Lighting Industry Celebrates April Fools' Day

If you and all those you're around today are completely humorless (or you've been on a gig lasting 17 hours and forgot what day it is), you may have missed out on the fact that it was April 1st today, better known as "April Fools' Day".

As the hard hitting journalistic blog that we are, we scoured the internet for literally minutes looking up the origins of this special day.  Our sources (Wikipedia, mostly, and one random blog clicked on by accident), informed us that while Chaucer's Canterbury Tales of 1392 is the earliest recorded association between foolishness and April 1st, no one really seems to know why on earth we participate in this ritual of misdirection.  But when one of your friends falls for something obviously fake and you get to enjoy their embarrassment, does it really matter why?  We don't think so either.

With that said, let's move on to the best pranks and lies from around the industry today!

To kick things off, Dr. DMX Doug Fleenor made his annual new product announcement.  This year's addition to his lineup?  The "PBG to XLR-5 Adapter"

Here's our favorite excerpt from the Data Sheet:

Doug Fleenor Design has done extensive testing on the use of PBG cords for DMX512 signals. The longest test was of twenty (20) 100' 16 gauge orange extension cords with molded ends, strung end to end, to form a 2000' DMX512 run. Not only did the DMX signal accurately control a dimmer at the end of the cable, the signal looked surprisingly good when viewed on an oscilloscope¹. Doug Fleenor Design has also attempted to run DMX512 on barbed fence wire with mixed results. Preliminary supposition is that the electric fence charger, also connected to the barbed wire, may have interfered with the signal.

Next up, Robe previewed a new product with an ability that literally no other product in the lighting industry is offering: darkness.

"The Darkener" produces black light which makes things...well, dark.  We wish a few well placed testimonials of LDs using this fixture to remove annoying acts from the stage show were included.

Last but far from least, the folks at ETC not only delivered a new product as well, but a well-produced product video showcasing its features.  The "ScentFourAromaEngine" is an add-on for any ETC fixture that produces an array of odors.  The most exciting possibility here in our opinion would be mixing the smell of burnt gel with the smell of fear.

Which April Fools' product announcement was your favorite?  Vote in our poll in the sidebar on the right!