For the longest time I wanted to own a Simplex 4100u/4100es panel and I’m in the position right now to get the hardware. But where I’m stuck is having the programmer software. I know Simplex offers a 2 week training course and you can buy the dongle at the end but I would much prefer doing it online since I’m not in a position to stay in Massachusetts for 2 weeks. I’ve seen online course offerings for the 4100es programming at safteyproductstraining.com. How would I go about doing this and would this guarantee me a dongle?
Just a word of caution, I have heard that both the Security Dongle and the Liability Release required to obtain the Simplex ES Programming Software cost roughly $20,000 each. You might as well go buy a brand-new Tesla 3 for that price.
Nevertheless, I think the course would be a really cool experience! 
Actually my neighbors have three Teslas, and they start about $70K to $150K. But I’m set driving my 2008 Toyota minivan thank you lol…not that my mom has had it since I was in elementary school…and now I drive it to school.
But yeah…that’s really expensive…
It has been six years since I had access to any information on customer training. At that time the customer sessions were scheduled on an as needed basis when enough requests for a class were made. The customer training was held separately from the employee training. I think customer training was billed at $125 per hour which is $1,000 per class day. Travel, lodging, and meals were the customer’s responsibility. The on line materials are a primer which is a prerequisite for the instructor led class.
The software and dongle are a separate purchase made through a district office. It comes with a multi-page legal document that has to be signed. I seem to remember the number $3,000 but I am not sure about that any more.
Hmm, is there anyway to convince Simplex to make an exception? $3000 is a lot and seems heavily overpriced. I would think $100-500 for the license? Maybe a $1000 but that’s pushing it. It’s just a programming software. If I were to call my local branch would they give me the runaround and hang up?
Also just out of curiosity, how many voice evac messages does Simplex have? Retired STR-SG, are you familiar with most of Simplex’s voice messages. I’m curious about the one that says “Attention, Attention, Please evacuate the building by using the nearest exit stair. Thank you for your cooperation. Attention, attention, évacuer l’immeuble en utilisant l’escalier de sortie le plus proche. Merci de votre collaboration”? I only heard it in twoplyboys videos and is used at Ottawa city hall, in Ontario. They are both female spoken messages and I have heard others with the same voice but never that exact message.
Like I stated in the original post, I am unsure of the $3,000 number. It is just something that sticks in my head. I can’t speculate on a conversation with a local district office. They cannot be rude though, that is poor customer relations practice.
Every audio message that has ever been created is archived for future use. That covers replacing the audio in a catastrophic system failure or another order that needs the same message. Back when I had information on them there were many hundreds of them. I have no idea how many there are now. The messages that come in the standard message sets are made of phrases that are stitched together when the audio chipset is made. In the custom message sets there can be phrases that can be manipulated along with some phrases that are a complete message. The existing phrases in a chipset can be used to create new messages in the field.
Just wish there was a way to bypass the dongle in order to do front panel programming. Could a Simplex tech use the software to allow 100% front panel programming? It’s a shame I don’t know anyone who works for Simplex. But Yes I know Fire alarms in real buildings is not meant to be changed every 5 days. That’s why I wish I had the dongle since my system would not be in a commercial facility. I wonder how Simplex would react to that.
Also didn’t Voyage400 on Youtube have Simplex reconfigure his 4100u or something like that?
Yeah but I’m pretty sure he paid big time for it.
Courses can be pricy both for employees & any customer training. Also, the information I’ve received as an inspector is the total service (branch) manager must approve any individual dongle handouts. Thus making it SG employees only. He will first have to be granted shipment from his superiors if he has none on hand. I’ll admit this is second hand knowledge however…As for myself, I share one with another tech.