PDA

View Full Version : IC Chip Problem


lnfjn
07-18-2009, 06:00 PM
I went to the Hobbytown shop in Corona to buy some mod parts. I was also interested in driving on the track. I wanted to see if I would be any better driving with my 3PK. Problem was we couldn't get the lap counter to recognize the car even though it could last week. The guy at the store tried every thing he could think of and no go. It had no problem with other cars. If fact I registered the Lamborghini Murcielago. I ran a few laps but as I wrote on another thread the diff is so loose it was useless.
Any ideas what could have happened? The only thing the shop guy said I could do was notify Kyosho.

arch2b
07-18-2009, 07:05 PM
i think that may be your only option as they are attached to the chassis. they may end up sending you a new chassis kit which would have a new trasponder

MrNanoTrax
07-18-2009, 08:45 PM
did he try restarting the computer with the lap counter software? often the problem isn't with the tag, its with the application. did you notice the led light on the lap counter flickering while your car was attempting registration? i've seen a lot of issues with the lap counter/lap counter software, i have yet to see one that's unresolvable.

lnfjn
07-18-2009, 10:43 PM
No he did not restart the computer. But all the other cars had no problem. Just the Ferrari.

lornecherry
07-19-2009, 12:12 PM
...Nano is correct ...the first rule of computers is reboot if you suspect a hardware problem...95% of the time it is software, and the problem just goes away after a reboot.

The only other issue with the IC tags is if they get scratched or damaged (I think it was John at RCP that mentioned Kyosho rejected carpet tracks for this reason). Carpet isn't the only thing that can damage the IC tag -- a car flipping over and then getting hit (happens in racing) or a car flying off the track completely could potentially damage the tag.

You can completely prevent that problem (scratched IC) by covering the IC tag with one of the invisible skin plastics http://www.brighthub.com/computing/mac-platform/articles/34556.aspxused to cover ipods.

That said, I highly suspect a reboot of the timing software is the correct solution to your problem. If not ...time to use your Kyosho warranty.

MrNanoTrax
07-19-2009, 07:52 PM
the reason i say its not the car is i had the same problem once. after racking my brain over several possibilities, i touched the black "box" module where the USB cord is connected and BAM! it picked up the signal. turns out the problem was in the USB cord and touching it with my hand increased its reception. often, just intereference can reduce the timing strip's ability to pick up the signal. i had to remove an extension i used on the USB cord while in other instances, it was just interference from other electrical items in the area. u can download a IC Tag Lap Counter Support Document (http://www.kyosho.com/jpn/support/instructionmanual/dnano/pdf/IC_Tag_Lap_Counter_HE_Manual_EN.pdf) that has tips for increasing the sensor's ability to pick up the IC Tag.

note the IC Tag has no "signal" since its not connected to the power source in any way. its the same premise as a barcode scanner. most of your problems with IC Tag reception are going to come from your lap counter/lap counting software, not the IC Tag. i hope that helps :D

lnfjn
07-20-2009, 10:26 PM
I called Kyosho today and talked to technical support concerning this IC tag problem. He took down my name and noted that Hobbytown Corona was where I had this problem. He appeared to agree with you Nanotrax that the problem must be with the reader at Hobbytown. He did say in either case they will have someone get back with me. I guess we shall see. The only problem I can see is I will probably have to drive over there (40 minutes) to see if the problem has been resolved.

lnfjn
08-02-2009, 09:36 PM
Okay. So it's been a while since I called Kyosho. Never heard back from them but the guy did seemed to think that the problem has to be with the computer sensor. I decided to take another trip out to Hobbytown Corona, Sure enough, same problem the sensor can see my other car no problem but cannot see the Ferrari. I asked him to turn the computer off and reboot. Still nothing. I don;t know what the problem is but my car has one.

arch2b
08-03-2009, 12:00 PM
just ask kyosho for a new chassis replacement part with transponder. you've already spent more in gas in testing than it would have cost kyosho to just send a new part.

