brad 08 Dec 05

Designed by left-handed Germans, I’d say.

Aaron 08 Dec 05

Maybe that picture was taken upside-down. Oh, wait… that would present another problem.

benny 08 Dec 05

What do you mean by “moves the power level down a notch and to the left” ?

JF 08 Dec 05

What do you mean by �moves the power level down a notch and to the left� ?

Let’s say you are on power level 2. If you click “-” then you go down to power level 1. The little white marker above the number is the power level.

benny 08 Dec 05

Ah, didn’t even notice the little white thing… Anyway, definitely backwards.

Ernie Oporto 08 Dec 05

Weird thing is that they probably don’t manufacture that. They most likely sourced the part from some other company that supplies these counters, meaning somewhere else in the world there are other devices that work like this, hopefully in the very minority.

Michael Zehrer 08 Dec 05

Remember there are people on this planet who write and think from right to left.

Andy Warwick 08 Dec 05

I’m betting that this was a mirror-image mistake when making the plastic injection molds, when someone forgot to reverse the controls so that the molded plastic component was the correct way around when finished. And the cost of remaking the mold was prohibitive or too near deadline.

Ben Martin 08 Dec 05

No, this must have been produced south of the equator, where water swirls in reverse and it’s warm at Christmas. So this makes perfect sense for millions down under.

Ben 08 Dec 05

No, this must have been produced south of the equator, where water swirls in reverse and it’s warm at Christmas. So this makes perfect sense for millions down under.

chris busse 08 Dec 05

Let me see if I understand this correctly:

As pictured:

+ 0[1]23 -

Pressing “+” moves it up a notch and to the right, ex:

+ 01[2]3 -

Probably the mechanics of the device that the controls manipulate determines the constraints on the display — requiring the less than intuitive control layout, as opposed to choosing a display that drives the design of the mechanical device.

I bet that a dissection of the device would reveal the logic behind it and reveal why they chose the control layout they did.

jimmiejo 08 Dec 05

Just rip that counter out of there and flip it 180 degrees. A little Krazy glue will fix this flop flip issue.

Dwight Shih 08 Dec 05

That’s nothing.

Take a look at your typical cable remote with channel listings. Standard convention has the button to change to a higher numbered channel above the button to change to a lower channel. So far, so good.

Now switch to the channel listings. Now, I’m going in the opposite direction. If my listing view includes the show that I’m looking for, then I’m okay as I just select it and go. But when I know where the channel is relative to the current channel, then there’s a good chance that I’m going to start off in the wrong direction - browsing with the up button takes me to lower channels and vice versa.

I’ve been complaining that channel listings should go in the other direction for years now.

MH 08 Dec 05

Remember there are people on this planet who write and think from right to left.

But it’s internally inconsistent: the numbers get higher on the right and the symbols get higher on the left…

I bet that a dissection of the device would reveal the logic behind it and reveal why they chose the control layout they did.

Ah, good old engineer-centered design…

Lindsey 08 Dec 05

Aren’t signed numbers just a social construction, anyway? ;)

Leo Kennis 08 Dec 05

I guess this must be some machine from an Arabian country; the read from right to left (as said earlier). Some cheap electronica (CD players and such) are from Saui-Arabia and they have the “next” button to the left of the “previous” button too :)

Rahul 08 Dec 05

Anyone considered that power level 0 may be considered higher than power level 3?

Mark 08 Dec 05

This is probably a stupid question Jason, but are you sure that this is a power control? Is it possible that maybe it’s a water level to air ratio indicator, or something else?

I’m assuming that you’ve just come across one of these and don’t actually own one. If I’m wrong, please excuse my ignorance.

JF 08 Dec 05

Mark, it’s the fan speed. Yes, I own one.

Ian Ashley 08 Dec 05

Yup, that’s a little backwards.

I’ve been looking for an airwasher for some time. How do you like it? (Other than the bassackwards controls.)

Anders Markstrom 09 Dec 05

I have brand new Fujitsu-Siemens Wireless Slim Keyboard with three buttons to control volume.

[x] [+] [-]

Mute, volume up an volume down .

I never seem to learn that the farmost right buttonis down and not up.

