Is GE/Casi hardware supported by any other Manufacturer

[trichey]

Does anyone know if there are any other companies out there that are supporting GE/Casi (micro 5, 2000, direct door) hardware on their head ends. Looking for options. FCWnX has been nothing but grief.

[Leo]

I call tech support, there is no other software that will communicate with micro5 px2000 panels that UTC/GE has.
there is a company that is going to replace casi picture perfect, the high end version of FC, but I do not think it is out yet and I am sure it is going to cost.

I hate the ask, but what type of problems are you having.

[trichey]

started to answer, but then decided not to air dirty laundry. Mainly client/server communications issues.

What is your background?

[trichey]

Also, I was told by a Lenel Rep (UTC owns Lenel now and all access products are under Lenel) that they will continue to have Picture Perfect simply because some customers demand a system that runs on a Unix platform. He claims that all the products will still be offered because they all fill a certain niche. FCWnX for windows, Picture Perfect for Unix, and Lenel for those that use a lot of 3rd party integration.

Thoughts?

[Leo]

Hands down that is the biggest problem I have with secure perfect/FC. The last site I was at I just gave up, the customer is remote desktoping into the server which is a VM machine.

I have been working on the casi, secure perfect, picture perfect, FC for a long time. A lot of the computer end and also some wiring. The last year I have upgraded around ten sites to FC and the client communication is ALWAY the big or only problem.

Right now the company I am working for is installing mostly Kantech for access, which I thing is one of the best access systems I have seen.

One of the annoying things about this product, I do not even know what to call it. casi, secure perfect, FC, FCwnx, Micro's. they should give this product line a name. I looked on UTC's website and I was unable to find anything about the FC software. I almost thought they were going to stop selling it.

I thought you had a client problem, are you a IT guy?

[trichey]

No, not an IT guy, just a security tech for 20 yrs. The last 10 or so I've been more heavily involved with servers and software maintenance more so than field devices. I do still get to wire a panel and put it online now and then.

Agreed about the identity of the product now. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the folks that worked for GE security feel the same way...

Who do you work for, if you can say? Is Kantech considered an Enterprise type system. Will it support redundant servers and failover etc...? How do the readers wire?

The biggest problem we have with changing systems is that our readers are all Casi (or whatever) and wire back on 4 conductor. So to every door we've got a 4 con and a 2 con (lock pwr). Most systems use traditional 5 wire Weigand and the inputs wire back to the controller instead of the reader. That means we'd have to pull new cable to every door if we went with one of those types. I know Software House wires similar to the Casi method, but do you know of any others. Thanks

[Robert137]

Lenel Onguard (UTC) is now beginning to support Casi Micros in the field. The caveat is that each micro would need it's own network drop, and you would have to upgrade the controller boards in each micro to a PXN+ CPU. Can't use the downstream port, Lenel won't support that. RS2 claims they can do that in theory but I'll believe that when I see it work in the field. However, I sure hope that they Migrate away from FCWNX and lean more into Lenel Applications. We have had many bad experiences with Picture Perfect & FCWNX panel communication over both dial up and Network configurations. Also, it seems as though the panels know when it's Friday afternoon around 4:30 PM.

[MGBTesla13]

The only company I have heard of talking to Casi panels is UTC/Lenel. There are several options for a replacement strategy that seem to be gaining traction. In essence, even the UTC/Lenel strategy is a replacement because you have to have the latest PNX+, backplanes, etc. If I am going to upgrade all my boards just to upgrade the software, I may as well look at the other replacements. I hear IBM, BankAmerica, Yale are converting Casi PP to AMAG. Anyone hear how that is going? I need to make a change and need some feedback.

[Robert137]

UTC is doing this now. We now have a couple Casi to Lenel Conversions running on our remote managed server.