DMXDesktop Channel Types Reference
Complete guide to available channel types for building custom fixture profiles
DMXDesktop Channel Types Reference
Complete guide to available channel types for building custom fixture profiles. Learn what each channel does, how it's automated, where it's used in the lighting system, and how to configure advanced features like wheel slots and option presets.
Total channel types: 125
Fully automated: 102
Semi-automated: 2
Manual control: 21
Control methods: 6
Last updated: October 2025
| Channel Type | Category | Control Method | Used In | Automation | Description & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Primary red channel for RGB color mixing. Core component used in all color effects. |
| Green | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Primary green channel for RGB color mixing. Core component used in all color effects. |
| Blue | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Primary blue channel for RGB color mixing. Core component used in all color effects. |
| White | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | White LED channel for enhanced color mixing and pure white output. Important for RGBW fixtures. |
| Amber | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Amber LED channel for warm tones and extended color palette. |
| Orange | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Orange LED channel for warm color tones. |
| UV | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Ultraviolet LED for blacklight effects and fluorescent material illumination. |
| Cyan | Color (CMY) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | CMY subtractive color system. Automatically converted from RGB (Cyan = 255 - Red). |
| Magenta | Color (CMY) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | CMY subtractive color system. Automatically converted from RGB (Magenta = 255 - Green). |
| Yellow | Color (CMY) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | CMY subtractive color system. Automatically converted from RGB (Yellow = 255 - Blue). |
| Dark Red | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Darker red tone variant for extended color palette. |
| Light Red | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter red tone variant (tomato red). |
| Dark Green | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Darker green tone variant. |
| Light Green | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter green tone variant. |
| Dark Blue | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Darker blue tone variant. |
| Light Blue | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter blue tone variant. |
| Dark Yellow | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Darker yellow tone. |
| Light Yellow | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter yellow tone. |
| Dark Cyan | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Darker cyan tone. |
| Light Cyan | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter cyan tone. |
| Dark Magenta | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Darker magenta tone. |
| Light Magenta | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter magenta tone. |
| Dark Amber | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Darker amber tone variant. |
| Light Amber | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter amber tone (gold). |
| Light UV | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter UV tone (medium purple). |
| Pink | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Pink LED for pastel color effects. |
| Lime Green | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Bright lime green color. |
| Dark Orange | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Darker orange tone. |
| Light Orange | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lighter orange tone. |
| Violet | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Violet/purple LED color. |
| Deep Red | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Deep red color variant. |
| Forest Green | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Forest/dark green shade. |
| Navy Blue | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Navy/very dark blue. |
| Turquoise | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Turquoise/aqua blue-green. |
| Gold | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Gold metallic color tone. |
| Lavender | Color (RGB) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Lavender/light purple shade. |
| RedGreenBlue | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Single channel controlling RGB combined. Advanced fixture type. |
| RedGreen | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red and green control on single channel. |
| RedBlue | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red and blue control on single channel. |
| GreenBlue | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined green and blue control on single channel. |
| RedWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red and white control on single channel. |
| GreenWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined green and white control on single channel. |
| RedGreenWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red, green, and white control. |
| RedBlueWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red, blue, and white control. |
| GreenBlueWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined green, blue, and white control. |
| BlueWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined blue and white control on single channel. |
| RedGreenBlueWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | RGBW combined control. Full color control on single channel. |