i don't see the reader being the problem if it recognizes your other cars and just not this one in particular. it is easy to damage these transponders, even the core speedway transponders can easily be damaged by crushing the tiny pieces inside and or creasing the antenna loop, etc. they are disposable transponders so i was never sure why they adheared them to the chassis vs. what they did for the mini-z equivalent. furhtermore, these transponders are dirt cheap in reality. generic core speedway transponders and be bought for about $1 each (price point is less the more you buy) and given the home ics system will read core speedway transponders, it's clear they are using similar types.

lnfjn
08-04-2009, 12:26 AM
Called Kyosho today and got a hold of the same guy I talked to last time. He said that he had taken the phone down wrong and could not get back to me. I told him I still have a problem and he took down the user name and password and said he would have the technical people check it. He assured me that this time someone will get back with me on the resolution to this problem.

MrNanoTrax
08-04-2009, 11:41 AM
damaged... replace the main frame assembly. its expensive, but... instant resolution. they may even replace it for free ;)

lnfjn
08-21-2009, 11:35 PM
Well it's Friday August 21st and I still have no solution to my IC chip problem. I got a call from a Kyosho customer service person last week to just check on whether anyone had called me concerning my issue. I told him that I didn't get a call at all. He promised he would remind the technical person who is their Dnano expert. He only comes in a couple of days per week. He was supposed to call me when he did come in. I would like to go out to Hobbytown Corona and run some more laps but it's a long drive to go and find out the car doesn't register anything. I guess my next step is to drive to Kyosho and present them with this car. I think I have been more then patient and maybe that's the problem.

lnfjn
09-02-2009, 03:41 AM
Finally! I got a call from Kyosho and made an appointment to go in to their headquarters in Lake Forest. They took my car and checked it out. For some reason unknown to them the IC label is bad. They could not get a response from the tracker. Since the label is attached to the chassis and they have not yet recieved replaceable labels they had to switch out the chassis. I couldn't wait for that so they kept it and will send it out to me.

It would be interesting to figure out how it could be good to start with and then go bad. I cannot think of anything that I might have done to cause the IC label to go bad.

arch2b
09-02-2009, 07:49 AM
ah, sucks being right some times.

yep, the transponder is adheared to the chassis. they sell the chassis replacement part kit with transponder and is simply put, what they should have sent you LONG ago. these transponders are less than $1 so to spend all this time trouble shooting a car is silly really until you try one of the first and least costly solutions, check the pc and to replace the transponder. kyosho spent more money fooling around of phone calls, etc. than the cost to send the replacement part.

lornecherry
09-02-2009, 10:24 AM
...the transponsers are extremely thin and ride just a fraction of an inch from the ground at almost 15 MPH ... any contact with an abrasive, no matter how small (i.e carpet fibers) could damage the transponder.

Kyosho spent an inordinate amount of engineering trying to make the thing non-removable, yet the small 'coating' they put over the bottom seems not enough, especially if your car should flip, resulting in the underside scratching the edge of another car, or somethig else that could potentially scrape the bottom.

This may, or may not have been, what caused your failure ... but I suggest to everyone running on felt, fibourous surface, or racing with other cars to protect the underside with a the ultra-thin transparent "skin" similar to that is used to protect ipods. I do it to mine and it works well.

I agree with Arch, replacement transponder should cost a dollar ...er, $4.95 with Kyosho's usual 500% markup :confused:

...and with the HPI 1/32 just around the corner, Core would be wise to open up their transponder technology, as this could surely be licensed to any small scale in addition to Kysoho, not to mention the better lap timing software and race management tools that would surely result from open source.

arch2b
09-02-2009, 11:22 AM
they are durable yet delicate. i've beat core tags to hell with no effect. i've had some inexplainably go bad. you just never know sometimes.

when 3rd party software is available for the kyosho ics hardware, all you will need is the cheap transponders and a track width compatible with the timing ribbon.

