Tilt questions - data logging process, imac pairing, etc

[SanPancho]

Looking into picking up a tilt, but circumstances presently dont give me a way to leave a phone/ipad/etc in range and able to log data. As i understand it, the device needs to be connected 24/7 to log data, otherwise you just get the current stats at the time that you connect with the app on a device.

Thats not the end of the world, but id definitely prefer to be able to log the data for future reference.

Now, There is an imac within 15ft of the fermenter, and im wondering if i could use that to data log somehow ?

If not, then that leaves me having to do a wifi setup, which id prefer to avoid as i have no idea how to setup up rbpi.

Can the imac work? Or some other method?

 

[CodeSection]

I'm not familiar with the iMac. Tilt uses Bluetooth to communicate to a device that can then send the data to the cloud.

It might be easier to buy a used iPhone 5 that can be kept on. I normally reduce the brightness so as not to burn in the image. I increased the brightness for this picture. Above is my setup with a brew I completed yesterday...

Good luck!

 

[SanPancho]

Rather not go there unless i absolutely have to, but id like to know if the imac route is vía before i start dropping cash.

I have an old iphone but the touchscreen is screwy so not sure thats an option.

 

[SanPancho]

So as i suspected the old iphone has screwy touchscreen. Not gonna work.

Anybody else know if you can run the tilt off a imac desktop? I emailed the company but haven’t heard back yet.

 

[CodeSection]

If your iMac has Bluetooth and it is close enough to connect to the Tilt, and the Tilt app is open and the iMac stays awake and never sleeps, it should be no different from any other iOS devices and should work.

I know, a lot of "and"....

 

[Yooper]

I'm no techie, but a raspberry pi would be the easiest way, and it's inexpensive.

I wrote this for Brewer's Friend: https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum...r-electronic-hydrometers-are-supported.10490/

Using Raspberry Pi:

The phone app only sends when you are within Bluetooth range of the Tilt in your fermenter. The Tilt communicates over bluetooth to save battery so you can use a Raspberry Pi to communicate with the Tilt and send the data over WiFi to BrewersFriend. Once you have a raspberry pi, here are some steps to set this up.

Download the Tilt Pi image

Download Etcher to burn the image to a micro sd card

Insert the micro sd card and plug in your raspberry pi with a keyboard and monitor to setup WiFi.

After it's connected to your WiFi, plug it in near your fermenter and open http://tiltpi.local:1880/ui

Under Logging > Cloud Settings, paste the Cloud URL from your brew session and hit enter to save it.

The Tilt Pi defaults to sending data every 5 minutes and will now send the gravity and temperature of your fermentation to BrewersFriend.

To test it right away, you can enter a comment and hit enter to send.

 

[SanPancho]

Not so inexpensive when youre gonna need to buy the sd card and i assume an adapter/reader, the pi and its gear, as well as a usb keyboard. And then borrow a monitor as im thinking the imac isnt gonna let you plug in hdmi and take over its screen.....

 

[SanPancho]

ok, so the word from the company is that tilt will NOT work with regular macOS. only the iOS.

after a quick look on ebay, i think it might make sense for me to sell the iphone 6 for parts and pick up a 4s or 5 in mediocre condition. alot less hassle than trying to deal with pi setup.

 

[CodeSection]

ok, so the word from the company is that tilt will NOT work with regular macOS. only the iOS.

after a quick look on ebay, i think it might make sense for me to sell the iphone 6 for parts and pick up a 4s or 5 in mediocre condition. alot less hassle than trying to deal with pi setup.

That's too bad. Was it because it did not have Bluetooth? Or could not run the app?

 

[CodeSection]

I'm no techie, but a raspberry pi would be the easiest way, and it's inexpensive.

I wrote this for Brewer's Friend: https://www.brewersfriend.com/forum...r-electronic-hydrometers-are-supported.10490/

Using Raspberry Pi:

The phone app only sends when you are within Bluetooth range of the Tilt in your fermenter. The Tilt communicates over bluetooth to save battery so you can use a Raspberry Pi to communicate with the Tilt and send the data over WiFi to BrewersFriend. Once you have a raspberry pi, here are some steps to set this up.

Download the Tilt Pi image

Download Etcher to burn the image to a micro sd card

Insert the micro sd card and plug in your raspberry pi with a keyboard and monitor to setup WiFi.

After it's connected to your WiFi, plug it in near your fermenter and open http://tiltpi.local:1880/ui

Under Logging > Cloud Settings, paste the Cloud URL from your brew session and hit enter to save it.

The Tilt Pi defaults to sending data every 5 minutes and will now send the gravity and temperature of your fermentation to BrewersFriend.

To test it right away, you can enter a comment and hit enter to send.

Thanks @Yooper . I've always wondered how the Tilt Pi worked. Every time I started looking at the Raspberry Pi, there were many to choose from and I didn't know which one to buy. Could you provide a link to which one you would recommend?

My old iPhone 5 works well and if that dies, I have another iPhone 5 to use.

Edit: I am saving to Google Docs and can share it with others. I use BF and I know it recently added the capability of recording Tilt. If I use BF's URL, can I share it just like Google Docs or must the person I share it with also subscribe to BF?

 

[mirthfuldragon]

You can use a cheap old Android phone also. Anything 4.4 or better should work. I use my defunct Stylo S2 (which does not hold a charge). Need to see if the Tilt 2 app will work with my even old Kyocera Hydro.
Tilt 2 says it works on the Kindle Fire, so a Fire 7 run $40 out the door.

 

[SanPancho]

They didn’t say. Just that it wouldn’t work.

 

[SanPancho]

That sounds like a pretty good deal, but those tablets dont have Bluetooth do they? Dont see it on the spec sheet

 

[day_trippr]

The currently $39 Fire 7 includes "built-in Bluetooth with support for A2DP compatible stereo headphones, speakers, microphone, and LE accessories support". I expect that last bit supports reading Tilt beacon packets with a capable app...which one could likely side-load if necessary...

Cheers!

 

[augiedoggy]

The Brucontrol option is now available too with an esp series arduino board.. thats the way im going. Brucontrol costs more but it casn be used to control everything in the brewing process from fermenter temps and automated ramping profiles to the hotside brewing controls with multiple control devices or panels.

 

[augiedoggy]

I just pulled the trigger on one myself to try out.

 

[Beerwildered]

ok, so the word from the company is that tilt will NOT work with regular macOS. only the iOS.

after a quick look on ebay, i think it might make sense for me to sell the iphone 6 for parts and pick up a 4s or 5 in mediocre condition. alot less hassle than trying to deal with pi setup.

Honestly, I thought the same thing. But after watching the Tilt Pi setup videos on YouTube, I decided to give it a go. Seriously easy. Took me 15 minutes and I was up and running.

I got a complete Raspberry Pi Zero W kit on Amazon for $32.