Designer 2
Pharos Designer 2, our best software yet, is a powerful program with an intuitive graphical user interface that allows even new users to start work immediately and takes them through each stage of their lighting project. It also has a vast array of precise control options and features for advanced users to experiment with on their larger lighting installations.
New in Designer 2.16
Support for RIO 84: Convenient remote input/output device with 8 inputs and 4 outputs.
- 8 inputs for interacting with devices like sensors and switches.
- 4 low-voltage relay outputs for activating switches on other devices.
- Multi-protocol serial port configurable as:
- RS232 / RS485 for sending and receiving commands from other systems.
- DMX out, offering a full universe.
- Each device can be placed where it is needed and connected to a Pharos Designer controller over an Ethernet network.
- More information is available here.
Advatek PixLite Mk3 Integration: Native support for Advatek PixLite Mk3 pixel controllers.
- Enable the ‘Advatek PixLite’ project feature to get started.
- Use ADAR (Advatek Discovery and Recovery) to discover Advatek PixLite Mk3 pixel controllers on your network.
- Configure Advatek device settings and port properties within the Network tab.
- Adjust multiple ports and devices in a single operation.
- Download, import and export device configuration.
- Automatically populate patch with fixtures according to each device’s configuration.
- Commit device configuration as part of Designer’s upload process.
Improvements to Timeline Audio: A better experience when programming to music.
- Audio rows are now taller by default, maximising waveform resolution.
- Independently adjust row height for audio rows versus group rows.
- Optionally pin audio rows to the bottom of the window, so they never go out of view.
Trigger Rate Limiting: Take control of how frequently triggers fire, reducing pressure on external systems.
- Enable the ‘Trigger rate limiting’ project feature to reveal ‘Rate limit’ fields in supported triggers.
- Leave at ‘Unlimited’ (capped only by the controller’s playback refresh rate), or set a maximum frequency between 1 and 35Hz.
Powerful Timeline Flag Triggering: Use variables to specify a timeline flag.
- Every timeline flag now has a number, configurable in flag properties.
- Flag number is returned as a variable by the Timeline Flag trigger.
- Set Timeline Position action allows timeline flag number to be specified as a variable.
- Flag number available via import / export objects.
DALI Commissioning Improvements: Use highlight to easily identify ballasts.
- Highlight individual ballasts, a specified group, emergency ballasts or all ballasts.
- Choose between static and flashing highlight modes in Preferences > General > Highlight.
Selection Counter in Layout: See how many fixtures and channels are currently selected.
- Easily monitor how many fixtures and channels your current selection represents.
- DMX and DALI channel count shown separately from total.
Disable BPS Action: Use triggers to disable button panel stations.
- Prevent button presses from firing triggers by disabling the device.
- Options to disable or enable either a specified device or all devices.
RDM Poll Finished Action: Act on the completion of a fixture status refresh.
- The trigger fires when an RDM poll completes.
- Useful in large projects where RDM polls can take a long time.
Asymmetric Grid Spacing: Independently adjust each axis of your grid.
- Optionally set different values for X and Y in grid spacing and grid subdivisions.
- Changes apply in Layout, Scene and Simulate.
- X and Y values available in Reports.
Designer Enhancements
We continue to make improvements throughout the software. Latest changes include:
- Include fixture manufacturer ID and model ID in equipment export.
- Increase browser item label text size when row height is increased.
- Offer replacement of offline RDM devices from fixture detail page of the controller web interface.
- Optionally show only fixtures with associated RDM devices in the controller web interface.
- Visually indicate remote device online / offline status in the controller web interface.
- Option to include control keys when copying interface controls.
- Choose between static or flashing when highlighting fixtures.
- Default group report sorts according to browser order.
- Optionally include paused timelines in the Timeline Running trigger condition.
Minimum Hardware Requirements
- Intel Core i3 processor or above
- 2GB RAM
- 1GB free hard disk space
- 1024×768 screen resolution
- OpenCL 1.2 graphics support (for VLC/VLC+ simulation)
- Network connection (for connecting to Pharos hardware)
Supported Operating Systems
- Windows 10 (1809 or later)
- Windows 11
- macOS 14 through macOS 26
Recommended Hardware
- Intel Core i5 processor or above
- 8GB RAM
- 1920×1080 screen resolution
DMX Record
Pharos DMX Record is a standalone utility for capturing multiple universes of sACN or Art-Net lighting data. DMX Record lets you capture complex lighting programming from another lighting control system and import recordings straight into Designer 2 for playback on Pharos Designer LPC family controllers.
Current release: v1.0.2
If you are using DMX Record for the first time, read the Getting Started article in Tips & Tricks.
Minimum Hardware Requirements
- Intel Core i3 processor or above
- 2GB RAM
- 1GB free hard disk space
- 1024×768 screen resolution
- OpenCL 1.2 graphics support (for VLC/VLC+ simulation)
- Network connection (for connecting to Pharos hardware)
Supported Operating Systems
- Microsoft Windows 7/8/10/11 (64bit)
- macOS 10.13.x (High Sierra) – 13.1.x (Ventura)
Recommended Hardware
- Intel Core i5 processor or above
- 8GB RAM
- 1920×1080 screen resolution
Director
Pharos Director is a commercial lighting control software tool for managing and controlling lighting installations across large sites, such as campus and city-wide installations, which span multiple Pharos Designer lighting control systems.
Current release: v2.16.4
If you are using Director as a companion application at your installation, please download the matching software version to use with Designer software.
Minimum Hardware Requirements
- Intel Core i3 processor or above
- 2GB RAM
- 1GB free hard disk space
- 1024×768 screen resolution
- OpenCL 1.2 graphics support (for VLC/VLC+ simulation)
- Network connection (for connecting to Pharos hardware)
Supported Operating Systems
- Windows 10 (1809 or later)
- Windows 11
- macOS 14 through macOS 26
Recommended Hardware
- Intel Core i5 processor or above
- 8GB RAM
- 1920×1080 screen resolution
Software Archive
Previous software releases are available on the Directory page.
These are provided in case a project requires additional programming or maintenance, and it is not desirable to upgrade to the current release. If you need a version that is not provided, please contact Support.
Legacy Migration Tools
Migrating installations and programming from Designer v1 to v2 requires these utility tools, the firmware tool for moving controller hardware between the two versions, and the Project tool for converting a Designer v1 file so it can be opened in Designer v2. More information available in this Tips & Tricks.
These tools are no longer maintained. The downloads below only convert and update v1 project files and controllers up to v2.5.3.
Legacy Designer Version 1
macOS
Please note: Installation Manager and Dynamic Media Manager are not recognised by OS X Gatekeeper in Mountain Lion. Please switch off Gatekeeper in System Preferences in order to install either of them.
