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Lighting Networks 101

Lighting Networks 101. Digital Multiplex Protocol or ANSI E1.11 – 2004 USITT DMX512-A Asynchronous Serial Data Transmission Standard for Controlling Lighting Equipment and Accessories. DMX. Proper DMX Layout. Daisy Chain the signal path. Console. Fixture or dimmer. Fixture or dimmer.

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Lighting Networks 101

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  1. Lighting Networks 101

  2. Digital Multiplex Protocol or ANSI E1.11 – 2004 USITT DMX512-A Asynchronous Serial Data Transmission Standard for Controlling Lighting Equipment and Accessories DMX

  3. Proper DMX Layout Daisy Chain the signal path Console Fixture or dimmer Fixture or dimmer Fixture or dimmer

  4. DMX Troubleshooting “T” or “Y” connections change the cable impedance causing reflection Fixture or dimmer Console

  5. DMX Mixed Layout Opto-splitter/Repeater Console Merger Console Each DMX leg out of a repeater is its own electrical entity Repeaters can be daisy-chained

  6. DMX Troubleshooting (2)‏ Signal path must be terminated with 120 ohm resistor Console Terminator switch or plug on final fixture Fixture or dimmer Fixture or dimmer Fixture or dimmer Failure to terminate causes signal reflection back up the cable and intermittent problems

  7. DMX Cable • Low capacitance required to maintain wave form • Belden 9842, 9729, 9829 • ProPlex, Showplex • Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6 • Not microphone cable • What they say about barb wire isn’t true

  8. Wave Form Proper square/digital wave form Sawtooth wave form – likely caused by capacitance in the cable or slew-rating in the transceiver Wave form overlay (typically caused by reflection)‏ Multiple overlays are possible

  9. DMX Data Packet High Start Code 44uS Slot 1 (lvl=0)‏ also 44uS Slot 2 (lvl=0)‏ 1 start bit (low)‏ 2 stop bits (high)‏ Mark-after-break 8uS Break 88uS Idle time can follow stop bits

  10. DMX Data Frame Line Idle - high 2 Stop Bits - high 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 8 Data Bits high or low 1 Start bit - low Single Data Frame 11 bits altogether 44uS transmission time

  11. Remote Device Management or ANSI E1.20 - 2006 RDM Remote Device Management Over DMX512-A Networks RDM

  12. Why RDM? Because DMX isn't enough anymore • Too much gear • Too many universes • Too much paperwork • Too many places for things to go wrong • Not easy to fix things on the fly

  13. How RDM Works • Does not make legacy DMX-only gear obsolete • Uses a packet structure, like DMX • RDM messages are interleaved or inserted between regular DMX packets • DMX does not need to be present for RDM messages to be sent • Requires all devices be transmitters as well as receivers

  14. RDM Packet Structure Start Code Hex CC: indicates RDM Packet Sub-Start Code Hex 01: basically for future use Message Length Number of slots used by message Destination UID UID of intended recipient Not sure why: only one controller allowed Source UID Transaction # Used to match query and response Port ID/Response Type Identifies controller's sending port and responder's type of message Message Count Incremented by responder – tells controller number of queued msgs Sub-device IDs device within responder ie dimmer within the rack Message Data Payload! At last! Checksum 16-bit checksum of all above fields

  15. RDM Message Block Command Class Get, Set or Discovery Parameter ID (PID)‏ i.e.: Network Mgmt, Status, Sensors, DMX512 Set-up, others, or manufacturer specific Parameter Data Length Number of slots used by next part of message (can be zero)‏ - responder needs to know when check sum begins Parameter Data Format depends on the PID

  16. New Rules for System Design • No more than 4 in-line devices between a responder and the controller • In-line devices include opto-splitters, mergers, repeaters, anything that reprocesses the signal • In-line devices must be bi-directional • Timing changes to DMX E1.11 • Break time extended to 132uS • Each in-line device to reduce break by 22uS

  17. Legacy Equipment • DMX distribution gear developed prior to 2000 will likely need to be replaced • no provision for bi-directional signal • end gear will depend on manufacturer • as purchasers you should be demanding support for older gear • DMX-over-Ethernet likely will be okay • currently no programming consoles with RDM

