New to the laser community, just got my Unity Raw 3w FB4. Love it so far! But realizing many people aren’t a fan of the closed ecosystem which I am starting to realize. I discovered this software just yesterday and really love the UI and how modern it feels. I want to be able to use it with my laser machine, I just want to make sure it’s compatible.
I understand I’ll need an etherdream and ILDA cable to connect it. With this i won’t run into any problems? Its hard to find any setup info online, can someone tell me what cables would need to run from my laptop into the DAC and then into laser?
(I’m not too hardware savvy and dont want to risk damaging my gear to do internal install although that seems very convenient)
Should i just stick to quickshow or get beyond since I have a penguin? (Pangolin)
Welcome to the forum - and thanks so much for your kind words. I’m really glad you’re enjoying Liberation so far
Unfortunately the FB4 inside your laser only works directly with its own software ecosystem. The bigger issue is this: from what I can see, your Unity Raw FB4 has ILDA output, but not ILDA input.
ILDA is the analogue control standard for lasers:
ILDA input means the laser can receive control from an external controller (like an Ether Dream).
ILDA output means it can send its signal onward to another laser, but cannot itself be controlled from outside.
So if there’s no ILDA input, you can’t connect any external analogue controller, which effectively locks the laser to its built-in system.
For reference, here’s the compatible hardware page in the docs:
Your options
Stick with the FB4 ecosystem and its native software.
Replace it with a laser that has a proper ILDA input, which will work perfectly with Liberation via Ether Dream or Helios.
Replace the built-in controller, which I wouldn’t recommend unless you’re very confident with hardware, and it would likely void the warranty.
A core value of Liberation is supporting and encouraging open protocols to cultivate a more flexible ecosystem. My goal is that a wider range of laser control software can work interchangeably with the same hardware, so users aren’t locked into a single closed path.
If you can double-check the rear panel and confirm whether there’s definitely no ILDA input, that would be useful. I’m happy to help you figure out the cleanest route
Hello Seb thank you for your comment, here is my backplate which confirms no ILDA input. So the only option possible would be to have the controller installed internally or wait for one day pangolin opens their ecosystem..
Do you know of a service provider or technician which can provide the hardware modification based in the US?
Honestly, if there’s definitely no ILDA input, the simplest and safest route is probably to return it, if that’s still possible, and get a laser that has a proper ILDA input built in. You could potentially install an ILDA daughter board in your unit, but that would likely involve modifying the rear panel to create the cut-outs, which isn’t trivial.
By the time you factor in sourcing a DAC, opening the unit, rewiring or replacing the internal controller, and potentially voiding your warranty, it’s very likely going to be more hassle and expense than just starting with hardware designed to accept external analogue control in the first place.
You could also consider something like a LaserCube. In the US you can get an FDA-approved version from X-Laser, and there’s a 15% discount for Liberation subscribers. They use an open protocol and work directly with Liberation, so there’s no extra DAC required.
Other than that, I’m sure you can get an amazing laser within the same overall budget, and you’d end up with a much more flexible setup that isn’t tied to a single software ecosystem.
I suppose anything’s possible, but I’d be extremely surprised if that happened
