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Galaxy  (1980 - 1996)
Strand


Galaxy

96, 144, 190, 240... 768 channels
Affectionately known as Lightboard III by David Hersey and Richard Pilbrow.
The first in the West End was installed at the Apollo Victoria for The Sound of Music, lit by David Hersey.
The Galaxy desks were also in common use at the BBC, and were only taken out of service when ETC's Congo desk was brought in. Many were installed at the BBC production centres in White City and at Elstree. 
When Galaxy 3 was launched, around 300 systems had been produced (between 1980 and 1987). 

Galaxy 1 (originally just Galaxy, of course!). Produced for the 'Television, Theatre, Conference & Exhibition Centres' market. (1980 - 1983). Analogue outputs (up to 768 control channels in total, in multiples of 48 channels per card.).

Galaxy 2 (1983/4)
Three different models:
Arena (basic control for theatres, concert venues, nightclubs)
Premier (major opera houses and theatres)
Studio (TV / Film)
D54 outputs (up to 768 in total - 2 x 384 channels of D54).
The Premier version, for larger theatres, had Learn Profile function to reproduce complex lighting changes. Media storage on 8.5 inch floppy disk. 

Galaxy 3 (1987): 999 control channels, up to 1536 dimmers. Up to 4 x multiplexed D54 outputs of 384 channels each. 3.5 inch disk drives. 

Galaxy Nova (1993 - 1996)
Simultaneous D54 and DMX512 output

The System
A Galaxy system consisted of a control pod (the case for the control surface panels, which can be built into furniture or be a stand-alone wooden desk) and a processor crate (containing power supplies and the processing electronics and dimmer / control outputs). The crate could be  mounted under the pod, or remotely in the dimmer room. The pod was connected to the crate via a pair of 9 way D connectors (one for data relating to button / wheel movement and displays on the pod, and one for control signals between the pod and crate).
Additionally, a display (Galaxy 1 was colour-capable and also supported monochrome monitors, Galaxy 2 used a colour display, and by Galaxy Nova up to 4 displays were supported). and external back-up system were used. 
A number of different options were available for control pod sizes and the control surface configurations. Some studio installations used custom-built cases which were integrated into the  control room furniture. 

Standard Modules: 
Memory and Output Module
Channel Control
​Theatre Playback
Standard Playback
Group Masters


Optional Modules: 
Preset Masters
Effects Module
Memory Backup
Motion Control
(Galaxy 3 onwards): Recording and playback of pan, tilt, colour, focus and iris for Strand PALS luminaires.

The software to run the various components of the desk was stored on EEPROM memory chips on the cards. 

Related Venues:

Story: Galaxy Memories - Abu Dhabi

See also:


Documents

360 channel backup for the Moscow Art Theatre
360 channel backup for the Moscow Art Theatre 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[651kb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy & Pani PEF-M - Staats Opera Vienna
Galaxy & Pani PEF-M - Staats Opera Vienna 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.34Mb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.3Mb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.36Mb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.42Mb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.24Mb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.3Mb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna
Galaxy - Staats Opera Vienna 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.16Mb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection

Galaxy 2 Sales Introduction 
[1.9Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive
Galaxy at the English National Opera
Galaxy at the English National Opera 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[850kb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy for Bolshoi Moscow
Galaxy for Bolshoi Moscow 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[454kb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy for the Moscow Art Theatre
Galaxy for the Moscow Art Theatre 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[583kb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy for the Moscow Art Theatre
Galaxy for the Moscow Art Theatre 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[604kb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy Mimic for Bolshoi Moscow
Galaxy Mimic for Bolshoi Moscow 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[801kb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection

Galaxy Nova Operators Manual - Issue 3 
[10.5Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive
Geographical Button Mimic for Moscow Art Theatre
Geographical Button Mimic for Moscow Art Theatre 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[614kb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection
Galaxy
Galaxy (1980)
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[554kb  JPEG]
From David Bertenshaw Collection
Galaxy
Galaxy (1980)
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[557kb  JPEG]
From David Bertenshaw Collection

Galaxy Brochure (October 1980)
[1.14Mb PDF]
From Jim Laws Collection
Galaxy at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, for The Sound of Music
Galaxy at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, for The Sound of Music (1981)
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[772kb  JPEG]
From Alan Luxford Collection

Galaxy Brochure (1981)
[3.1Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive

Galaxy 2 Brochure (1984)
[8.7Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive

Galaxy 2 Studio brochure (1984)
[3Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive

Memory Lighting Control Systems 1967-1985 (June 1985)
[757kb PDF]
From Jim Laws Collection

LSI: Guide to Memory Desks (May 1986)
[1.91Mb PDF]
From Lighting & Sound International

Galaxy 3 Studio (1988)
[7.21Mb PDF]
From David Bertenshaw Collection

LSI Automated TV Studio Installation in Hannover (May 1988)
[3.19Mb PDF]
From Lighting & Sound International

Galaxy 3 Brochure (September 1988)
[3Mb PDF]
From Jim Laws Collection

1992 Insight Brochure - Page 2 (May 1992)
From Strand Archive

Galaxy Nova C2 Enhancements (February 1994)
From Roy Adcock Collection

Galaxy Nova Datasheet (November 1994)
[1.5Mb PDF]
From Strand Archive

1996 Strand Catalogue - Theatre & Studio Controls (1996)
From Strand Archive

LSI: Classic Gear - Galaxy (September 2022)
[External Website]
From Lighting & Sound International

Figshare - Galaxy Data (November 2023)
[External Website]
From David Bertenshaw Collection

Exhibits in the Backstage Heritage Collection


Galaxy 2 Backup Module  
From The NEET Collection

Galaxy 2 Backup Module  
From Backstage Heritage Collection

Galaxy 2 Effects Module  
From Backstage Heritage Collection

Galaxy Backup Module  
From Backstage Heritage Collection

Galaxy Control Desk  
Used by Glyndebourne Opera as their touring desk
From The NEET Collection

Galaxy Effects Module  
From Backstage Heritage Collection

Galaxy Electronics Crate  
From The NEET Collection

Galaxy Group Master Panel  
From The NEET Collection

Galaxy Preset Masters  
From Backstage Heritage Collection

Catalogue & Journal Entries for Galaxy in the Backstage Heritage Collection


Advert: Galaxy (1981)

The Sound of Galaxy (1981)

Advert: Galaxy (1981)

Galaxy - A Factory Story (1981)

The Strand 85 Spring Collection (1985)

Sydney Opera House (1985)

NT+10 (1987)

Strand Spectacular (1987)

Elstree Updates (1988)

Aspects of Lighting (1989)

Galaxy Control for Berlin (1990)

Lighting The National (1990)

The Galaxy Looks Grand in Swansea (1990)

EC90 The first major advance in dimming technology since the thyristor (1990)

Operating Theatre (1991)

Royal Festival Hall - Chief Engineer, Reg Bond (1992)

Special Engineering Give Hoists A Lift (1993)

Witches & More Down Under (2002)

Back to Control - Memory (Strand)


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