Well it took some time, but finally Cortex W10 is released!

Existing customers subscribed to our e-mail list should have received a notification already, but if not and for others here is the content:

Cortex W10 is a fundamental re-write of the Cortex software, now fully compatible with Windows 10 and forming the basis for future Cortex development. This is not an update to existing Cortex but an entirely new piece of software which can be installed on the same PC as an existing Cortex install without any file interference. You can download the installer here: http://www.idratek.com/public/softwa...W10Install.exe No install key is required. The software will operate in a nagged mode until licenced (see below).

Despite the big underlying changes, Cortex W10 should operate and feel more or less the same as existing Cortex, so in most cases migration should be a relatively straightforward process. Noteable differences between Cortex W10 and Cortex include:

- Windows XP,7,8,10 compatibility without the need for any kind of 'workarounds'
- No requirement to disable User Account Control (UAC)
- Different plan view data refresh methodology which will result in less 'flicker' and more efficiency with remote connections.
- Supports user designed/defined icons in plan view
- Introduction of a 'Properties Grid' feature which eases the task of changing a common property across a group of objects
- Introduction of direct support for Philips Hue lighting including a colourful new object for handling colour transition programming.
- Introduction of support for H.264 IP camera streams so you can now connect higher resolution IP cameras into the system
- Separate threading process now prevents non responding IP cameras from stalling Cortex
- Inclusion of web/mobile server and web API functions within the core Cortex licence, now also include ability to transfer images to noticeboards
- Changes to the multi-system bridging function which now utilises the web API structure
- Deprecation of the standard Alarm object. Continuing to maintain two Alarm object types was felt to be unjustified in moving forwards. So in Cortex W10, alarm features are only provided via the Alarm Pro option
- Introduction of a new licencing scheme and methodology. No install key is now required. Cortex will operate in an 'Hourly nag' mode until you either purchase a licence or obtain a trial '30 day nag free' licence key from IDRATEK.

Please note that we will continue to support existing Cortex for some time to come (which may include sub version updates), but any new features will only be developed on the Cortex W10 platform.

Cortex W10 is a new software package and as such it is subject to the purchase of new licences. However we are poviding a 50% concession for existing Cortex licencees until the 31st of March 2018. This does not depend on what licence options you currently hold. The 50% concession however does not apply to backup licences - which are still priced at 33% of the full retail price. Cortex W10 pricing details can be found here: http://www.idratek.com/products/cata...gory/software/

Note: It is quite possible to work on a copy of your old Cortex database in Cortex W10 (including running a dynamic simulation with all objects temporarily network disabled), whilst still running the real network with the old Cortex - a useful possibility during the migration process. However note that only one version of Cortex can access the USB interface on the same PC at any one time!.

Users migrating from old Cortex should simply take a copy of their existing database and paste this into the /(My)Documents/Idratek/CortexW10/Database folder and then browse to selcet this via the Cortex W10 File menu. Since there are some differences between Cortex W10 and old Cortex (especially the deprecation of the standard Alarm object) you should expect that Cortex W10 may generate some initial warnings and that you may have to make some adjustments manually. Note that on a PC containing both variants of Cortex you cannot set up the USB COM port in Cortex W10 until old Cortex is stopped and exited. Both variants of Cortex should be set up to use the same COM port but only one version can be physically using this at any one time.

We know that many of you have been awaiting this release for some time now, so we thank you for your patience and hope that you will now feel confident about any plans to migrate to new PC platforms and also to take advantage of the new features and those to come in the future.

Karam