AMB - Is it just me?
08-12-2010, 08:14 PM
#1
AMB - Is it just me?
Just got off the phone from MyLaps. They will now be down at the track on SUNDAY from 8.30am till about 11.00am. You can either swap your old one - $50 for an AMB or $55 for a clone - or buy a new one for $100. This deal is cash only - no change available.
The new ones are cheaper than the older one so to me it really punishes anyone who went and did the right thing and got original transponders in the first place.
I have 3 original ones and now they are swapping some clones for only $5 extra?
Last edited by mangoman; 08-13-2010 at 06:46 AM.
08-12-2010, 08:43 PM
#3
They want everyone to buy the new RC4 transponders as they are also discontinuing support for the battery powered ones from November. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing as once you've had your own, you don't want to go back to a battery powered one if you can help it.
But, it will make it difficult for clubs though as there are only limited places to get them fixed other then MyLaps when the batteries do inevitably fail, or the case gets damaged.
I always thought my first transponder was one of the best purchases I made in my hobby (a digital servo rates pretty highly as well).
Mind you, I upgraded two transponders early on for $30 each.
But, it will make it difficult for clubs though as there are only limited places to get them fixed other then MyLaps when the batteries do inevitably fail, or the case gets damaged.
I always thought my first transponder was one of the best purchases I made in my hobby (a digital servo rates pretty highly as well).
Mind you, I upgraded two transponders early on for $30 each.
08-12-2010, 09:03 PM
#4
Yeah that's stupid because the club will always need handout transponders for novices. Their parents wouldn't be too impressed to show up to the track and have to spend another $100 on a transponder.
They go on about how easy it is to swap a new transponder between cars but it won't last very long without breaking the wires or plug, unlike the battery ones which last for many years without a problem.
They go on about how easy it is to swap a new transponder between cars but it won't last very long without breaking the wires or plug, unlike the battery ones which last for many years without a problem.
08-12-2010, 09:29 PM
#5
Dont worry Mango, it will be many moons until the new ones become mandatory, only when all the decoders have been upgraded to the new or event the future versions will the original personals be no longer valid. And at something stupid like 5k a pop for a 500 gram box of electronics then it will be a long long time until its standard.
08-12-2010, 11:03 PM
#9
i am lend to believe the MRT's wont work on the new systems. hence there giving a good exchange on them.
It had something to do with physically not being able to enter the same number twice on the same race table.
08-13-2010, 02:27 AM
#13
The new RC4 is smaller lighter and cheaper, with replaceable cages, Mylaps actually responded to market gripes and gave people what they wanted, so now of course there are complaints. 
So used old AMB's won't have the same resale, kind of a non issue in my mind, they had a seriously overinflated resale as it was, how many things can you buy and then sell for 90-100% of what paid?.
And I really don't think old AMB's will ever 'stop' working from a decoder point of view, I just think maybe MyLaps will do some single licence tweaks in the RC4 firmware of the decoders, which may or may not stop a clone from working.
It's still a dirty little rumour anyway, not proven in any way yet I think, and there is general confusion over some RC4 transponder features, the new ones in theory have a temp sensor built in, and some other tweaks but they still work in just the same exact way, meaning old ones should always still work in just the same way, but maybe do a tiny bit less.
So used old AMB's won't have the same resale, kind of a non issue in my mind, they had a seriously overinflated resale as it was, how many things can you buy and then sell for 90-100% of what paid?.
And I really don't think old AMB's will ever 'stop' working from a decoder point of view, I just think maybe MyLaps will do some single licence tweaks in the RC4 firmware of the decoders, which may or may not stop a clone from working.
It's still a dirty little rumour anyway, not proven in any way yet I think, and there is general confusion over some RC4 transponder features, the new ones in theory have a temp sensor built in, and some other tweaks but they still work in just the same exact way, meaning old ones should always still work in just the same way, but maybe do a tiny bit less.
08-13-2010, 04:21 AM
#14
RC4 Transponder info
Some info on the new Transponders is available at...
http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/emea...c4_transponder
Some of the new functionality is detailed in this PDF....
http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/emea...epaper_RC4.pdf
I don't think the old Personal AMB-DP's will stop working for some years, and they are offering very attractive upgrade prices, so they can de-commission all the old unused numbers to use on new ones.
http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/emea...c4_transponder
Some of the new functionality is detailed in this PDF....
http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/emea...epaper_RC4.pdf
I don't think the old Personal AMB-DP's will stop working for some years, and they are offering very attractive upgrade prices, so they can de-commission all the old unused numbers to use on new ones.