New Robobuilder for me!!!
by PedroR
Wed Aug 05, 2009 5:01 am
Hi all
I just wanted to reassure you, on behalf of Robosavvy, that Robobuilder is not discontinuing any of their product line ups.
There are also no new Robobuilders coming up in the near future that I know about.
They are now busy promoting their "Educational" version which retails over 2 000 USD (over 1 600 GBP inc VAT) and is essentially a 5720T with Acc Sensor, Bluetooth and a few extras like PS2 controller + Complete libraries for MSRDS.
For the average user, the only Robobuilder libraries available for MSRDS are the Remocon libraries available for download on their website.
As for us at Robosavvy we intend to continue stocking Robobuilder, but we may stop stocking the transparent version though, because the demand for this variant is really reduced. We'll probably just keep the black version because it has a very good price /quality relation being the cheapest humanoid we have in the "Advanced Humanoids" department. It's a great proposal for beginner to intermediate users.
Someone also posted here that they bought a Transparent version because it came with distance sensor.
Let me emphasize that all 5710K we sell at Robosavvy include the distance Sensor. We offer it with all Robots.
In a few months we'll probably be upgrading the number of included sensors in Robobuilders 5710K sold by Robosavvy to include the extra Distance Sensor (which we already do) + the Acc Sensor already in the RBC box (this would be new).
However it is undecided if we'll go ahead with this and we don't know the price changes it may imply as well.
Robobuilder has been doing very well in Europe and Asia but for some reason it did not really gain traction in the US and that's probably why US shops are dropping it....
I just wanted to reassure you, on behalf of Robosavvy, that Robobuilder is not discontinuing any of their product line ups.
There are also no new Robobuilders coming up in the near future that I know about.
They are now busy promoting their "Educational" version which retails over 2 000 USD (over 1 600 GBP inc VAT) and is essentially a 5720T with Acc Sensor, Bluetooth and a few extras like PS2 controller + Complete libraries for MSRDS.
For the average user, the only Robobuilder libraries available for MSRDS are the Remocon libraries available for download on their website.
As for us at Robosavvy we intend to continue stocking Robobuilder, but we may stop stocking the transparent version though, because the demand for this variant is really reduced. We'll probably just keep the black version because it has a very good price /quality relation being the cheapest humanoid we have in the "Advanced Humanoids" department. It's a great proposal for beginner to intermediate users.
Someone also posted here that they bought a Transparent version because it came with distance sensor.
Let me emphasize that all 5710K we sell at Robosavvy include the distance Sensor. We offer it with all Robots.
In a few months we'll probably be upgrading the number of included sensors in Robobuilders 5710K sold by Robosavvy to include the extra Distance Sensor (which we already do) + the Acc Sensor already in the RBC box (this would be new).
However it is undecided if we'll go ahead with this and we don't know the price changes it may imply as well.
Robobuilder has been doing very well in Europe and Asia but for some reason it did not really gain traction in the US and that's probably why US shops are dropping it....
by Ketchup
Wed Aug 05, 2009 3:27 pm
Thanks PedroR for the good info.
I did get a reply from Sunny @ Robobuilder last night. They said they are working with another US company to carry their products.
My concern was parts availability as in the past I've purchased some other hobby items only to have those companies shut down shortly thereafter and then was stuck without parts and support.
Looks like there's no shortage of this!
I also thought shipping from outside the US to me would be real costly. It's not. Comparing Robosavvy's shipping price with another company "down under", no worries!
Now I'm really "pumped" to know I've got fun on the way, parts when I want them and tons of support!
Thanks all!
I did get a reply from Sunny @ Robobuilder last night. They said they are working with another US company to carry their products.
My concern was parts availability as in the past I've purchased some other hobby items only to have those companies shut down shortly thereafter and then was stuck without parts and support.
Looks like there's no shortage of this!
I also thought shipping from outside the US to me would be real costly. It's not. Comparing Robosavvy's shipping price with another company "down under", no worries!
Now I'm really "pumped" to know I've got fun on the way, parts when I want them and tons of support!
Thanks all!
by PedroR
Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:11 pm
Robobuilder is a company that has been around for a long time.
They were previously known as MegaRobotics and then changed to Robobuilder when the 57XX line up was released I believe.
They also seem to be quite big here: in KRGF I saw many and Clarence from AMO Singapure also says it's quite popular there.
Not as big as robotis but nevertheless they have great exposure.
In terms of accessories we'd be happy to supply them to you
There will be some changes in the line up we'll be selling (that I outlined above) but other than that we intend to continue carrying and supporting it.
With regards to MSRDS support, the free libraries available from RB are quite basic/limited.
They can't read the acc sensor nor the distance sensor (or any other sensor for that matter).
They are only used to send "Motion Play", "Sound Play", and "Action Play" commands (I'm not sure on this last one).
If you have some programming expertise I would go with the RBC API they released recently.
That's the most complete API they have released to date.
They were previously known as MegaRobotics and then changed to Robobuilder when the 57XX line up was released I believe.
They also seem to be quite big here: in KRGF I saw many and Clarence from AMO Singapure also says it's quite popular there.
Not as big as robotis but nevertheless they have great exposure.
In terms of accessories we'd be happy to supply them to you
There will be some changes in the line up we'll be selling (that I outlined above) but other than that we intend to continue carrying and supporting it.
With regards to MSRDS support, the free libraries available from RB are quite basic/limited.
They can't read the acc sensor nor the distance sensor (or any other sensor for that matter).
They are only used to send "Motion Play", "Sound Play", and "Action Play" commands (I'm not sure on this last one).
If you have some programming expertise I would go with the RBC API they released recently.
That's the most complete API they have released to date.
by Ketchup
Tue Aug 11, 2009 3:13 pm
YES! I started assembling it last night (only had about 40 minutes) I swapped ID6 & ID9. 
I brought it to work with me to swap those back and complete it at lunch break. I have the battery charging now.
This thing is big (compared to my iSobot)!
My 4-year old daughter keeps saying, "make it a doggy!" In time.
I brought it to work with me to swap those back and complete it at lunch break. I have the battery charging now.
This thing is big (compared to my iSobot)!
My 4-year old daughter keeps saying, "make it a doggy!" In time.
by ED209
Tue Aug 11, 2009 5:57 pm
Yeah, the iSobot's shoulders only come up to RoboBuilder's crotch. The added size allows RoboBuilder to be more stable in general. For example unlike the iSobot, it can even walk on carpet (as long as it's not too long).Ketchup wrote:YES! I started assembling it last night (only had about 40 minutes) I swapped ID6 & ID9.
This thing is big (compared to my iSobot)!
My 4-year old daughter keeps saying, "make it a doggy!" In time.
It took me three sessions to assemble it; the first two were a couple of hours and the last was for the final touches. Despite carefully following the videos and instructions, I assembled one of the legs up-sided-own
Good luck with the rest of the build.
