Coverage, claims, and remedies for Northstar hardware
Hardware, Software, and Installation Warranty Terms
This Warranty Policy (“Policy”) sets forth the warranty terms and conditions applicable to all Northstar Show Systems (“Northstar”) hardware products, software, and professional installation services. This Policy is incorporated by reference into the Northstar Terms of Service (NSS-LEGAL-TOS-001) and all applicable Master Service Agreements, Statements of Work, and Order Forms. In the event of a conflict between this Policy and an executed agreement, the terms of the executed agreement shall prevail.
Northstar warrants to the original purchaser that Northstar-branded hardware products, when used in accordance with the applicable Documentation and within the specified operating environment, will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for the warranty period specified below, commencing on the date of shipment from a Northstar facility or authorized distributor:
Product Category
Products
Warranty Period
Processing Nodes
Polaris P-100, Polaris P-200, Polaris P-400, Polaris P-800
Three (3) years
Controller Modules
Bridge B-16, Bridge B-32, Bridge B-64, Bridge B-IO
Three (3) years
Network Appliances
Northstar Managed Switches, Northstar Network Gateways
Three (3) years
Interface Modules
DMX Interface Cards, GPIO Expansion Modules, Serial Adapters
Two (2) years
Power Supplies
NSS-PSU series, redundant power modules
Two (2) years
Accessories
Cables, mounting hardware, rack ears, DIN-rail adapters
One (1) year
Touchscreen Panels
Northstar Operator Panels, HelmOS Touch Interfaces
Two (2) years
Custom/Project-Specific
Custom-engineered hardware assemblies
Per SOW specification
During the warranty period, if a hardware product is found to be defective under normal use and in compliance with the Documentation, Northstar shall, at its sole option: (a) repair the defective product; (b) replace the defective product with a new or refurbished unit of equivalent or superior functionality; or (c) issue a credit toward the purchase of a replacement product. The decision between repair, replacement, and credit shall be made by Northstar in its sole discretion. Replacement products may be new or refurbished and will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or ninety (90) days, whichever is longer.
Products that fail to power on, initialize, or pass basic self-test within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt are eligible for DOA processing. DOA claims must be reported to Northstar Technical Support within the fourteen-day window. DOA products will be cross-shipped with a replacement unit at no charge, subject to the return of the defective unit within thirty (30) days. Failure to return the defective unit may result in a charge for the replacement.
Northstar warrants that the Software, including HelmOS and Cuemaster, when used on supported Northstar hardware and in accordance with the Documentation, will materially conform to the functional specifications published in the current release Documentation for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of initial delivery or activation (the “Software Warranty Period”).
If the Software fails to materially conform to the published specifications during the Software Warranty Period, Northstar shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide a bug fix, patch, workaround, or updated version that corrects the non-conformance. If Northstar is unable to correct the non-conformance within a commercially reasonable time, Customer’s sole remedy shall be a refund of the Software license fees paid for the affected module, prorated over the Software Warranty Period.
Firmware embedded in Northstar hardware products is warranted to function in accordance with the hardware product’s specifications for the duration of the hardware warranty period. Firmware updates released after the expiration of the hardware warranty period or the Customer’s active support agreement are not covered under this warranty.
For installations performed by Northstar personnel or Northstar-certified installation partners, Northstar warrants that the installation workmanship will be free from defects for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of project acceptance or commissioning sign-off, whichever occurs first (“Installation Warranty Period”).
The installation warranty covers:
Wiring and cable terminations performed by Northstar or its certified partners;
Hardware mounting, rack assembly, and enclosure assembly;
Network configuration and commissioning as specified in the Statement of Work;
Software configuration, system programming, and show file deployment as documented in the project deliverables.
The installation warranty does not cover:
Work performed by non-certified third parties or Customer personnel;
Damage resulting from environmental conditions outside the design specification (e.g., flooding, fire, extreme temperature);
Modifications to the installed system made without Northstar’s prior written approval;
Issues caused by Customer-supplied infrastructure, including power, networking, and structural support.
This warranty does not cover defects, failures, or damage resulting from:
Misuse, abuse, neglect, accident, or improper operation;
Unauthorized modification, alteration, repair, or disassembly;
Installation or use not in accordance with the applicable Documentation or Northstar’s installation guidelines;
Operation outside of published environmental specifications, including temperature, humidity, altitude, and vibration limits;
Use of non-Northstar-approved power supplies, cables, network equipment, or accessories;
Damage caused by power surges, lightning, electrical transients, improper grounding, or inadequate power conditioning;
Damage caused by network attacks, malware, ransomware, or unauthorized access resulting from inadequate Customer security measures;
Normal wear and tear, including cosmetic damage that does not affect functionality;
Consumable components, including fans, batteries, and storage media that degrade through normal use;
Software modifications, custom scripts, or third-party plugins not approved by Northstar;
Use of the Products in applications for which they were not designed or approved, including but not limited to safety-critical ride systems, life-safety systems, or military applications.
