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-   -   Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46638)

Gdeaver 17-04-2006 22:02

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Now that vexlabs has control of the vex line. Maybe vexlabs and inteliteck can get the software part together. Easy-c that is in the programing kit is kind of lame. Easy-c 2.0 is usable. ( our easy-c programed bot made it to the finals). First order is to get a updated easy- c 2.0 in the programming kit. Ideally I'd like to see vex and FRC easy-c kept as close as possible. That way teams could start newbies out on vex then move their code efforts over to the FRC and the big bot. After they're up to speed there they could take on mplab. In my opinion the original RS price for the vex hardware was a little to expensive.

Rick TYler 17-04-2006 22:47

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
I'm glad to hear that IFI is picking up VEX distribution.

I am very disappointed to hear RadioShack being criticized on this forum. They have been a significant sponsor of FIRST, a regular source of electrical bits for lots of teams, and they took the chance on a national distribution deal for an expensive, techie product. I didn't see Circuit City or Best Buy stepping up to the plate on this. They deserve our thanks as a supporter of FIRST, and I would like to suggest that a lot of you need to think about "gracious professionalism" and how it applies to more than just robot tournaments.

I've been trying to think of a polite way of saying this, but most comments on these threads show a harsh, critical attitude that far outstrips the business knowledge demonstrated in those same posts. I can't recall anyone asking why RadioShack would have done this, but I do remember lots of people sounding like experts.

Here's what probably happened. RadioShack picked up the VEX line the way they test-market lots of new things. They pioneered little metal stereo speakers like this by ordering 10,000 pairs of speakers. They did the same thing with the original TRS-80 Model I (which outsold the Apple II by a large margin). When building the TRS-80 in their own factories no longer made sense, they got rid of them and purchased computers made by others. They were the leading provider in the CB boom of the 70s, and got out (mostly) while nearly 20 other CB makers were going out of business.

Right now, they are making a lot of money selling cell phones and related technology. If the VEX kits had sold, they would have kept them. They didn't sell well, so they are getting out of the business. It's no big deal -- there just isn't a mass retail market for high-end robotics kits. RadioShack isn't stupid (although their last CEO might have been), they don't make crappy equipment (it comes from the same factories in China that everyone else uses, or did you think that those stereos in the shops were really made by the companies on the front panel? nearly all consumer electronics equipment is manufactured by a handful of companies which then resell it through the familiar brand names you know), and they don't hate the robotics world. Relax.

nuggetsyl 17-04-2006 22:59

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick TYler
I'm glad to hear that IFI is picking up VEX distribution.

I am very disappointed to hear RadioShack being criticized on this forum. They have been a significant sponsor of FIRST, a regular source of electrical bits for lots of teams, and they took the chance on a national distribution deal for an expensive, techie product. I didn't see Circuit City or Best Buy stepping up to the plate on this. They deserve our thanks as a supporter of FIRST, and I would like to suggest that a lot of you need to think about "gracious professionalism" and how it applies to more than just robot tournaments.

I've been trying to think of a polite way of saying this, but most comments on these threads show a harsh, critical attitude that far outstrips the business knowledge demonstrated in those same posts. I can't recall anyone asking why RadioShack would have done this, but I do remember lots of people sounding like experts.

Here's what probably happened. RadioShack picked up the VEX line the way they test-market lots of new things. They pioneered little metal stereo speakers like this by ordering 10,000 pairs of speakers. They did the same thing with the original TRS-80 Model I (which outsold the Apple II by a large margin). When building the TRS-80 in their own factories no longer made sense, they got rid of them and purchased computers made by others. They were the leading provider in the CB boom of the 70s, and got out (mostly) while nearly 20 other CB makers were going out of business.

Right now, they are making a lot of money selling cell phones and related technology. If the VEX kits had sold, they would have kept them. They didn't sell well, so they are getting out of the business. It's no big deal -- there just isn't a mass retail market for high-end robotics kits. RadioShack isn't stupid (although their last CEO might have been), they don't make crappy equipment (it comes from the same factories in China that everyone else uses, or did you think that those stereos in the shops were really made by the companies on the front panel? nearly all consumer electronics equipment is manufactured by a handful of companies which then resell it through the familiar brand names you know), and they don't hate the robotics world. Relax.

Actually they started selling when the prices werent so high in fact because of how cheap they are now i am going to buy a vex kit. They priced themselves out of the market. I figured to get everthing you needed to build a robot was about 1000 dollars to start out. Now you can do it for 500. I am sure now that i will have a vex kit i will spend a ton more on the extra parts to do more cool things as i mess around.

shaun

John Gutmann 17-04-2006 23:05

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
On the topic of the VEX being used for curriculum, does anybody besides me think it would be awesome to have VEX be a part of PLTW instead of the Fischer techniks?

