DMX Lighting Effects What is it? Hows It work?

DMX (Digital Multiplex)
We thought be a good idea to add this as we often get asked what DMX lighting is and how does it work? So here you go, time to do a bit of bed time reading.
DMX512, often shortened to DMX (Digital MultipleX), is a communications protocol used mainly to control stage lighting. It is a form of the RS-485 architecture.
Developed by the Engineering Commission of USITT, the standard started in 1986, with subsequent revisions in 1990 leading to USITT DMX512/1990. ESTA took control of the standard in 1998 and began a revision process. The new standard, known officially as "Entertainment Technology USITT DMX512A Asynchronous Serial Digital Data Transmission Standard for Controlling Lighting Equipment and Accessories", was approved by ANSI in November, 2004. This current standard is also known as "E1.11, USITT DMX512A", or just "DMX512-A", and is maintained by ESTA.
DMX was originally intended for use in linking controllers and dimmers of differing manufacturers, a protocol to be used as a last choice after trying other, more proprietary methods. However, it soon became the primary method for not only linking controllers and dimmers, but also linking more advanced fixtures and special effects devices such as fog machines and moving lights. As DMX512 is unidirectional and does not allow for a response it must not be used for any type of use involving life safety, such as controlling pyrotechnics. MIDI is sometimes used for this task.
Technical Description
A DMX512 controller is connected to fixtures or devices in a daisy-chain link. Each device has a DMX in and generally a DMX out connector - sometimes marked as DMX thru. The DMX out on the controller is linked via a DMX512 cable to the DMX in on the first fixture. A second cable then links the DMX out on the first fixture to the next device, and so on. In general, the final, empty, DMX out connector should have a DMX512 terminating plug attached into it, which is simply a 120