Enabling sACN control of a DMX line connected to a zencontrol application controller

sACN (Streaming Architecture for Control Networks) is a protocol used primarily in the entertainment industry for controlling lighting, media servers, and other devices over an IP-based Ethernet network. It is officially known as ANSI E1.31 and is widely used for transmitting DMX (Digital Multiplex) data over Ethernet, which allows for controlling large numbers of lighting fixtures and other stage equipment efficiently. 

sACN uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) to transmit data over IP networks. It primarily utilizes multicast, meaning data packets are sent to a specific multicast address, allowing multiple devices on the network to receive the data without needing to be individually addressed. This makes it efficient for applications where the same control data needs to be sent to multiple devices, such as lights on a stage.

A zencontrol application controller supports sACN and directly exposes the connected DMX line. Before this feature can be enabled though, the application controller must have the DMX sACN licence applied to it. Additionally, the application controller must also have either the DMX send or DMX receive licence enabled and active too.

This licence can work in conjunction with the DMX Send and Receive licences, which allows for configurations such as using sACN to control DALI lighting via DMX (by using the receive functionality).

A typical topology involving sACN and zencontrol application controllers is demonstrated below:

In this scenario, the sACN controller is capable of sending messages to the zencontrol application controllers, which is then forwarded directly onto the DMX line. This allows the sACN controller to control and monitor all DMX lights connected to the application controller. In addition to this though, the zencontrol application controller can either control the DMX via the DMX Send licence, or use the incoming message from the sACN controller to control a DALI target via the DMX Receive licence.

To enable sACN capabilities on a zencontrol application controller after the licence has been purchase and applied, follow the steps below:

1. Log onto the zencontrol cloud
2. Navigate to your site
3. Select Gridview
4. Select Add-ons from the top menu
5. Select DMX from the sub menu