Took the Vertex plunge....

[Richocet83]

So, I got bored this evening and started looking into the 1-10v dimming control... I have an Apex ready Waveline DC Return Pump which uses the standard RJ45 (CAT5) plug, and of course the Cerebra is using old school RJ11 (phone cable) type plugs.... so off to Lowes I went for some supplies!

Picked up a 15ft length of phone cord, some RJ45 plugs, crimpers and got to work...

First, I cut one end off the phone line, next I separated the wires from the protective sheath. Vertex released details on their pin pattern today so all I had to do was find a guide to the pin pattern on an APEX 1-10v port... Google is great! A few minutes of running tiny wires through small openings with my fat hands and.... voila!!!! Then I realized I wired it wrong.... take two.... wired wrong again.... Take 3??? Third time was a charm and I now have 1-10v control of my pump with the Cerebra.

The Cerebra already has a few 1-10v algorithms for pumps that include a crest and lagoon mode similar to Ecotech's. Right now return pump is running at 40-60% in Reef Crest mode.

Here are a few shots of the adventure:

RJ11-RJ45 transition into Waveline Pump controller:
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/richocet83/27910698263/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_8987"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7795/27910698263_a6d9f4a350_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_8987"></a>

Modified RJ11 cable with RJ45 plug:
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/richocet83/28526434135/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_8980"><img src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8860/28526434135_84fd8dd343_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_8980"></a>

And a video of the variable control through the Cerebra:
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/richocet83/28420665512/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_8992"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8042/28420665512_b9ab891f96_z.jpg" width="640" height="360" alt="IMG_8992"></a>

 

[bigzman]

Wow. Following.

 

[Richocet83]

Got the Cerebra mounted, and calibrated pH and conductivity probes yesterday!! Hooray progress!!! Would have been much simpler except the application crashed and required me to remove the SD card (which is mounted inside the aluminum housing) and reflash the Android info to it. To top that off, reflashing required the use of a PC and I've been 100% mac for 3 years... nevertheless, reflash was successful and here are some update photos:

Cerebra Display
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/richocet83/28495983171/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_9008"><img src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8493/28495983171_9b6930892d_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_9008"></a>

Multi-bar.... still need to clean this area up with some better cord management, and maybe a 2nd power-bar down the road.
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/richocet83/28495987021/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_9010"><img src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/9/8467/28495987021_36832acd27_z.jpg" width="480" height="640" alt="IMG_9010"></a>

 

[bigzman]

Nice!!!

 

[Richocet83]

Here's a quick shot of the Cerebra Display mounted to the wall next to my tank:

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/richocet83/28574716985/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_8997"><img src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8680/28574716985_26342bbfc3_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="IMG_8997"></a>

 

[gambitcobra]

that looks really sweet

 

[Lilmatty5dimes]

That looks awesome.

 

[Richocet83]

Haven't updated in a while and mostly because I've been trying to keep posting good things about this controller. Well, here's a change to that...

The Cerebra was originally designed to be semi-open sourced and have the ability to use android based apps, similar to what you would download from the GooglePlay store on an android phone. Unlike current mobile phones, the Cerebra uses a dated Android OS and because of this does not allow connection to the GooglePlay store.
What does that mean? The few apps I was hoping to integrate into the Cerebra cannot be added. I really wanted to put my BlueFish LED controller app on Cerebra so I didn't have to have my phone around the tank if I wanted to adjust a lighting sequence. Unfortunately, I've been told by Vertex CS the BlueFish app is designed for a more current Android OS than the Cerebra uses... so, basically the Cerebra controller is outdated and does not support any new apps being made.
While that's not bad enough, this also means someone from BlueFish or other manufacturer would have to create a "new" app on an older platform, and how often does that happen? To top it all off, it doesn't sound like Vertex will be updating the OS on the Cerebra to a newer version of Android OS, so I'm basically out of luck for that.

And.... frustration sets in. Oh wait, there's more.... Cloud connectivity has been coming "any day now" for the last month. Was really hoping to have something available to check on my tank since I'll be on the other side of the country next week for a business trip, but no.

Sorry to vent. Hopefully my next update will be a good one!

 

[jdantunes]

Just make sure not to buy a 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Player... Only then you'll be really out of luck.

 

[robthorn]

Sorry to hear you aren't happy with the controller. I had hoped that I would be proven wrong but it doesn't seem I will be any time soon.

Sorry again.

 

[Richocet83]

Rob,

The controller is monitoring as I expected. I guess I am more unhappy with how the Cerebra was presented to the public. I realize it still a growing platform but I think there should have been better or more forethought into expansion and forward compatibility.

