Cheap uplighting...?

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IceBurghDJ

IceBurghDJ

DJ Extraordinaire
Apr 17, 2015
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Western Pennsylvania
iceburghdj.com
I've offered uplighting on my website, don't 'sell' it to every bride as I don't have lights. Had 3 inquiries in 4 years, quoted a price (i can rent them) and no takers. So far this year I've had 3 inquiries...

SO, I'm thinking of trying cheap uplighting - 110v no battery (cost mostly), IR remote to make it easy for programming.

I see some 'missyee' brand (? LOL) stuff on amazon. I've bought cheap chinese movers and one went DOA on second use, they replaced it under warranty, so I'm willing to try cheap chinese. figure buy 12 so I have 10 working and 2 backups.

I'll do them at a few weddings to get pictures then put that on my website and push them harder. Should I get enough business I'll go for the battery/wireless DMX kind.

So they offer a number of different 'models' I guess you could say.

This is what I"m thinking...but don't know (never having used LED uplighting) how one is better than another?
36 X 1W RGB, $25 ea

18 RGB Led $23 ea..half the LED's so have the brightness...does it matter? (how bright do you need?)



18 X 3W LED DJ Par Lights 54W RGB PAR64- $15 ea

Amazon.com: XPC 18 X 3W LED DJ Par Lights 54W RGB PAR64 DMX512 For Stage Party Show Dj Stage Lights for Birthday Party stage lights (8Pack) (8PCS): Musical Instruments

Buy XPC 18 X 3W LED DJ Par Lights 54W RGB PAR64 DMX512 For Stage Party Show Dj Stage Lights for Birthday Party stage lights (8Pack) (8PCS): Stage Lights - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

Or is there something else you recommend?
Yes, I know chinese can be cheap. If an uplight dies it's not the end of the world. I've had chauvet and venue units die too. Only have 2 ADJ items, seem to be OK and more solid than chauvet.
 
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You're not gonna get good color blending on these, and if anyone asks for an amber or something like a pastel color, you're gonna get very poor results. If they want a blue or fuschia or pink, that's different, but the more popular colors like golds, ambers, blush pinks... not gonna happen. You don't get inquiries because you don't showcase it... so the one's that want it wont even look at your page to begin with. I'd look on ebay for something like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/120W-RGBWA...hash=item3b3fe0f6eb:m:mLG8g_J4QvyD_A3SB6mDULw an 8pc can be as little as $40 each. I'd go for battery units, but its your call.
 
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IceBurghDJ said:
so the WA part is gonna be necessary, huh? Seems to up the price 30-40%...but I get it.

I'll do some looking.

Anyone dealwith Ali-baba? I've heard you can negotiate with them...may depend on quantity.
Click to expand...
Yes you can get quantity pricing. You can also negotiate on ebay as many have best offer options... and are typically the same dealers as alibaba. As mentioned it's not jsut the WA aspect... its the design overall and the color blending. The units you showed have individual and separate r g b leds... whereas the ones I showed have the leds combined through a single optics lens making the mixture better, as well as having dedicated wa leds. Personally I only use rgbw as I can create great ambers and golds with the uplights I have. The link I showed has different options... rgbw rgbaw and rgbaw+UV.
 
Im buying these with my Tax return...gonna get like 16 of them.... the price is right and they seem to be solid

www.ebay.com

10 Rockville RockWedge LED RGBWA+UV Rechargeable Battery Wireless DMX Lights+Bag | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 10 Rockville RockWedge LED RGBWA+UV Rechargeable Battery Wireless DMX Lights+Bag at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
www.ebay.com

I agree with Taso...you have to show them what they are missing.... before and after photos are a MUST! ...once they see the drastic difference they will jump

cc
 
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I'm a big fan of the 9X18 chinese lights. They're roughly $100 each and were a big step up over my Chauvet Slimpar 56s. That said, I bought a handful of blacklight fixtures (which look a lot like the ones you're looking at) and was surprised at just how good they were. They're very cheaply made (all plastic), but I'd probably say they're still better than the Slimpars. $300 puts you in a dozen, and that's certainly low risk. I will agree with what some others here have said; you need some before/after pics. I'd also suggest you give it away on a few events, especially in a nicer-looking room where the uplighting will make more of a difference. I think you'll find they start selling pretty easily, once you have the pics to show them.
 
