User friendly?

[riverswillbeer]

This thing looks AWESOME ..... but playing with the demo and reading what little I can find ... is this thing hard to get the hang of ? Or is this thing for geeks only.

Is there decent documentation for this device ? If so... is it available to look at now?

thanks for any information.

[gbrewer]

This thing looks awsome because it is AWSOME!

The device can be as easy or as complex as you want it to be. For starting out, you can operate the device in manual mode and just push the buttons to turn your devices on and off. As you become used to the system, you will tend to develop processes for your brewing system. A process is simply a term which tell your device what to do. Inside this process is a set of instructions (or steps). Each step is programmable. For example... Hold your mash temperature at 154 degrees for 1 hour.

There is a WIKI that was written on the device to get you going. Inside the WIKI you will find several example processes which should get you heading towards automation.

What I like about the system is you can continue to add (or remove) steps or processes to fit your brewing system. If you want to add another pump to your system, you can update your BCS460 to control the additional pump.

The learning curve is short. You will find good support via these forums from various users. The BCS460 is a growing community and we look forward to reading that you became one of us!

[ECC]

All of the documentation is on the wiki.
http://www.embeddedcontrolconcepts.com/wiki

In my opinion, there are 2 learning curves with the BCS-460 that need to be considered:

1. Network accessibility. The BCS-460 is a networked device. As I'm sure that you've read, it sits on the network so that it can be accessed by any computer, and so that you can use you're computer as an interface. This is the BCS-460's greatest strength, IMHO, because it allows a nearly unlimited access to monitor and control your process. (Have you ever tried to go through the menus of another PID? Don't forget your secret decoder ring ).. But this accessibility does come with a price, you have some network experience. Have you ever setup a home network? Are you able to log into your router and see which computers are connected? A little geekiness really comes in handy. If you aren't already comfortable with that, the learning curve will be steeper. I think its well documented and easy enough to learn, but might take some effort particularly if you want to setup a wireless connection.
2. Programming. Once you can access the BCS-460, next you need to program it to do something useful. The complexity here really dependent on what you what it to do. If you want to hold a temp via PID, it doesn't get any simpler than Manual Mode. If you want to do something more complex, (like one of these examples), programming is a little more involved. Again, a little geekiness comes in handy. You don't have to know how to write computer code, compile executeables, or upload binaries to a target device... But lets face it, if you are trying to automate a very complex system with stringent requirements, you're going to have to put some time in. Nothing is free. The BCS-460 is a tool, it won't automate your system for you. But it WILL enable you to do exactly that.

Like gbrewer said, if you run into trouble or need pointed in the right direction, you've found the right place. The support community is continuously growing, so chances are someone's already solved the problem that you may be having.

[BCS Portland]

So simple a caveman could use it.

[riverswillbeer]

Thanks alot for the in depth answers! I am a network administrator by trade ... thats partly what got me interested in the device. But I'll be honest, the interface looks very complicated. With your explainations and links to resources along with your obvious excitement for this thing.... Im not scared. I will pick one of these up. Hopefully I will learn some cool applications for this thing by reading your forum here as well as contribute some. Thanks again for the answers!

[np0x]

I think it's not that the bcs is complicated, it's flexible, and brewing is complicated. It seems like everyone does everything a little bit differently...while we all do the same general thing, we are all sort of dancing around the fire together, not really following some hard core, insert tab A into slot B methods. The beauty of the BCS is that it isn't going to force you into some sort of cookie cutter method of how you ARE SUPPOSED to brew...it's a tool, no different than a thermometer, a ranco, or a pid. How you use it is up to you, it 's beauty is it's flexibility. Jump on in, the waters warm.