Lighting, audio and video now share one network
Not long ago, a lighting rig ran on DMX cable and little else. Today the console, the audio desk, the video system and the fixtures all speak network protocols, often at the same time and over the same cable.
That makes a reliable, easy-to-manage network as show-critical as the console itself. Luminex builds exactly that, and the full range is available in Ireland through A.C. Entertainment Technologies.
Who are Luminex?
Luminex is a Belgian manufacturer founded in 2002, specialising in network switches, converters/nodes and DMX splitters for entertainment and broadcast.
Their products are designed for people who build shows, not IT departments. They support the protocols the industry actually uses, including Art-Net, sACN, MANet, Dante, AES67, AVB and NDI, so lighting, audio and video can run side by side without conflict.
LumiNode: DMX processing and protocol conversion
In the beginning there was only DMX: one input, one cable, one fixture. Modern rigs combine DMX and network communication, with multiple consoles, switches and converters all in play.
LumiNode sits in the middle of that. It converts network protocols to DMX/RDM, then merges and routes sources using built-in process engines. One unit replaces a stack of single-purpose converters.
It is also future-proof. If tomorrow’s rig is network-only, the LumiNode keeps working as a processing and routing engine. As Luminex puts it: designed for today, built for tomorrow.
New: LumiNode 8-IP, built for the outdoors
The LumiNode 8-IP brings LumiNode processing outside. It is an IP65-rated Ethernet/DMX processor made for festivals, outdoor film sets, camera tracking and follow-spot towers. In other words, made for Irish weather.
- IP65 protection against rain and dust
- -20 to +60°C operating range, passively cooled
- Robust aluminium housing with protective bumpers for shock absorption
- 8 × Neutrik TOP 5-pin DMX outputs, 2 × etherCON TOP and a Neutrik powerCON TRUE1 TOP
- Flexible mounting: M10 truss-mount inserts and a 10 × 10 VESA mount
- NFC configuration: scan the tag with the araneo app and set the unit up, even when it is unpowered
The 8-IP is part of the established LumiNode range, so it works with the same tools and workflows your team already knows.
GigaCore: AV Ethernet switches without the IT headache
GigaCore switches carry lighting, audio and video protocols on one network, with no specialist IT configuration. Pre-set groups (VLANs) keep each system separate, and LEDs on the front panel show which port belongs to which group.
The GigaCore 30i is the flagship for entertainment and broadcast:
- 24 × 1Gb ports plus 6 × 10Gb SFP+, supporting multimode and single-mode fibre
- 10Gb redundant ring between switches, so one broken link does not stop the show
- PoE++ with 100W, 200W, 500W and 1000W budget options, enough for PTZ cameras and powered speakers
- Hot-swappable power supplies, with dual-PSU versions available
- Four versions, upgradeable at any time
- araneo software and Web UI to see every connected device, bandwidth and PoE use at a glance
It handles Dante, AES67, NDI, SMPTE 2110, sACN and Art-Net traffic side by side, backed by years of Luminex industry experience and support.
LumiSplit and LumiCore
LumiSplit DMX/RDM splitters add enhanced RDM features. You can discover, manage and configure units remotely from any RDM controller, with no trip up the truss.
LumiCore provides built-in engines for merging and routing universes. It can merge and route up to 64 × 4 input sources into 64 newly defined universes, which suits larger multi-console productions.
In practice: networking an outdoor festival
Here is how the pieces fit together on a festival site with two follow-spot towers.
- At FOH, the lighting console, audio console and araneo laptop connect to a GigaCore 20t.
- A 10 Gigabit fibre link runs to a second GigaCore 20t on stage and on to a GigaCore 10t-IP out by the towers.
- On each tower, a LumiNode 8-IP takes sACN from the network and outputs DMX to follow spots, fixtures and RGB LED.
- A tracking camera runs on the same network, powered by PoE++.
Light (sACN), audio (Dante, AES67, AVB) and video (NDI, IPMX) each travel in their own VLAN over one cable infrastructure.
Luminex in Ireland with A.C. Entertainment Technologies
Whether you are kitting out a venue, a rental stock or a festival site, our team can help you choose the right Luminex switches, nodes and splitters for the job.
- Explore the range: Luminex at AC-ET Ireland
- Email: sales@ac-et.ie
- Call: +353 15 135 300 or +353 86 203 5253
- Trade customers: open a trade account for trade pricing on the full Luminex range
