Photometric software?

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ThinkingARB

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Taking in consideration of cost, ease of use and versatility what is the best photometric software? Currently we are using AutoCAD 2008 and are looking for an affordable software tool that doesn't require months to learn how to use effectively. I am familiar with AGI32 however the cost per seat is hard to justify for small & medium A/E.
 
There seems to be a lot of information on the whole Lighting Technologies suite of tools however all I need is the photometric software. I see that it can be purchase seperately but there is no demostration. Is it necessary to adjust and save before recalculating, how easy is it to export and import into autocad. Anyone else have experience with this or any other software tools?
 
http://www.lighting-technologies.com/Other/Contact.htm

You have to click here and fill out the form to get a demo (I recommend Lumen designer, although Lumen Micro works as well). It says they'll send you a copy that will work for 3 weeks so you can evaluate.

There is a demo download on Lumen Micro here: http://www.lighting-technologies.com/Products/Demo.htm

Micro is the basic version and designer is the cool fancy version.

It is easy to import an AutoCAD drawing into Lumen Designer. Only catch is that the drawing needs to be in 2000 format to work if I remember correctly, but you can save into 2000 format with any of the later ones. I would always import the architect's drawing directly in and add lights from there. I don't recall ever exporting back to AutoCAD so I can't answer that.

Don't know what you mean by having to adjust and save before calculating. As far as I remember it calculates when you click on calculate.

The only downside I can remember is that if you are running a full set of calculations it eats up a lot of your computer's capacity. You might not be able to do ANYTHING else for a few minutes while Lumen is thinking.
 
Agi 32

Agi 32

If you're using Lighting Analysts' AGI 32 package you won't be satisfied with anything else - in my opinion.
JM
 
No right now one of our designers is using a freeware version of some program? Typically our photometrics studies are for parking lot and egress lighting and that's it, period. When doing egress lighting with the program we are using now we are required to make our rotation and height adjustment to the emergency lights, save and then calculate. If you have an egress path of 10-15 lights this can end up being a very slow process. The motovation for this software search is to find something that isn't as expensive and the AGI32 software, is or nearly a functional, that doesn't give me more bells and whisles than we will use.
 
Most of the engineering firms around here use Visual from Acuity (Lithonia/Holophane). I think this is primarily because the Lithonia and Holophane reps give out licenses for free if you routinely work with them and spec their products. If you don't get a license for free it costs $100.

It is easy to import .ies files and use in general. There are online training videos that help you learn it as well and they are pretty good.

Here is a link to the vids:

http://www.visuallightingsoftware.com/Training/Video/InstructionalVideos.asp?LinkID=902

and how to download the software:

http://www.visuallightingsoftware.com/default.asp?SessionID=0

Which I think you can do for free and use for free for 30 days.
 
bbaumer said:
Most of the engineering firms around here use Visual from Acuity (Lithonia/Holophane). I think this is primarily because the Lithonia and Holophane reps give out licenses for free if you routinely work with them and spec their products. If you don't get a license for free it costs $100.

It is easy to import .ies files and use in general. There are online training videos that help you learn it as well and they are pretty good.

Here is a link to the vids:

http://www.visuallightingsoftware.com/Training/Video/InstructionalVideos.asp?LinkID=902

and how to download the software:

http://www.visuallightingsoftware.com/default.asp?SessionID=0

Which I think you can do for free and use for free for 30 days.
Click to expand...

I like Visual also. It lacks a few features, and could use a few improvements. But it is very easy to use. And the price can't be beat. If you are an A/E firm, I would be supprised if you have to pay for it. (If you can't get it for free, and you cant afford $100, I think there is still a basic version you can download and use for real simple stuff.)

One downside is their print editor. I export all the calculations to Autocad if I want to put them on a drawing. Otherwise, I use the "print screen" key on my keyboard, and paste into MS Paint to print results.
 
I have heard of Visual and another one called Light Pro. I've seen Light Pro used and it doesn't look too complicated. I might need to test drive Visual so that I can see what it can and can't do. Your right, even if we couldn't get one of the free liceses $100 wont break the bank.
Are there any others that don't cost an arm and a leg that work within or close with autocad?
 
I use AGI32 for most Day to Day work, but I also have copies of Acuity's Visual, and Cooper Lightings Luxicon, both of which you can probably get for free, from your local reps. The only problem that I've seen with Manufacturer Supplied Programs is that they tend to skew the Data in favor of their product. I have verified this on numerous occations, in front of my respective Lighting Representatives, and they just get quiet. Keep in mind that there job is to sell Light Fixtures.
 
The Visual works pretty well with Autocad. Although, Autocad seems to change their files enough every release to make it a pain.

(Autocad obviously don't want their program to work with others. The last new release even included a new warning box - "This file was not made with a trusted Autocad Application" followed by a doomsday warning).

Anyhow, Visual can import Autocad files and export results to an autocad file. Although, sometimes you have to explode 3-d blocks, and/or save back to an older version of autocad.

The autocad file just gives you a template to put walls and light fixtures on top of. The autocad objects don't actually turn into walls and lights in the visual program.
 
I've talked to the Visual staff and they're working on the Rendering part of the program. It should come out on the next version.
 
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