Home AMX User Forum AMX General Discussion

PLK-DMS keypad failures (lots)

Anyone had any significant failures of the 'no longer current' PLK-DMS keypads?

We have a client with about 12 of them in their home, all connected through the PLH-Mic Hub. We have now replaced 4 of the 12 over about a 36 month period - which is not a good track record - more than 1 a year!

Each time the problem seems to be the same - the keypad just dies and falls offline. (this is a Netlinx 3100 system)

My hunch is the mic hub which powers the Keypads but can't confirm it. The system is on UPS power which is keeping it fairly well protected from surges, outages, etc.

Any comments? Client is getting tired of paying a few hundred $$$ to keep repairing.

Cheers!

In spite of the problems at this site, personally, I liked the PLK-DMS keypads a whole lot more than the new Mio Modero keypads with their sticking buttons, awkward programming software and lack of what I consider basic features - like a volume bar and levels! But that's just my 2 cents!

Comments

  • Spire_JeffSpire_Jeff Posts: 1,917
    First, I agree on the old DMS keypads being better than the new in almost all ways.

    Second, I have had bad luck using the mic hubs. They caused more problems than the keypads themselves. I have had a couple of keypads die, most of them fell to surges. I have had a couple that had the solder joints fail on the connector between the keypad and the back box.

    Most of my problems with the mic hubs come up when upgrading an old landmark system. The keypads seem to work intermittently. Switching to a new standard hub seems to solve the problem.

    Jeff
  • DHawthorneDHawthorne Posts: 4,584
    I still have a few Landmark systems out there, and also a few conversions to NetLinx that still use the DMS keypads ... no major failures, just the usual "once in a while one up and dies" kind of thing. I have some with mic hubs, and some running off the old Landmark card frame with the MCU removed.

    I haven't been happy with any of the replacements AMX has offered so far, so I'm just keeping my fingers crossed.
  • PyroGuyPyroGuy Posts: 121
    Jeff -you mention changing to a 'standard hub'.

    What would that be? I didn't know there was any way other than the mic hub. I know the DMS keypads could hang on the ICSNET bus, (which would require a hub for the dozen or so keypads) but I need to be able to extract the audio signal for use in the intercom part.

    Thanks!
Sign In or Register to comment.