  18. RDM and Pathway • Support for firmware upload over RDM • DMX/RDM over Ethernet via Pathport • In-line Devices: • DMX Repeater Pro • Bi-directional opto-splitter • Can also act as a controller • eDIN 1009 RDM opto-splitter • Responder Devices: • EDIN 1003 DMX to Contact Output • eDIN 1004 DMX-to-Analog • eDIN 1006 Analog-to-DMX • eDIN 1008 DMX LED Driver

  19. ANSI E1.17 – 2006 Architecture for Control Networks ACN

  20. Remaining Problems - sheer size of lighting installations (think LED) causing infrastructure problems - cost of wire and connectors for DMX/RDM - management tools not covered by RDM - multiple universe management - distribution management (merge, priority)‏ - everything still mapped to 512 channels - maybe the answer is... Ethernet?

  21. Ethernet Advantages - Cheap wiring and distribution gear - available everywhere - 10 Mbit = 40 universes at 250 baud (we get back to this one)‏ - flexibility of star wiring - cheap (did I mention cheap?)‏

  22. Proprietary Protocols(again)‏ Strand Shownet ETC Net1 ETC Net2 ArtNet Pathport ....and less often AVAB Compulite Enttec Colornet KiNet ... and none can talk to each other

  23. DMX-over-Ethernet Advantages • signal management - merging, splitting, priority switching • unlimited outputs (dependent on network architecture)‏ • up to 128 universes of input (typical 2008)‏ • number of fully active universes varies from protocol to protocol but typically 12 - 15

  24. Ethernet Limitations • finicky installations • sensitive to electrical interference • not robust (compared to Belden/XLR)‏ • 100m cable runs versus 500m for DMX

  25. Enter ACN • media agnostic – use whatever cable you want • intended as a generic language to control devices • allows for plug and play

  26. Alphabet Soup (1)‏ CID – Component IDentifier DDL – Device Description Language DMP – Device Management Protocol SDT – Session Data Transport RLP – Root Layer Protocol Three letter acronyms – not just for audio anymore

  27. Alphabet Soup (2)‏ CID – Component IDentifier - unique identifier for each device on system DDL – Device Description Language - an XML file describing device properties and associated ‘behaviours’ - controller can pick and choose what it wants depending on sophistication and need

  28. Alphabet Soup (3)‏ DMP – Device Management Protocol - how to get and set properties of the device SDT – Session Data Transport - heart of ACN - allows efficient, reliable (error-checking) data transmission to one, a few or all devices on the network, depending on need - created specifically with the typically assymmetric lighting data flow in mind

  29. ACN Overview - information not bound by 512 data slots - formatted or configured according to need - device reports native resolution - end devices can report abilities, parameters to the controller - no searching for libraries anymore - configuration using terms that make sense to the user - devices not limited to lighting equipment

  30. How Will it Fit Together? - Ethernet backbone carrying ACN signals - some devices such as media servers, dimmer banks and LED drivers will sit natively on the network - gateway nodes will provide ACN-RDM control over configurable devices - gateway nodes will provide ACN-DMX control over legacy and 'dumb' gear

  31. What’s on the shelf now? - DMX, obviously - RDM, increasingly - streaming ACN Ethernet protocol is available as Net3 (ETC), sACN (Pathway) and soon others (MA Lighting, Pharos)‏ - in the near term (5 years or less) sACN will replace the proprietary protocols - openACN group working on open source code modules (www.openacn.org)‏

  32. Ethernet Design Tips (1)‏ - structured wiring - IDC termination - TIA/EIA-568 certification - Cat5e vs Cat6 -STP and conduit - observe cable lengths - max 90m for copper - copper versus fibre

  33. Ethernet Design Tips (2)‏ - Power-over-Ethernet (802.3af)‏ - device classes and sufficient power - switches vs routers - current lack of Etherner protocol converters

  34. Troubleshooting (1)‏ - managed vs unmanaged switches - bad things, maybe: - broadcast storm control - IGMP packet sniffing - multicast filtering - spanning tree protocol

  35. Troubleshooting (2)‏ - maximum traffic for 10Mb devices - 24 universes for broadcast protocols - traffic patterns - Ethernet component reliability issues - RJ45 vs Ethercon vs XLR - segregated traffic -VLANS - media converters

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