Controlling DMX Devices
DMX is a standard interface commonly used to control stage lighting and effects. This recipe demonstrates how you can create a Node-RED dashboard interface that acts as a "virtual lighting desk" - enabling you to set ambient lights using a colour wheel and brightness slider, save and restore preset levels, enable individual spotlights via toggles, or trigger special effects such as lighting, UV blackout, or atmospheric effects such as police sirens.
The following flow can be imported into Node-RED to demonstrate a range of different DMX effects possible, as demonstrated in this video. The different flows construct a JSON payload which specifies channel:value pairs of which effects to trigger, which is sent to a Serial Out node connected to the Arduino. The Arduino is running a sketch which reads and parses this JSON and controls the DMX devices accordingly. Note that if you have a different DMX interface you will simply need to send the flow output to a different node in place of the Serial Out. Also note that you will need to modify the DMX channels set in each node to correspond to the channels used by your set of DMX slave devices (there is no "standard" DMX mapping that Ch1 = Brightness, Ch2 = Red etc. - these differ between every device!).
If you don't already have them installed, you will need to add the following modules to your Node-RED palette by going to the Manage Palette menu:
- https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-node-serialport
- https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-dashboard
[
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"type": "ui_colour_picker",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Colour Wheel UI",
"label": "Colour",
"group": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
"format": "rgb",
"outformat": "object",
"showSwatch": false,
"showPicker": true,
"showValue": false,
"showHue": false,
"showAlpha": false,
"showLightness": false,
"square": "false",
"dynOutput": "true",
"order": 2,
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"passthru": true,
"topic": "",
"x": 520,
"y": 400,
"wires": [
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]
]
},
{
"id": "32cb2ba9.340cd4",
"type": "serial out",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "",
"serial": "5401478c.59691",
"x": 1350,
"y": 460,
"wires": []
},
{
"id": "933e3562.a5c09",
"type": "function",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Assign RGB to DMX channels 2/3/4",
"func": "msg.payload[\"channels\"] = [\n {\n \"channel\" : \"2\",\n \"value\" : msg.payload.r\n },\n {\n \"channel\" : \"3\",\n \"value\" : msg.payload.g\n },\n {\n \"channel\" : \"4\",\n \"value\" : msg.payload.b\n }\n];\n\n// Update the editor node\nnode.status({fill:\"grey\", shape:\"ring\", text: \"RGB(\" + msg.payload.r + \",\" + msg.payload.g + \",\" + msg.payload.b + \")\"});\n\nreturn msg;",
"outputs": 1,
"noerr": 0,
"x": 1000,
"y": 400,
"wires": [
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]
]
},
{
"id": "f70fe8af.88a7b",
"type": "ui_slider",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Brightness Slider UI",
"label": "Brightness",
"tooltip": "",
"group": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
"order": 1,
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"passthru": true,
"outs": "all",
"topic": "",
"min": 0,
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"step": 1,
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"wires": [
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{
"id": "f713d37f.41648",
"type": "function",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Assign to DMX channel 1",
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"noerr": 0,
"x": 970,
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{
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"name": "Assign initial brightness",
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"pt": "msg",
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"tot": "num"
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"action": "",
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"op2type": "bool",
"duration": "5",
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"units": "s",
"reset": "",
"bytopic": "all",
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"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "UV Blackout",
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"order": 6,
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"passthru": false,
"label": "UV Blackout",
"tooltip": "",
"color": "",
"bgcolor": "",
"icon": "",
"payload": "",
"payloadType": "str",
"topic": "",
"x": 530,
"y": 520,
"wires": [
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"name": "Delayed Startup",
"topic": "",
"payload": "",
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"repeat": "",
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"once": true,
"onceDelay": "5",
"x": 240,
"y": 80,
"wires": [
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{
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"type": "change",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "",
"rules": [
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"t": "set",
"p": "brightness",
"pt": "flow",
"to": "payload",
"tot": "msg"
}
],
"action": "",
"property": "",
"from": "",
"to": "",
"reg": false,
"x": 730,
"y": 280,
"wires": [
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{
"id": "4dcf1ce9.8603d4",
"type": "ui_button",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Save",
"group": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
"order": 3,
"width": "3",
"height": "1",
"passthru": false,
"label": "Save",
"tooltip": "",
"color": "",
"bgcolor": "",
"icon": "",
"payload": "",
"payloadType": "str",
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"wires": [
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{
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"label": "Restore",
"tooltip": "",
"color": "",
"bgcolor": "",
"icon": "",
"payload": "",
"payloadType": "str",
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"wires": [
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{
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"type": "change",
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"name": "",
"rules": [
{
"t": "set",
"p": "colour",
"pt": "flow",
"to": "payload",
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"property": "",
"from": "",
"to": "",
"reg": false,
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"wires": [
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{
"id": "70575038.9552b8",
"type": "change",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Store brightness and RGB values",
"rules": [
{
"t": "set",
"p": "savedBrightness",
"pt": "flow",
"to": "brightness",
"tot": "flow"
},
{
"t": "set",
"p": "savedColour",
"pt": "flow",
"to": "colour",
"tot": "flow"
}
],
"action": "",
"property": "",
"from": "",
"to": "",
"reg": false,
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"wires": [
[]
]
},
{
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"type": "change",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Restore saved brightness",
"rules": [
{
"t": "set",
"p": "payload",
"pt": "msg",
"to": "savedBrightness",
"tot": "flow"
}
],
"action": "",
"property": "",
"from": "",
"to": "",
"reg": false,
"x": 270,
"y": 320,
"wires": [
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},
{
"id": "cff5dbe2.e74e8",
