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Redesigned FUZE Ti Timecode Slate!


George Tsai

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Any interest in a 3D Printed enclosure (Pictured)? Another consideration is cast urethane. Either way, if there is enough interest we may go into limited production using one of these methods. The price will be significantly more than our original intended injection molding process, but still cheaper than a new Denecke, Ambient, or Betso generator slates and displays. The units will remain weatherproof but extra sealing will not be available for submerged waterproofing.

I will post the target pricing when it's ready. Each unit will be hand assembled, and essentially made to order. And as such payment would be collected at the time of pre-order with a lead time of about 6-8weeks. So please drop me a line if this is something you would be interested!

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Why throw in the towel just because the kickstart didn't work. Think how people got things done before kickstart. They saved up their money and made it happen themselves, it just might not have happen over night. You have made a water resistant time code slate, you showed it would work. You know where to go to get the parts made, you made a working model. If you believe in your product, find out how you might able to make a few at a time instead of 100 or 500. Sell those slates and take your profits and invest in more parts to make more. If the first buyers rave about how they don't have to worry about the slates in wet shooting locations, more folk will come to your door looking for a new slate. If you can really make one for half the price of other slates and are able to turn a profit, you might have something there. If you are just trying to make a low price slate that you lose money on each one made, you'll put yourself out of business quickly. Almost the same story about trying to undercut other mixers on the price you want to work for.

 

Don't be a sad panda.

 

Scott.....

 

This post sums up the risk/payoff of backing your own business from the start.   If someone believes in their product enough to get a loan, produce it,  and sell it, they will reap the extreme benefits of their labor.

 

  But after countless kickstarters going awry...I've come to listen more to my room mate's hypercritical stance of, "My parents don't want to pay for this and I don't feel like working hard," mentality of kickstarter.

 

If the person inventing something doesn't believe in it enough to back it themselves....what does that mean for the investors?

 

 

The product is awesome.....and from the sampling of this forum it seems there is a lot of interest in the product and the new take on slates it provides.  Living on the coast I would totally look into buying one of these.

 

Hopefully it comes to reality sometime!

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I went to school for mechanical engineering and one thing they hammered on in ECON classes was never to use your own money to launch a company.

Granted, I always wondered if the advice should be taken with a big grain of salt.... an Econ professor telling engineers to make sure they bring business people on board, but that's what they kept telling us.

Not sure how they teach it today with crowd sourcing and the other current sources of financial backing.

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A mechanical engineer friend of mine funded his own business...lives very comfortably with lots of toys, real estate and free time in his portfolio :)

I went to school for mechanical engineering and one thing they hammered on in ECON classes was never to use your own money to launch a company.

Granted, I always wondered if the advice should be taken with a big grain of salt.... an Econ professor telling engineers to make sure they bring business people on board, but that's what they kept telling us.

Not sure how they teach it today with crowd sourcing and the other current sources of financial backing.

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  • 4 weeks later...

We are going to make a limited production for a short period of time. The price will be significantly more than our original intended injection molding process up to $900, but at least it is still cheaper than a new Denecke, Ambient, or Betso generator slates and displays. Yup, that's how much of a difference producing in volume makes:-P The FDC Generator Display alone will be $650, so you can still put together your own slate at a relatively low cost with the magnetic switch set (http://fuzeti.com/accessories/magnetic-switch-set.html) :-)

 

You will have to register in order to purchase from our website.

 

There will also be one ready to ship compact prototype bundle available (http://fuzeti.com/compact-bundle-216.html). Both that and the limited short run preorder (http://fuzeti.com/compact-bundle-215.html,http://fuzeti.com/generators/fdcpp.html) will go live sometime next week and posted here:-) Pre-orders will be open for 3 weeks and after that production will begin and no more orders will be accepted.

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You can now order the 3D printed displays over on our web site at: http://fuzeti.com/

There are now two in-stock prototype bundles ready to ship, the short production run will have a lead time of about 8-10 weeks.

