microTracker/microRecorder

Does anyone have any first hand experience of the
microTracker/micoRecorder products from EW?

http://www.ewuk.co.uk/

Thanks,

Bob

Hi,

The MicroRecorder looks very interesting. Does anyone know whether they
have applied for IGC approval yet? Are they shipping units yet? If the
price is right it could be a big seller. What is the price?

Thanks,

Paul Remde
Cumulus Soaring, Inc.
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com

"Bob" wrote in message
ups.com...
Does anyone have any first hand experience of the
microTracker/micoRecorder products from EW?

http://www.ewuk.co.uk/

Thanks,

Bob

From their Web site...465 pounds for the microRecorder and 312 pounds
for the microTracker.
That's roughly US$850 and US$570 respectively.

Bob

If they try to do the same thing with the software they did on the
first units I would avoid them at all costs. Non-standard file formats
and only providing a DOS version with the unit. You then had to pay
extra to get a windows based software package. As a current owner of
one of their units I would recommend using any other manufacturer.

Tim

History of customer service and respect for customers (or lack there
of) is always relevant.

Tim

In article . com, Bob wrote:
Does anyone have any first hand experience of the
microTracker/micoRecorder products from EW?

http://www.ewuk.co.uk/

I saw a prototype earlier this year and looked it over. The
concept is really good. The unit is simple to use, it just
presents itself as a USB storage device, like many cameras.

Given the problems people have with traditional units that
deliver logs over serial connections I think this is going to
be a very popular logger.

It's very compact too.

The external antenna is a mixed blessing. But you can always stick
it to the top of the unit.

--
Philip Plane _____
|
---------------( )---------------
Glider pilots have no visible means of support

Downloading the flights as a USB drive is one thing. A VERY good thing
I think. But that doesn't explain how little things like task
declarations and pilot/glider info get into the device in the first
place. Gotta have some sort of program or protocol to get it in there.
Hopefully they won't be assuming that this info will be configured
into the device before a user leaves home. That just is NOT realistic.
Hopefully they have allowed for it to be easily done from a PDA
device. As a developer of one of those PDA programs, it would be nice
if this didn't entail having to implement yet another protocol for
doing these things. But alas, my gut feeling is that this will not be
the case. Creativity breeds individuality as well as complexity I'm
afraid.

Later!

-Mark
Philip Plane wrote:
In article . com, Bob wrote:
Does anyone have any first hand experience of the
microTracker/micoRecorder products from EW?

http://www.ewuk.co.uk/

I saw a prototype earlier this year and looked it over. The
concept is really good. The unit is simple to use, it just
presents itself as a USB storage device, like many cameras.

Given the problems people have with traditional units that
deliver logs over serial connections I think this is going to
be a very popular logger.

It's very compact too.

The external antenna is a mixed blessing. But you can always stick
it to the top of the unit.

--
Philip Plane _____
|
---------------( )---------------
Glider pilots have no visible means of support

Hi Mark,

Good point. All Pocket PCs (and Palm OS devices I believe) are USB slaves.
They can't therefore talk to another USB slave such as this device.
Hopefully, they have also included an RS-232 serial port on the device so
that PDAs can send it a task declaration before flight. Otherwise a laptop
would be required.

Good Soaring,

Paul Remde

"Mark Hawkins" wrote in message
oups.com...
Downloading the flights as a USB drive is one thing. A VERY good thing
I think. But that doesn't explain how little things like task
declarations and pilot/glider info get into the device in the first
place. Gotta have some sort of program or protocol to get it in there.
Hopefully they won't be assuming that this info will be configured
into the device before a user leaves home. That just is NOT realistic.
Hopefully they have allowed for it to be easily done from a PDA
device. As a developer of one of those PDA programs, it would be nice
if this didn't entail having to implement yet another protocol for
doing these things. But alas, my gut feeling is that this will not be
the case. Creativity breeds individuality as well as complexity I'm
afraid.

Later!

-Mark
Philip Plane wrote:
In article . com, Bob
wrote:
Does anyone have any first hand experience of the
microTracker/micoRecorder products from EW?

http://www.ewuk.co.uk/

I saw a prototype earlier this year and looked it over. The
concept is really good. The unit is simple to use, it just
presents itself as a USB storage device, like many cameras.

Given the problems people have with traditional units that
deliver logs over serial connections I think this is going to
be a very popular logger.

It's very compact too.

The external antenna is a mixed blessing. But you can always stick
it to the top of the unit.

--
Philip Plane _____
|
---------------( )---------------
Glider pilots have no visible means of support

Paul Remde wrote:
Hi Mark,

Good point. All Pocket PCs (and Palm OS devices I believe) are USB slaves.
They can't therefore talk to another USB slave such as this device.

Our two T-3 Palms talk to each other very well, for many purposes. How
is that different?


Jack

I guess my issue is mounting the item. I don't see any mounting
bracket, lugs, flanges, etc. The documentation states the following;

"The microRecorder may be installed in any convenient position. Velcro
tape is ideal for the purpose."

VELCRO? Even though it only weights 300g (10.5oz) I am unsure if I
want it coming loose at an inopportune moment and becoming a projectile.