Aillio Bullet USB Setup

Rostoc has experimental read-only support for Aillio Bullet telemetry. Use this path for catalog entries such as Aillio Bullet R1, Aillio Bullet R1 IBTS, and Aillio Bullet R2.

The Bullet speaks Aillio’s own protocol over USB. How it appears to your computer depends on the firmware. Older Bullet R1 firmware exposes a direct USB device. Firmware 626 and later presents a standard serial COM port instead — a change Aillio documents for its new firmware. Rostoc tries the direct USB connection first, then falls back to the serial port automatically. Setup in Rostoc is the same either way.

Bullet R1 firmware 626 and later

From firmware 626, a Bullet R1 or R1 IBTS connects through a serial port. Your operating system lists the Bullet as a serial device using its built-in driver. That driver is correct — do not replace it.

What this means for Rostoc:

Update Rostoc first. Versions before 0.3.70 cannot connect a Bullet on this firmware at all, and versions before 0.3.74 could refuse a healthy Bullet on newer firmware (such as 645). Troubleshooting below names the error message you would see.
Serial-port support is newer than the direct USB path. Treat it as experimental: expect rough edges and validate the first roasts before relying on the setup for production logging.
If the latest Rostoc still fails to connect on firmware 626 or later, send the support report below — reports from these firmware versions directly shape the fixes.

Firmware numbers here are Bullet R1 firmware. The Bullet R2 uses the direct USB connection.

How this fits with RoasTime

RoasTime remains the native Aillio Bullet software path for Bullet-specific operation, logging, analysis, automation, and Roast.World workflows.

Use Rostoc when the validated Bullet roast should be connected to green lots, roast plans, batches, notes, and production records. Do not treat this experimental Rostoc path as a replacement for native Bullet controls.

What you need

Connect the Bullet with a data-capable USB cable.
Close other roasting software that may already be using the Bullet. Only one app can use the Bullet at a time, and Rostoc does not connect while another roasting app is open.
Know your Bullet’s firmware version. RoasTime shows it, and Rostoc reads it during connection.
Update Rostoc if your Bullet R1 runs firmware 626 or later.
Choose the catalog entry that matches your Bullet generation.
Treat the first roast as validation before relying on the setup for production logging.

Add the machine

Open Machines from the sidebar (press G then M).
Click Add Machine and browse the catalog.
Search for Aillio or Bullet.
Choose the exact Bullet model.
Confirm the support status is Experimental.
Save the machine. There is no COM port to choose in Rostoc: it finds the Bullet by itself, whether the Bullet appears as a USB device or as a serial port.

If the Bullet is plugged in and switched on, Rostoc connects to it. If it is not there yet, Rostoc waits for it, as described next.

When Rostoc is waiting for your Bullet

When you add a Bullet, click Connect, or retry, and the Bullet is not there yet, Rostoc does not show an error. A banner at the bottom of the window reads Waiting for your … with your Machine’s name, and the Machine’s entry in Machines says the same. Rostoc keeps looking for the Bullet and connects by itself as soon as it appears. You do not need to click anything. When it connects, Rostoc shows Your … is connected with Open Roast Studio.

Under the title, the banner says what is keeping the Bullet from connecting:

The banner says	What to do
Switch your … on and plug it in by USB. Rostoc connects when it appears.	Switch the Bullet on and plug it in. After about 45 seconds the banner adds what to check: try another USB cable, since some cables only charge; plug it straight into the computer, not into a hub; on a Mac, choose Allow if your Mac asks to allow an accessory.
Your Mac has not allowed your … yet.	Unplug the Bullet, plug it back in, and choose Allow when your Mac asks. The setting is in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Allow accessories to connect.
RoastTime is open. or Artisan is open.	Close that app. Rostoc does not connect while it is open, and connects by itself once you close it.
Rostoc could not tell whether RoastTime or Artisan is open.	Close them if they are open, or click Retry now.
Another program is using your …	Close the other program. Rostoc tries again by itself, or click Retry now.
A different Bullet is plugged in … This machine is set up as your …	The Bullet plugged in is the other generation. Click Use it as an R2 (or Use it as an R1). Rostoc adds a Machine for that Bullet, or selects the one you already have, and connects it. Your old Machine and its roasts stay.
Rostoc doesn’t support the … yet	The Aillio roaster plugged in is a model Rostoc cannot connect yet. Click Remove this machine if you do not need it.
Your … is plugged in but not answering. Switch it off and on again.	Switch the Bullet off and on again. Rostoc keeps trying.
Rostoc itself has your … open	Another Machine in Rostoc is connected to the same Bullet, or Rostoc’s last try is finishing. Disconnect the other Machine. Rostoc connects as soon as the Bullet is free.
Rostoc is still finishing its last try with your … or Rostoc’s last try with your … has not finished.	Unplug the Bullet and plug it back in. If that does not help, restart Rostoc.
Rostoc cannot look for USB devices on this computer right now.	Rostoc keeps trying. If the message stays, restart Rostoc.

If you are on a plan that allows one Machine and that Bullet is not set up yet, the generation button reads Remove the …, then add the … instead. Rostoc asks before it removes anything, and you add the other Bullet from Machines afterwards.

