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Text Content

NAVIGATION


ART-NET

The Official Website for Art-Net

Home


PAGE CONTENTS MENU:

 * Why Art-Net?
 * How it works
   * Introduction and Terminology
   * Universe Addressing
   * Discovery Packets
     * ArtPoll
     * ArtPollReply
     * Multiple Controllers
   * Streaming Packets
     * ArtDmx Packet Definition
     * Subscription
     * Duplicates & Merging
     * ArtSync Packet Definition
     * ArtNzs Packet Definition
   * Device Configuration
     * ArtAddress
     * ArtInput
     * ArtCommand
   * Time Keeping & Triggering
     * ArtTimeCode
     * ArtTimeSync
     * ArtTrigger
   * RDM
   * Packet Summary
   * Code Snippets
 * Join the club
   * OEM code listing
   * OEM code application
 * Resources & Downloads
   * DMX-Workshop
   * Art-Net Specification
   * Wireshark
   * The Dude
   * Other
 * FAQ


Return to Content


HOME

Art-Net 4 is an award-winning data distribution protocol that allows
DMX512 (hereafter DMX) and RDM lighting data to be transported over an ethernet
network. It uses a simple UDP based packet structure designed to provide
efficient and low overhead data flow. 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. However, two conditions
exist; for details, please refer to the footer on the Join the club page.


BACKGROUND

DMX was designed to control up to 512 channels (a universe) of lighting values
over a single cable. It worked well for many years but eventually outgrew its
512 channel limit, and lighting desks supporting several DMX universes began to
appear. Soon, even this was not enough as the development of channel hungry
fixtures progressed and designers needed more channels than DMX could offer.



Art-Net was created by Artistic Licence to overcome the channel restriction of
DMX while still utilizing its structure. It allows multiple DMX universes to be
transported over a single Cat5 cable using ethernet technology.

In the early days, DMX signals from a lighting desk were converted to Art-Net
using a separate interface product. The signals were then transported over an
ethernet network and converted back to DMX before entering each fixture.
However, manufacturers quickly saw the benefits of Art-Net and started to
support the protocol in their new lighting controllers. As a result, native
support for Art-Net in consoles, dimmers and moving lights is now quite common,
so increasingly the DMX512 universe is a virtual concept.


ART-NET I

The first version of Art-Net, now called Art-Net I, was written in 1998 and
released soon after. Art-Net I used broadcast data for all transactions
including the streaming level data. The reason for the use of broadcast was
simply to remove the need for any network configuration on the part of the user.

Art-Net I was implemented on 10BaseT networks and used for a relatively small
quantity of universes – perhaps 10 (the effective limit was approximately 40
universes). This very modest level of bandwidth use worked well with a broadcast
topology.

However, with the wide scale adoption of RGB LED devices, the demand for
channels grew and the broadcast topology became problematic. Broadcast data
floods the entire network and appears at every node whether it needs it or not.
Too much broadcast data overloads switches and nodes alike.

 
 




ART-NET II

In order to address this problem, Art-Net II was released in 2006. At power on,
the Art-Net II output of a console is identical to Art-Net I – all broadcast.
However, with Art-Net II, the console uses a simple algorithm to learn which
nodes are consuming which universes. It then switches to unicasting to the
nodes. The reduction in network loading achieved with Art-Net II is massive,
allowing Art-Net II networks to scale up to the bandwidth of the network.
Art-Net II has an effective limit of 256 universes.


ART-NET 3

The need for ever more channels, driven by the expansion of pixel based systems,
continues unabated. This led to the release of Art-Net 3 in 2011. Art-Net 3
increased the number of universes that can be addressed from 8-bit to 15-bit
(meaning that a total of 32,768 universes can be addressed). Art-Net 3 added a
concept called Binding, which allows product designers to develop gateways with
more than four ports. However, each logical block of four ports must have a
unique IP address, which can be difficult to implement on some hardware
platforms (the use of multiple IP addresses is called multi-homing).


ART-NET 4

Art-Net 4 was released in September 2016. It is the most powerful and flexible
version to date and, in recognition of this fact, gained a PLASA Award for
Innovation.

Art-Net 4 overcomes the multi-homing problem, by incorporating a new method
of handling gateways that support multiple DMX ports. The scheme allows a
gateway (or any Art-Net product) to support over 1000 DMX ports, all on a single
IP address. It has been added in such a way that it is 100% backwards compatible
with previous releases of Art-Net.

Art-Net 4 also offers a unique new feature that facilitates management of the
gateway data source. This allows users to choose Art-Net as the discovery,
management and RDM tool, while using sACN for the live control data. While many
users are happy to work completely within the Art-Net realm, some installations
and specifiers require or prefer the use of sACN, the accredited ANSI E1.31
standard. However, unlike Art-Net, sACN does not support network management or
RDM, which could leave users disadvantaged. Art-Net 4 solves this problem,
offering an elegant solution that enables the protocols to be used in a
complementary manner.

Developers will also appreciate a new software feature that enables all DMX
ports to be assigned a fully independent universe.

Finally, in a nod to the future, Art-Net 4 already has built-in support for VLC
(Visible Light Communication) – a technology that is likely to have a huge
impact in the coming years.

The protocol specification is available for download from the Artistic Licence
web site.




FEATURES AT A GLANCE

 * Transports up to 32,768 DMX universes over a single network
 * Uses standard ethernet technology equipment

 * Wireless / fibre (long distance)
 * Routers to send data over WANs and internet

 * Users can choose Art-Net or sACN for live control data
 * Implements discovery & network management
 * Full support for RDM (node dependent)
 * Unicast transmission ensures bandwidth efficiency
 * One IP address per gateway (up to 1000 DMX ports)
 * DMX merging allows use of two controllers
 * Remote configuration of nodes (universe selection, merging etc)
 * All DMX ports can be assigned a fully independent universe
 * Advanced RDM packets using run-length-encoding for efficient transfer of
   Virtual-RDM data
 * VLC ready
 * Support for manufacturer-agnostic firmware upload with file encryption to
   protect intellectual property
 * Free network tools(DMX-Workshop)
 * Numerous converters available
 * Multi-manufacturer support
 * Protocol is free-of-charge
 * Perfect for large scale LED installations



Light Bytes: Inside Art-Net and sACN

Written with practicality in mind, Light Bytes provides a much needed technical
reference on Art-Net and sACN. Starting with a networking primer, it moves onto
the detailed packet structures and definitions used in each protocol. Following
the theoretical groundwork, readers are guided through the problems that are
often encountered in real-world applications, with tips on how to avoid them.
The book strives for a balanced approach, comparing and contrasting Art-Net and
sACN, while explaining how each protocol is evolving to meet the needs of a
changing marketplace. There is a handy chapter on freely available software
diagnostics tools, along with useful code examples for both Art-Net and sACN
developers.

About the author

Wayne Howell is the founder of Artistic Licence, the lighting controls company
that he started in 1988. Wayne was a key contributor to the development of
DMX512-A and Remote Device Management (RDM) via the ESTA technical standards
programme. But he is perhaps best known as the author of Art-Net, the open
ethernet lighting protocol now supported by hundreds of manufacturers worldwide.
Wayne enjoys sharing his expertise through his books, articles and seminars.

Light Bytes: Inside Art-Net and sACN by Wayne Howell is available for purchase
through Artistic Licence. Please contact sales@artisticlicence.com for more
information, or visit our webshop. 



© 2024 Artistic Licence Engineering Ltd. All Rights Reserved.



Art-Net™ is a trademark of Artistic Licence Engineering Ltd.