James AkaXakA 09 Dec 05

I’ve got a Venta too!

I noticed the + - oddness too, but somehow it feels intuitive.

I guess they made it that way because it’s mechanically easier though…

Darrel 09 Dec 05

“Probably the mechanics of the device that the controls manipulate determines the constraints on the display “

Yes, that’s exactly what’s going on. The venta products are incredibly simple machines, which is likely the reason they give out 10 -year warranties.

And it’s not a huge usability issue, as it’s the ONLY control on the entire device.

However, after 1 1/2 seasons of using this product, while it’s good, I will say it’s incredibly overpriced.

Isaac Reuben 12 Dec 05

Maybe the buttons are just attached incorrectly? Either speced incorrectly by the designers, or as an accident in the making of this particular unit. Can they be popped off and swapped?

Chuck Roast 12 Dec 05

Remotes where the channel changer is vertical and the volume control is horizontal always seem backwards to me. To me it seems that if I want to turn the volume UP or DOWN I should press buttons that are vertical. Since I’m anglophone (and I grew up when one changed channels by turning a dial clockwise to go to a higher channel) pressing a button to the right to go to a higher channel or a button on the left to go to lower channel seems natural to me.

Am I the only one?

Rick 17 Dec 05

With everyones concern over the control function (backwards-forwards-up or down, what is the bottom line — did the units perform well? Just wondering as my wife and I are planning on buying a humidifier/purifier soon. Thanks

Gin 23 Dec 05

I would like to have the answer for what Rick wrote. Is the product good or not? I am not concerned about the the stupid switch. I saw it in the store and it works with ease. I just want your opinion as to the competency. Thanks

Anonymous Coward 24 Dec 05

works great
have had it for years, and just keeps on ticking.

Robert 07 Jan 06

Are the additives available elsewhere in case the manufacturer decides that they are no longer profitable?
What are the ingredients?

The buttons are no surprise since the german designers probably think that we are backwards.
Example: + 0123 - The numbers increase towards the left and the thought of its arithmetic function is easier to understand. Of course, being American, I have always thought - 0123 + too.

But then, I am more interested in whether it is worth the investment…

Regards,
rkm

Ken 07 Jan 06

If anybody here is familiar with SAP R/3 software, then you wouldn’t be surprised at the layout— fully teutonic in its efficiency! LOL

Peter 04 Mar 06

What is the active ingredient of the - expensive - bottles the manufacturer advises us to buy to keep calcium from scaling disks and water container? Plain vinegar?

adele Cousland 04 Mar 06

The two little “feet” on my venta airwasher that go up and down to turn the water wheel are not working. Has anyone had this problem and know how to fix it? the airwasher is three years old.
Thanks,
Linda

Linda 05 Mar 06

Hi Peter…
The ingredients in water treatment additive are water, aquaternary ammonium chlorides, & water softening agents. I looked up aquaternary ammonium chlorides and am not particularly pleased, but the main thing is to keep it out of reach of children and in its original bottle so it can not be mistaken for anything else. In what i read a woman mistakenly drank 1oz. and died 25 minutes later. The only ingredient listed in the Venta cleaner is citric acid. I wonder if white vinegar would work? I am trying to be as chemically free as possible. These chemicals are nasty.
Have a great day,
Linda

Judith 10 Mar 06

Linda:
The little feet are blocked with wittle black pieces of dirt. You can take the housing apart, clean them off, and put them back and they’ll work. Or, you can call Venta washer and ask them to send you a new set of “feet.” They did for me—free. As for the aquaternary chemical, I agree. I would also like to use something more natural like vinegar. Who out there is a chemist who can help?
Judith

ken Hampshire 27 Jun 06

Judith,

I too have a Venta. Seems to work good (continuous for 5 months), but is horribly overpriced. As to the cleaning, I went to the hardware store and bought some muratic acid and poured it into the venta basin up to about 3”. Then I put in the discs and slowly rotated them around (with rubber gloves of course). Clean as a whistle in about 30 seconds!

Also, for those of you who have hot tubs, use 35% hydrogen peroxide. It works so good and no more toxic fumes. I’ve used it now for nearly a year. Best move I ever made.

Ken