Has anyone that pre-ordered seen their ION Director yet?

[HuneyBear]

general learning of the antiquated software from the 1960's moon project.

I tend to agree with you on their software. It could use an upgrade. One has to figure out what the programmer has in mind to get through it. It can get frustrating.

I have said this before but will say it again. GHL software is all based on PLC technology from the 80’s-90’s. It’s simple software with no frills because it was made for industrial purposes. Language conversion is where things can be scrambled. Therefore some things are in terms that confuse anyone English speaking. I have worked with PLC’s so I didn’t struggle as much.

anyways…. Back to the waiting game…

 

[robbyg]

This thread is a gold mine for people considering GHL products.

It's not really a true representation of GHL although it does demonstrate their poor communication skills.
Overall their products are some of the best made and are very reliable. Delivery of common parts is not an issue and judging from the direction they where going Pre Pandemic I suspect that if not for Covid, BRS would have been stocked up with almost everything made by GHL by now.

Since the BRS One Ring Mergers have occurred I doubt that GHL will be as prominent going forward on BRS but they still have Vinny and he has been really good on coming through on the things that he can control. Unfortunately the ionD is not something he can control.

 

[Member No 1]

^This!

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I have said this before but will say it again. GHL software is all based on PLC technology from the 80’s-90’s.

So it's 30-40 year old tech, not 50-60 year old tech.... That's comforting... I just wish it didn't take eons to connect, understand, and use.

 

[Manny’s Reef]

So it's 30-40 year old tech, not 50-60 year old tech.... That's comforting... I just wish it didn't take eons to connect, understand, and use.

I saw you complaining on the Neptune side of the forums. I admit, I did not expect to see you complaining about GHL as well. I guess I assumed you were biased in one regard. Alas, I admit I was wrong. You are complaining about everything equally.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I saw you complaining on the Neptune side of the forums. I admit, I did not expect to see you complaining about GHL as well. I guess I assumed you were biased in one regard. Alas, I admit I was wrong. You are complaining about everything equally.

LOL, true enough. I am not wedded to any brand. I'll throw away anything if something better comes out. It's pretty sad that it's expected (the norm) if a person complains about one brand they must be complimentary to the competitor? What does that say about the genuineness of the complaint and people being tribal with purchase defense? I can be blunt, but that's my way, and the criticism is meant to be constructive for the company. People just defending products and company practices i don't think improves anything. Positive reinforcement i save for my children and other kids, not corporations charging arms and legs for reef gear.

Neptune controllers have far better usability, at least the older version i had did. If i trusted the hardware, or if it was not so expensive (when being built cheaply) and back ups were reasonable to have on hand, i would go apex despite my misgivings as toward Neptune's proprietary nature.

Hydros has some potential???

Waiting this long for GHL products, at least i think GHL wants their hardware to be sound. Better than say rushing to release a light that does not even have a mount. Then again, Neptune and Eco-tech long ago likely knew they were going to be one in the same--so i guess the mount came out before the light! haha.

I'd be fine waiting for the Ion Director, as long as they need--months or years--if i thought it would ultimately do what anticipated it did from the early marketing. The devil appears to be in the details though... First generation tester still and probably not a big time saver is my speculation... For example, if the probe(s) only lasts 6 months or so--how often are you calibrating them/it before then??? If you're testing everyday, there has to be maintenance? And no phosphate testing as they originally promised...

 

[Manny’s Reef]

LOL, true enough. I am not wedded to any brand. I'll throw away anything if something better comes out. It's pretty sad that it's expected (the norm) if a person complains about one brand they must be complimentary to the competitor? What does that say about the genuineness of the complaint and people being tribal with purchase defense? I can be blunt, but that's my way, and the criticism is meant to be constructive for the company. People just defending products and company practices i don't think improves anything. Positive reinforcement i save for my children and other kids, not corporations charging arms and legs for reef gear.

Neptune controllers have far better usability, at least the older version i had did. If i trusted the hardware, or if it was not so expensive (when being built cheaply) and back ups were reasonable to have on hand, i would go apex despite my misgivings as toward Neptune's proprietary nature.

Hydros has some potential???

