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CyberQII Not That Cyber??

Dan in StL
Dan in StL Posts: 254
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I got a CyberQII for Christmas. Really can't complain about that. After a year a half of doing all manual temperature control, a little high tech is a welcome addition.

I haven't had a chance to put it into use yet, but I've been reading through the manuals and posts on this forum and on the BBQ Guru forum. My concern right now is that while the PC software/user interface is cool, the practicality of using it without investing some significant and additional $$ is questionable.

Bottom line is that I'm going to have to drop more money on a wireless USB hub or pay almost as much to run an extra long USB cable through a door or window to a laptop in the house. I'm weighing that against just ignoring the PC-based features and just learning how to navigate the menus on the controller itself (and also leave behind the email alarm notifications).

For those who have gone before me, how are you using yours?? Am I missing something??

Thanks!

Comments

  • Dan,

    Can't help you pal. I got one and couldn't figure it out.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Steven - Thanks for the relpy. So what did you end up doing - just using the main controller?
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    Either put a laptop nearby the egg or buy a cheap usb cable and run it through a door or window....if the distance is to long for usb, buy a "cheap" usb to cat 5 adapter and go hundreds of feet if needed..you don't "need" the wireless hub to enjoy all the beauty of the cyberQ..
  • Dan,

    Just don't use it. Don't need it. If I find the instructions I will.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Wess - Thanks. I'll check that out. I'm really excited about using the CyberQ. It just looks like they fell a bit short of making a good product really great.
  • your best bet is to ask celtic wolf>he knows all about this and everything related to a bge.But thats just my thoughts
  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
    I hear ya..it would have been nice to have full wireless capabilities..that'll most lilkely be the next model introduced..either way it does work well and as advertised when wired to a pc..
  •  
    I use the Stoker and DigiQII.

    However, I can't believe the Guru Folks don't have or aren't working on a solution for this. I think there was a post within the last month about almost the exact question. I remember the door/wall problem being talked about.

    WessB has a good response above (thanks Wess I didn't know there was a converter). Looks like a USB to Ethernet converter is about $7 100' of cat5e or cat6 is about $12

    http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=103&cp_id=10311

    Belkin has a wireless USB for $20.

    http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=wireless+USB&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=11580543653005552985&ei=Xg04S_PPE4akMJ7ZvQ8&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CC4Q8wIwAg#ps-sellers

    GG
  • GG - Good info. I thought the wireless USB would be considerable more. Also, I was reading some posts about the Stoker, which seems to have all the wireless/Internet capability built in. Was having a bit of buyers remorse. But I'm sure I'm going to be happy once I get it figured out and settled in.

    For now I'm just trying to decide whether I want to tackle a briskey right out of the gate or start off with some ribs first.

    Thanks, and Happy Holidays to you, Wess, Little Steven, etc.
  • SkySaw
    SkySaw Posts: 656
    Dan in StL wrote:
    Also, I was reading some posts about the Stoker, which seems to have all the wireless/Internet capability built in.

    The internet/wireless features for the Stoker are not built-in (well, the Stoker does serve up a web page) - you still need to connect a Stoker to a wireless bridge/game adaptor/airport express to get wireless capability.

    Just make sure if you you get a wireless usb hub that it is one that is known to work with the Guru.

    Mark
  • Hey guys. I am not sure that Belkin will work. That is a usb network adapter. It is used to connect a laptop/desktop that does not have built in wi/fi to a wireless network. I am not sure the drivers can be loaded on the Cyber Q II. I think what you need is a hub like this:

    http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=wireless+USB+HUB&cid=17609544079431653038&sa=title#p

    ...where the Cyber Q plugs into the "hub" and the wireless adapter plugs into the computer you want to monitor the egg with. Someone with more experience may want to chime in if I am wrong. I didn't want you to drop $20 on something that wont work for you. I am actually in the same boat.J.
  •  
    Dan, all I did was do a google search on what WessB suggested.

    I have no idea if any of that stuff will work, although it sounds like it should.

    I am sure the CyberQ is a great unit. I got my Stoker way before the CyberQ was made.

    To go wireless I need to figure out how to make one of my Linksys routers act like an access point and then talk to the Linksys Router that I am using.

    Reading SkySaw's past posts it sounds like he is more in the know than I.

    I would Celtic Wolf would know but apparently he stays away from most of these type posts. There are some other pretty knowledgeable eggr's out there maybe someone will jump in.

    Call the Guru Folks tomorrow. They have been great with me on my q2.