| BlueAmber | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined blue and amber control. |
| AmberWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined amber and white control. |
| GreenAmber | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined green and amber control. |
| RedAmber | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red and amber control. |
| RedGreenAmber | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red, green, and amber control. |
| RedBlueAmber | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red, blue, and amber control. |
| RedAmberWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red, amber, and white control. |
| GreenBlueAmber | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined green, blue, and amber control. |
| GreenAmberWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined green, amber, and white control. |
| BlueAmberWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined blue, amber, and white control. |
| RedGreenBlueAmber | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | RGBA combined control. Full color with amber on single channel. |
| GreenBlueAmberWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined green, blue, amber, and white control. |
| RedGreenAmberWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red, green, amber, and white control. |
| RedBlueAmberWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Combined red, blue, amber, and white control. |
| RedGreenBlueAmberWhite | Color (Combined) | Range (0-255) | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | RGBAW combined control. Complete color control on single channel. |
| Dimmer | Intensity | Range (0-255) | All Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Most important channel - Primary intensity control used in all automated effects. |
| Intensity | Intensity | Range (0-255) | All Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Alternative to Dimmer, treated identically by the system. |
| MasterDimmer | Master Control | Static | All Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Master intensity control for entire fixture. Affects all color channels. Default value: 255 (full). |
| Pan | Movement | Pan/Tilt | Movement Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Horizontal position control. Generates movement patterns like circles, figure-8, and sweeps. |
| PanFine | Movement | Pan/Tilt (16-bit) | Movement Effects | ✅ Fully automated | 16-bit fine control for smooth pan movement. Automatically paired with Pan channel. |
| Tilt | Movement | Pan/Tilt | Movement Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Vertical position control. Generates movement patterns with Pan channel. |
| TiltFine | Movement | Pan/Tilt (16-bit) | Movement Effects | ✅ Fully automated | 16-bit fine control for smooth tilt movement. Automatically paired with Tilt channel. |
| Pan Endless | Movement | Options | Auxiliary Effects | ⚡ Semi-automated | Continuous pan rotation. Has options for clockwise/counter-clockwise at various speeds. |
| Tilt Endless | Movement | Options | Auxiliary Effects | ⚡ Semi-automated | Continuous tilt rotation. Has options for clockwise/counter-clockwise at various speeds. |
| Color Wheel | Wheel | Wheel Slots | Beam Effects, DJ Mode | ✅ Fully automated | Color filter wheel for discrete color selection. Fully autonomous in DJ mode. Requires slot definitions. |
| Gobo | Wheel | Wheel Slots | Auxiliary Effects, DJ Mode | ✅ Fully automated | Gobo pattern wheel. Can be cycled based on BPM. Fully autonomous in DJ mode. Requires slot definitions. |
| Prism | Wheel | Wheel Slots | Auxiliary Effects, DJ Mode | ✅ Fully automated | Prism effect wheel for beam splitting. Can be cycled. Fully autonomous in DJ mode. Requires slot definitions. |
| Rotation | Rotation | Options | Auxiliary Effects, DJ Mode | ✅ Fully automated | Gobo/prism rotation control. Fully autonomous in DJ mode. Options: Off, Position, CW, CCW. |
| Shutter | Shutter | Options | Beam Effects, Strobe | ✅ Fully automated | Mechanical shutter control. Used for blinder effects and strobe. Options: Open, Closed, Strobe modes. |
| Strobe | Strobe | Options | Beam Effects, Strobe | ✅ Fully automated | Electronic strobe effect. Used for rapid on/off effects. Options: Open, Closed, various strobe modes. |
| Open | Shutter State | Static | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Shutter open state (light output visible). |
| Closed | Shutter State | Static | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Shutter closed state (no light output). |
| AudioVolume | Audio-Reactive | Range (0-255) | Auxiliary Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Tracks audio volume levels. Automated when audio input available from DJ software or direct audio. |
| Energy | Audio-Reactive | Range (0-255) | Auxiliary Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Responds to audio energy/intensity. Automated when audio input available from DJ software or direct audio. |
| BPM | Audio-Reactive | Range (0-255) | Auxiliary Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Syncs to detected tempo. Automated when audio input available from DJ software or direct audio. |
| Random | Dynamic | Range (0-255) | Auxiliary Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Always automated. Generates random values, can sync to BPM/energy. |
| Fog | Atmospheric | Toggle (On/Off) | Fog Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Fog machine trigger. Has dedicated effect system. |
| Fog Volume | Atmospheric | Static | Fog Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Fog output intensity/volume control. Used with Fog channel. |
| Derby Control | Hybrid | Options | Beam Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Special control for Derby/hybrid fixtures with multiple LED groups. Automated color mixing. |
