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NEW Control Head Option for Whelen Cencom Sapphire
- Thread starter OTFD122
- Start date
It's definitely interesting. I love the rotary knobs too, but (like the z3), it kinda looks more like a toy than a siren
code60a said:
I think it's the red that's bugging me...if it were all black or dark grey (ie the grey they used on the 295's), then I personally would be more inclined to buy one.
It's funny how a few sirens have returned to the old fashion rotary knob (tomar it did too), and I'm happy that they're being offered on slim control head units. Even though I've gotten used to the cencom buttons in our newer SUVs, I still prefer the rotary knobs on PA300's and 295's (the biggest perk of a knob control for me is that, if I take my hand off the cencom control for a second while driving, I either have to look down at the pad or feel like I'm reading Braille to get back to the siren controls in the center console; on the other hand, the knob is easier to find and doesn't require that I take piano lessons lol)
pdk9 said:
That is one reason I can never put a Cencom or Smart siren in our fire trucks. Our guys have a hard enough time figuring out the simple fact of a slide switch(1rear,2 adds front,3 adds white) and a siren. The fact that there are 4 buttons for 3 tones(1 being off), that most would not understand and end up leaving on longer than needed.
Jordan,TCFD
Jordan said:
Yeah, also I never saw the need for smart sirens or cencoms on large rescues or fire apparatus b/c, unlike some sedan or SUV EV's with a lot of radios/equipment crammed in a limited space, there is plenty of space to mount a dozen+ rocker switches (not that you should need that much), or some manufacturers have their own touch-tek-ish lighting control heads. And, to be honest, I bet that most of our driver/engineers don't realize that you can individually activate certain lights without just using the Master rocker switch (that activates everything), so why spend another $700+ on a digital control version that you don't need?
A funny example of a waste of these is a dept I rode with during one semester of paramedic school (but I won't say which one lol)...in a massive 4 door, international durastar rig, there were about 10 rocker switches for the lights, and they had a smart siren that they used just for wail and yelp: slide switch 1 & 2 did nothing, position 3 activated the wail, the HF horn tap changed bet. wail/yelp, and none of the 17 or so buttons had any legends or were used by any of the FF's (I'm sure 1-2 buttons were assigned wail & yelp siren functions, but I never saw them used, and I never heard a 3rd tone, ie hyperyelp, used either. As for turning the wail off, they slid the slide switch back to "off")
On the other hand, something like this new control head adds more options/flexibility to where a control pad with a siren knob can be mounted, b/c you no longer have a 5 lbs, 7-inch deep box that has to be mounted in a deep center console or center storage compartment...You could surface mount it flat onto the dash or headliner, add a faceplate and mount it over unused center console cup holders or a loose change area, or a bail mount would be nice option for departments that want to mount directly on the dash or headliner at an angle
I do like the rotary switch but damn...what's with the red center. Black would have been sufficient.
OTFD122 said:
Is this the extra peice to their new microphone? For cripes sake Whelen, make your siren look like a dang siren! Not a something that would go in my kids' toy box! I like the rotary knob but that's as far as it goes. If this is the way Whelen is taking their products I will not buy anything more from them. Be like Feniex and take the criticism from this board for your sake, because you will lose at least one customer!
calebsheltonmed23 said:
Actually, I think I like this a lot.
What it does is readily identify the Siren/Lighting controller from other equipment such as radios, scanners, etc. Instead of a stack of black boxes all with switches, this stands out as the noise maker.
Zack said:
Well, I'll give ya that...it definitely stands out! lol. The whole stack of black boxes thing doesn't make sense to me. I know all of my equipment in my vehicle and most people can tell a radio from a siren, etc, and if not, they probably don't know how to use them in the first place (i.e. civilians). Maybe it's just me, but I'm not impressed with Whelen's cosmetics nowadays. Basically I'm just not understanding the whole bright colors. It reminds of that Z3 siren from Code 3. The Cencom was and is still sexy. Great cosmetics on that unit...but this...ugh. Maybe it is just me! lol
calebsheltonmed23 said:
Well, for the departments that I've worked with you don't know what vehicle you're assigned until you come in... and everyone is slightly different (based on what was discounted when the vehicle went in to be up fitted). That that case, it's nice to have something a little more obtuse.
Zack said:Well, for the departments that I've worked with you don't know what vehicle you're assigned until you come in... and everyone is slightly different (based on what was discounted when the vehicle went in to be up fitted). That that case, it's nice to have something a little more obtuse.
Well, I can understand where you're coming from. However, it still looks like a toy to me.
Hmmm... I wonder if the background color is selectable or if red was a prototype and they switched to blue?
They should make a yellow/orange one that works like the older PA/airhorn, with just PA and Radio Rebroadcast for tones on the rotary switch and let the other positions be used to control other things, they could even stack what gets selected so it could work like a second slider switch.
