RDMnet (E1.33)

The next big thing coming to the world of lighting controls is RDMnet (E1.33). This is a new standard to add RDM messaging on an Ethernet network.

RDMnet expands the functionality of E1.31 by adding RDM messaging over Ethernet in the same way that RDM was built on top of DMX512. This means that the same RDM message that lives on the DMX512 link, can be encapsulated to go through a DMX/RDM to Ethernet gateway and back to the console. It provides for the final link in the chain to allow RDM to scale from the smallest systems to the largest.

This standard also provides for discovery of all E1.31/E1.33 devices on the Ethernet Network and dedicated messages for configuring Ethernet to DMX/RDM gateways.

Update:

This new standard completed it’s 2nd Public Review cycle October 9th. A 139 public review comments were received during the cycle.  The vast majority of the comments were very narrow in nature that don’t require major changes in the way that the 1st Public Review cycle comments did.  The Task Group met following LDI2012 and developed preliminary resolutions to all the comments.    The document is currently being revised to reflect these changes and a 3rd Public Review cycle is anticipated for early 2013.