The Entertainment Services and Technology Association (ESTA), a non-profit trade association for the entertainment technology industries, announces two new standards for its Technical Standards Program. ESTA’s Event Safety Working Group and Control Protocols Working Group each have updated standards that are now published and available for download.
ESTA's members are responsible for creating the entertainment technology industry’s Technical Standards Program, Entertainment Technician Certification Program and Rental Guard. The Technical Standards Program has also announced six documents for public review.
The ESTA Technical Standards Program is the only ANSI-accredited standards program dedicated to the needs of the entertainment technology industry. The standards created under the TSP are used directly or indirectly every day by almost every manufacturer, dealer, installer, production company and end user. These standards are created to prevent accidents, protect lives and property, save time and money, solve problems, inform the industry, and enhance creativity.
The new standards are now available for download from the TSP’s Published Documents page, found at https://tsp.esta.org/freestandards. They can also be downloaded from ANSI’s Web Store and from the Accuris Standards Store.
New TSP Standards
ANSI ES1.6 – 2025, Event Safety—Communications
This standard describes requirements for communication of internal and public information for live events and related activities. It provides guidelines and recommended practices for effective communication within the production and operation of a live event. It describes communication messaging and technology for internal operations and external groups, such as the audience or general public, with guidelines for assessment with all involved entities. Its goal is to help the user determine logistics of, and provide channels for general, operational, management, security, health and safety information to affected parties in a timely manner.
ANSI E1.20 – 2025, Entertainment Technology - Remote Device Management over DMX512 Networks (RDM)
This standard describes a method of bi-directional communications over a DMX512 data link between an entertainment lighting controller and one or more remotely controlled lighting devices. It allows discovery of devices on a DMX512/ANSI E1.11 network and the remote setting of DMX starting addresses, and also allows status and fault reporting back to the control console.
Six Documents Now in Public Review
Six documents, comprised of four reaffirmations, one revision, and one new draft standard, are now available for public review. The documents, their respective public review forms, and review instructions are all available from the TSP’s Public Review Documents download page, found at https://tsp.esta.org/publicreview.
ANSI procedures require that a standard be submitted to public review so that all parties materially affected have an opportunity to participate in its development. This ensures the standard reflects the consensus of opinion in the industry. A document is offered for public review for a limited period of time after which it is withdrawn for comment resolution and revision. If substantive changes are made to the document it will be offered for a subsequent public review. If no substantive changes are made and the working group is satisfied with the document, the standard will be put forth for acceptance as an American National Standard.
The draft documents are produced by members of the working groups in the Technical Standards Program. Membership in the working groups is open to all who are materially affected by the work of the group; membership in ESTA or any other association is not a requirement. Voting members are required to attend meetings, but observer members are not, although they are welcome to attend and to speak on issues if they choose. More information about working groups and an application to join are available under the working groups link.
Each public review packet includes the draft document and a response form. There may also be an explanatory document that gives the purpose or background of the document, but this is optional. Those affected are to submit comments by the due date noted on the response form, which is the day before the "Submit Before This Date" listed with each item below. The review has ended when that date starts.
Below is a list of documents currently under public review. To participate in the review of these documents, please download the necessary forms and documents by using the links provided below. After you submit your comments, you should receive a confirmation within one week.
One reaffirmation from the Rigging Working Group
ANSI E1.4-3 – 2020, Manually Operated Hoist Rigging Systems
This standard establishes requirements for the design, manufacture, installation, inspection, and maintenance of manually operated hoist systems for lifting and suspension of loads for performance, presentation, and theatrical production. This public review is to consider it for reaffirmation: are its requirements still reasonable, or does it need revision? Comments are to be submitted before 12 May 2025.
One reaffirmation from the Floors Working Group
ANSI E1.62 - 2021, Minimum specifications for mass-produced portable platforms, ramps, stairs, and choral risers for live performance events
This is a product specification covering serially manufactured portable platforms, stair units ramps, and choral risers. It also covers railings provided as fall protection accessories for these units. It gives minimum payload and sideways force handling values. This public review is to consider it for reaffirmation: are its requirements still reasonable, or does it need revision? Comments are to be submitted before 12 May 2025.
One reaffirmation from the Followspot Positions Working Group
ANSI E1.66 - 2020, Safety Standard for Followspot Positions Erected for Short-term Use in Entertainment Venues
ANSI E1.66 – 2020 covers the safety requirements for followspot positions in or on structures erected for short‐term use, and positions not already covered by ANSI E1.28. Applicable to followspot positions indoors and outdoors, it addresses structural, electrical, and personnel safety requirements associated with non‐permanent followspot positions, and is being considered for reaffirmation in this public review. Are its requirements still reasonable, or are changes necessary? Comments are to be submitted before 12 May 2025.
Three from the Control Protocols Working Group – one new, one revision, and one reaffirmation
BSR E1.31, Lightweight streaming protocol for transport of DMX512 using ACN
This standard describes a mechanism to transfer DMX512A packets over a TCP/IP network using a subset of the ACN protocol suite. It covers data format, data protocol, data addressing, and network management. It also outlines a synchronization method to help ensure that multiple sinks can process this data concurrently when supervised by the same controller, and includes support for both IPv4 and IPv6. Comments are to be submitted before 12 May 2025.
E1.37-4, Remote Device Management over DMX512 Networks - File Transfer Control with Firmware Upload capabilities
BSR E1.37-4 is a new addition to the E1.37 project. It provides developers of RDM responder hardware with a standard means of implementing firmware upload using the basic communication structure provided by the ANSI E1.20 RDM standard. The design approach is intended to facilitate data transfers to responders that may be built using processors with very limited memory resources as well as devices that can support the largest possible [RDM] packet. Comments are to be submitted before 12 May 2025.
ANSI E1.59 - 2021, Object Transform Protocol
This standard describes a mechanism to transfer object transform information such as position, orientation and velocity over an IP network using a subset of the [ACN] protocol suite. It covers data format, data protocol, data addressing, and network management. Data transmitted is intended to coordinate visual and audio elements of a production and should not be used for safety critical applications. This is a reaffirmation of the current published standard. Are its requirements still reasonable, or are changes necessary? Comments are to be submitted before 12 May 2025.