Remember, pre-orders will end on the 30th and no more order will be accepted after that. So grab them while you can:-)

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If you don't plan to continue to manufacture parts how will you support the units that you are selling in this order?

 

We'll be around to follow up on any repairs and services for years to come, not going away completely:-) We're just not likely going to develop new timecode related hardware. We'll definitely be able to check calibration and re-calibrate if it needs it. Most of the internal parts are easy to come by and can be readily replaced if something breaks. New enclosures can be printed up fairly easily. 

 

The slate panel and clapper on the other hand are not as easily replaced once they run out. 

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Its those parts the slate panel and the clapper that can take the most abuse and could need replacement more then the time code module.

 

Very true, but there are also people who take special care of their equipment:-P In any case, these custom designed steel panels can't be made one at a time, there's a minimum amount I have to order. On the same note, it won't be difficult for anyone to take an existing slate they like and cut out the hole for the display, four holes for screws and make a new panel:-) 

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Very true, but there are also people who take special care of their equipment:-P In any case, these custom designed steel panels can't be made one at a time, there's a minimum amount I have to order. On the same note, it won't be difficult for anyone to take an existing slate they like and cut out the hole for the display, four holes for screws and make a new panel:-)

Yes sound does take care of their equipment (at least I hope so) . Its when its in another departments possession that's where the abuse might possibly happen.
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Slates and IFB are the top two things that I need to get serviced regularly because they are out of my control during the day and often abused. 1-2 of my Comteks have to go back a year for cracked cases or busted volume knobs. This past year one of my slates was rolled over by a dolly requiring a new front and rear panel. Another slate was dropped numerous times onto concrete requiring service and a new backlight power supply. Denecke has put my slates back together many times over the years quickly and fairly cheaply it is a big thing to consider when buying a slate. 

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The core unit, the generator display, easy fix, not a problem at all so long as I'm still alive hehe:-P I will continue to make 3D printed versions of these for some time after this first batch goes out.

 

The panel and clapper as it's currently designed, I do not have the tools to make myself and do not have the funds to order enough to perpetually sustain long term replacements. So future of the panel and clapper itself is unknown. 

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The core unit, the generator display, easy fix, not a problem at all so long as I'm still alive hehe:-P I will continue to make 3D printed versions of these for some time after this first batch goes out.

 

The panel and clapper as it's currently designed, I do not have the tools to make myself and do not have the funds to order enough to perpetually sustain long term replacements. So future of the panel and clapper itself is unknown. 

 

Good to hear, I only care about the core unit and generator display can fix and get service for the coming ten years.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's been a very busy couple days, most of the components needed have already been ordered on Friday following the pre-orders for our short production run:-) Many thanks to those that have placed an order and can't wait to get them in your hands. 8 weeks out and we should be able to begin shipping. 

There is still one ready to ship prototype unit available for anyone that wants one now:-) http://fuzeti.com/compact-bundle-240.html

Thanks again for everyone's support!

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Great news! We have hit our time table and shipped out all the pre-orders for the short production run! If you had placed a pre-order you should have received your tracking number by now, if not please messsage me! We will have a couple extra available for sale in a couple weeks so be on the look out for that announcement:-) Thanks again and have fun!

Check out the glow-in-the-dark enclosure option! (There is a sticker on the display for the screen protector(http://fuzeti.com/accessor…/anti-glare-screen-protector.html):-P)

 

 

 

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Edited by piman
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Great to hear Michael:-) I do have to note that it does not automatically detect the frame rate, if you're powering up the slate with a timecode signal already connected it will use and display the last frame rate setting before syncing. That is just as a reminder of the last used frame rate, the slate saves the last frame rate used in the internal flash memory. I tried to code for automatic frame rate detection but just could not get it to reliably differentiate between 23.98 and 24.00 or 29.97 and 30.00. 

Edited by piman
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