GHL Control Center on Windows 11 ARM

[worldsokayestreef]

Afternoon all.

I'm happy to report that GHL Control Center works great on an M1 Mac with Windows 11 virtualized (VMware). The only issue I've encountered thus far is that I cannot run updates as the VM does not recognize the VCOM device when it starts into programming mode. I realize this is an incredibly specific usage scenario, but has anyone else seen able to overcome this?

 

[BeanAnimal]

Afternoon all.

I'm happy to report that GHL Control Center works great on an M1 Mac with Windows 11 virtualized (VMware). The only issue I've encountered thus far is that I cannot run updates as the VM does not recognize the VCOM device when it starts into programming mode. I realize this is an incredibly specific usage scenario, but has anyone else seen able to overcome this?

USB issues abound on anything that I try. I gave up long ago. GHL need to get serious about a Mac client, but they won’t. I like my GHL stuff, but control center is an awful piece of software built with 30 year UI elements.

 

[Cali9dub]

Yeah having to buy a windows laptop just to use your GHL Profilux as intended really is garbage. But that’s what I had to do ‍

 

[Gaël]

Hello,

GHL has nothing to do with the lack of USB support for Windows emulation on Macs.
Also, the more environments you add to support, the more development slows down and the more problems accumulate.
The way forward is a full web multi-platform environment.

GHL is working on this. Firmware updating should be possible over the air by the end of the year, at least on devices equipped with a Wifi ESP module such as ProfiLux 4/Mini, Doser 2.2 and Mitras LX7 (a prior update via USB will surely be necessary to add the functionality).

Gaël

 

[BeanAnimal]

Hello,

GHL has nothing to do with the lack of USB support for Windows emulation on Macs.

Hi Gaël - Respectfully - that was not the insinuation whatsoever. USB on ANY emulated platform is terrible. It is not GHLs fault, but the reality is that the situation it puts Mac users (there are a LOT of us) in an untenable situation.

Also, the more environments you add to support, the more development slows down and the more problems accumulate.
The way forward is a full web multi-platform environment.

Let me address this with my perspective, that I am sure many other GHL users likely share.

1) Firstly, there are only two relevant platforms in home computing. Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS. Like it or not, the MacOS has a tremendous marketshare. I think it is incumbent on anybody developing hardware/software at this scale to recognize that and develop to support both platforms. There is really no middle ground.

2) Secondly, I would not be going to far out on a limb and say that most of us are not (AT ALL) hoping for a "web platform" environment tied to your (or anybodies) servers. We don't want to rely on an internet connection or worry if the hardware vendor has paid their hosting bill, goes out of business or decides that they need to start charging a subscription to cover the hosting costs.

Moreover (again respectfully) as much as I truly love my GHL hardware, I am not at all pleased with the state or speed of the dashboard or the fact that I have to rely on a hosted server somewhere to see most tracked parameters. It is (frankly) rather terrible. Yes, development and resources cost money but, but the current state of the dashboard is far from ideal and barely useable. Throw 2x - 3x at bandwidth and processing without charging me more, then I may not be so critical.

GHL is working on this. Firmware updating should be possible over the air by the end of the year,

That would be a tremendous step forward that I think would be welcomed by all of us. I don't know how much memory is available on the devices but combining this fact with the "web" based universal app. The control center GUI needs to be hosted from the devices, not some AWS instance. I (to reiterate) don't think most people want to be reliant on an internet hosted resource to manage their local device or see results. I would in-fact purchase a NEW Profilux model if that is what it took to get the added local management and hosed reporting results.

My comments are not meant to be insulting. As you may have learned about me, I speak my mind good or bad, especially when the purchase/investment is as substantial as what I have spent in less than a year with GHL.

The bottom line, I love the hardware and the capabilities and feel that this is the best platform on the market. At the same time I think the control center is a decade or more past its spoil date the dashboard is crippling slow with a UI that is barely serviceable and also from a previous generation of layout and design.

Looking forward to whatever improvements are on the horizon.


P.S. - can you confirm that there is no way to self host a page on the P4 like there was on the P3 - building my own dashboard with the JSON data would solve 70% of my current frustration.

