Network Overview
Pharos products are designed to operate on an Ethernet network for maximum scalability and the range can be split into two classes:
Controllers
The primary processing "brains" in a system, designed to operate as single, stand-alone units or co-operatively as a scalable system, automatically synchronised and managed over the network. All Pharos Controllers have an integrated web interface for remote management.
Controllers use TCP/IP for communication and, as a result, need to be correctly configured, see Controller connection.
Once the Controllers have been connected they are then uniquely associated with Controllers in the Designer project, see Controller association.
Touch Panel Controller (TPC)
The TPC is an advanced lighting controller with an integrated, customisable, capacitive touch screen. It outputs up to 512 channels of eDMX and is able to output multiple protocols simultaneously. See Controller properties.
TPC with EXT
When using a TPC that is connected to an EXT the TPC functions in largely the same way. The extra output and triggering options provided by the EXT will be seamlessly applied to the TPC when the Controller Type in the Network tab reads "TPC+EXT". This includes the ability to output a physical DMX universe.
Lighting Playback Controllers (LPC)
Three models are available for DMX & eDMX lighting control, the LPC 1 (512 control channels), the LPC 2 (1024 control channels) and the LPC 4 (2048 control channels). The LPC 4 can output up to 1024 channels as local DMX - the remaining channels must be output as eDMX. All 2048 channels may be output as eDMX.
The LPC X is available for eDMX and DVI control with capacities ranging from 10 universes (LPC 10; 5,120 control channels) to 100 universes (LPC 100; 51,200 control channels).
Unlike common DMX frame store devices they are extremely powerful and flexible and can be configured in numerous ways to suit the application, see Controller properties.
Video Lighting Controllers (VLC/VLC+ )
The VLC is designed to handle large single canvases of DMX fixtures e.g. building facades, bridges or media screens. The VLC is available in capacities ranging from 50 DMX universes up to 1500 DMX universes from a single unit with further scaling over Ethernet.
Remote Devices
The Pharos range includes various Remote Devices that augment one or more Controllers with additional remote inputs, outputs and user interfaces.
Remote Devices can only be powered by the PoE network, use multicast UDP for communication and have varying configuration options, see Remote Devices.
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