AI’s new controller firmware version 2 unlocks a motherlode of features

The super popular AI vega LED light has just been endowed with a bumper crop of new and exciting features thanks to a free firmware update to the feature-rich new AI Controller. With version 2 of the AI Controller, you can now use the wireless connection of AI Sols and Nano LEDs with the Wireless Adapter where before the controller would only play nice using the cable link of old.

With Firmware V2 you can now also enable sunset sunrise and cloud sweeping functions for AquaIllumination’s legacy Sol and Nano LED light fixtures, making for the seamless, wireless integration of a whole army of Vegas, Sols and Nanos so basically an entire fish store. Some other minor tweaks to the new firmware for the AI controller include fully automatic sweep speed for up to 30 Vega lighting modules, a dim down that prevents coral burning if wireless communications fail for an extended period of time. and a revamped user interface for easier setup and control.

The most exciting new features though are the ones dealing with region-specific sunrise and sunset. There is a Global Region Timer that simulates actual sunrise/sunset times of major coral reefs around the world. Or even more high tech, there’s a GPS coordinate Timer for automatic local sunrise/sunset tracking meaning that your AI Vega, Sol or Nano can track the photoperiod where you live and basically come on and go off in synchrony with where you live.

Finaly, the full promise of the AI Vega is close to being realized with the new formware supporting Power Pucks in custom colors. The way this works is that each custom-made Power Puck is encoded with what colors and what types of LEDs are on each puck, reporting back to the controller so it knows what’s happening in your Vega. This means that when you get custom PowerPucks in the future your AI controller will automatically recognize each LED on each puck of every Vega and you’ll be able to control away with hardly any input to your controller.

Version 2 of the new AI controller firmware is available now as a free download, link just went live so get it while it’s hot! [AquaIllumination]

Jake Adams

Jake Adams has been an avid marine aquarist since the mid 90s and has worked in the retail side of the marine aquarium trade for more than ten years. He has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and has been the managing editor of ReefBuilders.com since 2008. Jake is interested in every facet of the marine aquarium hobby from the concepts to the technology, rare fish to exotic corals, and his interests are well documented through a very prolific career of speaking to reef clubs and marine aquarium events, and writing articles for aquarium publications across the globe. His primary interest is in corals which Jake pursues in the aquarium hobby as well as diving the coral reefs of the world.