[Ade]

hi
i am currently running C7042 apb with throttle pro bluetooth units.

i have read that the truespeed throttle's are a direct better quality replacement for the stock scaley one's, how ever on calling Pendle's today to order one for trial i was informed that there had been a few problems regarding compatability.

i have heard that the current version is now at v2.0 so are these the right one's to use with the apb.

TIA

 

[chris99]

Hi Ade,

V1 works ok with anything a Scaley controller does including TP & SCS. .... I don't know about v2 (I think Keeto on this forum has one) but even if it works with TP I would think think twice before investing in these controllers. I feel I wasted my money on the v1 as it was too expensive for something which didn't bring any new features as the Slot it controller does (albeit more expensive). However, a Slot it won't work with TP.

If I were you I would save your hard earned pennies and stick with Scaley, but add a softer spring as per RichG and rub a slightly inoxed tissue on the moving parts - the edge of the sliding resistor and the trigger guide rails (but not the sliding resistor surface). However, don't overdo it or get it on the resistor surface as this has just screwed up one of my controllers as I tried to clean off the excess from the slider metal bit.

I've been using a Scaley controller, done like this, intensively for the last few weeks to test the Display Pro wireless set-up and it is standing up to some long intensive testing sessions. Worth trying for just the cost of a spring.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Ade]

hi
cheers Chris,i have tried the softer spring and the inox and there is a marked improvement in comfort and feel.

how ever i would like to add to the durability side of things and the truspeed ones are servicable with a decent spares package available.

i have also tried the scorpious wireless throttle,the feel and response is superb but the lc button could not be in a worse place and then there is the price.

 

[chris99]

Sorry Ade I forgot - the amount of time I spend reading the posts I should have remembered - short term memory seems to have gone out of the window along with my hair

When you say spares, are you thinking of the different throttle curve boards?

Cheers
Chris

 

[Keeto]

Hi Ade,

I've got all 3 versions that have been released. I'm a bit confused with the latest numbering as there are/were 3 and I was expecting the latest one therefore to be V3.....

So in the pic the bottom is V1, then V2 and then V3.

Anyhow. V1 was not too good. I sent it back to Steve twice to get things working well with it. (Great service BTW). It did not have a brake button which really wasn't too nice. It was quite expensive as well, but just like you I wanted a better controller than the stock Scaley one.

V2 was a major improvement. I did not have any "compatibility" issues with it what so ever. Done thousands of laps with it. What I did experience once was that the wiper moved away from the board. I opened it up and gave the wiper arm a VERY slight bend and that fixed the problem. Also it was too small for my South African claws that God so kindly gave me and after a few hundred laps my thumb muscle would start going numb...

I was also quite expensive.

V3 is absolutely great. To be honest I only bought it for my "claw" problem. But I'm glad I did. Done a few thousand laps with it - with Throttle Pro - and I still need to experience any issues with it. It is also the smoothest controller of the lot and also the cheapest, as believe it or not, Steve mentioned that some of the bits are now made in the UK and actually made it cheaper. It also comes with a interchangeable trigger i.e a longer one.

Hope that helped a bit. You can also order it directly from Steve, at the TRUSPEED website.

 

[RichG]

QUOTE (bigbird @ 4 Jul 2012, 22:16) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>how ever i would like to add to the durability side of things and the truspeed ones are servicable with a decent spares package available.
Only time will tell but I think that as Chris says. The combination of a lighter spring, tiny amounts of Inox and with the revised way of wiring the resistor in my wireless throttles removing the need for calibration has given a new lease of life to the Scalextric throttle.

Also having a spares package is all very well except that a new Truspeed wiper board is more expensive than a complete Scalextric throttle.

Rich

 

[Ade]

hi
thanks for the replies and the link. I will email Steve for price and availability as i would like to give one of these a try.

I have tinkered with one of my scaley throttles fitting a lighter spring and applying the inox but moving the wire just caused the car to operate at full throttle so i changed it back again..

