The Visual Productions CueCore3 is a well-built architectural controller. If you want far more universes, a software-only option, multi-user roles, or broader system integrations, here is how DMX Core 100 compares — fairly, feature by feature.
A side-by-side look at the features installers and integrators evaluate most.
| Feature | DMX Core 100 | CueCore3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599 software (800 universes) $399 software (8 universes) · $999 appliance |
$2,990 (hardware) |
| Max Universes | 800 | 4 (32 with add-ons) |
| Software-Only Option | ✓ | — |
| Cross-Platform (Win / Mac / Linux) | ✓ | — |
| Dedicated Hardware Option | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web UI | ✓ | ✓ |
| ArtNet | ✓ | ✓ |
| sACN (E1.31) | ✓ | ✓ |
| KiNet | ✓ | ✓ |
| OSC | ✓ | ✓ |
| MQTT | ✓ | — |
| REST / HTTP API | ✓ | ✓ |
| MIDI | ✓ | ✓ |
| Q-SYS / Symetrix | ✓ | — |
| Stream Deck | ✓ | — |
| Cloud Remote Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Timeline Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in Effects | ✓ | ✓ |
| Record & Playback | ✓ | ✓ |
| Audio Sync | ✓ | — |
| Multi-User / Roles | 24 permissions | — |
Competitor specs are based on publicly available product documentation and may change. Always confirm current details with the manufacturer. DMX Core prices set out or referred to on this page are recommended prices only, and there is no obligation to comply with the recommendation.
We would rather be honest than oversell. The CueCore3 is a genuinely strong controller, and it may be the right call if:
The CueCore3 supports SMPTE and MIDI timecode for shows that must lock to an external clock — a capability not every controller offers.
It's a complete RDM controller — discovery, remote addressing, and status monitoring on dashboards. DMX Core 100 monitors RDM device status over Art-Net, but for remote addressing and RDM-heavy rigs the CueCore3 has the edge.
Designed and built in the Netherlands with a 5-year limited warranty and a mature product family of nodes and interfaces.
The CueCore3 outputs 4 universes and only reaches 32 by adding external RdmNode or SpiNode units. DMX Core 100 handles up to 800 universes without bolt-on hardware.
Program on Windows, macOS, or Linux, then deploy on the same software or on dedicated touchscreen hardware — from $399, well below a CueCore3, with the 800-universe tier at $599.
MQTT, Q-SYS, Symetrix, and Stream Deck on top of the shared OSC/MIDI/KiNet stack, plus 24 permission-based user roles for multi-operator venues.
Capture shows from any console, store them as cues with synchronized audio built in, and trigger them on schedules or external events.
Yes. DMX Core 100 runs as desktop software on Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as on dedicated touchscreen hardware. The Visual Productions CueCore3 is a hardware-only controller, so DMX Core 100 lets you program and evaluate entirely in software first.
DMX Core 100 supports up to 800 universes natively. The CueCore3 outputs 4 universes natively and can reach 32 only by adding external RdmNode or SpiNode units.
DMX Core 100 software is $599 for up to 800 universes ($399 for up to 8), or $999 for the appliance. The Visual Productions CueCore3 lists around $2,990 (about $2,243 street in the US).
Multi-zone is where the two diverge most. DMX Core 100 has zones as a first-class concept, so a restaurant group can run different states for bar, dining room and terrace from one system, on a schedule, with staff able to override one zone without touching the others. Combined with 24 permission-based roles, a duty manager can adjust the terrace at dusk without any risk of them re-patching the rig.
The 800-universe figure is at 40 Hz, and it is native — no RdmNode or SpiNode expansion required, which is how a CueCore3 gets from its 4 native universes to 32. For a large architectural facade or a pixel-heavy install, that is the difference between one system and a rack of nodes. For a four-universe install, the CueCore3's ceiling is not a constraint and this point does not matter.
It does not transfer — there is no project-file conversion between Visual Productions' tooling and DMX Core. The realistic path is to record the CueCore3's output as live DMX into DMX Core 100, which preserves the looks exactly, and then rebuild the triggers, schedules and zone logic. Budget for that rebuild honestly; on a complex install it is a day's work, not an afternoon.
That is a legitimate design, and we have seen it done. The CueCore3 handles SMPTE/MTC timecode, which DMX Core 100 does not, so on a show that must chase an external clock the CueCore3 can stay in the signal path for that role while DMX Core 100 takes on scheduling, recorded playback, zones and the operator-facing touchscreen.
Download the free demo and run DMX Core 100 on your own machine — no hardware required to evaluate it.