TopWisdom digital controler grayscale compatibility

Hi,
My daughter would like to buy a Chinese 60W CO2 laser machine equipped with a ‘TopWisdom digital control’ controller. Could you tell me what is currently (v0.9.16) the compatibility of lighburn with this controller and in particular does lightburn support grayscale ?
Thank you for your reply

Yes TopWisdom controllers are supported by LightBurn, and LightBurn can do greyscale.

Thanks for the reply,
I know lightburn is capable of grayscale (I own myself a laser machine with grbl controller and Lightburn :slight_smile: ), but I read somewhere on the forum (an old post from a year ago, that at this time Lightburn did not support the grayscale with this controller. So what I would like to know is if the software has evolved since then and if the current version allows grayscale with this controller.
Thank’s

I’d have to double check, but I don’t think it’s in yet. That said, grayscale is generally only used for 3D relief engraving, or ramped stamps. Using it for images on a CO2 laser is effectively useless, unless the machine is quite low wattage (like a 30 to 40w) and even then it’s a pain to dial in. Dithered is much, much easier to use.

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Ah, ok.
Thank’s

Looking at the output from the TopWisdom, it should be quite simple to add grayscale support.

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Ok, if possible :slight_smile:
Thank’s

Ok, I lied - it is already supported. :slight_smile:

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Thank you so much :slight_smile:

Hello…how closely are the controllers and software tied?
I have Top Wisdom controller using AutoLaser software. Is it possible to use the RDWorks with the Top Wisdom, or do I have to wait until I install the Ruida Controller?

The software provided by the controller manufacture is proprietary and works only with that manufactures hardware. TopWisdom produces AutoLaser and that software only works with TopWisdom gear. The same is true for the Ruida/RDWorks combination.

Not really following what the underlying question is here, but…

LightBurn allows you to communicate with a variety of control systems, no longer requiring you to use the software produces by the controller manufacture. LightBurn provides Windows 64-bit, Windows 32-bit, Mac OSX, and Linux 64-bit versions, offering you a much greater choice of workflows.

RDWorks does not work with TopWisdom controllers. Is this what you are asking?

Rick is correct - The control software from the manufacturer is intimately tied to the controller. They have different options, different commands, and their communication methods are only vaguely similar.

I’ve set things up in LightBurn so there’s a front end with a relatively generic way of representing the information, and then a back end piece (basically a driver) for each controller that translates the internal way LightBurn stores things into the form the controller needs, and handles the interaction with it.

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