Brides know cheap lighting when they see it.

If you don't have the demand, don't invest. Keep renting.

And I would NEVER EVER EVER use non-battery powered up lighting.
 
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I've stopped using the cheap Chinese lights. NYE I was doing a party using two of them to accent my speakers. Halfway through the party I started smelling and seeing smoke come from one of the lights. I immediately unplugged both and just relied on my ADJ lights for the rest of the night. It could have been a fluke but I won't risk using them anymore. They look exactly like the lights in the original post.
 
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I've been using these lights since 2014: https://www.ebay.com/itm/9-10W-RGBW...=26439963097970adfc8f6fc243a7a6b741a6b29c8ec0

While many have stopped holding a charge, they are relatively cheap to replace. I mustve bought nearly 100 of them in the last 6 yrs (I bought 25 that had a slightly different design that I sold in 2017 for $1000). I bring 40 to my events, and replace about 2-4 a year. I never had any other issue besides bad batteries though.
 
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Better to rent at this point.
If you are getting more inquiries, that is a good sign.
But think about making some money off of rented cans...
and put the money aside to purchase your own should the inquiries continue.

And yes....go with battery powered.
Not all venues have outlets where you need them.

Buying RIGHT NOW forces you to go cheap...which obviously has it's drawbacks...
and at this point, there is no guarantee that the interest in uplights will continue.
 
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Ausumm said:
Better to rent at this point.
If you are getting more inquiries, that is a good sign.
But think about making some money off of rented cans...
and put the money aside to purchase your own should the inquiries continue.

And yes....go with battery powered.
Not all venues have outlets where you need them.

Buying RIGHT NOW forces you to go cheap...which obviously has it's drawbacks...
and at this point, there is no guarantee that the interest in uplights will continue.
Click to expand...
I won't disagree with renting, but make sure the source is good, and the capabilities of the lights are to the standard you want them to be should you want to continue offering the service. Mike makes an interesting comment about interest in lighting continuing. I find it interesting, because my experience has been one where nearly 2/3 of events are adding it on... and it's from 2 different perspectives. One is the sweet 16 that is looking to add it to give the club vibe with crazy color control capabilities. Weddings though... they don't care for that as much, and the trends are shifting away from color changing/loud saturated colors etc. Now I'm getting asked more for whites, ivory's, gold's, blush pinks, and ambers. This is why I was pointing to the lights I mentioned before... the ones given originally can't create those colors.

This photo below is one of my current favorites because it showcase modern and elegance in one, and is currently what a lot of my future brides are looking for. It's an ivory color I created so things don't look ghost white and in my conversations with perspective couples it has been one of my more talked about photos that I showcase to them.
1581110598988.png
 
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I agree .. Get a RGBW (better pastels) or RGBA (better ivory-golds) fixture at minimum ... RGBAW would cover most wedding needs .. RGBAWV is useful for making purples that pop, and of course mild blaclighting, but no one has asked for either of late around the room (I have a UV bar for the dancefloor only). And stick with the 4-in-1, 5-in-1, 6-in-1 LEDs, since the OP's posted fixtures will have a lot of haloing on mixed colors due to the distance between colors.

My standard uplights are Blizzard Q12A (RGBA), though the battery powered Rockwedges are RGBAWV. I also agree with whoever said go battery .. it makes it Sooooo much easier to place.
 
I found these - look like the chauvet at half the price...

www.rockvilleaudio.com

(8) Rockville RockWedge LED RGBWA+UV Rechargeable Wireless DMX DJ Par Up-Lights

Buy the top audio gear manufacturer direct - All purchases have a 90 day money back guarantee including return shipping
www.rockvilleaudio.com www.rockvilleaudio.com

And then this - again, looks the same at yet again half the price...

