Professional laser systems are controlled through a stack of protocols, each doing a different job: ILDA carries the actual laser signal, DMX, ArtNet, and sACN integrate the laser into a lighting rig, SMPTE and ArtNet timecode sync programmed shows to music or video, and MIDI, OSC, CITP, and NDI connect lasers to controllers, custom software, and media systems.
As a Pangolin, Unity, and Kvant dealer, we sell and support the exact hardware and software behind all of these protocols — and we run them on real touring and club productions ourselves. So rather than list specs you can find anywhere, here's what each protocol actually does, when you need it, and which of the systems we carry speak it.
The four jobs a control protocol does
It's easier to understand laser control by what each protocol is for than as a flat list. There are four jobs: driving the laser itself, talking to a lighting rig, locking to a timeline, and integrating with show-control and media.
1. Driving the laser: ILDA
ILDA (the International Laser Display Association signal standard) is the universal, point-to-point connection between a controller and a projector — the DB-25 cable that carries the real-time X, Y, and RGB signals that draw your beams and graphics. If a laser supports nothing else, it supports ILDA.
Every projector we deal runs ILDA out of the box — from the entry-level Unity RAW 1.7 and Unity RAW 3 up through the full Unity and Kvant range. Paired with a Pangolin FB3 + QuickShow controller, ILDA is the simplest, most reliable way to get a laser running.
2. Talking to a lighting rig: DMX, ArtNet & sACN
These let a lighting designer run lasers from the same console as everything else in the rig.
- DMX (DMX512) is the bedrock of stage lighting — a 512-channel universe over a standard cable. On a Pangolin FB4 this is Console Mode, with 1,500+ free laser gobos addressable straight from the desk.
- ArtNet is DMX over Ethernet: the same language, but many universes down one network cable — essential once you network multiple lasers.
- sACN (E1.31) is the other DMX-over-IP standard, common on larger touring and broadcast rigs.
Any FB4-equipped laser we carry handles DMX and ArtNet natively — the Unity RAW FB4 series (RAW 3 FB4, RAW 5 FB4, RAW 10 FB4), the Unity Elite PRO FB4 line (Elite 3 PRO, Elite 5 PRO, Elite 10 PRO IP65), and the Kvant Clubmax FB4 systems. Full sACN support comes with Pangolin BEYOND.
3. Locking to a timeline: SMPTE & ArtNet Timecode
For programmed, repeatable shows — a festival headline set, a themed installation — the laser has to fire in frame-accurate sync with the track.
- SMPTE Timecode is the touring/broadcast standard for time sync. BEYOND reads incoming SMPTE so a pre-built timeline runs locked to the audio.
- ArtNet Timecode (ATC) carries timecode over the network — an FB4 in Auto Mode can trigger playback from an ATC signal with no computer on site, which is exactly what you want for a permanent install.
- GTDF (Pangolin's generic time-data format) adds advanced, multi-zone timeline sync inside the BEYOND ecosystem.
Timecode is the difference between "someone is operating the laser live" and "the show runs itself, perfectly, every night." It comes with BEYOND running on any of our FB4 systems.
4. Show-control & integration: MIDI, OSC, CITP & NDI
The high-end, creative-integration layer.
- MIDI triggers cues from a hardware controller, drum pad, or DAW — how a lot of us perform live. It's also why we publish a ready-made Traktor Kontrol F1 mapping for BEYOND.
- OSC (Open Sound Control) is the flexible, network-based protocol for custom interfaces and tools like TouchDesigner — supported in BEYOND and on the FB4.
- CITP exchanges thumbnails and visualizer data with lighting consoles and pre-viz software, so the desk "sees" your laser content (rolling out across the Pangolin platform).
- NDI pipes video-over-IP into BEYOND (Ultimate license) to render as laser content — niche, but powerful for media-heavy productions.
Which protocols each platform supports
The protocol set you get depends on the software + hardware combination, not the projector alone. We deal both tiers, so we can match you to the right one:
| Protocol | What it's for | BEYOND + FB4 | QuickShow + FB4/FB3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ILDA | Direct laser signal | Yes | Yes |
| DMX | Run from a lighting console | Yes | Yes (FB4) |
| ArtNet | DMX over network, multi-laser | Yes | Yes (FB4) |
| sACN | DMX-over-IP for large rigs | Yes | — |
| MIDI | Trigger cues from controllers/DAW | Yes | Yes |
| SMPTE Timecode | Sync to audio/video | Yes | — |
| ArtNet Timecode | Networked timecode / FB4 Auto | Yes | Playback only |
| OSC | Custom / TouchDesigner control | Yes | — |
| CITP | Console & visualizer integration | Yes (rolling out) | — |
| NDI | Video-over-IP into laser | Yes (Ultimate) | — |
| GTDF | Advanced timeline sync | Yes | — |
| Network streaming / Auto | Standalone, no PC | Yes | Yes (FB4) |
The short version: any BEYOND + FB4 laser we carry gives you the complete professional protocol stack; QuickShow covers the core, club- and DJ-ready set (ILDA, DMX, ArtNet, MIDI).
The software: Pangolin BEYOND, QuickShow & MoboLaser
Protocol support flows from the software, and we stock the full Pangolin lineup:
- Pangolin BEYOND — the industry-standard professional platform for live performance, timeline programming, and the complete protocol list above. Included with our FB4 Pro systems or available standalone.
- Pangolin QuickShow (with FB3 or FB4) — the streamlined platform for fast, great-looking shows and the easiest entry point.
- MoboLaser — Pangolin's free mobile app that extends QuickShow and BEYOND to your phone: Cue Grid, Quick Text, live controls, and geometric correction from the floor, no laptop required.
Browse the full laser software collection, and expand your cue library with our weekly CuePacks.
So which protocol do you actually need?
- Solo DJ or mobile op: QuickShow + FB3/FB4 over ILDA, with MIDI for hands-on triggering. Start with a Unity RAW 3.
- Club / venue with a lighting desk: DMX (or ArtNet for multiple lasers) so the laser lives on the console — any FB4 system handles it.
- Touring / festival production: ArtNet or sACN for the rig, SMPTE/ArtNet timecode to lock to the track, and OSC/CITP/NDI for custom integration — i.e. BEYOND on a Unity Elite PRO or Kvant Clubmax.
- Permanent install: FB4 Auto Mode with timecode so the show runs standalone, no computer on site.
The honest rule of thumb: prioritize control and scan quality over raw wattage. A laser that drops cleanly into your control workflow will out-perform a brighter one you can't integrate.
Why buy from Nice Lasers
Plenty of shops will sell you a box. As a Pangolin, Unity, and Kvant dealer run by a working touring laser designer, we sell the same systems and help you actually build shows with them — the right hardware/software pairing for your venue, the protocols your rig needs, and the cue content to make it look professional from day one.
Explore our laser projectors and Pangolin BEYOND, see our guide to the best laser systems for stage and concert production, or book a 1-on-1 laser design session to map it to your setup.
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