Frequently Asked Questions
Technical questions about DMX Node, Art-Net, and how the system works.
- DMX Node is a mobile DMX lighting console for Android and iOS. It sends Art-Net packets over Wi-Fi to an Art-Net-compatible hardware node, which converts the network data into a physical DMX signal for your lighting fixtures.
- DMX512 (Digital Multiplex) is the standard protocol for controlling stage lighting. A DMX line (universe) carries up to 512 channels, each with a value from 0 to 255. Each channel typically controls one parameter of a fixture — brightness, color intensity, pan position, and so on.
- Art-Net is a protocol that carries DMX512 data over standard IP networks using UDP. It allows DMX lighting control to travel over Ethernet or Wi-Fi instead of a physical 5-pin XLR cable. A hardware Art-Net node at the other end converts the network packets back into a physical DMX signal.
- Yes. DMX Node controls lighting by sending Art-Net packets over your Wi-Fi network. A hardware Art-Net node — a device that receives those packets and outputs physical DMX — is required. The app alone cannot drive DMX fixtures without this hardware.
- No. Phones do not have DMX hardware output. DMX Node sends Art-Net over Wi-Fi to a hardware node, which converts it to physical DMX. The phone is the controller; the hardware node is the physical interface.
- Open Settings in the app, add your Art-Net node, and enter its IP address. Make sure your phone and the node are on the same Wi-Fi network. DMX Node sends Art-Net UDP packets directly to the configured IP — no cables or special setup required.
- Yes. Define a fixture with PAN, TILT, PAN_FINE, and TILT_FINE channels in its mode. The Color tab provides a live joystick for pan/tilt control. Moving head behavior depends on the fixture's actual channel mapping — configure it to match your fixture's manual.
- Yes. Define a fixture mode with RED, GREEN, and BLUE channels (and optionally WHITE, AMBER, UV). The Color tab's HSV picker converts color to RGB and sends the values to the correct channels. Color behavior depends entirely on the channel mapping you configure.
- Each DMX universe provides 512 channels. Free users have one output port (one universe, 512 channels). Premium users can add multiple output ports per node, each mapped to a different Art-Net universe — increasing the total channel count accordingly.
- Yes, with a Premium subscription. Premium unlocks the ability to add multiple output ports to an Art-Net node, each configured with independent N/S/U Art-Net addressing. Free users are limited to one port per node.
- No. DMX Node does not include a built-in fixture profile library. All fixture modes — channel count, channel order, and function assignments — are configured manually. This gives full flexibility but requires you to consult your fixture's manual.
- Yes. The Backup screen lets you export your complete show data — scenes, scene banks, fixtures, groups, submasters, chases, and FX layers — to a local JSON file. You can import the same file on another device or after reinstalling the app. This is local file export and import, not cloud storage.
- Premium unlocks multi-universe output by allowing you to add additional output ports to each Art-Net node. Each port maps to a distinct Art-Net universe (N/S/U addressing), enabling larger rigs that require more than 512 channels.