We feel the same way about our DAKO autostainer.  It is much less expensive, dependable and an "open system".  It runs more slides than the Ventana and thus may take a little more time, but it is truly a good machine. The Ventana ES was great for the time that we were using it and I would never put the Ventana down as far as the quality of slides or service.  DAKO however came along and made improvements.  That's life.
Pat Karlisch
Geisinger Medical Center
Danville, PA

>>> Carla Shoffeitt <histo92@hotmail.com> 07/27 11:12 AM >>>
Shelia,
  August will be 2 years since I switched from a Ventana ES to a Dako 
Autostainer and I have absolutley no regrets about it.  For our lab, the 
Ventana was just too expensive to run since you are more or less locked into 
their detection system and most of their antibodies (unless you like to fill 
dispensers).  The Dako system works out really great for us.  I use their 
LSAB2 Detection kit, which seems pretty economical, especially since I can 
contol how much reagent dispenses onto the slide. I like the sensitivity of 
the kit as well.  I also like the fact that the Autostainer is an "open 
system" and I could, if I chose to do so, use other detection kits or 
antibodies.  I am really please with the machine and I like it much better 
than the ES.  I cannot remember the Ventana ES having any qualities or 
features that the Autostainer lacks.

Carla Shoffeitt
Histology Supervisor
Columbus Regional Medical Center
Columbus, GA>


>From: "Tapper, Sheila" <STapper@smdc.org>
>To: 'histonet' <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
>Subject: Dako Autostainer users
>Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 15:37:01 -0500
>
>I am looking for DAKO users who have switched from Ventana.  Was it a 
>smooth
>transition?  Do you miss any of the Ventana features?  I realize this is a
>sensitive subject, so feel free to answer off line.  We are re-evaluating
>our automation, and would like to hear from others who have made changes.
>
>Sheila
>

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com