MrNanoTrax
09-02-2009, 12:54 PM
i've had to replace 2 main frame assemblies... one in my wife's porsche, another on a customer's. both for different, unexplainable reasons. as i've said many times, dNaNo will have competition eventually but the detail to which they've taken it will be extremely difficult to duplicate. sure, other brands will drop their joint but will their chassis vary based on the type of brand model (varying wheelbases, track widths, ride heights, etc). it seems like everyone wants to knock r/c back into the dark ages rather than step into the future just to keep it super cheap... r/c has never been a cheap hobby guys... not sure where the grumbles about that are coming from *smh*

arch2b
09-02-2009, 02:34 PM
grumbles here? :p only about the cost of the transponder. $10 for a $1 transponder is pure price gouging. other cost discussions are in other threads.

my other complaint is the relative waste of time/expense kyosho went through in trouble shooting a cheap replacement part. this could have been solved in less than a week with one part kit. if not it would have given you more feedback on cause than all the trouble gone through so far.

car not counting....
1. restart computer
2. try another ics system
3. replace transponder

that is about all there really is to it.

MrNanoTrax
09-02-2009, 08:45 PM
so.... where's the cost information coming from? i'm not saying its not $1 but... not knowing for sure sorta invalidates the argument. is anyone in here THAT close to their R&D that they can say "just replace that blue thing and that's all there is to it"? how do we know its functionality isn't somehow related to the circuit board which of course increases the cost of replacing it? i mean, having a discussion based on assumptions is sorta like spinning wheels don't ya think? :D

arch2b
09-02-2009, 08:58 PM
qon, we've had years of experience with the core analog (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=96) system which is what kyosho bought and sells as they ics system, with some modifications. there is years of trouble shooting, software complaints, suggestions, some software development, etc. all well documented on mini-zracer.com. the ics system is NOT a new product but an update to the system we have been using for years here stateside.

for example, please see the flipsideracing vendor forum on mini-zracer (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=150) to see the open source software developed out of the desire to use the generic, non software locked transponders which will include plenty of references to places and products you can purchase the transponders online.

the transponder is in no way related to the circuit board. it's a simple rfid tag, same thing department stores, book stores, etc. use in their anti-theft systems with the loops you walk between at exits. it's all well documented on mini-zracer.com (http://mini-zracer.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=113). infact, some people have actually been able to scan tags from cloths and books and have them count with the open source software.

MrNanoTrax
09-04-2009, 12:57 AM
ok so... we're all selling cheap, chinese toys... the work they put into producing it has no real value, let's go picket for lower prices in japan. what do ya say? *smh* like i said, i've replaced my customer's quickly so... this sounds like a customer service problem more than a kyosho problem but... i'm just observing. *shrug*

arch2b
09-04-2009, 07:11 AM
qon, please don't be offended but what conversation are you responding to? it doesn't seem to be this one.:confused:

no one is denigrating the quality of the dnano in this discussion. it has been and remains a customer service issue in my opinion (and yours) which i've stated from the very begining.

bottom line is, these are cheap transponders (this is meant in cost, not quality, lets make that distinction clear). they are very cost effective to replace, dare i say expendable. to spend more than an hours time on the phone with a customer is costing them more than the almost certain resolution to a car no longer counting which is to simply replace the transponder. you even called this one of your first replies.

they should offer these seperate from any chassis parts. core retailed thier transponder for $10 which we all knew was an incredible profit for them. if kyosho ever does the same, i'm willing to bet the price point would be similar. hell, they are likely paying $.50 or less each considering the qnty they use. the price for these is on a scale based on qnty ordered.

maybe i've contributed to the confusion by not explaining that when i say these are cheap, i do not mean that these are crap chinese made products. that assumption could not be farther from the truth. in the context of this conversation, it simply means what it means, the cost is cheap, they do not cost much, they are very affordable.

MrNanoTrax
09-04-2009, 09:37 AM
you're right.... my bad, was confused with the other thread about cheap chinese stuff... excuse my brain freeze :P

arch2b
09-04-2009, 11:36 AM
whew, glad to hear that. i thought maybe i had said something that was misunderstood and irked you thoroughly.

lnfjn
09-04-2009, 07:25 PM
Just to update my situation.