 

[RichG]

Not sure what you mean by moving the wire? I am refering to applying a regulated voltage across the throttle resistor & measuring the voltage on the slider. Only possible in the wireless throttle & not possible to do when directly connected to the Powerbase.

So I guess not relevant to this discussion, but does significantly improve the reliability of the Scalextric throttle.

I will bow out.

Rich

 

[injectorman]

QUOTE (bigbird @ 5 Jul 2012, 07:16) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>hi
cheers Chris,i have tried the softer spring and the inox and there is a marked improvement in comfort and feel.

how ever i would like to add to the durability side of things and the truspeed ones are servicable with a decent spares package available.

i have also tried the scorpious wireless throttle,the feel and response is superb but the lc button could not be in a worse place and then there is the price.

Hi Bigbird,
Glad you like the response, sorry to hear the LC button doesnt suit.

We did however carefully consider this aspect.

Below is a pic of how me and the majority of guys hold their controller. Look at all the Euro videos and the majority hold their controller with 2 hands.

Note where my thumb is. Only an inch from the LC button.

.......and activating the LC button. Couldnt be easier. I realise some race with one hand, but I had to go with the majority. For me I get MUCH better control using one hand for the trigger and other for button.

If I could offer a firmware update to swap the LC to the brake buuton and vice versa would that help?

Sorry cant do anything about price. But the value is there.

Rick

 

[Martyn_]

The scaley controllers are ok, and cheap as chips. It's just the trigger is awful. I get white finger after less than an hour. My v-twin isn't that brutal - though I do tend to loose fillings if I wheely too much and haven't yet experienced that with the Scaley throttle.

 

[Steve Hills]

Hi all.

Being the manufacturer, I hope it's OK to send a reply directly.
Let me give you a little background ...

The early model that Keeto describes as V1 was just done to improve on the little kit that used to be available from Pendle.
V2 was brought out to improve the contact reliability over the first one and to add the brake button. There was no attempt to make it have more features since the idea was to simply provide a more comfortable and more durable product as a direct replacement.

These early models used controller handles and trigger parts made by existing controller manufacturers, so the parts were expensive to buy in. I then made Printed Circuit Boards and spent several hours on each one making them up by hand. Though they seem expensive they were not a profit item for me to sell. Hence the need to produce something of my own.
V3 as Keeto describes is the SSD II, which he correctly says is now made all in house, and is cheaper because I mass produced the moulded handles and all the trigger parts. As 'injectorman' Rick will know, buying in 3rd party parts is not economically viable for a product like this. Value, as Rick says, is the main point.
If bought in multiples then discounts are applied.

My thanks to Keeto for his feedback regarding quality and comfort.
This is the aim of the SSDII ... to give a better quality longer lasting version of the standard units at a better price than I could offer before.

I hope that helps to explain the evolution a little.

regards,
Steve Hills.

 

[Martyn_]

Thanks for the explanation Steve, makes sense to me now.

One little thing - I do find the navigation of your site a little confusing, with all the different sub categories of throttles taking me to individual pages, then getting there to find "no longer sold, superseded by the Mk3 Lap Muncher" or whatever. Might as well try describing how to knit a jumper to me.

Any chance you could do a quick run down here telling us what is currently on offer and what each should be used for. Some readers may well benefit from extra notes explaining what it supersedes and why.
If it's a bit on the borders of inappropriate advertising or some such, let me know and I'll PM you my mail address - I really would like to understand your range as the next 12 months is likely to see me buy several controllers - all for different purposes. Thanks.

 

[Ade]

hi
thanks for spotting this thread Steve and replying. I am now clear after your explanation what it is i would like to order.

I did email you last week but i was asking about v3 contollers and i can now see it is ssd 11 throttles that i should of mentioned.

The scaley one's are cheap but you get what you pay for and although i have played with different springs and applied inox many moons ago at the end of the day you cant polish a turd.

