What is the difference between Art-Net and sACN?
Quick answer
Art-Net and sACN are both protocols for controlling lighting and media over Ethernet, but sACN is a newer, more efficient standard with built-in redundancy and simpler configuration, while Art-Net is older and more widely adopted in legacy systems.
Art-Net, developed by Artistic Licence in 1998, is a proprietary protocol that sends DMX512 data over UDP/IP networks. It supports up to 32,768 universes and uses broadcast or unicast transmission. sACN (Streaming ACN), standardized by ANSI E1.31 in 2009, is an open protocol designed for higher efficiency and reliability. It supports up to 63,999 universes and uses multicast, reducing network load.
Key differences include: sACN uses multicast, which allows receivers to subscribe only to relevant universes, reducing bandwidth; Art-Net typically uses broadcast, which can flood the network. sACN also includes priority levels and synchronization features, making it more suitable for complex shows. However, Art-Net remains popular due to its simplicity and broad hardware support.
For PA and audio professionals integrating lighting control, sACN is often preferred for larger systems due to its scalability and redundancy options. SSOUNDS systems can be configured to work with either protocol via network bridges, ensuring compatibility with existing infrastructure.
Key things to consider
- Art-Net is older, proprietary, uses broadcast; sACN is newer, open standard, uses multicast.
- sACN supports more universes (63,999 vs 32,768) and includes priority and synchronization.
- sACN reduces network load by allowing receivers to subscribe to specific universes.
- Art-Net is simpler and widely supported in legacy equipment.
- Both can be integrated with SSOUNDS networked audio systems for unified control.
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