This topic has had no discussion here in ASA for about a year. Maybe a good reason, don't know.
Just curious on a few of things about 2gig.
I understand that the equipment is not purchased thru normal distribution, but, from their own group of ??resellers??
Anyone know if it is required that the installing dealer needs to be "certified" or "blessed" in someway?? Something like minimum quantities or something per year or month??
Also now that the lawsuit and recall dust has settled and they have been on the market for now maybe 2 years or so. Anyone here installing or have any new opinions on the product line other than what has been posted in the past??
I know these may be loaded questions, and I know those here will not disappoint me with little or no colorful comments.
To be honest, it is the one of many reasons that I ask here. LOL
well we just recently removed a wireless package that had used 2geg transmitters and it looked like a 2geg receiver/keypad/cellular wall unit. It was not labeled as a 2geg system though..
they way it was installed it looked like a "trunk slammer" sales deal.. The new home owners said the prior home owner just left it when they moved out and the monitoring co was trying it get them to assume the contract..
RTS
Hey all,
This topic has had no discussion here in ASA for about a year. Maybe a good reason, don't know.
Just curious on a few of things about 2gig.
I understand that the equipment is not purchased thru normal distribution, but, from their own group of ??resellers??
Anyone know if it is required that the installing dealer needs to be "certified" or "blessed" in someway?? Something like minimum quantities or something per year or month??
Also now that the lawsuit and recall dust has settled and they have been on the market for now maybe 2 years or so. Anyone here installing or have any new opinions on the product line other than what has been posted in the past??
I know these may be loaded questions, and I know those here will not disappoint me with little or no colorful comments.
To be honest, it is the one of many reasons that I ask here. LOL
On Sunday, November 25, 2012 8:57:09 PM UTC-5, ABLE1 wrote: ROFLOL Ok, I am disappointed without question. Thanks to Rocky and Nick for your comments. Otherwise I am amazed.......................... I guess I should read between the messages or something. Les
I'm thinking that you probably didn't get any answers because no one is using it so there's nothing to be said. I know "about" it but never investigated it enough to have any opinion about it.
You'd be better off taking some double-back tape and mounting a pile of dog crap to the wall as the alarm, than to use the 2gig.... Just my half cent...
Thanks for the input. I would say that it does not necessarily answer my question. I totally heard what you said, but, would you please, rather than just making a blanket statement. Would you please explain why you feel as you do??
Have you used the equipment and it failed?? Or is this just a general statement based on your years of experience??
I am not trying to put you on the spot, just looking for extra input.
Installation aside. I can install and have and will continue with quality workmanship regardless of what equipment is being used. My question boils down to more of equipment function and long term durability.
If the equipment actually is low grade, slap together, poor design and assembly prone to failure that is one thing.
If on the other hand the equipment is designed well, trim and fit is good, circuitry is well planned, with quality components and well thought out then that is quite something else.
Anyone can point at a car and say it is a piece of crap based on owning one and it was a lemon. But to say it is a piece of crap because you don't like look of the side mirror does not say much.
I am guessing that anyone here in ASA have not used or installed a
2gig system. And that is just fine. I was just looking for opinions and that is what I have received. I have not used or installed a 2gig as well. Although I have briefly touched a demo unit.
Again thanks to all that have commented on the topic as it were.
From my experience, consisting of installing about 5 of these over the past= few months for a national company, I can tell you this...
- The panel, physically and in theory, is basically on par with the Simon's= , Lynx's, and DSC9047's of the world. The plastic is a bit flimsy, much li= ke the SimonXT. Also, the "third hand" feature is just plain stupid, espec= ially as this is one the "innovations" that this panel is bringing to the t= able. It allows the panel to hang down too far and mark up the wall when y= ou're trying to wire it. There is also the "smash and grab" feature, which= seems clever in theory, although I've never tested it. However, it's only= available with a cell communicator, not on a phone line, something the sal= es guy might not have mentioned.
- The panel's power supply, and it's over-engineered but clever retention c= lip, is nice as it can be mounted upside-down. However, 14 volts DC is ann= oying and not something you'll find on any other panel. It would have made= a lot of sense to have it 12 volts DC and a low amperage, as the main mark= et of this system is for doorknockers, who could use the existing panel (as= suming there is an old hardwired system to takeover) for power and the exis= ting keypad wire to get there. Also, being DC (unlike any other panel) mak= es you think about how you wire it as every other panel is AC.
- The panel's phone connection is terrible. It needs to be redeisgned, as = they're currently shipping the wrong parts. As with any other system (wire= d or wireless) you get a jack and a cord. However, the cord they ship is i= ntended to be wired into terminals on the panel like a hardwired panel. Wh= at this system should be shipped with is a cord similar to that of the Simo= n3/XT. I haven't tried that specific cord on the 2gig panels yet, but susp= ect it would work just fine. For now what I've had to do is use the jack l= ike a junction box, wired to demarc as normal, but using the cord wired dir= ectly to the terminals of the jack and then plugged into the panel. This p= rovides line seizure (assuming you were wiring for line seizure in the firs= t place) but doesn't allow for an inline DSL filter if needed. Also, if yo= u're thinking about being clever and splicing the wire from demarc to the p= hone cord to avoid putting a very large hole into the wall, think again. T= he phone plug sticks out too far from the panel and requires a hole in the = wall.
