Listing of August 1996 Reviews
By Michelle Tyrrell
Spikes, sags and surges. No, these aren't the guys who play guitar
for the latest Seattle grunge group. They are dastardly things
that can disrupt your system's power and just a few of the conditions
that the ViewSonic Opti-UPS 1000E can handle.
The Opti-UPS 1000E is an uninterruptible power source that protects
your equipment from power changes, including complete blackouts.
It monitors voltage, performs buck and boost functions automatically,
and controls temperature, line voltage and frequency.
The unit is heavy (35.3 pounds) but unobtrusive, at 5.5 by 16.8
by 7.7 inches. It can keep most desktop systems up and running
for a minimum of five minutes after the power quits. Opti-UPS
1000E has six status-indicator lights and a test/silence button
that lets you test the battery or silence the power failure alarm.
On the unit's back are four 5-15R output receptacles, one 320
inlet, a circuit breaker, a phone/data line surge suppressor,
a comm port and the main power switch. The battery is user-replaceable.
The included Opti-Safe+ software provides UPS monitoring and management,
and can be used with Windows 95 and 3.1x, DOS and NetWare. In
the event of a power failure, the software saves your work automatically.
It also displays UPS status, self-test/self-test date, output
voltage, frequency, temperature, alarm, line voltage, load, battery
life and countdown timer. Event-log and event-chart screens provide
an event log and a graphical history of power failures.
The 1000E's unattended recovery and replaceable battery make it
a smart choice.
Info File
ViewSonic Opti-UPS 1000E
Price: $489
Pros: Ease of use; software
Cons: Weight
Platforms: Windows 95, 3.1x, NetWare, DOS
ViewSonic Corp.
800-843-6784, 909-869-7976
WinMag Box Score: 4.5