Dalla Corte Mina software update (v6)

#1: Post by **radu** » July 10th, 2019, 7:56 am

I was wondering how many people are using the new firmware / mobile app for the Mina. I managed to get a beta version of the iPhone app, but the Android app has been published a while ago, as @YarivK pointed out in the Mina thread a while ago.

From what I've seen:

1. The real time flow rate display on the home screen is really useful.
2. The DFR steps are actual values of the no portafilter flow rate in ml/s (g/s). Plus the auto calibrate function is a bit smarter.
3. You can finally turn off the steam boiler. It takes 3 and a half minutes for the brew boiler to get from room temp to nominal temp at my home. Plus I'm not boiling 3 litres of water if I'm not planning to steam milk.
4. There is no timer on the home screen in Manual mode, at least for now. I've asked them and they say it'll be fixed in a future update. You can see the shot time in the Info module, if Service (not User) is selected from the About module.

What I'd like:

1. Logs. A log with all the extractions I've pulled. It's frustrating to clean the group head and lose the shot time.
2. Graphs. Even though the Mina motherboard doesn't know the brew pressure, a flow rate / time graph would be useful. And saved with every log entry.
3. A "scale" just like on the XT. Just press a button on the display when the first drop comes out of the portafilter and it starts displaying the quantity of water (coffee) that's gone out of it. You can set a target weight and it'll stop the extraction when it's reached it. On the XT it works great, so I don't see why it wouldn't be available for the Mina. The XT and Mina use the same flow meter, so there is no technological barrier. It's just that somebody has to actually make it.
4. An optional hardware display, even if it's of a small size, like the Studio, in order to get a minimal shot info without connecting a phone.
5. Autoconnect to the latest Mina the app was connected. The fact that I have to click to connect is annoying. If you'd just open the app and it'd connect by itself, it'd be a little better.

I think the Mina is a wonderful machine. And absolutely great for home use (even though it's a commercial model), since the warmup time is extremely short. But it could be so much more if some organised effort would go into the app development.

What's everyone's usual routine with the Mina? Are my "wants" just mine, or are they also shared with other users? What would you add to the list?

#2: Post by **truemagellen** » July 10th, 2019, 11:33 am

There is probably 20 people on this forum with that amazing machine and of those most don't post. I am a lever guy but this would be the ultimate home machine if I went back to a pump machine.

This is what the DE and all its hype should have been but they went a bit over the top reinventing the wheel by going with vibe pumps, not managing headspace properly in the design, and not being able to pull a shot while steaming. The fact you can disable the steam boiler and do the quick warm up takes away a lot of the DE quick warm up marketing draw when you compare the two. They will get it right eventually but hopefully by then the Mina tech will make its way into other machines as Dalla pricing has always been on the upper scale for Home/Commercial type machines.

As for ideas for the Mina, does the App allow for storing grind data with maps? like notes? is grams/grind settings/tamp pressure etc?

#3: Post by **lk229** » July 10th, 2019, 5:45 pm

I don't think DE reinvented the wheel, they were just realistic. If it takes going to vibe pumps and steaming immediately after extracting an espresso, I'll gladly save the $6,000 difference. The headspace problem only seems to be anything when using the IMS screen, even that appears to be fixed with a spacer.

#4: Post by **YarivK** » July 11th, 2019, 3:04 am

Thanks for the comments. I append my own in addition.

radu wrote:I was wondering how many people are using the new firmware / mobile app for the Mina. I managed to get a beta version of the iPhone app, but the Android app has been published a while ago, as @YarivK pointed out in the Mina thread a while ago.

From what I've seen:

1. The real time flow rate display on the home screen is really useful.
2. The DFR steps are actual values of the no portafilter flow rate in ml/s (g/s). Plus the auto calibrate function is a bit smarter.
3. You can finally turn off the steam boiler. It takes 3 and a half minutes for the brew boiler to get from room temp to nominal temp at my home. Plus I'm not boiling 3 litres of water if I'm not planning to steam milk.
4. There is no timer on the home screen in Manual mode, at least for now. I've asked them and they say it'll be fixed in a future update. You can see the shot time in the Info module, if Service (not User) is selected from the About module.

