Five Reasons why you should Upgrade to PixLite® Mk3

Introduction

For years, PixLite® has been the go-to choice for pixel control, offering reliability and performance in many applications. Now, with PixLite® Mk3, the bar has been raised even higher. As the third generation in the PixLite® series, the Mk3 brings a host of new features and improvements over its predecessor, the Mk2.

If you're still using the Mk2, it's time to consider upgrading to the Mk3 for a host of reasons, such as: Enhanced pixel visual quality, Ease-of-use, system versatility (standalone and integrated), suitability for commercial applications, and performance breakthroughs.

Pixels Look Better on a PixLite® Mk3

Experience a significant improvement in visual quality when you connect your pixels to a PixLite® Mk3. We’ve developed a host of features, designed to enhance the visual accuracy and vibrancy of the pixel’s color output which are only available in Mk3.

Gamma Correction: PixLite® Mk3 maps incoming data to a gamma corrected curve, which sets dimming curves to look more accurate and vibrant to the human eye. This is available across all pixel color resolutions, whereas in older generations it was only available for pixels with a native resolution greater than 8-bit.

Digital Current Control: Leverage the most modern and sophisticated pixel ICs to digitally tune the current of each color, to give you access to fine-tune color mixing of your fixtures, without sacrificing resolution.

Extreme Refresh Rates: Pixels can be driven at extremely fast frame rates, in the order of hundreds of frames per second. This ensures smooth output of rapidly dynamic effects and opens up the possibility for dithering – explained below.

Dithering for 8-Bit Pixels: In cases where the output frame rate can be much higher than your input frame rate, dithering effectively doubles the resolution of your 8-bit pixels by rapidly switching between 8-bit intensity levels. This effectively emulates a virtual ninth bit of resolution, to make 8-bit pixels look smoother.

16 Bit Input Data: For pixels with a color resolution higher than 8 bits, driving these with 8-bit DMX data can result in a poor visual experience and ‘steppy’ fades, particularly during Extended Fading and Slow Color Changing. The optional ability to drive these pixels directly with 16-bit DMX data will allow your pixels to look their best.

Popular PixLite® Mk3 Models

PixLite® A4-S Mk3

Driving up to 24 universes of data, and offering easy mounting, sleek design and electrical fault protection — what’s not to love?

PixLite® T8-S Mk3

With a data transmission range of 300 meters, this user-friendly long range pixel controller system is the high-impact solution for professional installations.

PixLite® R2F-S

The R2F-S has two outputs, connecting to two runs of pixels and the long-range potential allows receivers to be located up to 300 meters away from the transmitter.

PixLite® R4D-S

Designed to bring sizable projects to life, the R4D-S receiver works together with the T8-S Mk3 transmitter to drive up to 2,040 RGB pixels for larger-scale installations.

Ease of Use

PixLite® Mk2 and PixLite® Mk3 can drive the same number of pixels and can even be integrated together to both be installed in the same system; but once you’ve spent some time with PixLite® Mk3 and start to see how easy it is to use, you’ll never go back! From the network design to electrical design, to configuration and management, PixLite® Mk3 is designed to make your life easier.

Daisy Chainable Ethernet Ports: Dual Ethernet ports on some models enable network designs that are easier to install, such as daisy-chaining device to device, and even more reliable, such as creating redundant network loops in conjunction with STP.

Web-Based Management: Along with the improved Advatek Assistant 3, management of the PixLite® is simple and powerful, with the addition of a carefully designed web-based management interface.

Simpler Discovery: Discovery of devices becomes simpler and more reliable with an enhanced discovery protocol and support for AutoIP, allowing immediate communication without configuring network settings. Configuration Import/Export: Create backups of configurations by exporting a config file, and then seamlessly transfer configurations between devices with import functionality.

Efficient Thermal Design: Designed to perform without the need for active cooling, even at higher voltages.

