Hi everyone… I am getting ready to upgrade my legacy 2GIG GC2 and was originally planning to switch to the Qolsys Panel 2+ (345Mhz version). However, now that the 2GIG Edge is out, I was wondering if there are any comparisons between the two. Could anyone share their experience with the 2GIG Edge? There is a lot of information on Qolsys. But I couldn’t find much on the Edge.
I would still give Qolsys the (cough) edge in this comparison, largely because quite a few features advertised by 2GIG (most of which are already features of the Qolsys panel) are not baked into the panel after launch.
Examples like the panel camera, facial recognition, bluetooth, and even severe weather alerts I’m told aren’t fully implemented and will require firmware updates.
2GIG’s recent history with the discontinued GC3 gives me pause at the prospect of firmware fixes being needed, however the other panels were discontinued presumably so that they could focus on the Edge. I would expect it to see a lot of development going forward.
Thanks for the reply… I think I will go with the Qolsys 2+… Do you have any thoughts between the 319.5Mhz panel vs the 345Mhz panel? I have several DW10 sensors from my old 2GIG system and was thinking of buying the 345Mhz panel. However, it looks like the sensor options are infinitely larger with the 319.5Mhz model. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
However, it looks like the sensor options are infinitely larger with the 319.5Mhz model
It is a bit larger given that S-Line sensors are only compatible with the 319.5 version, but there is not a huge difference. All IQ Panel 2+ models are compatible with PowerG, which is what I would recommend for new sensors in most cases.
You could reuse existing 345 Mhz sensors with the 345 version of the panel.
Does Surety plan on selling the Edge?
I think their reluctance to sell it says something. If 2Gig can’t provide great customer support, then Surety can’t when it comes to their panels
2Gig service was great until they got bought out. Then it sucked from my own personal experience. The lack of updates on the GC2 says a lot. Simple things like adding “mailbox” as a voice descriptor that Surety has asked them to do many times over the years for me
I alsomdont want to buy a panel the Surety team doesn’t sell. They are less likely to be “connected” to the manufacturer and they will be more familiar with products they stock and sell.
Surety, what’s your current opinion as to what I stated?
Does Surety plan on selling the Edge?
I can’t say at this time, but it is certainly possible. The Edge is a different case than prior systems and finds better parity with the IQ Panel 2+. In my own experience using it, the Edge seems like a nice panel.
We stopped selling other 2GIG systems years ago when I think the decision was made to sell only the system we felt was the best experience for new users.
We don’t discourage using other systems, if you want to use a GC3, we support it, of course. However, I will openly say that yes, there are clear differences in the level of support and maintenance between what 2GIG did with the GC3 and Qolsys with the IQ Panel 2.
Qolsys has released I think 20-25 firmware updates at a regular clip for the IQ Panel 2/2+, expanding its capabilities, and has developed resolutions for problems shortly after they are discovered. When we discover and report an issue, often firmware was already in development to resolve the behavior.
The GC3 has about half as many updates over its life-time, and problems took longer to resolve, a major one still unresolved as of the final firmware 3.2.5 despite years of reports. Here is a thread of relevant frustration. The GC3 is now discontinued with that linked bug still in firmware.
Jason,
You aren’t wrong about the lack of support from 2GIG/Nortek. I have a friend who used to work for 2GIG. He tells me that about the same time that EDGE was launched, that Nortek closed the main 2GIG offices in Lehi and that just about all of the engineering staff there quit or was laid off.
Nortek Control is owned by an investment company called Melrose which seems eager to sell off Nortek/2GIG and wants to inflate sales and cut costs to make the financials look better. I’m told that they pushed to release EDGE before it was fully baked and then cut staff to reduce expenses.
I would recommend that anyone interested in EDGE wait until at least the first update is released. I would definitely look and see how Nortek/2GIG shows their ability to support the product before buying it.
I’m told that they pushed to release EDGE before it was fully baked
That I can definitely see from the end result. It is even missing a few features I believe are advertised on the product box.
We are also seeing a handful of strange SIM related issues on these early panels. I like the feature and quality upgrades otherwise, but I do have some early concerns.
Do power G sensors on the IQ2 have Superior range than the 2gig sensors on the Edge?
Yes, PowerG has an open air range of about 3-4 times the range of 2GIG or 319.5 sensors.
Attenuation can still affect the sensors, but the base range is greater.