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Motorola CommandStar question

Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2015 3:06 am
by firedog359
Hello all, As a Firefighter, My hobby is collecting and displaying vintage/older public safety radios and dispatch consoles. i have a couple of Motorola branded Comtegra and CommandPlus consoles, A T5600 and a couple other odd ball items. I am looking at buying a CommandStar console off Ebay but I have a question or two. I know the plain CommandStar is an operator's position only and requires other interface equipment. The one on Ebay comes with what looks like a computer tower but I don't know if that's all it needs or if it needs the CEB rack also. I have tried looking online but I can't find anything on the CommandStar. Everything is on the CommandStar Lite. Any help would be greatly appreciated. If anyone wants to look at the one I'm looking at, it's Ebay item #190988393812.

Re: Motorola CommandStar question

Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2015 9:23 pm
by d119
CommandStar was the first generation that uses a hardware console connected to a back end "CES" (Console Electronic Shelf), which is the computer tower thing you're seeing. That in turn connects to the radio equipment.

CommandStar Lite was the second generation that incorporated all the "back end" stuff into the hardware console itself. No back end anything required.

The issue is that you will need the CSDM (Console System Database Manager) software to program the thing, and you'll need the correct version at that.

This equipment (both versions of CommandStar, along with MCC 5500) is actually manufactured by CML Emergency Services (not sure who they are today... Cassidian?) and Motorola stuck their name on it. Same thing that was done with the CommandPLUS (GAITronics ICP9000), ComTegra and the desk sets and interface boxes.

Centracom and MCC 7x00 are actual Motorola products.

Re: Motorola CommandStar question

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2015 9:43 pm
by firedog359
thanks for the reply. I am very familiar with the Comtegra and Command Plus consoles. I have two Comtegra's and one fully loaded Command Plus in my collection. I have my command Plus set up in my home office running an old Maxtrac 300 through a CPI MR200(N) tone panel. It has the phone patch card in it so I use it as my phone. I have copies of the original DOS software for both and I use an old CTX EZBook 700 for programming. These were some of the first consoles that I purchased and it was a real learning experience researching them out. I try to buy only stand-alone style consoles and stay away from anything needing the CEB equipment. i just don't have the room or money for something like that. But as far as the Command Star, are you saying that the CEB is actually the small tower and not a large rack like the Centracom line? if this is so then what is listed would be the complete unit and just needs the programming software. Please correct me if i have misunderstood this. Thanks.

Re: Motorola CommandStar question

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2015 6:36 am
by d119
You're correct. And with regards to Centracom, a single card cage and power supply is enough to make a basic Centracom system work, with the right cards in the cage. You don't need a full six foot rack to make that work :)