I do believe the new one has 3 wires instead of 2.

Thanks!

amainhobbies has not updated the pic then:
http://www.amainhobbies.com/product_...ed-Transponder

edit: wait.... On the mylaps website they show only two cables also for the hybrid
http://www.mylaps.com/index.php/us_e...id_transponder

MyLaps are still using CAD images, though you can kind of make out a white wire in one picture of theirs.

But, at least two HK based shops now have new RC4 stock, and are showing actual pictures which show they have three wires.

I'm not real sure I like the idea of three wires on the new transponder, considering I often cut down my wires and/or slip them into a tight space, it's just more work with an extra wire, though I'll admit it's a minor gripe.

or maybe mylaps just wants to confuse everybody and sell their old stock of non-hybrid transponders

I use to wonder what AMB/MyLaps would do once they have maxed out on selling PT and Decoders to everyone... Now I know, they just upgrade everything and force everyone to buy the newer PT and Decoders... I say force cause if you don't, you can't race anymore... I know some clubs that can't afford the $330 decoder upgrade, they have enough issues paying the rent on the property, the power bill to run their lights and water bill to wet the track... Monopoly is a terrible thing...

..until a guy founds out how to hack the system . It won't last forever.

Confusion is the name of the game here...

MyLaps currently has the older 'Hybrid' RC4, and the new RC4 that will only work with RC4 firmware/decoders.

The latest going around is the Hybrid that works on any system, will be discontinued, forcing people to buy the new RC4 at some point, which in turn forces clubs to upgrade to a RC4 decoder at some point.

It's a nice little circle of MyLaps forcing a few things, while not really telling anyone what is going on.

I’m a little confused about what transponder I might or might not need. We race in a 5 state region and the last thing I need to worry about, is if I have the correct PT. Currently have 2 AMBrc and 2 Mylaps one of them is a backup. Should I trade in the backup for one of the newer ones? If we would happen to go where the new system is being used.

Decoder............... Transponders

AMBrc........... AMB House TP,. AMB DP,. MRT iPT,. MRT PTX,. MyL rc2,. MyL rc4 (hybrid),. MyL rc4 (purcy)
AMBrc3......... AMB House TP,. AMB DP,. MRT iPT,. MRT PTX,. MyL rc2,. MyL rc4 (hybrid),. MyL rc4 (purcy)
MyLaps rc3.... AMB House TP,. AMB DP,. MRT iPT,. MRT PTX,. MyL rc2,. MyL rc4 (hybrid),. MyL rc4 (purcy)
MyLaps rc4.... AMB House TP,. AMB DP,. MRT iPT,. MRT PTX,. MyL rc2,. MyL rc4 (hybrid),. MyL rc4 (purcy)

Has anyone from AMB/MY Laps actually confirmed any of this?

This will be ugly if some tracks don't upgrade decoders and some do. Then you may need two different transponders and have two switch as you go from track to track.

According to that, the conflictive models will be MRT iPT, MRT PTX, and MyLaps RC4, so if you have an old AMB DP for example, you can race in all tracks (updated or not) without problems.

On the other hand, if you have a MRT model, the best option seems to be getting a MyLaps RC4 Hybrid.


Regards.

Anybody else find it ironic that in the days of $500 touring cars, $150 lipos, $250 ESC's, $100 motors, $100 servos, $25 bodies, $20 allen wrenches, $70 pit lights, etc etc that everyone gets all uppity about a $100 transponder that unlike pretty much everything else, will last for the next half dozen years?

I personally buy a lot used because of cost, but when I think about what I have invested in RC, transponders really isn't that big of a thing. And unlike everything else I own RC related, transponders actually hold their value reasonable well on the used market.

Is the cost a barrier to new people coming into RC? I think yes. But no more so then everything else. If you want to race, it's part of the cost of entry.

I own 2 hybrids, 1 of the older AMB's and a much bigger one for my 1:1 race car. It just seems like people are making a bigger deal of this then is really there.

Maybe, and I used to think the same, but then my car cost $330, my LiPos $35 each, ESC was $55, motor also $55, servos about $60, bodies I try to get good life from, and $20 bought me a kit of tools.

$100-$170 (yes I have seen them sell for that much) for something that serves such a simple purpose, is in stark comparison to other parts in RC that do so much more in relative terms.

They 'are' expensive for what they are, and what they do.

Don't get me wrong, I wish they were $60 but it does send an encrypted signal so it reads your car and they have to pay for development. Unless there is competition prices wont change.

Now after reading this thread I better be careful which mylaps to get, MRT is out of the question

Development cost argument is near irreverent when you look at the range of MyLaps product, they use the same decoder for 'everything', and I'd guess a revision of the same transponder packaged differently for each purpose.

If they want to close up a market by re and then re-revising firmwares to lock out MRT users, you have to see that as stinging users on development cost for things that don't interest us.
Likewise I'm still yet to find anyone who cares about the new features, most everyone I have ever talked to about transponders just wishes they were cheaper.