ProFilux Touch gets launch date, $349 pre order price [Updated]

Posted on March 8th, 2011 by 13

The Profilux Touch, a unit that should help control your aquarium has finally gotten a launch date. We first spied the Touch unit from Profilux back at Macna last year and it has over gone a few changes from the original prototype we saw. The Profilux touch will sport a 4.3″ color touch screen and be able to control temperature, pH-value, redox (ORP), conductivity, oxygen and light intensity along with moon phases. The pump, outlet control along with alarms, feeding, pause, and maintenance modes are all a given. This biggest thing that is missing here is the price, with an official MSRP missing from the spec sheet. With the Profilux Touch going to compete with the soon to be released Cerebra , these are interesting times if you are in the market for an aquarium controller. Expect to be able to pick up the  Profilux Touch in May 2011. Pre-orders have already started to begin via official GHL channels. Hit past the break for more official blurb.

Update: We are told that the preorder launch price is $349

 

 

The external display and operating unit ProfiLux Touch is connected over the ProfiLux Aquatic Bus (PAB is present in ProfiLux 3, for instance) and is the perfect add-on for your aquarium computer system!

The device shows you at a glance all important readings and states of your aquarium or terrarium on a 4.3” color touchscreen – e.g.:

* Temperature, pH-value, redox (ORP), conductivity, oxygen and activity of the control loops
* Light intensity and moon phase
* States of pumps and power outlets
* Alarm, feeding pause and maintenance
* Reminder texts and time with date

You can adjust by yourself what information you would like to see.

Further Highlights:

* ProfiLux Touch offers several background images – you can choose the background according to your personal taste.
* The integrated speaker allows an acoustical warning in the event of an alarm.
* The power suppy and the PAB connection are managed through a thin cable which leads to the back of the device, therefore a discreet wiring is possible. The connection of the PAB-lines and of the power supply is managed through the included PAB-Businterface at another, hidden location.

Shipment includes:

* Wall mounting set (Optional there are other mounting sets available, please see below)
* PAB-Businterface
* Universal power supply
* Connection cable from ProfiLux Touch to PAB-Businterface (2 m)

PAB-cables are not part of the shipment, please order them separately.

Dimensions: 138 mm x 94 mm x 25 mm (L x W x D)

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  • Anonymous

    We have just provided Reef Builders with the pre launch price. Pre orders will be available from http://www.ghl-direct.com later this week and any one of our other retail outlets.

  • Anonymous

    We have just provided Reef Builders with the pre launch price. Pre orders will be available from http://www.ghl-direct.com later this week and any one of our other retail outlets.

  • Anonymous

    GHL GmbH official announcment -

    ProfiLux Touch – finally!
    It’s some time ago now, and in the meantime we even considered not to release the ProfiLux Touch at all.

    There were many objections against the ProfiLux Touch, some said they prefer an app for their smartphone, others wanted to purchase a netbook and use it with ProfiLuxControl. Some wanted a smaller device, others a larger one with similar features like ProfiLuxControl.
    So we were very close to stop the project completely because it seemed to be impossible to make everyone happy.

    But we changed our mind after we heared from many customers and retailers by email, phone or in this forum that they wish a simple display unit which
    - is suitable for permanent operation with an active display (should be considered when talking about a smartphone or a netbook)
    - fits perfectly to ProfiLux – means: produced by GHL
    - offers some additional functions (like feeding pause and maintenance)!

    So I decided to push this project again and to give the next statements after the development made progress and we are close to the market launch!

    To make it short: ProfiLux Touch will be available from 01. May 2011 on!!!

    Here you can find further information:

    http://www.aquariumcomputer.com/Syst…lux_touch.html

    And to all: Many thanks for your helpful hints and suggestions!

  • http://www.facebook.com/landon.lasseter Landon Lasseter

    I will be interested to see how the MSRP of the Cerebra compares to a Profilux package including this new touch panel. I currently use multiple Neptune Apex units (great) and a DA RKE (awful) on my various tanks, but would consider switching in the future if these platforms prove to be very capable. I am however apprehensive about this product because I feel the GHL-Profilux is fairly overpriced as it is for what you get.

