LEDs, dimming, and beyond: ETC Introduces Sensor3 Power Control

ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc.) is ushering in a new product era with the introduction of its Sensor3 Power Control, the company reports. ETC's Sensor brand is behind the scenes of entertainment-lighting venues worldwide, known for workhorse dimming.

"We've developed a power system that handles the latest fixture loads on the market and those yet to come because entertainment lighting is changing faster than ever. Theatres are now pursuing hybrid lighting rigs, mixing conventional tungsten fixtures, arc light sources, and new solid-state fixtures," says ETC product manager Jake Dunnum. "Our new Sensor3 ThruPower modules are the key for existing and new theaters to be able to add LEDs as a prominent tool into their lighting-design toolbox."

The ThruPower three-in-one module switches freely between constant power, on/off switching with air-gap relays, and dimming for all lighting loads. And since ThruPower bypass includes dimmers and relays, there's no need to change out modules, the company says.

"We also considered creating a whole new rack design but wanted to maintain compatibility for our existing customers. So Sensor3 installation racks have a new look and color but are backward compatible," says Dunnum.

The Sensor3 Power Control System tightly integrates with ETC lighting consoles. Not only do technicians have instant access to system and circuit status, they can shift between dimmable and non-dim operation, update curves, change minimum or maximum output voltages, set preheats, activate backup looks, and record loads, asserts the company. Net3 means any ACN-based software or remote console can be seamlessly integrated into the Sensor3 system.

ETC's high performance CEM3 is the powerful platform for Sensor3 Power Control, offering 16-bit fade resolution and advanced curve adjustments for tuning fades across load types. Its backlit graphical display, one-button operation, number-pad for circuit entry, and other shortcut features make adjustments to the power rack easy, reducing setup time and simplifying the rig-check process, says the company.

Lighting systems can never have too much backup: CEM3 provides immunity to power-line disturbances like voltage and frequency fluctuations. Sensor3's RideThru and BatteryPack options ensure power to the controller during outages. Plus the system configuration is backed up on the rack's backplane for zero-configuration controller replacements. "Sensor3 Power Control was designed to adapt to change. It is ideal for professional theaters, broadcast studios, concert and performance halls - whether new design or retrofits," says Dunnum.