Used HEX-USB Just Sold for 260 GBP - WTF?

[GaryM]

I don't get it. Why would anyone pay 260 GBP for a used 13 year old HEX-USB (which would cost another 99 USD on top of that for registration transfer and support) that can't even do CAN diagnostics when you can get an all singing all dancing 3-VIN version of the HEX-V2 for 225 GBP with support included?

Either the buyer is a complete idiot, or is a genius who has some inside info that these museum pieces are about to really shoot up in value I'm sure the seller is now laughing all the way to the bank

Or maybe it's just me missing something completely obvious

eBay linky here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122438267126

 

[DV52]

hmmm..........Gary: You forgot about the accessories - clearly the valuable part of the auction was the genuine RT case - which doesn't come with HEX-V2 (I think).

Don

 

[Uwe]

The HEX-USB looks real. The case, disk, and manual were value-added items from our distributor, Marshall's Industrial. They started out primarily supplying users of VW Industrial and Marine engines (for which they are the UK distributor).

In any case, the price does seem somewhat excessive for that bit of kit, since it only does K-line and cannot do CAN at all.

We do see this occasionally. People get caught up in a bidding frenzy for a genuine interface on eBay.

-Uwe-

 

[vreihen]

We do see this occasionally. People get caught up in a bidding frenzy for a genuine interface on eBay.

What are the moral implications of competing against your own web store by listing products for a higher price on eBay? P.T. Barnum, blah, blah, blah.....

 

[Uwe]

RT doesn't sell anything on fleaBay.

-Uwe-

 

[GaryM]

hmmm..........Gary: You forgot about the accessories - clearly the valuable part of the auction was the genuine RT case - which doesn't come with HEX-V2 (I think).

Don,

I bought my HEX-USB+CAN interface from Marshalls and they throw in a case, a disc (or USB stick) and a nicely bound printed manual at no extra cost with all of the VCDS products they sell, even the HEX-V2 (see this link) which is a nice touch. Granted that it's not an official RT case but it still has a nice foam insert with the correct shape cut-out in which helps to keep the cable safe and in good condition, plus it sits well on the shelf with some of my other kit

I'm only a few miles down the road from Marshalls HQ and one of their employees even hand-delivered my VCDS kit to my front-door the same evening of the day I placed the order with them!

 

[vreihen]

<=== Wants to see what's inside the UNO case.....

 

[GaryM]

<=== Wants to see what's inside the UNO case.....

Here you go

I've been doing some work with IR and RF remotes so mainly a collection of prototyping shields, ISP shields (as I needed to put some of the finised work onto an ATtiny microcontroller) and other related components along with some prototype circuits on breadboards. There's also an SD card shield on the bottom right because I started dabbling with some SD card stuff as well.

Some videos of the work I did on one of the IR projects using the Arduino is HERE (well, you did ask ).

In a nutshell, I was sent a old IR remote for a 1992 Lancia Thema that wasn't working due to a faulty microcontroller. There was no way of getting the binary program off this ageing 1980's microcontroller so the easiest option was to just completely rebuild it with a new re-designed schematic using a modern ATtiny85 microcontroller that would still fit onto the original circuit board. It took a while but eventually resulted in a success, and I even added a switchable IR transmission mode option


Before (dead circuit):

Original circuit board reclaimed and cleaned up:

After (rebuilt circuit with a far simpler schematic):

Finished product:

 

[Zenerdiode]

Replace the jumper pin connector at right angles onto one of the jumper pins so it doesn't get lost

So it's not just me then.

 

[vreihen]

Replace the jumper pin connector at right angles onto one of the jumper pins so it doesn't get lost

So it's not just me then.

I was taught to do that in the late 1970's, and it was SOP on *everything* until jumper pins went out of vogue.

I bought an Arduino-based 3D printer controller board a few years ago, and it came with exactly zero jumpers. Each of the five stepper motor controllers needed three jumpers to select 1/16 micro-stepping. After cleaning out my office desk drawer and home toolbox for the few that I had collected over the years (since I always left them on the boards), I had to actually (gasp!) spend *real* money for a dozen or so. I had thought about wire-wrapping the pins, but could not locate either of my wrap tools and a replacement tool and spool of wrap wire would cost me *two* pictures of Andrew Jackson printed on green paper (aka: $20 bill). I remember when they used to give wrap tools away at Radio Shack for free with the purchase of flashlight batteries, and no way is Homey spending $40+ to wrap a few jumpers.....

 

[GaryM]

I also keep a load of jumpers in my box of knick-knacks Mostly nicked from expired hard drives / optical drives, or old motherboards before I sling them out (when I remember to). I generally find DIP switches preferable over jumpers where a manual switching solution is required because there is nothing to get lost, however on this particular project there was no room for one so it was a case of an old fashioned solution for an old fashioned device

 

[D-Dub]

that some impressive and dedicated work there, kudos

 

[GaryM]

that some impressive and dedicated work there, kudos

Thanks. It was the last resort to help out a desperate owner who wanted an original remote but was unable to track down a new or used replacement. Not really surprising for a 25 year old car for which spare parts are now far and few between. So I stepped up to the plate, took on the challenge and ended up learning quite a lot in the process It was my first experience with an Arduino and being able to use that as a development playground for programming Atmel microcontrollers was a absolute godsend. I also have a "USB Infrared Toy v2" by Dangerous Protoypes which proved instrumental in understanding the IR protocol used by these type of remotes and has turned out to be another really useful gadget to have in my electronics hardware toolbox

 

[DV52]

Don,

I bought my HEX-USB+CAN interface from Marshalls and they throw in a case, a disc (or USB stick) and a nicely bound printed manual at no extra cost with all of the VCDS products they sell, even the HEX-V2 (see this link) which is a nice touch. Granted that it's not an official RT case but it still has a nice foam insert with the correct shape cut-out in which helps to keep the cable safe and in good condition, plus it sits well on the shelf with some of my other kit

I'm only a few miles down the road from Marshalls HQ and one of their employees even hand-delivered my VCDS kit to my front-door the same evening of the day I placed the order with them!

Gary,

Marshalls certainly appear to have adopted both the equipment and customer service ethics of Ross-Tech - but what's even more impressive than your obvious skills and knowledge is your methodical and structured techniques for storage of bits-and-pieces.

I wish that I had both these traits, but alas my understanding of this stuff is rudimentary at best and the storage practices in my workshop are solely based on random chaos principles!!


Don