This was brought up in another thread recently but I went to look closer at what these two companies are doing as far as providing application/firmware/monitoring updates for existing customers and is quite striking. (For the record I currently use Midnite hardware):
Midnite Solar
- No comprehensive list of changes in app/firmware. You have to search through their message forum to figure out what was changed.
- Last firmware update from Feb of 2018
- Unknown when last time the monitoring software was updated but appears to be years ago
- Can view your limited metrics via a web page but even then iOS devices have trouble using it
- "Local app" built on Adobe AIR which requires you to install the Adobe AIR runtime on your computer (uses some shared code from Adobe Flash )
- No official support for any Apple products relating to using the "Local App" to monitor your system or updating firmware
- Firmware updates require a windows computer hardwired to the charge controller
- Does provide documentation on protocol to talk to their hardware
Victron
- Extensive detailed list of updates with each version, see https://www.victronenergy.com/live/victronconnect:beta
- Frequent software/firmware updates with last one being last week. And not only are these bug fixes but frequently add substantial improvements.. i.e. reducing power usage of smaller controllers by 70% at night, entirely new "networking" between products with VE.Smart, UI improvements, etc.
- Updates can be setup to automatically update from the device itself. No need for a computer to update.
- Professionally looking website for monitoring your system with extensive data available https://vrm.victronenergy.com/landingpage if you wish to send this data to the web.
- REAL apps available in Google Play and App Store and even the macOS App Store. These apps don't just allow monitoring but also configuring your system.
- Provides extensive documentation and software on how others can interact with their system and open-sourcing a lot of it. This includes an image to install the same OS running the Victron monitoring/configuring hardware onto a Raspberry Pi. There are 3rd party drivers for Chargery BMS and other non-Victron equipment to monitor/control so that you can view/control all within the same Victron monitoring application.
This mostly just looks at the software side. There are plenty of differences with hardware as well.
Midnite Solar
- No comprehensive list of changes in app/firmware. You have to search through their message forum to figure out what was changed.
- Last firmware update from Feb of 2018
- Unknown when last time the monitoring software was updated but appears to be years ago
- Can view your limited metrics via a web page but even then iOS devices have trouble using it
- "Local app" built on Adobe AIR which requires you to install the Adobe AIR runtime on your computer (uses some shared code from Adobe Flash )
- No official support for any Apple products relating to using the "Local App" to monitor your system or updating firmware
- Firmware updates require a windows computer hardwired to the charge controller
- Does provide documentation on protocol to talk to their hardware
Victron
- Extensive detailed list of updates with each version, see https://www.victronenergy.com/live/victronconnect:beta
- Frequent software/firmware updates with last one being last week. And not only are these bug fixes but frequently add substantial improvements.. i.e. reducing power usage of smaller controllers by 70% at night, entirely new "networking" between products with VE.Smart, UI improvements, etc.
- Updates can be setup to automatically update from the device itself. No need for a computer to update.
- Professionally looking website for monitoring your system with extensive data available https://vrm.victronenergy.com/landingpage if you wish to send this data to the web.
- REAL apps available in Google Play and App Store and even the macOS App Store. These apps don't just allow monitoring but also configuring your system.
- Provides extensive documentation and software on how others can interact with their system and open-sourcing a lot of it. This includes an image to install the same OS running the Victron monitoring/configuring hardware onto a Raspberry Pi. There are 3rd party drivers for Chargery BMS and other non-Victron equipment to monitor/control so that you can view/control all within the same Victron monitoring application.
This mostly just looks at the software side. There are plenty of differences with hardware as well.