DALI is the workhorse of commercial lighting, but in recent years has broadened its reach into the architectural arena. However, feature lighting and special effects are usually controlled using DMX, long the protocol of choice for the entertainment industry. This has left many in the middle ground, often with a need to use DALI and DMX interchangeably. But the integration of the two approaches can be problematic, not least because the protocols operate at vastly different speeds.
Artistic Licence has analysed client feedback to understand exactly what problems are commonly encountered and to develop the required solutions. The result is a range with huge versatility, encompassing products that enable two-way conversion between the protocols: Rail-DALI-DMX and Rail-DMX-DALI. Such powerful functionality provides an economical and flexible solution for many commonly encountered scenarios.
Artistic Licence also offers the auxiliary equipment needed for a successful DALI installation. It is not always appreciated that the voltage on a DALI line must be provided by a separate power source. Rail-PSU-D4 is four-output DALI Bus PSU that serves this purpose, designed for easy installation into a new or existing system. Also, all new DALI ballasts must be commissioned (provided with a unique address) before they will work correctly. Artistic's DALI-Scope is a hand-held tool that enables commissioning, testing and programming of DALI fixtures.
Artistic Licence has developed a useful guide to DALI for those more familiar with DMX systems. It can be downloaded free-of-charge.
The Artistic Licence stand at LuxLive 2013 will also give visitors the chance to see the company's premier dimming products. These include Candle-Power, a constant-current LED dimmer range designed to control high power LEDs, and Rail-Pipe HC, a driver that can both power and control constant-voltage LED products.
Complementing the line-up will be a preview of Artistic's new sunDial range, a highly flexible dimmer system based on mix-and-match modular components. With DALI and DMX inputs, high channel counts and dimming designed for low-to-medium powered loads, sunDial is ideal for energy-efficient halogen sources and dimmable replacement LED bulbs, where its 10-bit dimming algorithms ensure smooth dimming even at low power.
On a celebratory theme, 2013 marks the company's Silver Jubilee. Founded in 1988, Artistic Licence has a longstanding reputation for reliability and innovation.
(Jim Evans)
