# Diffusion media: shiny side/dull side?



## derekleffew (Aug 9, 2020)

Roscolux Cyc Diffusions and Silks (R120-R127) have one shiny side and one textured dull side. When used in cyc lights, which side goes toward the lamp? Does it matter?

"Students" only for one week, please.


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## TimMc (Aug 10, 2020)

Bonus point question - when used in cyc lights does the orientation of the texture matter? Defend your answer.


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## JonCarter (Aug 17, 2020)

Unbelievable! Where are those youngsters??


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## techieman33 (Aug 18, 2020)

JonCarter said:


> Unbelievable! Where are those youngsters??



I wonder how many students are still hanging around here with their schools theaters having been shut down for so long, and not much hope for them to open back up anytime soon.


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## JonCarter (Aug 18, 2020)

But even with their school theatres shut down, the _serious_ ones should still be thinking, reading, thinking, reading . . .


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## josh88 (Aug 19, 2020)

TimMc said:


> Bonus point question - when used in cyc lights does the orientation of the texture matter? Defend your answer.


Yes. Vertical lines/horizontal spread, horizontal lines/vertical spread, lines at 45 degrees/what is wrong with you...


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## DarthScooby (Nov 29, 2022)

Does anyone have an answer to this question? I’ve been trying to find out as we are about to get replacement gels because all of ours are burned and I want to do this correctly.


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## JonCarter (Nov 30, 2022)

Direction of spread is as Josh sez. As to toward or away from the light source, we always put the textured side away from the heat on the thinking that the texture is probably rolled into the (soft) plastic during manufacture and keeping it away from heat and in free air would keep it cooler and less likely to deform.


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## derekleffew (Dec 1, 2022)

Thank you Jon, I couldn't have said it better myself. So we have the definitive answer of the week only 2 1/2 years later. 

This leads us into the next discussion (and very old thread https://www.controlbooth.com/threads/diffusion-or-color-media-which-goes-first.9410/ ), "What goes first, color or frost?" By your heat logic, color goes toward the lamp and then diffusion with texture on the outside. Seperate frames or not, electrician's choice. I think the answer might change if one were talking about say R84+R104 in a cyclight vs. L202+R132 in a Leko.

I've seen pigment of coated color media leach onto the frost and I don't think whichway toward the lamp made any difference. Here, separate frames is the only option and the color must be tight enough in the frame not to touch.


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## RickR (Dec 1, 2022)

Which do you want to protect the color or the frost? IMHO color is always more delicate.


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## TimMc (Dec 1, 2022)

RickR said:


> Which do you want to protect the color or the frost? IMHO color is always more delicate.


And most likely to be noticed by the designer. Disney Theatrical has a lamp & color media replacement schedule for all their touring productions... can't have any washed out color or darkening lamps for Lion King, ya know!


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## JonCarter (Dec 1, 2022)

Thanks for the kind words, Derek. (Shall I say that I was waiting for all the newbies to have a chance at the question?)


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