Crestron Releases Advanced Fluorescent Ballast Control and Commissioning Tools

Online, September 16, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Crestron today announced release of the DIN-DALI-2 interface, which delivers the most advanced fluorescent ballast control available today. The DIN-DALI-2 supports two DALI channels and enables control of up to 128 individual DALI ballasts. DALI (Digital Addressable Lighting Interface) is the highly efficient, energy saving protocol that creates "smart" ballasts for fluorescent lighting fixtures. The DIN-DALI-2 enables direct, 2-way network connectivity between a Crestron control system and a DALI-compliant ballast.

Designed to fit in a DIN rail enclosure, the DIN-DALI-2 includes an integrated DALI power supply. Single-wire connectivity enhances the simplicity of installation, and Power over Ethernet (PoE) provides even greater flexibility. The DIN-DALI-2 can communicate with the Crestron control system via Cresnet or Ethernet, greatly simplifying network configuration.

"Controlling DALI ballasts with the DIN-DALI-2 is just like controlling any Crestron dimmer," explains Vincent Bruno, Crestron Director of Marketing. "We've eliminated the need for complex hardware addressing and communication protocols, and developed an intuitive, menu-driven commissioning tool to further simplify the process."

Developed specifically for the DIN-DALI-2, Crestron DALI commissioning software provides step-by-step configuration of ballast properties, groups and scenes. Simply set the ballast address and check connectivity status, edit minimum/maximum levels and fade time and, as needed, change ballast grouping and scenes. This powerful tool uses automatic identification of new hardware IDs for simple ballast replacement. Settings from old ballasts are transferred to replacements with just a few mouse clicks, saving time and eliminating guesswork.

DALI is ideal for open-space commercial environments. When cubicle and workspace layouts change, the lighting needs to be adjusted accordingly. DALI provides tremendous flexibility for both retrofit and new installations. Each DALI ballast contains a digital address and is part of a network. Multiple ballasts sharing a single power circuit can be independently zoned and controlled, and both ballasts and zones may be reconfigured with ease, even after a system has been installed.