DSP

Common in more industrial-grade machines, these use proprietary hardware, firmware, and software. They are usually enclosed in a plastic case, and often have a separate LCD display panel with buttons to control the machine. If your machine is a CO2 laser in a metal case and has an LCD display, chances are you need the DSP version, which currently supports controllers from Ruida, Trocen, and TopWisdom. The DSP version of LightBurn also supports all the devices supported by the GCode license, so if you have both you only need the DSP license.

Companies that use DSP controllers supported by LightBurn include Aeon, Thunder, Boss, AP Lazer, and Laguna Tools, and many more.

Galvo

Galvo lasers, also commonly called fiber lasers, use a fixed scanning head mounted to an arm, and project the beam from above. They are used for high-speed marking or engraving, and may have a fiber laser source for metals, a CO2 laser source for marking woods, or a UV source. The Galvo version of LightBurn also supports all the devices supported by the GCode license, so if you have both you only need the Galvo license.

GCode

Commonly used in 3D printers, home-built CNC machines and kit-style or DIY lasers, GCode controllers use a text based command format called GCode, and are often open source hardware and firmware, like GRBL, Smoothieware, or Marlin. They are usually a bare board, and often used in open-frame diode lasers like the EleksMaker, Ortur, AtomStack, TwoTrees, NEJE Master, XTool D1, and FoxAlien, as well as XCarve, Shapeoko, or 3018 CNC machines. They are also often used as replacements for the stock controller in the common K40 laser. (Please note that LightBurn does not support the M2 Nano controller that comes stock in most K40 lasers)