10 December 2015

DMX DAY, ANOTHER STANDARDS WAR?

Some bright spark came up with the idea of International DMX Day – 5/12. Funny, but it also made me think about this old faithful standard, in use since 1992 and still going strong. Or is it?

I am seeing more and more Art-Net devices, Streaming ACN (sACN) and IP being used. Art-Net and sACN basically are ways to distribute DMX over EtherNet

Whilst each of these is starting to carve out its own niche, I am a little bit worried that we may be heading for another “Standards War”.

Do you remember when every lighting console manufacturer went “digital” with their own, proprietary, control protocol and nothing talked to anything else? Thank heavens that DMX came out on top and was universally implemented.

Each of the “new” protocols brings something else to the party, advancing DMX, or at least, expanding the scope.

DMX is certainly going to be around for a long time yet, but the complexity of shows is slowly forcing the adoption of new standards, I just hope that the industry decides on one soon and we can get on and use it.

I would be interested to know which way you are leaning.

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