Big Neptune Systems Announcement on Live Event Today

[rayn]

I purchased mine at the Black Friday sales. I'm not worried about this new one. I feel bad for those that bought theirs at 100 off just to see this though.

I do hope the fusion becomes backward comparable, it had better still be available to us. Would be cool if the new eb832 would work with the older units, but I get why they won't.

All said, I doubt I will upgrade to a whole new unit anytime soon. There are plenty of other controllers out there to look into.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

So the gold package is now the same price, comes with wifi, but no display module?!
And have they fully migrated EVERYTHING from the classic control panel to the Fusion site to get rid of the classic control panel? When I had one only 35% of functions from the classic was in Fusion. With this update have they added functionality to the WXM? (sunrise/sunset, acclimation mode, etc) Any custom variables yet?

Not trash talking, but I saw something in that about 'we've listened to customers'. And the thing looks spiffy, but if nothing has changed except wifi (which other controllers have had for 3-4 years?) then I'm not sure I could purchase this myself. I moved away awhile back, miss it from time to time, but my Reef Angel sufficiently fits the job role and I can edit whatever the heck I want if I see an area for improvement. /shrug

 

[Water Dog]

Gets worse if you are a retailer for them. The price of their products are fixed at x. Retailers can't sell for more/less, they pay y to Neptune for the products so X-Y=Gross Receipts right? Well, with that $100 offer, they reduced the retail price, but did not offer that same amount to the retailers as a rebate. So in order to squeeze as many sales of older units they could, they reduced the price by $100, but the retailers still had to pay/or had paid the same amount. Their Gross Receipts took a hit of $100 on each product they sold AND now they have unhappy customers with obsolete products a month later and no recourse.

I wonder if this is the reason why BRS chose to feature the DA Reefkeeper in their latest 52 weeks of reefing video series focusing on controllers.

 

[Elegance Coral]

I'm confused...
I just watched a video about the upgrade. I saw nothing bad in it. Has Neptune said they were shutting down the old units??? Do we have a reason to believe this is going to happen??? Are we jumping the gun here???
I honestly don't know. I'm a salt water guy, not a tech guy. If they shut down fusion, all of their loyal customers, like me, will not be happy. I just don't understand why they would do that........

 

[CuseReefer]

but I saw something in that about 'we've listened to customers'. And the thing looks spiffy, but if not

So the gold package is now the same price, comes with wifi, but no display module?!
And have they fully migrated EVERYTHING from the classic control panel to the Fusion site to get rid of the classic control panel? When I had one only 35% of functions from the classic was in Fusion. With this update have they added functionality to the WXM? (sunrise/sunset, acclimation mode, etc) Any custom variables yet?

Not trash talking, but I saw something in that about 'we've listened to customers'. And the thing looks spiffy, but if nothing has changed except wifi (which other controllers have had for 3-4 years?) then I'm not sure I could purchase this myself. I moved away awhile back, miss it from time to time, but my Reef Angel sufficiently fits the job role and I can edit whatever the heck I want if I see an area for improvement. /shrug

I kinda laughed when Terence talked about wifi "I'm still going to use wired ethernet since its one less point of failure"..... i was thinking the same thing buddy. But that's not something you say during a product launch about a new sell-able feature! Honestly the addition of wifi is really a moot point. I want a hard line to my critical systems. I've had my router reassign IPs randomly and cause me to lose access to my wifi enabled security cameras too many times to count. I for sure dont want that to happen with my apex if I am on vacation!

 

[blkhwkz]

I wonder if this is the reason why BRS chose to feature the DA Reefkeeper in their latest 52 weeks of reefing video series focusing on controllers.

Unlikely considering the next episode is going to be all about the Apex. They said that 2 videos ago that they were going to do the DA the first week and Apex the next.

 

[iiluisii]

I'm confused...
I just watched a video about the upgrade. I saw nothing bad in it. Has Neptune said they were shutting down the old units??? Do we have a reason to believe this is going to happen??? Are we jumping the gun here???
I honestly don't know. I'm a salt water guy, not a tech guy. If they shut down fusion, all of their loyal customers, like me, will not be happy. I just don't understand why they would do that........

If you look at the Comments someone from Neptune commented saying that the classic will be discontinued. But that's all they said about it.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

I kinda laughed when Terence talked about wifi "I'm still going to use wired ethernet since its one less point of failure"..... i was thinking the same thing buddy. But that's not something you say during a product launch about a new sell-able feature! Honestly the addition of wifi is really a moot point. I want a hard line to my critical systems. I've had my router reassign IPs randomly and cause me to lose access to my wifi enabled security cameras too many times to count. I for sure dont want that to happen with my apex if I am on vacation!

Just look into setting a static IP or PM me and I can walk ya through it... (I do global remote IT stuff so pretty familiar )

I do like the new look, but adding wifi and ditching the display module seems pretty sketchy to me. I might look into getting another Apex in the future if they get things in gear, but my biggest dislike was buying the apex and then finding out not everything is in Fusion, then buying the WXM for 25$ more than the reeflink only to find out it didn't support a few of the basic functions of the radions. That kind of stuff really rubs me wrong.

