobe and blackout which the 1200 lacks.

Griven offers a wide range of products to maximize the efficacy and tailor your Pro-Motion 1200 or Pro-Motion 2000 to your needs. To add further color capabilities to your promotional lighting try Griven’s Pro-Motion color-changer. For the Pro-Motion 1200, you can install the Griven film scroller module for 6cm X 7cm film, allowing you to feature film strips in your outdoor or indoor projection. There are also numerous lens options, from the Pro-Motion slide zoom to Pro-Motion narrow beam lenses, Griven provides you with what you need to change the quality and size of the projected image quickly and precisely. Griven has numerous modules for both Pro-Motion projector models, allowing you nearly endless projection possibilities. Check them all out today!
By Victor Lopez | 21 November, 2014 | led, outdoor, projector, promotional | 0 comments | Read more

Outdoor Color Changers: Lighting Up Where You Need Them

By BulbAmerica Editor

Color changers today are capable of illuminating some of the world’s largest structures in vibrant light. In recent years the pyramids of Giza and the Eiffel Tower have been bathed in rich light and saturated colors. Even more amazing, is that Griven, one of the world’s chief suppliers of outdoor color changers has been behind most of these vast lighting projects. The Griven MK3 Kolorado and MK4 Kolorado color changer series are some of the most popular lines of outdoor color changers. Eighty MK3 Kolorado 2500s were used to illuminate the pyramids of Giza in aspectacular display of pink, green, magenta, and blue.

The 2,500w MK3 2500 produces an awesome 240,000 to 260,000 lumens with a beam angle of 62°. You have the option of a narrow lens and wide B-hive lens to give you more beam angle flexibility. The narrow lens has a 34° beam angle and the B-hive a 93° beam angle. The color changer’s luminosity and spread allow its light to cover large structures with flat, even, and rich color. The MK3 2500 uses a 2,500w hydrargyrum medium-arc iodide (HMI) lamp, and is more powerful than its 1,800w predecessor, the MK3 1800. The MK3 2500’s power is matched by its versatility. The color changer features a powerful mechanical strobe as well as separable ballast that can function up to 25m from the lamp. This means that the color changer can be hung, or placed in a space where weight and fixture size are a concern.

All of Griven’s Kolorado series color changers have an IP rating of 44, making them suitable for almost every outdoor environment. The Kolorado color changers all feature an aluminum and galvanized steel body, coated with black epoxy powder to ensure that their housing protects the powerful lighting and electronics inside. The power and durability of the MK3 2500, and the Kolorado color changers in general, make them one of the most popular choices in outdoor color changers. It is for these reasons that when one of the world’s largest structures needs to be illuminated, lighting designers turn to Griven.

We stock all of the Kolorado color changers, check them out now!
By Victor Lopez | 21 November, 2014 | color changer, kolorado, lights, outdoor | 0 comments | Read more

LEDs Make a Splash in Pool and Poolside Lighting

By BulbAmerica Editor

The summer has arrived and once more the swimming pool has probably become a prominent location at your home or business. Swimming pools are naturally illuminated during the day, however at night they are often left unlit. With the proper lighting, the swimming pool can be an attractive evening lighting attraction. Optima’s brand new 17w PAR56 RGB color mixing LED lamp is designed specifically for swimming pools and is an outstanding lighting option. The PAR56 LED has 252 LED bulbs and four color changing patterns to turn your pool into an oasis of light and color: a single color change mode, a switching color change mode, a fading color change mode, and solid color mode. These modes can be controlled with an easy-to-use RF remote control, allowing you to regularly change your swimming pool’s look. Like all LEDs, Optima’s PAR56 LED has a long lifespan at 20,000 rated hours. If there is a lip above the water in your pool, you can use a LED strip light to add a band of light around the edge of your pool. Optima offers numerous RGB waterproof strip light packages. These strip lights are protected with a silicon coating and come in 150 LED bulb and 350 LED bulb versions.

Illuminating the pool itself is one way to add flair to your night time home lighting. Lighting the area around the pool is another way to add dimension depth to your pool area. If you have plants, statues, or rock arrangements surrounding your pool area, draw attention to them using uplighting. LEDs are great for uplighting and come in a variety of colors.MR16s are also a good choice for uplighting given their concentrated beam. You may want to surround your pool with electric lanterns or torches. Cold cathode compact fluorescent bulbs and LED bulbs are good choice in these applications given their durability and long life. Lanterns and torches often house the bulb in either a clear glass housing or a frosted glass housing. For the most appealing light in a lantern application, you will want to match a clear glass lantern with a clear glass bulb and a frosted lantern with a frosted bulb. Lanterns and torches, in addition to providing attractive lighting, make your pool area safer for your family and friends or patrons of your business.

