FIRST Vex in Radio Shack Ad

[Fran]

I just received a Radio Shack Flyer in my mail box and on page 15 is an ad to buy the Vex kit with a corner box about it being engineered for FIRST AND a pix of some team members with lneon green shirts.

WOW...is FIRST finally becoming mainstream? We are ina national ad!

Fran
Team 166

[Keith Chester]

I'm saving up money right now to buy myself a kit... I can't wait. I already have an idea for a project I want to do- I want to make a robot that will climb inside of ventilation shafts- it'll allow SWAT teams to get a camera nice and close from a couple of floors down... or maybe it'll drop microphones near open vents so you can listen into a room without ever having to go into it... but I'm getting ahead of myself, as I also just want to play around with it.

Anyone buy it for themselves yet and willing to post a review? How good it is, dependable, how expandable and customizable...

[DarkJedi613]

I'm curious on that stuff too, I didn't get a chance to play with it, but I'm interested. What actually comes in the kit, etc.?

[Keith Chester]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi613

I'm curious on that stuff too, I didn't get a chance to play with it, but I'm interested. What actually comes in the kit, etc.?

www.vexrobotics.com

[Don Wright]

My team loved playing with the VEX stuff. It was clear when we almost didn't make it on the bus because they had so many VEX tee-shirts, memory sticks, mice, hats...

[DarkJedi613]

Originally Posted by Keith Chester

www.vexrobotics.com

Ooo...wow I didn't know they updated that site, thanks.

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by DarkJedi613

I'm curious on that stuff too, I didn't get a chance to play with it, but I'm interested. What actually comes in the kit, etc.?

Today I finally started to really play around with my VEX kit, and I am really, really, really impressed with it! First of all, the starter kit comes with a big binder called the VEX Inventors Guide, containing all kinds of easy to understand, really useful information about VEX, including everything from calculating gear ratios, to creating autonomous modes, to disassembling and reassembling motors, to detailed information on control systems. Also, there are complete instructions that explain one chapter at a time in easy to understand diagrams exactly how to build a VEX robot. In the end of the binder, they give you sample competitions that you can do. And this is only the beginning.

If you have seen the current VEX product line, that is only a tiny piece of the full line yet to come. Some of the neat features, as well as some still to be released include secondary recievers (i.e. two people with two transmitters controlling one robot), a programming kit (for autonomous mode), tons of sensors (ultrasonic range finder, optical shaft encoder, line tracker kit, light sensor, bumber switch, limit switches, and more), a cutting tool for the metal parts, sprocket and chain set, tank tread kit, omni wheels, and more! Basically said, there will be enough add-ons for VEX to create an entire mini FRC robot!

After reading most of the VEX Inventors Guide, I can really say this kit is amazing! You can do almost anything with it, and RadioShack is going to make almost every imaginable sort of upgrade for this. And everything is so user friendly! This kit is lightyears ahead of other erector sets or robotic kits! Seeing how every VEX kit comes with FIRST mentioned a ton, including a pamphlet all about FIRST, VEX, and FLL, this should really help spread the word of FIRST! Kudos to FIRST, RadioShack, and Carnigie Mellon Univerisity for creating this amazing kit!

*supposed to be doing homework* I'll post some pictures of all this neat stuff later when I am not as busy

[Donut]

I will be getting a Vex kit for myself sometime... when I have the money/convince Dad to buy it. Lots of fun parts they'll be releasing, including already made omni-wheels!

The only sad thing is it's not programmable yet, and the programming kit (along with the other new parts) won't be coming out until August.

[angelofsumthin]

i was really impressed by VEX
me and my friend Logan got really involved and i guess i can say we rock the VEX
although our team came in 52 out of 52 at nat's...we mentored two singapore teams and a team that came to nat's without a robot and we cut pieces and fashioned gears for them (hahaha walmart hacksaw)
so...this same friend and i have already ordered kits....and hav decided to organise an off season comp...although we are the only team in pennsylvania, we'll find sum way to do one
maybe there will even be regionals eventually
cant wait

[drinkdhmo]

I am terribly interested in getting my own VEX kit. I have the funding, so theres not much stopping me there. I am a somewhat serious programmer, however. I would get the VEX starter kit now, but I am wondering about the programming module, which is coming out in August. My question is will the starter kit still be the same after the programming module comes out and the programming module will just be a separate purchase? or will it be included with the starter kit?

[Alex Cormier]

heres the vex kit on ebay...

[Lil' Lavery]

Just check out the FIRST Vex Challenge section of the CD forums for what people have posted about the kits so far.

[[527]phil]

My team loved playing with the VEX stuff. It was clear when we almost didn't make it on the bus because they had so many VEX tee-shirts, memory sticks, mice, hats...

Memory sticks?!?!?

When I first heard of Vex I was really interested, well, because Vex had like a quarter of the space in the Pit area, and cause of all the flashy banners and stuff. And after looking at everything, I came to the fact, that this may be the coolest thing ever. For me, it would be like having a car, and just customizing it and souping it up,etc. Except, I'll be learning and all, and have a robot. And the possibilites are really endless, (that is if you dont use it in a competition or something), you can add glow lights to the bottom of it, make a new chassis, idk, put rocket boosters at the end of it . Haha, but I'll definitley get it once I get some $$