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Equipment run time
Thomas Hayes
Posts: 1,164
in AMX Hardware
Hello everyone
Here is a question that is directed towards long time AMX users. I've seen the MTBF stats from AMX but would like to know from others how often do you replace he older equipment that still is working(client still happy with it performance). I have some axcent II's still running and some TP ver1.1 . here that still work fine. The reason is I want to show or prove that the equipment does not have to be replaced ever X number of years as long as it is still doing its jobs. Why replace for the sake of replacement but only when needed either because of failure or new requirements for the system.
Here is a question that is directed towards long time AMX users. I've seen the MTBF stats from AMX but would like to know from others how often do you replace he older equipment that still is working(client still happy with it performance). I have some axcent II's still running and some TP ver1.1 . here that still work fine. The reason is I want to show or prove that the equipment does not have to be replaced ever X number of years as long as it is still doing its jobs. Why replace for the sake of replacement but only when needed either because of failure or new requirements for the system.
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Ironically, within the last 2 years, I have reprogrammed 4 large AXCESS card-frame systems that I originally programmed 10-12 years ago.
The only hardware change was upgrading to a nice color G3 touch panel to replace an EL or button panel.
These systems have been reliable workhorses for many years, and in order to make the best usage of their budget allowance, they only want to upgrade the portion of the system that they see - the user interface.
I am happy that these customers have been loyal for so many years.
They could have easily gone to another vendor for any system work.
I am an advocate for not forcing new equipment on a customer unless there is a clear advantage and the customer can appreciate it.
I would not want them to feel that I convinced them to add something that they really didnt need.
On the other hand, we occasionally have clients who see something new in a trade magazine or at a show, and they want it integrated immediately.
Also, many times as part of a large "consultant led" project, we are forced to integrated many items that are not even needed, and never used.
I think that most customers trust and value the advice of their respective vendors when it comes to upgrades and system changes.
Closest I got was one client that wanted network access/control of a half-dozen or so rooms with Axcent3's. Wound up putting NXC-ME's in each room and running the Axcent3's as slaves...
- Chip
You may want to go ahead and replace those two backup power batteries though (one at a time, of course) to avoid surprises after a power interruption.
I do upgrade firmware whenever possible. I just worked on a system that had a load of AXB-IRS4s scattered around a huge facility. They had various f/w versions. Although none of the operational differences affected the program running, I updated them all to the latest version in case I would need to change the programming in a way that a command missing from earlier versions may present an issue.
Rock on.
There is a part of me that misses the wired systems and 900Mhz devices.
Facility networks are so over-populated, that it makes it hard to integrate control hardware to a point where is works perfectly.
These days, as technolgy is supposed to make our lives easier, I cant even get my wi-fi & ethernet panels to communicate 100% of the time.
Hopefully, there will be some improvements made for the newer hardware.
I am sure my customers would rather use an older system that works 100%, than to buy a new system that is going to have issues.