G3-G4
Thomas Hayes
Posts: 1,164
I am just wondering if anyone else is noticing the G4 panels don't seem as robust as the G3 panels. I have had to replace several back lights, CF's, etc vs have count on my fingers the number of G3 panels that I ever sent out. I am trying to see if this is a local issue(power, users, etc) or larger.
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That's one definite factor. Older stuff is just less complex and therefore less likely to break down ... and sometimes a component may fail and you never notice it until enough fails that something you use more regularly also dies.
But I have to say, I have yet to see a manufacturer that made a strong start not begin to suffer with quality control as it gained a better market share. Normal streamlining of operations can cause this ... efficiency and cost effectiveness contend with quality control in any operation. It's a fine balancing point, and if you go too far with one, the other suffers. And, I hate to say, it's cheaper to streamline to the point where you create a certain number of duds; it's cheaper to replace those few than gear up to the point where you never create any. Again, it's a balancing act, because if you go too far your reputation suffers, but I think it's impossible to be profitable and never release a product that has any sort of defect. It's even become the defacto standard in software - no one expects any software package to be completely bug free. And all of us know how difficult it is to produce bug-free software; you can take two hours to write the program, and ten to get every little kink out of it. There comes a point where you have to say "good enough," or you will go broke. Even more so, I must think, when you have to retool an assembly line to correct a fault.
The only stuff that I've seen that was a real issue with the G3 stuff was just a design flaw. You know those little tabs for the charger on the bottom of the ViewPoints and how they'd break off? Those have been the only thing I've seen being sent in. At least the client though doesn't have to sit there and fight on docking the damn panel like they do an 8400.
Remember how long it took to load a large G3 panel file through Axlink?
I sure hope that "Ethernet" data transport catches on.
Time to fire up my 286 PC with 300 baud modem connected to the AMX BBS.
P.S. Axlink maybe slow but dam it is rock solid. In 15 years + of using AMX I only ever saw a handful of axlink issues and they were caused by installers not wiring them up properly.
Thomas, I am with you on the reliability of Axlink.
All-in-all, I believe the benefits outweigh the issues, especially for remote access to systems.
The new MVP-9000i panel features LED backlighting which should eliminate the failures you have experienced. The option for an 802.11a WiFi connection, diversity antenna, and wired connection when docked should help tremdously to keep the panel online.
The new AMX PDU (Power Distribution Unit) has an integrated Axlink bus strip leading me to believe it will be around for a long while.
This is why we recommend that all our very large systems include one G3 panel somewhere, if only in the rack room, to be able to manage the system (at least to shut it down!!) WHEN the network is hosed. Because sooner or later, for some period of time, the network will be hosed.
You mean Axlink button panel, correct? G3 touch panels have been discontinued for some time now.
Fault tolerance is a great consideration in any mission critical design and a wired Axlink panel to perform a shutdown is a nice touch.
My experience is that wired G4 panels are extremely reliable today. Network problems are typically user setup errors such as duplicating static IP addresses.
I wish that was the case. We ended up going to a private network to help eliminate issues. I am our IT departments worst nightmare
I mentioned a client in a recent thread who has our AMX stuff in one of his houses and another of his houses with Crëstron. He never sees the Crëstron guys, but is always dealing with me at his other house. I pointed out that the Crëstron gear he's using is like a simple cordless phone with a base and a receiver, and ours is more sophisticated like a laptop on a wireless network. Our stuff can do way more than the other stuff he has, but he always responds "I don't care, I just want it to work when I push the buttons".
I too find the old Viewpoints were pretty solid compared to the "newer" panels. As far as reliability, the old RF boxes and panels were pretty durable, though not very attractive. Now if we could just get that old rock-solid durability and reliability into the new products, we'd be set. I still have panels that for no reason will change their wireless settings so as to not be able to get onto the network.
-John
I mean G3 touch panels. You can still buy the CP4a if you ask, and we have lots of them and older panels too, and many of our dealers do too. With our system, they are interchangeable with G4 and have nearly all the functionality.
But yes, a button panel or an IR control serves part of the same purpose, but without being able to see rooms and status, it's hard to command a large system from them without panels. The G3 does that and doesn't care if the network is up. A great back door.