- The panel's volume control needs to have separate options for voice and b= eeps. Currently, it's one volume control. If you want the voice chime to = be loud enough to hear (which many people like, especially with small kids = in the house), then the beeps are nearly deafening. I suppose this is a le= ftover feature of the Ademco products, which have always been abrasive and = non-user-frieldly.
- The standard door contacts (DW10-345?) seems to work well. Fortunately t= hey can be mounted either with doorknocker tape or with screws. The magnet= s, on the other hand, cannot be attached with screws, only tape. There is = also the option of using the included connector to splice onto a hardwired = contact, although I've never used it. These contacts are the main reminder= of this systems Ademco-based background, as the default loop number is sti= ll 2.
- The standard motion detectors (PIR1-345?) are easy to install and get rea= sonable straight in the corner of the wall with the wide sides. Assuming, = of course, that the walls are reasonably straight. However, they have a ve= ry cheap look to them, which doesn't give people a sense of security.
- The motion detector's retaining screw is ugly and can be awkward to insta= ll while trying to hold the motion on the backplate before it falls to the = floor. It's also set back so far that it's difficult to get a regular-size= d screwdriver to it without scraping your hand against the walls. A smalle= r, whiter, screw would have been nice. However, it's still better than GE'= s design of a tiny, semi-optional, screw in the top of the motion without a= pre-drilled hole to put it into.
- The standard smoke detectors of the moment (SMKT3) seem to be tested by t= hrowing them out there and letting installers figure them out for themselve= s. They have separate loops for smoke (1) heat (2) and freeze (3), which i= s easy to forget when every other smoke/heat combo unit just uses one zone.= Also, I'm not sure why you'd want a freeze sensor on the ceiling, especia= lly when it'll likely be in the highest area of the house (upstairs hallway= by the bedrooms). I'd much rather have a freeze sensor in an area that wi= ll be cold sooner, and matter more, like the utility room. The design coul= d use a bit of tweaking (DSC), but I've seen worse (GE). My main concern w= ith these smokes is that I've had one (out of only 5 or so installations) t= hat was defective out of the box. It would enroll into the panel, it would= tamper, it would restore the tamper, but it would not go into alarm. 20% = failure rate is not acceptable.
- The keyfobs (KEY2-345?) seem decent and work much like any other. The be= st part about these keyfobs is that they don't use a separate zone for each= button, unlike their Ademco ancestors. This saves a lot of time (and zone= s) in programming, but may limit their use to just being a keyfob.
All in all, if I were to go with an all-in-one panel, the 2gig would be my = second choice after DSC's 9047. This, of course, may just be due to my pre= ference with DSC's panels to begin with. However, I'd still prefer (for my= self and my customers) a hardwired panel. I would choose it over a SimonXT= and most definitely over a Lynx (which I wouldn't even have on my wall, mu= ch less use). Besides, if you can get a wire from the keypad to a power re= ceptacle, you can often find a way to get a real panel installed somewhere = in between. And if you really want a touchscreen, everyone else is also ma= king them for their existing systems.
From my experience, consisting of installing about 5 of these over the past few months for a national company, I can tell you this...
- The panel, physically and in theory, is basically on par with the Simon's, Lynx's, and DSC9047's of the world. The plastic is a bit flimsy, much like the SimonXT. Also, the "third hand" feature is just plain stupid, especially as this is one the "innovations" that this panel is bringing to the table. It allows the panel to hang down too far and mark up the wall when you're trying to wire it. There is also the "smash and grab" feature, which seems clever in theory, although I've never tested it. However, it's only available with a cell communicator, not on a phone line, something the sales guy might not have mentioned.
- The panel's power supply, and it's over-engineered but clever retention clip, is nice as it can be mounted upside-down. However,
14 volts DC is annoying and not something you'll find on any other panel. It would have made a lot of sense to have it 12 volts DC and a low amperage, as the main market of this system is for doorknockers, who could use the existing panel (assuming there is an old hardwired system to takeover) for power and the existing keypad wire to get there. Also, being DC (unlike any other panel) makes you think about how you wire it as every other panel is AC.
- The panel's phone connection is terrible. It needs to be redeisgned, as they're currently shipping the wrong parts. As with any other system (wired or wireless) you get a jack and a cord. However, the cord they ship is intended to be wired into terminals on the panel like a hardwired panel. What this system should be shipped with is a cord similar to that of the Simon3/XT. I haven't tried that specific cord on the 2gig panels yet, but suspect it would work just fine. For now what I've had to do is use the jack like a junction box, wired to demarc as normal, but using the cord wired directly to the terminals of the jack and then plugged into the panel. This provides line seizure (assuming you were wiring for line seizure in the first place) but doesn't allow for an inline DSL filter if needed. Also, if you're thinking about being clever and splicing the wire from demarc to the phone cord to avoid putting a very large hole into the wall, think again. The phone plug sticks out too far from the panel and requires a hole in the wall.
