Ocean Optics - a Halma PR news blog

CYMG color changers’ dichroic filter technology withstands temperatures where traditional gels melt

Dunedin, Florida (November 20, 2007) – Already a popular choice for theater and stage lighting, the SeaChanger xG Color Engine from Ocean Optics is now making waves in the architectural design community in an installation at the SAIC campus in McLean Virginia.  The CYMG color changer for ETC Source Four Ellipsoidal Spotlights uses robust dichroic filter technology, which requires no cooling, to create a virtually endless palette of stable, reproducible colors that do not shift or fade with time or temperature.

The main building of SAIC’s Virginia campus features a dramatic multi-story steel entrance.  The soaring grid of metal work is highlighted at night by shifting colored lights.  For the first year of the display, the architectural feature was lit by ETC Source Four Spotlights paired with traditional gel scrollers.  However, this configuration required constant maintenance as the lights overheated and melted the gels. 

With the help of lighting equipment experts Barbizon Capitol, SAIC went looking for a new architectural lighting solution.  “The challenges this space presented were its size and use requirements,” explained Tom Morris, SeaChanger Sales Specialist. “They needed a powerful light source to illuminate the large, multi-story space, which could also operate for eight hours per night without overheating.  The Source 4 and SeaChanger combination was the ideal solution.”

SAIC runs the eight SeaChangers and white Source Four 750 watt fixtures on an ETC Unison rack.  A timed event runs from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week, bathing the building in a continually shifting assortment of colors.

The SeaChanger’s dichroic filters provide higher transmission efficiency than gels and other filter materials, and their resistance to temperature and humidity means they stay cool, without noisy cooling fans.  The SeaChanger employs four patterned filters: cyan, yellow, magenta and a neutral density (dimmer) filter.  Users can configure filters in up to 4 billion combinations to create a nearly infinite variety of colors, from delicate pastels to deep, saturated primaries.  The xG model’s novel “Extreme Green” filter combines with the CYM color wheels to produce hexachromic colors, expanding the available gamut to include deeper reds, blues and greens.

The SeaChanger installs quickly and easily without tools.  The lightweight unit incorporates an internal power supply and 6-channel DMX controller and integrates easily in multiple architectural settings including corporate, school, museum and recreation venues.  It supports the Remote Device Management protocol and can be programmed for stand-alone operation. 

For more information on SeaChanger, contact Tom Morris at 727.545.0741 or SeaChanger@OceanOptics.com, or visit the product website at www.SeaChangerOnline.com. SeaChanger is also available through a network of theatrical lighting distributors.

Company expands R&D department to include specialist in Photonics, Optics and Laser Technology

Dunedin, Florida (November 12, 2007) – Ocean Optics, the industry leader in miniature photonics, has appointed Hwan Kim, Ph.D. as the company’s new Optical Research Scientist.

Dr. Kim comes to Ocean Optics with an extensive background in photonics, optics and lasers with both theoretical and practical experience.  In his new role at Ocean Optics he will focus on characterizing and supporting the company’s existing products while helping to develop the next generation of optical measurement technologies.

A Ph.D. graduate of Optical Physics from the School of Optics/CREOL at the University of Central Florida, Dr. Kim earned his Masters of Science and Bachelors of Science from Pusan National University in South Korea.