Door Entry Systems (need an update!!)

[timtheenchanter]

I'm involved with a local social club, and we have a door entry system.
Relatively simple, 2 doors independently controlled by a proximity card, and in intercom.
The PC-System link is via serial to a relay panel near the PC, magnetic locks on the doors.
The problem is this:
The membership manager software running the system is running on a Win95 machine, 32Mb ram, and a 512Mb HDD, showing you the age of the PC.
The software is just called membership manager, googling this gives me no help.
What we are looking for is software to run on XP/7 with little or no change to the existing system, wiring from the PC to relay panel is easily changed if need be (IIRC its running through Cat5 with the serial Ds on the end of this)

Anyone know of anything suitable, all the software I have found on the web only refers to their own door solutions, not retro-using with existing hardware.

 

[alumni]

You won't find anything, each manufacturer use different protocols snd their software is designed for their own controllers.

You could probably get away with just a different controller - the software is usually free. However, you may want to consider the cards and readers.
Where do you currently get your cards? how much? and what format are they?

 

[timtheenchanter]

Hmm, now there's a question, Ill have to find that out, being a social club, there is not a high turnover, I think the last cards (fobs) were bought about 2-3 years ago.
I beleive the price is around £5 a fob, this is what we charge the member for them, and make very little (if anything) on them.
As to format...?? again will have to find out, is that something that would be on some info in the fobs packaging?

replacing just the controller is an option, if the software is free, however I dont think that readers and cards would be an affordable option, every member would have to be given a replacement fob, they pay for the first one.

I do know we are on our 3rd generation of fob, we started out with grey motorola cards, moved onto a grey motorola fob, now we have a blue plastic type fob (unbranded).

 

[alumni]

No one uses motorola tokens these days. Old hat. You're being over charged by around £1.50 a pop. The price is high because the trade price of the tokens is higher than the mainstream products AND they are no longer popular. No doubt a premium markup added in there too.

We used to do loads of clubs. All said they couldn't afford a decent system. Yet once they took the plunge all said they made their money back within 12 months. Chances are you are losing more money on non payment of subs than the cost of a system. A decent package will enable you to 'time bomb' card validity.

 

[Alarm]

Pretty sure the last one I worked on used Paston and Net2. Took them a while to part with the money...............yet they were always in profit.

 

[alumni]

Pretty sure the last one I worked on used Paston and Net2. Took them a while to part with the money...............yet they were always in profit.

Tch !!
wouldn't be my choice of product, especially for a 2 door system.
Think Irish - they have a 2 door controller.

 

[Alarm]

Had 5 doors on mine

But I know where your going ACT.

 

[bernardgreen]

What we are looking for is software to run on XP/7 with little or no change to the existing system

Why is there a need to upgrade to XP / Win 7 ? Is the machine also used for other functions and progams as well as managing the door access and these need XP / Win 7

One option could be to use the same software but running on a low spec "PC on a card" machine that does nothing but look after the doors. Whether it has a permanently connected screen and key board depends on how often and how quickly things have to be changed such as instantly dis-abling the tag of a member when they are barred.

 

[alumni]

Why is there a need to upgrade to XP / Win 7 ? Is the machine also used for other functions and progams as well as managing the door access and these need XP / Win 7

One option could be to use the same software but running on a low spec "PC on a card" machine that does nothing but look after the doors. Whether it has a permanently connected screen and key board depends on how often and how quickly things have to be changed such as instantly dis-abling the tag of a member when they are barred.

Based on previous experience, clubs tend to have just the one PC. Usually used for all the typical admin tasks plus the Door systems and even remote viewing CCTV (saves paying a few quid for a monitor). Also, with systems that old the chances of getting any product support when it finally gives up are pretty slim.

 

[bernardgreen]

Usually used for all the typical admin tasks plus the Door systems and even remote viewing CCTV

Which may save some money at purchase but later one PC failure could cause a lot of expensive havoc.

All eggs in one basket can create more problems than it solves.

Years ago I was involved in designing hardware for an access system which used a 6809 processor ( today would be a MicroChip PIC ) with a display of 4 lines of 20 charactors and a key pad with 16 keys. Ran on 12 volts so even in a power cut the doors worked from a car battery. It is still working today.

 

[alumni]

Usually used for all the typical admin tasks plus the Door systems and even remote viewing CCTV

Which may save some money at purchase but later one PC failure could cause a lot of expensive havoc.

All eggs in one basket can create more problems than it solves.

Years ago I was involved in designing hardware for an access system which used a 6809 processor ( today would be a MicroChip PIC ) with a display of 4 lines of 20 charactors and a key pad with 16 keys. Ran on 12 volts so even in a power cut the doors worked from a car battery. It is still working today.

Funnily enough and by coincidence, i hinted earlier at a product with very similar features. Obviously more practical when linked to software but if the PC crashes everything can still be done from the controllers built in interface, even when running on standby battery.

 

[timtheenchanter]

Y'know, there really is no good reason to move from the existing OS.

We DO have 2 PCs, the ye-olde machine runs the door entry, and also the till system (not a live system, but used for bringing the takings etc down from the tills to the office, and also for updating pricings etc)

Might just have to find an old OS disc from somewhere (come to think of it, there shouldn't really be a reason for software from 95, not to run on 98SE, of which I have a few floating around)

 

[OwainDIYer]

Y'know, there really is no good reason to move from the existing OS.

We DO have 2 PCs, the ye-olde machine runs the door entry, and also the till system

If ye-olde machine starts getting unreliable then run the old OS in a virtual machine on a new PC.

 

[bernardgreen]

Or buy a re-cycled old PC and use that.

My DOS based CAD design tools run on a re-cycled machine that cost me £20. And they run faster than the more modern and " improved " versions for Windows. The DOS based versions have never crashed while running.