APEX question?

[SKAREEF]

Any one in the AZFrag get the fusion beta invite. I get a kick out of watching all the hype on the neptune forum but thought I would see if any fellow Arizonians got it.

If you got it I am curious on how you like it. I was also hoping to find out if you have a camera in use and if fusion changed it. i.e mpeg vs H???

 

[evolved]

I didn't even try to get in. Considering it was initially due out last fall (November) and it still isn't released, I tend to think it's been a bit buggy. Which makes me somewhat glad I'm not debugging a beta.

 

[Weyrman]

Was real curious about this too. Have been real busy so am glad I was so as not to get caught up in another beta debugging. Been there, done that, a number of times. And was paid in those cases. A frebbie is another story.

That said. If they get something out that's truely a final test I'd be interested in checking it out. I've been holding out on getting some of their stuff based on this new platform.

 

[ortie001]

It's different, but the same. I can say there is a little bit of getting used to "new ways to program". I run my Vortechs off of a WXM. Now, in Fusion, you have a little graph with percent(velocity) going up the left, and time running along the bottom. You set points at a corresponding time and percent and assign a mode to each point. The way it currently works for non-beta testers; make a "profile' for each mode you want to use and assign it a velocity, then go into the virtual outlet for each pump and program a time to use each profile by name. Fusion a dressed up GUI based version of the current dashboard for those that don't want to take the time to learn the Apex programming in it's current state. It should make it more user friendly. But I bet my girlfriend still wont take the time to use hers even though it's so much easier. The only real "new" benefit is the fact that you don't have to jump through hoops to see your system outside of your network and that the Fusion servers will email you your alarm emails. Oh, and it does still have a ways to go IMO for something that has been in beta since November. It gets more solid everyday though.

 

[Weyrman]

Thanks for the update Ortie. I would have jumped in on beta testing if I had time to help someone sort out the bugs in their system development. Glad to hear it's making some progress. Even if it's slow.

Since I haven't looked... Are you aware if they have a manual of any sort for using Fusion? Outside control with little IT effort is my excuse to get a smart phone! However, it sounds like it's not there if you think the average person wouldn't be able to figure it out.

The way I interpreted what Fusion was going to be when it was annouced was that it would make the Apex the "go to" controller as the easiest controller out there to communicate with and get things done from outside the home without any IT expertise. You wouldn't need to know IT stuff to run at full bore. In your opinion how did they do?

Marketing must be pulling their teeth out with how slow this is going.

 

[ortie001]

Since I haven't looked... Are you aware if they have a manual of any sort for using Fusion? Outside control with little IT effort is my excuse to get a smart phone! However, it sounds like it's not there if you think the average person wouldn't be able to figure it out.

The way I interpreted what Fusion was going to be when it was annouced was that it would make the Apex the "go to" controller as the easiest controller out there to communicate with and get things done from outside the home without any IT expertise. You wouldn't need to know IT stuff to run at full bore. In your opinion how did they do?

Marketing must be pulling their teeth out with how slow this is going.

I haven't seen a manual. It's pretty darn easy to figure out though. Fusion was so easy to get going. I actually set up a tablet from OUTSIDE my network. I cheated a little bit though. On the dashboard, you have a Fusion token. I had to call home and get my girlfriend to read the token to me. I put that into the correct spot on the fusion webpage, clicked link, and I had control of my system. It was that easy.

Honestly, the reason I see this taking so much time, support for outside companies. You have Ecotech, AI, Tunze, Kissel, and others that Apex wants to be able to support. One of the BIGGEST issues are Ecotech issues. Ecotech is having issues getting their own product, Reeflink, to work for them that I'm not even sure how much they can help Neptune. I feel like Neptune is helping Ecotech more with Reeflink just from trying to make Radions and Vortechs work correctly together in Fusion. That's one of the biggest problems right now.

I took the AWM off my girlfriends Apex and added it to mine. I now control her Hydra through my Apex and it works rather well. The hardest part was getting it to attach from 20 feet away. I finally pulled the fixture down and set it right beside the AWM. It connected in seconds. It's VERY easy for HER to program the way she wants it using a graph like I mentioned for the Vortech pump. By the way, I also control her MP10 through my Apex, which she programmed to her liking last night. Keep in mind, she knows nothing about programming the Apex, she just knows to look at her webpage to see temp and pH. I think Fusion will give her, and others like her more of what they want, a bit easier access to what they thought was too difficult. On the flip side, she still isn't too sure about setting up her BRS dosing pumps. Sure, I gave her a spreadsheet that simplifies that, but now she wants to be able to program those through a GUI graphing system as well.

As far as marketing pulling their teeth out, I doubt it, they aren't the ones that have to debug everyone else's equipment for them. I think they a just sitting back right now while the system engineers pull their hair out.