Connect Your Lights

Spectralite sends DMX data over Art-Net or sACN, the two standard protocols for DMX over Ethernet. Fixtures receive data through a DMX-over-IP node on the network, or directly if they speak Art-Net natively.

Requirements

• Art-Net or sACN node (or fixtures with a built-in Art-Net / sACN receiver).
• Ethernet connection between your computer and the node.
• Both devices on the same network subnet.

Setup

Art-Net output is enabled by default, so connecting a node on the same network is usually enough. To add or edit outputs, open Edit > Outputs:

1. Click Art-Net or sACN to create a new output of that protocol.
2. Pick the Network Interface that reaches the lighting network.
3. To match a third-party receiver that expects a different wire universe, set a Universe Offset. It shifts which wire universe each patch universe transmits on. Spectralite nodes need no offset.
4. To send only a subset of universes, enable Universe range filter and set the range.
5. For a point-to-point link, set Network Mode to Unicast and enter the receiver's IP. For broadcast networks, leave it on Broadcast.
6. Leave ArtSync Frames on so receivers commit multi-universe frames atomically. (Art-Net only.)

Outputs are per-project and save with the .slp file.

Verify connection

1. Patch a fixture with the right universe and DMX address.
2. Add an effect layer and raise its opacity.
3. The fixture should respond.

If the fixture does not light up, check its master dimmer channel in the Parameters panel. Many moving heads default their dimmer to 0.

Troubleshooting

Fixtures not responding?

• Confirm the fixture's DMX address matches the one set in Spectralite.
• Check that the universe numbers match between Spectralite and the node. The patch panel, the node's Start Universe, and the controllers Uni column all use the same 1-based universe number, so they match directly. Spectralite converts to the correct Art-Net (0-based) or sACN (1-based) wire universe automatically; a Universe Offset is only needed to align with third-party gear.
• Verify both devices are on the same subnet, for example 192.168.1.x.
• For Art-Net, check that the firewall allows UDP port 6454. For sACN, confirm multicast is permitted on the network.