As I said I went to Kyosho headquarters and they decided to change out my chassis with a new one. Since I had a number of upgrades bearings, gyro and diff, they said they would mail it out to me. I was thrilled when I got home today to see a box on my desk. I quickly opened the box to see the new chassis and my Tx. Since the repair was basically to give me a new IC tag label I really didn't need to check it until I got to a track that could read it. If I was down in my garage I probably would have put the car body back on it and stuck it in my box. But I was upstairs and since I had the chassis with full battery and my Tx, I decided to run it on the bathroom floor. I set the chassis down and started to drive it around. I was trying to align the wheels to get it to go straight and notice I couldn't get it straight and I was at the end of the Tx adjustment. I picked up the car and looked at the front end. I didn't see anything out of line but notice that the front steering was twitching. My old car never twitch like that. I placed down again and tried to play with the Tx alignment. The car then started to race backwards. I thought maybe the car needed to bind again with the Tx. So I did the binding thing. Turned it on and same thing. Shucks new problem.

arch2b
09-04-2009, 07:48 PM
:( very sorry to hear that. lets hope this repair is more efficient than the last.

lnfjn
09-09-2009, 10:45 PM
Continuing saga of the IC tag problem.
As I mentioned in my previous post. I received the Dnano back and had another problem with adjusting the steering and in particular the car racing backwards. I talked to Efrin at Kyosho and told him of my problem. He was very apologetic and we arranged for me to drop the car of this morning. I got there early and while waiting for Efrin I decided to try the car again just to make sure it would display the problems. I had a slight fear that I would have that same problem I have with my real car where I take it back to the dealer but can't duplicate the problem. Well, no worries, I couldn't properly adjust the steering and after a few pulls on the trigger I had the car racing down the hall backwards with me in toll rushing to grab it. Imagine, being relieved that the car didn't work properly.

He explained that this time they are going to give me a new chassis and remove all the hop-up stuff so I can replace the items myself. (which is fine, I can use the eye exercise). It's just that I thought they did that the first time but now 1'm getting the impression that they had just replaced the IC tag. That is fine also but if they did just replace the IC tag then there must be more to the IC label if it interferes with the electronics of the car.

MrNanoTrax
09-09-2009, 11:48 PM
in this case, you need to reset your transmitter to default settings. i've seen this happen occasionally but i don't know why - i just know how to fix it. if that doesn't work, then yeah... something's wrong with the chassis. why would they replace the whole chassis when they could just give you a new main frame assembly? sort of a waste of resources but i guess they're doing their best to make it easy for ya ;)

arch2b
09-10-2009, 07:48 AM
read the various core analog subject links i posted if you would like to understand the ins and outs of the system basics and transponders.

it sounds like in replacing the frame kit, they might have tweaked/damaged something else which is why they are simply giving you a new car and letting you do the work.

fyi, this is why i stress the value of having a warranty on these little guys. you at least have faith that kyosho will do what they can to make you happy in the end, despite the journey to get there.

Q'on, if i start an FAQ/trouble shooting section, would you be willing to post your most common problem/solutions?

lnfjn
09-12-2009, 02:46 AM
Okay, So I received the new chassis from Kyosho. It's always nice to open a brand new anything. I take it out pop the battery and drive it around on the bathroom floor. Runs great, so I sit down and start to install all the hop-up parts from my other car.
I pop the battery in and bind the car to the Tx and go for the bathroom floor run. I start playing with the steering alignment and can't seem to get it going exactly straight. It goes slightly left and when I compensate it goes slightly right. So I figure I need to check the way I assembled it. I sit down and take the body off and start adjusting the front wheels while looking at them. Suddenly, the car shoots off the table going backwards. Just like the other car. I thinking that I couldn't have done anything to cause this. So, I figure the only thing that could possibly affect the electronics is the gyro. I unplug the gyro and test the steering. The steering is better. I can now adjust the steering straight but the car back wheels start racing again. I'm now thinking I must have a bad Tx. I go downstairs and bind the car to my other Tx. No problem, the car runs perfectly. I go back upstairs and rebind the car with the other Tx. No problem. It's the gyro board!
I'll call Kyosho again and tell what I found. I hope they will replace my gyro since it was fine when I took it in for the original problem. Strange, I can't imagine what could have happened to the gyro to make it go bad.

arch2b
09-12-2009, 11:09 AM
very interesting to see the gyro be the cause of your recent trouble.

