Art-Net

showstack / protocols / art-net

Also called ArtNet, Art-Net 4.

Artistic Licence's royalty-free protocol for carrying DMX512 over UDP/IP. It predates sACN, is implemented by almost every lighting product ever made, and is still the default lingua franca when two unfamiliar devices need to talk.

Lighting controlOpenArtistic Licence Engineering LtdVerified

Control Small, urgent, must arrive

Small messages that either repeat constantly or fire once. Bandwidth is almost never the problem.

What kills it. Latency and loss on the messages that fire once. A repeating level survives a dropped packet; a GO does not.

The four flows, and why the model is worth having →

Ports

udp/6454 All Art-Net traffic (ArtDmx, ArtPoll, ArtPollReply, ArtSync, ...)
6454 is 0x1936 in hex, which is the year Artistic Licence chose as a nod to the first television broadcast.

Addressing

15-bit Port-Address split into Net (7 bits), Sub-Net (4 bits) and Universe (4 bits), giving 32768 addressable universes of 512 slots.

What goes wrong

Classic Art-Net broadcasts to 2.255.255.255 or 10.255.255.255, which is why the old convention is 2.x.x.x addressing with a /8 mask. Putting Art-Net on a 192.168.x.x network works, but broadcast then hits every device on the subnet.

Net/Sub-Net/Universe versus a flat universe number is the classic patch error. A device showing "universe 0" may mean Port-Address 0, which many consoles display as universe 1.

ArtSync exists to avoid tearing on large pixel rigs, but many nodes ignore it. If pixels shear across a fade, check sync support before blaming the switch.

What speaks Art-Net (104)