The warranty is void if Products are deployed in environments that exceed the following published specifications (unless the product datasheet specifies otherwise):
Parameter
Standard Products
Extended-Range Products
Operating Temperature
0°C to 40°C (32°F to 104°F)
-20°C to 55°C (-4°F to 131°F)
Storage Temperature
-20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F)
-40°C to 70°C (-40°F to 158°F)
Relative Humidity
10% to 90% (non-condensing)
5% to 95% (non-condensing)
Altitude
0 to 2,000 meters
0 to 5,000 meters
Ingress Protection
IP20 (standard enclosures)
IP65 (outdoor/ruggedized)
Hardware and installation warranties require that installation is performed by personnel who hold a current Northstar Certified Installer (NCI) credential or are directly supervised by a Northstar NCI-credentialed technician. Installations performed by uncertified personnel without written authorization from Northstar may void the warranty for the affected products and installation work. A list of certified installation partners is available through the Northstar Partner Portal.
Products eligible for warranty service must have a valid RMA number issued by Northstar Technical Support prior to shipment. Returns without a valid RMA number will be refused. To obtain an RMA number, Customer must contact Northstar Technical Support with the product serial number, proof of purchase, and a description of the defect.
Customer is responsible for shipping costs to Northstar’s designated repair facility. Northstar will pay return shipping costs for warranty-covered repairs via standard ground service within the continental United States. Expedited shipping and international shipping costs are the responsibility of the Customer. Products must be shipped in original or equivalent protective packaging. Damage incurred during shipping due to inadequate packaging is not covered under warranty.
Northstar targets the following repair turnaround times from the date of receipt at the repair facility:
Service Level
Target Turnaround
Availability
Standard RMA
15 business days
Included with warranty
Priority RMA
5 business days
Available for additional fee
Advance Replacement
Ships within 2 business days
Available for Enterprise/Mission Critical support tier customers
Turnaround times are targets and not guaranteed commitments. Actual turnaround may be affected by part availability, repair complexity, and shipping logistics.
Customers are responsible for backing up all data, show files, configurations, and system settings prior to returning any product for warranty service. Northstar is not responsible for the loss, corruption, or deletion of any data or configurations on returned products. Repaired or replacement units will be returned with factory-default configurations unless otherwise arranged.
Hardware warranties are non-transferable and apply only to the original purchaser from Northstar or an authorized Northstar distributor. In the event of a sale, transfer, or assignment of the Customer’s business or assets, the warranty may be transferred with Northstar’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld. A warranty transfer request must be submitted in writing and include documentation of the ownership change.
For products covered under an active warranty and a qualifying support agreement (Professional, Enterprise, or Mission Critical tier), Northstar will provide remote diagnostic support at no additional charge. On-site labor for warranty repairs is included for customers with Enterprise or Mission Critical support agreements, subject to the dispatch policies defined in the Northstar Support Policy (NSS-LEGAL-SUP-001).
Travel expenses for on-site warranty service are covered under Enterprise and Mission Critical support agreements for locations within the continental United States. For all other locations, travel expenses (airfare, lodging, ground transportation, per diem) will be billed to Customer at cost plus a fifteen percent (15%) administrative fee, unless otherwise specified in the applicable support agreement.
Extended warranty and service plans are available for purchase at the time of initial product purchase or at any time during the standard warranty period. Extended warranty terms, pricing, and coverage details are available from Northstar Sales. Extended warranty plans must be purchased for all units within a system; selective coverage of individual units within a system is not available.
THE WARRANTIES SET FORTH IN THIS POLICY ARE THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE WARRANTIES PROVIDED BY NORTHSTAR WITH RESPECT TO ITS PRODUCTS, SOFTWARE, AND INSTALLATION SERVICES. NORTHSTAR MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. NORTHSTAR DOES NOT WARRANT THAT PRODUCTS OR SOFTWARE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE, OR THAT ALL DEFECTS CAN BE CORRECTED.
DOCUMENT CROSS-REFERENCES:
Northstar Terms of Service (NSS-LEGAL-TOS-001)
Northstar Support Policy (NSS-LEGAL-SUP-001)
Northstar Partner Agreement (NSS-LEGAL-PA-001)
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Reach our legal team at legal@northstarshowsystems.com.