New Vertex Cerebra $699.99 - Intro Price $374.99

[ReefAddict27]

It's finally here!

An unboxing video of the Vertex Cerebra!
http://youtu.be/RV1cIvL7mJw

[redddogg69]

Just saw this

[jason2459]

So, to that

1) I still don't understand the necessity to have the device be so huge. They could have provided water resistance and cable management for what looks like 3 double USB and an Ethernet port in a much much much smaller package in what they called a flat design.

2) If I need to quickly in a big hurry shutdown a pump I'm ripping the power cord out of the outlet and not fumbling around with any kind of interface. And I wouldn't call 5.5" a large screen... my phone has a larger screen.

3) 6 years of R&D... still Beta... 'nough said

so the hardware is not beta. But it's the software that drives it and is what usually causes the most issues. Beta.


Oh, and is that a Neptune thumb? Interesting choice to use their color.

[redddogg69]

Originally Posted by jason2459

So, to that

1) I still don't understand the necessity to have the device be so huge. They could have provided water resistance and cable management for what looks like 3 double USB and an Ethernet port in a much much much smaller package in what they called a flat design.

2) If I need to quickly in a big hurry shutdown a pump I'm ripping the power cord out of the outlet and not fumbling around with any kind of interface. And I couldn't call 5.5" a large screen... my phone has a larger screen.

3) 6 years of R&D... still Beta... 'nough said

so the hardware is not beta. But it's the software that drives it and is what usually causes the most issues. Beta.

Vertex is too big, Apex looks like fisher price, Beta Beta Beta. Apex released a "finished" product and look at the issues going on with that. No controller has hit the market without a hiccup or two. Do you not like vertex products? If not don't buy them. Not sure why there are so many haters here.

[jason2459]

Guess I'm just disappointed in this whole thing between lack of details and design decisions. I was looking forward to this to replace my reefkeeper. I see no way that I can unless they redesigned the hardware.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by redddogg69

Vertex is too big, Apex looks like fisher price, Beta Beta Beta. Apex released a "finished" product and look at the issues going on with that. No controller has hit the market without a hiccup or two. Do you not like vertex products? If not don't buy them. Not sure why there are so many haters here.

I've stated I wouldn't touch the new Apex right now either. I also don't like how much it stands out. I wouldn't put it on my nano either. I might at some point upgrade my 180 to it though once they put out a few firmware updates.

And yes, I'm kind of hating on it because I'm disappointed in it.

[redddogg69]

Originally Posted by jason2459

I've stated I wouldn't touch the new Apex right now either. I also don't like how much it stands out. I wouldn't put it on my nano either. I might at some point upgrade my 180 to it though once they put out a few firmware updates.

And yes, I'm kind of hating on it because I'm disappointed in it.

I get that. If i had been on the design team there are things i might have done differently too, that being said i am not a designer nor am i schooled in manufacturing processes and costs. I'm sure there are reasons behind the way this is put together, and you will never please everyone. Looking at this video, the Cerebra is almost identical to the Libra Doser, the format was probably used to keep things looking like they match for continuity and the fact they already have the tooling and process in place for that enclosure.

[jason2459]

Originally Posted by redddogg69

I get that. If i had been on the design team there are things i might have done differently too, that being said i am not a designer nor am i schooled in manufacturing processes and costs. I'm sure there are reasons behind the way this is put together, and you will never please everyone. Looking at this video, the Cerebra is almost identical to the Libra Doser, the format was probably used to keep things looking like they match for continuity and the fact they already have the tooling and process in place for that enclosure.

If that was the case they should just say so and would make some kind of sense. I'm no engineer or organizational genius but I've seen many products that have some form of water resistance with many types of inputs in a MUCH smaller package... my phone for one.

[jason2459]

Heck... $33 for an amazon 7" fire tablet right now on prime day. Good display for about any controller with some kind of web interface.

[shermanator]

Kind of strange that one hyped feature was using the screen with wet hands. But in that video they said no to use it with wet hands (unless it's an emergency).

I still want buy one and play with it (once/if BRS gets them in). A lot of strange design (and marketing choices, to put it mildly), but also a lot of cool and compelling features.