 

[CuseReefer]

From the Neptune forums (from Terence):

"You are correct though in your assumption. The hardware in the Apex Classic is not mature enough to handle the incredible amount of data and realtime mathematical calculations on all the outlets of one EB832 let alone multiple."

Which I find kinda hard to believe, since each apex module (or power bar) uses its own MCU. I find it laughable if they are actually using CAN bus (aqua bus) to send raw data to the main controller for processing. Yeah the NXP ARM7 they use in the Apex Classic isn't that beefy but it doesn't make sense to architect it this way, esp with each module having a capable local MCU for processing. If this was the case also you couldn't have 20+ modules on the current Classic Apex without maxing out the "brain".

 

[E_Aquatics]

Unlikely considering the next episode is going to be all about the Apex. They said that 2 videos ago that they were going to do the DA the first week and Apex the next.

I talked to BRS and they said they didn't know about the new Apex till yesterday, do I believe that? Im not sure

 

[E_Aquatics]

I emailed Neptune this morning asking a few question and here is their answers for anyone who is interested in knowing more.

Neptune answers are in Bold, Red letter.

First, will the new features on Fusion work with the now called “classic apex”. Can the classic apex be updated with one touch from the iOS app?

• All of the Fusion improvement, like the reminders we announced yesterday will work with the Apex Classic. No, the Apex Classic can not be updated like the new Apex. It will still require manual firmware updates. Part of the HW improvements (or the under the hood aspect of the Apex) is improved components that allow for a one touch firmware updates. The hardware in the old Apex simply can't support it.

Second, what is the reason the new EB832 is not backwards compatible with the old brain? It still uses the same Aquabus connection so what really makes it not backwards compatible?

• Much of why "one touch AOS" can't work on the Apex Classic is why the EB832 can't work on the Apex Classic. Basically the Apex Classic is unable to process the amount of information that the EB832 is delivering to the system "brain." The new Apex has an upgraded processor and memory system to handle that information.

Third, When will the iOS app be release?

• The iOS release of the new App will coincide with the release of the Apex in the first half of June.

 

[Broadfield]

I talked to BRS and they said they didn't know about the new Apex till yesterday, do I believe that? Im not sure

I find it a little hard to believe considering BRS already had it on their site yesterday in full detail.

 

[E_Aquatics]

I find it a little hard to believe considering BRS already had it on their site yesterday in full detail.

I agree... one of the LFS in my area just became a Neptune dealer not too long ago and spent thousands on inventory and he is pretty off because Neptune did not tell him anything about the release, so who knows but I agree there is no way they could have updated their page so quick and with pictures that only BRS has.

 

[james-vader]

I was lucky enough to cancel my old apex purchase before it shipped, but i am still very upset. Welp, guess im going to hook back up my DA controller and wait for the new vertex Cerebra controller. From what I hear its supposed to be released June 20th. https://reefbuilders.com/2016/05/23/vertex-cerebra-maybe-finally-coming-to-market/

 

[Elegance Coral]

If you look at the Comments someone from Neptune commented saying that the classic will be discontinued. But that's all they said about it.

Thanks for the response.
I don't mind if they "discontinue" (as in stop making it), as long as it still works.

 

[Tautog]

Wow, I was ready to buy one last week with my high No3's. I heard of the $100.00 incentive, and was ready, but was still doing the research of dosing. I'm glad I didn't buy, and it sucks that they had to involve my computer. It's stuff like that type of marketing that kills the hobby. Shame on you Neptune, you started your company to help reefers achieve the ultimate goal......coral growth, but dropped the ball here. You already had a captive shopper!

 

[MakoManc]

So basically they're adding one touch updating via IOS and wifi? Any other major differences along with salinity measuring?

 

[CuseReefer]

And Neptune can you please start conformal coating your boards! Would help with salt/water issues big time. Then again the repair business is profitable...

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

I was lucky enough to cancel my old apex purchase before it shipped, but i am still very upset. Welp, guess im going to hook back up my DA controller and wait for the new vertex Cerebra controller. From what I hear its supposed to be released June 20th. https://reefbuilders.com/2016/05/23/vertex-cerebra-maybe-finally-coming-to-market/

Love to see new controllers come out as it drives prices lower.
Lol, 'like the smart phone to rotary'! I bet half the people out there have no idea what a rotary phone is... heh

 

[blkhwkz]

If you look at the Comments someone from Neptune commented saying that the classic will be discontinued. But that's all they said about it.

According to the FAQ on their website they are not discontinuing it. First question they answer.
https://www.neptunesystems.com/faq-for-customers-about-the-next-generation-apex/

Is the Apex Classic obsolete?
Absolutely not. The Apex Classic will continue to be sold and supported both with Apex Fusion as well as new product releases such as the upcoming FMM (Fluid Monitoring Module) and COR (Return Pump). The Apex Classic product HAS NOT been end-of-lifed. Think of it like the iPad and the iPad Pro.

Now since I was planning my first Apex for my next build just need to decide if I am sticking with the classic with lab grade probe or this new one.