New 160xv’s, What’s DEI doing?

So we just did our first 160xv with new software today and I looked over the programing guide and I have a few thoughts....

Only three settings for wait to start? Still no lock after start? No lock after shutdown? No adjustments for horn timing? No way to shorten lock pulses? Double pulse disarm...WTF is that? Have they fixed the arm and lock wire pulses so that they come on at the same time to arm most domestic alarms? Probably not. Did I read the program guide wrong? OMG!...Whats wrong with the engineers at dei? I'm going to send them an old astro2006 so that they can study it and maybe learn how a starter should work. They should stick to alarms.

How about a programer that plugs into the antenna, or maybe a program button on the antenna? That would be nice.  And whats with default settings? flashing park lights? autolocks on? Oh well, at least they added rear defrost on and off from the remote... whew! I was so worried they weren't going to have that...cause everyone adds rear defrost to every car...sure.

After crawling under dozens of dashes this week to program replacement remotes and change programing, I have to wonder why I sell these things. Dei is way behind other starter manufactures feature wise. They used to be reliable, but I've changed more remotes and antennas in the last while then I care to remember. And they really screwed up they're tach pick-up, won't work on alot of fords now...it used to be good.

I know I'm ranting, but I left work and had to put my remote against my windshield to get my viper to disarm and that was the last straw. So after installing and selling viper of and on since '97...no more vipers at my shop, I'm gonna sell compustar from now on. Too bad I don't have access to astrostart.

Any thoughts?

Most mauals are available on Directechs, they have always had lock after crank and arm/lock after timeout that i am aware of.... programable wait to start.... programmable timer mode run time..... they have a ways to go but i'd say the new features are a positive, not a negative....   oh sorry, did i interrupt a good rant??

i havent had a bum antenna or remote in years..... could it be you are misdiagnosing??

kgerry wrote:

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Most mauals are available on Directechs, they have always had lock after crank and arm/lock after timeout that i am aware of.... programable wait to start.... programmable timer mode run time..... they have a ways to go but i'd say the new features are a positive, not a negative....   oh sorry, did i interrupt a good rant??

i havent had a bum antenna or remote in years..... could it be you are misdiagnosing??

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Ya, just went to directtechs and they have updated the manuals, cause the ones i got with my 785's were way off. Thanks

No , as far as the lock programing....nothing. Viper doesn't have it.

And the remote and antenna issues are common

Yes the new programming is a plus...to bad it's not 1998...then they would be up to date.

gus1]S wrote:

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cond the manuals on the site thing. It's a 52 page, 19MB pdf file, so hope you aren't in a hurry to print it, and don't mind killing a couple trees....

Gus

PS: Your rep wouldn't happen to be Gary.... would it?

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My reps isn't Gary, it's Al. Would have been nice to get a heads up on those manuals, I have a couple of pissed off customers.

dei does have auto lock after crank and timeout....it called arm and disarm wire....DEI IS the best r/s and alarm system on the market....there is a reason they have life time warrenty.....

redpeppers wrote:

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dei does have auto lock after crank and timeout....it called arm and disarm wire....DEI IS the best r/s and alarm system on the market....there is a reason they have life time warrenty.....

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Oh ya, thats better then other units, so how would you re-arm the alarm on say a '02 chev truck.... you only have to add a relay from the arm wire for a postive pulse on the lock wire, while diode isolating the arm wire so it doesn't fead back positive current to the door pin. Boy thats way easier then adding a lock after shutdown...sure...whatever. Dei isn't the only system with a lifetime warranty, other manufactures are easier to get products too.

I have had issues with the remotes myself this year. What I have found is poor solder joints on the terminals in the remote. I did have many issues a couple of years ago with the antennas, but I think they have fixed that problem. The only antennas that seem to be a problem is with the 2 ways. We have found, and DEI has confirmed, that jump starting the vehicle can damage the ant. In all DEI has many great ideas but like many other manufactures they have a few bugs to work out. From my experience the quaility and reliability of the DEI product has dropped slightly in the past few years.

The thing that really aggrevated me the most about DEI has been their changes in the quota this year. They have made it hard for small retailers, such as myself, to compete. I am direct with DEI yet a consumer can purchase a Valet 561R from Circuit City for less than I pay for one. For this reason I am no longer committed to DEI and I have picked up the Compustar line. Customer service is great. Product works very well. And yes a lifetime warranty.

kgerry wrote:

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on an 02 C/K i would use the arm & disarm out from any DEI product and go to the - arm and disarm at the BCM (tan & light green i think)  that will do the job in under 4 minutes....  plus, arm and disarm have nothing to do with lock and unlock... thats a separate circuit.... was there something else you wanted clarified???

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So lets see if i got this right... you would hook up the arm wire to the doorpin? wtf is that gonna do? Nothing. Thanks for your input..

If your gonna talk, make sure your right.

I apologize for being pissy, I had a long day.

Please explain how hooking an arm wire to the doorpin (tan) wire on a chevy will arm the alarm without giving it a lock pulse at the same time.

Dei needs to have a lock after shutdown, totally diferent then arm and disarm, as someone said it's the same...it's not.

unit sends a rearm signal after shut down, same deal as lock after shut down

A chevy needs to see the door open and a lock pulse to arm, how does a rearm pulse arm the alarm without lock?

The doorpin is the arm wire. You want to hook up the domelight output wire and the arm wire to the doorpin?

you're right you do have to pulse the lock as well for arm.. this is only an issue if you are doing arm/disarm and not lock/unlock.... anytime we have vehicles here with the arm/disarm done thru the doorlock circuit i automatically tell the customer they have to do keyless if they want to rearm the alarm... otherwise the RS will disarm the factory alarm ( for a nominal fee of course) only....

we dont have any issues here with this because we explain to the customer what his/her options are in advance....

and yes, there are other good products out there (Compu and Astro being my 2 other personal faves) but Directed has definately come a ways in anticipating needed features and trying to address them.....