Transponders & Decoder Upgrades
 

Notice to all racers with MRT Transponders:

http://www.oople.com/rc/photos/revie...x410/mrt03.jpg

I strongly suggest you take advantage of MyLabs (AMB) upgrade program to upgrade your MRT to a New Gen RC4 or RC4 Hybrid MyLaps (AMB) Transponder. NOTE: Racers with old MyLaps (AMB) Transponders may also take advantage of this program.

RC4 Hybrid - http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/us_e..._to_rc4_hybrid (Works on all RC4 or Older Timing Decoders)

RC4 - http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/us_e...upgrade_to_rc4 (Works only on the newest RC4 Timing Decoder)

I have been researching the recent Transponder updates and I strongly suspect the Club will need to upgrade our timing system at which point the MRT transponders will no longer work.

MyLabs (AMB) is offering Decoder owners (Timing System owned by Marcca) upgrades until March 31, 2013 for $330 after that it will cost $3250 - So I would expect Marcca will be upgrading very soon.

http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/us_e...2_rc3v3_to_rc4

At which point Marcca upgrades its decoder - MRT Transponders will not work. Anyone with a MyLaps or AMB transponder will be fine regardless of its age or size. The only people affected will be MRT owners.

http://www.mylaps.com/var/storage/im...atibility2.jpg

If you send in transponders to upgrade....

RC4 transponders will ONLY work with updated decoders.
RC4 hybrids will work with tracks with the old decoders.

Good catch Zach - So guys if you get the RC4 Transponder it will not work at tracks that have an older decoder than the newest RC4 decoder. If you get the RC4 Hybrid it will work anywhere on new or old MyLap (AMB) decodes.

zac...again, what are you saying....i have read a fair amount on this subject,

i forwarded this post to matts fb wall yesterday..the only thing that will not work is mrt transponders....and the new amb 3 wire transponders will not work on the old system....you will not be able to buy the old transponders in the future, (or now)...the new transponders are showing up at tracks and folks cant use them...the club and imo, no track can afford to NOT upgrade. ALL amb transponders will work with the new system....so other than the mrt issue, there is no reason to not upgrade


RC tracks have a nationwide problem looming in the near future. Currently most Tracks use a AMBrc3 Decoder for timing and scoring. MyLaps, formally AMB, has recently released a new RC4 decoder, complete with new RC4 transponders. This new decoder is not compatible with MRT transponders. To complicate this the new RC4 transponders will not work with old AMBrc3 decoder box's, so we have been forced to upgrade to the new RC4 version. This upgrade will not affect racers that currently have MyLaps or AMB Red transponders, but will affect those of you with MRT transponders. MyLaps has offered a $36.00 trade up program for anyone with these cloned transponders. If you send your current cloned transponder to MyLaps, they will provide you with a new RC4 personal transponder for $36.00. If you have an MRT transponder, we strongly suggest you take them up on this offer. I am also in the same boat as we use MRT transponders for rental transponders so I have to upgrade 25 rental transponders plus the new RC4 decoder box. I plan to switch to the new MyLaps RC4 box this summer so everyone will need to upgrade to the new transponders by the PA Tour racein October and or the opening day in the Fall. I am sorry for the inconvenience to all of you. I don't like being put in a box, but I am forced to make this change as racers will be showing up with new transponders that wont work with my older AMBrc3 decoder.

OK - Next Issue

I think Marcca has a AMB20 decoder which may not be upgradable?

More research.

It is not. Must be version 3 and even then, not all version 3 decoders can be upgraded.

Matt M. is correct.

RC 4 Pure - RC 4 decoder only
RC 4 Hybrid - Any AMB decoder system made to date.
MRT - Decoder Rev 3 or older including AMB 20s.

I'm going to get ready to send in all but one MRT to trade for the RC 4 Pure and clones (so I've read). If I can't get clones, I guess I'll have a bunch of singles. Each trade in will still cost less than buying 1 new PTX without a trade in as long as the offer is in place.

Ya - I think we have the AMBrc (RC2) Decoder? If the weather is good I'll look tomorrow at practice. If so - it is upgradable.

If you get RC4 transponders rather than the RC4 Hybrids and go to a different track where they are running a decoder older than the new RC4 Decoder your RC4 transponders will not work - you would have to use the MRT that you didnt upgrade.

Am I correct in my thinking??

Further if I read and understand correctly:

The club could upgrade the old rechargeable house transponders to new RC4 transponder at $36 each. We could get ten more rental transponders for $360.

http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/us_e...upgrade_to_rc4

Since the "club" would be saving $3000 on the upgrade, could we pass some of that savings onto club members that upgrade their transponders?

With that logic - if the club waits until April can Marcca charge more to race?? I really don't look at it as a savings rather a penality if you don't upgrade. To answer your question - My vote would be no.

You don't have to upgrade the club has rentals for $5 for the race day :)

Exactly. That's why I'd keep one MRT. Or, get a hybrid.

If the club goes that way, its the best choice. If the current decoder fails for any reason, we're upgrading or buying a used one at our own risk.

more info i found...

MRT transponders can be swapped for two options:
1. RC4 transponder that only works with the new decoder platform: 35.98
2. RC Hybrid: works with new platform and is compatible with older decoder platforms: 82.00

Decoders less than two years old do not require a swap, simply an update to the firmware.