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OneFader - Release


Introducing OneFader — A Simple Open-Source sACN Lighting Fader

We’re excited to release OneFader, a new open-source hardware project designed to bring simple, reliable physical control to sACN lighting networks.

OneFader connects a single physical slide potentiometer directly to a DMX channel over Ethernet, allowing lighting professionals and enthusiasts to add a standalone fader to their network without needing a console, drivers, or additional software. 

The project is designed to be easy to build, easy to configure, and extremely dependable in real-world lighting environments.

A Physical Fader for Modern Lighting Networks

While many lighting systems rely on large consoles or complex control software, sometimes all that’s needed is one reliable fader.

OneFader provides exactly that: a compact hardware device that outputs sACN (E1.31) DMX data over Ethernet based on the position of a physical fader. 

Because it communicates using standard sACN, the device integrates seamlessly with any compatible lighting console, media server, or control system.

Typical Uses

  • Manual dimmer control

  • Follow Spot Intensity Fader (Lustr on a stick)

  • Temporary lighting overrides

  • House lights or practicals

  • Fixture testing

  • Interactive lighting installations

  • Custom DIY lighting projects

Designed for Reliability

OneFader is built around the Waveshare ESP32-S3-ETH platform, providing reliable Ethernet networking and stable hardware performance. 

The device runs entirely standalone, meaning:

  • No computer required

  • No drivers needed

  • No lighting console required

Once powered and connected to the network, OneFader begins transmitting DMX data immediately.

Output Modes

The fader output can be configured as:

  • 8-bit DMX output — single channel control

  • 16-bit DMX output — coarse/fine across two channels for higher resolution

This makes it compatible with virtually any sACN-capable lighting system. 

Simple Web-Based Configuration

OneFader includes a built-in web interface that allows full configuration from any browser. Once connected to your network, simply navigate to the device’s IP address to access the control panel.

Configurable Settings

  • sACN universe

  • DMX start address

  • sACN stream name

  • sACN priority

  • multicast or unicast mode

  • DHCP or static IP networking

Built-In Tools

The web interface also includes several tools to simplify setup and testing:

  • Live fader value display

  • Simulation mode for testing without hardware

  • Test mode that sweeps the output automatically

  • Fader calibration for precise 0–100% output

These tools make setup fast and help ensure reliable output in real installations. 

Intelligent Input Processing

To ensure smooth control, OneFader includes built-in filtering and signal processing for the analog fader input.

Input Processing Features

  • EMA smoothing to reduce noise during slow movements

  • Spike rejection to filter electrical glitches

  • Deadband filtering to prevent flickering when the fader is stationary

These settings help produce stable DMX output even when using inexpensive potentiometers. 

Easy Firmware Updates

Updating or installing firmware is extremely simple using the browser-based flashing tool.

Initial Flashing Steps

  1. Connect the device via USB-C

  2. Open the flashing tool in Chrome or Edge

  3. Click Flash to Device

No additional software installation is required. A Tutorial will be on both Github and the Netstage website.

The tool can also:

  • View device status

  • Configure networking

  • Stream serial logs

  • Perform firmware updates

Open Source

OneFader is fully open source and released under the MIT License, allowing anyone to build, modify, or extend the project. 

All documentation, firmware, and hardware information are available on GitHub.

We believe simple, transparent tools like this help make lighting technology more accessible to everyone.

What’s Next

While OneFader focuses on a single physical fader, we are already working on expanding the project to support multiple faders in future versions.

The goal is to evolve the concept into a modular system capable of supporting larger control surfaces while maintaining the same simplicity and reliability.

Get Started

You can explore the project, documentation, and source code here:

GitHub:

https://github.com/netstage-io/OneFader

Feedback, feature ideas, and contributions are always welcome as the project continues to grow.


UI Screenshots

ui screenshot