how can it go bad? these are micro electronics. they are susceptible to damage i'm sure and don't forget that these are also imported from asia, very new product to boot. there are any number of imperceptible things that could have happened along the way or just a flaw in the chip that only presented itself later? basically, your bound to get a bad nut in the bunch, just the way it has been and always will be. you just seem to be on the short stick of things my friend in that all these things seem to be happening to you. :o you either have bad luck or won the cosmic lottery in getting all these potentially flawed parts. either way, i'm sorry to hear that you have yet more phone calls to make.

lnfjn
09-22-2009, 11:27 PM
Final l chapter I hope.
It's been a while since I identified that I found the gyro to be bad on my Dnano. It turns out that I also had a bad Tx. I’ve been busy so I finally went down to Kyosho today to present my problem. I have to say that even though Kyosho was slow in the beginning they have really been great in handling these problems.

I brought both of my cars and both Tx’s and Efrin took them to try out on their track (large 4 panel layout). He drove the Ferrari with the gyro unplugged. It ran fine. Then we plugged the gyro in and he could tell immediately something was different. After about a minute or two it really started going off. It finally just stopped. To bad it didn’t ran backwards but there was no doubt the gyro was bad. I then showed him how one Tx reverse didn’t work. We tried it out on both cars with the same result. My concern was that all these things were related somehow. Efrin did not feel this was possible. He just said I’m one unlucky guy to have all these things happening. Efrin went in the back and brought out a new Tx and gyro and replaced the board in the Ferrari. He then drove the Ferrari on the track to make sure that it was working properly. He even tested the new Tx.

I figured that Efrin by now would be very tired of seeing me and would get want to get me out of there but he sat down and ask me if I wanted to see some of the latest Dnano stuff. They had that new plastic track setup which looks very much like Realtracks 14 ½ track. I drove the Dnano on it and felt it was a little too narrow. Of course my driving stinks but it would be a problem if there were more cars. He also showed me some new Dnano tools. A small precision Philips screwdriver, micro flashlight, tweezers and a little setup plate with LED magnifying lens. The plate is about 3/16” thick Aluminum gold anodized with pins for car location. Looks good.

Kyosho has plans on constructing a back “public” entrance where people will be able to come in and race on the Dnano track. They also have a Mini-z drift layout that they will setup. He said they are trying to figure out how to create more interest in the Dnanos.

nitrojunkie
09-23-2009, 03:59 AM
Why don't you invite your new found Kyosho friend to visit here? Maybe he could pick up some ideas as far as how to get interest up in the line.If nothing else to keep us all in the loop as to what is happening with things dnano.Just a thought.

arch2b
09-23-2009, 07:45 AM
a very good suggestion. we've lost our last kyosho forum representative and happen to be looking for a new one.

what better way to keep interest up than to take an active role in the community and release of information?

very glad to hear your situation has been resolved. like i've repeated many times, the warranty is worth it for these and why i suggest only buying chassis kits from official domestic retailers.

MrNanoTrax
09-23-2009, 08:10 AM
doesn't matter where you buy it from bro, i'm sure kyosho will support the warranty on a new model no matter where it was purchased from. i doubt highly "Efrin" would be like, "hey new customer... u didn't buy your car from us so take a hike... no need to look at this other stuff we wanna sell you!" :rolleyes:

arch2b
09-23-2009, 08:50 AM
unfortunately, i was told by our shop that kyosho u.s.a. will only warrant products bought from kyosho domestic (u.s.) retailers/distributors. kyosho made a stink about people importing items from japan before they were shipped to kyosho usa for resale.

i've asked kyosho to confirm warranty issues several times however our forum representative moved on and left with no one to replace him and provide an answer.

it maybe that it may not be an issue in your region, but apparently it is here.

mleemor60
09-23-2009, 09:20 AM
kyosho perhaps wandered a bit off the path with their exclusive agreement with HTUSA. Having done so they must have a method for protecting the agreement for as long as it lasts. I have noticed that while pricey the Dnano product line is considerably cheaper through Hobbytown than it is through any etailer that I have found. I have had dealings with Kyosho customer service and Efrin in particular on a matter with a 2.4Z. I found him both knowledgeable and willing to go to the limits of his authority to get the customer what is both fair and accomodating. We as consumers must accept that there are rules in place that must be followed whether we feel that they are or aren't fair and reasonable to us.
The fact that a large majority of consumers don't think they have to read rules let alone follow them doesn't help the issue. Adding in the ogresque feigned self importance of anonymous communications does little or nothing to ease the situation.

