DMX Lighting Made Simple

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DMX is the acronym for Digital Multiplex. DMX refers to the standard protocol used to control smart lighting fixtures remotely. In order to configure a DMX-controlled lighting system, a DMX controller is required to program the desired settings. This video covers what DMX is and how to use it.


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Other than using a DMX controller/console, one can also use software that offers more versatile control options. One single DMX cable can transmit packages to 512 different channels, so the protocol is sometimes also called DMX 512.

After interlinking DMX fixtures or daisy chaining them, they can be addressed through the DMX controller/software. Addressing means allocating a DMX channel on which a lighting fixture can be managed. Note that DMX can also control other fixtures, such as smoke and fog machines. Address this based on the number of channels it has.

If an RGB fixture requires three channels and is addressed to channel one, it will take up the following two channels, i.e., channels 001, 002, and 003 will work together. This means that the next available channel is 004. Two similar fixtures can also be placed on a single channel, allowing them to act as one.

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