HTP vs LTP
When multiple control sources affect the same DMX channel, the console must decide which value wins. HTP and LTP are the two strategies DMX Node uses in Submasters.
What Is Merging?
A DMX console often has multiple sources that output values to the same channel simultaneously. For example:
- •The Mixer fader sets channel 1 to 150.
- •A Submaster is set to 200 and is also targeting channel 1.
The merge mode decides which value goes to the fixture: 150 or 200.
HTP — Highest Takes Priority
In HTP mode, the highest value from any active source wins for that channel.
Example — HTP
HTP is additive: the submaster can only increase a channel beyond the base mixer level. It cannot reduce it below what the mixer already has.
LTP — Latest Takes Priority
In LTP mode, the submaster's value overrides the current channel level whenever it is active.
Example — LTP
LTP is an override: the submaster's value replaces the existing value, regardless of whether it is higher or lower.
HTP vs LTP Comparison
| Attribute | HTP | LTP |
|---|---|---|
| Rule | Higher value wins | Submaster value wins |
| Can reduce a channel? | No | Yes |
| Best for | Intensity / dimmer | Color, position, overrides |
| Submaster behavior at 0 | Channel follows mixer | Channel outputs 0 |
Where These Apply
HTP and LTP are configured per Submaster in DMX Node. When you create or edit a Submaster, you choose which merge mode it uses.
The Mixer itself has no HTP/LTP setting — the Mixer always provides the base layer. Submasters, Chases (which recall scenes), and FX layers all run on top of the Mixer's values. Submasters are the explicit merge-mode control point.
Practical Examples
HTP: Stage presence boost
Your scene has all dimmers at 70%. You want a submaster that temporarily pushes the stage front fixtures to 100% without affecting color or position channels. Set the submaster to target those dimmer channels with HTP mode. At full level the dimmers go to 100%. When you bring the submaster down, those channels return to the 70% from the scene.
LTP: Color override
Your scene has all wash lights in warm white. You want a submaster that shifts those fixtures to blue. Set the submaster to target the RED, GREEN, and BLUE channels of the wash fixtures in LTP mode with values (R:0, G:0, B:255). When the submaster is active at any level, it overrides the color channels to blue. Bring it to 0 to restore scene colors.
Multiple submasters
You can run multiple submasters simultaneously. For overlapping channels, each submaster applies its own HTP or LTP rule independently. The final output for any channel is the result after all active submasters have been evaluated against the base mixer level.