- The panel's volume control needs to have separate options for voice and beeps. Currently, it's one volume control. If you want the voice chime to be loud enough to hear (which many people like, especially with small kids in the house), then the beeps are nearly deafening. I suppose this is a leftover feature of the Ademco products, which have always been abrasive and non-user-frieldly.
- The standard door contacts (DW10-345?) seems to work well. Fortunately they can be mounted either with doorknocker tape or with screws. The magnets, on the other hand, cannot be attached with screws, only tape. There is also the option of using the included connector to splice onto a hardwired contact, although I've never used it. These contacts are the main reminder of this systems Ademco-based background, as the default loop number is still 2.
- The standard motion detectors (PIR1-345?) are easy to install and get reasonable straight in the corner of the wall with the wide sides. Assuming, of course, that the walls are reasonably straight. However, they have a very cheap look to them, which doesn't give people a sense of security.
- The motion detector's retaining screw is ugly and can be awkward to install while trying to hold the motion on the backplate before it falls to the floor. It's also set back so far that it's difficult to get a regular-sized screwdriver to it without scraping your hand against the walls. A smaller, whiter, screw would have been nice. However, it's still better than GE's design of a tiny, semi-optional, screw in the top of the motion without a pre-drilled hole to put it into.
- The standard smoke detectors of the moment (SMKT3) seem to be tested by throwing them out there and letting installers figure them out for themselves. They have separate loops for smoke (1) heat (2) and freeze (3), which is easy to forget when every other smoke/heat combo unit just uses one zone. Also, I'm not sure why you'd want a freeze sensor on the ceiling, especially when it'll likely be in the highest area of the house (upstairs hallway by the bedrooms). I'd much rather have a freeze sensor in an area that will be cold sooner, and matter more, like the utility room. The design could use a bit of tweaking (DSC), but I've seen worse (GE). My main concern with these smokes is that I've had one (out of only 5 or so installations) that was defective out of the box. It would enroll into the panel, it would tamper, it would restore the tamper, but it would not go into alarm. 20% failure rate is not acceptable.
- The keyfobs (KEY2-345?) seem decent and work much like any other. The best part about these keyfobs is that they don't use a separate zone for each button, unlike their Ademco ancestors. This saves a lot of time (and zones) in programming, but may limit their use to just being a keyfob.
All in all, if I were to go with an all-in-one panel, the 2gig would be my second choice after DSC's 9047. This, of course, may just be due to my preference with DSC's panels to begin with. However, I'd still prefer (for myself and my customers) a hardwired panel. I would choose it over a SimonXT and most definitely over a Lynx (which I wouldn't even have on my wall, much less use). Besides, if you can get a wire from the keypad to a power receptacle, you can often find a way to get a real panel installed somewhere in between. And if you really want a touchscreen, everyone else is also making them for their existing systems.
- Chris
Chris,
Thanks for the great input. Now that is exactly what I was looking for. Clear, concise information. I thank you for the great typing skills as well.
I can agree with you about the availability of a touch screen by others.................. except for Networx. I really wish someone would make a move at UTC to make that happen, but, that is another thread.
It has been my experience repairing them for other companies that got sucked into the whole touch screen thing... The panel will just die on the customer without any kind of warning... Power cycling doesn't do any good, it just has to be replaced... Same goes for their door contacts, working today, dead tomorrow :) ... 2GIG doesn't seem very worried about serious Quality Control... Just my 1/2 cent :)
Yeah, but THOSE guys can slam in two systems a day. So what if the installation sucks - once the RMR ball starts rolling it's tough for the customer to stop it.
And I get tired of having to explain why it takes me more than one day to install a FACP, a dozen smokes, half a dozen pull stations, a flow switch and a couple dozen horn strobes...
ote in message > news: snipped-for-privacy@googlegroups.com= ... >> On Friday, November 30, 2012 12:45:20 PM UTC-5, Russell Brill wrote:= >>> I don't know if this answer will help: You'd be better off taking some= >>> double-back tape and mounting a pile of dog crap to the wall as the >>=
parently you're not the first to think of it. Some of the >> installations = I've seen done by others around here match that description. > > > It's SCA= RY what passes as an installation nowadays......... Oh, you gotta > love al= l the quality, of course when its FREE, what should one expect :) > > Yeah,= but THOSE guys can slam in two systems a day. So what if the installation = sucks - once the RMR ball starts rolling it's tough for the customer to sto= p it. And I get tired of having to explain why it takes me more than one da= y to install a FACP, a dozen smokes, half a dozen pull stations, a flow swi= tch and a couple dozen horn strobes...
It makes me laugh inside when people I've just sold a system to are amazed = that it's going to take more than a day to do a whole house installation.
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