jfaria1891 actually I was just curious why. I actually don't understand what is the hype about the VE series. It reads like the Helix unit almost exactly which is unchanged since the early 80s the ve updated the box and menu and re-released it. I was just wondering why it is so popular. To my mind it is a very sad that a community leader would be involved in a product that takes a 30 year backward step. Every unit after the helix, advanced the features of a reptile t-stat (truly designed for the task at hand) the helix is a great unit but is not much more than an industrial proportional controller (Honeywell makes a number). The ones designed after the helix, customized a basic unit specifically for keeping herps, adding things like, lighting cycles, temp changes both seasonal and daily alerts, heating cooling and mist controls, added safety systems, and data logging ect. Each of the N American upped the anti with each new release. The herpstat offers the most sophisticated safety system on the market and a good selection of features common the the competitors then along comes the VE and it has no features, nothing added from units in the past 30 years, and it is really popular. It just baffles me, I have had my hands on two, one was not working properly. (failed to hold settings after losing power) It feels good well thought out menu but still it seems like a Helix. There is nothing wrong with Helix they have a track record that is amazing 30 years basically unchanged.

I feel like I am missing something!

I want an alarm, I want a soft start heat. I want to protect my animals against a probe being pulled loose. I really want a manual that is complete!!! (full specs would be nice... How accurate is the probe... It is +/- 0.9ºF but it took me 3 emails and posting that question on an open forum to get that answer.) I have a number of herpstats I felt when I bought them they offered the best range of features at the best price (still do, the ecozone and herpkeeper have a web interface and text/email alerts but are quite costly.) The menu is not something that matters much I change the settings on my thermostats once in 2 years, this for me is not a selling point, and that is stacks well all but one herpstat does (the intro is flush mount) the ecozone and the herpkeeper are too. The only non stackable unit on the market today is the helix and one herpstat. Hardly a selling point.


The only selling point is Rich at RB. It is not like Dion (herpstat) has poor service, actually the best service I have ever had came from him, that includes when I was the consultant for a 6 million dollar deal.