The forum representitive that we had was a hobbyist and a racer. Will we get another employee that will be willing to fill the role non-gratta? Time will tell.

Nuff said.

arch2b
09-23-2009, 09:34 AM
yeah, Tim left some big shoes to fill. he was for some time an invaluable member of our community and representative for kyosho. he is very much missed.

did he by chance happen to say when those tools would be available? they have been out in asia for months and i've yet to hear about thier availability here.

mleemor60
09-23-2009, 10:08 AM
Tool's? I have seen some on a Chinese site. Both Kyosho and aftermarket. I am really happy with the ones I purchased from Wiha. Very precise. Good fit on those T-plate screws that look like rivets instead of screws until you plug in your jewelers loupe.

MrNanoTrax
09-23-2009, 12:18 PM
Adding in the ogresque feigned self importance of anonymous communications does little or nothing to ease the situation.

would this statement be considered "ogresaque feigned self important"? or... am i missing some other rarely used adjective?

anyhoo... anyone who knows r/c knows the money isn't made in the cars, its made in the parts, supplies, accessories and if HTUSA/Kyosho America decide to shun customers who have bought into dNaNo just because they didn't get the model from them... would that be a wise business move?

mleemor60
09-23-2009, 01:04 PM
With the invisibility of electronic verbal exchanges consumers sometimes elevate their status to that of the royal head of a third world country in order to sway an outcome to their favor by threatening economic sanctions. In my opinion this scenario is less likely to happen face to face.

If you were a small Hobby/Toy store paying a monthly franchise fee to corporate while fighting to make payroll and an adolescent walks in demanding warranty repairs or worse replacement for something purchased from a far away etailer there is a possibility that you might balk. Not all shop owners see this as an opportunity requiring a solution but usually just a big PITA that you hope will go away when the no purchase no warranty card is played. While dealing with Kyosho on the previously mentioned concern I asked if I shoud just replace the item from inventory and then send the offending item in for warranty repair. The reply was no. Send the item for repair/replacement. If there proved to be a consumer induced concern that would not be warranty connected then the shop would be caught out of pocket. When procedures are adhered to everything usually works out for the best. The growing population of instant gratification consumers is a challenge that is tough to deal with at best. That doesn't mean we shouldn't try.

nalves
09-23-2009, 10:47 PM
If you were a small Hobby/Toy store paying a monthly franchise fee to corporate while fighting to make payroll and an adolescent walks in demanding warranty repairs or worse replacement for something purchased from a far away etailer there is a possibility that you might balk. Not all shop owners see this as an opportunity requiring a solution but usually just a big PITA that you hope will go away when the no purchase no warranty card is played.

I'm new to this forum but, sorry, i have to say something. What you said is exactly what HTUSA onwers think about business. I live in Manhattan, don't have a 1/1 car, tried to buy a Dnano at HTUSA. Online is impossible because they don't have it online. Call every store from NY and NJ. Only three had the Dnano. Great! No...they can not send it to me and i can not pay through Paypal or wire transfer. I've got to go there personaly. Really? Yes...

So, what do i do? Instead of rentig a car, or going by train, bus and taxi to the HTUSA, i opened my laptop, browsed some store overseas and voilá, for 26USD they can s&H to me. To my door.

And now, they have problems with Dnanos bought overseas? I think that's a joke...This is not instant gratification. I just wanted to buy a 2 Dnanos, 2 starter kit, but for some reason that i really don't understand they didn't want to sell it to me.

Just my 2 cents

Nuno Miguel Alves

lnfjn
09-23-2009, 11:38 PM
Whew! I won't get into this fray.
To answer your question Arch2b the tools are available now. The only problem is the stores probably don't have them in stock. I tried called Hobbytown Corona and special order them but they won't take credit card orders over the phone. I guess I'll take a trip up there to order them.

