Can't find any of the Waf-abs8ss

[MasterMog]

I visted Ray's website to see if this unit was still on sale and it appears to be out of stock since June/2005. I can't seem to get a response back on when any additional units might be available. Are there any similar products that will provide the same functionality and work with homeseer? Does anyone know where I can purchase one of these units?

Thanks
Mack

[dkindred]

Spoke with Ray

Hi, Mack (and guys).

I had a chance to speak with Ray today about the status of the AB8SS and your inquiry. Ray said that he had implemented some very aggressive spam filters, and was not aware of your note to him about the AB8SS. Perhaps it was nuked by the spam filter? He apologizes for that.

Here's the current status on the ESS product line and the AB8SS. Ray was able to secure an excellent contract with a company in Thailand to create cases for the ESS, and help keep prices down for us. However, things move slowly over there at times, and he is waiting for them to start producing them for him. The rest of the unit assembly will be done by a company close to Ray's home, so he'll be able to get the next phase completed quickly, once cases are in hand. I can't wait to see the ESS product line in action, as it sounds ideal for a lot of our HA applications.

As for the AB8SS, here's the scoop. I'm no hardware person, so this surprised me when I first learned it. When you design a piece of equipment, you design it around available components (relays, processors, connectors, etc.). These items, as common as they may seem to us, aren't available for long periods of time, and when they become obsolete, a piece of equipment needs to be redesigned to use a similar item that is presently available. The AB8SS is a case in point. The relays that Ray used are now obsolete, and he may not be able to get them any longer. This means he has to redesign the unit to use relays that he can get for now. In considering a redesign, he's re-thinking a number of elements on the AB8SS, such as:

* Should he drop the IR screw terminals in favor of an IR window.
* Should he drop the incremental resistor in favor of a model with switchable (on/off) amplifier protection.
* Should he include autotransformers in the AB8SS, which would keep the volume output the same, regardless of the number of speakers in use, but would raise the price of the unit by $50.
* Should be drop X10 support.

After he makes a decision on these items (and your input is welcome), it would take another couple of months before new AB8SS units would be available.

If you have any comments you'd like passed on to Ray, I'd be happy to forward them to him.

--David

[MasterMog]

Thanks for the update

Great news. I was just looking for an update and I'm okay with waiting until he is able to deliver the units.

Thanks
Mack

[jrfuda]

David,

Any more news from Ray? I must be a victim of the spam filter, 'cause I've emailed him several times about availability date and/or pre-ordering an AB8SS. I know his site says he's still waiting for the cases. Do you know if he's decided on the new design? the autotransformers sound like a neat idea.

Maybe I'll post a "want to buy" in the For Sale forum and see if anyone has one they want to part with.

[dkindred]

Hey, John.

I caught Ray in IM this morning. From what I understand, here's the latest on everything:

He's been getting so much spam, that he hasn't been able to identify legitimate notes. He's thinking of establishing a new E-mail address so he won't miss notes in the future.

He just received sample of both the new ESS and AB8SS cases, and they look good, so he's going to have them start being made. He's trying to get board assembly going locally in NY. He couldn't tell the board guys to start up until he found out whether or not the cases were made properly to fit around them. He things boards will start coming in in a week or two. He's going to add a pre-order request link to his web site.

He may be going to Thailand October 1st, but hopes to have new AB8SS's, more AVS8X8's and some ESS's in stock by then end of September.

That's my understanding, at least.

--David

[jrfuda]

That's good to hear. That'll give me enough time to buy speakers and run wire, then all I'l lhave to do is drop the AB8SS in place.

[jrfuda]

OK, I've ordered 6 Elk Echo Speakers, some wire, and one of those little 15W/channel T-amps, so I'll have the house all wired-up and ready to go when the AB8SS's are available again (or someone replies to my WTB post). Hopefully I won't have to wait too long

[kevind]

Hey Ray,

How's your summer been? Good to hear this is still moving forward. The logistics of launching a new product always take longer than anticipated.

* Should he drop the IR screw terminals in favor of an IR window.
* Should he drop the incremental resistor in favor of a model with switchable (on/off) amplifier protection.
* Should he include autotransformers in the AB8SS, which would keep the volume output the same, regardless of the number of speakers in use, but would raise the price of the unit by $50.
* Should be drop X10 support.

IR control: Why not both IR window and/or an 1/8 inch mini input IR jack. The mono mini jack cables can be had from Radio Shack for a few bucks each and these plug directly into the Secu16IR. Nice and neat. The window would obviously give the option of stick on emitters.

autotransformers in the AB8SS...for sure and well worth the $50

X10 support....I have found this to be unreliable for some reason and really not sure why since all my other x10 gear is totally reliable. It could simply be the requirement of the TW module which is really a piece of junk...have had 2 bad ones so far. I reported this had been solved in my case with a new TW module but lately am having issues again. I still have to send the commands twice for it to work. I think X10 is important as it is yet another option for control but reliability is a must otherwise it's just an extra hardware cost.

[jrfuda]

David, have you gotten any updates from Ray?

Me want now!!!!

[dkindred]

Hey, John.

Nope, I haven't chatted with Ray lately. I'll drop him a line and see what the scoop is for you. Just because {sniff} because I care, man.

--David

[dkindred]

John,

I chatted with Ray today. Everything is going slower than he wanted. He just received the ESS cases, and the AB8SS cases are supposed to be coming in from Thailand on Monday. He's afraid to give a date right now, because everything keeps slipping, and is not under his control. I asked if he thought things would be rollilng within a month, and he said, 'that should work.'

Keep your fingers (and eyes) crossed.

--David

[jrfuda]

Thanks David, at the rate I'm going it'll probably be over a month before I even get my speakers and wire installed (they're sitting with a pile of other gear that needs to be installed).

[dkindred]

John,

Ray may have an extra AB8SS at the old price. There are a couple of them available at the old price. He's going to sell to the first requesters. He suggested that you send a note to him if you're interested. His address is: information@hacs.com with a CC to hacs@microdesigns.biz as a precaution against his aggressive spam filter.

--David

[jrfuda]

Cool, I just emailed his 2 addresses from 3 different addresses of mine (domain1, domain2, and work). Hopefully one will get through.