1. I completely agree. I have learned much by looking at it. In particular, how slow the response time is with the puck in place (I guess I could have guessed this from the pressure change)

2. I actually find that the flow rate displayed by the machine does not match exactly the dfr value I set (it is in the neighberhood). Is your read matching the setting spot on?

4. Yes, this is annoying.

radu wrote:
What I'd like:

1. Logs. A log with all the extractions I've pulled. It's frustrating to clean the group head and lose the shot time.
2. Graphs. Even though the Mina motherboard doesn't know the brew pressure, a flow rate / time graph would be useful. And saved with every log entry.
3. A "scale" just like on the XT. Just press a button on the display when the first drop comes out of the portafilter and it starts displaying the quantity of water (coffee) that's gone out of it. You can set a target weight and it'll stop the extraction when it's reached it. On the XT it works great, so I don't see why it wouldn't be available for the Mina. The XT and Mina use the same flow meter, so there is no technological barrier. It's just that somebody has to actually make it.
4. An optional hardware display, even if it's of a small size, like the Studio, in order to get a minimal shot info without connecting a phone.
5. Autoconnect to the latest Mina the app was connected. The fact that I have to click to connect is annoying. If you'd just open the app and it'd connect by itself, it'd be a little better.

All these additions will be great. In particualr, I feel that not having a graph of the flow rate is a bit lazy. I am sure I would learn a lot.

One other thing I notice with the new update is that the bluetooth disconnects quickly. I hope they fix this soon.

radu wrote:
What's everyone's usual routine with the Mina? Are my "wants" just mine, or are they also shared with other users? What would you add to the list?

Recently I have started leaving the machine on all the time (recommended by a technician here, but I still have my doubts). I also wish there was a large data base of recommended profiles for different types of coffee. While I am happy with what I am getting now and can roughly gauge for the different profiles for different types of coffee I am sure that there are baristas/users which have more experience than me. Many time I run out of the bean I am using before I feel I have set it optimally

I am very happy with the machine.

July 12th, 2019, 8:41 am

truemagellen wrote: As for ideas for the Mina, does the App allow for storing grind data with maps? like notes? is grams/grind settings/tamp pressure etc?

So far, you can't store / note anything. You don't even have a log with your past extractions. You can only see the previous pump-on timer.

YarivK wrote:Recently I have started leaving the machine on all the time (recommended by a technician here, but I still have my doubts).

(Off topic, but still) Is there any benefit from doing this? Or does it prevent anything bad?

#6: Post by **YarivK** » July 12th, 2019, 10:27 am

radu wrote: (Off topic, but still) Is there any benefit from doing this? Or does it prevent anything bad?

The technician stated that most problems he sees (in machines treated well against scale) are from electronic problems. Then the argument was that turning the machine on an off is not good. At the end of the day on the web, including here, I could find arguments in all directions. In all honesty, at the moment I do it just for the convenience.

July 12th, 2019, 10:43 am

Profitec suggests putting machine on timer as more heat time to rubber seals and gaskets equals a shortened replacement/maintenance interval.

July 12th, 2019, 11:27 am

As I said I have read every opinion with all sounding reasonable. For example, some people argue that on off cycles cause expansion and contractions which are bad for gaskets. I will be happy to hear from someone which actually had some experience. Dalla Corte themselves seems indifferent about the different options saying to turn it off if not used for 24 hours or more (in the manual).

#9: Post by **ibuprofenpls** » July 21st, 2019, 3:07 am

Would anyone be able to share the actual firmware file please? I have the updater, just not the latest file.

Thanks.

July 21st, 2019, 10:34 am

Here you go: http://bit.ly/2JHtEIw