Many are familiar with the 2004 Fluke DTX CableAnalyzer. “Network Cabling World” hails the Fluke DTX as "the most popular [model] on the market today. There are over 40,000 units in circulation." They also mention its accuracy "The Fluke 1800 will reduce your testing budget by up to 33%."
With this and other key features, a lot of people are having difficulty considering another model. There is a lot of information out there about the Fluke Versiv DSX 5000, but many wonder:
Is it really time to upgrade from the DTX?
Fluke says absolutely. They mention that though "you might want to use it forever… that [would] be a very costly plan."
Fluke mentions: faster setup, faster testing, faster reporting, and future readiness as the five major reasons that the DSX 5000 completely replaces the DTX CableAnalyzer.
Fluke introduced new Versiv Projx software to prevent long setup times and mistakes. This new management system claims that it will make the process easier by only displaying the correct tests based on specs given. In comparison to the DTX, the DSX is also a more user friendly setup experience. With the responsive touch screen it allows the user to easily select from dropdown menus instead of continuous arrow scrolling.
But is the DSX 5000 faster?
Again the answer is a resounding yes according to Fluke: "The DTX set records with its testing speed. But Versiv is even faster: twice as fast for Cat 6A and four times as fast for fiber loss testing."
There are other features that make it easier to run the tests you want. Fluke also added a Smart Loop feature which lets you perform OTDR tests on two fibers at the same time. When doing mixed multimode/singlemode tests you do not have to search for the other modules to switch them due to its quad modules. They mention that the DSX 5000 can also store up to 12,000 test results.
Also with new cloud capabilities from the LinkWare Live cloud service Fluke claims there is no need for carrying around memory cards. If the storage is full on the device, additional storage is available on their new cloud system.
Does the DSX 5000 have a new learning curve?
A lot of people do not want to learn a new system. This is one of the major reasons people refuse to switch devices and upgrade. According to Fluke the Versiv DSX 5000 uses the same LinkWare software as the DTX. "There is no learning curve when it comes to reporting. But Versiv's faster reporting might take some getting used to." A lot of people may view these as great advancements, but wonder…
Will people have to upgrade again from the DSX 5000 in the next couple years?
Fluke says no on this. They mention that the DSX is future ready: “Versiv supports future measurements such as TCL and resistance unbalance that your DTX never will.”
Holding onto the DTX prevents future jobs that will require a change in measurement. Fluke points out the old device will soon be completely obsolete.
After looking into the specs it is easy to see that the new Versiv DSX 5000 is not only useful, but helps simplify testing in nearly every category. Since the DSX uses the same software as the DTX it is also easy for technicians to use without additional learning. After comparing these two models it proves than an upgrade to the DSX 5000 is a great decision.
Posted April 06, 2016