Re: Napco Gemini P3200 area?

[spyros <sp.kintzonides@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

=CE=A4=CE=B7 =CE=A4=CF=81=CE=AF=CF=84=CE=B7, 13 =CE=9F=CE=BA=CF=84=CF=89=CE=
=B2=CF=81=CE=AF=CE=BF=CF=85 2015 - 12:59:48 =CF=80.=CE=BC. UTC+3, =CE=BF =
=CF=87=CF=81=CE=AE=CF=83=CF=84=CE=B7=CF=82 Jim =CE=AD=CE=B3=CF=81=CE=B1=CF=
=88=CE=B5:
> On Monday, October 12, 2015 at 12:44:51 AM UTC-4, E DAWSON wrote:
> > Napco...I have always called it Crapco. Many years ago, working for som=
e=20
> > company, I came across such a system. I came away with the thought of "=
What=20
> > a convoluted system" I am not attacking anyone who loves these to death=
. But=20
> > the logic and the reasoning of how these engineers who came up with thi=
s, to=20
> > me, is so convoluted. I used to have a whole bunch of them from having=
=20
> > pulled them out of jobs, some brand new. I finally threw them out. The=
=20
> > keypad was not user friendly in my estimation. I find that the most=20
> > important thing after built-in programming abilities, is how easy is it=
 for=20
> > the average (and below average) consumer to use it correctly without=20
> > complications. Let's face it, we have all met Joe, the user who needs t=
o be=20
> > told everything at least 5 times before he begins to get it. Yes, I hav=
e=20
> > programmed them in the past, it is now just a fading memory. Kind of li=
ke a=20
> > horrible accident that you once experienced with all the pain, and then=
,=20
> > after a while, you do not remember the pain anymore or how it felt, onl=
y=20
> > that you did go thru such an experience.
> >=20
> > Spyros, I feel your pain. It's time to cut off the members. Save your=
=20
> > country now! Greece needs to make it thru the present hard time. Don't =
weigh=20
> > down your country anymore with these systems. Cut off your supplier now=
.=20
> > Perhaps someday they may be able to rebuild yet. All in good jest, of=
=20
> > course.
>=20
> I've used Ademco/Honeywell, FBI, DSC, Apex, Moose, Interlogix/GE The only=
 panel that ever gave me more choices in programming than Napco was Apex. B=
ut that was too ahead of it's time. As far as I know (now) there is no pane=
l on the market that gives an installer all of the choices that Napco does.=
 Now .... I can understand that in 95% of the installations you don't need =
all those choices so it's likely better for those who are among the program=
ming challenged to use the lesser panels and just pass on the complicated i=
nstallation that require timed events, isolated operations, dual interior z=
ones, automated functions,  control of users.
>=20
> Here's an example. I know it's not something you would probably ever run =
into but I can set up a panel to arm, and disarm on it's own at different t=
imes of the day on different days of the year, excluding or including holid=
ays and can allow certain users access only on certain days of the year and=
 in the meantime be turning lights or other devices on and off on at certai=
n times of the day and days of the year while being able to remote arm and =
disarm the panel and receive verbal confirmation of open zones or zones in =
alarm condition? Among other things.=20
>=20
> With that type of control, what can your customer ask you to do that you =
would have to say no to? =20
>=20
> Now, I could be wrong at this time in history, (because I haven't checked=
 out any other panels lately) but I do believe that in spite of the fact th=
at the Gemini series Napco panels have been out for maybe 15 or twenty year=
s now, they still have programming functions that newer panels manufacturer=
s haven't even thought of yet. At this point I think that probably only the=
 HAI panels can do more, but ..... as I say, at this point in time,  I have=
n't and probably wouldn't check out another manufacturer because I have eve=
rything I need in the Napco panels now. =20
>=20
> This is not to say that other equipment isn't worthy it's just that I fig=
ure it's best to use equipment that can do whatever I EVER want it to do wh=
en I need it, rather than have to pass up a job or have to say no to anythi=
ng a client ever asks me to do.=20
>=20
> Now, aside from that, I know that with equipment out there installed for =
over 35 years and still working it is a testimony to it's longevity. I woul=
d place it top of the line as far as hardyness compared to at least DSC and=
 Honeywell that I consider being made out of tinfoil and compressed mud. Wh=
en I pick up a DSC panel, it's like picking up a piece of cardboard inside =
a tin can. Cheap plastic on the transmitters. Can't even open them without =
marring the covers. cheap, cheap, cheap. And Honeywell is not that far behi=
nd in quality. At the least, Napco is still using fiberglass printed circui=
t boards and 16 gage steel cabinets. I've noticed that the components seem =
to be getting cheaper looking but nothing compared to the crap that DSC use=
s. On the quality of parts alone it's enough to dissuade anyone with a sens=
e of wanting to offer quality equipment to their clients. However I'm sure =
that most use it because it's cheaper than all the rest.=20
>=20
> As far as usability, I have no problems whatsoever in teaching my level o=
f client how to use Napco systems. I do high level residential and very lit=
tle commercial so maybe it's an end user quality issue. I can certainly und=
erstand that Joe's Pizza would not know how to or even need to know how to =
operate a Napco 9600. Which is why there is the or P801 that can be program=
med in about 10 minutes from the keypad and a young chimpanzee could be tau=
ght to use it.=20
>=20
> I'm sure your experience with Napco was traumatic as most people find the=
ir programming rather arduous. But, like most things, once you learn it, it=
's a piece of cake. Also, once learning to program Napco systems, I can pro=
gram any panel just by looing at the manual for a few minutes.  And, unlike=
 Honeywell,  Napco manuals are in pretty logical order once you have the co=
ding procedure down. In the past, Napco keypad programming was a bear for m=
ost people but now with the PCD programming application it's easy as can be=
. I very seldom have(or will try) to keypad program. It's just too easy to =
hookup the laptop. And now ..... using the Starlink GSM radios,  .......  r=
emote programming takes place in a flash. No waiting for handshakes and kis=
soffs. Once you make connection, it's like 10 seconds to do a down/upload. =
COOOL!! =20
>=20
> It's all in the choice, the level of installations we do and the experien=
ces each of us has that leans us towards our equipment of choice. Each of u=
s having reason to rationalize our choices. Every piece of equipment out th=
ere has it's pluses and negatives. We can only hope that everyone makes the=
 best choices for themselves and their clients.

Finally i did it :)