DMX512, explained properly
Practical, standards-based guides on lighting control — addressing, cabling, signal integrity, Art-Net and sACN, RDM and DALI. Written for people who have to make it work on site.
Start here
What is DMX512?
Channels, addresses and universes: the protocol from the ground up.
Choosing DMX cable
Why microphone cable fails, and what 120 Ω actually buys you.
3-pin or 5-pin XLR?
The standard pinout, connector gender and safe adapters.
Browse by topic
DMX Basics
Channels, addresses, universes and signal.
DMX512 Standard
ANSI E1.11: electrical specs, timing, history.
Art-Net & sACN
Carrying DMX over a network.
RDM
Configuring fixtures remotely.
Splitter & Signal
Splitters, opto-isolators, terminators.
Troubleshooting
Flicker, signal loss, address conflicts.
Tips & Guides
Hands-on installation know-how.
DALI
IEC 62386: addressing, groups, scenes and feedback.
Latest articles
- Tunable White and Human Centric Lighting: CCT Control Over DMX
Why colour temperature changes through the day: melanopic EDI, two-channel mixing, DMX channel layout, how DALI DT8 compares, and what to watch in commissioning. - Lighting Network Security: Art-Net and sACN Have No Authentication
Art-Net, sACN and RDM have no authentication. Anyone on the network can write to your lights. Separate VLANs, switch hardening, VPN and the wireless side. - Pixel Control: LED Strip, SPI and DMX Explained
Why a DMX strip and a pixel strip are not the same thing: SPI chips, DMX-to-SPI decoders, 170 pixels per universe, power injection and the refresh-rate ceiling. - Stadium Lighting’s DMX Transformation: From Floodlights to Show Control
Why older stadiums are moving to LED and DMX: broadcast requirements, a node-per-tower architecture, separating game mode from show mode, and the practical traps of a retrofit. - What Is RDM? Configure Your Fixtures Without a Ladder
RDM adds a return path to DMX on the same wires: discover fixtures, set addresses and modes remotely, and read sensor data without touching the rig. - Controlling Moving Heads, Foggers and Effects Over DMX
Moving head types and channel structure, the control-channel trap, rigging and safety, fog versus haze, and a maintenance plan.
Free tool: DIP switch calculator
Type a DMX address and see exactly which switches must be ON — or click the switches to read off the address. No sign-up, works in the browser. Open the calculator →
Project and product support
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