Astera extends the time of lighting systems with RuntimeExtender

The German A week has developed RuntimeExtender, a battery plate designed to allow lighting professionals to extend the runtime of their Astera lighting setups through connection to all major third-party camera batteries.

RuntimeExtender allows lighting engineers to leverage their existing battery sources, both 14.4V and 26V, using conexiones V-Mount y Gold Mount. It is compatible with the entire Astera 24V luminaire portfolio as the RuntimeExtender maintains 24V, 100W power shared across two DC outputs.

This means you can run one Hyperion Tube, two Titan or two Helios Tubes (using both DC outputs), or four HydraPanels or PixelBricks (in sets of two in series, using both DC outputs).

These can be connected using any of Astera's 5, 10 or 15 meter cables, as well as the recently added 1.5 meter cable. Additionally, the RuntimeExtender maintains a 3-pin XLR socket with unregulated output, meaning it adapts to the voltage of the connected battery. This integration ensures that the RuntimeExtender remains future-proof to accommodate further expansions to the Astera lighting range.

As with all Astera products, the main goal is ease of use, providing flexibility and speed in any installation. The HexConnect and BrickConnect accessories can slide onto the unit, allowing it to be securely mounted and locked for rotation on any Super Clamp, or (with the BrickConnect) allowing two RuntimeExtender units to be combined back-to-back into a single block, facilitating larger battery setups.

Airline Track and PixelBrick rail system mounting accessories are also integrated directly into the unit. In essence, this means that battery packs can be safely and discreetly integrated into any lighting setup.

As for mounting the batteries, they simply snap together and fit according to their mounting type. When the lighting fixture is off, the battery is automatically discharged into the light's internal reserves via the RuntimeExtender. The possibility of fit batteries quickly and easily while the lighting device is in operation means that, with the rotating load, the lighting settings can be maintained indefinitely.

Sebastian Bückle, Sales and Marketing Director at Astera, comments: "Although Astera systems are built with a long-lasting battery, there are times when productions require longer battery life, but where connection to the mains is not viable. In these cases, the RuntimeExtender is invaluable; it provides incredible flexibility in terms of connection, mounting, power and duration, and means that on hectic film sets, where time is precious, lighting engineers will be able to save time and ensure reliability”.

"We have a loyal legion of Astera users who love the creative potential of our lighting solutions, and the RuntimeExtender was built as a direct result of their feedback. It was crucial to us that we could enable them to leverage the value of their investment in their existing kit - that is, their collection of Astera lights and the endless number of camera batteries that are inevitably present on set - rather than tying them to a vendor-specific charging solution. Our goal is always to make life on set easier, faster and less cumbersome, in terms of equipment,” he concludes.