System Requirements and Capabilities

LightDesigner Computer Requirements

Paradigm LightDesigner is installed by running the setup installer on a PC running Windows 7, Windows 10, or Windows 11. Additional hardware requirements include:

2.7 GHz+ Intel or compatible AMD equivalent processor (or better)
32 MB non-integrated graphics chip with OpenGL 2.0 support (or better)
4 GB RAM
2 GB available SSD or HD storage
Display capable of 1920x1080 resolution (or better)
10/100/1000base-T/TX Ethernet port
USB Port
Keyboard
Mouse/Trackpad/Trackball

System Capabilities

Paradigm system software and hardware capabilities are outlined below and are provided for the Processor, Project, Server Project, Paradigm Touchscreen, and Echo system in relation to the Echo Expansion Bridge when used in the Paradigm system.

It is highly recommended that you review the System Estimator View within LightDesigner for a visual indication of your system in its current state compared to the maximum allowed per processor and per project.

Note: Exceeding any of the maximum capabilities outlined in this document can have negative effects on your system performance.

Paradigm Processor

Object	Limits per Processor
Object	1.0.0–1.1.1	1.1.2–1.2.2	2.0.1–2.0.5	2.1.0–2.1.2	3.0.0	3.1.0–4.2	5.0.1 and later
Network Station Power Supply							5
Echo Expansion Bridge (EEB)*					16
Mobile Button Stations						16
Channel outputs	1,024
Stations^†	63						128
Touchscreens^‡	18
Wireless Access Stations^§	32
*EEB Spaces, Walls, and Zones count towards overall project maximums. See Note below for more information. ^†Includes LinkConnect, NetConnect (Ethernet), and Mobile Button. ^‡Includes all touchscreen variants, including wall-mount, portable, wireless handheld, and docking stations. Up to six may use LinkConnect with the appropriate auxiliary power supply. ^§A maximum of 16 are allowed per compatible Paradigm Station Power Supply.

Note: Use care when configuring your system with Echo Expansion Bridges. Each Echo zone counts against the Paradigm Processor channel count (1,024 channels).

For example, a connected Echo system with 16 spaces, 16 zones, and 4 Echo Expansion Bridges would utilize the entire output capacity of the Paradigm Processor (1,024 channels) leaving no channels to patch additional DMX/sACN addresses.

Reducing the number of Echo spaces and zones an EEB uses will reduce the overall impact on the Paradigm Processor channel count.

Data Output

Paradigm processors are limited to two hardline DMX connections configured as either inputs or outputs depending on processor and rack type.

Note: In DRd enclosures, Port B is always an output.

Two input sources of a single universe carry the same amount of data as one input source of two universes.

Example: In a system with seven ERn processors, Processors 1-6 are configured so that each is sending DMX A's input to sACN 1, and DMX B's input to sACN 2. If Processor 7 is configured to listen to sACN universes 1 and 2, it is receiving 12 universes of data.

sACN / DMX Universes	Limits
Output by a single processor	12
Input to a single processor	12
Outputs from a channel in a configuration	6
Inputs to a channel in a configuration	6

Patched Outputs

Paradigm processors can output up to 1,024 unique levels at a time. While many channels consist of a single intensity attribute level, some fixtures consist of multiple parameters that require one level each. The same value calculated in multiple places (such as a single channel patched to multiple addresses) counts as a single level.

Note: A maximum of 1,024 unique addresses can be snapshot at a time.

Server Project

A Server Project must be accompanied by a Paradigm Central Control Server (P-CCS).
A Server Project must include at least one project (sub-project) with at least one Paradigm Processor (P-ACP).

Stations	Limits per Server Project
Stations	2.0.1‑2.0.5	2.1.0 and later
Central Control Server (P‑CCS)	1
Sub-projects (.pcf) per Server Project (.spcf)	24	64
Paradigm Processor (P‑ACP) per Server Project	48	64
Virtual Touchscreen (P‑TS18/P‑TSI/P‑VTS)	24	32
BACnet I/O Binary Inputs, Binary Outputs, Analog Inputs, and Analog Outputs	1,024

Project

Object	Limits per Project
Object	1.0.0–1.1.1	1.1.2–1.2.2	2.0.1–2.0.5	2.1.0–2.1.2	3.0.0‑5.0.0	5.0.1 and later
Processors*	12
Controls^†	32,768	65,535
Indicators^†	32,768	65,535
Station Pages^†	1,024	65,535
Spaces*	128		255
Timed Events	4,096
Holidays	1,024
Overrides	1,024
Triggers*	1,024
Macros	1,024
Macro Steps	32,768
Presets	1,024
Palettes	1,024
Sequences	512
Stations*	512	744				1,536
UH1RS Connectors*	256	1,536
Touchscreens *	216
Virtual Touchscreen Stations			24	32
Walls*	128
Mosaic Shows				8
Echo Expansion Bridge (EEB)^‡					128
Control Groups^†	2,048	4,096
Unique Scripts^§	256
Script Instances (all objects)	65,535
Script Variables	65,535
^*Sub-projects observe these limits separately. ^†Sub-projects and the total collection of server-level items independently observe these limits. ^‡EEB Spaces, Walls, and Zones count towards overall project maximums. ^§Individual totals for Actions, Condition Scripts, Controls, Indicators, and Triggers.

