ELC Lighting launched the Buddy, a new Ethernet to DMX node at this year’s ABTT show, to rave reviews. Designed and engineered as an entry level product, the Buddy was designed with students and newcomers to the market in mind, but is already being hailed as an essential piece of kit for lighting designers to carry in their back pockets, with over 200 units already sold.
Speaking at the official launch of the product, Silvio Cibien said: “Buddy has all the functions required to enable a user to get DMX out of their laptop at an entry level price. We feel students and newcomers to the industry need to be able to experiment without the fear of doing something wrong, or losing all their work. The Buddy will enable them to program and create with ease, on their own laptop. But it’s also an ideal piece of kit for any lighting designer who may suddenly find they need access to DMX and the ability to test a network when they least expect to.”
The Buddy boasts the same quality and reliability as all ELC Lighting’s products, yet at half the price of the company’s professional range. Giving the power of 1024 DMX channels, the Buddy is a two-port DMX-Ethernet node compatible with Art-Net, sACN, and Shownet and is fully supported by ELC Lighting’s dmXLAN software, providing features such as setting up the DMX ports for complete dynamic merging of different DMX sources, control fixture for testing and rig start up and RDM (Remote Device Management) support.
The Buddy’s two DMX-512 ports can be programmed as input or output. Programming the device is simple via specific software applications which are available to download from the dedicated website, www.dmxbuddy.com.
As with all ELC dmxLAN nodes, the Buddy is compatible with dmXLAN v4 software. An added benefit is the availability of an integrated web page, available on any pc, laptop, tablet, or smartphone, which will convert the device into a simple DMX controller like the ELC focusHAND remote. According to the company, smartphone and PC-based software developers of DMX software applications such as Freestyler, Luminair, Fil Rouge, and LightFactory all recommend Buddy.
Cibien concluded: “We aim to give young designers all the support and encouragement we can, with the same tools that professionals of the industry are already successfully using to help them build their career in this wonderful industry of ours. I hope their Buddy will give them the confidence they need to be inspired and creative and become an essential piece of kit that even many years into their careers, they’ll not want to be without. A true friend for life.”
www.elclighting.com
Australian Distributor: Show Technology www.showtech.com.au
