Telephone Data

[JacksonburgFarmer]

Where do you guys buy your Tele/data equip.? We have a small telephone rework/repair job to do. I can get the wire and punch down blocks, but what about loud speakers, phones, ect. Is Radio shack the best bet? any ideas?

[Jhaney]

I don't know I got all of mine as a parting gift when I got laid off!!

[ultramegabob]

are you talking about tools or materials? whichever, I wouldnt get either at radioshack....:rolleyes:

[bbaumer]

Anixter.

I have purchased millions of feet of cable from them over the years (I used to be in charge of the communications shop at a MAC conference university) and all kinds of voice/data termination equipment.

Next day delivery on most stuff.

They have phones too. Look at their e-catalog. Hope this link works.

http://onlinecatalog.anixter.com/BrowseCatalogServlet?CATALOGID=2003051300100000000

[mdshunk]

For speaker stuff, like for Musak, background music, and general paging, I just get the Bogen brand at my regular electrical supply house. Some items are next day, but the regular speakers, grilles, and attenuators are all pretty much stock.

Not sure what you mean about phones. A regular 2500 set can be gotten from pretty much anyone. For a certain phone system, you gotta match whatever KSU they have.

Radio Shack would be my absolute last choice for anything unless you were on an emergency call and they were the only place open. You can get a whole 1000' box of Cat5e at an electrical supply house for what you'd buy a long patch cord for at Radio Shack. I can't pretend like I've never bought any material there before, but they're certainly not the place that comes to my mind first (or even second).

[resistance]

I don't know I got all of mine as a parting gift when I got laid off!! oook!?




For speaker stuff, like for Musak, background music, and general paging, I just get the Bogen brand at my regular electrical supply house. Some items are next day, but the regular speakers, grilles, and attenuators are all pretty much stock.

Not sure what you mean about phones. A regular 2500 set can be gotten from pretty much anyone. For a certain phone system, you gotta match whatever KSU they have.

Radio Shack would be my absolute last choice for anything unless you were on an emergency call and they were the only place open. You can get a whole 1000' box of Cat5e at an electrical supply house for what you'd buy a long patch cord for at Radio Shack. I can't pretend like I've never bought any material there before, but they're certainly not the place that comes to my mind first (or even second).
I agree! To add (referring to Radio Shack): not even third!

[electricalperson]

whats wrong with radio shack? i buy splitters there sometimes and sometimes resistors

[peter d]

whats wrong with radio shack? i buy splitters there sometimes and sometimes resistors

It's not really the first place that comes to mind for professional installation products.

[mdshunk]

whats wrong with radio shack? i buy splitters there sometimes and sometimes resistorsYou mean, besides being overpriced for the level of quality? Probably nothing. Admittedly, I have bought EOL resistors and various resistors that some Honeywell controls require at Radio Shack. The splitters are way overpriced, in my opinion.
TRS= Totally Rotten Shitaki.

In a pinch, I'll still get stuff there here and there. Glass fuses, for instance.

[peter d]

Where do you guys buy your Tele/data equip.? We have a small telephone rework/repair job to do. I can get the wire and punch down blocks, but what about loud speakers, phones, ect. Is Radio shack the best bet? any ideas?


Around here the primary choice for that stuff is ADI. Depending on where you are there might be one near you - they have stores nationwide.

Link to ADI website (www.adilink.com)

Edit - add link.

[iwire]

whats wrong with radio shack?

Nothing if your looking for overpriced junk.

i buy splitters there sometimes and sometimes resistors

Like Marc I use them when I need something they have now, sometimes fuses, resisters, oddball batteries etc.

But none of their switches, audio jacks, cat 5 stuff are worth the plastic they are made from.

Of course that just my opinion. :)

I really agree with Peter as well.

[electricalperson]

Nothing if your looking for overpriced junk.



Like Marc I use them when I need something they have now, sometimes fuses, resisters, oddball batteries etc.

But none of their switches, audio jacks, cat 5 stuff are worth the plastic they are made from.

Of course that just my opinion. :)

I really agree with Peter as well.
i have a horror story from radio shack actually. this is kind of off topic but heres what happened. i went in to buy my ex girlfriend and ipod for christmas. the guy at the counter said "yup we have it in stock you should be receiving it in 3 weeks!" he went on the radioshack website and checked there since they didnt carry it in the store. i waited past 3 weeks and past christmas. i called them and complained and i recieved my money back in a check from radioshack

[peter d]

i went in to buy my ex girlfriend and ipod for christmas.

That was your first mistake. ;)

[electricalperson]

That was your first mistake. ;)
i was young and stupid :grin:

[EBFD6]

Where do you guys buy your Tele/data equip.? We have a small telephone rework/repair job to do. I can get the wire and punch down blocks, but what about loud speakers, phones, ect. Is Radio shack the best bet? any ideas?


Graybar, Anixter, ADI

Home Depot also stocks a decent variety of jacks/ cable stuff (low end stuff for resi applications), but the three listed above get 99% of our business as far as tel/data supplies.

[76nemo]

i have a horror story from radio shack actually. this is kind of off topic but heres what happened. i went in to buy my ex girlfriend and ipod for christmas. the guy at the counter said "yup we have it in stock you should be receiving it in 3 weeks!" he went on the radioshack website and checked there since they didnt carry it in the store. i waited past 3 weeks and past christmas. i called them and complained and i recieved my money back in a check from radioshack

You bought your girlfirend AND an ipod at the shack:confused: :wink: :grin: What shelf was she on?:grin:

Quick story.

I worked with a guy in the electronics field that spent several years out west with a company that specialized in semi-conductors. He worked in quality. He said that after the products were made, they went through testing and spec runs. He said they had three different bins for their finished goods. They had a "go" bin, for things within a certain tolerance, they had a junk bin for things way, way out of spec, and the had a third bin. That bin was for stuff that was out of tolerance, and was shifted to another location. That location was owned by ***** *****, and that was the product they used for their electronic parts for sale:roll:

[ultramegabob]

Radioshack is to electrical supply houses what Village Pantry is to Supermarkets, a very narrow selection of low quality product at inflated prices....

[aline]

Here's some links to some online sites.

http://milestek.com/

http://snapav.com/

http://www.hometheaterplus.com/inwallspeakers.html?

http://www.milehighautomation.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp

https://www.dandh.com/v4/view?pageReq=dhmainns

http://www.vanco-online.com/index.php?main_page=index&zenid=711ac2d7e5ea916c396bb1ddc7bd1c47

[ceknight]

Where do you guys buy your Tele/data equip.?

We have a nice little electronics shop here (Salina Electronics) that caters to professionals. It's approx 100' down the street from my nearest electrical supply counter. Downright convenient, if'n you ask me. :)

[bobbyho]

Try Worthington Distribution out of Pennsylvania. They should have any and everything you need.

[e57]

We have a small telephone rework/repair job to do.
Are you adding to/modifying an (E) system???? You'll want to match what they have for compatibilty. Radio shack is a joke?!!!?

But for full systems....

http://www.graybar.com/

And if you don't wanna do that....
http://www.ablecomm.com/phonsysconun.html

FYI - there is also some good reading on that site if you're new to resi or commercial phone systems.

And if that is so.... Maybe also check out my 100 page intro to phones and data (http://forums.mikeholt.com/www.markhellerelectric.com/phoneclass.pdf)

[mdshunk]

Are you adding to/modifying an (E) system???? You'll want to match what they have for compatibilty. Radio shack is a joke?!!!?
I would hope that anyone contemplating MAC work on an evac system would not be entertaining Radio Shack as a vendor.