Futaba fake goods

[unwind-protect]

Well, to copy a T-rex and pass it off as a "99% compatible" copy is one thing.

To copy it and pass it off as a genuine T-rex is quite another!

[Rotorhead]

Plus you can spot lower quality easier with a mechanical copy, compared to an electronic copy.

With something mechanical you can look at the materials used, the dimensions, the surface finish etc even if it looks only slightly different, with a gyro that looks 99.9% the same, you cant just go on how it looks, electronically it could be close, but use far inferior parts, if its even a copy of the electonics at all, it could be a completely different gyro internally, but still perform close enough that you wouldnt notice in flight, and you'd never know unless you took it apart.

Plus visually even if they're the same inside its harder to judge if the parts are up to the same standards from an electrical point of view without specialised equipment to test it with, whereas with mechanical items a visual inspection can give you more to go on.

Example, other than switching it on and seeing, you cant usually tell by just looking whether a motherboard on a pc is fried or not.

[moyesboy]

Mechanical engineering - everyones an expert on it.
Electronics - its inside a box and nobody knows how it works.
Thats the difference.

[moyesboy]

Well, to copy a T-rex and pass it off as a "99% compatible" copy is one thing.

To copy it and pass it off as a genuine T-rex is quite another!

Absolutely
Launching a similar lower cost product with a different name and claiming it is equal to a well established product is a perfectly legitimate and legal thing to do (assuming subtle design changes and no infringement of trade mark).

Making a product deliberately designed to fool the buyer that it is the actual genuine article is quite different.

The first borrows from the design and piggy backs on the original marketing by saying "buy this its as good as brand X but cheaper". The manufacturer still has to convince the buyer the workings and workmanship of the product are as good as the original quality product. If the product doesn't match up to the original the copy brand is damaged and the originals reputation is enhanced.

The second is counterfiet and tries to fool the buyer they are getting the genuine product and takes advantage of all the marketing and design work directly. The inner workings don't have to be the same becuase if the product fails it will return to the genuine manufacturer who cannot back it up. When the product fails the original's quality reputation is damaged (note "don't buy futaba" comment in this thread!).

If you want a cheap 401 type product buy the low cost copy with the silver label that makes no claim to being a real futaba 401 - sportsmoto sell them. They are supposed to be quite good.

[Butuz]

If you want a cheap 401 type product buy the low cost copy with the silver label that makes no claim to being a real futaba 401 - sportsmoto sell them. They are supposed to be quite good.

Ha you mean the "Mystery GYRD" I've got two they're quite good actually!



Butuz

[moyesboy]

"Mystery GYRD" I've got two they're quite good actually

...and a copterX!

[Butuz]

...and a copterX!

Yep which is also excellent!

Butuz

[Morts]

I have a phoenix flasher 500, and they advertise as being copied on the trex, and I was more than happy to get one. But if you buy and pay for a futaba or any other named item, you would expect to get it. I would be sooooo pi**ed if I payed for a 401 and got a cheaper copy. But now paranoia is setting in and I have to go and check all my electrics...LOL.

[p4ddy]

Mechanical engineering - everyones an expert on it.
Electronics - its inside a box and nobody knows how it works.
Thats the difference.

Bloody hell, i'm completely forked then as i'm a numpty at both