DNW-001 Minature Philips screwdriver
DNW-002 Tweezers
DNW-003 Very fine brush
DNW-004 Minature workstation w\LED magnifying glass

I figure the best way to drive the Dnano market is a "pull" through method rather the "push". By buying the parts from Hobbytown they will in turn start to order and stock more parts hopefully increasing their commitment to the Dnano market.

mleemor60
09-24-2009, 06:29 AM
I'm new to this forum but, sorry, i have to say something. What you said is exactly what HTUSA onwers think about business. I live in Manhattan, don't have a 1/1 car, tried to buy a Dnano at HTUSA. Online is impossible because they don't have it online. Call every store from NY and NJ. Only three had the Dnano. Great! No...they can not send it to me and i can not pay through Paypal or wire transfer. I've got to go there personaly. Really? Yes...

So, what do i do? Instead of rentig a car, or going by train, bus and taxi to the HTUSA, i opened my laptop, browsed some store overseas and voilá, for 26USD they can s&H to me. To my door.

And now, they have problems with Dnanos bought overseas? I think that's a joke...This is not instant gratification. I just wanted to buy a 2 Dnanos, 2 starter kit, but for some reason that i really don't understand they didn't want to sell it to me.

Just my 2 cents

Nuno Miguel Alves


Have you sent for your cars yet? If not the HTUSA store in Virginia Beach is reputed to be selling on line or through the mail. Check this forum for their shop thread and see if you can get what you want.

arch2b
09-24-2009, 07:21 AM
...I live in Manhattan, don't have a 1/1 car, tried to buy a Dnano at HTUSA. Online is impossible because they don't have it online. Call every store from NY and NJ. Only three had the Dnano. Great! No...they can not send it to me and i can not pay through Paypal or wire transfer. I've got to go there personaly. Really? Yes.....
i understand the frustration however, just so you know, we've documented several stores here on this forum that will sell over the phone and ship to your door. just because some don't doesn't mean they all don't. just check out the some of these store locations. (http://tinyrc.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=157)

arch2b
09-24-2009, 07:25 AM
Whew! I won't get into this fray.
To answer your question Arch2b the tools are available now. The only problem is the stores probably don't have them in stock. I tried called Hobbytown Corona and special order them but they won't take credit card orders over the phone. I guess I'll take a trip up there to order them.

DNW-001 Minature Philips screwdriver
DNW-002 Tweezers
DNW-003 Very fine brush
DNW-004 Minature workstation w\LED magnifying glass

I figure the best way to drive the Dnano market is a "pull" through method rather the "push". By buying the parts from Hobbytown they will in turn start to order and stock more parts hopefully increasing their commitment to the Dnano market.

thanks for the information. i've been looking for these. the stock tools are well, junk but that is what you get for a stock screw driver. this stuff is soo damn small and precise to work with.

please be sure to let us know if you have any other issues. you seemed to have beaten the odds and gotten just about all the bad luck one person could have. i'm just waiting for you to post that your car went up in flames on the track:eek:

mleemor60,
could you please post the item numbers and location where you can buy Wiha tools? i'm always open to alternatives. it would be a good thing to add to a faq post as well.

mleemor60
09-24-2009, 08:23 AM
The driver set that I picked up is Wiha item number 26199 available from Amazon. It contains a 0, 00,and 000 phillips as well as the less useful but handy matching common tip screwdrivers. Wiha has an extremely wide product line of very high precision tools for small applications so let your conscience be your guide price wise. The set I chose was about $20.00 with eight tools and has done everything I have needed it to do. From Harbor Freight I picked up a magnifying stand with LED illumination. It is mounted on a flexible goose neck arrangement that allows it to be compressed to nearly flat for storage. The cost was less than $5.00. Not noted for the surgical quality of their products Harbor Freight does have a wide selection of small very useable tools such as tweezers in various styles for what we do. If you don't have one near you then check them out on line. I made off with the baking tray from the toaster oven for a work station. It was a poor baking tray but has been a perfect OOP's catcher for the Dnano. Especially when you toss a couple of NEO magnets in the corners. For a very fine brush check out the cosmetic department of your favorite department store.

nalves
09-24-2009, 09:51 AM
Thank you mleemor60 and arch2b for your replys. I'll try once again...

Nuno Miguel Alves