 

[Gaël]

Hi Gaël - Respectfully - that was not the insinuation whatsoever. USB on ANY emulated platform is terrible. It is not GHLs fault, but the reality is that the situation it puts Mac users (there are a LOT of us) in an untenable situation.


Let me address this with my perspective, that I am sure many other GHL users likely share.

1) Firstly, there are only two relevant platforms in home computing. Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS. Like it or not, the MacOS has a tremendous marketshare. I think it is incumbent on anybody developing hardware/software at this scale to recognize that and develop to support both platforms. There is really no middle ground.

2) Secondly, I would not be going to far out on a limb and say that most of us are not (AT ALL) hoping for a "web platform" environment tied to your (or anybodies) servers. We don't want to rely on an internet connection or worry if the hardware vendor has paid their hosting bill, goes out of business or decides that they need to start charging a subscription to cover the hosting costs.

Moreover (again respectfully) as much as I truly love my GHL hardware, I am not at all pleased with the state or speed of the dashboard or the fact that I have to rely on a hosted server somewhere to see most tracked parameters. It is (frankly) rather terrible. Yes, development and resources cost money but, but the current state of the dashboard is far from ideal and barely useable. Throw 2x - 3x at bandwidth and processing without charging me more, then I may not be so critical.


That would be a tremendous step forward that I think would be welcomed by all of us. I don't know how much memory is available on the devices but combining this fact with the "web" based universal app. The control center GUI needs to be hosted from the devices, not some AWS instance. I (to reiterate) don't think most people want to be reliant on an internet hosted resource to manage their local device or see results. I would in-fact purchase a NEW Profilux model if that is what it took to get the added local management and hosed reporting results.

My comments are not meant to be insulting. As you may have learned about me, I speak my mind good or bad, especially when the purchase/investment is as substantial as what I have spent in less than a year with GHL.

The bottom line, I love the hardware and the capabilities and feel that this is the best platform on the market. At the same time I think the control center is a decade or more past its spoil date the dashboard is crippling slow with a UI that is barely serviceable and also from a previous generation of layout and design.

Looking forward to whatever improvements are on the horizon.


P.S. - can you confirm that there is no way to self host a page on the P4 like there was on the P3 - building my own dashboard with the JSON data would solve 70% of my current frustration.

The removing of possibility of serverless operation has never been mentioned.
GHL Connect works perfectly well offline from a local wifi network without internet, or via the wifi hotspot.
GHL Connect is also available without application installation via the local web interface.
So there are 5 ways to access/use/configure GHL devices:
- iOS &Android app GHL Connect via a local connection
- iOS &Android application GHL Connect via myGHL
- Multi-platform web interface (http://GHL_Device_IP)
- Multi-platform website https://myghl.com
- PC application only GHL Control Center (G.C.C.)

For your specific data export request, the GHL API is currently being finalized. (Open a ticket if you don't want to wait for the public release, I'll take care of it personally).

Gaël

 

[BeanAnimal]

Thank you for the prompt response!

I think we are ships crossing in the night @Gaël but that is okay - we are getting somewhere!

I know serverless was not mentioned. I just wanted to make sure that you know that many of us don't care to be tied to a server and wanted to make sure GHL was aware of that. Maybe I misunderstood your comments regarding a new multi-platform web interface, but took it to mean hosted there and not locally.

As we know currently connect does not have the same features as Control Center, just a subset and most importantly no light composer. My intention was to convey that I would like to see "connect" (hosted from the device) become the full featured interface (with composer, firmware, etc.) that GCC is now and then GCC wouldn't matter at all!

Thank again for the response. I will open a ticket!

 

[Gaël]

Yes, I was obviously talking about GHLConnect and not a new interface, sorry for the confusion.

Multichannel Setup takes over most of Light Composer's functions, but it is not yet possible to import LPC files:

Except for a few details, notably LightComposer, only firmware updates require G.C.C.

Gaël

 

[BeanAnimal]

That will be wonderful when it goes live! Make life much easier for Mac users. Then honestly, maybe we could convince you to write just a simple MacOS firmware tool to be done with GCC totally