Farpointe Data started 2015 in newly relocated offices featuring a larger, more proficient layout that added new manufacturing equipment and increased its production and inventory capabilities. Shortly into the year, Farpointe introduced new WRR-22 and WRR-44 433 MHz receivers that use either 2-button or 4-button transmitters to open two or four different doors from ranges up to 200 feet (61 m).
Each button outputs transmitter data over separate Wiegand outputs, yet the receiver installs just like a Farpointe proximity reader for easy integration with popular proximity or contactless smart card access control systems. This solution, ETL listed to the UL 294 standard, is for long-range access control applications such as gates and vehicle barriers, moving aircraft in and out of secure hangars, arming and disarming alarm systems as well as situations calling for emergency duress. It greatly exceeded our sales expectations.
Durable contactless readers for educational & correctional applications
Another product line that surpassed 2014 numbers were our Guardian vandal-resistant and Gibraltar bullet-resistant contactless readers, which are ideal for installations where more durability is required than with a standard reader. They became big hits, especially at schools, universities, correctional institutions, housing authorities, factories, hospitals and other locales where RFID proximity and smart card readers take a beating.
Energy-saving cost-efficient access controllers
As organisations continue to contain costs in any way they can combined with interest in being as green as possible, Farpointe saw increased interest in access control readers with our fleaPower option, which provides long term energy savings. The fleaPower option is available on all Farpointe Data proximity and smart card readers. In emergency power situations, proximity readers using the fleaPower option to reduce average current draw by as much as 50 percent, providing significantly longer up-times with their back-up batteries.
Users and their integrators are learning that there are many ways to obviate card system security, whether via the card itself or via the Wiegand communication protocol. As a result, Farpointe highlighted a series of options and measures that prevent such concerns. The percentage of readers sold incorporating these options increased substantially over 2014 and will continue to grow throughout 2016 as companies address concerns of their access control systems being hacked.
See the full coverage of 2015/2016 Review and Forecast articles here
