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Pharos Controls

Dynamic Lighting Control for Iconic Installations

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You are here: Home / Products / VLC

VLC

VLC

The Pharos Designer VLC (Video Lighting Controller) is an extremely capable and cost effective architectural lighting control solution for large LED pixel arrays; such as building façades, bridges, and presentation walls.

Technical Details

Highly flexible

The VLC makes it simple to play video content across your array, either from locally stored HD media files or a DVI-D video input. It also offers a range of creative, generative effects and the versatility of powerful show control and integration features. Capacities from 50 to 1500 eDMX universes.

Multiple Pharos Designer Controllers can be used in the same system to synchronise your façade and your interior lighting automatically

Additional integration options are supported by our range of Pharos Designer Remote Devices and IO Modules

Installations can be managed locally with the built-in web server, and from anywhere in the world via Pharos Cloud

The VLC controls large systems where the fixtures act as a single array at our lowest ever price per channel

Features

Render Engine

Make your light fixtures a canvas onto which you can paint with creative effects or video playback. The powerful Pharos Designer 2 software allows you to build your fixture layout fast with pixel-precise adjustment. Then use individually controllable and independently running timelines to build dynamic, striking, pre-programmed lighting displays across your canvas.

Designer Trigger

Designer Trigger is a rules engine that uses conditional logic and a broad range of interfaces and protocols so you can control your lighting with responsive, reactive programming. Send and receive any command, to and from any system. Conditional logic is supported, along with a powerful built-in scripting language for unlimited flexibility. Read more

Huge Capacity

Big just got a whole lot easier. The VLC can output all commonly used eDMX protocols (sACN, Art-Net, KiNET, as well as the EDN) over Gigabit Ethernet and there are no restrictions on using these protocols simultaneously. There are six VLC variants with pricing based on channel capacity, ranging from 25,600 channels up to a massive 768,000 channels (50-1500 DMX universes).

Remote Management

Future-proof your lighting projects by connecting your Designer controllers to Pharos Cloud. This allows remote, but direct, control of your controllers from anywhere in the world, letting you check the status, fire triggers, schedule events, upload new projects and much more. All through one portal, accessible at your own Internet domain. Read more


Scalable

The right fit for every installation. Multiple Designer controllers can be seamlessly linked together to work as one via a standard Ethernet network giving impressive scalability. For additional integration options simply add Remote Devices to further extend the network. Whether one controller or many, it’s all easily programmed using our Designer 2 software. Read more


High Definition Video Displays

Live video can be captured on the DVI-D input at resolutions up to 1080p60. Internal video playback at up to 1080p30 supports all major formats such as H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, MJPEG and QuickTime. The built-in 128GB SSD provides plenty of capacity for media storage.


Custom Interfaces

Pharos Designer controllers have a Web Interface accessed on a local area network to provide real-time status, view the event log and to fire triggers on the controller. Create a custom web interface for your lighting installation that gives your users the control they need and the look they expect. Our built-in web server supports an extensive JavaScript API and access control with multiple user levels.


VLC or LPC X?

Learn more about which controller best suits your requirements here

Rugged Unit

Rugged 1U 19” rackmount unit designed for 24/7 operation and total reliability. Designed and manufactured in the UK, with a 5 year warranty.

Gigabit Ready

Separate Gigabit Ethernet ports for management and DMX-over-Ethernet (eDMX) output.

Huge Capacities

Available in multiple variants with capacities ranging from 50 universes (25,600 channels) up to a massive 1500 universes (768,000 channels) from a single control unit.


Unsure which controller to choose? Learn more about the LPC & VLC families here

TECHNICAL INFORMATION & DOWNLOADS

VLC Datasheet

Click on the link below to download the datasheet.

Download

Download Software

Download the latest version of our Designer software.

Download

Comparison Chart

See and compare features and specs of all our products.

