Art-Net and sACN are the two competing Ethernet-based DMX transport protocols

When moving DMX512 lighting data over a network, two protocols dominate: Art-Net (Artistic Licence) and sACN. Both carry DMX universes over Ethernet but differ in packet structure and in how they are addressed and deployed, so practitioners choose between them based on their controller ecosystem and network topology. The Art-Net author’s own technical reference, Light Bytes, is built around comparing and contrasting the two and how each is evolving for the market. Many modern tools (WLED, Resolume) speak both, so knowing they are parallel options — not one universal standard — is the practical takeaway before wiring a networked rig.

Examples

A WLED controller can be set to receive either Art-Net or sACN; a touring rig often standardizes on one protocol to avoid mixed-protocol routing complexity.

Assessment

Name the two dominant Ethernet DMX transport protocols and state that they are alternatives rather than a single standard; give one reason a rig might pick one over the other.