What is the difference between Art-Net and sACN?

Art-Net and sACN (Streaming ACN) are network protocols used to transmit DMX512 lighting data over standard Ethernet networks. Art-Net, developed by Artistic Licence in 1998, is a proprietary protocol that has become a de facto standard due to its early adoption. sACN, defined by ANSI E1.31 in 2009, is an open standard developed by the Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA) to provide a more robust and efficient alternative.

Key differences include packet structure and efficiency. Art-Net uses a single universe per packet with a fixed header, while sACN supports multiple universes in a single packet and includes a synchronization mechanism for precise timing. sACN also offers priority levels, allowing critical data to override less important signals, and uses multicast addressing to reduce network traffic. Art-Net typically uses unicast or broadcast, which can be less efficient in large networks.

For professional audio-visual installations, sACN is often preferred for its standards compliance, reliability, and scalability. However, Art-Net remains popular due to its widespread support in older equipment and software. Many modern controllers support both protocols, and converters are available to bridge the two. In large-scale productions, sACN's features like priority and multicast make it ideal for complex lighting networks.