GLP Creates Perfect Showcase for JDC1 Strobe Hybrid, GT-1 and Other Innovations

GLP’s faith in extending its floor space to record levels at this year’s Prolight + Sound Show in Frankfurt could not have been better rewarded.

The enlarged stand was permanently packed with visitors throughout the four days. Their mission was either to catch the inspired lightshow, designed by Matt Shimamoto from Volt Lites in Los Angeles — the man also responsible for lighting up GLP’s presentations at the LDI Show in the States — or simply to enjoy the company’s trademark German beer and general hospitality.

But for real lighting professionals, the quest was twofold: to see the upgraded GT-1 hybrid — the combined Beam, Spot and Wash, incorporating the new 440W Osram discharge lamp — and to get the first glimpse of the new JDC1 strobe.

In fact, both the GT-1 and JDC1 were presented in two places: in addition to the GLP stand itself they were also in action on the PRG LEA Stage in the adjacent Festhalle.

And while lighting designers will have already had a foretaste of the former, the JDC1 strobe was receiving its first public outing. “We received the best possible reaction to this global premiere,” effused GLP founder, Udo Kuenzler. “This new hybrid strobe really took Frankfurt – and the world – by storm. It was incredible … as word spread through social media we were receiving enquiries from all around the world, actually as the launch was happening.” So why all the commotion? Simply because the innovation that has gone into this high-powered LED strobe redefines the paradigm.

The JDC1 delivers gleaming bright light when compared to conventional strobes. Designed in three sections, the JDC1 contains format-filling LED panels both above and below the tube itself, utilizing no fewer than 1,440 ultra-bright RGB LEDs, which interplay to produce stunning effects. All three light sources can be controlled either as independent sections or as one complete unit, making the creative possibilities practically limitless. At the same time, continuous operation as a blinder or wash light is easily possible both with the LED tube as well as with the panels — without any reduction of output or risk of thermal cutouts

And to provide even greater functionality, the RGB face can be divided into 12 separate ‘pixel’ sections as can the bright white tube, enabling the entire array to be fully pixel-mapped through any standard controller. Finally, many people commented on the 190° Tilt function of the strobe. In fact, more than once you could hear surprised gasps when the product demo came to that point in the presentation where it started moving. Visitors simply stared in disbelief.

But it was not only the strobe that demonstrated the innovative power of GLP. Other details illustrated the creativity of GLP’s solutions. For example, a number of cleverly thought-out accessories were presented for the X4 atom in Frankfurt, such as the Flex Connector. 

The icing on the cake was seeing the products integrated into Matt Shimamoto’s lightshow. “We received the most fantastic reaction,” noted GLP Inc president, Mark Ravenhill. “It was huge and demonstrated our new products in stunning fashion – something that everyone who saw it, agreed with.

Photo credit: Paul Gärtner