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55,000 Products
UK Team in London
Mega Store in Cologne
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30 Day Return Policy
In live production, a strong stage show is hard to imagine without a well-designed lighting concept. With modern LED fixtures and effects becoming increasingly sophisticated, it is essential to keep a clear overview of the rig at all times. Professional lighting control is therefore a prerequisite for illuminating a stage or dancefloor properly. To showcase today’s fixtures and effects at an event, they are typically controlled via DMX technology.
Anyone who has seen a lighting controller will notice that it looks similar to an audio mixing desk: a professional lighting controller also features buttons and faders. However, mixing light is not only about intensity (brightness/dimming). Timing and sequencing are just as important in a light show. Good timing is crucial, which is why stored programmes and scenes can be a major advantage—provided the music and performers are equally precise.
DMX is a protocol that allows lighting devices—such as PARs, effects and moving lights—to communicate with each other. Each fixture needs a fixed address: the goal is not simply to switch all lights on or off simultaneously, but to access each light, laser or effect individually. The principle is comparable to MIDI control, where start addresses are assigned to reach one or several devices. The simplest setup is a single chain with a connected DMX controller, but this is often limited for events. Larger productions can use multiple DMX universes, each controlling up to 512 channels.
In addition to the 5-pin DMX cable—the official standard—3-pin connections are frequently used in practice. They look identical to microphone cables, as they also use 3-pin XLR. When cables are in short supply, some people even use standard mic leads.
Using a microphone cable as a DMX cable?
Although they can look the same externally (especially with 3-pin XLR), microphone cables are not recommended for DMX. They have different electrical characteristics and often do not meet the specified impedance, which can compromise reliable DMX data transmission—especially over longer cable runs.
If you come from an audio background, you might be surprised to see only one DMX connector on many fixtures. The reason is simple: DMX devices are wired in series (daisy-chained). The control signal runs through the chain until it reaches the addressed fixture or effect. This makes wiring straightforward. However, if one fixture in the chain fails, fixtures further down the line may stop responding because the signal path is interrupted.
A reliable solution is to use DMX splitters, which distribute the DMX data signal across multiple paths. This helps prevent a single faulty unit from taking down the entire rig.
Once all fixtures and the controller are connected, each fixture must be assigned a DMX address/channel—typically set directly on the unit.
When choosing a lighting desk, it is important to check how many DMX fixtures it can control, as some units are limited. For smaller events and compact stages, portable controllers are often sufficient—and some can even run on battery power. Each DMX channel has a control path, but many controllers operate in “layer” mode, where faders address different layers. For example, a controller with 6 faders may control 18 DMX channels across three layers. Otherwise, a console with hundreds of channels would be impractical to operate. Buttons or joysticks help navigate menus and target specific channels. More advanced desks can store scenes or complete shows and may also accept MIDI control data.
Software-based lighting control solutions with matching hardware controllers are now widely available and can integrate neatly with DJ software or a DAW—so lighting cues stay in time with the music. With just a few clicks, you can create fully automated lighting, often preconfigured by the manufacturer to suit a genre or mood. To send DMX from a computer, you will need a DMX interface—either a dedicated controller or, at the simplest level, a DMX USB interface.
If you need a device to trigger stored light shows without direct operation, DMX recorders are a practical option. For example, they can read show sequences via USB from a memory stick without a lighting operator. These units are commonly found as fixed installations in bars, hospitality venues, trade shows or retail spaces and typically offer limited options for editing a programmed show.
DMX can also be transmitted wirelessly using a transmitter and receiver. This removes cabling between controller and fixtures, which is particularly useful when the desk is far from the stage. Wireless DMX systems are designed for stable operation even alongside Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals, with ranges of up to several hundred metres.
If a full DMX system is not essential, a simple switching panel may be sufficient to turn specific lamps on and off. The principle is similar to a power strip with individual switches for each socket. There are also dedicated dimmers available that allow you to set a fixed brightness level for a (non-LED) lamp.
