GLP JDC2 firmware 2.0 enables serverless NDI video on Spiritbox tour

The deployment of GLP JDC2 firmware 2.0 marks a shift toward decentralized video processing where the fixture itself handles high-bandwidth NDI streams. By eliminating the external media server for primary visual effects, production teams can reduce signal latency and simplify the technical stack for timecoded shows. This integration of video and lighting control into a single hardware unit reflects a broader trend of convergence in live event infrastructure. As NDI becomes a standard for low-latency transport, the industry should watch for whether other hardware manufacturers adopt similar onboard processing to compete with GLP's serverless workflow.

GLP has positioned the JDC2 IP as a convergence point between traditional lighting and video display in touring environments. The fixture's onboard dual-core processor runs DigiFX algorithms and accepts NDI video streams directly over its two GigaBit EtherCon ports, eliminating the need for external video processing hardware. PJ Carruth programmed almost the entire timecoded show with the fixture's onboard DigiFX, using new canvas mapping to turn a single upstage row into one continuous surface, marking what is believed to be the first touring deployment of firmware 2.0. The canvas-based positioning workflow introduced in this update supports relative, absolute, and segmented modes, allowing content to map accurately across a group of fixtures rather than repeating identically on each unit.

The Spiritbox deployment demonstrates a practical workflow advantage for mid-size touring productions where truck space and changeover time are constrained. Carruth noted that the JDC2 IP's DMX response had no measurable input latency, making it ideal for timecoding to a grid, a critical requirement for pre-sequenced shows. He also built in redundancy by keeping all DigiFX programming as emergency video-failure looks accessible via a single macro on the MA3 console, meaning a media server failure would not leave the show without visual content. The touring package of 20 fixtures was supplied by Volt and arranged as a single row across the upstage floor.

The JDC2 IP's approach of combining a 12-segment beam line of 84 high-output LEDs with a 1,728-LED colour plate offering individual pixel control represents GLP's evolution beyond the original JDC1 hybrid strobe concept. PLSN reported that the fixture generates digital content through DigiFX directly controllable from the lighting console, with no media server in the signal path. This architecture shifts content generation to the fixture itself, reducing the signal chain and potential points of failure. For production teams evaluating IP production workflows, the JDC2 IP's ability to layer NDI content on top of console-driven DigiFX programming offers a workflow where video and lighting operate from a single control surface without additional hardware.