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Answer |
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| "Will GW3 and other Genesis products work with Microsoft Vista?" |
NO. Not at this time.
BUT... we're working on it. First, Vista needs to ‘cook’ for quite a bit longer before we will do any certification of GW3 or other Genesis products on the new Operating System. Second, the trials that we have done indicate that there are significant issues with SQL, MSDE and other pieces that we need that are external to GW3 as well as other Genesis products. Third, the way Vista handles graphical things is very different and it appears that we will need to do modification to the code to make it operate in the Vista environment. We will continue to pursue our testing as Vista matures and update this FAQ. Check this space often, or feel free to contact us anytime.
UPDATE- Oct. 26, 2007- We have
made several modifications to GW3 and
have been testing on Vista Ultimate,
initial release. So far, we're pleased
with what we see. It is worth noting
that even Microsoft realizes that
initial releases of any operating system
can be problematic with latent issues.
They are even issuing a patch for XP in
2008 to add more security (that comes
out of the Vista work) and that will
extend the life of XP. It looks like we
will be certifying on Vista Ultimate,
initial release, in our 3.2.0.3 release
that is scheduled for Dec. 2007. BUT...
please remember that we are ALL at the
mercy of an initial release of a new
operating system!
For a complete listing of Vista compatibility issues we are addressing, please click here. |
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| "Where can I find more information about GW3 replacing SIMSII and SIP?" |
We are working on a "GW3 Commander Online Product Planner". You can find the current version by clicking here. |
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"Will GW3 work on a RIM-I?" |
No. We have done the code for a RIM-I, however to cover all of the modern needs for total communications with the system, and other advanced features, you must upgrade to a RIM-II and an Astro Spectra or MCS2000 RF-modem.
Important news on the MCS2000. Please click here. |
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| "Can GW3 be networked?" |
Yes. You designate the first, full copy of GW3 to be the 'server' and other copies listen to that 'server' copy. The first GW3 has the RF modem and RIM-II attached to it. The GW3 input modules handle all of the logistics of sending the data out to other networked copies of GW3. This makes an ideal multi location mini-CAD. Not all locations need to watch the same Talkgroups, and each copy that is attached can be as simple or complex in their features as you desire. |
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| "Will GW3 GroupView REALLY work on SmartZone correctly?" |
All Control Channels in SmartZone are not guaranteed to carry all traffic information. The only source for that is the ATIA port that comes from the Zone Controller. BUT... if you ALWAYS have at least one radio affiliated from each of your Talkgroups on the site that you are listening to (listening to the Control Channel), you will see all of the traffic for those Talkgroups on your screen. |
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| "Is GW3 certified on all system types?" |
The quick answer is no. Below are the system types that we have certified, and those where we are looking for Beta Sites...GenWatch3® is now fully Genesis Certified for the following system types and frequencies:
- Type II SmartNet
- Type II SmartNet (Attached to a SmartZone)
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- 800 MHz
- 821 MHz
The following system types have not gone through Genesis beta testing and in some cases development:
- Type IIi (Hybrid) – Additional development and testing needed
- Type I (Pure) – Additional development and testing needed
- StartSite (VOC) – Additional development and testing needed
- Other – Additional development and testing needed
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- OBT – Finishing Beta (12/15/06)
- 900 MHz – Testing needed
- 700 MHz – Additional development and testing needed
- 1.5 GHz (Japan) – Additional development and testing needed
- P25 – Finishing Beta (12/15/06)
- Other – More development and testing needed
If you are interested in becoming a Beta Site for any of the system types listed, please contact Genesis. |
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| "In
general, what sort of machine do I need to run GW3?" |
Here are the specs
for a machine that will do an excellent
job with most GW3 configurations, up to
5 Clients:
- Pentium 4 3.3 GHz Dual-Core
processor
- 2 GB RAM
- 80 GB HD, 15k RPM
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nVidia Quadro NVS 285 128M PCI-E
- XP Pro
- 2 COM Ports (for the RIMIIs)
- Sound card + speakers
- DVD/RW
- MS SQL for Workgroups
You can ALWAYS do better than these
specs for better performance. |
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| "Is GenWatch3 Certified by Motorola?" |
In the strictest of terms, as of February 1, 2006, no. We ARE licensed by Motorola to decode all of the 3600 Control Channel data and create products like GW3. You are likely aware that we are working with Motorola to replace SIMSII and SIP. All of that work will go through Motorola's labs and in about May, 2006, we will be certified. We are working on the agreements with Motorola regarding this, right now.
(UPDATE- AUGUST, 2006)- GenWatch3
Commander Series has gone through
Motorola Certification and passed with
flying colors.
GW3 Commander, as we call it,
is a bundle of our modules designed to
replace SIMSII and SIP. As of this date,
GW3 Commander can be purchased through
Motorola Drop Ship. Also, at this time,
the bundles cannot be changed in any
way. Additional Genesis modules can be
purchased directly from us to enhance
what you can get through Motorola. |
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| "Will an
80Gig hard drive really be ok?" |
How much hard drive space you will actually need is dependent on several things:
- Daily call volume.
- How long you want to keep the history?
- Do you want to store the RAW control channel data?
In general, the larger the drive, the better. At the price of hard drives these days, it is very inexpensive (less than $150) to get even a 120GHD and have more room than you want, plus 'wiggle' room.
EXAMPLE: With a system that has 17,500 calls a day you can expect 220 megabytes of data each day. This number includes raw data storage, if raw data is not going to be stored you can expect approximately 40 megabytes a day. |
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| "Will GW3 REALLY work on SmartZone correctly?" |
All Control Channels in SmartZone are not guaranteed to carry all traffic information. The only source for that is the ATIA port that comes from the Zone Controller. BUT... depending on what you are wanting to archive, there is a good chance that the Control Channel that you are listening to has all of the information that you need for your operation. If you are the system owner and are looking for a complete look at your SmartZone or Omnilink, we highly suggest that you look at GenSZAI from Genesis rather than GW3 to guarantee that you'll receive all traffic information. |
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| "Can I use a single RF-modem and RIM-II for driving both SystemWatch and GenWatch3?" |
Yes and No. Bottom line is we do not recommend it. Here's why: Both SystemWatch (SW) and GenWatch3 (GW3) do more than listen to the RIM-II. There is start up data that is sent to the RIM-II when each program starts. If we do the 'classic' RS-232 'Y' cable, we run the risk of data collision. If we remove the TX (transmit) line from say... GW3, then SW MUST be running (thus programming the RIM-II) for GW3 to operate. You can see that while it is possible, its not a great idea. |
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