What's happening
ETC returned to PLASA Show with several UK debuts, including MegaPix and GigaPix automated pixel wash fixtures built around ETC's patented Fresnel lens system, and the Dataflash 5000 strobe with more than 52,000 lumens of output. The stand also carried ColorSource V, Eos Apex FP and Pharos Express control options. A specialist seminar on IP ratings and outdoor fixture testing ran alongside the product launches.
Why it matters for buyers
For a retailer, venue or signage buyer, the practical effect is simple: the unit that reads on your wall at your ambient light, with your artwork, beats the one with the bigger number on the box. Specification order — distance, image size, ambient, then brightness — decides the result.
It also changes lead-time risk. Custom gobos and certified outdoor builds need briefing before the date is fixed; the projector is rarely the long pole, the artwork and certification are.
The technical angle
Cooling method decides noise and life. Fanless passive units are silent but capped in power; forced-air units go brighter and louder. For a quiet retail or wedding setting, the noise floor is part of the spec.
What to specify
Before you request a quote, lock these down:
- Lead time on a custom gobo versus a stock pattern
- Gobo material: glass for longevity and colour, metal for cheap short runs
- Throw distance from bracket to surface, measured on site — not estimated
- Ingress rating if it lives outdoors or gets washed down