 

[mattsreefadise]

Rob,

The controller is monitoring as I expected. I guess I am more unhappy with how the Cerebra was presented to the public. I realize it still a growing platform but I think there should have been better or more forethought into expansion and forward compatibility.

Glad I found you. I was the one that originally started that Bluefish LED post.
I'm really disappointed in their choice to advertise it the way they did. i was really hoping to add Reef Angel control ( i have a RA controlling another one of my tanks) and Bluefish LED to my controller.
It's glitchy, and most times the Vertex support guys are really crude and short on responses.

And they seem to think they know all their is to know about what we, as hobbyist, would want on our tanks. You have to be an App designer to get all the features you might could want, and I'm seriously thinking about going to Apex, just for the full control.
Or, I may stick with my old, trustworthy, super easy top set up Reef Angel

 

[robthorn]

Matt I hear you on Apex and marketing sucks. They say you don't need to learn to program but if you don't you are limited to a box that does what someone else wants. My apex does everything I want it to.

 

[Confuse]

Why would the Blue Fish developers develop an app for the cerebra when they have their own controller/platform? The blue fish runs it's own hardware and the full blue fish has the potential to be a full controller in it's own right. I don't see the developers doing anything with the Cerebra when they have their own way of controlling their hardware.

And the idea of controlling a Reef Angel from a Cerebra doesn't sound too intuitive either. Sounds more like a limited niche request.

 

[SaltLife19]

Why would the Blue Fish developers develop an app for the cerebra when they have their own controller/platform? The blue fish runs it's own hardware and the full blue fish has the potential to be a full controller in it's own right. I don't see the developers doing anything with the Cerebra when they have their own way of controlling their hardware.

And the idea of controlling a Reef Angel from a Cerebra doesn't sound too intuitive either. Sounds more like a limited niche request.

According to Vertex Support, they have spoken with Blue Fish and are working together for these systems to work with one another in the future. Priority right now for Vertex is clearing any major issues with the Cerebra and it's beta users. Issues are being cleared and once this stage is complete, apps will begin the development stage. Let's me be clear though, apps would be programming the cerebra to work with for example Blue Fish. Not an app that you would download from a store like Google Play. The cerebra does not have access to the Google Play store.

 

[TheAquatect]

Thanks for taking the time to review this, I have found it very helpful! I can't believe they are not going to upgrade to a more curent OS. That really killed it for me.
Is there anyway to get into dev mode or root the device to upgrade it or Sideload apps?

 

[tigger2577]

Thanks for taking the time to review this, I have found it very helpful! I can't believe they are not going to upgrade to a more curent OS. That really killed it for me.
Is there anyway to get into dev mode or root the device to upgrade it or Sideload apps?

I would be scared to root or side load stuff on the device. I know it os possable but since this acts like the brain of your aquarium I would be scared an app or rooting would corrupt the main apps and crash your tank

 

[redddogg69]

Thanks for taking the time to review this, I have found it very helpful! I can't believe they are not going to upgrade to a more curent OS. That really killed it for me.
Is there anyway to get into dev mode or root the device to upgrade it or Sideload apps?

Sideloading apps and development will progress once the open beta is done as per Vertex on the cerebra forum. Why do you need a newer OS? I'm just curious as to why everyone is hung up on this. If its working as intended why update? If they used a proprietary OS this wouldn't even be an issue.

 

[TheAquatect]

Sideloading apps and development will progress once the open beta is done as per Vertex on the cerebra forum. Why do you need a newer OS? I'm just curious as to why everyone is hung up on this. If its working as intended why update? If they used a proprietary OS this wouldn't even be an issue.

Cant speak for everyone but the sole reason I am interested in this platform is the programmability. I am interested in app development (more complex than APEX is capable of given the language constraints), the types of available physical I/O on the device and the API to program against. For the OS specifically, There are always improvements in speed, code efficiency and additions like multi-window apps. By not upgrading, you miss out on those types of things. I would expect some level of upgrade capability for a few versions of Android before the hardware would cap it off.

Examples might be perhaps I want my temperature sensor to interface with my NEST Thermostat to lower the AC or get crazy and interface it with some home automation around lighting. These types of apps will only run on certain versions of Android OS, so not have the ability to upgrade creates a limited value. But, if you are using it for JUST the aquarium monitor, as you mentioned, then it seems just fine. But then why market the open source OS and potential?

Again, just my opinions based only on what I am seeing and reading thus far.

 

[SaltLife19]

So my question posed to Vertex Support a few days ago on the cerebra forum stated, "Will the Android OS ever be upgraded".

I received a reply in 2 minutes from Vertex Support stating, "No plans at this time as running a newer version of the OS would require massive recoding and wouldn't gain any advanced function that we don't already have for the functionality of Cerebra."