So i’ve got bored of the flickering birdie transformers, the plugs that are almost as big as the lamps, and the socca spider on the front of the stage just to get a bit of nice looking foot light.
Behold the LED Birdie.
Powered from your 24V scroller PSU, the birdie has a 4 pin XLR in and out (just like a scroller) so you can loop them together with your existing 4pin scroller cable. Inside is a tiny DMX decoder and LED dimmer. The birdie takes one of the new 12V MR16 high-power LED Lamps. Addressing is set with a single switch (operated by paper clip) – Set the channel and only that channel to be used 50% or more on your console or DMX tester and press the button. Done!
Depending on your PSU, you should be able to run a fairly serious amount on one line, due to the tiny current requirements.
I will be using these this summer with a car battery instead of a scroller PSU, for a bit of mains free dimmable, easily controllable light.
These are some photos of the first run of birdies. They were used to light Goat and Monkeys ‘The Seed’ project in a yurt in Wakehurst Place Gardens, East Sussex.