EcoTech support response to Radion 1.7.4 firmware problem

[fmjets11]

Wow, from reading this thread do you guys make this same conclusion?

"We offer the ReefLink platform to control our lights and pumps wirelessly... if you ever adopt that platform for wireless control, we'll be able to log in remotely to assist if the need ever arises."

They made it break on purpose so you have to buy the reeflink? I hope that is not the case.

I also purchased the apex and all ecotech products (3 gen 3 radion pros, and 2 MP40s and a WXM because they were supposed to work flawlessly together, now I have come to find out it might have been a waste of money)

[bluewhite4]

Well I'd like to think that our pushes on EcoTech are starting to have an effect. I just received the following update to my ticket with them:

Our recommendation is to roll back the firmware to version 1.6.10

This should take care of the issues for you.


Not the type of response I wanted to see from them, but at least now their not claiming ignorance of the issue.

[Alain B]

True! 1.6.10 is stable , however it does not support fallback and lightning ! Why do i have to be happy with a product that work only partially ?


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[Alain B]

In response to the Apex, WXM, and EcoTech products Sticky by Terence
http://forum.neptunesystems.com/show...oTech-products

I experienced the problems explained in the sticky after updating my Radions to firmware version 1.7.4

I sent a support request to EcoTech asking them to fix the problem caused by the 1.7.4 Radion firmware and their response back is quoted below, I hope others have better luck than I did.

For those who might be interested i found this on some other forum :


We share this market with some other great companies, but please tell me another light out there that enables cloud based control over it? AI- buy a director. Neptune? Buy the WXM then sign up for their beta Fusion. GHL? No. It seems as if you're not fully familiar with the technology behind the ESL cloud based control platform and the Reeflink. Once this technology hits the VorTech pumps you'll have even more possibilities by being able to control your lights and your pumps direct from your iPhone or any other device. And pumps/lights are just the beginning.

One of the most advanced features of the Reeflink: in terms of the control architecture, the Reeflink is assigning your pumps/lights a schedule based on what you created using ESL. Once the pumps and lights have been programmed your pumps/light then run on their own. If the wifi is lost, this doesn't change anything as the pumps and lights already know what to do and when to do it. With other solutions out there the products are being told what to do at each moment, this means if you lose the "controller" connection then the products will be forced to revert to a fall back. Not ideal.

More importantly, you don't need to have a degree in IT to install and use a Reeflink. The purpose is that most people don't know how to use port forwarding or how to navigate around a firewall and the reeflink doesn't require that you do. Create an ESL account, plug in the Reeflink, download the iPhone ap, and you're done: mobile control of your devices.

T



__________________
Tim Marks

President
EcoTech Marine
www.ecotechmarine.com

[ctm0m52]

Sounds like Ecotech is trying to enter the controller market based on the comments about pumps/lights being "just the beginning."

[iamchadster]

True! 1.6.10 is stable , however it does not support fallback and lightning ! Why do i have to be happy with a product that work only partially ?


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I can't recall but wasn't 1.7.4 the upgrade that was suppossed to fix the flickering that we were seeing with Radions. I could be wrong, but if we go back is that gonna come back?

[Alain B]

I dont see any flicker on mine but i have radion gen 1 , and i cant use the lightning , however it is stable no issue since returning to 1.6.10 . i want reliability first : i was tired of reconnecting this every morning when i wake up and sometime 2 or 3 times a day . I travel quite a lot and i live alone i need a reliable set up !


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[Alain B]

Hoping Neptune will come out with their own pumps and lights soon, I'll be one of the first to switch over

+1

A complete system integration would be great to have and will clear all those problems !

[Cltboi]

how do we roll back to 1.6.1 from 1.7.4? I want to roll my back but don't know how to do so. thanks

[Alain B]

For those who might be interested i found this on some other forum :


We share this market with some other great companies, but please tell me another light out there that enables cloud based control over it? AI- buy a director. Neptune? Buy the WXM then sign up for their beta Fusion. GHL? No. It seems as if you're not fully familiar with the technology behind the ESL cloud based control platform and the Reeflink. Once this technology hits the VorTech pumps you'll have even more possibilities by being able to control your lights and your pumps direct from your iPhone or any other device. And pumps/lights are just the beginning.

