Art-Net vs. sACN (E1.31): The Difference Explained Simply
In short: Art-Net and sACN (ANSI E1.31) are the two most common Ethernet protocols for sending DMX lighting data over an IP network to LED and DMX controllers. Art-Net is the older, vendor-driven de-facto standard; sACN is the newer, officially ESTA-standardized successor with multicast transport and priorities. Both carry classic DMX512 universes – only the path through the network differs.
What is Art-Net?
Art-Net is a protocol developed in 1998 by Artistic Licence that transports DMX512 over UDP/IP. By default it sends lighting data via broadcast (optionally unicast) on port 6454. The current version, Art-Net 4, can address up to 32,768 universes. Thanks to its long history, Art-Net is supported by practically every node, interface and software package – it is the most compatible common denominator.
What is sACN (E1.31)?
sACN stands for “Streaming ACN” and is defined in the ANSI E1.31 standard by ESTA. It also transports DMX data over UDP, but uses multicast on port 5568 by default: each universe gets its own multicast group, so devices only receive the data they actually need. sACN also supports priorities (0–200 per universe) – multiple sources can feed the same universe, and the receiver uses the highest priority.
Art-Net vs. sACN: The Key Differences
| Feature | Art-Net | sACN (E1.31) |
|---|---|---|
| Standardization | Vendor-specific (Artistic Licence), de-facto | ANSI E1.31 (ESTA), official |
| Transport | UDP – broadcast or unicast | UDP – multicast (or unicast) |
| Port | 6454 | 5568 |
| Max. universes | up to 32,768 (Art-Net 4) | up to 63,999 |
| Priority | Not natively supported | Yes – 0 to 200 per universe |
| Network load | Higher (broadcast to all) | Lower (targeted multicast) |
| Device discovery | ArtPoll / ArtPollReply | Universe Discovery |
| Typical use | Maximum compatibility, mixed hardware | Large, professional installations |
Which protocol should you use?
As a rule of thumb: use sACN (E1.31) for large or professional installations with many universes, where your network handles multicast cleanly (a managed switch with IGMP snooping). Multicast and priorities keep network load low and enable clean backup scenarios. Choose Art-Net when you need maximum compatibility with older nodes and mixed hardware, or run a simple, unmanaged network. Many setups run both protocols in parallel – for different devices on the same network.
PixDrive Studio speaks both protocols – Art-Net and sACN (E1.31), plus TPM2.NET, DDP and WARLS. You can choose per universe which protocol goes to which controller, with no compromises.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Art-Net and sACN at the same time?
Yes. Both run in parallel on the same network without issues, as long as universes and ports are assigned correctly. PixDrive Studio can decide per output which protocol to use.
Do I need a managed switch?
For sACN multicast on larger networks, yes – a switch with IGMP snooping prevents multicast traffic from flooding every port. For small setups or Art-Net broadcast, a simple switch is often enough.
How many universes do the protocols support?
Art-Net 4 addresses up to 32,768 universes, sACN up to 63,999. In practice, controllers, bandwidth and frame rate limit the count more than the protocol does.
Does PixDrive Studio support both?
Yes – Art-Net and sACN (E1.31) are fully integrated, along with other protocols like TPM2.NET, DDP and WARLS.