Lighting Playback Controller X (LPC X)

LPC

The Pharos TPC (Touch Panel Controller) is an elegant lighting controller with a customisable, 4.3″ capacitive touch screen, 512 channels of eDMX output and vast interfacing potential, all over a single Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) network connection. TPCs are available in a range of different coloured bezels and overlays.

Put Pharos in the room with the award winning Touch Panel Controller’s sleek styling, advanced lighting playback engine and fully integrated user interface.

With control of playback selection and lighting levels at your fingertips you can gracefully transition between scenes, timelines, effects and pixel-mapped media. The customisable touch screen user interface lets you create multiple pages of controls, configure their appearance and get immediate visual feedback.

Touch Interface

Touch screen user interface is fully customisable using the free Pharos Designer software. Create multiple pages of controls including buttons, sliders, keypads and colour pickers, and configure their appearance and visual feedback. Make it eye-catching by importing your own graphics or picking from one of our attractive themes.

Pharos Engine

The intelligent Pharos Engine gives you complete control of your installation. Based on individually controllable and independently running timelines and scenes, it lets you build dynamic, precise, fully customisable pre-programmed lighting displays, all while giving you the freedom of real-time manual overrides, flexible multi-zone control, prioritisation and more.

Pharos Trigger

Timing is everything. Whatever the stimulus, Pharos Trigger can handle it. You can control your lighting with responsive, reactive software. Pharos Trigger is a rules engine that uses conditional logic and a broad range of interfaces and protocols. Send and receive any command, to and from any system. Conditional logic is supported, along with a powerful built-in scripting language.

Key Features

Pharos Mapping

Design the big picture; control every pixel. Create a 2D map of your fixtures within the Designer software, then use Pharos Mapping to create visually striking effects or play video across the entire array. Powerful controls allow you to build maps fast with pixel precise adjustment.

Scalable

The right fit for every installation. Multiple Pharos 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 software.

Remote Management

The control you need in your browser – from anywhere. Pharos Controllers can be connected to a network, making it possible for you to remotely manage your installation. The built-in web server lets you check the Controller’s status, inputs and outputs, trigger timelines, view a full history log and much more.

Flexible

Be limited by your design brief, not your hardware. Our products support a vast range of different fixture types and can output multiple DMX-over-Ethernet (eDMX) lighting protocols at the same time. No other system gives you this level of flexibility and control over your project.

Installation, Commissioning & Reliability

Pharos Designer

Programmed and configured using the free Pharos Designer 2 software – available for Windows or Mac OS X – with upload over Ethernet or USB.

Reliable

Hardware and firmware are self-sufficient, so no PC needs to be left on site. Rugged, compact unit designed for 24/7 operation and reliability.

EXT

DIN rail mounting companion product provides PoE power, DMX and DALI outputs, RS232 serial and 8 digital/analog inputs for triggering and integration. Together the TPC+EXT form a highly versatile, standalone control solution.

Firmware

Microprocessor-based system supports firmware updates via the network from Designer software or the web interface.

5 Year Warranty

Designed and manufactured in the UK, with quality and reliability our top priority.

Certifications

CE compliant; ETL/cETL listed; California Title 20/24 Compliant

Pharos control products are highly flexible, customiseable and scalable. Our controllers work seamlessly with our remote devices and accessories for a huge range of protocol options.

If you can’t find what you’re looking for below, please get in touch with one of our sales team who will be happy help you build a solution for your project.

Supported Fixtures

LEDs

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

Automated

Moving heads, yokes or scanners

Generic

Downlights, spotlights, uplights, etc. via controllable dimmers, relays or ballasts

Fountain Jets

Fountain jets for fountain animation or other animatronics

Fixture Library

Pharos offers a cloud library with over 13,000 fixture profiles, for easy download of your luminaires

Output

DMX512

Via EXT or second port on LPC 1

RDM

Supports discovery and addressing via Designer software

sACN

ANSI E1.31 (with per fixture priority)

Art-Net

ArtNet, ArtNet II and ArtNet III (configurable broadcast override)

KiNET

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

Pathport

Pathway Connectivity protocol

DALI

Via RIO D (supplied separately)

Scalable

Synchronises with up to 40 Pharos Controllers over network

Simultaneous

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

Triggering & Integration

Startup

Commences playback automatically on receiving power

Touchscreen

Buttons, sliders, colour picker, etc

Clock

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

Astronomical

Sunrise/Sunset/Twilight and Lunar phases

Temperature

Trigger on changes or entering a range

Ethernet

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

Serial Data

RS232 via EXT; RS232 or RS485 via RIO; send/receive free syntax in ASCII, HEX or decimal

MIDI

MIDI Notes, SysEx or Timecode

Timecode

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

Audio Level

Stereo 30-band spectrum analysis via RIO A

DMX

Via RIO A or RIO D; trigger on changes within a range or entering a range

eDMX

sACN or Art-Net

Inputs

Contact closure, active low, active high or 0-24V analog level via EXT, RIO A or RIO D

Web Interface

Built-in or custom designed

Wall Stations

Integrate with BPS or TPC

Conditions

Full conditional logic support

Scripting

Lua scripting for total flexibility

Scalable

Supports Pharos Remote Devices

Specifications

Certifications

CE compliant, ETL/cETL listed

Power

PoE (IEEE802.3af, Class 2) 4W typical

Data Storage

Removable SD Card (supplied)

Temperature

0°C to 50°C (32°F to 122°F)

Physical

Wall mounted, partly recessed in UK 2-gang 35mm or custom US 2.5” backbox (supplied separately)

Weight

0.25 kg (0.55 lbs)

Shipping

20 x 15 x 12 cm (8″ x 6″ x 5″)
0.6 kg (1.8 lbs)

Recovery

Hardware watchdog and recessed reset button

Warranty

5 years

Interfaces

Ethernet

RJ45 socket for 10/100Base-TX Ethernet with Link/Data LEDs; Fixed IP or DHCP; Dual IP address for eDMX

Touchscreen

4.3” capacitive touch; 480×272 24bpp; 340 cd/m²; magnetic overlay

IR Sensor

Learning IR sensor for remote control

Temperature

Built-in ambient temperature sensor

Order Code & Variants

LPC 1

512 channels DMX/eDMX

LPC 2

1,024 channels DMX/eDMX

LPC 4

2,048 channels eDMX incl. 1,024 DMX

LPC X

The Pharos LPC X (Lighting Playback Controller X) offers an extreme level of power and integration, making it an ideal lighting control solution for architectural and landmark lighting installations requiring significant channel counts. It integrates with the full range of Pharos products and offers an optional real-time video input.

The LPC X is a rugged 1U 19” rackmount unit with separate Ethernet interfaces for management and DMX-over-Ethernet (eDMX) output. It is available in capacities ranging from 10 DMX universes (5,120 channels) up to 100 DMX universes (51,200 channels) from a single unit, with further scaling (for even larger architectural lighting installations) by using multiple Controllers connected and synchronised over Ethernet.

As the big brother of the compact Pharos LPC, it is at the heart of a fully scalable Pharos system that can be tailored to the needs of your commercial lighting project. Additional integration options are supported by our range of Remote Devices. The LPC X is programmed using the free Pharos Designer 2 software and existing installations can be managed from anywhere using its built-in web server.