We cancelled that product recently. After evaluating the remaining development work and comparing to the current cost of commercially available networking gear, it just didn't make financial sense any more to put development resources into it.
I beg to differ... I was looking forward to it.... Fiber connections and... AND ethercon connectors... plus it was blue........ i woulda bought it.... :(
As pointed out, there are comparable options in the $500-$800 range.
I know the anodized blue was going to be the most desired feature, but it didn't seem to be worth close to a 10x price difference from what you can buy good products from other networking manufacturers.
The ethernet switch was based on the same hardware as what is in the DP plus all the networking hardware gak...this was going to push the price more than what a DP is. When the Ethernet switch was first conceived the prices of commercial networking gear that offered the same options made it worthwhile, but with how cheap the high quality networking stuff is these days, it just didn't seem to be anyones best interest to continue it.
This move allowed us to put more resources into other development areas such as the Expansion Wing.
I now you folks don't recomend doing Artnet over a hog3 network, but with an managed switch you could have routed the Artnet where you wanted right? and if you so had an 1gb backbone to FOH from Stage there would bee plenty of bandwith..(i guess its allready enough bandwith in a 100mb link)
As I dont want to bye a cheap desktop switch with external power etc.(that breaks when you fart at it) I really want to have a product I can trust on and is usebol in 5years also..
I too was looking forward to the HOG3 switch. Hopefully this means a show control node will be more quickly realized.
One other thing to remember... as of a couple years ago.... Linksys=Cisco.
Some Un-Managed units...
Linksys 3116 or 3124 ( www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=35&scid=39&prid=475 ) are rackmountable and have an available fiber module.
the SR2024 ( www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=35&scid=39&prid=569 ) is part of the offering since Cisco bought them and comes with 2 MINI-Gbic ports.
All usually for less then the Cisco branded units and available from a wider variety of resellers.
How about a adonized blue network patchbay? so we can run patch cables to our respective switches and still have ethercon connections to the stage? then we can bury our switches and keep that nice clean blue rack face....
DISCLAIMER: I'm not a network technician, or fiber guru, but I have a pretty extensive background in networking Hogs using fiber optics.
I use a Netgear fiber switch (FS509) and other Netgear switches for area nodes. I've found that the simpler the switch, the better it works. That little $49.00 switch you got at Best Buy will work just as well, if not better than the $500.00 switch from HP or Cisco. It will save you money and headaches.
Having said all that, I too was dissapointed about the passing of the network switch. I just wanted to cool LEMO connectors.
I just wanna post some pictures an some info in my new aux rack that I've put together for my hog.
In memory of the FPS Switch I had to bye another rack mount switch, the Linksys SRW2016 a cheap deasent rack switch, with simple webview for diags. I've tested it now with 5 x DP's, 1 x I/O and it performs very well.
The UPS is an MGE Pulsar Evolution 800VA 1U
Also it's 2xDP's, 1xI/O, and in the back there is some Ethercons and a power strip that is connected to the UPS. The rack is AmpTown (Germany).
Ive also made an roll with 100m CAT6 cable and power.
The pictures is here: www.opsethgruppen.no/pub/hog/DSC_0146.jpg www.opsethgruppen.no/pub/hog/DSC_0151.jpg