Waiting this long for GHL products, at least i think GHL wants their hardware to be sound. Better than say rushing to release a light that does not even have a mount. Then again, Neptune and Eco-tech long ago likely knew they were going to be one in the same--so i guess the mount came out before the light! haha.

I'd be fine waiting for the Ion Director, as long as they need--months or years--if i thought it would ultimately do what anticipated it did from the early marketing. The devil appears to be in the details though... First generation tester still and probably not a big time saver is my speculation... For example, if the probe(s) only lasts 6 months or so--how often are you calibrating them/it before then??? If you're testing everyday, there has to be maintenance? And no phosphate testing as they originally promised...

I love this response. True to the core. I feel similar to you about Neptune and BRS. I actually purchased two Skys with my LFS. Before they arrived, I contacted the store and told him I didn't want them anymore. I swapped for more kessils and other equipment. The thing is, I just can't get behind the over-inflamed hype. I would rather the product speak for itself.

I used to be a salesmen for verizon. One thing I hated about some coworkers was this: Ex, Client comes in and says sell me on the iphone. The salesmen then talked about everything wrong with android phones. I hated this approach. I always sold the product for what it was worth.

I've actually read a lot of your comments (almost whipped out the popcorn on some). You may be one of the only persons on here who will understand my sentiment and farfetched analogy here. I hate the Sky lights for the exact same reason I hate the vaccine mandates. Too many people talking about it for the wrong reasons; highly polarized; turned into an "us vs them" argument; too many distractors and deflectors; no one selling it for what its worth - selling it because "they have to." Does this make sense? It hasn't to anyone else I've tried to explain it to.

Anyhow, I understand to a large extent where you come from. I do think you are a bit hard on Neptune's marketing team. After all, it's there job to sell their product. I simply can not accept any Neptune marketing from BRS anymore, no matter how good their track record is. I don't think they realize the damage they've done to sales by streamlining the Skys to the front of the line, especially when hobbyists have been screaming for BRS investigates for lights like the Mitras, for a couple of years now. Making matters worse, a quick search will show BRS employees logging on here and promising the GHL reviews were "on the way." So much for that.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I love this response. True to the core. I feel similar to you about Neptune and BRS. I actually purchased two Skys with my LFS. Before they arrived, I contacted the store and told him I didn't want them anymore. I swapped for more kessils and other equipment. The thing is, I just can't get behind the over-inflamed hype. I would rather the product speak for itself.

I used to be a salesmen for verizon. One thing I hated about some coworkers was this: Ex, Client comes in and says sell me on the iphone. The salesmen then talked about everything wrong with android phones. I hated this approach. I always sold the product for what it was worth.

I've actually read a lot of your comments (almost whipped out the popcorn on some). You may be one of the only persons on here who will understand my sentiment and farfetched analogy here. I hate the Sky lights for the exact same reason I hate the vaccine mandates. Too many people talking about it for the wrong reasons; highly polarized; turned into an "us vs them" argument; too many distractors and deflectors; no one selling it for what its worth - selling it because "they have to." Does this make sense? It hasn't to anyone else I've tried to explain it to.

Anyhow, I understand to a large extent where you come from. I do think you are a bit hard on Neptune's marketing team. After all, it's there job to sell their product. I simply can not accept any Neptune marketing from BRS anymore, no matter how good their track record is. I don't think they realize the damage they've done to sales be streamlining the Skys to the front of the light, especially when hobbyists have been screaming for BRS investigates for lights like the Mitras, for a couple of years now.

Trust me, i get it.... In a world of sheep, think for yourself and have the ability to critically think..

Edit: as a side note, i was intending to be hard on Neptune's marketing strategy, not the team (that is just doing what it is told), just as i am intending to be hard on GHL practices, choice of software, choice of lacking an update on software or providing good functionality/options in its software (such as no weekly testing option on the Ion Director), and lack of communicating necessary details on Ion Director (Can you test once a month or once a week and not harm the probe/machine or not? Does the reagent expire? etc.); I am not intending to be hard on guys like Vinny--doing what they're told and trying to do their jobs the best they can. I can see how criticizing a company's decisions and products can be viewed as criticizing employees--but it's not the same thing. It is not personal too me. I have no loyalty nor friendship nor purchase defense and do not intend to..

