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Another AMB Price Increase is it Fair?

Another AMB Price Increase is it Fair?

Old 12-22-2004, 04:15 PM
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If I'm not mistaken, I think they have been hacked in Hong Kong. I forgot where I saw the article or webpage. But you could program in your own number or whatever. Not that I would promote such a thing.. But it can be done... and has already been done. I'm not worried.. I already have 2 amb transponders from when they first came out. I think I paid either $50 or $55 for them.. each. One track screwed up and was selling them for $30 when they first came out hehe.....
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Old 12-22-2004, 04:21 PM
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It's only a matter of time before KO or JR comes out with a receiver that has it built in. I can't wait!

J
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Old 12-22-2004, 08:41 PM
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To all those who keep posting about greed and insane profits, please, go back and read my post that apparently nobody read.

As far as manufacturing costs, there is SO much more to bringing a product to market than that.

Among others:

- R&D costs (employee time, raw materials, etc)
- raw materials for each unit
- manufacturing time for each unit
- QA time for each unit
- packaging time and costs
- shipping time and costs
- distribution costs (AMB has units in many countries to handle things, and these cost money to run)
- advertising (print ads, trade shows, etc)
- customer support costs
- miscellaneous taxes and fees (in the US, LLC fees, for example)
- possible export/import tariffs

Then when you factor in exchange rates (and the costs involved with those) you can see that an $80 (or whatever) transponder may not really be making *that much* profit for the company.

Some of you make good points, but some appear grossly misinformed.
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Old 12-22-2004, 09:14 PM
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Default I don't think it's a matter of....

is it "fair" like the post above I think it's more a matter of can it be justifed.
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Old 12-22-2004, 09:30 PM
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Originally posted by burger
It's only a matter of time before KO or JR comes out with a receiver that has it built in. I can't wait!

J
actually, now that you say that, i think i can remember something about that being mentioned somewhere in the past

wouldn't it just be nice to stick a bar code on the top of the body or under the chassis and have the car "scanned".
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Old 12-23-2004, 12:03 AM
  #66  
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Originally posted by Rick Hohwart
Appearances can be deceiving...there are companies with sales in the billions that lose money.
Sorry i can't see the link between this statement and mine ????

I was talking about the difference in production costs and resale costs for the main.

Yes i know what your saying though and surely these companies you talk of have got some serious issues within there indistury ?
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Old 12-23-2004, 06:11 AM
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Well to me it seems that R/C companies don't like being questioned. And when someone would like to know why
I am spending so much on this product these guys get defensive
why? I just want to know why we are paying so much. And Rick H
yes we have to buy them when you go to a track and it is manditory that you have a AMB personal Transponder what else can you do? Yes you have some good points but some you can backup, if you were looking out for our hobby you should be asking questions too.
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Old 12-23-2004, 06:32 AM
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So i guess the price we are paying for gas is too small, because if you would know what it take's to get you 1gal, i know and it is too much to go into but you get the point, then we should pay at least $25.00 per gal, and what do you have to say about that, i think that the price should stay at $50.00, i remember back in the late 60's if the price went up on say gas then every body would protest and the if the price did not stay the American's would not buy that item, man i miss those day's.
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Old 12-23-2004, 07:22 AM
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Originally posted by gijoe64
And Rick H yes we have to buy them when you go to a track and it is manditory that you have a AMB personal Transponder what else can you do? Yes you have some good points but some you can backup, if you were looking out for our hobby you should be asking questions too.
As I mentioned, this is a problem between you and the hobby shop. No hobby shop or track should require the use of a product that makes it EASIER FOR THEM to run a race.

At the minimum the track should rent transponders for the event or add a buck to your entry to cover the rental. Or better yet give those with personals a discount on their entry fee.

I understand that it sucks to pay so much for something that seems like it costs so little. All I and others are trying to do is explain why things cost what they do.

The cotton t-shirt you are wearing comes from plants that probably costs less that $0.01. I bet every piece of clothing you are wearing is marked up far more than any R/C product in your collection.

I also think the real problem is the hobby shop/racetrack. The topic of this thread should be "My hobby shop requires me to purchase an AMB personal transponder, is it fair?"
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Old 12-23-2004, 07:36 AM
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I am surprised that nobody makes a cheaper clone for these things yet. Patent issues you say? Isn't transponder technology been around a long time. Just curious.
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Old 12-23-2004, 08:49 AM
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I am fairly certain that AMB has patented the particular technology that they use. They have gone to great lengths with legal agreements and such for those trying to develop software to work with it.
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Old 12-23-2004, 11:58 AM
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Originally posted by imjonah
I would be surpised if these things cost $5 to make.


Where I work we have been exploring RFID technology.
RFID tags cost around $1 each, they are about 1 x 2 " and thinner than a playing card.

One nice thing about RFID is that you can store more information on them than just ID number.

You program the little tag stick it on your car an you are set for life, nothing to charge or change.

I bet they do only cost 5 bucks to make, so its a ripoff


Originally posted by Mr. P
Hogdaddy77, your predition(another lap counting system) is comming true. Granted that at this point it is only for the smaller car, the one for bigger car is in the work!!!!!!

The system is very slick and affordable. How would you like to pay $ 5.00 per transponder that do not need any power to activate it ? How does the $ 500.00 sound for the system sound for the track owner?

Check this site out http://corespeedway.com/

And does the size of about a normal bussiness card sound to you?
Maybe AMB are trying to make as many $$$ as they can before these new RFID systems come out?
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Old 12-23-2004, 02:43 PM
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Mr. P is right state of the art RF technolgy is gonna take over from the "old " AMB & KO systems

http://corespeedway.com/web_request.cgi?shop

And they confirm it

"We could add support for the older AMB and KO ARC systems
but I can only see demand dwindling for those systems because
of the huge costs. We probably can't justify spending the resources
to add support for nothing in return since we do not charge for our
software. --Core"


AMB is on the way out, obsolete!!
$5 transponders are a comin!!

full chat here
http://minizrac.nexcess.net/forums/s...277#post160277
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Old 12-24-2004, 04:42 AM
  #74  
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The only thing I dislike about the whole thing is how they stole the market buy charging the low price and than raising the prices as they became the only game in town.

It reminds me a lot of what South West airlines did.

In their begging they charged radically low prices drove all other commuter airlines out of business and than raised their prices as they bought out all the competition.

It’s so good that I wish I thought of it.

Think about computers and other technology, the longer they are out the cheaper they are.

AMD has done the exact opposite, and done it well.
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Old 01-03-2005, 12:59 PM
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Ive just gotten in to RC during the Summer but my friends has been racing for over a year. He got his transponder for 50-60.00. So now when I saw how much they have gone up i said for get it. Im not a sponcered driver. I see this as a monopoly. We have use RF Id technolgy at my job for over 15 yrs and it inexpensive. That tiny lil transponder can possible cost that much no matter what picture they put on it.
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