myDMX 2.0 vs Daslight vs Compu Show vs LumiDesk

MyDMX is a good basic DMX package for those that need SIMPLE. It's not too fancy, just record your scenes and playback is basically what it's good for.

Most of these DMX software packages are from the same family and use much of the same coding, it's just how it's layed out in the UI. For me, Lumidesk offered the most features and the playback layout I wanted. When LIVE, I wanted to be able to click a clearly visible button and trigger what I needed. I primarily use my gear for DJ events. So Lumidesk works well for that arena. Compushow and Daslight are better in my opinion for heavey stage production and live music. Although they can be used for DJ light shows too, I just don't like the LIVE method of triggering my scenes. Lumidesk can also be used for production and live music it just may be a little difficult to do certain things that are much easier to do in compushow or daslight.

I own 3 lumidesk interfaces and love it's ease of use and development. It has come a long way in the form of features since I first picked it up in 2008.

Do a search for lumidesk on youtube and you'll find my lumidesk channel with some videos.

since i am biased to my Compu :-D i will let you all enjoy talking about them. I know of many ways each of these are great and bad. But all of them do the same things...just in different ways Enjoy, let me know if you have any questions ADJ or Elation wise :-D

Thanks to both of you for the responses! It's been a lot tougher for me to decide on one title than I thought it would be. I'm happy I've narrowed it to the three I mentioned in my original post, but so far, I'm still sitting at those three!

I will update this post with the one I finally decide on, and why.

JWPardee, you and Jingles seem to be very active on this forum. Having that level of support for Compu Show is a big plus for it. I just have to identify how to make all the features I need happen in each application, then decide which is laid out the best for how I'll be using it.

Thanks!

well, what exactly are you doing? I guess that is my first question....


Jingles as at one time the Compu/MyDmx tech support and Forums Moderator, since he left ADJ/Elation...i have taken his roles He is still around from time to time, but not like he once was

So the winner of my comparison of Compu Show, Lumidesk, Daslight and Sunlite is Lumidesk Ultimate.

Compu Show and Sunlite were very nice, but I would need Compu Show SD and Sunlite FC, which are both out of the price range of my church, so they were eliminated on that alone, but Compu Show probably would have been eliminated anyway because the faders that appear when you click on the dials (which is cool by the way), are not sensitive enough to mouse movements. I have my mouse set very sensitive, so the slightest movement will move the cursor from one side of my dual 24" monitors to the other side with only a small wrist movement. That wasn't enough to move a Compu Show fader from the bottom to the top, you had to physically move your entire arm and stretch out towards to the top of my desk. That's pretty bad.

Sunlite FC was eliminated solely based on price. I like the Easy Show timeline they have that no one else offered, but I also don't need that.

Daslight was eliminated for two main reasons. One, it kept crashing, regardless if I ran it on XP or Windows 7, I'd be using it and it would just exit on its on own. It did this probably 6 - 8 times. It also had a problem with the buttons on the toolbars randomly disappearing. The only way to get them back was minimize the app or exit and restart it. That's very buggy. (All systems I had that problem on have ample resources, so it wasn't a PC problem.) The other reason Daslight was eliminated is because, at least in DVC3, you have to switch between multiple tabs to access all fixture properties, where the other three titles I reviewed here all have the color wheel, x y cooridnates, shutter controls, etc built into one view and easily accessible.

Lumidesk Ultimate gives me the full 3D viewer, 3 DMX universes, an effects generator, the same patching functionality as myDMX and all the rest, scene stacking, modification of live scenes on the fly, sound to light, and more, all for about $500. It's simply the best option for me.

I hope this review helps others as well.

Steve

I'm glad you took the time to qualify each package to get to the one that fit your needs the best. A lot of people don't do that and then gt upset when their choice doesn't work well for them.

Be sure to connect on the lumidesk forumif you need any help or have any questions. A link can be found on the site.