Did you miss comment #26 where the OP appreciated such feedback?

The objective of this thread, as I have understood from the start, is to offer a reasonably priced alternative to mYlaps transponders.
As this is a forum for sharing opinions;
I am of the opinion that the current mYlaps, and MRT products are already reasonably priced.
Yes, postulating that someone can simply pop one open and figure it out, or make a snap assessment that it is a rip off, is "lacking knowledge or awareness in general" as to what is actually involved.

Complaining about what we have is totally different than complaining about a lack of options. I totally agree that we’re in a great spot. But I also think options would be even better. To simply stop pushing forward because we’re better off than we were 3 decades ago would be silly.

The cost associated with the facility, the timing system its utilities, et cetera are not directly born by the end-user. These fixed up start costs are partially covered by the fee that is charged for participating for that day for the class and additional classes..

I run a retail store, similarly to have such a business. You need a retail point of sale system, security cameras, security guards, cleaning crews. I don’t regularly have discussions with my patrons about what the cost of the systems that help me run this shop this nor, do I expect them to know what it is.

Back to transponders, I have actually paid the price to compete and paid the price of convenience by having 6 transponders in total for myself and my son. That’s a decision I made. I don’t expect it to be convenient for someone else or everybody else be able to afford it.

I still think the individual price for the transponders is too high. Overtime, the cost of many devices come down yet these have remained at the same level simply because there isn’t competition. Lets use servos as an example, metal gear servos were the new thing then came coreless, digital, brushless, high voltage, s-bus overtime. The older models prices dropped. The new versions of mylaps transponders are not offering any new features. They supplanted the older versions and made them obsolete to keep MRT out. It remains a simple, counting system. As a lack of competition, the price remains the same.

The transponders themselves are relatively simple. But the entire ecosystem is more complex. MyLaps still needs to support the decoders. They're a one time low volume purchase with no ongoing subscription costs. If MyLaps can't make money off the transponders then the whole system goes bankrupt.

Servos directly affect performance, transponders do not. There's an inventive for competition when the performance matters.

Simple, you are contradicting a Senior level engineer with a couple decades experience designing similar products. I’ll take his opinion over yours.

I'm an EE. Our reverse engineering solution was to buy the I-laps system. We mount the transponder low on the chassis with no issues. And one of our guy makes his own PT for the I-laps and sells at half price :)

That approach requires everyone who already has a MyLaps transponder to switch. I-Laps also requires the IR loop to sit over the track which makes it harder to do permanent outdoor installations. That wouldn't fly with my local clubs, but it does lower the cost for clubs that can accommodate those disadvantages.

trust me, no company is going to give you deal on a product you can make money with and that company only gets that one time payment. remember, most electronics you're paying for the costs to develop the software not necessarily hardware itself. Just like any kit, the pricing is meant to cover manufacturing but also R&D work that was involved. Most of these products take yrs of development and investment before you can think of making any monies. Regardless, in this hobby you get what you pay for. You can buy knocks off that a particular manufacture has no idea what they're manufacture.

are you speculating or do you have access to mylaps financials?

My lap has been around for a very long time. If they are struggling financially, then it would serve their interest to diversify into other sectors and offer other products. MyLaps exists in 1:1 racing as well as RC. There are plenty of individuals entering these competitions every year and purchasing their equipment.

I personally think if they drop the price of their transponders from $100 to $50 more people would buy their transponders. I would probably have a dozen instead of six. Others who transfer the transponder between their cars would have multiples as well.

You don't need to tell me. I've defended Mylaps in this thread. As useless as it turned out to be...

As mentioned several times, what is a 100 dollar investment for the next 10 years compared with all other costs you make on RC racing in 10 years time? I have my 1st RC4 hybrid from the 1st moment they had an exchange program and it is still working. I believe that is now about 15 years. Meanwhile I have about 6, 3 of them I bought as one package deal for just 60 euro on the used market. 20 euro per transponder was a good deal.
Also in 4 pages of talk in this topic I did never see someone mentioning the whole system behind it. You can create a free account at Speedhyves where every lap driven on a track with an online decoder is registered. The servers, maintenance and software development has also to be payed. But in the US tracks work with LiveRC where I believe you need to pay for a subscription?

The Bervoets that started Mylaps was the brother of the Bervoets that started Serpent, so not the same guy.

Regarding the update I agree that it could be friendlier for their customers but there is an exchange program to get a new transponder for a lower price. You can even swap an MRT transponder for an RC4 Mylaps. And can you blame them? They just want to secure their own design and market where companies like MRT are lifting on. Also MRT can not provide you an unique number that is your own with which you can create a Speedhyve account, you can only let them copy an original AMB/Mylaps transponder or else you get 20 selectable numbers that will give issues on larger races with more MRT users. This is one of the reasons some competitions only allow original Mylaps transponders.

Pretty sure I touched on that:

I think the main and possibly the only reason why they have a monopoly and also why they are the go to for RC is because they have an already successful sustainable business supply timing equipment across all kinds of motorsport. I don't believe there is a big enough market within all motorsport including rc (which is a laughably small part) to run a second company that makes enough money and is not a passion project.

If Mercedes or Ferrari or Honda etc were to create an RC car it would not be the cheapest thing out there.

Lets be thankful that we have a reliable and almost fully adopted technology that allows us to travel all over the world to world class tracks or basement tracks or back of the barn tracks and compete with full timing and not a hand counter and a piece of paper with equipment we bring with us. Imagine if every track had a different system, What a nightmare that would be....

can you say expensive. I know I wouldnt visit certain tracks if I needed a special transponder for a specific track.