IC Chip Problem

lnfjn · #1 07-18-2009, 07:00 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 · #2 07-18-2009, 08:05 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 · #3 07-18-2009, 09:45 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 · #4 07-18-2009, 11:43 PM

No he did not restart the computer. But all the other cars had no problem. Just the Ferrari.

lornecherry · #5 07-19-2009, 01:12 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/m...les/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 · #6 07-19-2009, 08:52 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 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

lnfjn · #7 07-20-2009, 11:26 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 · #8 08-02-2009, 10:36 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 · #9 08-03-2009, 01:00 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 · #10 08-04-2009, 01:26 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 · #11 08-04-2009, 12:41 PM

damaged... replace the main frame assembly. its expensive, but... instant resolution. they may even replace it for free

lnfjn · #12 08-22-2009, 12:35 AM

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 · #13 09-02-2009, 04:41 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 · #14 09-02-2009, 08:49 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 · #15 09-02-2009, 11:24 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

...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.