After about 90 seconds the banner also shows Still not connected? with Bullet guide, which opens this page, and Ask us, which opens the assistant with what Rostoc is waiting for.

Retry now tries straight away.
Stop waiting ends the wait. The Machine then reads as not connected until you click Connect again.
If you quit Rostoc while it is waiting, it carries on waiting the next time you open it, unless you clicked Stop waiting.

When you switch the Bullet off

Switching the Bullet off after a roast is normal. Rostoc shows one quiet line — Your … is off or unplugged. Rostoc reconnects when it is back. — and connects again when you switch the Bullet back on. Closing the line keeps Rostoc watching; Stop waiting ends the watch.

If the Bullet goes away while a roast is recording, the recording keeps running with a gap in the Curve, and Roast Studio says recording continues; telemetry gap in progress. When the Bullet comes back, the same roast carries on. If a different Bullet is plugged in instead, Rostoc says A different Bullet is plugged in. Plug in the one you were roasting on, and the recording carries on.

Validate the first roast

During the first test roast, compare Rostoc against the Bullet display or your trusted roasting software.

Check:

bean temperature and environmental or drum temperature move in the expected direction
IBTS and bean-probe labels match what your Bullet generation exposes
heater, fan, drum, and other feedback streams appear on the right curves
voltage, current, power, or other feedback streams are not mistaken for temperature streams
rate-of-rise values are plausible after the roast has been running for a few minutes
the saved Batch reopens with the same stream labels and values

If a value is missing, stuck, or clearly wrong, report the Bullet generation, firmware version, operating system, USB cable or hub setup, and what other software was open.

What Rostoc reads

Bullet R1 and R1 IBTS on direct USB firmware — bean temperature, environmental temperature, bean-temperature rate of rise, exhaust temperature, preheat temperature, voltage, and heater, fan, drum, and fan RPM feedback.
Bullet R1 and R1 IBTS on serial firmware 626 and later — bean temperature, environmental temperature, rate of rise for both, IBTS temperature with its own rate of rise, voltage, coil fan speeds, and heater, fan, drum, and fan RPM feedback. This firmware does not report exhaust or preheat temperature; Rostoc knows that and does not mark the Bullet as partially connected over streams the firmware cannot provide.
Bullet R2 — the R1 serial set plus inlet temperature, hot air temperature, IBTS ambient, pressure, and energy readings.

Rostoc does not send control commands to the Bullet.

Troubleshooting

The Bullet shows up as a COM port - normal on firmware 626 and later. Leave the driver alone; Rostoc finds the port automatically. Do not set the Bullet up as a TC4 or generic serial machine.
Firmware 626 or later, but no COM port appears on Windows - an older Aillio USB driver from a previous install may still be bound to the roaster. Aillio’s own troubleshooting for the new firmware covers removing it. Reconnect the Bullet afterwards. A missing COM port does not mean the Bullet is unplugged.
Connection fails on firmware 626 or later - update Rostoc first; versions before 0.3.70 cannot connect this firmware at all, and versions before 0.3.74 could reject it with a state payload error. If the latest Rostoc still fails, send the support report below.
Test Connection while a roast is recording - safe. Rostoc reuses its live connection instead of opening the Bullet a second time.
Rostoc says “Waiting for your …” - Rostoc has not found the Bullet yet, or something is keeping it from connecting. Follow what the banner says: see When Rostoc is waiting for your Bullet. From Rostoc 0.4.8, a Bullet that is missing, held by another app, or the other generation gets this waiting banner instead of an error.
Bullet is not detected - if Rostoc shows Aillio USB Not Available, it comes with a checklist: Bullet generation, power, USB cable, direct USB port, system permissions, and whether another app is already connected to the roaster. Try another data-capable USB cable and connect directly to the computer instead of through a hub.
“An Aillio Bullet R2 is plugged in, but this machine is set up as a Bullet R1” - the Machine was added for the other Bullet generation. The message names the generation that is plugged in and the one the Machine expects. Click Use it as an R2 (or Use it as an R1) on the waiting banner, or add the plugged-in generation from the machine catalog and connect that Machine instead.
“macOS can see the Aillio Bullet but has not allowed apps to use it” or “Your Mac has not allowed your … yet” - on some Macs, macOS asks before it lets apps use a newly connected USB accessory. With your Mac unlocked, unplug the Bullet’s USB cable, plug it back in, and choose Allow if macOS asks. The setting is in System Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Allow accessories to connect.
Another app is using the Bullet - Rostoc names the app when it can, for example RoastTime Is Open, or says another program is using the roaster. Close that app. Only one app can use the Bullet at a time.
The wrong streams appear - confirm the selected catalog entry matches the Bullet generation, especially R1 versus R1 IBTS versus R2.
A TC4 or generic serial setup reports empty responses - the Bullet speaks Aillio’s protocol even over its serial port. A generic serial or thermocouple setup is a different integration path and can hide the real issue. Use the Aillio Bullet catalog entry.

Support report checklist

If the Bullet still does not connect, send:

Bullet generation: R1, R1 IBTS, or R2
Bullet firmware version
operating system and Rostoc version
whether the Bullet appears as a COM or serial port on your system
whether RoasTime or another roasting app was open
USB cable or hub details
the Rostoc catalog entry selected
screenshots or notes showing which readings were missing, stuck, or mislabeled