DMX defines 512 channels per universe, each with a 0–255 value range

DMX (Digital MultipleX) is the foundational protocol of stage lighting. It caps one universe at 512 channels; each channel carries an integer from 0 to 255. Hardware devices are addressed by assigning a DMX start address within a universe. QLC+ supports unlimited internal universes, and the actual physical output is abstracted through plugins (USB dongles, Art-Net, E1.31). Understanding the 512/255 constraint is the entry point to all fixture addressing work.

Examples

A PAR can on a single dimmer occupies one channel. A moving head in 16-channel mode occupies channels N through N+15. With 512 channels per universe, up to 32 such moving heads fit without a second universe.

Assessment

Given a fixture starting at address 50 using 16 channels, calculate its last channel and the maximum number of identical fixtures that fit in one universe before address 1.