"type": "change",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Restore saved RGB",
"rules": [
{
"t": "set",
"p": "payload",
"pt": "msg",
"to": "savedColour",
"tot": "flow"
}
],
"action": "",
"property": "",
"from": "",
"to": "",
"reg": false,
"x": 260,
"y": 440,
"wires": [
[
"462733d4.14dab4"
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]
},
{
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"type": "link out",
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"name": "Delayed Start",
"links": [
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"wires": []
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{
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"wires": []
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{
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"links": [
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"links": [
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"name": "",
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{
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"type": "ui_button",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Lightning Strike",
"group": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
"order": 6,
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"passthru": false,
"label": "Lightning Strike",
"tooltip": "",
"color": "",
"bgcolor": "",
"icon": "",
"payload": "",
"payloadType": "str",
"topic": "",
"x": 520,
"y": 660,
"wires": [
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{
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"type": "switch",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "",
"property": "payload",
"propertyType": "msg",
"rules": [
{
"t": "eq",
"v": "true",
"vt": "jsonata"
},
{
"t": "eq",
"v": "false",
"vt": "jsonata"
}
],
"checkall": "true",
"repair": false,
"outputs": 2,
"x": 850,
"y": 520,
"wires": [
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[
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"type": "change",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Turn on UV flood",
"rules": [
{
"t": "set",
"p": "payload",
"pt": "msg",
"to": "{\"channels\":[{\"channel\":1,\"value\":0},{\"channel\":11,\"value\":255},{\"channel\":12,\"value\":255},{\"channel\":13,\"value\":255},{\"channel\":14,\"value\":255}]}",
"tot": "json"
}
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"property": "",
"from": "",
"to": "",
"reg": false,
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{
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"type": "function",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
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"noerr": 0,
"x": 1050,
"y": 540,
"wires": [
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"32cb2ba9.340cd4"
]
]
},
{
"id": "d0f99cc4.c9ac2",
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"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "",
"filename": "C:\\Users\\alast\\Music\\SFX\\Thunder_Clap.wav",
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"chunk": false,
"sendError": false,
"encoding": "none",
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"wires": [
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{
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"name": "",
"group": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
"voice": "",
"always": "",
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"y": 700,
"wires": []
},
{
"id": "a86c4f94.e8a72",
"type": "function",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
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"noerr": 0,
"x": 1030,
"y": 660,
"wires": [
[
"32cb2ba9.340cd4"
]
]
},
{
"id": "59231ba2.fc240c",
"type": "ui_button",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "Police Siren",
"group": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
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"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"passthru": false,
"label": "Police Siren",
"tooltip": "",
"color": "",
"bgcolor": "",
"icon": "",
"payload": "",
"payloadType": "str",
"topic": "",
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"y": 800,
"wires": [
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{
"id": "f04eb13e.3e3d28",
"type": "file in",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "",
"filename": "C:\\Users\\alast\\Music\\SFX\\police_siren.mp3",
"format": "",
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"sendError": false,
"encoding": "none",
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"wires": [
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"name": "",
"group": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
"voice": "",
"always": "",
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"wires": []
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{
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"type": "function",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
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"x": 820,
"y": 800,
"wires": [
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]
]
},
{
"id": "d70271ac.a3507",
"type": "delay",
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"name": "",
"pauseType": "rate",
"timeout": "5",
"timeoutUnits": "seconds",
"rate": "2",
"nbRateUnits": "1",
"rateUnits": "second",
"randomFirst": "1",
"randomLast": "5",
"randomUnits": "seconds",
"drop": false,
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"wires": [
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"voice": "",
"always": "",
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"wires": []
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{
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"type": "ui_switch",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
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"label": "Spotlight",
"tooltip": "",
"group": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
"order": 11,
"width": 0,
"height": 0,
"passthru": true,
"decouple": "false",
"topic": "",
"style": "",
"onvalue": "true",
"onvalueType": "bool",
"onicon": "",
"oncolor": "",
"offvalue": "false",
"offvalueType": "bool",
"officon": "",
"offcolor": "",
"x": 760,
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{
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"id": "b80d178e.5c20d",
"type": "change",
"z": "8ccf5ec1.fe5818",
"name": "",
"rules": [
{
"t": "set",
"p": "payload",
"pt": "msg",
"to": "{\"channels\":[{\"channel\":15,\"value\":0}]}",
"tot": "json"
}
],
"action": "",
"property": "",
"from": "",
"to": "",
"reg": false,
"x": 1060,
"y": 980,
"wires": [
[
"32cb2ba9.340cd4"
]
]
},
{
"id": "e6b1dbdf.98de7",
"type": "ui_group",
"z": "",
"name": "Sound and Lighting",
"tab": "d3a7f263.5bdd4",
"order": 4,
"disp": true,
"width": "6",
"collapse": false
},
{
"id": "5401478c.59691",
"type": "serial-port",
"z": "",
"serialport": "COM4",
"serialbaud": "9600",
"databits": "8",
"parity": "none",
"stopbits": "1",
"waitfor": "",
"newline": "\\n",
"bin": "false",
"out": "char",
"addchar": "",
"responsetimeout": "10000"
},
{
"id": "d3a7f263.5bdd4",
"type": "ui_tab",
"z": "",
"name": "Lighting",
"icon": "dashboard",
"disabled": false,
"hidden": false
}
]
The Arduino sketch used to accompany the above flow can be downloaded from https://github.com/playfultechnology/node-redscape/tree/master/Arduino/DMX
- Home
- Configuring Mosquitto MQTT Server
- Video Displays
- Sound and Lighting
- Events
- Functions
- Interfacing with External Devices