For KX-TD digital
phone systems |
Click for Michael's
commentary
| New phones, new features, new choices. |
All new models are
speakerphones, all have "whisper" off-hook call-announce, all have XDP, all are available in black or white, and all can be used on
desk or wall.
- You can have display phones that show one,
two, three, or six lines of text.
- New phones have either 12 or 24 programmable
"soft key" buttons, that can be used to select outside lines, and to
provide one-touch intercom calls, and one-touch speed-dial calls, and to activate features
such as paging, background music, call recording, and transfer to voicemail.
- Phone with six-line display has 24
programmable buttons, compared to 12 buttons on older model.
- All new phones will work with KX-TD308, TD816,
TD1232, TD500 control units. They will not work with analog control units.
Full operation of the new phones' features requires a
firmware chipset upgrade or a new
"dash-three" control unit. Some control units
also need a new CPU.
- New 12-button KX-T7320 and
7431 may not work properly with first generation KX-TD308
control unit.
- New KX-T7436 phone with big display shows 8
screens of features -- a bit more than 7235. You can use the Jog-Dial to scroll
from the bottom of one screen to the top of the next.
- The Jog-Dial controls volume,
ringing and the display.
- It's very convenient for quick scanning
through personal and system speed-dialing directories, feature access list, programming
steps.
- While scanning, when you come to the entry you want, just
tap a button to activate the feature or make the call.
- Volume control function maintains
settings for ringer, speaker, handset, and even headset.
- Select from 8 ringing sounds for intercom
calls. We don't know if the door intercom sound can be changed.
- Phone-users can disable paging
announcements at their phones.
- Off-Hook monitor feature allows
people near a phone to listen to a conversation through its speaker, while one person uses
handset -- like old ComKey 416 phones.
- System speed-dialing directory can
hold 500 names and numbers, compared to 100 in earlier systems.
- Number of account codes increases
from 20 to 128
- Caller ID name-number table
increases from 250 to 500 entries.
- Number of voice mail ports increases
from 8 to 12 maximum
- New features for hotels and motels include display
of room status on DSS/BLF console at front desk and operation of standard 90v
message-weighting lights..
- Whisper Off-Hook Call-Announce
provides quiet announcement through handset to someone on a phone call. Other party does
not hear announcement. There is no handsfree response to whisper announcements.
- New phones are about half-inch wider
than older phones.
- New phones have handset mute -- long
overdue.
- System programming now covers installation of additional
types of expansion modules.
- Older KX-T7200-series phones will
gradually be discontinued. New stock will disappear quickly, but refurbished phones
should be available for years to come.
- User manual covers both sets of phones.
|

KX-T7420.
12-button speakerphone,
no display |

KX-T7425.
24-button speakerphone,
no display |

KX-T7431.
12-button speakerphone,
1-line display |

KX-T7433.
24-button speakerphone,
3-line display |

KX-T7436.
24-button speakerphone,
6-line display |
DSS/BLF
consoles
(Direct Station
Selection/Busy Lamp Field)
LEDs show status of all phones in the system, and buttons provide
quick call transferring and intercom calls. |

KX-T7440 66-btn console |

KX-T7441 48-btn console
with answer & release keys for fast answering and transferring calls. |
|

New
circuit modules (will work only in "-3" control units)
- KX-TD171 station expansion module
provides Caller ID on single-line phones or standard Caller ID displays. KX-TD170 will
remain available.
- KX-TD185 4-Circuit DID module
provides Direct Inward Dialing with phone company DID service.
- KX-TD194 16-station Message-Waiting
module works with industry-standard 90-volt message-waiting lights. You can use one with a
KX-TD816-3, two on a KX-TD1232-3, or four on a KX-TD1232-3 dual-cabinet system.
- KX-TD197 modem module provides
remote diagnostics and programming, for KX-TD1232-3
- ISDN (several
models)

New
control units
AbleComm is now selling
"dash-three" versions of the KX-TD308, KX-TD816 and KX-TD1232 Digital Super
Hybrid control units, that provide all the features of the new phones and circuit modules.
There is no increase in price over the dash-two versions.

New
firmware chipsets
New 816 and 1232 circuit modules require "dash-three"
versions of KX-TD control units. Many earlier models can be upgraded.
- KX-TD1232-1 requires both a CPU change and a
firmware chipset upgrade.
- KX-TD1232-2 requires only the firmware
upgrade
- KX-TD816-1 can't be upgraded to -3
- KX-TD816-2 requires only the firmware upgrade
- Original ("no dash") 816 and 1232
can't be upgraded to dash-three
CLICK for chipset
list and prices.

Note:
- Older phones will work on -3 systems.
- New phones will work on older systems.
(12-button phones may be weird on first generation KX-TD308).
- Upgrade firmware chipsets are available from
AbleComm.
- CPU upgrades are available for the
KX-TD1232-2, but not for the KX-TD816-2, or KX-TD308.
- Dash-three control units from the factory
will not be equipped for CTI.
- KX-TD308 upgrade must
be done by Panasonic in Atlanta, GA.
Your unit can be
upgraded for $150, with advance replacement so you're not out of
service. Call 1 888 ABLE 999.
- If you want to use two KX-TD1232 cabinets in a tandem system,
both should be the same version.

New software
The dash-three control units and
upgraded older models require a new version of the Panasonic software for programming and
backup, Version 3.40 (or later). It will also work on older systems.
If you are planning to upgrade to
dash-three, save your files onto your PC, change the chips, and then upload the saved
files to the upgraded control unit. |