RDMNet
ANSI E1.20 - 2010, Entertainment Technology-RDM-Remote Device Management over USITT DMX512 Networks (more commonly known as just RDM) is an extension to the popular DMX512 lighting control protocol. I cover both in my book, Show Networks and Control Systems, and I have an introductory lecture video on DMX here; additional information on RDM can be found on RDMProtocol.org here.
In simple terms the simple DMX lighting control standard allows unidirectional communication from a console to a number of controlled devices. Originally designed for dimmers, it now controls LED fixtures, media servers, moving lights, and all kinds of crazy things for which it was never intended. RDM, originally released in ???, add return communications from the controlled devices to the controller, allowing things like the DMX address to be configured remotely and other parameters, like fixture temperature, to be monitored. RDM did this by briefly turning off DMX updates, and allowing the RDM traffic returning to take over the transmission line. In order for this to work, all equipment in the system has to be capable of bi-directional communications (older DMX distributors were not).
Over the years, the DMX data was pried off of the old serial physical connection and the data was transmitted instead over a network. This eventually led to Streaming ACN, which takes the DMX universes and slots and transmits them in a modern and salable way.
That left one remaining piece of the puzzle:
Screen capture from the ESTA RDMNet Webinar (see below)
After years development work, “RDMnet” was approved and published last August, and is officially known as ”ANSI E1.33 - 2019, Entertainment Technology – (RDMnet) Message Transport and Management for ANSI E1.20 (RDM) compatible and similar devices over IP Networks”. That mouthful means in short that the bidirectional RDM data can now be transmitted—alongside sACN’s lighting control—over a network.
From a press release from RDMNet.org last year:
RDMnet is a generational step forward, extending existing RDM functionality beyond the current physical limits of local DMX512 connections onto wide area hi-speed Ethernet networks. It allows for large-scale system monitoring and configuration while adding mobile device support. RDMnet also provides “vendor agnostic” configuration of network gateways, as well as system partitioning between multiple venues on the same Ethernet network. Multiple control consoles are now easily integrated and synchronized on the same control network. This new addition to the RDM family of standards will dramatically extend the usefulness and reach of one of the CPWG’s flagship control protocols.
More information here, and below is a webinar that explains more: