Modulaser supports IDN laser DACs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Use it to patch laser scenes with nodes, sequence clips on the timeline, control shows live, and stream output over Ethernet using the ILDA Digital Network protocol.
IDN is a network protocol for laser DACs defined by the International Laser Display Association. It sends laser data over standard Ethernet with low latency and high point rates.
Got an IDN DAC?Download Modulaser, connect the DAC over Ethernet, and select it as the DAC for a Laser. The free version is enough to test your setup.
What You Can Do
Patch laser scenes with nodes instead of drawing static frames.
Sequence clips on the timeline or trigger them live.
Route output to one or more lasers with output groups.
Tune scan speed, blanking, color, dwell, and PPS with the Calibration Wizard.
Use MIDI, OSC, audio input, or BPM sync for live control.
A laser projector with an ILDA input, unless your projector has IDN built in.
An ILDA cable between the DAC and projector when using an external DAC.
An Ethernet connection between the IDN device and your computer or network.
Modulaser for macOS, Windows, or Linux.
Setup
Connect your IDN-compatible DAC to the same network as your computer.
Open Modulaser.
In the right panel, add a Laser. Under DAC, select your IDN device.
In the left panel, create a new Output Group and drag your laser into it.
Select a clip, or open the Library and pick a preset if you don't have any yet.
Press Assign Clip on the output group to assign the clip to it.
Press Arm in the right panel to start output.
Calibration
Once output is working, open the Output Settings window and run the Calibration Wizard on your laser profile. The wizard shows test patterns for scan speed, blanking, color, and quality, so you can tune the IDN device and projector with live feedback. See Improve Laser Output for details on what each setting does.
Never look directly into the laser beam. This can cause permanent eye damage. Read more in our Laser Safety guide.
Troubleshooting
If your IDN device isn't showing up in Modulaser:
Check scan settings: Make sure IDN is enabled in Settings for Modulaser to scan for it.
Check the network: Make sure your IDN DAC and computer are on the same network and the network link is active.
Check your firewall: IDN uses UDP for discovery and streaming. Make sure your firewall isn't blocking it.
Check the ILDA connection: Make sure the ILDA cable is firmly seated on both the DAC and your projector.
Close other apps: If another application is using the IDN device, Modulaser may not be able to access it. Quit any other laser software that might be connected.
Check your projector's safety interlock: Most laser projectors have a key switch or interlock that must be enabled before the laser will emit.
FAQ
IDN means ILDA Digital Network. It is a network protocol for sending laser output to compatible DACs and projectors over Ethernet.
Modulaser works with IDN-compatible laser hardware. We recommend the HeliosPRO Laser DAC.
Yes. HeliosPRO uses the IDN protocol over Ethernet, so it appears in Modulaser as an IDN device. Over USB, HeliosPRO works like a standard Helios DAC.
Yes, if you use an external IDN-compatible DAC with an ILDA output. Connect the DAC to your projector with an ILDA cable.