Expert Support

Welcome to our support page for the Pharos Expert range of lighting control products and software.

From here you can download software and documentation, check our online Help and FAQS, explore training and product resources, and if you need further assistance, contact Technical Support.

QUICK LINKS

Online Help

Documentation

Software Downloads

Let the Expert software guide you through setting up and creating your lighting design, with helpers and clear, easy to follow processes.

This desktop app is a brand-new programming platform, designed from scratch to give you just the tools you need, with innovative approaches to scheduling and triggering your lighting, based around an intuitive spaces-based approach which simplifies managing your installation, fixtures and lighting looks.

Current release: 0.8

Download Expert for Windows 7/8/10

Download Expert for macOS

Full system requirements are given below.

Expert makes light of it

Expert is a brand new lighting control solution.

Our goal with Expert is to provide a cost-effective control solution with simplified, powerful programming software that maintains the Pharos DNA of the most reliable set and forget hardware on the market. Expert debuts new features and technologies from Pharos not yet seen in our software before.

We are launching it with a minimum feature set to get it in your hands as soon as possible, but we will be adding support for more features in the coming weeks and months.

Please send your comments to feedback@pharoscontrols.com

New features and enhancements

Users new to Expert you can find out all about the features included at the Expert software product page. Users who have been using earlier versions can find detailed information about recent changes below.

DALI enhancements
- Off Scene support
- Fade time support
- Output live support
- Fixed an issue where fixtures were affected by Scenes other than Static
Expert Touch
- Improved feedback during override playback
- Improved lock screen functionality

Previous version v0.8.BETA2:

DALI output
Expert Touch
- Support for custom labels of project pages
- Date and time are now shown in Expert theme
- Support for alternative date formats and 12h time
- Performance improvements for Expert theme
- Now shows ‘Waiting for controller connection…’ on the loss of connection with Expert Control
- Lock screen now displays correctly
- Orientation, brightness and timeout options are now stored on Expert Touch
  - Configuration options can now be found by selecting the device in the property editor
Simulation rate now adjusts playback rate
Playback stability improved
Fade times are correctly used throughout Expert
macOS text updated to be the correct size
New application and file icons

Known issues / partial implementations

Networking: Systems which get a DHCP address after initially going to link local may not communicate over the network. Workarounds: reboot devices with a active DHCP server on the network or statically IP addressing devices
Inputs / Outputs : Inputs and Relay Outs not yet supported
Touch 5: Glass theme currently only support landscape orientation
Touch 5: time and date format follow locale settings on computer, these will be editable in the future
Playback: direct colour options are temporarily disabled
DALI: Type 8 TC and XY ballasts cannot be controlled

What to expect from Expert in the future

A selection of features we are planning to rollout soon. This list is alphabetical: it does not represent order or priority.

Cloud compatibility and integration with Expert
Customisation options for Expert Touch Themes
Integration options, starting with contact closure inputs
Mobile device apps for Android and iOS devices which display touch interfaces
More Walkthroughs
Scheduling from Touch devices

Is Expert right for your project?

We developed the Pharos Expert range to fulfil a specific need – namely a straightforward, less complicated control solution that would be ideal for typical architectural lighting control requirements. It has been carefully created from scratch and, while maintaining the Pharos DNA for the most reliable set and forget hardware on the market, it debuts unique new features, technologies and programming approaches especially for this market, with a single-view, user-friendly user interface.

As a result, there are some projects that Expert isn’t suitable for which may instead require a solution from the Designer range. Pharos Designer offers you a comprehensive, flexible and versatile control package, with every tool you will need for the most demanding lighting installations.

If your project requires any of the following functionality we advise you to consider the Designer range: show control – audio input/output – advanced timeline features – timecode – specific and detailed integration options – import/export – multi-layout – IO modules – scripting – custom web interface – moving heads – direct emitter control – scalable system with over 1024 control channels.

This list is not exhaustive, please contact the Pharos Sales team to discuss your project requirements and let them guide you to the best choice of controller and commissioning software for your installation.

