Lighting Guides
Plain explanations of the protocols and hardware behind DMX lighting, checked against the published standards.
These guides answer the questions that come up before you choose software: how the protocols work, what the numbers in a spec sheet mean, and which piece of hardware you actually need. Every technical claim is taken from the published standard itself, with the clause cited at the foot of each page.
Looking for step-by-step instructions for DMXDesktop instead? The knowledgebase covers setup, screens and troubleshooting.
Network protocols
How lighting data travels over Ethernet, and which protocol to use when.
What is sACN?
ANSI E1.31 explained: multicast addressing, universes, priority and what happens when the data stops.
Read the guide →What is Art-Net?
How Art-Net nodes, gateways and Port-Addresses work, and why Art-Net 4 no longer broadcasts lighting data.
Read the guide →Art-Net vs sACN
A side-by-side comparison drawn from both specifications, and how to choose between them.
Read the guide →Open Sound Control (OSC)
What OSC is, how its messages are built, and how it is used to control lighting remotely.
Read the guide →Hardware and cabling
What to buy, what the standards actually require, and the myths worth ignoring.
DMX fundamentals
Start here if DMX itself is new.
Put it into practice
DMXDesktop speaks sACN, Art-Net and USB DMX on Mac and Windows, and the Free plan is enough to test your network end to end.