Richard Wallace 18-04-2006 09:09

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by sparksandtabs
On the topic of the VEX being used for curriculum, does anybody besides me think it would be awesome to have VEX be a part of PLTW instead of the Fischer techniks?

Yes, except I'd say "as an alternative to", not "instead of". I understand there are good PLTW programs that use Fischertechniks.

GlennGraham 18-04-2006 12:52

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Qbranch
Remember that you can program the Vex controller in MCC18. (Check this link for the MCP, workspace, and header files). I have used MCC18 with the VEX controller to find a way to interface the CMUcam with the VEX controller.

-Q

Thanks for the pointer! I'll spend some time with it this week.

lupjohn 18-04-2006 13:58

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick TYler
I'm glad to hear that IFI is picking up VEX distribution.

I am very disappointed to hear RadioShack being criticized on this forum. They have been a significant sponsor of FIRST, a regular source of electrical bits for lots of teams, and they took the chance on a national distribution deal for an expensive, techie product. I didn't see Circuit City or Best Buy stepping up to the plate on this. They deserve our thanks as a supporter of FIRST, and I would like to suggest that a lot of you need to think about "gracious professionalism" and how it applies to more than just robot tournaments.

I've been trying to think of a polite way of saying this, but most comments on these threads show a harsh, critical attitude that far outstrips the business knowledge demonstrated in those same posts. I can't recall anyone asking why RadioShack would have done this, but I do remember lots of people sounding like experts.

Here's what probably happened. RadioShack picked up the VEX line the way they test-market lots of new things. They pioneered little metal stereo speakers like this by ordering 10,000 pairs of speakers. They did the same thing with the original TRS-80 Model I (which outsold the Apple II by a large margin). When building the TRS-80 in their own factories no longer made sense, they got rid of them and purchased computers made by others. They were the leading provider in the CB boom of the 70s, and got out (mostly) while nearly 20 other CB makers were going out of business.

Right now, they are making a lot of money selling cell phones and related technology. If the VEX kits had sold, they would have kept them. They didn't sell well, so they are getting out of the business. It's no big deal -- there just isn't a mass retail market for high-end robotics kits. RadioShack isn't stupid (although their last CEO might have been), they don't make crappy equipment (it comes from the same factories in China that everyone else uses, or did you think that those stereos in the shops were really made by the companies on the front panel? nearly all consumer electronics equipment is manufactured by a handful of companies which then resell it through the familiar brand names you know), and they don't hate the robotics world. Relax.

Rick;
I agree with you 100%. RadioShack in fact may provide from their 1/2 price sale a much broader user base that will save VEX. I was sort of ignoring VEX until the sale and now I can justify an exploratory purchase. I have found that the VEX is the same quality as the old EDUBOT kit with much more potential and support and at a lower cost. The quality of the component wheels, accessories and sensors is a great improvement over the EDUBOT. The controller is of course equivalent to the EDUBOT but has a cleaner design with universal interface to the outside. It too may go the way of the FRC controller and be upgraded with more memory and speed. We as a user community should recognize that RS is there to supply an lot of incedental electronic components that you can't find off the shelf most other retail settings. I have prototyped many circuits supplied with parts from RS and purchased late Saturday afternoon when no other sources were available. Let's go out and grow as a robotics community and utilize this gift from RS. They could have scrapped the VEX inventory afterall. Larry Upjohn, Mentor FRC team 692.

nuggetsyl 18-04-2006 14:02

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by lupjohn
Rick;
I agree with you 100%. RadioShack in fact may provide from their 1/2 price sale a much broader user base that will save VEX. I was sort of ignoring VEX until the sale and now I can justify an exploratory purchase. I have found that the VEX is the same quality as the old EDUBOT kit with much more potential and support and at a lower cost. The quality of the component wheels, accessories and sensors is a great improvement over the EDUBOT. The controller is of course equivalent to the EDUBOT but has a cleaner design with universal interface to the outside. It too may go the way of the FRC controller and be upgraded with more memory and speed. We as a user community should recognize that RS is there to supply an lot of incedental electronic components that you can't find off the shelf most other retail settings. I have prototyped many circuits supplied with parts from RS and purchased late Saturday afternoon when no other sources were available. Let's go out and grow as a robotics community and utilize this gift from RS. They could have scrapped the VEX inventory afterall. Larry Upjohn, Mentor FRC team 692.

because of rs 1/2 price sale i also just today bought a vex kit. I spent about 400 dollars but now have enough stuff to build a robot with ease. I am happy ifi bought out vex.

shaun

Joe Matt 18-04-2006 14:13

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick TYler
They did the same thing with the original TRS-80 Model I (which outsold the Apple II by a large margin).

