ford_racing

iTrader: (6)

id be interested in 2 and I'm sure I could get a couple of more guys interested, having it lighter than the AMBrc Dp one would be such a huge advantage provided it worked

jakeburns

Hi,

Slightly similar subject, we have several handout (red) transponders that no longer hold a decent charge.

Does anyone know if we can change the batteries ourselves ?

Thanks,

Jake

killingtime

iTrader: (3)

If it can be very close in size and weight, I have interest in 2 myself and 8-10 in our club. Keep us posted if you can make this happen.

BullFrog

iTrader: (4)

you need to send them back to AMB- turn around is quick and fair( I've never been charged for repair). Got my PT basically for nothing (4) back when they were taking trade ins for the then new system. As for the clones with the same numbers- go for it.

jakeburns

Ours are the rechargeable type, I'm not sure amb repair them, you have to buy a replacement for $$$$, but i wonder if the batteries are replaceable?

BullFrog

iTrader: (4)

They repair what they sell .I've got the ambrc system with 20 rechargeables.Had some go bad and sent them back and they were fixed. The same for my personnels.Just call and ask them.

jakeburns

OK will do, thanks.

andsetinn

Hi Terry, you're Terry Stockham from MRT, right? I said nearly no one uses it anymore. Any club that has bought their AMB system or transponders within the last 5 years or so has the AMBrc system. It's quite a hazzle to get Personal Transponders to work for you using the AMB20 system. Mine ends with the number 5. Using AMB20 software you have to manually change my transponder number every time you sort a heat, for practice, for qualifying and for the race. Then what do you do when someone else shows up with personal transponder that ends with the number 5? Send him back home? Send me back home? AMB20 is fine for clubs using handout transponders and is still good technology but the world moves on. How many do you think are still using 5 year old computers?

Interesting "We don't have plans to manufacture a AMBrc personal transponder as AMB do it already!" This is quote from a year old E-mail from you. What caused you to change your mind? To answer your question. I'd be interested.

newracer

The track at my LHS is just switching to the new system. I'd buy at least 2-3 at $50 each and I am sure several racers at my track would do the same.

Paladin

Have spoke to a few members.

I believe that I could move 20 MRTrc P/T.

Hurry up Terry

CypressMidWest

iTrader: (1)

Has anybody given any thought to the legality of "cloned pt's"? As I recall AMB is rather protective of their intellectual property, and I don't know if this would be wisest of moves form a legal standpoint.

I think we as R/C racers need to look for scoring systems that don't rely on AMB at all. RFID could be huge, and a company that could devise an RFID system that could be run alongside the AMB systems would probably make a KILLING.

I personally feel that $95 dollars for a PT is ridiculolus. The technology involved is not new or revolutionary, I will continue to use house transponders as long as it is feasible for me to do so, simply because I have better thigs to do with $95 then hand it to AMB.

MattW

I suspect one of the biggest things forcing the prices up is the exchange rates. I know that was the biggest thing for us in the UK.

AMB do repair their own handouts. In t heory you could do it yourslef, but i have tried to get one apart before, and basically you'll wreck the case as there is gob fulls of silicon inside them.

imjonah

AMB = masters of gouging and the penny wise dollar foolish poster child.
Watching E-bay and the For sale forum here there is a huge pent up demand for these transponders at the $70 to $75 price point. What does AMB do? They decide to raise the price of what probably costs them under $10 to manufacture instead of lowering it a few dollars and increasing there sales significantly.

RFID with its 59 cent tags is going to put these gougers out of the RC business in a heartbeat.

ford_racing

iTrader: (6)

there are guys out there using 5 year old computers,
my local club has one running AMBrc and it works flawlessly
the other 2 local clubs near me are using old technology as well, a 486 laptop for one and a p1 or p2 for the other

jakeburns

It does seem crazy that amb have what is almost a monopoly on pt timing, and more crazy when you are forced to purchased, what we are suggesting maybe slightly overpriced, to be able to run in some of the US events.

I'm sure a clone could be made within the rules of copyright or whatever by changing something slightly, and supply what could make rc cheaper for us all.

I think AMB have been very clever, producing something that is very good, and has a great demand, flood the market at a reasonable price and then when they see that people need them more that they need to make them, raise the price??? They have taken advantage of a niche market, which will be hard for anyone to break into without and extremely good changeover cost or amb compatibility.

On the point of repairing the ambrc rechargeable transponders, my club has been able to open the transponder case, the silicon seems to be just a method of sealing the case, but the workings including battery have been potted which must need dissolving somehow to allow a battery change, thats where we are stuck... any ideas??