Pharos builds some of the most trusted architectural lighting controllers in the world — you will find them behind landmark facades and skylines. If you want to start in software, evaluate on your own PC, integrate with modern AV systems, or control a project without committing to hardware up front, here is how DMX Core 100 compares — fairly, feature by feature.
A side-by-side look at the features installers and integrators evaluate most.
Which Pharos, and why: this compares against the LPC 1, LPC 2 and LPC 4 — the entry and mid controllers that actually get cross-shopped with DMX Core 100. The LPC X, VLC and VLC+ are a different class of product for landmark-scale architectural work, with a price bracket to match, and we would not pretend to be a like-for-like swap for them. If your project genuinely needs 100 universes in one box and pixel-mapped video across a facade, buy the Pharos.
| Feature | DMX Core 100 | Pharos LPC 1 / 2 / 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (from) | $399 (software) / $999 (appliance) | $2,000+ (LPC 1, new) |
| Max Universes | 800 | 1 / 2 / 4 per unit (more networked) |
| Software-Only Runtime | ✓ | — |
| Cross-Platform (Win / Mac / Linux) | ✓ | — |
| Dedicated Hardware Option | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web UI | ✓ | ✓ |
| ArtNet | ✓ | ✓ |
| sACN (E1.31) | ✓ | ✓ |
| KiNet | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scheduling (sunrise / sunset, astronomical) | ✓ | ✓ |
| SMPTE / MTC Timecode | — | ✓ MTC built in; SMPTE via RIO A |
| MQTT | ✓ | — |
| Q-SYS / Symetrix | ✓ | — |
| Stream Deck | ✓ | — |
| REST / HTTP API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cloud Remote Access | ✓ | ✓ |
| Timeline Editor | ✓ | ✓ |
| Built-in Effects | ✓ | ✓ |
| Record & Playback | ✓ | via DMX Record |
| Synchronized Audio | ✓ every model | — not on LPC 1/2/4 |
| Multi-User / Roles | 24 named permissions | ✓ web UI user levels |
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. Pharos is a genuinely world-class architectural platform, and it may be the right call if:
Pharos LPC controllers are fanless, solid-state, DIN-rail units proven on skylines, bridges, and stadiums worldwide, built to run unattended for years in demanding permanent installs. That track record is hard to match.
Pharos locks shows to external SMPTE or MIDI timecode for tight AV and broadcast synchronization. DMX Core 100 triggers on schedules and events but does not chase external timecode, so timecode-critical shows favor Pharos.
A single Pharos LPC X (current Series 3) handles up to 100 universes, and multiple units synchronize automatically over Ethernet — purpose-built for the largest architectural projects, backed by a deep spec and dealer network.
Program and evaluate the whole project on a Windows, macOS, or Linux machine before buying any hardware. With Pharos, Designer 2 is free but a show only runs once you have committed to an LPC controller.
Deploy the same software on a plain PC or on a dedicated touchscreen appliance. No hardware lock-in — prototype on a laptop, ship on an appliance, or keep it software-only.
MQTT, Q-SYS, Symetrix, and Stream Deck on top of the shared Art-Net / sACN / KiNet stack, plus 24 permission-based user roles for multi-operator venues.
Capture shows from any external console, store them as cues with synchronized audio built in, and trigger them on schedules or external events — no separate recording utility required.
This is the usual reason to look. A Pharos LPC is specified for large, high-value architectural work and is priced and supported accordingly. On a boutique hotel, a single facade or a mid-size retail rollout, that can be more controller than the project needs. DMX Core 100 covers the same core jobs — scheduled playback, sunrise and sunset triggers, zones, recorded shows — starting at $399 as software or $999 as an appliance.
Partly, and it is worth understanding the split. Pharos DMX Record is a free capture utility whose recordings import into Designer 2 for playback on Pharos LPC hardware. DMX Core 100 does the capture and the playback in one platform, on its own software or appliance, and converts protocols on output. What it does not attempt to match is Designer 2's depth for very large pixel-mapped architectural canvases, which remains a genuine Pharos strength. Worth knowing if you are cross-shopping: ETC's Unison Mosaic line is built on Pharos technology under license and is configured in the same Designer 2 software, so Pharos and Mosaic are closer to one option than two.
For most installations, yes — Art-Net, sACN (E1.31), KiNet v1/v2 and DMX-512, plus OSC, MQTT, REST, MIDI, Q-SYS, Symetrix and Stream Deck for system integration. The gap to check on your specific project is timecode and specialist protocol support, where Pharos has broader coverage. If the project depends on it, confirm before switching.
Plan for a rebuild rather than a conversion. There is no project-file import between the platforms. The fastest route is to record the existing Pharos output as live DMX into DMX Core 100, which captures the looks exactly, then re-create schedules, triggers and zone logic in DMX Core. On a straightforward facade that is a day; on a complex multi-zone attraction, allow more.
Download the free demo and run DMX Core 100 on your own machine — no hardware required to evaluate it.