Smart Electronic Fusing: In select models, traditional fuses are replaced by new smart fusing. When an output experiences over-current, the electronic fuse will trip, and will re-activate only when it detects the fault has been cleared. You will never have to replace a physical fuse again! Advanced Diagnostic Information: Troubleshooting is much easier when you know what’s happening inside thanks to comprehensive statistical monitoring, and an ability to capture a full diagnostics report to send to Advatek support teams.

Model Expected Frame Rates: Use statistical monitoring to read back the frame rates being received and being sent. Design your system with this in mind by testing out different configurations and scenarios.

System Versatility

Whether your system is a single PixLite® that only needs to playback content as a standalone unit, or a fleet of devices installed in a highly complex and integrated system, or somewhere in between, PixLite® Mk3 is designed to thrive. SHOWTime enables record and playback functionality to make the device fit for standalone purposes; and a host of integration features enable the device to work together with larger systems.

Record & Playback with SHOWTime: Turn your pixel controller into a standalone unit. Record any source of lighting data, and store and playback this lighting content with SHOWTime, eliminating the need for additional hardware like media servers.

microSD Storage: Store SHOWTime scenes and playlists on a microSD card.

SHOWTime Dashboard: A customizable control interface built for standalone systems that need some level of user interface, out of the box. Create a Dashboard that can select scenes and playlists for playback, change intensity, and select static colors to playback, and give this restricted access to an operator on a computer, tablet or mobile device. Interoperability Across Systems: Integrate PixLite® into your existing systems by configuring UDP, Art-Net, sACN or DMX512 triggers. You can even take advantage of a fully open API with HTTP(S)/WS(S) support for the software developers amongst us. With these protocols up your sleeve, PixLite® Mk3 will be able to be integrated into the most sophisticated of systems.

Built for Commercial Applications

PixLite® Mk3 has been built from the ground up, with the commercial setting in mind. Installations that require a professional product that offers a host of certifications and industry standard mounting options can integrate PixLite® Mk3, knowing that it has been carefully designed to meet these expectations.

5-Year Warranty: Enjoy peace of mind with a 5-year warranty across all PixLite® Mk3 products.

Fault Protection: All ports are equipped with fault protection in place to protect against various faults, such as over-voltage, over-current, short circuits, and ESD. Consult the relevant product’s datasheet to find what specific fault protection is in place.

Certifications: Industry standard certifications are met by PixLite® Mk3, including ETL, RoHS, UKCA, CE, RCM, FCC, and ICES3. You can trust these products to be used safely in commercial applications when your reputation is on the line.

Design and Mounting: All models are finished in carefully crafted housings, to ensure safety and durability of the PixLite® in the most demanding professional applications. Various options for mounting are available, depending on which model is selected, including wall / universal, DIN, and rack mounting accessories.

Performance Improvements and Breakthroughs

Yes, the Mk3 is better, faster, and stronger, as you’d expect a new generation to be. Beyond expectations, this third-generation product line brings innovative features to enhance the way data is processed. This allows PixLite® Mk3 to perform better than ever before.

Extreme Refresh Rates: Pixels can be driven at extremely fast frame rates, in the order of hundreds of frames per second depending on the pixel protocol and number of pixels used.

Gigabit Ethernet: In select models, both Ethernet ports offer gigabit speed capability, ensuring that the device can perform even in high traffic networks.

Universe Data Hardware Firewall: When coupled with dual gigabit Ethernet, select models offer a hardware-based firewall that filters out irrelevant data before it hits the processor. This means that the number of daisy-chained PixLite Mk3 devices is practically unlimited and you don’t need to worry about slamming the devices, such as with multicast sACN streams.

Summary

PixLite® Mk3 provides a major upgrade to your lighting installations. With improved visuals on your pixels themselves, quality of life improvements for everyone working with them, versatile options for small and large-scale installations, and performance you’ve never seen before, the PixLite® Mk3 is the ideal choice for professional and commercial applications. Don't settle for outdated technology, upgrade to the PixLite® Mk3 and take your lighting installations to the next level.

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