With Trend 963 Supervisor becoming unsupported as of 31 December, many building owners and managers face a significant challenge: maintaining their existing systems without costly disruptions or downtime.

The Tyrrell Products Trend Emulator Driver offers a smart and effective solution, providing an opportunity to replace existing Trend controllers with any controller that supports driver emulation, all within the Tridium Niagara 4 platform. This innovative driver ensures a smooth transition, allowing building management systems (BMS) to maintain seamless operations while integrating third-party systems.

The Tyrrell Products Trend Emulator Driver was developed to extend the life of 963 by sending data to Niagara systems.

Understanding the Tyrrell Products Trend Emulator Driver

The Trend Emulator Driver for Tridium Niagara 4 facilitates seamless integration between a Tridium instance—be it a Web Supervisor or Controller—and the unsupported Trend 963 Supervisor. By leveraging the versatility of the Niagara Framework, this driver empowers Trend Building Management Systems (BMS) to maintain the visibility of Niagara systems in the short term without significant infrastructure changes.

Here’s how it works:

• The driver creates an emulated stand-alone Trend LAN, which the Trend 963 Supervisor connects to.
• It establishes one or more emulated IQ3 controllers within the system.
• These emulated controllers can discover and export Points from the local Niagara 4 Station as familiar components in the Trend system—such as Sensors, Inputs, Drivers, Knobs, or Switches.

While this enables existing systems to remain operational, it’s important to understand that the Tyrrell Products Trend Emulator Driver does not fix the End Of Life situation in any way. It simply offers an option to keep systems running with the visibility of Niagara systems.

Key Features and Functionality

1. Comprehensive Point Discovery and Export

The Trend Emulator Driver simplifies integration by enabling the discovery of Points in the Niagara 4 Station. Once discovered, Points are exported into the emulated IQ3 controllers as:

• Sensors for monitoring temperature, humidity, or other conditions.
• Drivers for controlling mechanical or electrical systems.
• Switches and Knobs for manual adjustments or overrides.

This process ensures minimal disruption to existing operations and offers a user-friendly experience for facility managers familiar with the Trend 963 environment.

2. Seamless Scheduling with Trend Time Zones

In addition to point discovery, the driver supports the export of Tridium Schedules as Trend Time Zones. This capability provides robust scheduling functionality, allowing facility managers to retain full control of building operations directly from the familiar Trend 963 Supervisor interface.

3. Stand-Alone Operation

The Trend Emulator Driver is designed to operate independently in a ‘Stand-Alone’ mode, creating its own emulated Trend LAN. This ensures:

• No requirement to integrate into existing Trend LANs.
• Full compatibility with standalone 963 Supervisor systems.
• A clear pathway for transitioning from unsupported controllers to new, more versatile solutions.

Note: While the driver facilitates robust integration, IC Comms connections to other Trend controllers are not supported.

Why Proactive Transition is Essential

The discontinuation of Trend 963 support can pose several risks to buildings reliant on this system, including:

• Operational Downtime: Unresolved failures or unsupported issues can interrupt critical systems.
• Costly Repairs: Emergency fixes and system replacements can lead to unplanned expenses.
• Legacy System Limitations: Outdated systems lack the flexibility to integrate with modern, energy-efficient solutions.

Why Planning Ahead is Essential

With Trend 963 losing all support at the end of the month, relying solely on the Emulator Driver is not a long-term solution. Customers must plan for a proactive upgrade to avoid potential risks, including:

• Operational Downtime: Unresolved failures or unsupported issues can interrupt critical systems.
• Costly Repairs: Emergency fixes and system replacements can lead to unplanned expenses.
• Legacy System Limitations: Outdated systems lack the flexibility to integrate with modern, energy-efficient solutions.

The Better Alternative: Niagara-Based Trend Supervisor

Rather than upgrading to Trend Vision, we recommend transitioning to our Niagara-based Trend Supervisor. This solution ensures:

• Seamless Integration: Smooth migration without disruptions to your day-to-day operations.
• Future-Proof Systems: Flexibility to integrate third-party solutions and modern infrastructure.
• Cost-Effective Transition: Incremental upgrades that save on costs while maintaining familiar workflows.
• Enhanced Control and Monitoring: Real-time visibility, point discovery, and scheduling for proactive system management.

Act Now to Secure Your Systems

The important thing to understand is that the Emulator Driver offers a short-term solution but does not resolve the end-of-life status of Trend 963. Building managers must act now to plan for the future and avoid unnecessary disruptions.

At Tyrrell Systems, we specialise in helping clients navigate this transition smoothly and cost-effectively. By leveraging the power of the Niagara 4 platform, we offer innovative solutions to modernise and future-proof your Building Management System.

Ready to Upgrade?

Don’t wait for Trend 963 to become a liability. Contact Tyrrell Systems today to learn how our Niagara-based Trend Supervisor can help you maintain, enhance, and future-proof your building systems.