1 Tbp runs, but probably not on *your* Hiseq

[mgogol]

I think it was kind of shady of illumina to do that. They should have been really clear when they announced it, at least.

[GW_OK]

As a human-centric core with users increasingly interested in WGS, I could certainly use the upgrade. I'm afraid this also means that the pre-2013 machines will not be able to run the PE250's whenever they come out, something my microbiome/metagenomics keep asking me about so they can start really multiplexing samples.

I do agree that leasing is now most likely going to be the way to procure an instrument, and I am glad that my core only has another year or so left on our second machine.

[GenoMax]

Everyone with a HiSeq is not going to need (even though they may want) 1Tb - 6 day runs. Realistically this decision (if true) will affect a small subset of customer sites/machines.

Optics/electronics/processing power needed to support the new chemistry perhaps makes it less sensible to upgrade (rebuild) a machine in place. This would require a few days of a service engineer's time per machine. These considerations must negatively impact the "upgrade price" Illumina would have to charge for the upgrade.

Before long leasing a sequencer may start making more sense than buying one.

[GW_OK]

Do you own or have access to a Hiseq?

Are you pumped about 6-day, 1Tbp runs?

Was your machine purchased in 2013?

If you answered "no" to that last question you can forget about the latest run chemistry, apparently. In learning more about the latest and greatest run specs I've become a bit dismayed on hearing that Hiseq's are going to need the 'v3' camera to be compatible, and those are only on machines with S/N 14xx. Has anyone else heard differently? Is this a smart thing for Illumina to do, given the extremely large install base already out there?