iRFR

It's been sent to Apple for their 'pre-release checks', so we're just waiting for Apple to accept and publish it in the App Store.

- Strike that, I've just been informed by Marketing that they've decided to hold off on release of the iRFR until Eos/Ion 1.5 is released, as it's not supported in Eos/Ion 1.4.5.

Latest update from Anne is that we're now hoping for end-of-May for both releases. A few annoying bugs were discovered recently that we'd really like to squash.

This really sucks for the Congo users that could be using it now!  If the app is really ready and has been sent to Apple for approval, why can't they release it with a warning that it won't be available for the Eos until 1.5?  Then the Congo users can "beta test" it before the Eos/Ion users have it working for them.    It doesn't seem fair to make us wait just because the Eos guys have to wait.  Which brings up the question, if it was ready for the Eos now  and it wouldn't work for Congo until v6 (rumored to be out this summer), would they hold off on the release until Congo had their update?

I'll add my vote for that sucking, if it's ready to go for Congo users, waiting for "marketing reasons" after dangling it infront of us and announcing it as "soon" is really sucky. 

Richard

And If we are taking votes, I am with them.  And I am more of an EOS/ION guy by far than a Congo guy. 

But that's just my .0015  (the economy really sucks right now, doesn't it)

Jeff

Another vote for this sucks.  We are getting ready for a new series which will involve a complete redesign and iRFR would be immensely helpful.  Seems to me, the Congo users could begin working with it and provide valuable feedback.  What kind of marketing is that to have a product ready to go and continue to dangle it in front of your users?  First the product was announced in an article that made it sound like it was available, then we were lead to believe it would be coming soon, now we're being told its ready to go but you're going to hold it until your other software is completed.  Help us out here, wheres the logic?

I think you guys didn't get it... As Sarah told us, they sent iRFR to Apple for APPROVAL. It is totally up to Apple to decide whenever they make it appear on the App Store. It may take weeks...

Sorry SDum read Richard's Post where he clearly states in change to the possition you mention  "Strike that, I've just been informed by Marketing that they've decided to hold off on release of the iRFR until Eos/Ion 1.5 is released, as it's not supported in Eos/Ion 1.4.5."

It may take weeks anyway, I think people are just annoyed that us Congo users could use it now, but we've got to wait for a software release for another platform. I suppose I'm also concerned as this appears to give the impression of Congo playing second fiddle to the EOS platform, which I hope not to be the case.

Richard

Oops... i guess i missed that info. mea culpa maxima...  Sorry richard. it is clear for me now and i totally agree with your statement.

Stephan

Oops, I made a bit of a mistake at the top, and unleashed a storm...

There are a few annoyances in the iRFR on Congo as well as the bugs in Eos/Ion.

Marketing decided that as the pushback of Eos/Ion meant that half the users wouldn't be able to use it yet, we should take some extra time to clear up some of those iRFR issues before releasing.

Hi guys -

I understand your unhappiness with this situation, however either way 1/2 of our users would end up upset and/or confused. It's really not about one platform taking precedence over another. Unfortunately, you all have a wait a little bit before you pay for your iRFR application, instead of having an equal number of you upset that you had paid for the app and could not get it to run with your Eos/Ion without v1.5. Either way, it was going to be bad for someone. For this I apologize. In the mean time, we (ETC) have learned a lot about Apple's not-too-convenient method of getting software posted to the iTunes store and we have taken the opportunity to make some additional small improvements in the iRFR software. So please, bear with us.

Thanks very much for your patience -

Sarah

The real cynic in me might be tempted to speculate that there never was such an application. The manufacturer was testing the water to find out if there was enough demand before going to the expense of writing the software.

Most lighting desk companys I know frequently release software complete with bugs,  ETC being no exception so why the concern over this I don't know.

Anyway, theres no place for cynics here so I'll shut up and keep waiting.

Regards

Chuffer

Actually, the app does exist.  It was shown working at the ETC Booth during USITT in March. 

What is annoying is that users of these young desks, both the Congo and the Eos, have gone through "buggy" stages of the software, and even with all the testing in the world, some bugs will always get through.  But releases put out to people working with the product exposes the bugs, meaning they can be identified and fixed faster.  (Look at Microsoft, oh wait, bad example!)  Anyway, unless the app is actually crashing the desk or the iPod, I still want to play with it! 

If it was truly a late May release, I could deal with it, but we all know that these software releases get pushed beyond the expected drop date, so I wouldn't expect Eos 1.5 to be released until late June, so maybe this app will be available in July.  I hope I'm wrong, though, and it is released on time.

Sara,

Respectfully...the only people this change effects is the congo users.  The Eos/Ion users can't get it either way until you release their new version of the software.  However the congo users could be testing and working out bugs for you right now.  So I guess what I hear you saying is that it's better to have everyone upset instead of half of your users.  The reality is the reason the Congo users are upset is that the software is "ready" but we can't use it because you want to wait for another set of users to be able to use it right when released.

This is frustrating...not just because of the timing of this being pushed back.  First we got the spotlight update via email talking about the product...I and several Houston area LD's immediately went online to look up the software at the app store.  Nothing was mentioned about "coming soon" or anything like that.  So then we looked at your website where there was info on how to get this etc.  Still no software...very confusing.  Our next step was to go to forums and check on when the software would be released.  We had been waiting and waiting...and then got the update that the software was sent to apple for review and would be out when released.  

After all this now your telling us you are going to wait at minimum another month to appease the Eos/Ion customers.  Does it really make Eos/ion customers mad that Congo users will get this available to them first.  I have to say the marketing has not just been confusing on this item...but very, very poor. 

This has been a really poorly handled process by ETC.

Matt

LD, Houston TX

Dear Matt and all,

Matt's last point is the one that really is correct. It has been badly handled by ETC.I am the one this should reflect on and I apologize to you all.

First of all we should not have promoted this until it was ready. That is really the core issue. Iphone apps are a new area for us and we are amazed by the response. We are accustomed to taking our dear sweet time and testing things to death. That is our way and NOT the way of the App store.

Secondly we should not have said it was sent to the app store for review by Apple - since to date it has not been sent even now. We had ETC people reporting hear-say that was simply not accurate.

Thirdly the report that we were delaying to reduce confusion on behalf of Eos/Ion users should not have been reported here since the fact is that the software is simply still not ready! The fact that it would have produced confusion is really true. This is a fact that we at ETC have to take in to account for ourselves and you people as the user group should not have to understand these issues or be informed of them. They should never have been presented to you. I apologize for that.

But fear not. We will eventually release the app and you will no doubt enjoy using it. We have learned a little about what we should not do. And I apologize our bad handling of this.

David Lincecum

Marketing Manager - ETC

David,

Thank you for your candor about this issue.  It seems the misinformation was giving us Congo users a "second-class citizen" complex, and I appreciate your honesty. 

Something is troubling me, however.  On the wiki pages for setups on the iRFR (which I have also been following for some sort of release) they mention on the EOS information page that the encoders and color picker aren't functional for the Congo system.  Is this a temporary thing, hopefully fulfilled in v6 or soon after, or is this just how the RFR talks to Congo?  I assume one would still be able to use the wheels to play with attributes, just not have the pretty interface, right?  One of the reasons I'm excited about this product is that when I purchased my Congo several years ago, the RFR was not available, and I got a cRRFU.  While it works great for some things, it doesn't do everything the RFR does (attributes, patch, etc.) and I don't want to be all excited about getting the app and find out it just does exactly what my cRRFU does, without all the improvements the RFR came with (unfortunately, not a justifiable expense since I have the other remote, but I already have an iPod touch and would gladly shell out $50 for the additional conveniences).