Your pool and pool area should not be left in the dark as the sun goes down. There are numerous bulbs available for the lighting of your pool area. The basic considerations you should make in selecting a bulb are whether or not the bulb will be long lasting and durable in an outdoor setting, and how the bulb will perform in the specific application you envision for it.
By Victor Lopez | 21 November, 2014 | light, par, par56, par56 pool, waterproof | 0 comments | Read more

Ushio's Synergie LED MR16s: Sometimes It's Easy Being Green

By BulbAmerica Editor

When it comes to quality LED light bulbs, few manufacturers can beat Ushio. Ushio’s Synergie LED MR16 series represents the culmination technological innovation and a commitment to environmentally friendly retrofits for incandescent and halogen bulbs. The 4w Synergie series LED MR16s are a low wattage replacement for 20w-25w halogen MR16s. The Synergie MR16s feature three powerful LEDs, each of which is rated at 50,000hrs for long lasting lighting. Unlike some LED MR16s, the Synergie bulbs are available in a wide range of color temperatures from warm (3,100K) to cool (6,500K), giving you a degree of flexibility that is not often found among LED retrofits. The Synergie series LED MR16s also feature good CRI, ranging from 70 CRI to 80 CRI, making them a viable choice for display lighting applications. In order to give you as much versatility as possible, Ushio’s Synergie MR16s are available in every beam type from spot to wide flood, making these bulbs that much more useful.

Of course, the Synergie bulbs have a hefty price tag at nearly $62.00. Though this price seems steep, don’t forget that the amount you save on energy costs and replacement bulbs will repay the upfront cost of the bulb itself. Also, remember, that with a new technology, often purchasing the product of the high end and high cost brand is the only way to assure a quality product. Ushio's Synergie products confirm this argument. Their excellent construction and satisfaction of rigorous industry standards like California’s Title 24 regulations means that these products carry with them all of the advantages that come with LEDs, rather than cheap technology and construction that compromises LEDs’ benefits.

BulbAmerica carries the entire Synergie line as well as many of Ushio’s other products. In addition to Ushio’s products, we stock only the highest quality LED products. As usual, leave a comment or question on our blog or Facebook or give us a ring with any further questions at 1-877-622-0897.
By Victor Lopez | 21 November, 2014 | led, lights, mr16, synergie, synergy, ushio | 0 comments | Read more

LED MR16s: A Green Light for Display Lighting

By BulbAmerica Editor

MR16s are among the most popular bulbs for medium to low intensity directional lighting. From retail lighting applications, to art galleries, and to your very own kitchen, MR16s are a popular choice for giving whatever you are displaying the attention it deserves. Like nearly every other type of light bulb, LEDs are being integrated into traditional incandescent bulbs, in this case MR16s, in order to give you a more environmentally friendly lighting option. Today, LED MR16s are available in every color temperature from extremely warm to extremely cool to give you the flexibility that comes with traditional halogen MR16s. There is no doubt that by using LED MR16s you are saving considerably with regard to energy draw. Halogen MR16s draw anywhere from under 10w to more than 300w, compared to the 1.7w to 6w range of LED MR16s. But one seriously considering LED MR16s should understand that though LEDs are powerful, they do not typically match the output of halogen MR16s. This is not to say that you should not use LED MR16s, but rather you should be strategic in your use of them. This is also not to say that all LED MR16s are incapable of matching halogen MR16 output, rather one should be mindful that sometimes light output is not equivalent across bulb types. LED MR16s offered in the bases typical of incandescent MR16s including G9.5, GU10, GU5.3 2-pin, GX5.3 2-pin, and screw in bases for LED JDR MR16s. LED MR16s therefore offer the same fixture flexibility that you currently have with halogen MR16s.

There are two unique advantages of LED MR16s over traditional halogens. Some LED MR16s come in colored versions, allowing you add a colorful dimension to your displaying. Colored MR16s, such as Platinum's RGB color changing MR16s, are ideal in retail applications where you want to draw special attention to certain products. Furthermore, LED MR16s produce close to no heat unlike halogen MRs which get extremely hot. This means that your LED MR16s can be placed closer to whatever it is you are illuminating in order to get the most out of your light source and a more concentrated, focused beam.

Make BulbAmerica your one stop shop for MR16s. Not only do we have LED MR16s and halogen MR16s, but we also have MR11s, MR13s, MR14s, JDR MR16s, and more. As usual, write us on our blog or our Facebook page, or call us at 1-877-622-0897 with any questions or comments you have.
By Victor Lopez | 21 November, 2014 | bulb, halogen, jdr, led, lights, mr16 | 0 comments | Read more
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