 

[areefer01]

So far there's a lot of speculation on how this thing works without any concrete facts.

Who's job is it to provide those facts?
Also why are they not out?
People have these things right or is the NDA still strong?

 

[Manny’s Reef]

Trust me, i get it.... In a world of sheep, think for yourself and have the ability to critically think..

Edit: as a side note, i was intending to be hard on Neptune's marketing strategy, not the team (that is just doing what it is told), just as i am intending to be hard on GHL practices, choice of software, choice of lacking an update on software or providing good functionality/options in its software (such as no weekly testing option on the Ion Director), and lack of communicating necessary details on Ion Director (Can you test once a month or once a week and not harm the probe/machine or not? Does the reagent expire? etc.); I am not intending to be hard on guys like Vinny--doing what they're told and trying to do their jobs the best they can. I can see how criticizing a company's decisions and products can be viewed as criticizing employees--but it's not the same thing. It is not personal too me. I have no loyalty nor friendship nor purchase defense and do not intend to..

Let me just get rid of that comment. In hindsight, I need to be nicer.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Actually I disliked a former Neptune employee. He specifically was my only gripe with Neptune prior to the sky hype. His demeanor and tactics were repulsing to me.

I am not disagreeing.

Who's job is it to provide those facts?
Also why are they not out?
People have these things right or is the NDA still strong?

My thought is that the answers are not what waiting buyers want to hear...

 

[Scdell]

Who's job is it to provide those facts?
Also why are they not out?
People have these things right or is the NDA still strong?

No answers to any of this. One could try asking GHL but I'd have to say good luck with that!
It seems everything is sworn to secrecy about the IOND until it actually ships and gets in the hands of users.
On a good note though? They're hanging that carrot over our heads one more time with shipping supposed to start next week. Anyone believe that or want to take a bet on it?

 

[IKD]

No answers to any of this. One could try asking GHL but I'd have to say good luck with that!
It seems everything is sworn to secrecy about the IOND until it actually ships and gets in the hands of users.
On a good note though? They're hanging that carrot over our heads one more time with shipping supposed to start next week. Anyone believe that or want to take a bet on it?

When you say shipping starting next week, are you expecting a general email from GHL saying they are starting to ship again with no details? Or are you expecting a tracking number for your specific order? The answer strongly affects my betting posture

 

[Scdell]

When you say shipping starting next week, are you expecting a general email from GHL saying they are starting to ship again with no details? Or are you expecting a tracking number for your specific order? The answer strongly affects my betting posture

Expecting a tracking #. But they've promised that before without fulfillment.

 

[IKD]

Expecting a tracking #. But they've promised that before without fulfillment.

Without any rationale besides this thread, I’ll say you get an email indicating they are working it, mostly on schedule, and you’ll get a tracking number soon when they put it in the mail.

 

[Scdell]

Without any rationale besides this thread, I’ll say you get an email indicating they are working it, mostly on schedule, and you’ll get a tracking number soon when they put it in the mail.

This is non committal betting.....I've gotten plenty of those already. What's another one added to the list?

 

[IKD]

This is non committal betting.....I've gotten plenty of those already. What's another one added to the list?

Lol, ok ok. I bet you do not get a tracking number by 5pm EST on 11/22.

By the way, I hope I am wrong

 

[Scdell]

Lol, ok ok. I bet you do not get a tracking number by 5pm EST on 11/22.

By the way, I hope I am wrong

I'm hoping you're wrong also.
Honestly I think they will come through this time.
So...... My bet is I will. And being as I live only about ten miles from their warehouse I could see it on my doorstep on Tuesday. Imagine that.

 

[IKD]

I'm hoping you're wrong also.
Honestly I think they will come through this time.
So...... My bet is I will. And being as I live only about ten miles from their warehouse I could see it on my doorstep on Tuesday. Imagine that.

Fingers crossed!

 

[HuneyBear]

I'm hoping you're wrong also.
Honestly I think they will come through this time.
So...... My bet is I will. And being as I live only about ten miles from their warehouse I could see it on my doorstep on Tuesday. Imagine that.

The problem being that close is in the shipper then. Your unit has to go to the other side of the continent to get processed and lost amongst the Christmas packages and not driven down the street.