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DALI Configuration

    Home Tips & Tricks DALI Configuration

    DALI Configuration

    19 March, 2021

    The DALI protocol is a staple for static architectural lighting and is often now used hand-in-hand in projects with more flexible DMX for dynamic lighting. Pharos has always supported DALI via the RIO D to work alongside the standard controllers and with native support on the EXT recognising the TPC’s ideal package of DMX, DALI and a touchscreen suitable for small installations.

    In Designer, DALI functionality will only display when a RIO D is added to a controller, an EXT is configured for DALI, a DALI ballast is added to the layout or DALI is expressly enabled in Project Features. This approach is common to quite a few different areas of Designer and is intended to only show you features that you need for your project.

    DALI config

     

     

    Once DALI has been enabled, a new DALI tab will be added to the tab list on the left of the screen. The DALI tab operates in two modes: Interfaces for configuring and Scenes for programming the ballasts. The Interfaces mode is where you can configure your DALI ballasts, and will be the focus of this Tips and Tricks.

     

     

    Before we go into more detail regarding this page, we will discuss DALI Interfaces and their importance within our software.

    You will need to configure one interface per RIO D or TPC+EXT, which is effectively a DALI ‘universe’, to use DMX parlance. Each interface can then support up to 64 DALI ballasts. Therefore, if you have 8 RIO Ds, you will need 8 interfaces. In the example we cover later, we will only use one interface, but the principles are the same as the interface count increases.

    To assign an interface to a RIO D, navigate to the Network view, add a RIO D to your Controller if one is not already present, select it then assign the Interface via the dropdown box in the Properties Panel.

    DALI config

     

    Once this has been done, it is advisable to upload to your controller so that the connection between the RIO D and the controller, and therefore Designer 2, is stabilised.

    With the connection made, the toolbar in the DALI tab is populated with options. We will cover these options later in this Tips and Tricks.

    DALI config

     

    Please note, if you have not configured this correctly, such as not assigning the interface to a RIO D, or uploaded to your controller, the toolbar will populate with information explaining the issue, such as…

    DALI config

     

    Patching

    In our example, we have an 8 ballast setup which we will be using as an example. In our layout, it will be laid out as such:

    DALI config

    When we view the Fixture Browser in the DALI tab, all DALI ballasts will be seen in the All Fixtures folder. If you have various types of different ballasts, then they can be found within, in folders demarking their type.

    DALI config

     

    To patch your ballasts, you simply drag on either a ballast or the group from the fixture browser to the patch table, as such:

    DALI config

     

    Once they have been patched, these ballasts will move into the appropriate Interface folder, such as Interface 1 in the example. The ballasts will then be marked in Blue when deselected, indicating they are patched.

    DALI config

    Addressing

    Once the RIO D has been connected to the ballasts and the controller, the toolbar will show a variety of options available. The first step in any project here would be to Find Addressed Ballasts. This will return all ballast that currently have an address. If your ballasts are brand new, they may not register here, so in that case, you would select Address Ballasts which will assign all unaddressed ballasts with an address. Finally, Readdress All Ballasts will remove all the addresses of existing ballasts and assign a new address to all ballasts found by the connected RIO D.

    It may also be worth noting here that ballasts can also be readdressed by dragging the lamp icon in the Found column. This will change the address on the ballast; they will respect their new address with any other system too.

    DALI config

     

    To check which ballast corresponds to the ballast found at an address, the lamp icon can be selected, then Highlight can be selected to set its intensity to full.

    As you can see in the above example, we have an instance where two ballasts are detected at the same address. To fix this, the clashing ballasts should be selected, and Resolve Clash clicked. This will then automatically re-assign a new address to one of the ballasts.

    Similarly, existing DALI Groups can be discovered by clicking Discover Groups. New groups can also be added by clicking New Group in the toolbar.

    DALI config

     

    Once added, DALI Group can be assigned by selecting the fixture number in the Group Column, as seen below.

    DALI config

     

    In this example, DALI Ballast 8 is in groups 0-4, so will accept any command send to a DALI Group, while sending a command to Group 4 will affect Ballast 5,6,7 and 8 only.

    These groups will be added to the Interface within the Fixture Browser and selecting the Group will highlight all attached ballasts in red (selected).

    DALI config

     

    Once configuration has been completed, you must click Upload Configuration. This is a different step than uploading the project to a controller and can be a very slow process, so we would recommend trying to set everything up first. To ensure the correct functionality, this step must be completed, otherwise pre-existing information on the ballasts will be used instead, as ballasts store information themselves.

    For more information on setting up lighting data on your DALI ballasts, please see Making a Scene with DALI.

    Watch our dedicated DALI Project Walkthrough webinar here.

    DALI, Designer 2

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    • Why Pharos?
      • What is Pharos?
      • Applications
        • Bridges & Structures
        • Water Features
        • Landscapes
        • Urban Spaces
        • Cityscapes
        • Facades
        • Heritage Architecture
        • Video Mapped Buildings
        • Themed Attractions
        • Museums & Exhibitions
        • Art Installations
        • Son et lumière
        • Venues
        • Stadiums & Sports
        • Retail
        • Hospitality
        • Residential
        • Healthcare
        • Places of Worship
      • Features
        • Intelligent Programming
        • Extensive Fixture Support
        • Powerful Pixel Mapping
        • Sophisticated Triggering
        • Remote Management
        • Easy Integration
        • Endless Scalability
        • Intuitive Software
        • Extreme Reliability
    • Products
      • Controllers
        • LPC Family
          • LPC (Lighting Playback Controller)
          • LPC X
          • TPC (Touch Panel Controller)
          • TPC + EXT
        • VLC Family
          • VLC (Video Lighting Controller)
          • VLC+
        • Which controller do I need?
      • Software
        • Designer 2
        • Director
      • Pharos Cloud
      • Wall Stations
        • BPS
        • TPC (Touch Panel Controller)
        • TPS
      • Remote Devices
        • EDN
        • BPS
        • RIO
        • RIO A (AUDIO)
        • RIO D (DALI)
      • Accessories
        • SDI
        • CVD / CCD
        • EXT
        • POE
        • RDM
    • Showcase
    • Downloads
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        • Designer 2
        • Director
        • Migrating to Designer 2
        • Software Archive
        • Legacy Designer 1
      • Brochures
      • Documentation
        • Datasheets & Specifications
        • Manuals
        • Application Notes
        • Wiring Diagrams
        • Document Archive
      • Resources
        • Custom Presets
        • Custom Web Interfaces
        • Drafting Aids
        • IO Modules
        • Project Files
        • Script Examples
        • Timeline Presets
        • TPC Interface Themes
        • Web Interface Themes
    • Support
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      • Video Tutorials
        • Online Training
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      • Tips & Tricks
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      • Troubleshooting & FAQ
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      • Contact Support
    • About Us
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