Bothlighting Wedge Battery 3x18w Wireless Rgbwa+uv Wedding Party Dj Lights Stage Bar Wireless Uplights With Case - Buy Wireless Uplights With Case,Uplights,Party Dj Wedding Light Product on Alibaba.com

Bothlighting Wedge Battery 3x18w Wireless Rgbwa+uv Wedding Party Dj Lights Stage Bar Wireless Uplights With Case - Buy Wireless Uplights With Case,Uplights,Party Dj Wedding Light Product on Alibaba.com
www.alibaba.com
 
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IceBurghDJ said:
I found these - look like the chauvet at half the price...

www.rockvilleaudio.com

(8) Rockville RockWedge LED RGBWA+UV Rechargeable Wireless DMX DJ Par Up-Lights

Buy the top audio gear manufacturer direct - All purchases have a 90 day money back guarantee including return shipping
www.rockvilleaudio.com www.rockvilleaudio.com

And then this - again, looks the same at yet again half the price...

Bothlighting Wedge Battery 3x18w Wireless Rgbwa+uv Wedding Party Dj Lights Stage Bar Wireless Uplights With Case - Buy Wireless Uplights With Case,Uplights,Party Dj Wedding Light Product on Alibaba.com

Bothlighting Wedge Battery 3x18w Wireless Rgbwa+uv Wedding Party Dj Lights Stage Bar Wireless Uplights With Case - Buy Wireless Uplights With Case,Uplights,Party Dj Wedding Light Product on Alibaba.com
www.alibaba.com
Click to expand...
As mentioned, I have the Rockville Rockwedges .. great value for $100 each. Not as bright as the larger units though, so you have to factor in need ...

Rockwedges in action ..

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhGwdUtjhKc
 
I like them. Seems like a fairly reasonable price to get started, and teh control...I like that. I have the MydmxGO so could control these separate from my other lights.

Physically how big are they? How many fit in a box like this? I use my car and have a box like this for lighting, can easily get one in the car, perhaps 2. Having to bring the truck and cargo trailer to bring some uplighting really cuts into the ease/convenience and ups my cost.

steve149 said:
As mentioned, I have the Rockville Rockwedges .. great value for $100 each. Not as bright as the larger units though, so you have to factor in need ...

Rockwedges in action ..

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhGwdUtjhKc
Click to expand...
 
IceBurghDJ said:
I like them. Seems like a fairly reasonable price to get started, and teh control...I like that. I have the MydmxGO so could control these separate from my other lights.

Physically how big are they? How many fit in a box like this? I use my car and have a box like this for lighting, can easily get one in the car, perhaps 2. Having to bring the truck and cargo trailer to bring some uplighting really cuts into the ease/convenience and ups my cost.

Click to expand...
Some pictures to gauge size .. I carry 4 in a medium Accu-case.

IMG_2512.JPGIMG_2511.JPGIMG_2513.JPG
 
IceBurghDJ said:
thanks!

Seems they sell 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, etc...the alibaba/both listing shows a flight case for up to 10 where you can charge them in the case. I'm waiting to hear back from them. No clue what timezone ghanzhou is in.
Click to expand...
Rockville has them too ..

www.rockvilleaudio.com

Rockville ROCKWEDGE PACKAGE WHITE (6) Battery Wireless Par Lights+Charging Case

Buy Rockville ROCKWEDGE PACKAGE WHITE (6) Battery Wireless Par Lights+Charging Case Manufacturer Direct with a 90 day money back guarantee including return shipping
www.rockvilleaudio.com www.rockvilleaudio.com

But I don't have a van or ramps, so I prefer to not deadlift these into my truck. The softcases were just easier. I also prefer to charge them externally so the heat isn't confined in the case.
 
I would recommend 6x18 watt Chinese Up Lights.

I ordered from here, and my lights were SHIPPED TO MY DOOR from China in 5 days! I was impressed! The boxes were very well packed as well. LOTS of Tape secured the boxes. Took me a while to open!

They also sell their version of the rock wedges! Also, as a tip, you can always utilize PayPal Credit! 6 months ZERO interest so you can pay it off in payments!

Made in China LED Battery Par Light Supplier | Both Lighting

Up-lighting is simply casting a light up a wall or column, to create a truly magical background and give any room an ambient glow! Up-lighting brings your wedding to life and is THE HOTTEST trend in Weddings today.
www.bothlighting.com www.bothlighting.com

I am ordering more lights from them soon!
 
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