New HK parallel charging board, looks nice. Looks better than the one from a few days ago. I don't like those T connectors...

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dProduct=15237

Holly cow, looks like all they did was copy EPbuddy's.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1302613


Ben

ANd that comes as a surprise? What has HK ever develpoed and marketed all on thier own. They are in the copy and bottom prices and sell ,sell ,sell business. As has been said. one day the ones who do product development will be broke and then what a fine mess we will be in. We can go back to drawing our own plans, scratch building and counting on a few die hard RC flyers to share what they have developed for themselfs.

The XT60 version they released was a copy. This one is the exact same item that was shopped around and sold to multiple vendors and is now for sale at hobbyking. EPbuddy claims they hold a patent but progressiveRC claims it is there design? It seems pretty obvious that neither is manufacturing it.

Do people get offended that hobbyking sells genuine iChargers?

I got the clone from hobbyking not for the price but because it comes standard with the connectors I use.

I get offended when businesses lie about "owning" a patent, just like "owning" a factory in China.

Rick

Originally Posted by Helno

The XT60 version they released was a copy. This one is the exact same item that was shopped around and sold to multiple vendors and is now for sale at hobbyking. EPbuddy claims they hold a patent but progressiveRC claims it is there design? It seems pretty obvious that neither is manufacturing it.

Do people get offended that hobbyking sells genuine iChargers?

I got the clone from hobbyking not for the price but because it comes standard with the connectors I use.

I don't recall David ever claiming the Paraboard design was his, only that he had been approached to sell it, and others like it. I believe this is the post you are referring to, and I think you've misread what he is saying.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...&postcount=135

As for who manufactures the product, it's irrelevant. A design can be taken anywhere to have it manufactured and brought to market. In this world economy, very little keeps that company from then marketing the product out to other vendors. As the designer and patent owner of said product, it's upon you to defend your patent, which can be very difficult across international borders, but it is possible (think Deans).

Your reference to HK selling iChargers, it's clearly not a good comparison. Now, if HK was selling an "EPBuddy" branded "Paraboard", that would be a legitimate comparison. If they were selling a clearly unbranded iCharger, than yes, people would be a little ticked off. Just look at how they responded to Neumotors selling a charger that many believed looked suspiciously like a 1010B+, but with a different name. This is HK clearly selling an unbranded product a US vendor claims to have a patent pending. I'm going to give Dale the benefit of the doubt that it's true, I've never had anything but an honest deal with him.


I think the point is, the more HK mass markets products others have designed and developed, the less people/companies will put themselves out there to create new products to move the hobby forward. I just hope when HK's plan for complete RC world domination is complete plan 2 is to implement a huge R&D department!

epbuddy was the one who claimed patten ownership not progressiverc.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1302613

Snip

Two patent applications of this product have been submitted to US Patent and Trade Mark Office last month.
EP Buddy is the original inventor and designer of this particular product. We will be the only distributor of this product in the USA.

David at progressive asked me lomg ago which way to go for parallel charging boards or harnesses and I said harnesses as I alwasy do as I find boards much more difficult to use. They may be neat but that does not make them best IMO.

I think the point is, the more HK mass markets products others have designed and developed, the less people/companies will put themselves out there to create new products to move the hobby forward. I just hope when HK's plan for complete RC world domination is complete plan 2 is to implement a huge R&D department!

Exactly, Kokam,E Tec, Hyperion, Thunder Power developed / directed the LiPoly market for RC applications . They tried matching available cells to RC applications and when that failed they helped manufactures to develop cells which worked better.

After others developed brushless motors and ESCs HK had them copied (often with low quality componets) ,same with 2.4 receivers and even complete radio systems, servos you name it.

Charles