http://www.ab.com/eoi/graphicterminals/pan...wcomponent.html

Any one use these yet?

For that matter, after looking over some of the documentation, if I didn't know any better, I would think that this is made by someone else, any Ideas who?

I have a Demo unit coming to test out, which I sholud be able to test and try, but ordering a unit, lead time I am told is still 30 days out.

I couldn't find much about them beyond the link you provided. Are you sure they are actually out yet?

I quit using AB HMIs when the Panelview Plus came out and couldn't offer the reliablity of the Standard Panelview, but I do have two customers who specify AB HMIs. I use Standard Panelviews there. Could this be a replacement for the Standard Panelviews?

Looks like communications is limited. Serial or Ethernet.

I wonder about the memory size... they use the term "low level applications"... Makes me wonder whats missing.

TWControls,
What reliability issues did you experience? We have been using PanelView Plusses for a few years now and they offer FAR more programmability than the standard PanelView. I had a couple go bad right when we got our first ons but not having any problems with them now.

I saw these in the Essential Components book and immediately asked my AB guys when I could get one and how much cheaper they would be. Every one of them had a blank stare as an answer. 4 months ago. About a week ago I asked again. They tell me it will not be till late summer 08 or even 09 before they can get any. They did have a bit more information about it though. They said that it was built to be a cheap alternative to the PV Standards and PV+ units that would work easily with the MicroLogix family of controllers. Might be nice.

Per my Distributer and the area AB Rep, they are accepting orders. AB's Raise system does include them. List on the 6" color is $935, but the 10" is $2495. The AB Rep told me that "Allen Bradley is loosing a large portion of the Operator Interface market, to companies like Automation Direct and Redlion, because of pricing", and this is thier solution. One of the attactions for me is NO SOFTWARE, and for the smaller applications this might be a possiblity, although the 10" pricing seams to be a bit off.

I'll pay for reliability. However, when AutomationDirect & RedLion offer the same or better reliability and half the price, I'm not getting equivalent price/performance. I can put up with throwing away almost twice as many of the competitor's units before I'm on parity...unfortunately, I don't have to ditch that many.

Most of my problems seem to be coming down to problems with the communications boards on the PV+'s, although the problems manifest themselves in all kinds of strange ways.