One of the most advanced features of the Reeflink: in terms of the control architecture, the Reeflink is assigning your pumps/lights a schedule based on what you created using ESL. Once the pumps and lights have been programmed your pumps/light then run on their own. If the wifi is lost, this doesn't change anything as the pumps and lights already know what to do and when to do it. With other solutions out there the products are being told what to do at each moment, this means if you lose the "controller" connection then the products will be forced to revert to a fall back. Not ideal.

More importantly, you don't need to have a degree in IT to install and use a Reeflink. The purpose is that most people don't know how to use port forwarding or how to navigate around a firewall and the reeflink doesn't require that you do. Create an ESL account, plug in the Reeflink, download the iPhone ap, and you're done: mobile control of your devices.

T



__________________
Tim Marks

President
EcoTech Marine
www.ecotechmarine.com

Its funny as before Reef Link they were bragging every body about their stuffs being Apex Ready , now it seem it is a bit different . I am sad for them , very sad !

Alain

[Roblk]

Yes very sad for EcoTech, they have a long way to go before they can get Reeflink to do anything close to what an Apex can do and i'll bet that there's plenty of new competition coming that will be Apex ready to replace their lights and pumps, I really wish they would re consider their marketing strategy for their own sake

[ElmoC]

I am in the planning stages of a 75g setup and EcoTech and AI *had* been on my list. But after this response from them, not anymore.

[Alain B]

Apparently they are aware of the problem , the question is : do they have the will to fix it and satisty their customers or they are only interested in their reef link . As for me i am planning a new 300 gallons built and for now they are not on my list of supplier . I wonder as they had merge with AI recently if AI is a prospective supplier or it will end up with a similar result if problems are showing up . I dont know if they Ecotech guys are looking at this . If they are not i wish they do .

Alain

[Alain B]

Well I'd like to think that our pushes on EcoTech are starting to have an effect. I just received the following update to my ticket with them:

Our recommendation is to roll back the firmware to version 1.6.10

This should take care of the issues for you.


Not the type of response I wanted to see from them, but at least now their not claiming ignorance of the issue.

Anybody has spoken to them recently about this ? Do they intend to fix this glitch ?

Alain

[fmjets11]

I talked to them but they did not indicate if they were even working on a fix. In their mind the fix is the old firmware I believe. Sad for Ecotech...

I get it about ESL and reeflink but the problem I have is that I bought wxm, used it for 2 weeks, a new firmware came out and broke it. I should have just bought reeflink I guess.

[Alain B]

I think neptune should remove the "apex ready " for the radion on their website , if all of this is not fixed : every one buying new radions will most likely be stuck with this problem .


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[ElmoC]

I think neptune should remove the "apex ready " for the radion on their website , if all of this is not fixed : every one buying new radions will most likely be stuck with this problem .

It could even cause some legal issues with Neptune if someone pushed it. If Neptune advertises it at apex ready but there is a flaw in the firmware that doesn't allow it to work with the apex, knows about the issue and does nothing about it, they could probably be charged with false advertising. It really bothers me the attitude of both EcoTech and Neptune about this issue. Neptune should be all over EcoTech to get it fixed but I haven't seen where they have done anything about it.

[theguyonthecouch]

What a piss poor statement! It benefits the whole community (and yes...you too, Ecotech!) to ensure compatibility with controllers. Does Ecotech believe that everyone will run out and buy a reeflink now? My controller works great and I have no reason to buy another inferior controller! Pretty confident there are plenty of hobbyists in the same situation. My G3 Pro is great, but if this doesn't get sorted out soon, I will never purchase another Ecotech product. There are too many competitors with great products to purchase unsupported equipment! C'mon, Ecotech...do the right thing!

For those who might be interested i found this on some other forum :


We share this market with some other great companies, but please tell me another light out there that enables cloud based control over it? AI- buy a director. Neptune? Buy the WXM then sign up for their beta Fusion. GHL? No. It seems as if you're not fully familiar with the technology behind the ESL cloud based control platform and the Reeflink. Once this technology hits the VorTech pumps you'll have even more possibilities by being able to control your lights and your pumps direct from your iPhone or any other device. And pumps/lights are just the beginning.

