DMX DIP Switch Calculator

TOOLS

Calculateur de commutateur DIP DMX

Set DIP switches, plan addresses for lights or DMX decoders, and find channel overlaps.

Standard 9-switch binary · 1–511

DMX start address
Enter 1–511 to see which switches to turn ON.

YOUR SWITCH SETTINGS
Follow the ON mark on your device

Top: switch number
Bottom: binary value

SWITCHES ON

Address 001
Binary (9 → 1) 000000001

Numbered switches 1–9 only

Switch 10 / MODE: use the setting in your device manual.

Check the channel range

Optional — enter channels per device to see the occupied range and the next free address.

Channels per device

Channel range

17 – 19

Next available address

THE BASICS

How the DMX DIP switch calculator works

DIP switches translate your DMX start address into a simple on/off code your fixture can read. A few concepts make it fully clear.

DIP

What a DIP switch is

A DIP switch is a small row of binary switches on the fixture. Each one holds one bit of the address code: switch ON adds its value, OFF adds nothing.

×2

Binary powers of two

Switch 1 = 1, switch 2 = 2, switch 3 = 4 … switch 9 = 256. Every switch is double the last, exactly like binary counting.

SUM

The address is a total

Your DMX start address equals the sum of every switch you turn ON. Address 17 = switch 1 (1) + switch 5 (16) = 17.

1–511

Why nine switches

Nine switches encode any binary value from 0 to 511. DMX start addresses run 1–511; 0 and 512 carry special meanings on some fixtures.

TERMS

Address, channel, universe

The address is where a fixture starts listening; channels are its control values; a universe is a block of 512 channels. The DIP switches set the address, not the universe.

TRY

Read or set in seconds

Type an address above to see the switches to turn ON, or tap switches on the board to read a fixture’s address.

FROM CALCULATION TO CONTROL

Before you test your lights

Set the device to DMX mode.

Match the printed ON mark. Check switch 10 / MODE in the manual; auto, sound and master/slave modes can override DMX control.

Use the same settings on the controller.

Select the correct device model, channel mode and start address. Connect the device to an output carrying the assigned universe.

Test one device first.

Enable DMX output, release blackout and set the required dimmer, shutter and color channels. Confirm a response before adding the rest.

QUICK ANSWERS

DMX addressing, explained.

Understand the settings before you change them. Keep your device manual nearby.

What do address, channel and universe mean?+

A channel carries a control value, such as a dimmer or color level. The start address is the first channel a device listens to. A 3-channel device at address 1 uses channels 1, 2 and 3. A universe is a separate set of 512 channels. Address 1 in universe 1 is different from address 1 in universe 2 — the nine address switches do not select the universe.

Will this work with my device?+

Use this tool when switches 1–9 have the values 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 and 256, and the ON values add up to the address. For address 17, turn ON switches 1 and 5. Devices with different switch weights or a different addressing rule need their model’s instructions. A tenth switch may select an operating mode; it is not automatically an address bit.

Why can’t I set address 512? What does all OFF mean?+

A DMX universe has 512 channels, but the largest sum of nine binary switch values is 511. This tool never substitutes all OFF for 512. All OFF gives a binary value of 0, which is not a normal DMX start address. Your model may assign a special meaning to it — follow the manual for both 0 and 512.

Should the next address be 4 or 17?+

It depends on the device mode and controller. A 3-channel device at address 1 uses channels 1–3, so the next device can start at 4 if your controller allows it. Some controllers reserve fixed blocks: a 16-channel block makes the next start 17, even if the device uses only 3 channels. In the planner, keep « Channels per device » at 3 and set « Step between start addresses » to 16. Check your controller manual before using this pattern.

Can two devices share the same address?+

Yes, if identical devices in the same channel mode should respond together on the same universe. Set them to the same address. To control each device separately, give each one its own channel range. The same address in different universes is a different control destination.

The address looks right, but there’s no light.+

First confirm DMX mode, the channel mode, start address and output universe on both the device and controller. Disable blackout and send the dimmer, shutter and color values required by the device’s channel chart. Test one device directly with a known working DMX cable; if the signal is intermittent, inspect the cabling and termination. Change one thing at a time — a calculator cannot verify a physical DMX connection.

Where do these addressing rules come from?+

Always use the manual for your exact fixture, channel mode and controller. Binary switch values and channel ranges define the address calculation. Switch 10 or FUN is model-specific: it may select DMX mode or a test function. Check the exact fixture and controller manuals before applying a plan.