Hate to nit pick, but a google search returns these numbers....

TRS-80: 250,000
Apple II: 2+ million

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80
http://oldcomputers.net/appleii.html
http://oldcomputers.net/trs80i.html

Intrestingly enough, the Model 1 of the TRS-80 stoped production in the US due to FCC communication interferance problems, not RadioShack streamlinging production.

Anyway, back to the normal conversation. I agree, RadioShack did good here, but as always, they could have done better, but of course, FIRST can always do better too.

santosh 18-04-2006 19:29

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Yeah, I am glad this happened. I was starting to get kinda worried. It seems to me that Radio Shack did a very poor job of promoting the VEX robotics kits.

joshsmithers 18-04-2006 19:30

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
score one for FIRST!!!

i am very happy for FIRST for buying the vex line. i guess it was time for FIRST to "cash in their chips" and make investments. i really hope the price goes down on everything, now. i never even considered this as a reason for the vex 1/2price sale.

overall, i just think this is great for innovation FIRST.

Jon K. 18-04-2006 23:29

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by joshsmithers
score one for FIRST!!!

i am very happy for FIRST for buying the vex line. i guess it was time for FIRST to "cash in their chips" and make investments. i really hope the price goes down on everything, now. i never even considered this as a reason for the vex 1/2price sale.

overall, i just think this is great for innovation FIRST.

You realize that Innovation First, Incorporated is a different entity then the FIRST organization correct?

Anyways, Congrats to IFI for this great move. I wish them all the best in this transition phase, and I hope that they are successful in this new venture as I am sure they will be.

Rick TYler 19-04-2006 01:01

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Matt
Hate to nit pick, but a google search returns these numbers....
TRS-80: 250,000
Apple II: 2+ million

Intrestingly enough, the Model 1 of the TRS-80 stoped production in the US due to FCC communication interferance problems, not RadioShack streamlinging production.

I was being brief, but sloppy. During the pre-PC days, TRS-80 sales in the original family were higher than Apple II sales. There were lots of other Apple II models, but the equivalent to the Model 1 was the original Apple II. Your links (if I'm reading them correctly) show that Apple sold about 125,000 Apple IIs between 1977 and 1980, while Tandy sold about 200,000 TRS-80 Model 1s in the same approximate period. Total Apple 6502-based computer sales kept growing while Radio Shack abandoned making its own Z80-based machines in favor of 8088 and 8086-based PC compatibles.

The Model I had FCC compliance problems, but Radio Shack replaced it with the Model 3 and 4 which didn't. They stopped making PCs when it became cheaper to buy them than build them (1984?). Radio Shack has always done some manufacturing (TV antennas, CB radios, cable), but always gets out of building when buying is cheaper. Their mission has always been to be a distributor of consumer electronics, not a manufacturer.

petek 19-04-2006 13:13

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
I'm also real glad to see IFI keep Vex alive, but have to wonder if they will be able to market it beyond FIRST and the educational channels spawned by educators already involved in FIRST?

Maybe it was different in other areas, but while Radio Shack was "selling" Vex, and I use the term very loosely, I never saw them prominently displayed any store - mostly they were deep in the back corners. I would've been surprised if they had sold many!

Vex is a really neat product, but its not going to sell itself. I hope IFI can find ways to make Vex visible to the world outside of FIRST. Besides spreading a good thing around, this would give IFI the revenue needed to add features and maybe even reduce the cost of entry. Maybe even bring in enough competitors for FIRST Vex to have FVC stand alone! That would be something IFI (and FIRST Vex supporters) could really be proud of.

Joe Matt 19-04-2006 13:16

Re: Innovation First acquires Vex from Radio Shack
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick TYler
I was being brief, but sloppy. During the pre-PC days, TRS-80 sales in the original family were higher than Apple II sales. There were lots of other Apple II models, but the equivalent to the Model 1 was the original Apple II. Your links (if I'm reading them correctly) show that Apple sold about 125,000 Apple IIs between 1977 and 1980, while Tandy sold about 200,000 TRS-80 Model 1s in the same approximate period. Total Apple 6502-based computer sales kept growing while Radio Shack abandoned making its own Z80-based machines in favor of 8088 and 8086-based PC compatibles.

The Model I had FCC compliance problems, but Radio Shack replaced it with the Model 3 and 4 which didn't. They stopped making PCs when it became cheaper to buy them than build them (1984?). Radio Shack has always done some manufacturing (TV antennas, CB radios, cable), but always gets out of building when buying is cheaper. Their mission has always been to be a distributor of consumer electronics, not a manufacturer.

Thanks for the clarification Rick, I was confused and Apple history is a personal past time for me, so I just wanted to check it out. Thanks again.


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