One of the most advanced features of the Reeflink: in terms of the control architecture, the Reeflink is assigning your pumps/lights a schedule based on what you created using ESL. Once the pumps and lights have been programmed your pumps/light then run on their own. If the wifi is lost, this doesn't change anything as the pumps and lights already know what to do and when to do it. With other solutions out there the products are being told what to do at each moment, this means if you lose the "controller" connection then the products will be forced to revert to a fall back. Not ideal.

More importantly, you don't need to have a degree in IT to install and use a Reeflink. The purpose is that most people don't know how to use port forwarding or how to navigate around a firewall and the reeflink doesn't require that you do. Create an ESL account, plug in the Reeflink, download the iPhone ap, and you're done: mobile control of your devices.

T



__________________
Tim Marks

President
EcoTech Marine
www.ecotechmarine.com

[ElmoC]

I have no reason to buy another inferior controller

*ANOTHER* inferior controller? What was the first inferior controller you bought?

This part of that original statement really bothers me though...

download the iPhone ap

What if we don't use inferior phones like an iPhone? Are we suppose to go buy another phone just so we can control it?

[BertL]

...Neptune should be all over EcoTech to get it fixed but I haven't seen where they have done anything about it.

if you've not seen it, look at THIS sticky at the top of this forum. My impression from that is quite different from yours with Neptune having done and doing all they can from their side of the equation ...going so far as Neptune's VP coming out to their user community to try and also help exert pressure on the EcoTech side for our mutual benefit.

[ElmoC]

Yeah. I have seen that and to me, it sounds like Neptune just passing the buck. Since they list it as Apex ready, they can demand EcoTech to fix it or lose the certificate.

[KarlyBoy]

Is this issue only affecting older versions of the Radion (i.e. G1/G2) or is it affecting versions including the G3 & G3 pro, I am trying to understand the issue

[Alain B]

The issue is related to the latest radion firmware version 1.7.4 and 1.7.6 , radions running 1.6.10 seem in most cases to run fine .

[mab349]

My belief is that this will harm EcoTech because they became popular by technically inclined aquarists recommending their products. I know I won't be doing that anymore until it is fixed. You're better off with other companies solutions now.

Yeah. I have seen that and to me, it sounds like Neptune just passing the buck. Since they list it as Apex ready, they can demand EcoTech to fix it or lose the certificate.

I disagree. Ecotech is providing the radio chip and the firmware for the WXM module. The only way that Neptune could possibly do something is if they develop their own firmware for the radio chip, which I imagine would be a tall order. I do agree that Neptune should pull their Apex Ready certification because clearly they're not supporting it properly.

[BertL]

Is this issue only affecting older versions of the Radion (i.e. G1/G2) or is it affecting versions including the G3 & G3 pro, I am trying to understand the issue

Yes, G3 And G3 Pro as well. In talking with Neptune Support, as Alainb600 says, it's all about firmware level. Issue with G3 and G3 Pros is one needs the latest firmware level (that's what they all come with from the factory) if you need for some reason the Radion to be seen as a G3 to say EcoSmart or Reeflink (the Apex does not care), as well as if you want (IIRC) lightning/special effects on the G3s, but I picked up it is possible to downgrade firmware on even the G3s and they operate better than the latest level of firmware they came with if one is OK living with loosing those couple of things. (IMHO, that also sure points a finger at something having changed in the Radion firmware level that broke the WXM with EcoTech's last release.)

My Radion Pro G3s are in their box at the moment, and should be going on my new build hopefully within the next month or so when that gets done. I purchased the Radions specifically because they are documented by both Neptune and EcoTech Marine as "Apex Ready+" as I wanted to control everything I own via my Apex. If I end up with the same issue as others are with the WXM (and I probably will), I have a partially written note ready to send to both support and the President of EcoTech Marine, then plan to downgrade firmware levels on my Radions until (I pray) the problem is eventually resolved and EcoTech stops playing games and steps back up to the plate some of their customers expect of them.