[Salty150]

Originally Posted by sleepydoc

That controller head is HUGE! The BRS video just did a quick spin then just showed a head-on view for the rest of the video, so it was difficult to tell, but it seemed far bigger that I would expect for such a device. I also noted that the majority of the box was cooling fins. Almost makes me think they were having heat issues...

The same goes for the power bars. They made a point of saying how they were solid aluminum with cooing fins, but normally a power bar shouldn't need to dissipate that much heat, and the aluminum fins add significant cost, so they're not something you would add if you didn't need them.

The interface definitely seems cool, but per my previous comments - watch out for bugs! BRS made a big deal of saying how you shouldn't need to write code, but with the interface you're totally dependent on Vertex writing all the code running in the backgournd that you don't see and totally at their mercy to debug the code. Kind of the yin and yang of a simplified graphical interface.

The "controller head" is 7.25" L x 5.25" W x 4.875" H - not exactly huge

And the "fins" on the "controller head" are plastic, according to Vertex - and are not used in any way to dissipate heat.

[redddogg69]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Kind of strange that one hyped feature was using the screen with wet hands. But in that video they said no to use it with wet hands (unless it's an emergency).

I still want buy one and play with it (once/if BRS gets them in). A lot of strange design (and marketing choices, to put it mildly), but also a lot of cool and compelling features.

It was BRS that showed using it with wet hands, and even they didn't say it was designed to be used this way, simply that it is possible with a resistive screen.

[redddogg69]

Originally Posted by Salty150

The "controller head" is 7.25" L x 5.25" W x 4.875" H - not exactly huge

And the "fins" on the "controller head" are plastic, according to Vertex - and are not used in any way to dissipate heat.

The side panels are plastic and the body is aluminum same as the Libra doser. The aluminum is finned as well as a styling element not a functional heat sink.

[Salty150]

Originally Posted by redddogg69

Just saw this

That actually is a very good video.

[ReefCowboy]

I like the video, shows they care about the concerns so far about the product. LOL about the pump flooding a house with someone only being able to rely on a controller to shut it off... how did people handle these things before controllers came about??lol
What happened to pulling a cord from the outlet?

To their credit, yes no display does suck at times. I thought would like the Fire idea but I'm getting myself a display for my controller.
I love the direct hits at Neptune and vice versa! This helps them strive for the customer's benefit.

[sleepydoc]

Originally Posted by Salty150

The "controller head" is 7.25" L x 5.25" W x 4.875" H - not exactly huge



And the "fins" on the "controller head" are plastic, according to Vertex - and are not used in any way to dissipate heat.

Actually, for a control panel, that is huge in my book. Think about how and where these devices are normally used - frequently cramped spaces under tanks with the screen mounted somewhere for easy access. Making it 5" thick was kind of boneheaded. Someone said they made it to match their doser, but making it oversized just to match something else with different functionality, or adding extra size just to add non-functional design elements is even more boneheaded.

The power bar also seems to be oversized, even given the extra hardware it includes. It's nice to have enough space between outlets to plug in adapters, but there's a lot more than that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Salty150]

Originally Posted by sleepydoc

Actually, for a control panel, that is huge in my book. Think about how and where these devices are normally used - frequently cramped spaces under tanks with the screen mounted somewhere for easy access. Making it 5" thick was kind of boneheaded. Someone said they made it to match their doser, but making it oversized just to match something else with different functionality, or adding extra size just to add non-functional design elements is even more boneheaded.

The power bar also seems to be oversized, even given the extra hardware it includes. It's nice to have enough space between outlets to plug in adapters, but there's a lot more than that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For all of your posts - I think the obvious choice for you is to not buy it.

[sleepydoc]

Originally Posted by Salty150

For all of your posts - I think the obvious choice for you is to not buy it.

In it's current form most likely not. (I will say that I agree with you that the new Apex design makes it look like a toy, so I"m not crazy about their design either, but at least the display is easier to mount in an accessible place without major modifications to your stand.)

