Serial to IP recommended device

Pep_SD

What are you guys preferably use as Serial to IP converter?

TurnipTruck

I haven't used any in a while. However, I used to use Moxa N-Ports quite a bit. They came with a nice Windows ap that created virtual comm ports on your box so that serial-only software would work over IP.

regallion

Yep another vote for Moxa (albeit used from a different control system from AMX).

vining

For about $80.00US SitePlayer works great for a single point/port.
http://netmedia.com/siteplayer/

Digi is also nice, bullet proof but a bit pricey. Maybe $180.00US? for the 1 port.

The Moxa is also great and I've used their 8 port rack mount solution, 232/485 for around $800.00US?.

John Nagy

vining wrote: »

Digi is also nice, bullet proof but a bit pricey. Maybe $180.00US? for the 1 port.

$130 from Amazon, as low as $120 a number of places. We've recommended them because we've never yet heard about a failure in the field. Once you set them to auto-reconnect. Probably close to 100 of them on our systems across the country.

Andrew G Welker

For a much easier solution, look at the ICSLan boxes from AMX. They were recently released and show up in the AMX system as a native Netlinx device, so sending a serial string to them is the same as any other Netlinx device.

ICSLan EXB-COM2

[Deleted User]

+ 1

Andrew G Welker wrote: »

For a much easier solution, look at the ICSLan boxes from AMX. They were recently released and show up in the AMX system as a native Netlinx device, so sending a serial string to them is the same as any other Netlinx device.

ICSLan EXB-COM2

Thanks for the plug, Andrew. These products starting shipping 2-months ahead of schedule.

Please continue to promote AMX products...we all have families to feed too!

vining

B_Clements wrote: »

Thanks for the plug, Andrew. These products starting shipping 2-months ahead of schedule.

Please continue to promote AMX products...we all have families to feed too!

Since those are probably about $500.00 list for a 2 port device what's the likehood of AMX ever making a single port version for those times/locations where only one will ever be needed. A $250.00 1 port compared to a $100.00 alternative is an acceptable increase in expense but $500.00 compared to $100.00 isn't. If I need 2 ports or there's a possibilty for a second serial device this is a no brainer and it is a very nice addition to the AMX product line. So if spending a little more helps your family eat better I'm all for it and the fact that it's easier to set up as a native device is good too.

John Nagy

Of course you know your comparison is unfair. The 2 port ICSlan Serial is msrp over $500, but you don't pay that. The $100 unit you are comparing it to, you pay $100 for. Do you charge your customer $500+ for the AMX version, and $100 for the other? If so, you put the sizable difference for the AMX one right in your own pocket. If you mark each up $50, the difference is clearly less... and the convenience of the AMX setup is worth something in your time at least. Still not cheap, and that's your real point, and I agree.

TurnipTruck

It may be that an ICSLan box may not even be what is needed. The "typical" use of serial-to-IP converters is to remotely access serial-only configurable devices. For me, I never used one as a remote AMX port. I used them with audio processors that had to be configured with a serial connection to a PC. Using a converter, I was able to use an IP network to move the PC further from the device than a serial connection would allow.

vining

John Nagy wrote: »

Of course you know your comparison is unfair. The 2 port ICSlan Serial is msrp over $500, but you don't pay that. The $100 unit you are comparing it to, you pay $100 for. Do you charge your customer $500+ for the AMX version, and $100 for the other? If so, you put the sizable difference for the AMX one right in your own pocket. If you mark each up $50, the difference is clearly less... and the convenience of the AMX setup is worth something in your time at least. Still not cheap, and that's your real point, and I agree.

I also have some tech savvy customers who will price check every freaking line item. Not usually the customer I want but I need to take what I can get and they'll look at comparable prices of alternative item and actual ask me why I don't use use a $100 serial server that they can find googling instead of a $500 item from AMX. Of course if I word my line item description a little better so it doesn't sound like just a serial server they won't think of a simple serial server as an alternative. I still need to consider the bottom line though so I can't keep adding items I'd prefer to work with. Sometimes I need to consider the lowest costing item that will do the job, keeping in mind the setup time obviously.

