The Viper II
About a month ago, I used this space to extol the virtues of our Tiny Fogger. Despite all the great things I had to say about it, however, I have to admit that it's not always the best choice for a fog effect. What's this? Have I gone mad?!
Possibly, but that's another article. My point today is that one occasionally needs a big fog machine. When that need arises, there's one machine that meets it and more. The Viper II is the largest fog machine available from Theatre Effects, and may well be the largest machine available in the United States. With its huge 5-litre fluid reservoir, 1,300-watt heater and gigantic fog output, it could well be called one of the "monster trucks" of fog devices.
It might be more accurate to think of it as the "sports car" of fog because all of that power is packed into a stylish chassis the same size as other, less powerful, fog machines. With a case that's only 19" long x 9.25" wide, and a less-than-monstrous weight of 19 pounds, the Viper II doesn't look all that intimidating. Heat it up and crank the pump to full output, though, and watch the fog fly -- the Viper II goes from 0 to 20,000 cubic feet of fog in under a minute!
Ironically, the same engineers responsible for the smallest fog machine in the world, the Tiny Fogger, also designed the Viper II. But while the Tiny Fogger was designed to put a fog effect into the smallest, most portable package possible, the Viper II is all about providing maximum fog output. What does this mean to you? It means that you can produce a column of fog that shoots over thirty feet into the air; it means that you can fog a 1,200 square-foot room in about five seconds. In short, it means the ability to create dramatic fog effects in the largest of spaces.
All of that power is impressive, to be sure, but if it could only operate at full volume it would be as if that sports car we were discussing could only be driven at 120mph; impressive, but not really practical. Fortunately, the Viper II has a digital pump control with 100 discrete settings -- from off to full output and anywhere in between. With the pump set to 2%, the Viper II emits sporadic wisps of fog; at around 40% the output is comparable to most large party foggers.
Many other foggers have variable-output pumps, but most are controlled through an analog remote. This is fine for most situations, but it doesn't guarantee that the fog effect will look the same for every performance. With the Viper II, if the operator decides that 59% is exactly the right amount of fog for his effect, he can simply make a note to himself (or the light-board operator, more on that shortly) and set the pump at 59% the next time he wants that look. With an analog remote, he would have to "eyeball" the position of the output knob and try to reset it to that location if he wants the same effect.
As if the digitally controlled variable-output pump wasn't enough, the designers also included DMX-512 control as a standard feature on the Viper II. This means that anyone using a DMX-512 system to control their lighting effects can run a cable to the Viper II and control it from the light board as well. The Viper II uses one channel of control and, since most lighting controllers work on a 0-100% scale, the 100 discrete steps of the Viper's pump translate easily. Want to bring the fogger up at 40% output to create an eerie fog effect at the start of scene three? Just write it into the cue along with your lights! This ability to write fog effects into lighting cues is a boon to directors who don't want to worry about missed cues and to stage managers who don't need yet another technician to yell at.
So who should be thinking about picking up a Viper II? The variable output, digital pump control and built-in DMX make it a natural choice for theatre companies who want one machine that will work in almost any situation. The Viper's ability to crank out a huge amount of fog in a few seconds make it a good choice for nightclubs and concert venues and its rugged design and optional hanging bracket and wireless remote make it a great fogger for mobile DJs or touring entertainers. In short, if you're working in the entertainment industry you should be thinking about the Viper II.About a month ago, I used this space to extol the virtues of our Tiny Fogger. Despite all the great things I had to say about it, however, I have to admit that it's not always the best choice for a fog effect. What's this? Have I gone mad?!
Possibly, but that's another article. My point today is that one occasionally needs a big fog machine. When that need arises, there's one machine that meets it and more. The Viper II is the largest fog machine available from Theatre Effects, and may well be the largest machine available in the United States. With its huge 5-litre fluid reservoir, 1,300-watt heater and gigantic fog output, it could well be called one of the "monster trucks" of fog devices.
It might be more accurate to think of it as the "sports car" of fog because all of that power is packed into a stylish chassis the same size as other, less powerful, fog machines. With a case that's only 19" long x 9.25" wide, and a less-than-monstrous weight of 19 pounds, the Viper II doesn't look all that intimidating. Heat it up and crank the pump to full output, though, and watch the fog fly -- the Viper II goes from 0 to 20,000 cubic feet of fog in under a minute!
Ironically, the same engineers responsible for the smallest fog machine in the world, the Tiny Fogger, also designed the Viper II. But while the Tiny Fogger was designed to put a fog effect into the smallest, most portable package possible, the Viper II is all about providing maximum fog output. What does this mean to you? It means that you can produce a column of fog that shoots over thirty feet into the air; it means that you can fog a 1,200 square-foot room in about five seconds. In short, it means the ability to create dramatic fog effects in the largest of spaces.
All of that power is impressive, to be sure, but if it could only operate at full volume it would be as if that sports car we were discussing could only be driven at 120mph; impressive, but not really practical. Fortunately, the Viper II has a digital pump control with 100 discrete settings -- from off to full output and anywhere in between. With the pump set to 2%, the Viper II emits sporadic wisps of fog; at around 40% the output is comparable to most large party foggers.
Many other foggers have variable-output pumps, but most are controlled through an analog remote. This is fine for most situations, but it doesn't guarantee that the fog effect will look the same for every performance. With the Viper II, if the operator decides that 59% is exactly the right amount of fog for his effect, he can simply make a note to himself (or the light-board operator, more on that shortly) and set the pump at 59% the next time he wants that look. With an analog remote, he would have to "eyeball" the position of the output knob and try to reset it to that location if he wants the same effect.
As if the digitally controlled variable-output pump wasn't enough, the designers also included DMX-512 control as a standard feature on the Viper II. This means that anyone using a DMX-512 system to control their lighting effects can run a cable to the Viper II and control it from the light board as well. The Viper II uses one channel of control and, since most lighting controllers work on a 0-100% scale, the 100 discrete steps of the Viper's pump translate easily. Want to bring the fogger up at 40% output to create an eerie fog effect at the start of scene three? Just write it into the cue along with your lights! This ability to write fog effects into lighting cues is a boon to directors who don't want to worry about missed cues and to stage managers who don't need yet another technician to yell at.
So who should be thinking about picking up a Viper II? The variable output, digital pump control and built-in DMX make it a natural choice for theatre companies who want one machine that will work in almost any situation. The Viper's ability to crank out a huge amount of fog in a few seconds make it a good choice for nightclubs and concert venues and its rugged design and optional hanging bracket and wireless remote make it a great fogger for mobile DJs or touring entertainers. In short, if you're working in the entertainment industry you should be thinking about the Viper II.
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Theatre Effects Customer Service Department
service@theatrefx.com
www.theatrefx.com
Theatre Effects, 1810 Airport Exchange Blvd. #400, Erlanger, KY 41018
Phone: 1-800-791-7646 or 513-772-7646 Fax: 513-772-3579