 

[Martyn_]

No, but as my rather light in the loafer boss at work once said in his best camp West Coast accent "No, but you CAN roll it in glitter".

I agree about the scaley controllers. They are overpriced at £11.

 

[Ade]

hi
just waiting for some paypal fee's to clear and i will get one to try and report back.

 

[RichG]

QUOTE (snurfen @ 11 Jul 2012, 11:40) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I agree about the scaley controllers. They are overpriced at £11.
Have to say that I disagree here. Yes you need to spend a small amount of time lubricating and a few pence on a new spring to get the best out of them, however we all happily spend a little time and and money improving our cars, so why not controllers?

Do you truely believe that £11 is too much money?

Rich

 

[Martyn_]

In all honestly Rich, probably not for the vast majority of people that use them.
For me, they are not much use at all as my finger hurts like a real bugger after less than an hours racing - and that includes 10 minutes marshalling and probably 10 minutes changing drivers. I do suffer from finger related issues - white finger from machinery and motorcycling, gammy knuckles from rugby, boxing and general outdoor lifestyle as a youngster, and worst of all, mousers finger.

I've taken steps to mitigate these discomforts in day to day life, but the scaley controller really makes my index finger hurt. I experiment with thumb or middle finger operation occasionally, and use Parma Economy or Truespeed for club racing. I find those two, with their longer triggers and more travel far easier on the hands.

Don't take my whinge as disparaging the kit, but it's what they are to me.

 

[RichG]

You must change the spring, even those of us with ok fingers find it much too strong. After that change and a touch of lube the feel is transformed. Yes there is still some slight slop and from an engineering standpoint it's not a patch on the aftermarket controllers, in practice they then operates very well. However in your case I accept that a broader longer trigger is a must.

For me it would not be an issue if the purchase was just for a single controller, however digital racing has brought about the need for 6. Cost may not be the only criteria however for most people there is a big difference between £66 & £288.

I would be happier to spend more money if I was getting additional functionality. Some adjustments, Wireless etc, but not for something that that does the identical job.

Rich

 

[Steve Hills]

RighG.
The introduction of these SSD controllers is simply in response to customer and dealer requests for a better quality upgrade as a direct replacement for the original controllers. That's what I've provided. I'm sure it doesn't suit everyone, and clearly doesn't suit you, but then isn't that why we have such variety of products in general?
The best analogy I can draw is someone looking for a car.
They all do the same job of taking one from A to B but some people buy a Merc SL600 and others buy a Fiat Panda.
I offer a discount with multiple purchases, so that eases the burden of buying them in sets.
I am working on a contact free system that may also help reduce the price some more. Details will follow on the web site.

snurfen
I actually wondered about the older products still showing.
Customers had contacted me asking if I still did products that have been discontinued since they could not find them on the web site.
Leaving the old ones there as reference with a link to the replacement ones meant that all the information was available to everyone.
I figured that with around 10 controllers in total it would be OK.
Perhaps I'll removed the discontinued ones and set up a section for them with references to the replacements.
That way the main pages will just have the current updated ones.
I'll organise a little breakdown of the evolution to post on here if the moderators are OK with it.
Otherwise please give me a phone call or Email and I'll let you know whatever you ask.
Thanks for the feedback ..

bigbird
I hope I gave you enough information in my Email reply.
Please feel free to contact me if you need any more information.

best regards to all.

Steve Hills

 

[RichG]

QUOTE (Steve Hills @ 12 Jul 2012, 09:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>RighG.
I'm sure it doesn't suit everyone, and clearly doesn't suit you, but then isn't that why we have such variety of products in general?

Steve you misunderstand my point. I think they are excelent controllers, if you just want one for yourself.

However I suspect most people would not go out and buy 6. In that case making some improvments to the Scalextric controller are quite worthwhile.

I accept the Merc SL600 v Fiat Panda argument, but few of us are in the market for 6 Merc's.

And yes for 4 x the price I would expect Sat Nav & Cruise Control.

Rich