| Focus | Lens | Static | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Beam focus/sharpness control. Manual only for mechanical protection. |
| Zoom | Lens | Static | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Beam zoom/width control. Manual only for mechanical protection. |
| Iris | Effect | Range (0-255) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Beam iris aperture control. Manual only for mechanical protection. |
| Frost | Frost | Options | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Beam diffusion/frost filter. Options: Off, On, Min to Max, Max to Min. |
| Beam | Effect | Range (0-255) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Beam shaper/effect intensity control. |
| Auto Program | Auto | Options | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Built-in fixture auto programs. Has 32 predefined program slots. |
| Control | Control | Range (0-255) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | General control/function channel. Often has option ranges for fixture-specific functions. |
| Speed | Control | Static | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Effect speed or movement speed control. |
| Effect | Effect | Toggle (On/Off) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Built-in fixture effects trigger. |
| Rainbow | Effect | Toggle (On/Off) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Rainbow color cycle effect. |
| Reset | Control | Toggle (On/Off) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Fixture reset trigger. |
| Static Value | Control | Static | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Fixed/static value channel for specific fixture requirements. |
| Bubbler | Special | Toggle (On/Off) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Bubble machine control. |
| Snow | Special | Toggle (On/Off) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Snow machine control. |
| Cloud | Special | Toggle (On/Off) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Cloud/haze effect control. |
| Hue | HSV | Range (0-255) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | HSV hue control. Rarely used - RGB is preferred. |
| Saturation | HSV | Range (0-255) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | HSV saturation control. |
| Value | HSV | Range (0-255) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | HSV value/brightness control. |
| Key | Lighting | Range (0-255) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Key light intensity for TV/film lighting setups. |
| Activity | Control | Range (0-255) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | General activity level control. |
| Fan Control | Control | Toggle (On/Off) | Manual | ❌ Manual only | Fixture cooling fan control. |
| Pattern Group | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Selects pattern category (geometric, dots, ILD, animated, etc.). Automated pattern selection based on effect parameters. |
| Pattern Select | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Chooses specific pattern or animation program. Automated pattern cycling based on BPM and effect settings. |
| Laser Mode | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Controls laser operation mode (DMX, auto, sound active, strobe, etc.). Automatically switches modes based on audio input and effect settings. |
| Color Speed | Laser | Range (0-255) | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Controls color change/transition speed. Automatically synchronized to BPM and audio energy. |
| Scan Speed | Laser | Range (0-255) | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Controls scanning/line drawing speed. Automatically synchronized to BPM and audio energy. |
| Barrel Rotation | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Rotates laser barrel for beam effects. Automated rotation speed and direction based on effect parameters. |
| Mirror Rotation | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Rotates mirror assembly for beam positioning. Automated rotation synchronized to movement effects. |
| X Roll | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Horizontal rolling/rotation effect. Automated rolling patterns synchronized to BPM and audio. |
| Y Roll | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Vertical rolling/rotation effect. Automated rolling patterns synchronized to BPM and audio. |
| X Move | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Horizontal movement/panning. Automated movement patterns synchronized to BPM and audio energy. |
| Y Move | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Vertical movement/tilting. Automated movement patterns synchronized to BPM and audio energy. |
| Drawing | Laser | Range (0-255) | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Controls drawing speed for pattern rendering. Automatically synchronized to BPM and audio energy. |
| XY Wave | Laser | Options | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Wave effects in X and/or Y axes. Automated wave patterns with various sizes and speeds synchronized to BPM. |
| Pattern Size | Laser | Range (0-255) | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Controls pattern scale/size. Automatically adjusted based on effect parameters and audio energy. |
| Z Rotation | Laser | Range (0-255) | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Rotation around Z-axis (depth). Automated rotation synchronized to movement effects and BPM. |
| X Position | Laser | Range (0-255) | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Horizontal position control. Centered at 127 (midpoint). Automated positioning synchronized to movement effects and BPM. |
