With the new generation of Bentrup controllers, everyone can follow a ceramic firing live online: the Bentrup Superwise live stream.
Bentrup Superwise is platform-independent, so you can just as easily track your firing via your PC, laptop, tablet or mobile. But the Superwise app can do more than just live stream your ceramic firing.
It’s also an online logbook and a Swiss Army knife for your Bentrup controller. You can use the app to set and quickly adjust your personal firing programs. Also view and adjust the controller settings, receive live error messages and use the “KilnAssist”.
One of the first livestreams was of a coffee machine (Trojan Room coffee pot) in the computer lab of the University of Cambridge. In 1991, Quentin Stafford-Fraser put the webcam live. So the entire department was able to follow online whether the coffee was ready.
About ten years later, I wanted exactly the same thing, but to see if the pottery was ready. 🙂
From serial to live ceramic firing streaming
At the beginning of this century, when I bought a new kiln, I combined it with a Bentrup controller equipped with a serial RS232 connector. By connecting it to my PC with a cable, I was able to follow the ceramic firing from behind my computer. The Bentrup WinControl Light program enabled me to monitor the firing. But I could also analyse and visualize it afterwards. Everything a ceramist needs to know about his firing process.
However, communication technology has not stood still. Serial ports gave way to the USB standard and later to wireless connections via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
In 2018, I purchased a Bentrup WebBox to connect my controller to my PC via Wi-Fi, along with a new app for tablet and mobile. Although the app wasn’t always stable, the trusty WinControl Light continued to function perfectly on my PC, now wirelessly connected via my home network.
When I recently invested in a new kiln I ordered it with a new Bentrup controller. Because it’s great controller :-), but also because of the built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. This also worked seamlessly with WinControl Light. But my interest was also aroused by the new Superwise app that Bentrup had introduced the previous year.
Bentrup SuperWise: How it works
Connectivity is an increasingly important feature. With the emergence of controllers such as Bentrup SuperWise, Rohde MyKiln, Stafford Kiln Portal and Skutt KilnLink, managing ceramic kilns is becoming a lot easier and more interactive.
The Bentrup SuperWise caught my attention because of its user-friendliness and the ability to connect via WiFi to various models. Such as the TC75, TC95, TC705, TC707, TC20XX, TC-S2 and TC-M2.
Setting up the WiFi connection on the controller is easy; The manual provides clear instructions. Next, create an account on Bentrup SuperWise and connect the controls. The great thing is that you can connect up to three controllers for free.
What sets Bentrup SuperWise apart is that it is a browser extension that uses the advanced WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) technology. This ensures secure communication between your device and the kiln controller using encrypted data. This means you don’t have to install a separate app. You can simply surf to the service via your browser and it will be installed automatically (after permission).
The PC version of the app, available on the Bentrup SuperWise website (https://www.superwise.eu/), offers more features than the mobile version (https://m.superwise.eu/).
With the mobile app, you can monitor the kiln in real-time, view firing logs, and consult and adjust the current firing program. This is especially useful when you’ve just filled the kiln and want to check the firing program. The PC version even lets you adjust the settings of your controller and set up ‘mail alerts’.
Livestream via Bentrup SuperWise
Once you have set everything up, you can follow the next firing live via your mobile phone! By enabling the “KilnAssist” in your user profile, you will receive an e-mail with your firing results after each firing. The firing logs are kept for 30 days, which is more than enough time to analyze the firing and any error messages.
I have been monitoring my ceramic firing online for over 20 years using the Bentrup WinControl Light. But I am very satisfied with this new way that Bentrup has developed to follow my ceramic firing live. Whether via PC or mobile, my ceramic kiln is always within reach.
It seems that the future of ceramic kiln management lies in the integration of smart technologies such as Bentrup SuperWise, which make the process not only safer, but also more accessible to ceramists worldwide.
My trusty WinControl Light still functions fine, but now has a modern counterpart, and a new kiln assistant!
Now I just have to figure out how to follow my coffee maker live…
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