    GG
  •  
    Thanks for posting - I only googled the parts and saw they were available.

    Dan needs to check things out before buying stuff.

    GG
  • Taking advantage of the "cyber" part of the CyberQ occupied a lot of my time during Thanksgiving week. There are others out there that have reported some success remotely accessing their CyberQII and ultimately, I did too. It was a drawn out ordeal but I'll give you a couple of the highlights and lowlights of the project.

    I bought a wireless USB hub made by IOGear for about $50 from Amazon. Setup was not very straightforward and the maximum distance I could be from the cyberQ was 5ft. This device went back to Amazon for a return as 5ft is worse than a USB cable.

    I decided to buy a netbook to connect up to the cyberQII while I VNC to it from inside. (I had other reasons for a netbook so it isn't just an Egg(net)book) Unfortunately the one I chose had the basic version of Windows 7 and I could not find USB drivers for the CyberQ for Windows 7. The Netbook went back and traded it for a one that had XP installed.

    It turns out Microsoft doesn't include VNC capability with their base OS so I had to find a freeware version out there. After downloading a PC VNC server and a Mac client I was able to connect remotely and control/monitor the egg throughout the house.

    It was more effort and cost than I would've liked but it works pretty well. Like others have said, it isn't necessary to use the PC software but it is one of the distinguishing features of the cyberQII.

    Hope this helps even if it serves as a "what not to do". :woohoo:

    Griller in TX
  • Dude. . . we may need to talk. I'll drop you a message with my email address and if you have the time, perhaps you can share a few more details with me.

    I have a wireless router and a spare laptop I can devote to the cause. Perhaps that will make the end goal a bit more attainable.

    I'm also going to call BBQ Guru tomorrow and see what advice they can offer over and above what they publish in their documentation. I'll be glad to repost here.

    Again, thanks to all who have posted, and if anyone can share their experience, please do.

    Dan
  • Sure thing, happy to help. :)
  • My lovely wife was going to buy me a CyberQ for Christmas, but I thanked her and told her to save money and just get me the DigiQ because of stories like this.

    My first experience with the DigiQ didn't overly impress me, either. Its control algorithm baffled me, the manual wasn't what one would call intuitive and the 4 CFM blower didn't have the guts to do a cook over 300*. It'll probably be useful on low-n-slow cooks, but no more without a 10 CFM fan.

    Eventually, being a controls geek, I'm sure I'll put together my own pit minder from a PLC and industrial-grade components.
  • Hatch
    Hatch Posts: 149
    The full users manual is available on our web site.
    If you have any questions at all about operation please give us a call at the shop.

    800-288-4878

    Kenny baker
  • Hatch
    Hatch Posts: 149
    What you recieve with the unit is a condensed users guide.
    If you want, you can get the full users manual on our web site.

    Or I can e mail it to you if that's easier.

    Kenny Baker
    Dir. of Operations
    The BBQ Guru
  • I've used the 4CFM blower to cook at the maximum temperature that any of the Guru's will allow. You must have had another issue if you couldn't get it above 300 degrees.
    The Naked Whiz
  • Kenny,

    I believe I've downloaded all documentation from the website. What I have shows some general information about ways to do connections (extension USB cable, wireless USB hubs, PC to PC, etc.) However, posts on this forum and on the Guru forum indicate that many of the attempts toward wireless have been very hit and miss.

    What I would hope to be able to get from Guru would be some reasonably detailed specs (make/model/approximate cost)on what you've tested and how it performed. For example if a wireless USB hub can't send a signal more than 5 feet, it's not really a solution. I've already made a significant investment in the Guru, fan, probes etc. Before I put in any more, I'd like to do it with a basic understanding of the cost/benefit and not have to experiment.

    Thanks,
    Dan
  • I saw that and downloaded it. Is there a reason incomplete information is provided with the unit? That doesn't seem to make sense to me.

    On a controls-related issue, I tried to use my unit bring the Egg up to my setpoint temperature of 325*, but even after 20 minutes the DigiQ was still cycling the fan on and off with the process variable at 175*. As I mentioned in a previous post, I did find that I had inadvertantly bumped the damper roughly halfway closed, and opening it did improve things, but it seems that doing that would have made the output hit 100% even more quickly than if the damper were wide open. Why would it take so long to wind up to 100% fan output?
  • I'll have to try it again, next time with a fire box that isn't quite so full as the one I had. I was using RO lump, and the bag I had was chock full of smallish pieces. It may well have kept the air flow lower than normal.