| Y Position | Laser | Range (0-255) | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Vertical position control. Centered at 127 (midpoint). Automated positioning synchronized to movement effects and BPM. |
| Z Position | Laser | Range (0-255) | Laser Effects | ✅ Fully automated | Depth/zoom position control. Centered at 127 (midpoint). Automated positioning synchronized to movement effects and BPM. |
Understanding Automation Levels:
- Fully automated - Used automatically by the effect system in beam, movement, or auxiliary effects
- Semi-automated - Can be set by effects but requires manual configuration
- Manual only - Set by user, not controlled by automated effects (often for mechanical protection)
- Audio-reactive channels require audio input from DJ software or direct audio to function
- DJ mode autonomous channels are fully automated when DJ mode is active
Control Methods & Configuration
| Control Method | Used By | How It Works | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Range (0-255) | Most color channels, Dimmer, Intensity, Iris, Beam, Control, etc. | Simple linear control from 0 (off/minimum) to 255 (full/maximum). The most common control method for smooth continuous adjustment. | No special configuration needed. Just set a default value (usually 0). |
| Pan/Tilt | Pan, Tilt, PanFine, TiltFine | Specialized movement control. Regular Pan/Tilt are 8-bit (0-255). PanFine/TiltFine add 16-bit precision (combined with coarse channel for 65,536 positions). | Default value typically 127 (center position). Fine channels automatically pair with coarse channels. |
| Toggle (On/Off) | Fog, Effect, Rainbow, Reset, Bubbler, Snow, Cloud, Fan Control | Binary on/off control using two DMX values. Toggle between two states. | Configure two values: On Value (e.g., 255) and Off Value (e.g., 0). Can be customized per fixture. |
| Static | Focus, Zoom, MasterDimmer, Speed, Static Value, Fog Volume | Fixed value that doesn't change during effects. Set once and left at that value during operation. | Configure a single DMX value (0-255). MasterDimmer typically defaults to 255 (full). |
| Wheel Slots | Color Wheel, Gobo, Prism | Advanced slot-based control. Each slot represents a physical position on a rotating wheel (color, gobo pattern, or prism). Supports rotation effects, split colors, and shake. | See detailed Wheel Slot Configuration table below. |
| Options | Shutter, Strobe, Auto Program, Rotation, Frost, Pan Endless, Tilt Endless, Derby Control, Pattern Group, Pattern Select, Laser Mode, Barrel Rotation, Mirror Rotation, X Roll, Y Roll, X Move, Y Move, XY Wave, Z Rotation | Preset-based control. DMX range is divided into steps, each representing a different behavior mode (e.g., "Strobe Fast to Slow", "Auto Program 3", "Laser Mode - Sound Active"). | Configure DMX ranges for each option step. Each channel type has predefined option presets (e.g., Laser Mode has 14 presets including "Laser On", "DMX Mode", "Sound Active", etc.). |
Wheel Slot Configuration (Color Wheel, Gobo, Prism)
| Configuration Field | Required | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMX Range (Min - Max) | ✅ Yes | The DMX value range for this slot. Ranges must not overlap. | 0-10, 11-20, 21-30 |
| Slot Name/Description | ✅ Yes | Human-readable name for the slot. For color wheels, this can auto-detect colors from the name. | "Red", "Blue", "Gobo 1 - Stars", "3-Facet Prism" |
| Color Selection <small>(Color Wheel only)</small> | ⚠️ For Color Wheel | Select the color from the dropdown. System has 112 predefined colors including multi-color combinations (RGBAW, etc.). | Red, Blue, RedGreenBlue, AmberWhite, etc. |
| Split Color <small>(Color Wheel only)</small> | Optional | Enable for half-color positions (two colors visible). Select both colors from dropdowns. | Red/Blue, Green/White, Amber/UV |
| Rotation Direction | Optional | For rotating slots, set rotation: <strong>CW Slow→Fast</strong>, <strong>CW Fast→Slow</strong>, <strong>CCW Slow→Fast</strong>, <strong>CCW Fast→Slow</strong>, or <strong>Stop</strong>. | 100-150: "Rotation CW Slow to Fast" |
| Shake Effect | Optional | Enable for shake/vibrate effects (rapid switching between positions). | 180-200: "Gobo 2 Shake" |
| Default Slot | One required | Mark one slot as default (used when channel initializes). Usually "Open" or first position. | ✅ Default on slot with DMX 0-10 |
| Active | ✅ Yes | Toggle to enable/disable slot without deleting it. | ✅ Active / ❌ Inactive |
Configuration Tips:
- Wheel Slots: Use the bulk import feature to quickly paste DMX ranges from fixture manuals. The parser automatically detects colors, rotation, and split colors.
- Options Steps: Start with equal-sized ranges (e.g., 0-31, 32-63, 64-95) and adjust as needed based on fixture manual. Laser channels (Pattern Group, Pattern Select, Laser Mode, Barrel Rotation, Mirror Rotation, X/Y Roll, X/Y Move, XY Wave, Z Rotation) have predefined option presets available in the system.
- Derby Control: This is a special Options channel for hybrid fixtures with multiple independently controllable LED sections. Map DMX ranges to different color combinations.
- Laser Channels: Laser option-based channels (Pattern Group, Pattern Select, Laser Mode, Barrel Rotation, Mirror Rotation, X/Y Roll, X/Y Move, XY Wave, Z Rotation) use the Options control method with predefined presets. For example, Laser Mode includes presets like "Laser On", "DMX Mode", "Auto Mode", "Sound Active", and various strobe modes.
- Default Values: Always set one slot/step as default. This is the value used when the fixture initializes or when effects reset.
- Overlapping Ranges: DMX ranges must never overlap. The system will warn you during configuration if ranges conflict.
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