OSRAM QUICKTRONIC INTELLIGENT DIM CFL - Manual (Page 9)

8
2.2 DALI in comparison to 1…10 V and EIB/LON
What modern lighting technology needs is a system that is as flexible
as it is simple, a system that focuses on room-based lighting
control with just a few low-cost components, minimal wiring and a
user-friendly operating concept. The lighting industry has therefore de-
veloped a new digital communication standard for lighting systems:
DALI closes the gap between the former 1…10 V technology and
complex bus systems. DALI can be used either as a very simple lo-
cal solution or as a subsystem integrated in a building management
system.
Figure 4: Overview of 1…10 V, DALI and EIB/LON
With traditional electrical installations and even with the widely used
analog 1…10 V interface such requirements are very difficult to meet
and involve a great deal of time, effort and expense. A large number
of components have to be used to enable a programmed scene to
be changed, to provide flexible grouping at the same time and then
possibly to integrate these settings in a daylight-dependent control
system.
2.2.1 DALI and 1…10 V characteristics
The basis for any control system are the defined physical proper-
ties at the interface and the properties of the interface cables as the
transmission medium. Thanks to a high signal-to-noise ratio and wide
ranges for digital “low” and “high”, it is virtually impossible with DALI
for data transfer to be affected by interference. Consequently, there is
no need to use shielded control cables. As in the case of the 1...10 V
interface, the mains and control inputs in the ECGs are electrically
isolated. A conscious decision was taken not to use safety extra-low
voltage (SELV) in order to offer low-cost installation without additional