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DMX Output

phix sends DMX over the network using either ArtNet or sACN (E1.31). You need a network-connected DMX node (e.g., an Art-Net gateway) to convert the network packets to physical DMX for your fixtures.

Starting and stopping DMX output#

dmx start    -- begin sending DMX framesdmx stop     -- stop sending DMX frames

Check current configuration:

dmx config

Protocols#

ArtNet (default)#

ArtNet is a DMX-over-UDP protocol widely supported by lighting hardware.

Default settings:

  • Broadcast IP: 255.255.255.255
  • Port: 6454

Configure a specific IP (unicast):

dmx artnet ip 192.168.1.100

Change the port:

dmx artnet port 6454

Enable/disable sequence numbering:

dmx artnet sequence ondmx artnet sequence off

sACN (E1.31)#

sACN (Streaming ACN) is the ANSI E1.31 standard for DMX over IP. It supports multicast, making it ideal for larger systems.

Switch to sACN:

dmx protocol sacn

Set the source name (displayed on receiving devices):

dmx sacn name "My Show Console"

Set the priority (0–200, default 100):

dmx sacn priority 100

Change the port (default 5568):

dmx sacn port 5568

Switch back to ArtNet:

dmx protocol artnet

Frame rate#

phix outputs DMX at a configurable rate. The default is 44 Hz, which matches the standard DMX refresh rate.

dmx fps 44    -- set frame rate to 44 Hz
tip

Higher frame rates (up to 44 Hz) give smoother fades on high-resolution fixtures but use more network bandwidth. Lower frame rates reduce network load.

Universe configuration#

Each DMX universe needs to be configured in your show. phix creates universes automatically when you patch fixtures, but you can also manage them manually.

list universes    -- show all configured universes

Networking tips#

  • Ensure phix and your DMX nodes are on the same network subnet
  • For ArtNet broadcast mode (255.255.255.255), all devices on the subnet receive the signal
  • For unicast, enter the specific IP of each Art-Net node
  • Disable firewall rules that block UDP on ports 6454 (ArtNet) or 5568 (sACN)
  • On systems with multiple network adapters, make sure traffic is sent on the correct interface