104 products — 47 hardware, 57 softwareshow all

Product	Direction	Notes
ArKaos MediaMaster ArKaos	in	Art-Net control from a lighting console.
ArtNet Monitor (PixiLab) PixiLab	in	Simple Art-Net DMX-512 monitor with single-universe or omni (multi-universe) modes.
The ArtNetominator Lightjams Inc.	in	Primary function: real-time monitor of Art-Net nets/subnets/universes/nodes.
ArtNetView Haute Technique	in	Standalone Art-Net monitor showing universes, source IPs, and per-channel value history.
Avolites Titan Avolites	out	One of the two network DMX protocols Titan uses to reach nodes and dimmers.
Capture Capture Visualisation AB	in	One of the two recommended network DMX inputs.
CasparCG Server CasparCG project	out	An ArtNet consumer is documented in the shipped casparcg.config.
ChamSys MagicQ ChamSys	bidirectional	Art-Net 1, 2, 3 and 4 in broadcast or unicast mode for output; Art-Net is also received for capture into the console or for merging. 64 universes of output are enabled in the free demo mode.
Chataigne Ben Kuper	bidirectional
Bitfocus Companion Bitfocus AS	in	Companion can be controlled over Art-Net by setting a universe and start channel in settings.
Daslight Daslight (Nicolaudie)	out	Art-Net output.
Depence Syncronorm GmbH	bidirectional	Listed on Syncronorm's system-integration page; used to receive console output for previz, and the separate Control module is marketed as able to drive the real show over the same DMX network protocols.
disguise Designer disguise	bidirectional
DMX-Workshop Singularity (UK) Ltd	bidirectional	Described as the reference standard tool for Art-Net implementations; sends and receives.
DMXControl 3 DMXControl Projects e.V.	bidirectional	Art-Net output and input.
dot2 onPC MA Lighting	out	Output broadcast, Art-Net 1, universes 0:0 to 0:7. On onPC the first universe is free (introduced in software v1.2.2.8); beyond that a dot2 Node4 is required.
Eos Electronic Theatre Controls (ETC)	out	Disabled by default in Patch. Art-Net universes 0-255.
ESP Vision ESP Studios / Zzyzx, Inc. (acquired by Vectorworks, Inc., 2015)	in	Documented DMX input protocol in the ESP Vision 2.0 era (2006); not necessarily reflective of every release across the product's life.
grandMA3 onPC MA Lighting	bidirectional	Documented at Art-Net revision 1.4db. Unicast is used until more than five receivers subscribe to a universe.
HeavyM HeavyM	in	External control.
Hippotizer Green Hippo (an ACT Entertainment brand)	bidirectional	In: the DMX component takes Art-Net from a lighting desk to control layers, mixes and viewports, with auto-patch tooling. Out: PixelMapper sends Art-Net to LED fixtures.
Isadora TroikaTronix (Mark Coniglio)	bidirectional	Integrated Art-Net send and receive from Isadora 4. In Isadora 2 and 3 Art-Net was a separately downloaded plugin (32-bit for 2, 64-bit for 3).
L8 L8 LLC	bidirectional	DMX input on every edition; the Trace and Unlimited edition pages separately document "DMX output with Art-Net."
LightConverse LightConverse	in	Art-Net input from a console.
Lightkey Lightkey	out	Art-Net output.
MA 3D MA Lighting	in	Art-Net input where MA-Net is not used.
MadMapper garageCube	bidirectional	Documented as Art-Net 4 compliant, up to 4096 DMX universes.
Medialon Control System Medialon (Barco)	bidirectional	Art-Net for lighting integration.
Millumin Anomes (Philippe Chaurand)	out	Art-Net output for Light Plot and LED Mapping; docs cite Artnet V1/V2 with V3/V4 said to be retro-compatible. Art-Net input is not documented.
Modul8 GarageCUBE	in	DMX/Art-Net control on supported versions.
Node-RED OpenJS Foundation	bidirectional	Via community nodes.
Notch Notch (10bit FX Limited)	bidirectional	Vendor features page states Art-Net input and output; the Art-Net docs describe exposing any numerical parameter plus basic transport controls so a lighting desk can drive them.
OLA (Open Lighting Architecture) Open Lighting Project	bidirectional	Art-Net 1, 2 and 3 are listed in the plugin documentation.
ONYX Obsidian Control Systems	bidirectional	Each Art-Net universe can be set to output, input or both. Detected nodes are unicast their assigned universes, with an optional broadcast mode. Art-Net timecode can also be received.
openFrameworks openFrameworks community	out	Through addons.
PIXERA AV Stumpfl	bidirectional	Control and output.
Processing Processing Foundation	out	Through community libraries.
ProPresenter Renewed Vision	in	DMX control of ProPresenter on supported versions.
Protokol Hexler	in	Listed alongside MIDI and OSC as a monitored protocol.
ProVideoPlayer (PVP) Renewed Vision	in	DMX/Art-Net control on supported versions.
QLab Figure 53	out needs licence	Lighting cues output over Art-Net; requires a licence tier that includes lighting.
QLC+ QLC+ project	bidirectional	Art-Net plugin, listed in the project's plugin set.
RDM Controller JESE	bidirectional	RDM over Art-Net where supported.
Realizzer 3D Realizzer	in	Art-Net input from a console.
Resolume Arena Resolume	out	Pixel and fixture output to lights uses Art-Net. Enttec USB DMX devices are not supported from Arena 6 onward.
Show Cue System (SCS) Show Cue Systems	out	Art-Net output on supported versions.
Smode Smode Tech	bidirectional	Art-Net in for console control and out for fixture control.
Stage Precision Stage Precision	bidirectional	Art-Net in and out.
TouchDesigner Derivative	bidirectional
Unity Unity Technologies	bidirectional	Through community and vendor packages.
Unreal Engine Epic Games	bidirectional	DMX in and out through the built-in DMX plugin.
