Clearly InSight's First Kentix SmartRelay Installation: An Interview with Gary Williams

Clearly InSight has joined the certified Kentix partner family early this year and just had their first SmartRelay install. Here's a quick interview with Gary Williams on how the installation went.

How easy is it to install the hardware?

The physical install was incredibly easy. [There were] so many less components compared to traditional systems. The hardest part was running the cable. 

How easy is it to configure?

Being the first attempt, there were some difficulties. But ABP support helped us out greatly and now that we got our feet wet, I don't anticipate any issues again in the future. It's a bit like tying your shoes...first it's difficult and then it's really easy.

However, the installation manual could be improved. It felt more like reading a foreign manual translated into English and we missed some important steps. Some things in there are not translated perfectly.

The small number of components (no relay panel) make is so simple. All we have to do is connecting the SmartRelay with the keypads and the electrical strikes and we're done.

How easy is it to use from an administrative perspective?

I really like the layout of the web-based software. It is easy to move around, add users, cards, and pin. It takes some time if you have to do it manually, but when there is the import function using a spreadsheet. This helps for larger installations.

What are the major advantages compared to other solutions?

[The] fit and finish feel like real quality - typical German. This is a huge advantage, but the small components and the R&D design are just great. It allows us to retrofit the solution almost anywhere. Of course, the ease of use is another big one and I don't want to forget mentioning it again. Pricing is competitive to other systems, maybe a bit higher but the faster installation time still allows for a better profit margin. 

From now on we are focusing on the Kentix SmartRelay family when it comes to access control projects.