Panasonic KX-TA824 Advanced Hybrid Analog Telephone System Control Unit

This PBX is great. Almost a steal for the price! I am a telecommunications professional, and for years I have been using an Asterisk-based VoIP PBX in my home. After years of always being frustrated with something not working correctly due to the finicky nature of Asterisk and VoIP telephony in general, I decided to go "old school" and get this analog/digital "advanced hybrid" system.Sometimes, old IS better than new, even in telecom. This system is easy to set up, and the phones are *way* easier to use, especially for my family members.Seriously, if you want a reliable phone system for your large home or small office, go with the old, tried and true standard. Sure, its not as flashy and fancy as a VoIP PBX, but you'll be up and running in no time, and most importantly, you'll STAY up and running because the system won't break every time a new software release comes out. Furthermore, your family will thank you for selecting a system that has easy-to-use phones.

Believe it or not, the primary reason I chose this phone system was for the lighted telephone keyboard feature. I was contemplating the purchase of a ViOP system, but could not find this option. This is a replacement of an earlier generation Panasonic phone system, so no wiring was need, which simplified the installation. However, more importantly, the ability to program the PBX with a computer was a major benefit. Most default settings work fine, and once you get the hang of it, customizing the functions of each phone makes using the system a pleasure.

We unfortunately, had to return this item because we cannot get 3-line phones for it. We took this opportunity to convert to a VoIP system. For the price, it beats the hell out of this old analog beast. This thing ABSOLUTELY requires Windows XP to program. Just antiquated at this point. Unless you INSIST on replacing one of these with another identical unit (meaning you already have this panasonic system), then don't bother buying this or you'll be buying the old crappy 2-line phones that go with it. Get a VoIP system instead like the Grandstream UCM6100 series and their entry-level IP phones. You won't be sorry.

This is an old model. I purchased it for using in a small school which has rooms not close to each other. The building has Ethernet connections all around and I connected this unit using the LAN cable. I had to use a RJ45 coupler to connect the wires. Put this unit together was easy, however, programming through the computer was not intuitive. I am not a super techie, but my knowledge is sufficient to find the solution. Finding the USB driver was a chore. I don't know why Panasonic or the seller doesn't provide this driver as it is absolutely needed to program this unit properly. You can use a Panasonic Proprietary Telephone (PT) (I bought KX-T7730) to perform programming operation, but it's not easy. I had to struggle to properly program the outside line access from the non-PT phones. I am still learning all the other functionalities like Call Park, Call transfer to another extension, etc., but overall I am happy with it.

Compared to the old Nortel system we were using, this one is a hell of a lot better. It actually has an interface that you can use to set up the internals. The Nortel unit had to all be done through a phone *faint*.I haven't read through the entire manual, but the features that I've discovered so far are well worth the cost of this unit. Was very easy to set up and contains many features.

I have given Bell the heave ho and I use my existing phone wiring between four buildings as an intercom system. Having read the documentation, I know that I am using about 1% of what the KA-TA824 can do. However, using my existing wiring and phones makes for a really cheap and reliable intercom, where I can dial up whatever area I want from where ever I want.Love it.

This is a fantastic product at the Amazon price. It is feature rich and has extensive documentation....4 manuals. I have replaced my old 1989 Panasonic KX-T16160 PBX which was also a terrific product. The PBXs are installed in my residence.I just found that I can use my old Panasonic proprietary hand sets in the new system. They are the KX-T30825 models. I gave this a 4-star rating because I found that programming it was indeed "rocket science". While the manuals are very comprehensive, I find them hard to follow. I wasted 7 hours trying to get the "Console Software" installed on one of my desktop PCs and connecting the PC to the PBX using the USB port.I finally gave up and tried using another desktop and it worked like a charm. The CD doesn't contain Win7 drivers so you have to search for them on the internet. Once working, the Console Software was great and a big improvement over programming via a proprietary instrument which I had to do with the old Panasonic PBX.I bought 6 KX-T7730 instruments which are very nice but I could have saved some $$$ if I knew the old instruments worked with the new system. The old units, however, would not work as nice as the new 7730s. I only use one CO line now because of the ubiquitous cell phones so I probably could have gotten by without a new PBX but how can one beat the $161 price tag? Go for it. Highly recommended and shipped right as quoted.Perhaps the reason I found the system hard to understand is that it is SO FEATURE RICH. Maybe it is over-featured for my residence but I just like techie electronics.

This item identically replaced a TA824 that was installed some 15 years ago, perfectly. What a godsend to find an identical replacement, so easily and inexpensively, on Amazon. To boot, we received an entire new set of books, and a warranty. 15 years ago I wasn't involved, and the books were lost. Three cheers for this handy, inexpensive phone-intercom system, appropriate for POTS phone service in a commercial environment of a couple dozen desks. An expansion board, and a door opening accoutrement, were similarly purchased and easily installed. Rah!