Decent Espresso Machines (DE1) - Any thoughts?

[gc]

Unfortunately, I got a clueless answer from the tablet manufacturer, as they don't understand the difference between rootable and unlocked bootloader. Sorry.

In case you're curious, here are some photos of the tablet factory in Shenzhen, when Jeffrey went to visit them last week to discuss various technical details.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]16003[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]16004[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]16005[/ATTACH]

You could try fastboot getvar all command which might reveal the bootloader status, or sometimes the bootloader screen itself will show the lock status (device-dependent) - I noticed the option to reboot to bootloader in your recovery screenshot above. Or, if your prepared to wipe a tablet completely, try fastboot devices then fastboot oem-unlock and see if it does. Otherwise, the supply chain seems to be a bit of a dogs breakfast, which doesn't auger well for security.

I imagined a factory full of robots producing 20k units a day! It sure is a fragmented assembly system. But I do appreciate the attention you are giving to this.

[>decentespresso]

You could try fastboot getvar all command which might reveal the bootloader status, or sometimes the bootloader screen itself will show the lock status (device-dependent) - I noticed the option to reboot to bootloader in your recovery screenshot above. Or, if your prepared to wipe a tablet completely, try fastboot devices then fastboot oem-unlock and see if it does..

fastboot does not seem to be installed on this tablet.

In Termux, I ran:
find / -name fastboot

and nothing was found.

----

As far as the security of this android build, if you're concerned about that you can not enable wifi, as only bluetooth is needed for the tablet to talk to the DE1.

[gc]

fastboot does not seem to be installed on this tablet.

In Termux, I ran:
find / -name fastboot

and nothing was found.
As far as the security of this android build, if you're concerned about that you can not enable wifi, as only bluetooth is needed for the tablet to talk to the DE1.

Sorry. I should have been more explicit. I am assuming you are using a Windows or a Linux machine for DE app software development? If so, in Linux [with tablet connected to PC and usb debugging turned on] AND fastboot and adb installed on PC, you would boot tablet into bootloader and then try fastboot devices in a terminal on the PC. If it returns a value string then you're connected in fastboot mode and can execute the fastboot commands mentioned above from the PC terminal. [may need sudo]. In Windows there is more faffing around with drivers to get the Tablet connected, but once done and the fastboot and adb components are installed (from the Android SDK) you can do the same thing from a terminal on the PC. Unless path variable is set to location of fastboot commands though you need to be in the directory where fastboot is located in terminal before executing fastboot commands. Setting up PC and available fastboot commands - Google [lots of resources - I'm thinking here is not the place to sidetrack too much from main topic]. Might be a task to delegate to one of those bright young engineering students you are bringing on board.

I know all we need to do is turn wifi off and its no longer an internet connected device, but surely, a major feature of the software is its connectivity to cloud and sharing recipes etc. for the life of the machine. Lots of your users may be very skilled with coffee, but may be clueless about how secure their wifi is. You need to protect them too and at this point the tablet is a weak point in the system.

[>decentespresso]

Might be a task to delegate to one of those bright young engineering students you are bringing on board.

Agreed, and they're starting in a few weeks, so I'll delegate.

Probably best if we took this topic off-forum as it's a bit far from coffee at this point.

[>decentespresso]

funnel v2

We've changed the design slightly for version 2 of our portafilter funnels https://decentespresso.com/funnel

We previously were making them out of stainless steel, and coating them with teflon. The coating looked beautiful, and worked well, but if you've ever had a teflon coated frying pan, you know that sooner or later you end up scratching the teflon off. Teflon is unfortunately too delicate a material, and eventually you'll get blemishes.

This is what the funnel we're using here looks like after 6 months of daily use. The most vulnerable part, the edge, which is both most likely to get banged, and hardest to get teflon to stick, has several "dings".



Also, the stainless steel funnel weighed half a pound (260g), which felt great, but was a bit overkill, and cost us a fortune in air shipping.

The new design is made from food-grade aluminum, black anodised coated. It's almost as no-stick, but much more durable. The weight is much reduced (97g), but still heavy enough to stay put.

Here's a photo of the two models side-by-side, with the old on the left, and the new on the right.

[>decentespresso]

500 custom-made tablet stands came in on a pallet today.

I had planned on pre-gluing the stand to the tablet before you receive your espresso machine from us, but now I'm thinking that it might be better to let you glue it yourself, so that you can decide (a) the angle (b) whether you want the stand or prefer to have the tablet elsewhere (such as on a wall). To glue the tablet, you peel the wax-paper off the stand base and stick the now-exposed 3M pad to your tablet.

What do you think?

[readeral]

Good move IMO

[gc]

I can't figure out from the photo how it works.

But definitely want an option for the tablet to be removable/replaceable easily.

[>decentespresso]

I can't figure out from the photo how it works. But definitely want an option for the tablet to be removable/replaceable easily.

Here's an annotated drawing. Being magnetic, the stand (and tablet) lift off the espresso machine so you can wipe it clean. The thin (shiny) round piece of magnetic metal is stuck on to the other side of the case, providing an "anchor point" for the magnet that goes on top.