Back on Point:
Anyway if AMX had a single port option the cost difference would be close enough all things considered to warrant the aded expense if and when only a single port is needed. Behind a TV for instnace where dealer cost + 50 would still keep it out of contention.

John Nagy

My guess is that AMX knew they could not be cost competitive on a single port solution (way less volume than a multibrand solution, higher bar on build materials for commercial use - note the metal box). So they went multiport to be useful at the price point they could make. They can't cut the price in half by removing 1 port, any more than Jaguar can make a 50% price cut on that new XK I want by removing two wheels. A single port AMX might only cut their costs by $10, and adding another catalog skew costs them more than that. Oh well, good to have options.

vining

John Nagy wrote: »

My guess is that AMX knew they could not be cost competitive on a single port solution (way less volume than a multibrand solution, higher bar on build materials for commercial use - note the metal box). So they went multiport to be useful at the price point they could make. They can't cut the price in half by removing 1 port, any more than Jaguar can make a 50% price cut on that new XK I want by removing two wheels. A single port AMX might only cut their costs by $10, and adding another catalog skew costs them more than that. Oh well, good to have options.

I don't know where I got that price from I posted before but it looks like the list price is closer to $800.00 which really makes it a "no sale" item when you can find alternatives for 25% the cost.

As far as creating a single port device at half the price it should be trivial since the R&D is already done and that's where the cost comes from not the materials used to make it. If a jaguar was actually 2 cars joined together they should easily be able to create a single car version for 1/2 the cost.

Knowing the actual cost I don't see myself specifying them in any jobs. I'll specify SitePlayers at $80.00 per extra or remote port needed which will make it more likely that I get the job. It's more important that I'm able to eat before I help to feed anyone else.

shr00m-dew

I looked at the prices of the new pieces and was going to ask why not use an NI-700 or 900 at those prices.... But it appears the COST on those two items have gone up 50% in the past year, and that's comparing our new gold prices to silver.

Yet the 2100/3100/4100 are lower in price (by what looks like the gold/silver difference). So does any one know when the price went up on the 700/900? Was it after another department came up with the ISCLan boxes that are more expensive and do less?

What's in a 700/900 that could cause the cost to go up 50% and not effect the x100 series???

Kevin D.

Joe Hebert

shr00m-dew wrote: »

I looked at the prices of the new pieces and was going to ask why not use an NI-700 or 900 at those prices.... But it appears the COST on those two items have gone up 50% in the past year

Wow. I didn't notice the price hike on the NI-700. I think it's relatively recent.

vining

Now the 700/900 is just a few hundred less than a 2100 which basically $100 less than a 3100. With such a small difference in prices you might as well specify the 3100 for everything unless you need the 4100.

I heard they were going to target the higher, high end market but why close the door on the smaller sales?

Pep_SD

Well, for a Bronze dealer like me, a NI700 had an increase in price of 55% from the July 2011 price list.
+17% for NI2100
While the NI3100 dropped 6%... I guess that might anounce end of life coming of any 700, 900 and 2100.

BTW, these new EXB-xxx just had an increase of 80% (for Bronze dealer)!!!!
While the downloadable price list still shows "July pricing". Must check what is going on.

In the end, back to the search for a device that I can justify for my client, for just bringing an LG26 Tv to the system.

[Deleted User]

Web site pricing

Joe Hebert wrote: »

Wow. I didn't notice the price hike on the NI-700. I think it's relatively recent.

There have not been any price increases. There was an error on the AMX web site that has been corrected.

Joe Hebert

B_Clements wrote: »

There have not been any price increases. There was an error on the AMX web site that has been corrected.

Thanks for the clarification Brian.

vining

B_Clements wrote: »

There have not been any price increases. There was an error on the AMX web site that has been corrected.

That's good to hear and that means the EXB-Com-2 if reasonable priced again but only if you need 2 ports. I can see 1/2 the time needing a single port behind a TV or projector so what about a single port version at half the cost.

Pep_SD

B_Clements wrote: »

There have not been any price increases. There was an error on the AMX web site that has been corrected.

Yep. I called this morning and Laura confirmed.
Thank you Brian for posting this on the forum.