DMX for Domestic Lighting Control

I'm going to be using several DMX controlled dimmers as part of my home automation system.  DMX512, to give it it's proper name, is normally associated with stage lighting, and might not seem an obvious choice for home automation.  I know of only one other project that has made use of it like this.



Before deciding to use DMX I had considered many systems including C-Bus, HomeEasy, Idratek, Lutron and X10.  I've settled on a custom system using DMX as the last link.  All of the systems have their advantages though.  I'm also wiring the house so that it should be possible to convert to C-Bus without any rewiring.

DMX Pros

• DMX Dimmers are much cheaper than other digitally controlled dimmers.  You can get a 12 channel dimmer pack for £60.  An 8-channel C-Bus dimmer pack is £400.  That's 10 times the price per channel!
• Relatively easy to interface to and an open Standard.
• Easy to find replacement dimmers
• Can control some lighting units directly without dimmers (e.g. RGB LED lights)

DMX Cons

• Only one device on a bus can be a transmitter.  This means it is not suitable for gathering inputs from around the house.  The solution is to only use it for interfacing with the dimmers.
• The products that are available have been designed for stage use, not installing in a home, so things like mounting them can be tricky.