Installation of this system is a two-part process which does require some wiring of components. The initial setup of the physical system requires that the main head unit be wired to the controller box and then the controller box connected to the network. After the physical setup is completed, the setup of the server is done by installing the management software and using it to connect and configure the unit. We found the server software to be easy and intuitive to use.
On the user side, when a user is enrolled, the system stores a template representative of the user's fingerprint. This is connected to a four-digit PIN number unique to that user, which is assigned from the management software. The units can be set to either provide door access or as a method of time and attendance. This provides a great amount of flexibility throughout the system in which both access and time logs can be managed from a central point.
Documentation is provided in the form of two paper manuals.
Black Box provides free phone and email technical support for the life of the product. However, customers can also purchase an extended warranty. This includes dispatch of a certified repair technician to the customer site free of charge for repair/replacement of the unit.
At a price of just under $2,250 for the standalone system, we find this tool to be a good value for the money. It provides integrated biometric physical security along with time-and-attendance management all in an easy-to-use system.