Note: Adding a Central Control Server to a project does NOT increase the maximum number of allowed Echo Expansion Bridges (EEBs) per Paradigm system.

Power Supplies

Up to 63 Paradigm control stations per Paradigm Station Power Module (P-SPM-E).
Up to 63 Paradigm control stations per Network Station Power Supply (P-NSPS-D).
Up to 4 LinkConnect Paradigm Touchscreen Stations per Station Power Module or Station Repeater Module.
Up to 4 LinkConnect Paradigm Touchscreen Stations per Network Station Power Supply with an added 24 VDC (30 W) auxiliary power supply.

Stations

Stations attached to a Paradigm processor via LinkConnect, including touchscreens, are subject to the limitations identified below.

Stations	Limits per Processor
Stations	1.0.0–4.2.4	5.0.1 and later
Connected per processor	63	128
Connected to a Station Power Module (P‑SPM)*	31
Connected to a Station Power Module Mk2 (P‑SPM‑E)*	63
Connected to a Repeater (P‑REP)* or Dual Repeater (P‑DREP)*	31
Connected to a Network Station Power Supply (P‑NSPS‑D)^†		63
*Maximum one P‑SPM‑E/P‑SPM and one P‑REP/P‑DREP per processor. ^†Maximum five P‑NSPS‑D per processor.

Note: A Station Power Module or Network Station Power Supply is required for any processor controlling LinkConnect stations.

Note: Portable stations only count against these limits when they are physically connected to the system.

Touchscreens

Wired and wireless touchscreen hardware have their own set of limitations to consider when planning your system.

Wired Touchscreen	Limits per Paradigm Processor
Connected via NetConnect*	18
Connected via LinkConnect^†	6
Connected to a Station Power Module (P‑SPM)	4
Connected to a Station Power Module Mk2 (P‑SPM‑E)	4
Connected to a Network Station Power Supply (P‑NSPS‑D)^‡	6
Connected to a Repeater (P‑REP) or Dual Repeater (P‑DREP)	4
*No more than 18 touchscreens, regardless of model or connection type, can be connected to a single Paradigm Processor (P‑ACP). ^†A Paradigm Station Power Module or Network Station Power Supply is required for any Paradigm Processor controlling LinkConnect stations. A Portable Touchscreen counts against the Paradigm Processor limits only when it is connected to the system. ^‡When used with the appropriate rated 24 VDC power supply.

Note: The P‑LCD Touchscreen station is not supported in Paradigm v4.0.0 and later software. Systems that include P‑LCDs will need to remain at their current firmware version or upgrade to P‑TS7 touchscreen hardware.

Wireless Touchscreen and Accessory Connections	Limits per Paradigm Processor
Touchscreen to Docking Station (NetConnect)	18
Touchscreen to Wireless Access Station (LinkConnect)	6
Wireless Access Station to Paradigm System (LinkConnect)	16

Touchscreen configurations (.lcdconf) created using ControlDesigner software are for wired, wireless, and Virtual Touchscreen Stations and also have specific software limitations.

Object	Limits per Project
Object	1.0.0–2.0.2	2.0.3 and later
Popups	1,024
Pages	1,024
Action Lists from Buttons and Keypads	1,024	16,384
Timed Event Exceptions*	65,535
*Limited to 365 old (expired) instances per Timed Event.

Echo Expansion Bridge and the Echo System Capabilities

The Echo Expansion Bridge (EEB) is powered using 24 VDC auxiliary power or by Power over Ethernet (PoE).
Each EEB has 4 Echo segments, each separately powered by an external Echo power supply and each segment supporting up to 16 output products and 16 control products.
A maximum of 64 output products and 64 control products are allowed per Echo system.
All devices connected to an EEB will share the same 16 Echo spaces.
EEBs do not communicate with each other.
- Echo controls that are connected to the EEB cannot control anything outside of their own connected Echo system.
- You may not connect an Echo segment of one EEB to the segment of another EEB.

Echo Expansion Bridge in a Paradigm System

The EEB allows control of connected Echo systems from within the Paradigm system where features to monitor and control Echo presets, Echo zones, space combine, and space lockout from any Paradigm control, including timed events, are possible.
An EEB's configuration can be edited both using the EchoAccess Mobile App or Paradigm LightDesigner and is saved as part of the Paradigm project configuration file.
- LightDesigner can both upload and retrieve the EEB configuration data separate from the main Paradigm configuration file, although Live Edit of the EEB configuration data is not supported from LightDesigner.
EEBs can be added to a Paradigm configuration file in LightDesigner by dragging the object from the "ETC Paradigm" station library into the any space.
- An EEB cannot be added to the space of any other EEB.
- EEB spaces can be edited in the LightDesigner Plan view using the Design view.
When used in a LightDesigner configuration, the EEB is associated with an individual Paradigm Processor (P-ACP).
The LightDesigner configuration does not store level data for any Echo presets.
EEBs do not allow Echo control products to trigger or control Paradigm.