What DMX-Over-Ethernet protocols does CueServer support?
These days you don't have to hang around the lighting world for long to hear terms like sACN, Art-Net, or Ki-Net. These are DMX-Over-Ethernet protocols. These protocols allow the transportation of a DMX lighting signal over a standard Ethernet network. CueServer 2 comes packed with support for the transmission and reception of DMX lighting control data over the three major Ethernet Protocols.
sACN (or Streaming ACN)
sACN is a preferred method of sending and receiving DMX-over-Ethernet to and/or from a CueServer.The following table lists the general specifications for the CueServer implementation of sACN:
- Compliant with ANSI Standard E1.31-2009 (sACN)
- May send and/or receive up to 128 universes of sACN simultaneously
- May send and/or receive sACN packets with an arbitrary universe number between 1 and 63999
- sACN is sent at a maximum rate of 40Hz for each universe when channel values are changing
- sACN is sent at a minimum rate of 1Hz for each universe when channel values are static
- Supports the sending of user-defined priority levels for each universe
- Received sACN is merged with hardwired DMX designated for the same universe
- Ignores incoming data marked as Preview Data
- Performs immediate stream termination when a Stream Terminated packet is received
- Maintains proper sequence number transmission separately for each output universe
- Sends the universe’s name as the sACN source name for each universe
- Ignores packets with start code 0xDD (used for slot-by-slot priority)
- Each universe times out after 2.5 seconds when no packets for that universe are not received
Art-Net
Art-Net is a method of sending and receiving DMX-over-Ethernet to and/or from a CueServer.
Art-Net is owned and copyright by Artistic Licence Holdings Ltd. Artistic Licence has published the specification and made it available for anyone to use on a royalty-free basis.
The following table lists the general specifications for the CueServer implementation of Art-Net:
- Compliant with the Art-Net 3 Specification by Artistic License
- May send and/or receive up to 128 universes of Art-Net simultaneously
- May send and/or receive Art-Net packets with an arbitrary port address (network/sub-net/universe) from 0:0:0 thru 127:F:F
- Art-Net is sent at a maximum rate of 40Hz for each universe when channel values are changing
- Art-Net is sent at a minimum rate of 1Hz for each universe when channel values are static
- Art-Net may be sent to the limited broadcast address, directed broadcast address or unicast to a specific IP address
- Received Art-Net is merged with hardwired DMX designated for the same universe
- Maintains proper sequence number transmission separately for each output universe
- Each universe times out after 6 seconds when no packets for that universe are not received
- CueServer’s implementation of Art-Net does not yet support “automatic” IP configuration via the ArtPoll method
- CueServer does not receive its own Art-Net output
For more information about Art-Net, please visit the Art-Net Home Page at art-net.org.uk.
Ki-Net (v1 & v2)
KiNET is an alternate method of sending DMX lighting control values to from a CueServer to lighting fixtures and/or power supplies that support the proprietary Philips/Color Kinetics KiNET protocol.
The following table lists the general specifications for the CueServer implementation of KiNET:
- Compliant with the v1 and v2 versions of the KiNET protocol
- May send and/or receive up to 128 universes of KiNET simultaneously
- A universe outputting KiNET v1 may be sent to any arbitrary IP address
- A universe outputting KiNET v2 may specify a port number and DMX range
- KiNET is sent at a maximum rate of 40Hz for each universe when channel values are changing
- KiNET is sent at a minimum rate of 1Hz for each universe when channel values are static
For more information about KiNET, please visit Color Kinetics at colorkinetics.com.
Interactive Technologies is a KiNET licensee by Philips/ColorKinetics.