Vectorworks Vision Vectorworks, Inc.	in	Documented by Vectorworks as a DMX-provider option for its Spotlight-integrated previsualisation line, which shares Vision's DMX engine.
Ventuz Ventuz Technology	bidirectional	Art-Net in and out.
vvvv vvvv group	bidirectional	Widely used for driving and receiving lighting data.
WATCHOUT Dataton	in	Documented as ArtNet Input for external control of WATCHOUT.
Wireshark Wireshark Foundation	in	Native artnet dissector present since very early Wireshark releases (display filter fields documented back to version 1.0.0).
WYSIWYG CAST Group Inc.	in	Documented as one of the network options for receiving console DMX (e.g. merged BlackTrax tracking data reaches WYSIWYG this way).
7thSense Delta Media Server 7thSense	in	Art-Net control in.
Analog Way Picturall Mark II Analog Way	in	Art-Net control input.
Avolites Ai Q3 Avolites	bidirectional	Control and output.
Avolites Arena Avolites	out	Network output.
Avolites Diamond 9 Avolites	bidirectional	Art-Net output and input.
Avolites Tiger Touch III Avolites	bidirectional	Art-Net output and input.
Brompton Tessera S8 Brompton Technology	in	Control.
Brompton Tessera SX40 Brompton Technology	in	Art-Net control of processor parameters.
ChamSys MagicQ MQ80 ChamSys	out	Multiple universes over network.
ChamSys MagicQ MQ500M Stadium ChamSys	bidirectional	Art-Net 4 output, and input for remote or backup desks.
Christie Pandoras Box Christie	bidirectional	Art-Net in for console control, out from Widget Designer.
Cisco Catalyst 9200 Series Cisco	bidirectional	Transported. Art-Net broadcast on older nodes is what floods a badly configured VLAN.
City Theatrical Multiverse Transmitter City Theatrical	in	Network input.
disguise gx 3 disguise	bidirectional	Via Designer's DMX device drivers.
disguise vx 4 disguise	bidirectional	DMX-over-Ethernet in and out of Designer for lighting integration.
ELC dmXLAN node8 ELC Lighting	bidirectional	Per port.
ENTTEC DIN Ethergate MK2 ENTTEC	bidirectional	Both ports.
ENTTEC ODE Mk3 ENTTEC	bidirectional	Includes Art-RDM.
Eos Apex 5 ETC	bidirectional	Carries DMX and RDM data and coexists with sACN on the same network.
ETC Eos Apex 10 ETC	bidirectional	Network output.
ETC Ion Xe 20 ETC	bidirectional	Art-Net output.
ETC Response Mk2 DMX/RDM Gateway ETC	bidirectional	Art-Net supported alongside sACN.
ETC Sensor3 Dimmer Rack ETC	in	Art-Net input.
ETC ThruPower Rack ETC	in	Network control.
Follow-Me 3D Follow-Me	bidirectional	Fixture control and merge with the console.
grandMA2 full-size MA Lighting	bidirectional	Art-Net in and out.
grandMA3 full-size MA Lighting	bidirectional	Art-Net revision 1.4db. Sent as unicast until more than five receivers subscribe to a universe.
MA Lighting grandMA3 light MA Lighting	bidirectional	Network output.
Green Hippo Hippotizer Karst+ MK2 Green Hippo	bidirectional	Control and pixel output.
Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Green Hippo	bidirectional	DMX personality control in, pixel-mapper output out.
Hog 4 High End Systems	out	Over the dedicated gigabit Ethernet port. Universe count expands with networked DP8000 processors.
LumenRadio CRMX Nova TX2 LumenRadio	in	Art-Net input on network-equipped models.
Luminex GigaCore 10 Luminex Network Intelligence	bidirectional	Transported, with protocol-aware handling.
Luminex GigaCore 16Xt Luminex Network Intelligence	bidirectional	Transported, not originated. The switch is protocol-aware for QoS and multicast handling.
Luminex GigaCore 26i Luminex Network Intelligence	bidirectional	Transported.
Luminex LumiNode 12 Luminex Network Intelligence	bidirectional	Art-Net in and out per port.
Medialon Showmaster Pro Medialon (Barco)	bidirectional	Network lighting control.
Megapixel HELIOS LED Processing Platform Megapixel VR	in	Control.
Modulo Kinetic Modulo Pi	bidirectional	Art-Net in for console control, out for fixture and pixel control.
NETGEAR M4250 (AV Line) NETGEAR	bidirectional	Transported.
NovaStar MX40 Pro NovaStar	in	Art-Net brightness and control on some firmware.
Obsidian Control Systems NX4 Obsidian Control Systems	bidirectional	Art-Net output.
Pathway Connectivity Pathport OCTO Pathway Connectivity	bidirectional	Per port.
AV Stumpfl PIXERA one AV Stumpfl	bidirectional	Art-Net in for console control.
Wireless Solution W-DMX BlackBox F-2 G6 Wireless Solution	bidirectional	Art-Net on Ethernet-equipped variants.
zactrack PRO zactrack	out	Direct fixture control output for tracked followspot behaviour.
Zero 88 FLX S48 Zero 88	out	Art-Net output.

Open source implementations

OLA (Open Lighting Architecture) — C++, LGPL-2.1-or-later
StupidArtnet — Python, MIT
artnet (Node.js) — JavaScript, MIT

Typical use

Console or media server to DMX gateway over ethernet
Pixel mapping and LED processing
Small installs and touring racks where sACN multicast config is not worth the trouble
Discovery of nodes on an unknown network via ArtPoll

The words for it

Glossary entries that name Art-Net, with the false friends that catch people out.

Universe一條 DMX 線路 (universe)One complete DMX512 stream of 512 channels. Everything about rig capacity is counted in universes: a console …

Sources

Art-Net 4 Protocol Release — specification document — Artistic Licence Engineering Ltd primary
Art-Net homepage and licensing terms — Artistic Licence Engineering Ltd primary

Understand the mechanism

Show networks Node graphs and game engines How a one gets down a wire

Something wrong, or missing?

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