DMXEtherGate from Enttec

Enttec, an Australian manufacturer of entertainment lighting devices, has just launched the DMXEtherGate. This new device is a low-cost plug and play gateway between Ethernet, networking commonly used in computer networks and DMX512 which is the industry standard control signal for entertainment lighting. The DMXEtherGate is available in two versions - an IN box to convert DMX512 to Ethernet and an OUT box to convert Ethernet to DMX512. Both have a 10Base-T Ethernet port that can be connected to any Ethernet equipment such as hubs, switches, radio access points. By using Ethernet, the lighting designer or operator can utilise all the existing infrastructure and the readily-available Ethernet hardware.

Thanks to the RLE data compression included in the DMXEtherGate multiple DMX512 universes can be transmitted on a single 10Base-T link. Moreover by using multiple IN and OUT boxes the system can support up to 256 DMX universes on a single Cat 5 ethernet network. Using a network of DMXEtherGates, the user can also dynamically re-route DMX universes from one input to one or many outputs. All what is needed is Enttec's free software GateConfig and a network enabled computer.

The DMXEtherGate offers interesting possibilities for large venues and complex DMX networks, providing the ability to install and then be able to change the routing or add new access points as required. Also the combination with wireless ethernet solutions can solve many DMX distribution problems, by using a standard wireless ethernet access point, a user can distribute up to 256 DMX512 universes over a single wireless link.

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