Compare
Supported Fixtures

LEDs

LEDs in any colour configuration (RGB, RGBW, 8 bit, 16 bit, tuneable white)

Fixture Library

Pharos offers an online fixture library with over 20,000 fixture profiles, for easy download of your luminaires

Output

sACN

ANSI E1.31 (with per fixture priority)

Art-Net

Art-Net, Art-Net 2, Art-Net 3, Art-Net 4 (configurable broadcast override)

KiNET

KiNET V1 (DMX out) and V2 (Port out); PDS/Data Enabler discovery

Pathport

Pathway Connectivity protocol

DMX512

Via the EDN or any other eDMX node

EDN

Can natively integrate with and output DMX through the ports of the EDN

SPI

Supports synchronous and asynchronous serial data output via the EDN + SDI

Scalable

Synchronises with up to 40 Pharos Designer Controllers over network

Simultaneous

Multiple protocols can be in operation simultaneously. Limited by patched channels, not universes used

Triggering & Integration

Startup

Commences programmed playback automatically on receiving power

Clock

Battery-backed real-time clock for calendar and time-based triggers

Astronomical

Sunrise/Sunset/Twilight and Lunar phases

Ethernet

UDP, TCP, Multicast; send/receive any Ethernet message

RS232 Serial

Configurable port; send/receive free syntax in ASCII, HEX or decimal

eDMX

sACN or Art-Net

Inputs

Contact closure, active low, active high or 0-24V analog level via RIOs

MIDI

MIDI Notes, SysEx or Timecode via RIO A

Timecode

Linear Timecode via RIO A (SMPTE, Film, EBU, NTSC)

Audio Level

Stereo 30-band spectrum analysis via RIO A

RS485 Serial

Via RIO; configurable port; send/receive free syntax in ASCII, HEX or decimal

DALI

Trigger on any message, via RIO D

Web Interface

Built-in or custom designed

Wall Stations

Integrate with BPS or TPS 5

Conditions

Full conditional logic support

Scripting

Lua scripting for total flexibility

IO Modules

Supports our extensive IO Module library for easy integration

Scalable

Supports Pharos Designer Remote Devices

Specifications

Certifications

CE compliant, UKCA compliant, ETL/cETL listed, may be used as part of a Title 24 compliant lighting control system

Power

100-240VAC / 50-60HZ / 0.4-0.2A
40W typical (50W maximum)
IEC connector with switch (power cable not supplied)

Data Storage

Internal 128GB SSD (supplied)

Configuration

Pharos Designer 2.2 or later

Temperature

0°C to 50°C (32°F to 122°F)

Physical

19″ Rack unit, 1U, 13.5″ deep

Weight

3.1 kg (6.8 lbs)

Shipping

57 x 45 x 18 cm (22″ x 18″ x 7″)
5.0 kg (11 lbs)

Recovery

Hardware watchdog and recessed reset button

Warranty

5 years

Interfaces

Ethernet

Neutrik etherCon (RJ45 compatible) for 10/100/1000Base-TX Ethernet; Static IP or DHCP

eDMX

Dedicated Ethernet port for eDMX; Neutrik etherCon (RJ45 compatible) for 10/100/1000Base-TX Ethernet; Static IP or DHCP

DVI-D Input

Video input

DVI-I Output

DVI-I output (for future development)

Serial

RS232 via DB9 connector

USB

Two USB 2.0 Type A ports

Audio Out

Stereo analogue & digital audio ports with RCA connectors

Order Code & Variants

VLC 50

Designer Video Lighting Controller 50 (25,600 channels eDMX)

VLC 100

Designer Video Lighting Controller 100 (51,200 channels eDMX)

VLC 250

Designer Video Lighting Controller 250 (128,000 channels eDMX)

VLC 500

Designer Video Lighting Controller 500 (256,000 channels eDMX)

VLC 1000

Designer Video Lighting Controller 1000 (512,000 channels eDMX)

VLC 1500

Designer Video Lighting Controller 1500 (768,000 channels eDMX)

Downloads:

VLC Datasheet

VLC Specifications

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