Newb in need of help

[beenthere]

Proprietary system. You won't find the equipment/interface for free. Cost you more to buy it, then have it fixed a couple times.

The (BAS) manufacturers protect that end.

[dblrye]

No I won't take it the wrong way. Feel free to speak freely. I understand what you mean though. But He's my dad so I just want to make sure no one is taking advantage of him. In my head I didn't feel like my dad being quoted $xxxx just for someone pressing a few buttons on their computer for a few minutes. Now obviously I am here to learn and you guys would know more. If that seems about right then I will know for next time. But that doesn't matter now because he was a dead end also.

But even if the price was perfect the problem is still trying to find someone who has the equipment. That's why I'm trying to get as much info as I can. If I can find the equipment then I can just fix it for him next time something goes wrong and not worry about finding someone. If in the end I can't find a solution then I will start looking into upgrades. But that will have to wait for a day when I am not swamped with school work.

There's an old anecdote about the guy that gets called to a company because one of their machines isn't running. He walks up to the machine, takes off the control panel, turns a screw and the machine fires up.
He hands the owner a bill for $200. The owner says "you're charging me $200 for turning a screw?"
The guy says " No. I'm only charging you $5 dollars for turning the screw the other $195 is for knowing which screw to turn."