Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 11/05/2016, 05:37 AM   #1
enb141
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 148
Do manufacturers license each other or how does it works AKA neptune with Ecotech

I was looking around some manufacturers and they seem to be in some cases compatible with different brands for example Ecotech Radion Lights and Tunze pumps with Apex Neptune.

So my question is do each manufacturer is able to "hack" others products from another company or they have to ask permit to each manufacturer?


enb141 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 06:26 AM   #2
fcmatt
Registered Member
 
fcmatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NH
Posts: 850
They have to ask permission for a few reasons. Probably the most important from a marketing perspective is being able to say ecotech compatible in their marketing material for example. So that means they cooperate together on testing and design.


fcmatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 06:28 AM   #3
enb141
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 148
But how they do the permits?

Do they ask some money each other or how does this hand shake works?


enb141 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 07:12 AM   #4
fcmatt
Registered Member
 
fcmatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NH
Posts: 850
There is no set way to do things except the basics like drawing up some docs to sign. If money is involved that is part of an agreed deal but not necessary.


fcmatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 07:27 AM   #5
mcgyvr
Registered Member
 
mcgyvr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 20,050
I doubt there is anything of the sort for many things like that..
I can make a product right now and state its compatible with X.. I really don't need their permission or a contract to do so..

Its usually a known control method like a PWM or 0-10V analog signal or whatever..

Now you may need to state "x" is a trademark of company blah blah but you don't have to contract with them for that..
Or you may want to "partner" with another company to help each other out if you wanted.. Doing so may involve sharing specific control protocols,etc..


__________________
Who me?

Last edited by mcgyvr; 11/05/2016 at 08:00 AM.
mcgyvr is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 11:11 AM   #6
fcmatt
Registered Member
 
fcmatt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NH
Posts: 850
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgyvr View Post
I doubt there is anything of the sort for many things like that..
I can make a product right now and state its compatible with X.. I really don't need their permission or a contract to do so..

Its usually a known control method like a PWM or 0-10V analog signal or whatever..

Now you may need to state "x" is a trademark of company blah blah but you don't have to contract with them for that..
Or you may want to "partner" with another company to help each other out if you wanted.. Doing so may involve sharing specific control protocols,etc..
You could very well be right but there is a stink going on how ecotech's new pumps are not controllable by Neptune yet and may never be. If no permission is needed why doesn't neprune just do it? And I don't mean on or off or power. All the special settings as well which is just a signal down a wire or two or more.

They can control some ecotech stuff but not all. There has to be a permission issue somewhere in the mix.


fcmatt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 02:11 PM   #7
enb141
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 148
So in other words Neptune figured out how to make Radions and Vortech wavemakers by their own and put a module to control them on their systems but they haven't figured out how to make Vectra pumps to work so mayby Radions and Vortech uses some sort of standard wireless protocol and that's why they can control them but Vectra has a different protocol?


With 0-10v they obviously don't need any permission because is an industry standard that everybody can use.


enb141 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 06:46 PM   #8
chercm
Registered Member
 
chercm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Singapore
Posts: 2,971
a lot of Apex user using Vectra are asking similar question , why Ecotech just would not barge ?


chercm is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 06:56 PM   #9
n2585722
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Cedar Park, Tx
Posts: 1,072
It may have to do with Neptune selling their on pumps now. That puts them in competition with Ecotech.


n2585722 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 09:32 PM   #10
ca1ore
Grizzled & Cynical
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Stamford, CT
Posts: 17,319
Quote:
Originally Posted by fcmatt View Post
You could very well be right but there is a stink going on how ecotech's new pumps are not controllable by Neptune yet and may never be. If no permission is needed why doesn't neprune just do it? And I don't mean on or off or power. All the special settings as well which is just a signal down a wire or two or more.

They can control some ecotech stuff but not all. There has to be a permission issue somewhere in the mix.
There was a long thread on this back when the Vectra first came out. Licensing implies one company 'embedding' another's IP in their products, but I don't believe that's the case here. My recollection from that thread was that ETM needed to share certain code from the Vectra so that Neptue would know what signals to send. ETM basically declined to do so. It's too bad, but probably understandable as the two companies increasingly compete directly.


__________________
Simon

Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones!

Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs
ca1ore is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 11/05/2016, 11:51 PM   #11
enb141
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 148
So in other words maybe is not licensing needed, the other company (Neptune) just needs their help (Ecotech) about how to make their devices to work on Apex.

So as soon as they share or someone figures out how to make it to work it could be done right?


enb141 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
ecotech, licensing, neptune, tunze

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:42 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.