RETRO Box – lighting system case study
Project Description
With the aim of developing, designing and manufacturing a range of transportable LED light rigs for pubs, clubs, discos, hotels, exhibitions and other applications, Studio 2 Lighting have created this impressive system using InStyle LED products and a lot of imagination.
Appropriately christened the RETRO Box, this bespoke cabinet unit is lit by InStyle’s 24V commercial-grade RGB LED tape. The lights are driven by our Meanwell-branded 240V transformers. A Neo DMX controller, running Madrix software, is used to manage the system.
LEDs go Back to the Future with RETRO
Each RETRO Box uses seven RGB channels (plus one spare), with its own power supply & decoder. Every unit is independent – allowing multiple boxes to be configured and controlled together using DMX, vertically or horizontally.
Dave chose InStyle’s commercial grade RGB LED tape after rigorous research and testing. “InStyle were the best product and quality on the market with a genuine backup guarantee of 2 years,” he says. “Imported LEDs were not suitable. Although very very cheap [they’re also] very very poor and no guarantee – buy cheap, get cheap!”
The combination of high-end construction skills and top-quality InStyle LED strips, all brought together with imagination and a flare for design, fills a significant gap in the equipment / hire marketplace for smaller venues and entertainers. Rather than wrangling oversize LED light shows intended for large night clubs, Studio 2 have made a smaller system and boxed it!
Dave Basford is a traditional joiner and the brains behind the project. Inspired by his own early days as a DJ in pubs and clubs around Plymouth, he applied his electrical experience, joinery know-how and spray-finishes technique to build this concept lighting-system. The end result is designed with the mobile DJ market squarely in mind.
You can see more of Dave’s work on his website.
Extraordinary Lighting Effects with MADRIX
To program and control the Retro Box’s lighting, Dave used MADRIX software.
The MADRIX range offers feature-rich and intuitive control for large and/or complex LED displays. It can be used alone, or along with any DMX/MIDI console, providing a seamless integration of both software and hardware and high performance.
Check out this amazing MADRIX showcase video, including the Retro Box!