Editing Lighting control console (section)

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[[File:ETC Ion XE20.jpg|thumb|[[ETC Eos|ETC Ion XE20]] with fader wing]]
A '''lighting control console''' (also called a '''lightboard''', '''lighting board''', or '''lighting desk''') is an electronic device used in theatrical [[lighting designer|lighting design]] to control multiple [[stage lighting|stage lights]] at once. They are used throughout the entertainment industry and are normally placed at the [[front of house]] (FOH) position or in a [[Control booth (theater)|control booth]].<ref name=BluePlanet>{{cite web|title=LIGHTING CONSOLES|url=http://www.prolightingsupply.com/lico.html|work=Blue Planet: Entertainment Stage Lighting|publisher=Blue Planet Lighting|access-date=20 June 2013|year=2013}}</ref>

All lighting control consoles can control [[dimmer]]s which control the intensity of the lights. Many modern consoles can control [[Intelligent lighting]] (lights that can move, change colors and [[Gobo (lighting)|gobo patterns]]), [[fog machine]]s and [[Haze machine|hazers]], and other special effects devices. Some consoles can also interface with other electronic performance hardware (i.e. [[Mixing console|sound boards]], [[Video projector|projectors]], [[media server]]s, automated [[Winch|winches]] and motors, etc.) to improve synchronization or unify their control.
[[File:The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien 24 061109.jpg|thumb|An Eos Console (2009)]]
Lighting consoles communicate with the dimmers and other devices in the lighting system via an electronic control [[Communications protocol|protocol]]. The most common protocol used in the entertainment industry today is [[DMX512]], although other protocols (e.g. [[0-10 V lighting control|0-10 V analog lighting control]]) may still be found in use, and newer protocols such as [[Architecture for Control Networks|ACN]] and DMX-512-A are evolving to meet the demands of ever increasing device sophistication. Some lighting consoles can communicate over a [[Local area network|Local IP network infrastructure]]  to provide control over more scalable systems. A common protocol for this is ESTA E1.31 [[Streaming ACN|sACN]] (pronounced: streaming A.C.N.) or Art-Net.