More ATIs going up

[Jim_Ferer]

FWIW, they don't look old. P-15s. I wonder what motivated the replacement?

The P-15s are part of the penetrator series, aren't they? They can't be speakers. They look like electromechanical sirens.

You're right, the P-15 is a traditional siren. I believe, but don't know, the guts are same/similar to the Allertor.

[Trey]

I don't see why people keep going with ATI

Because newer technology is ALWAYS better than the old! And haven't you noticed the trend toward annoying beeps in electronic devices? Based on my observations of general society, If it sucks, it sells.

100% correct, Blasty.

[Gil]

f it sucks, it sells.

Just like Rap music!!

[Trey]

f it sucks, it sells.

Just like Rap music!!

Good one Gil!

Yeah, if these ATIs keep popping up like this, with problems as well, it won't be long and I can see ATI falling out of the market. However, I have a small theory.

If the rumor spread of ATIs spreads to towns and cities nationwide, how reliable will cities think Whelen or Mods be? If ATI does this, it could cause electronic sirens to be a very small thing in the siren industry (ruining the electronic siren industry).

Again, not likely, but I could actually see it possible.

[Gil]

*invisions an angry mob of EMA directors comming to torch the ATI plant*

[Daniel]

I don't see why people keep going with ATI

Because newer technology is ALWAYS better than the old! And haven't you noticed the trend toward annoying beeps in electronic devices? Based on my observations of general society, If it sucks, it sells.

This is often not the case. Newer technology is often only marginally more efficient, but seriously cheaper in price and in quality. Look at the automotive industry. What followed the great muscle cars of the 1960's? The Pinto, the Gremlin, and the Pacer. Back then, anyone could repair most problems with their engine. Now, you need an advanced degree in nuclear physics and an engine crane to change the spark plugs (especially if GM built it). Take a good, electromechanical siren -- a basic one like the 2T22, the Sterling M5, or anything from Sentry. Unless they are completely neglected, they will last just about forever. One good lightning strike near an electronic siren will kill it. The ATI is simply the Wal-Mart brand in the siren-simulator industry.

[Blasty]

That was my point exactly. I forget that sarcasm doesn't always work through text, anyone can interpret it as they see fit. I'm just saying that people seem to have it in their heads that newer = better.

I have a couple of radios from 1925 that are very simple machines of wood, metal, bakelite, and glass, yet they perform quite well by any standards. They are so simple that they are just about bullet proof. The trend toward small, cheap, and efficient electronics often produces devices that don't even get close to the quality of the old simple ones.

[FedTB]

And you have to remember, too, that in today's world, just about everything, including electronics, are built cheaply and don't last nearly as long as they did "back then" because this is a "throw away" society; when it breaks, just throw it away and buy a new one. It's more costly to repair than replace it. Same thing with today's electronic outdoor warning sirens. As much as I like the Whelen WPS-2806 down the street from my house, I know it's not built nearly as well as a 1965 T-Bolt! (IMHO!). ATI is, indeed, a prime example of something being built cheaply that won't last nearly as long as a good ol' mechanical outdoor warning siren. Today's ASC T-128's will last much longer than an electronic siren made by ATI. ATI is a company that can manufacture a cheaply made electronic outdoor warning siren just to get a town's or city's bid. Low bid does not mean best bid!

The 1925 radios mentioned in a previous post is a great example of how things used to be made compared to today's cheap parts and cheap labor.

[STHboy]

That was my point exactly. I forget that sarcasm doesn't always work through text, anyone can interpret it as they see fit. I'm just saying that people seem to have it in their heads that newer = better.

I have a couple of radios from 1925 that are very simple machines of wood, metal, bakelite, and glass, yet they perform quite well by any standards. They are so simple that they are just about bullet proof. The trend toward small, cheap, and efficient electronics often produces devices that don't even get close to the quality of the old simple ones.

Blasty hit the nail on the head with that one. Unfortunately, that's the way everything is going these days. The old idea, making quality products that were built to last, has been overwhelmed by a new one: make inexpensive and cheaply made products, and promote a high turnover rate. Two classic examples of that today are cell phones and (I'll more than likely get flamed for this) the Apple iPod.

I had noticed this before (especially the way cell phones have changed in seven years - compare my uncle's Sanyo SCP-3000 with the modern crap on the market) but had never had more it in my face than when I repaired our 1960s-1970s garage door opener.

Our best guess is the thing, a Monarch Electric Garage Door Operator, is about 40 years old. It's the style with a belt on the bottom driving a chain on top. So when it failed just after last Christmas, all it took was replacing the $5 switch that rides the control cam (yes, this thing is controlled mechanically, even the auto-reverse! There's not an IC in it, aside from the Linear Delta3 radio controller that was added.) It was an easy repair too: the control cam assembly could be removed and easily serviced. Best yet, the unit is made almost completely of metal. That thing could likely go at least another 40 years with subtle repairs like this.

Something else that gets me these days are the "maintenence-free" designs that are indeed maintenence-free - until you have to replace the entire unit! Newer openers don't have that belt that may need to be swapped, they use cheap plastic gears instead. I tried to repair a friend's jammed 1995 Chamberlin machine - with no luck! His father had a similar experience and trashed the thing. So compared to that, is it really that hard to swap the drive belt? Is it that time-consuming? Is it that expensive?

The same goes for sirens. A Cold War-era siren may require periodic maintenence, but will be very reliable if kept in shape. Simplicity is a big factor too, and I'll refer to a common phrase in the aviation industry: "A part that is not present cannot fail." While new features, such as battery backup and self-monitoring capabilities, can greatly enhance the effectiveness of modern sirens, some, particularly electronic sirens, are awfully complex, and a single component failure can take out the whole system - an ATI with good drivers but bad amplifier finals won't be of much use.

[40V2T22]

At least the ATI there sounds better than the one by my house. ** Tone generated re-enactment coming soon.