diff --git a/main/CMakeLists.txt b/main/CMakeLists.txt
index d89fc9a..f833015 100644
--- a/main/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/main/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 set(headers
     config.h
     debugconsole.h
+    dmx.h
     ota.h
     taskmanager.h
     webserver.h
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ set(headers
 set(sources
     config.cpp
     debugconsole.cpp
+    dmx.cpp
     main.cpp
     ota.cpp
     taskmanager.cpp
diff --git a/main/dmx.cpp b/main/dmx.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de9cffd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/dmx.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#include "dmx.h"
+
+// system includes
+#include <string_view>
+
+// esp-idf includes
+#include <esp_log.h>
+#include <driver/uart.h>
+#include <driver/gpio.h>
+#include <rom/gpio.h>
+
+// 3rdparty lib includes
+#include <espstrutils.h>
+
+namespace {
+constexpr const char * const TAG = "DMX";
+
+constexpr auto DMX_UART_NUM = UART_NUM_2;
+
+constexpr auto DMX_SERIAL_INPUT_PIN =  GPIO_NUM_39; // pin for dmx rx
+constexpr auto DMX_SERIAL_OUTPUT_PIN = GPIO_NUM_17; // pin for dmx tx
+constexpr auto DMX_SERIAL_IO_PIN =     GPIO_NUM_16;  // pin for dmx rx/tx change
+} // namespace
+
+void dmx_init()
+{
+    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "hello");
+
+    uart_config_t uart_config {
+        .baud_rate = 250000,
+        .data_bits = UART_DATA_8_BITS,
+        .parity = UART_PARITY_DISABLE,
+        .stop_bits = UART_STOP_BITS_2,
+        .flow_ctrl = UART_HW_FLOWCTRL_DISABLE
+    };
+    if (const auto result = uart_param_config(DMX_UART_NUM, &uart_config); result != ESP_OK)
+    {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "uart_param_config() failed with %s", esp_err_to_name(result));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (const auto result = uart_set_pin(DMX_UART_NUM, DMX_SERIAL_OUTPUT_PIN, DMX_SERIAL_INPUT_PIN, UART_PIN_NO_CHANGE, UART_PIN_NO_CHANGE); result != ESP_OK)
+    {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "uart_set_pin() failed with %s", esp_err_to_name(result));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (const auto result = uart_driver_install(DMX_UART_NUM, SOC_UART_FIFO_LEN + 1, 0, 10, nullptr, 0); result != ESP_OK)
+    {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "uart_driver_install() failed with %s", esp_err_to_name(result));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (false)
+    if (const auto result = uart_set_mode(DMX_UART_NUM, UART_MODE_RS485_HALF_DUPLEX))
+    {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "uart_set_mode() failed with %s", esp_err_to_name(result));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    gpio_pad_select_gpio(DMX_SERIAL_IO_PIN);
+    gpio_set_direction(DMX_SERIAL_IO_PIN, GPIO_MODE_OUTPUT);
+    gpio_set_level(DMX_SERIAL_IO_PIN, 0); // input
+}
+
+void dmx_update()
+{
+    size_t length{};
+    if (const auto result = uart_get_buffered_data_len(DMX_UART_NUM, &length); result != ESP_OK)
+    {
+        ESP_LOGW(TAG, "uart_get_buffered_data_len() failed with %s", esp_err_to_name(result));
+    }
+    else if (length)
+    {
+        char data[length];
+        length = uart_read_bytes(DMX_UART_NUM, data, length, 0);
+
+        const std::string_view received{data, length};
+
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "received RS485 %s", espcpputils::toHexString(received).c_str());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/main/dmx.h b/main/dmx.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..334f410
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/dmx.h
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#pragma once
+
+void dmx_init();
+void dmx_update();
diff --git a/main/taskmanager.cpp b/main/taskmanager.cpp
index 506611e..14ef94e 100644
--- a/main/taskmanager.cpp
+++ b/main/taskmanager.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "debugconsole.h"
 #include "ota.h"
 #include "webserver.h"
+#include "dmx.h"
 
 using namespace std::chrono_literals;
 
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ espcpputils::SchedulerTask schedulerTasksArr[] {
     espcpputils::SchedulerTask { "debugconsole", init_debugconsole, update_debugconsole, 50ms },
     espcpputils::SchedulerTask { "ota_client",   ota_client_init,   ota_client_update,   100ms },
     espcpputils::SchedulerTask { "webserver",    initWebserver,     handleWebserver,     100ms },
+    espcpputils::SchedulerTask { "dmx",          dmx_init,          dmx_update,          50ms },
 };
 } // namespace