Minimum Hardware Requirements

Intel Core i3 processor or above
2GB RAM
1GB free hard disk space
1024×768 screen resolution
Intel(R) UHD Graphics 620 or better
Network connection (for connecting to Pharos hardware)

Supported Operating Systems

Microsoft Windows 7/8/10 (64bit)
Apple macOS 11 (Big Sur) – 13 (Venture)

Recommended Hardware

Intel Core i5 processor or above
8GB RAM
1920×1080 screen resolution

Software Archive – Coming soon

For new projects or evaluation, please download the current release of Expert.

Expert Online Help

Comprehensive online help files for the latest version of Expert, right in your browser.

Expert Online Help

FAQS

How do I choose between Expert and Designer controllers?

The Designer and Expert ranges both offer reliable, thoughtfully designed control solutions for the control of dynamic DMX & DALI lighting.

Designer focuses on architainment and show control, offering all the flexibility you need. Expert is created with architecture in mind and focuses on ease of use for common control requirements you’ll find, for example, in heritage lighting, retail, and hospitality.

Both Expert and Designer software applications are free to download for Windows and macOS. We encourage you to explore and evaluate both, side-by-side, to see which approach and feature sets suits you and your next project best. There are plenty of tutorials available for Designer to give you a feel for using it, and we are working hard on getting the same resources online for Expert.

Download Expert software

Download Designer 2 software

Contact our Sales team to discuss your requirements in detail, but below you can find a taster of the sort of things to consider.

Applications

Expert is a great fit for projects requiring programming of DMX and/or DALI fixtures to static and dynamic scenes which will typically be activated by any of the following;

Clock and Calendar events set on a Schedule
User interaction via a touch station
User interaction via Pharos Cloud

Expert supports one active scene per space providing clear, easy to predict, straightforward playback. Pre-designed effects and presets are available with artistically chosen colours and parameters. Some limited parameter editing is possible.

If you need lots of programming freedom to cater for more complex requirements, you might want to consider Designer. Playback is completely flexible – multiple timelines, simultaneous playback and release hierarchies. Fully flexible presets with fully customisable and fully editable parameters.

Zoning and grouping

Expert uses a concept of Spaces to define the control hierarchy. Each fixture belongs to just one space, and spaces are organised in a parent – child – sibling structure.

In Designer a fixture can be included in many groups and be part of multiple matrices. For freeform, overlapping fixture grouping and mapping, Designer should be your choice.

Triggering and integration

Expert uses a concept of Tags to conveniently ensure the correct scenes will play at the right moment in time. Tags provide an intuitive way of programming conditional logic without the need to program for each specific case manually.

Tagged scenes are primarily driven by scheduling, location (for sunrise/set) and user input via touch screens. There are also two contact closures, a built in HTTP API and soon via Pharos Cloud.

Triggering and integration options in Designer are much more flexible. With serial, Ethernet and IO module triggers, a Designer controller can act on many different inputs. The programmer is completely free to determine behaviour via the powerful trigger – condition – action principle and can use IO modules and scripting to realise show control and more complicated interactions. For themed environments, Designer systems can also support Video in, Audio In / Out, MIDI, and various linear Timecode.

Scaling and channel count

Expert Control operates as a standalone controller, for 512 or 1024 channels and a DALI bus for maximum 64 fixtures. There are no technical restrictions regarding having more than one Expert Control on the same network, but they would operate independently with their own, unique project files.

Designer LPC capacities start at 512 channels which is one DMX universe. The LPC X supports up to 100 universes in one unit. Designer LPCs can be linked together in the same project file to act as one seamless system. Networked Designer RIO Ds can support up to 200 DALI buses on a single system. More details here

Fixture types

Expert supports fixture types common to architectural installs such as intensity-only luminaires and LEDs in any type of colour, and fixtures with multiple elements.

More advanced fixtures with non-intensity parameters are only supported in Designer.

Please download the datasheets for the two nearest equivalent controllers from each range to view more details about the hardware and functionality:

Expert Control Datasheet

Designer LPC Datasheet