  • Anonymous

    Hi Landon,

    Good points for sure. The only thing I can say as I always tell people about GHL is that many of the features that are available as options or not available at all with other brands come built in as standard with profiLux, so when you start to do a system comparison it does not weigh out as expensive as people think.

    For sure there is a strong “ticket shock” with GHL I will be the first to admit that but when you start to break down the benefits and by that I also mean long term benefits, i.e wholly future proof, things come often very favourable to GHL. My plus II I purchased back in 2004 is now a Profilux 3EX ;) using same components (even the original Temp probe)

    The other things of course to concider and a point made to us by many passing through our stand at Macna was the fact the ProfiLux offers a complete control suit of products, not just a controller that you then DIY where possible third party options to. One of the steongest selling points is the GHL doser allowing dosing in ML as well as timed events.

    There will be a bundle pack launched shortly for those that want a head unit from the get go!

    GHL Direct through progressive reef will also be doing club group buys starting in April.

    I am sure there will be many comparisons about other makes, this is probbaly the most passionate subject on any blog apart from LED, so I quite expect lots of for and againsts :)

  • Anonymous

    worth noting also – GHL is already Iphone friendly and Android is coming shortly. The PLC6 software also provides probably the most advancement in aquatic control software out there and its free :)

  • Anonymous

    You can not even compar the 2 units, Cerebra is based on Android and Profilux even with the added touch module is still profilux.
    There will be tons more that Cerebra be capable of doing that profilux will never do, period.
    You might have an I-phone app or Android App, but it is not being run on Android and all the possibilities that such unit can offer.
    Those are facts!

  • http://www.facebook.com/landon.lasseter Landon Lasseter

    I agree with you, but do not want to be so blunt or forceful in my assessment. I do think the Android platform is capable of a lot more diversity than anything else out there. After all, having a free Operating System to base your design on lets you focus on specific software components actual features instead of having to build your own product ‘core’.

    While I have no first hand experience with the Profilux, it does seem to be a capable platform, just extremely overpriced. For example, a 6 outlet Profilux III EX PAB powerbar costs $319.20 on Progressive Reef, while the 8 outlet Apex EB8 costs only $149.99. That is $53.20 an outlet for Profilux expansion, but less than half as much for an Apex at only $18.75/outlet.

    Continuing on the price….
    The Base Apex package with pH probe runs about $490.
    The Base ‘Beginner’ Profilux III package costs almost twice as much at $899, comes with two less power outlets, and appears to lack some of the stuff that is standard on the Apex.
    The Profilux III EX package, which appears about the same as the Beginner III package costs $1149, well over twice the Apex cost.

    In short, while it is nice to see a new product coming out, I feel the Profilux is not really a major competitor of the most popular controllers out there, because it is so far outside of the price range, and I don’t really see any distinguishing ability or features that the other controllers do not have to justify the price. At least nothing to justify an almost 200% or more price difference.

    Going back to the Cerebra, the reason it intrigues me is because of two factors. First, it is based on Android, and as a former developer/IT guy, I always like to see Linux used in applications. Secondly, I feel the Cerebra will be competitively priced with other more abundant controller options like the Apex and RKE, although it appears the RKE is loosing ground constantly to other options lately. If it arrives at a lower price point than the Profilux, this second point I feel is the most important, and will be telling of Vertex’s success coming into the controller market.

    I also think the fact that there have only been three people commenting here, versus many more over on the recent Cerebra post, shows where future customer interest (and the market) is swaying. I think the activity on this thread is a prime example of showing how it is ‘lonely at the top (of the price bracket)’ for the Profilux. Again, I could be completely wrong, and the Cerebra could wind up being a very expensive product. However, with known information so far, this seems unlikely. While the Profilux does seem like a great product, it is largely overvalued in my opinion, and the hope with the Cerebra is to have a valid product at a proper price point, which would be game changing.