I'm not intending to be overly negative about Vertex or the Cerebra controller. I think the approach to programming is very cool and looks like a significant step forward from the coding needed to program other controllers, and I definitely like the additional power monitoring and some of the other features. If you read my previous posts, I was primarily urging caution given the many unknowns of a new controller. I really hope that it works as advertised, because it will be awesome if it does, but I have had many bad experiences with beta software and I would hate for people to get one of these under false pretences only to be very disappointed or worse, have their tank crash due to a beta bug.

I was just able to view the video reddog linked to (tapatalk wouldn't play it for some reason.) and it does answer some questions but still leaves may more. They state they designed it the way they did to protect from splashing and used the resistive screen to allow for use with wet hands, but then in the next breath say you should avoid touching it with wet hands at all costs, and then turn around to say 'we got you covered.' What do you take away from that? I also question the explaination that the extra depth was necessary for splash resistance. There are other ways to design it to be splash resistant without adding 3-4" to the depth of the device. Either way the design causes significant issues. The fact that they actually suggested filing off the plastic fins to mount it makes wonder if they never even considered mounting issues, but I find that hard to believe...

The screen mirroring looks to be quiet nice, and if I were to get one of these that is likely what I would do - have it hidden away and mount a small tablet someplace accessible to monitor. As I said, the bulky nature of the head unit will cause significant issues with mounting, so this is likely what many people will do but you're still left with finding space for a big box under your tank and they you're in exactly the position they were warning about in the video- having an additional device and connection open to failure.

One positive that I see is that whether you like their explainations or not, they are responding to user questions/concerns. That bodes well.

[Salty150]

Originally Posted by sleepydoc

The fact that they actually suggested filing off the plastic fins to mount it makes wonder if they never even considered mounting issues, but I find that hard to believe...

To be clear, I was the one that brought up filing the plastic fins to mount it - they just stated that was one way it could be done.

They never brought it up out of the blue.

They also stated that they would send me a picture when they flush mounted one to a cabinet using some sort of trim, etc.

[redddogg69]

Vertex never suggested filing fins, that was a member here who suggested that. given the design it would be very easy to create a trim that would very easily hold the unit in place and be attractive.

[redddogg69]

Originally Posted by Salty150

To be clear, I was the one that brought up filing the plastic fins to mount it - they just stated that was one way it could be done.

They never brought it up out of the blue.

They also stated that they would send me a picture when they flush mounted one to a cabinet using some sort of trim, etc.

Beat me to it lol. I've flush mounted a Libra using the method we both described in the past. Custom isn't easy sometimes and rarely comes in a box from the manufacturer. If there was an overhang or lip to the screen people wanting other mounting methods would complain. The first fin is spaced as such it can be used as a mounting channel.

[scuzy]

Got my email my order will ship on Monday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Salty150]

Originally Posted by redddogg69

Beat me to it lol. I've flush mounted a Libra using the method we both described in the past. Custom isn't easy sometimes and rarely comes in a box from the manufacturer. If there was an overhang or lip to the screen people wanting other mounting methods would complain. The first fin is spaced as such it can be used as a mounting channel.

Very nice!

What is also nice is I am told that Vertex is coming out with a stand alone 4 dose module (that looks exactly like the Libra without the display and "brains") that connects to the Cerebra that takes the place of the Libra.

So, if you have the Cerebra - you don't need the Libra.

[FirstContact]

Originally Posted by Salty150

Very nice!

What is also nice is I am told that Vertex is coming out with a stand alone 4 dose module (that looks exactly like the Libra without the display and "brains") that connects to the Cerebra that takes the place of the Libra.

So, if you have the Cerebra - you don't need the Libra.

Was waiting for that to come out! Expected that...

[ReefAddict27]

Originally Posted by Salty150

Very nice!

What is also nice is I am told that Vertex is coming out with a stand alone 4 dose module (that looks exactly like the Libra without the display and "brains") that connects to the Cerebra that takes the place of the Libra.

So, if you have the Cerebra - you don't need the Libra.

That would be nice. I'm holding off on getting 3 BRS dosers.

Do you know when it would be released?

Thanks.