LidarView vs PointCab Origins

LidarView is a 3D LiDAR application for receiving, recording, visualizing, and processing sensor data in real time. It works with live streams and recorded PCAP files, displaying time-stamped returns as point clouds. Users can filter laser subsets, view multiple frames, apply 3D transforms, register point clouds, and classify points. Its SLAM tools reconstruct nearby environments and locate the sensor. The product page describes HPC support for AI-based scene classification, object tracking, and 3D reconstruction. Listed sensor interpreters cover Hesai, Leishen, Livox, Ouster, Robosense, and Velodyne; plugins can add interpreters when an open driver or packet specification is available. ROS2IO and PCL plugins are included. Built on ParaView, LidarView supports Python scripting and web visualization through trame. It supports E57 and LAS/LAZ data and is available for Linux and Windows. The software is open source under Apache 2.0 and costs nothing. Its documented sensor coverage does not span the whole market.

PointCab Origins evaluates laser-scanner point clouds and transfers results to CAD and BIM systems. It automatically creates front, side, and top orthophoto views; users can also make floor plans and sections and measure areas, distances, and volumes. The desktop software processes data from drone, terrestrial, and SLAM scanners, can merge point clouds, and exports 3D information in formats such as DWG and DXF. Its listed capabilities include point-cloud registration, E57 and LAS/LAZ support, geospatial analysis, and point-cloud-to-mesh processing. Origins runs on Windows and macOS. PointCab offers Origins Core and Origins 3D with perpetual, subscription, and rental license options, plus plugins for Archicad, AutoCAD, BricsCAD, Revit, Vectorworks, and ZWCAD. The Core monthly rental is €420.00 per month. A free trial lasts 24 working hours and allows up to three test projects; activation requires installation, a form, an emailed code, and a request through LicTrust Manager. Tutorials are available, and academic licenses are limited to non-commercial educational use.