The launch of the DALI-2 certification has been recognized by the world’s most reputable lighting manufacturers as a leap forward in lighting interoperability. Despite boasting a stringent certification and testing process, market confusion regarding the difference between DALI and DALI-2 still exists. Luckily, the answer is simpler than one might think.

The evolution of DALI

The Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI) is a world-wide standard that enables open, two-way communication between luminaires, sensors, and other network lighting control devices.

The protocol is owned by the Digital Illumination Interface Alliance (DiiA), now commonly referred to as the DALI Alliance, a consortium of 260 organizations including global leader in lighting, Signify, and industry leader in connected lighting control, Philips Dynalite.

DALI provides building owners and developers with multiple benefits, including interoperability, flexibility to choose between lighting vendors, building efficiency, and less wiring. It also allows information to be transferred between devices such as lighting commands, and fault diagnostics.

Signify’s representative on the DALI Alliance Board of Directors, Oscar Deurloo, shares the importance of continually evolving the DALI standards to meet the market’s needs.

“In the past 7 years since the DALI Alliance was established, the lighting control industry has changed rapidly,” he said.

“It’s important that our global industry body steps up to address the challenges and state the minimum performance requirements of today, so that we can be prepared to tackle the new and exciting projects of tomorrow.”

DALI vs DALI-2

In 2017, DALI-2 was introduced to the market. Whilst DALI generally refers to the technology behind the protocol, DALI-2 is the certification program which is based on the latest version of the protocol.

To achieve DALI-2 certification, products must be tested using DALI-approved test equipment and the results must be verified by the DALI Alliance. Only then is the use of the DALI-2 logo permitted. This level of certification provides the market with assurance that those devices have been independently tested and verified to meet stringent performance expectations.

The latest version of the DALI protocol also includes standards for several new features and commands, such as dimming (part 207), color control (part 209), and emergency lighting (part 202).

The Technical & Certification WG Chair of the DALI Alliance, Signify’s Head of Standards & Regulations for Europe and METAP, Ronald Tol, sheds light on one of the misconceptions of DALI-2 certification.

“A product does not need to have every single available feature to receive DALI-2 certification,” he said.

“Rather, certification is granted after rigorous testing and independent validation of test results on interoperability – the prime distinguishing objective of DALI, and on the additional DALI features the product implements.”

You can check whether a device is DALI-2 certified, and which DALI features it is capable of, in the DiiA Product Database.

Dynalite enhancing DALI

Although DALI and DALI-2 provide the market with immeasurable benefits, to unlock the full potential of a DALI network, it must be supported by a robust and reliable system that can overcome its limitations.

Philips Dynalite has empowered smart buildings across the globe for over 30 years with its suite of Connected Lighting Control solutions.

The organization’s Global Hardware Product Manager, Daniel Walker, discusses how Philips Dynalite improves on DALI performance.

“The DALI specification treats each DALI bus of 64 fittings as an isolated network,” he said.

“Scaling DALI for larger projects requires a higher-level network protocol to connect multiple isolated networks and then coordinate them to create one seamless solution.”

Philips Dynalite’s patented DyNet protocol elevates DALI beyond its physical and logical limitations, by linking multiple DALI networks together to reach the required scale.

“Multiple DALI networks can easily be mapped onto a single DyNet addressing system with no lag, enabling unparalleled scalability and outstanding performance up to 16 times faster than other DALI systems,” Daniel said.

“Additional devices can also share the same DyNet addressing layer, including non-DALI lamps, sensors, interfaces, motorized blind/curtain controls, and other integration services, unlocking a range of hybrid control solutions,” he continued.

The Dynalite System provides other unique benefits, including the elimination of standby power consumption of drivers, world-class dimming and color control, and a suite of software applications that improve the experience of those installing and maintaining the system.

“We’re proud to add a whole new level of functionality and power to DALI that the market hasn’t seen before,” Daniel said.

“That is the Dynalite difference.”  

Learn more Philips Dynalite’s advanced capability when it comes to DALI lighting control solutions.