Vexplorer now available for pre-order!

[Chuck Glick]

Just cruising the VexLabs website and found that the Vexplorer is available for pre-order!

I know I'm getting one.

http://www.vexlabs.com/vex-robotics-vexplorer.shtml

[AdamHeard]

OMG!!! considering I paid $200 for a vex kit, this is a steal at $200.... I can't wait.

All those parts, a camera, and as an added bonus if you mount the claw vertically you get RAGE's '07 bot.

EDIT: wait a second.... this kills it for me;

The VEXplorer is the first product of the new Vex-RC product line (Vex-Blue). The Vex-Blue Transmitter, Vex-Blue Receiver, and the Vex-Blue Motor Module VB1 are NOT compatible with the current Vex product line (Vex-Red). Also Sensors and Servos can NOT be used with a Vex-Blue Receiver. The Vex-Blue Receiver is not programmable.

[Alex Cormier]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

OMG!!! considering I paid $200 for a vex kit, this is a steal at $200.... I can't wait.

All those parts, a camera, and as an added bonus if you mount the claw vertically you get RAGE's '07 bot.

EDIT: wait a second.... this kills it for me;

i think that is all crap. but i would love to purchase the wheels and other materials once they become available by them selves.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

EDIT: wait a second.... this kills it for me;

Ah, but you certainly CAN use the Vex "Red" receiver/controller and R/C transmitter - they are just motors after all. The camera is self-contained (except power), so no worries there.

The best of both worlds.

Don

[Billfred]

The trade-offs seem fair to me. Programming is over the heads of a lot of people (myself included, for the most part), but everybody can think of fun things to do with spycams.

My thoughts:

a) It's a simpler kit--if you're familiar with prospect theory*, or even if you stared at a Vex kit for a while wondering "What the heck am I gonna build?", you know this to be a Good Thing.

Spoiler for *What the heck is prospect theory?:

Prospect theory is often summed up in one line: Losses loom larger than gains. If you split something off into several parts and charge for each, the consumer feels the hurt each time. Consider an all-you-can-eat buffet now: you might not eat $10 worth of food, but you only had to pay that one price.

b) Instead of a good Saturday afternoon for the Squarebot, you can now have a moving robot (bear in mind the general public's perception of what a robot is) within a short time--with an arm. This is a Good Thing.

c) The price point is particularly nice. The original kits were a steal at $300, but a $200 price point is going to catch a lot more eyes. It's now in sub-Wii territory, which should make parents wince less, and I imagine it'll pick up some more interest from hardware hackers (MAKE: already noticed). When I looked at things that could replace Vex in FTC, I couldn't find anything to match Original Vex for the money (my data); I imagine someone looking for mod-friendly hardware in that relative size is making the same comparisons in their head.

I won't be buying, but I'll be watching.

[AdamHeard]

Hopefully, what they mean by incompatible is that the cords have a slightly different plug, but are still pwm....

if that is the case, I'd consider buying it to use with my vex kit.

I do like the idea of 6wd chassis w/ a simple arm already.... May make team 40 style vex prototyping much easier.

[Chuck Glick]

Originally Posted by AdamHeard

Hopefully, what they mean by incompatible is that the cords have a slightly different plug, but are still pwm....

Not pwm connections... its 2 pins on the vexplorer motors, however you can use the current vex motors in their place with a regular microcontroller.

[Qbranch]

You had me until....

This unit is not programmable.

But i do like the wheels and such, i wonder if the pwm signals are the same.

-q

[Protronie]

I like it... who cares about beating your head on the desk trying to program the thing. This looks like a fun kit for someone that just wants to put something together and make it fetch a can of soda!

[John Gutmann]

All the VEXplorer Structure, Hardware and Motion parts are completely compatible with all other Vex Structure, Hardware and Motion parts and pieces and vice-versa. Use these Vex products to build endless robots.

Quoted from VEX.

[tymann09]

question, will i be able to use some of the new motors with the old motors? because if i buy this i dont want half of my other vex set to go to waste. i understand the new motors have 2 pins and the older ones have 3, but somebody mentioned something maybe being able to work. thanks

[Qbranch]

Wow... i just saw the VEXplorer in the fall Hammacher Schlemmer catalog i got today... didn't take long for them to find it!

-q

[ParkerF]

These things are definitely looking nice in my eyes, but now to raise 200 bucks. They're great for people who really don't know much about robots and such. I was actually involved in what you could call the 'child labor testing period' of the Vexplorer [j.k, I loved working with JVN to build Vexes]. They're pretty cool. I mean, what's better than being able to run into the bathroom with a little spy bot and steal your sister's cell phone or something. You know the mission was successfully accomplished when you hear a deafening scream.

I think the guys at Vex did great in accomplishing their goal of making a more 'public' friendly robot that wouldn't have people killing their robots in order to get them to work.

(NOTE: There was no child labor involved in the production of the Vexplorer, it is simply a Robowrangler inside joke. <3)