Re: Why Don't You Like DSC? (Addressed to those that don't.)

["Mark Leuck" <m..leuck@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1115960518.576564.288950@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> >
> > Tech can't get into programming unless they know which keypad is
> address 1
> > which ends up being time consuming to figure THAT out,
>
> Well I guess if there were 7 keypads.......... but, I always make it
> the keypad closest to the panel. Seems to make sense.

Makes sense however often not the case

> > then trying to
> > explain how to keypad program
>
> Way .... way ..... wait a minute!!!!! ....... have you been talking
> about KEYPAD programing all this time? What kind of dummy is going to
> hand program a 20 or 30 zone system by hand?  If they do, they deserve
> to run into and make as many mistakes as the can. How in the hell do
> you check for errors? I haven't hand programed a direct downloadable
> panel in so many years ....... I forget how long it's been. I can't
> even remember the last time I looked in a programing manual, for that
> matter.

Whats so hard about it? I have no problems programming 20 or 30 zones on a
Vista-20P or DSC 832 or Caddx NX-8, not going to happen with Napco which is
my point, Jim most people do NOT download panels which again is why Napco is
a blip on the screen in panel sales compared to other brands, they are all
flat out easier to program.

> So ........ then ......... rather than comparing hand programing, how
> would you rate Napco compared to others with just downloading? Never
> mind the banging together of two keypads to start a fire method.

With just downloading Napco is slow on the connect, getting status etc
compared to the others, it at least only downloads the information that was
changed. I still hate the day-glo looking software

Thats why I always thought it was funny when people like RLB only talk about
downloading to change codes or maybe a couple of programming steps, would I
rather spend 10 to 15 minutes firing up the software, uploading the panel,
making a change then disconnecting or would I rather spend maybe MAYBE 30
seconds walking them through it at the keypad.


> Even if I did try out any other panel, I'd NEVER try to hand program
> it. Why would anyone? That's like buying a car and pushing it wherever
> you want to go.

Again with a panel like a DSC PC832 it's very easy to program via keypad,
same with a GE Concord or Caddx

> > Yup, many in this newsgroup don't seem to realize most techs program
> via the
> > keypad not downloader and I will not download a panel unless I know
> how to
> > keypad program it first
>
> To each his own. Perhaps for what you do, that's what's necessary. But
> it'd be a cold day in hell before I'd hand program any direct
> downloadable panel.

Scenario #1: You are out riding a bicycle 40 miles from the house when you
get a call from a customer who needs a code change or some simple program
alteration before they go out of town in an hour, do you tell them you'll be
home in about 3 hours and download it or walk them through it?

Scenario #2: You are spending 3 weeks in Brazil when a customer calls asking
for the same thing in Scenario #1 and you suddenly remember your laptop is
still in Florida or even better you discover your download modem doesn't
work worth crap with VOIP, do you tell the customer you'll be home in 3
weeks to download it or walk them through it?

Scenario #3: Customer's system has a zone trouble and because it's tying up
the phone line with trouble signals you can't connect, do you then walk the
customer through either deleting the zone temporarily/remove the report code
so you CAN download it or just tell em to kill power to the panel?

Now you know why I won't download a panel without knowing how to program it,
see I've done Scenario #1 and #3 quite a number of times and someone else in
this newsgroup might discover scenario #2 rather quickly :)

Besides, keypad program is designed into the panel, I see no reason why it
shouldn't be done