    Wish everyone well,
    Landon

  • http://www.facebook.com/landon.lasseter Landon Lasseter

    I agree with you, but do not want to be so blunt or forceful in my assessment. I do think the Android platform is capable of a lot more diversity than anything else out there. After all, having a free Operating System to base your design on lets you focus on specific software components actual features instead of having to build your own product ‘core’.

    While I have no first hand experience with the Profilux, it does seem to be a capable platform, just extremely overpriced. For example, a 6 outlet Profilux III EX PAB powerbar costs $319.20 on Progressive Reef, while the 8 outlet Apex EB8 costs only $149.99. That is $53.20 an outlet for Profilux expansion, but less than half as much for an Apex at only $18.75/outlet.

    Continuing on the price….
    The Base Apex package with pH probe runs about $490.
    The Base ‘Beginner’ Profilux III package costs almost twice as much at $899, comes with two less power outlets, and appears to lack some of the stuff that is standard on the Apex.
    The Profilux III EX package, which appears about the same as the Beginner III package costs $1149, well over twice the Apex cost.

    In short, while it is nice to see a new product coming out, I feel the Profilux is not really a major competitor of the most popular controllers out there, because it is so far outside of the price range, and I don’t really see any distinguishing ability or features that the other controllers do not have to justify the price. At least nothing to justify an almost 200% or more price difference.

    Going back to the Cerebra, the reason it intrigues me is because of two factors. First, it is based on Android, and as a former developer/IT guy, I always like to see Linux used in applications. Secondly, I feel the Cerebra will be competitively priced with other more abundant controller options like the Apex and RKE, although it appears the RKE is loosing ground constantly to other options lately. If it arrives at a lower price point than the Profilux, this second point I feel is the most important, and will be telling of Vertex’s success coming into the controller market.

    I also think the fact that there have only been three people commenting here, versus many more over on the recent Cerebra post, shows where future customer interest (and the market) is swaying. I think the activity on this thread is a prime example of showing how it is ‘lonely at the top (of the price bracket)’ for the Profilux. Again, I could be completely wrong, and the Cerebra could wind up being a very expensive product. However, with known information so far, this seems unlikely. While the Profilux does seem like a great product, it is largely overvalued in my opinion, and the hope with the Cerebra is to have a valid product at a proper price point, which would be game changing.

    Wish everyone well,
    Landon

  • Anonymous

    Agreed,
    Also out of the 3 people here Aqua Digital is the Profilux distributor :)
    I do own a Profilux and it is solid although not user friendly at all.
    On the same not I did love my one and half pound motorola 20 years ago but eventualy came the time to move on to better things.
    Beside the OS what will make profilux obsolete compared to Cerebra is the CPU.
    Profilux is an old Fujitsu and if you convert to P3 you are just getting a piggy back, so the argument of being future proof is absolutaley non sense.
    There is no such thing as future proof when it comes to electronic devices, you can add a piggy back chip as many times as you want it will not sum up to the new Arm Cortex that just came out.
    Samsung Galaxy uses the same.
    I too look forward to the pricing and really hope that Vertex is hearing us out and making the unit affordable to more people.

  • http://www.facebook.com/landon.lasseter Landon Lasseter

    Since you own a Profilux I would be really interested in talking with you about it. Since I have no first hand experience with it, I would like direct input from someone who does, who isn’t a distributor or doesn’t have some other commercial interest involved.
    If you happen to have facebook, my name links to my account here, so we could get in touch that way.

  • Anonymous

    Landon,
    I don’t use FB, my 14 year old does and I hate FB for that reason alone! :)
    I do use LinkedIn or we can chat over email, I will send you my email on FB.
    Dave

  • http://www.facebook.com/landon.lasseter Landon Lasseter

    Haha, probably a valid reason to hate it. Yeah send over your email that way. It would be great if I could get you to answer some questions about it from your perspective.
    Landon