Last Updated 2 days ago
Overview
The Astera Hyperion Tube is a roughly two-metre battery-powered pixel tube with 32 controllable pixels and the Titan RGBMintAmber engine. It extends the Astera tube system into long visible lines, broad reflections and nearby lighting across a larger area.
Its length is the main reason to choose it. A Hyperion can cover a span that would require several shorter sources, but it is more awkward to transport and rig. The original FP3 and later FP3-BTB also differ in their BluetoothBridge hardware, so check the actual unit.
Key specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Length / diameter | 2,031mm / approximately 43mm |
| LED engine | Titan RGBMintAmber |
| Pixels | 32 |
| LED draw / maximum consumption | 92W / 96W in the current data sheet |
| Luminous flux / output | 5,800lm; 1,570 lux at 1m, both at 4,000K |
| CRI / TLCI | 96 or above over the specified 3,200–6,500K range |
| Beam / field | 135° × 115° / 175° × 160° |
| Internal battery runtime | Up to 20h with output management; 1h45 at maximum white brightness, product-page figure |
| Nominal recharge | 3h |
| DC input | 24V / 4A |
| Wired control | Via appropriate power/data injector and cables |
| Wireless | Built-in CRMX/UHF; BluetoothBridge on FP3-BTB |
| Weather rating | IP65 only with specified socket protection / arrangement |
| Weight | 2.9kg |
| Operating temperature | 0–40°C |
Strengths and limitations
Strengths
- A long pixel source makes large visible lines and reflections.
- Astera wireless control supports remote colour and level changes.
Limitations
- Length increases transport and support requirements.
- Confirm hardware revision, runtime setting and the required power/data accessories.
Practical uses
Thirty-two pixels allow moving bands, chases and spatial effects. The camera’s view of the tube determines whether those pixels are an attractive visible pattern, an unwanted segmented reflection or a useful interactive effect on another surface. Test at the actual shutter and dimming level.
For motivated interactive light, keep the effect’s speed and direction connected to the supposed source. A passing vehicle, screen or machinery effect needs a believable pattern, not simply the most complex preset. Save the complete look and control profile so it can be repeated after a battery change.
| Setup | Working approach |
|---|---|
| Visible practical | Set brightness and colour through the camera so the fixture retains the intended detail in frame. |
| Accent or reflection | Position the source for its beam and emitting shape, then control spill with the correct accessory. |
Output and colour
The published 1,570-lux reading is at 1m and 4,000K, with 5,800lm at the same CCT. Those figures should not be compared directly with a small COB’s narrow-reflector reading at a different temperature. Hyperion spreads light from a long, wide source.
A long tube can produce a useful reflection across a car, a broad edge on a performer, or a clean linear element in the image. Its narrow diameter still matters: the source is large along one axis and small along the other. Shadow softness and reflections depend on orientation as well as length.
Power and batteries
The product overview gives approximately 1 hour 45 minutes for maximum-brightness white light. The “up to 20 hours” feature is runtime-managed operation, where available brightness is adjusted to meet the selected duration.
Set the runtime before judging exposure. A tube configured to last a long event can be much dimmer than a freshly charged unit in its maximum-output configuration. Check battery condition and charge state too; repeatability depends on more than the same percentage on the display.
Control, cooling and camera operation
The official data sheet separates FP3 from FP3-BTB. Both provide the Titan engine and CRMX/UHF operation, while the BTB version adds the BluetoothBridge feature. Astera identifies units manufactured after September 2021 as the revised BTB model.
For a rental package, confirm labels rather than assuming a firmware update can add absent radio hardware. A group of tubes with identical optics can still require different setup paths if the package mixes generations.
Wired operation uses supported power/data equipment such as DataLink or the listed PowerBox arrangements. The tube’s DC connector should not be confused with a conventional XLR DMX socket. Specify the injector, supply and combination cable when wired control is part of the job.
Astera’s DataLink accepts external power supplies; it is not simply a power supply by itself. It can add DMX or supported network data to the combined cable. A product list containing “DataLink” without the necessary supplies and cables is an incomplete working package.
Modifiers, rigging and the working package
Use supported TubeHolders, mounting plates and restraint appropriate to the complete arrangement. The 2.9kg weight is manageable, but the long tube increases clearance and leverage concerns. A mounting point that works for a shorter tube is not automatically suitable for a longer overhanging source.
Plan movement between setups as well as the final position. Keep the tube protected from knocks, avoid leaving it balanced on furniture, and support cable runs independently. Multiple tubes on a frame become a separate assembly with its own total load.
Alternatives and related fixtures
IP65 is conditional on the specified socket cover or suitable connected arrangement. Follow the manual for the actual power/data configuration; an open connector defeats a general weather-resistance description. The stated ambient range is 0–40°C.
The Helios and Titan offer shorter physical formats. Choose Hyperion because the scene benefits from a continuous long source. Shorter tubes can be easier to transport and conceal, while the Hyperion avoids a visible join across a long line.
| Fixture | Choose it for |
|---|---|
| Astera Titan Tube | A different source shape within the Astera system. |
| Aputure INFINIBAR PB12 | A separate power, mounting and control ecosystem. |
What people are saying
Kenny from OWL BOT: the long-tube format
In Stray Angel Films’ first-look video, Kenny introduces the two-metre Hyperion and its place alongside Astera’s shorter tubes, with production examples discussed. It is a rental-house overview of the large format rather than a comparative photometric test. Read or watch the full account.
Videos
Hyperion Tube: review and operation
A model-specific walkthrough or review.
Rental and used-fixture checks
Verify the exact model, power components and control profile. Inspect mounts, optics or diffusion, connector locks and cables. Test a slow fade, colour matching and the complete intended remote-control path before rigging.
Documentation and specifications
Official product overview · Technical specifications · Manuals, data sheets and DMX profiles.
Product photograph: Astera.
Browse Astera lights · LED tubes · all equipment.