Anyone into R/C?

That sucks. I can certainly see both sides. I can see Traxxas wanting to protect their products. And it's very obvious they try to make their vehicles so everything associated with that vehicle, is all through them. Just look at how they do their batteries etc. But at the same time, the whole RC industry is sort of built on aftermarket and options. So using your battery of choice or whatever product to improve your vehicle is part of the fun. It actually also creates more interest in the vehicle when people can mod it and go outside to other companies to modify the vehicle. So it ends up being a wash for Traxxas, as far as I'm concerned. Maybe some of those brands can just eliminate Traxxas name from their product and still continue producing it? Who knows. I just know that on my Maxx, it is annoying that I don't have many battery options that fit. And I don't want to buy a Traxxas battery since I do not have a Traxxas ID charger (anymore.) So it just makes it kind of annoying to own that truck. Options are very limited. That's just 1 example, of course.

 

I never have nor will buy a Traxxas product. They want you locked into their ecosystem and will do whatever it takes to shut down any competition. Personally that’s not they type of business I want to spend my money with.

 

When my local hobby shop was still open he was a Horizon vendor. The Traxxas crowd seemed to be the flat brimmers that drove obnoxious mall crawling jeeps or a squatted struck and an Affliction shirt. I did see one come in and had a box with him. Like a kid at the vet, he sat it on the counter all teary eyed and quietly asks the shop owner, ‘can you fix it?’ Cutest thing ever.

But seriously. I’ve got a 2wd Stampede and the only thing Traxxas is the chassis itself.

 

I'm no fan of business practices like that, but the TRX4M is a probably the best value mini crawler out of the box.

 

It is one thing to protect intellectual property, which I support, it is another to try to corner the market via litigation and stifling the aftermarket manufacturers who buy in and promote the sale of their rc cars. The only Traxxas I own is a rustler i repaired while working for a hobby shop that the owner never returned to pay for. I was owed the time I spent repairing it and the owner of the shop offered it to me for the cost of the parts 2 years after I did the work... I just think there are other companies that support the aftermarket and don't try to lock anyone in to the ecosystem..

Spektrum is similar to some degree with the ecosystem that I don't want to be locked into. They are another company I avoid.
CCRC released a video today as well.
https://www.youtube.com/live/nNrePMN--mo?feature=share

The trx4m may have some nice attributes but the scx24 is the way for me.

 

Good points. Spektrum is just a Horizon brand though, right? They are a pretty big umbrella and own Losi, Arrma TLR etc. But I know what you are saying, on some models, it does seem like they try to influence using their products, exclusively. Not quite to the level that Traxxas does though. They really have been pushing that more and more with these newer models, trying to keep everything a Traxxas accessory/mod etc.

 

idk that Traxxas is trying to prevent anyone from making mods or accessories. They are trying to make sure that people don't misuse or imply anything with their corporate name.

 

In the case of this lawsuit that was brought up, maybe. But when you consider that they make a battery system that pretty much forces you to use their batteries and charger. I found 1 battery that I can fit into the bay of my Maxx from aftermarket, which is a Lectron softcase and still need an adaptor for the plug. Not many other options fit. Also, consider the body closure system means no aftermarket bodies, aside from Proline's work-around mount that uses non-traxxas bodies on the Maxx. And the servo in that truck is a unique size that pretty much any standard servo won't fit without some sort of adaptor (or use their own Traxxas upgraded version etc.) They clearly know what they are doing. Not hating but just pointing out.

 

It seems like spektrum is just about the only real expansive option for aftermarket tx/rx parts. I've been looking to get one remote and a bunch of rx to try and consolidate, but what other real options are there? It seems like flysky has a good amount of stuff, but when I actually go to order anything, most of the time it's either discontinued or unavailable unless you want 1000 of them.

 

I've owned several of the nitro models. The original nitro rustler was the most reliable out of them all. I prefer the racing kits you build and add your own electronics and motors though.

 

Yes spektrum is now owned by horizon and they are pushing the smart ecosystem with batteries and chargers and motors and esc that all have benefits associated with using their radios with telemetry and other features.

Traxxas has a long history of litigating and filing suit against smaller companies and often times had basically caused them to have to file bankruptcy. Arrma was started after Traxxas sued the pants off of Team Durango then they went back after arrma when the big rock was released. It's their M.O.

I am a fan of Futabq. Fly sky has been doing well lately but the support is still lacking if something goes wrong. I used to run spektrum as a middle range until they were acquired by horizon and started the smart ecosystem that requires you to use all spektrum to get full features...


I get it on one hand it makes things simple. On the other hand it stifles the hobby beyond out of the box rtr users. I haven't bought an rtr in years. Part of the enjoyment for me is building and choosing exactly what I want as I learn the ins and outs of something new

 

RC review does a nice job address the historical absurd litigation from Traxxas...
https://youtu.be/Kh1NjDdevCs

 

I worked in an industry that relies heavily on intellectual property and trademarks. Maybe that experience colors my opinion but I do not see what the problem is (except maybe all the "max" suits, that's just gonna cost more money).

RC dude Claiming if Apple sues Samsung, it should be game on but if Traxxas sues a small vendor over the same thing, that's an 800 pound gorilla and shouldn't be done in the same way. Sorry, that's not how it works.

I know it's not the popular opinion but if you plan on making a better mousetrap, it would be a really good idea to enquire as to how you might go about that and not violate copyright, trademarks or patents.

 

I totally get what you are saying. And that is why I said initially that I see both sides. That being said, Traxxas is making products in an industry that pretty much is built on customization, aftermarket and options. Going after companies with lawsuits and trying to limit all vehicle options to only your own umbrella of products, is going to rub people the wrong way. In the phone industry, no one cares if someone sues because we buy phones and use them as-is. In RC, the tinkering, modding and customization is like half of the hobby. So while Traxxas is trying to protect their investment, they also are turning off a large portion of enthusiasts. You can go on just about any general RC forum or group, youtube vid etc and see tons of Traxxas hate about this very subject. That being said, they are still a huge brand and apparently doing very well, so I guess to them it's worth the trade-off. I just don't think the RC industry is the right market to be a legal bully or to force customers to only use your products.

I have 2 Traxxas cars, currently (sold a few others.) And they have their own batteries, radios, parts containers etc. Then my other 6 cars mostly share things between them. They are all on the same radio, for one. The other cars on same scale, I could in-theory swap motors, escs, servos, batteries etc. So I guess that is what most people are used to. And that is why I find them annoying to own. The Maxx has odd sized batteries (non-industry standard - for the scale), wheels, servo, motor etc.

 

Step one should have been to communicate the concern and try to resolve the issue instead of attempting to shut down the entire business. It's poor practice to bully these small guys operating out of their own home.

They not only impacted their own aftermarket support they impacted that of other companies as well. Embrace the aftermarket community and the community will embrace them. Putting everyone out of business in hopes of being the only one on the block is never good for the consumer

Traxxas' first cars were copies of other already produced vehicles and now they act like they were first in line with ideas that have been around well before they implemented them. Then they sit back and produce the same cars for 30 years without innovation. Look at the stamped rustler and slash...

They didn't get big by making the best rc car they got big by advertising with other well known brands plastered all over the body shells

 

Injora dgaf. Right at the top of their home page.
https://www.injora.com/

 

I don't have Traxxas batteries for my XMAXX. Most of my batteries have different connector types as well. Oh, and I haven't bought replacement parts but upgrades from third parties and no one is forcing you to use one part or another. Traxxas is protecting its trademark--that's all. Follow the rules and keep going it really is that simple.

 

They called them "T-Word"

 

Feels like a Southpark episode.