What's your favorite POS hardware?

[hubtechsolutions]

Hey guys,

Looking for your opinions on favorite POS terminals and why! Posiflex? Radiant? "custom" ITX setups? Whatcha got?!

 

[DTFBarOwner]

I usually buy my hardware from this small company that is local to me. The terminals actually come with 3 year warranty! Its branded with a Knectech logo.

 

[eburks]

I'm an Aloha user and until version 6.x became necessary my favorite terminal of all time was the Javelin Viper 1.5 All in one design but modular enough that you could easily replace a screen with one from another unit. The 12.1" touch glass is not hard to replace either. The base is extremely stable, made of cast aluminum to help move the heat and you can replace a harddrive without having to open up the unit. Unfortunately the 333 mhz socket7 AMD processor and old motherboard architecture are barely up to the task of running aloha 6.5 (probably due to more encryption). The viper opos driver for the MSR has intermittent errors with the new Aloha versions so I have had to reluctantly move on to more powerful POS computers. If someone duplicated the viper with an Intel Atom or Via Eden processor and newer more available lcd module I would jump on that wagon in a heartbeat.

I have replaced some (but not all) of my Vipers with Elo 15a1 all-in-one units and been fairly happy but find them a little slow to boot (slower than the viper... go figure).

I like the nice stable base of the 15a1 (the same as the elo 1522 touchscreen base)
I also use the 1522's with a couple of different Via Eden ITX computers and love having fanless and a 12V external power brick. I could have used the ELO MSR with the 1522's like I did with the 15A1's but I chose magtek minimag HID MSR's that can be swiped in either direction and fit and look just fine with the "super heavy velcro" that came with the MSR. Replacement (which I have never had to do) is much simpler My research not my experience showed IDT MSR's to have a simple driver installer but I never got around to trying them. The Magtek USB HID were a little of a challenge at first. (which is why I researched the IDT's) I had to run them as keyboard wedge devices until Magtek updated their OPOS driver installer this year. Now that Magtek has a simple HID OPOS driver installer, their USB MSR's are great.

I would imagine the ELO all-in-ones based on the Atom processor would be a little better but have no hands on experience with them.

My philosophy:
15" touchscreens are fine. Bigger is just spoiling someone. Even 12.1" is adequate, but mostly obsolete now.
A customer facing display with video advertising would be best on an All-in-one designed for it. If you don't need that then the ITX and touchscreen monitor "separates" is great.
If you are a hands on guy "separates" is an easier maintain. I am a restaurant not a bar and spilling stuff on the equipment is not that big an issue. If it is, go with an all-in-one OR locate ITX computer well away from your monitor in a protected location.

My experience with Posiflex what little their is is that the 2 posiflex Jiva's I used (a 15" and a 17" both suffered from what I term as premature LCD failure

The Partnertech PT-5500's I worked with have been fine AFTER replacing the stock power supply. I find their stock power supply to be a little underdesigned (I have seen 3 PT-5500's with brown scorch marks on the atx connector at all the 5 volt pins)

So I guess my opinion would be the custom ITX setup with ELO 1522 monitors, Epson T88 printers (used is fine) epson u220 impact (go with new, used could be junk) for hot kitchen areas or if you need to hear the printer. Thermals are GREAT! for cool kitchen areas. APG cash drawers fired from the printer. Also, if you put your monitor or All-in-1 on top of the cash drawer put a 12x12 floor tile under the monitor, I does not flex so it makes a better support.