[gc]

Here's an annotated drawing. Being magnetic, the stand (and tablet) lift off the espresso machine so you can wipe it clean. The thin (shiny) round piece of magnetic metal is stuck on to the other side of the case, providing an "anchor point" for the magnet that goes on top.

The annotated diagram explains all. Many thanks.

I vaguely remember in an earlier post on here, or HB, that you were considering an option to have the tablet holder not glued to the tablet in some way so that in the future another tablet could be used without damaging the back of the tablet supplied. I am considering this because i) the app will be available to download to any Android device and ii) I already have an old 7" Nexus tablet upgraded with a custom ROM to the latest iteration of Android - with security updates. [As long as the Bluetooth stack works OK! ]

[>decentespresso]

The annotated diagram explains all. Many thanks. I vaguely remember in an earlier post on here, or HB, that you were considering an option to have the tablet holder not glued to the tablet in some way so that in the future another tablet could be used without damaging the back of the tablet supplied. I am considering this because i) the app will be available to download to any Android device and ii) I already have an old 7" Nexus tablet upgraded with a custom ROM to the latest iteration of Android - with security updates. [As long as the Bluetooth stack works OK! ]

You're welcome to use your own 7" Nexus tablet instead of ours.

As to the stand, the one we provide does glue on the back, because that's the best solution I've found for having a sturdy (doesn't move around) tablet stand. If you disagree, fine, no problem, don't use our stand, you're welcome to make your own choice.

[gc]

You're welcome to use your own 7" Nexus tablet instead of ours.

As to the stand, the one we provide does glue on the back, because that's the best solution I've found for having a sturdy (doesn't move around) tablet stand. If you disagree, fine, no problem, don't use our stand, you're welcome to make your own choice.

I wasn't meaning to imply anything negative, but wanting to confirm that since those earlier posts on the tablet stand that you had, in fact, excluded the option to easily swap out the tablet in the final design. The suggestion of the use of an existing tablet was by way of an example scenario where flexibility to remove the tablet would be advantageous.

[>decentespresso]

I wasn't meaning to imply anything negative, but wanting to confirm that since those earlier posts on the tablet stand that you had, in fact, excluded the option to easily swap out the tablet in the final design. The suggestion of the use of an existing tablet was by way of an example scenario where flexibility to remove the tablet would be advantageous.

No worries, and there was a discussion some months ago about a potentially alternative stand that would be built into the machine, and thus offer less flexibility (but more design integration).

I decided not to go down that route, and stick with the original stand design, which is removable/swappable and let you use whatever tablet you like, as long as you understand that other tablets might not look as good with our app (viz resolution, colors, etc)...

[>decentespresso]

Default shot profiles - emulating other machines

I've started making some default shot profiles to include on the DE1. This will evolve with time, and of course you can make your own, and when I write the cloud sharing stuff, download them too.

One thing that I realized is that some older lever machines don't have a pressure release valve. So, we've added a new bluetooth command to the DE1+ to end a shot program, but hold pressure (don't open the flush valve), so that the DE1+ can copy this style of espresso making.

I'd love to have a conversation about some of the shot styles you'd like to see be in the default DE1.

Here's a off-the-top-of-my-head list:
- flat shots at 8, 8.6, 9 and 10 bar, with no preinfusion (aka commercial machines).
- lever shots that rise to 6, 8, 9 bar, and decrease linearly over 25 seconds to 0 bar.
- lever shots with a 2nd spring, so that the peak pressure is held for 8 seconds, then there's a linear decline to zero bar
- Strada EP style pressure profiling, with the common profile of rise to 9 bar, then decline to 6 bar over 30s.
- E61 shots with preinfusion (at 4 ml/s) for 6 seconds, then a flat 9 bar.
- My personal favorite of preinfusion, then rise to 9 bar, hold for 10s, then decline to 4 bar over 25s. Same for 6, 8, 8.6 and 10 bar.

What other kinds of shots would you like to see included by default?

[dlight]

I've started making some default shot profiles to include on the DE1. This will evolve with time, and of course you can make your own, and when I write the cloud sharing stuff, download them too.

One thing that I realized is that some older lever machines don't have a pressure release valve. So, we've added a new bluetooth command to the DE1+ to end a shot program, but hold pressure (don't open the flush valve), so that the DE1+ can copy this style of espresso making.

I'd love to have a conversation about some of the shot styles you'd like to see be in the default DE1.

Here's a off-the-top-of-my-head list:
- flat shots at 8, 8.6, 9 and 10 bar, with no preinfusion (aka commercial machines).
- lever shots that rise to 6, 8, 9 bar, and decrease linearly over 25 seconds to 0 bar.
- lever shots with a 2nd spring, so that the peak pressure is held for 8 seconds, then there's a linear decline to zero bar
- Strada EP style pressure profiling, with the common profile of rise to 9 bar, then decline to 6 bar over 30s.
- E61 shots with preinfusion (at 4 ml/s) for 6 seconds, then a flat 9 bar.
- My personal favorite of preinfusion, then rise to 9 bar, hold for 10s, then decline to 4 bar over 25s. Same for 6, 8, 8.6 and 10 bar.

What other kinds of shots would you like to see included by default?

That's about it, I reckon