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Trade Sine Systems (or equiv) for BURK ARC16 + (2) IP8 panels

D

duckfan98

Guest
I am in desperate need of a remote control unit that allows Voice Control! I am willing to trade a Burk ARC16 + (2) IP8 interfaces. In case your wondering, the burk doesnt have the phone interface...hence my need.

Please contact me ASAP. [email protected]
 
bradgoehl said:
http://www.scmsinc.com/shop-item/tr...rk-esi-b-enhanced-speech-interface-for-cpu-b/
Click to expand...

Carefully check the software version of the ARC16 you have before buying any ESI. There are at least two versions and are very specific to the model you have. I vaguely recall that, in replacing one too many years ago that not only did the ESI get changed but one other board had to be swapped out, too. If you're not buying from Burk then you'd do well to get full particulars on what you're thinking of buying and checking with Burk's service department. I haven't talked with them in years but when I used to they were wonderfully cooperative.
 
Lately they seem overworked, tired, and handcuffed by rules. I had a VRC 3000 (I think is the model) with Lynx 4. About the only thing I really got out them was how out of date the software was and how I should "upgrade" to 5 because support was ending soon. I upgraded alright. I am one remote control away from being Burk/Gentner-free. I bought Circuitwerkes Sicon-8 remotes for about 900 bucks each and haven't regreted the change at all. Kyle, the owner suports his own stuff very nicely.
 
For the price of a lot of Burk parts, the Sicon just makes more sense. Lighting can blow the Sicon totally up and I'm only out 900 bucks. That's almost what it takes to say "hello" to Burk LOL!
 
OKCRadioGuy said:
Lately they seem overworked, tired, and handcuffed by rules. I had a VRC 3000 (I think is the model) with Lynx 4. About the only thing I really got out them was how out of date the software was and how I should "upgrade" to 5 because support was ending soon. I upgraded alright. I am one remote control away from being Burk/Gentner-free. I bought Circuitwerkes Sicon-8 remotes for about 900 bucks each and haven't regreted the change at all. Kyle, the owner suports his own stuff very nicely.
Click to expand...

I've done the same with Broadcast Tools WVRC-8. You don't need a PC to tell it when to change power/pattern. I'm pretty much working with Sine and Broadcast Tools now. Only one ARC16 left to replace.
 
I'd like to "like" Burk products and go to the trouble of getting beat up "down the hall" for asking for a premium product, however, my boss is well educated on how they didn't really take that great care of us on the former product. They really cost themselves about 15,000 dollars total in sales just from what we would have probably spent over the years because of the silly attitude of making people pay for a software update on a flimsy hardware (by today's standards) box. With several other less expensive options and better real support, my decision was pretty easy. BTW, that 15k doesn't include about 5 other boxes I've put in at other stations I'm involved with on the side.
 
My absolute alltime fave RC was Harold Hallikaainen's DRC-190. Flexible, worked great, expandable, inherently multisite, etc. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone but me ever bought one so he quit building them. Shame.

The WRVC-8 is nice but won't take a negative sample, which means you're gong to have to build an outboard converter to control a Collins/Continental '3 bay' FM radio.

The Arc-16 has its moments but they're reliable and accurate. I've also got a bunch of their PPM gear, and it works well, within the constraints Arbitron has. It took a bit to figure out what circumstance caused what actions with it. It will, however, keep you encoding if there is a working encoder in the same room with it.

I bitched mightily to Pete several years ago, and apparently so did a lot of others, because they reworked the tech support division. Since then, I've not had any trouble getting answers. Dan (Roche, I think) is Da Man for most of their products.
 
Glad others like the ARC-16...I've seen them work on every other channel, randomly issue raise and lower commands and a couple other weirdnesses...all of which can be solved by a drive to the transmitter to power cycle the thing. The Sine RFC-1/B? Bulletproof. I think you're making a wise decision in 'upgrading' to a Sine...just hope you find someone willing to 'downgrade' to an ARC-16.
 
I'm in the process of putting a SICOM online right now (replaces a really flaky BT WVRC-8 that I finally had enough of). That box is amazing considering the price. Just getting ready to (easily) update some audio files on it as we speak...
-D
 
The only remote control I've ever seen which would issue random control closures was one made by (I think) TFT, but might of been one of the early 16 channel Potomac ones. Anyhow, it went batchit on a regular basis. I went up one night when it was having a problem and opened the top of the box. The raise/Lower relays were along the side of the box, and they were randomly popping open and closed.

There followed a long session of 'It can't do that' with tech service, sollowed later by a sort of rueful "It can ick up RF on the woring harness, at the top of the FM band. I shared the tower with a 107.something. They sent me a new harness witgh RF beads liberally applied, and it worked correctly thereafter.

The Sine box works well, my only complaint is, they aren't exactly intuitive to set up. My ARC-16 have operated well. They don';t like lightening on the lines, but past that - which is easily guarded against - they're rocks. I have never gotten a random command out of one.

I did at one point remove the transmitter end of one of my 190s from the rack with a chisel where a thunderclap had welded it. Made no difference to its operation, it soldiered on quite well.
 
Never had any problems with the ARC-16, or the Sine. The Sine's are rocks, but like has been said, are a pain to set up. I've done enough of them now that I could do it in my sleep, but if you've never encountered one before be prepared to spread those programming pages of the manual out in front of you.

Installed an ARC Plus at a new site and love it. Plug the box in and connect up the IP connection, set up and connect your IP interfaces for status and command and off you go. The software to set it up is great as well. All you need to do is add more IP interfaces to add more channels/relays. And those can go anywhere on the internet at any site. Pretty cool.

Also have used the Davicom MAC units... nice functionality, but the voice interface sucks on them. But for the price they're very functional and the remote control web interface is nice.
 
Only time an ARC16 issued random commands was when the room temp dropped into the 30s.
Bad part was it was on top of a 7000 ft mountain. After raising & lowereing the power for an hour it finally shut off the transmitter. Put a trouble light under it and all was well. Have to add it was a low serial number.
 
I had an ARC16 at a transmitter site that would go brain-dead and dump all of its settings when it got cold, which I also fixed with a clip-on trouble light.

The only time I've ever seen an ARC16 issue random relay closures was while power cycling the chassis. I always make sure to unplug the "command" ribbon cable when cycling power, to avoid any unpleasantness.
 
I used to put a trouble light inside a transfer switch that would travel only halfway when cold, leaving the building with NO power from city or generator. Had to change the lamp a couple of times a year.

Then I put TWO trouble lights, wired in series, inside the transfer switch case. That was over 30 years ago and both lamps are still burning and there has never been another partial transfer issue.
 
We put in an ARC +. Liked the flexibility and setup. Unfortunately, it has to make the Massachusetts Tour to change the firmware. Also uinfortunately, it would from time to time forget to call out on alarm, an unacceptable situation when we have five RF sites and two guys to keep them cooking. Alarm outcall is essential and must be reliable. In true Burk fashion, they happily took it back and sent us a loaded Arc-16 in its place. I'm sure the problem will be sorted in time, we just weren't and aren't in a position to use it till then. Given a history of solid performance, we'll probably be replacing the -16s with the + in a year or three.

I'll note in passing, Continental is the only other manufacturer I've had do this. When we put S/N the first one of their big box on, and eventually it became apparent it had some constraints which weren't likely to go away, their response was "Here, have a new dual 50KW on us, and send that one back on our dime"

These are the kind of manufacturers you go back to. Foti's outfit is much the same.
 
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