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The current status of Ram Controls:

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SavannahLion:
About those CRT Vectors....

What was the story behind that? Is it the same as the SW art, the manufacturer refused for some reason?

I feel I already know this story, but I can't recall what part of the deal fell through.

There may still be a chance down the road for new CRTs to be manufactured yet. I just learned of a small cottage producing vacuum tubes by hand. The guy basically needed tubes for his radio so he figured out how to make them then just started manufacturing them for other radio enthusiasts. Even better he's taken on an apprentice to teach the art to. The tubes cost a pretty penny, but those radio operators got their tubes.

My only hope is that despite CRT's death, the knowledge doesn't disappear with it but holds on until equilibrium is found again.... :-\

davespicer:

--- Quote from: SavannahLion on June 24, 2011, 03:51:46 am ---About those CRT Vectors....

What was the story behind that? Is it the same as the SW art, the manufacturer refused for some reason?

I feel I already know this story, but I can't recall what part of the deal fell through.

There may still be a chance down the road for new CRTs to be manufactured yet. I just learned of a small cottage producing vacuum tubes by hand. The guy basically needed tubes for his radio so he figured out how to make them then just started manufacturing them for other radio enthusiasts. Even better he's taken on an apprentice to teach the art to. The tubes cost a pretty penny, but those radio operators got their tubes.

My only hope is that despite CRT's death, the knowledge doesn't disappear with it but holds on until equilibrium is found again.... :-\

--- End quote ---

There are differing stories regarding the CRTs.  Dave originally talked about getting them made in Asia I believe, although later posts by others on Klov alleged that they were actually going to be regunned units from Hawkeye.  I'd speculate that both avenues were being looked at.  Only Dave/Dan can say how far along things went.  Personally I'd treat them as vapourware as far as RAM goes.

Hawkeye no longer regun tubes and their equipment has been donated to the Early Television Museum in Hilliard Ohio (source: email from Scotty at Hawkeye).

VDC also used to regun suitable 25" tubes for the Amp and still had stock up until a few weeks ago (source: Erv at VDC).  They've now sold out and have no plans to produce any more.

Anyone based in the US could probably find a 25" TV with a suitable 100 degree CRT.  The chances of finding one in the UK are pretty remote because most of our so-called 25" TVs typically contain a 23" tube.  Not sure about the rest of Europe.  A SW cockpit would require some creative mods to safely mount the smaller size.  Not sure about the uprights.

--
Dave


Alpha1:

--- Quote from: Xiaou2 on June 24, 2011, 03:35:03 am ---
--- Quote ---But then you're back to the whole "supporting a company who screwed the community" thing we've been discussing this whole thread.
--- End quote ---

 Actually, if all is True, people would be supporting an enterprising arcade fan who is looking to make some side cash on his hobby.


 And actually David was quite amazing.  He got Starwars yokes reproduced in small quantities, with extremely high quality, for a seriously low price. (compared to equivalent arcade quality equipment)

 Today, you cant buy something half as complex, in cheap Plastic, for the same amount of money... and thats in MASSIVE quantities.

 Take a look at the Race Sim scene.  Small companies make Pedals, Wheels, and Shifters of the same kind of high quality machined parts, with even less complexity, and charge +2x what he was charging.

 Even when he ran into production issues, which cost him a lot of money, time and effort... he never raised the prices for the pre-orders. I would have had to raise them.  But then again, I never would have taken pre-orders either.

 The people that got messed over the most, were the well-to-do.  No poor person is gona drop several thousands on a video game remake... especially from a company that doesnt even have a remade vector monitor in stock.  And when the delays started to roll in, any one of them could have pulled their money back out.  Some did.  A crook wouldnt have allowed that... nor would a crook actually build starwars yokes, in addition to sinking money into about 10 other controllers (that each required a Ton of custom parts each)

 And even as things soured, he ALMOST got the tv mfg. plant to make the brand new vector monitors.  Its pretty much a historic moment that the yokes came to be remade.. but new vector monitors would have been monumental.

 Look at Gene Cunningham.  He started he was going to produce Bing Bang Bar (pinball machine).  It took him YEARS, lots of complaints and poor communications, project setbacks that ended up costing him more money than he was to make... and yet he Still pulled it off.  He could have packed it in, taking others money to cover expenses... and disappearing under bankruptcy.

 It really sucks that these people may have lost their money.  Its equally sucky that people had to endure all the lies and bs that dave layed down, as well as several years of torment and frustration.  However, in the end, there are people that got something that never would have been made by any other company had it not been for dave.

 You wont see Randy or Andy making SW yokes.  Its simply too costly.  And if they did, it probably wouldnt be of the same caliber of quality. (to save money / costs.  not that they are not capable of it)   They also dont seem to want to invest in the low quantity, low popularity, custom specialty controllers like 720 or Frontline.  Theres too much money to produce, too much risk, and probably low returns on investments even IF sales were good, AND if there were no complications in manufacturing.


 It would scare me a bit to order from Ram Controls,.. but, by using paypal, one should be able to get the funds back if needed. Most especially with ebay purchases.

 Still, I think it would be nice to get out a camcorder, introduce yourself Dan, and show us the inventory via youtube.  A great way to put your face to your reputation to instill confidence.  The all-black website needs an overhaul too.  .. as well as fixing all the 'no picture' place-markers, and poor part browsing / ordering layout.
 
 Ebay sales would also be a good option, because they are all handled with ebay & paypal protection combined, as well as a good feedback system, which makes people feel much safer about things.  Even if it costs people a few more dollars , people will pay for the added security..  at least, till your reputation gets well established.

 I really hope you can turn the game around, and furthermore, get those vector monitors made as well... before theres no possibility for them to be produced at all.  (are there even any tube crt mfg. left???)

 Finally, I dont know if it would be a good thing or not.. but you might get more orders with slight 'part' cost reductions.  Imop, $25 for a single 14 tooth gear is very hard to swallow... even for a specialty part.

 You get stuck in a sort of limbo.  Do you spend a possible 150$ in parts and time fixing your existing used assembly... or buy a brand new one?   What do you do with the broken one?  Cant sell it with a broken gear & deformed spring.  Cant recoup the costs already lost on it..  if its going to cost a lot to repair, PLUS the time and energy restoring it.

 Finally. to be clear, I dont agree with what Dave did.  Hes a poor business man, and has poor understanding about the meaning and value of Honesty and good communication. 

 I agree that people should be suspect and cautious.  However, I dont agree with constant trolling.  Unless its towards someone like David Foley, cause he deserves it 1000x over.  DF is also a predatory snake in the grass... who had no problem cheating/using others, for personal gains... where as David Adams just tried to use the money towards furthering reproduction efforts.  Theres a huge difference between the two.


--- End quote ---

Hi there,

Please don't take this as offensive. But that is the biggest crock of ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- I have ever heard. Anyone that has know RAM Controls and Daves ethics over the last 8 years will know he genuinely does scam people. He took me for around $1200USD about 5 years ago.

Dave is also a predatory snake in the grass. He has gone through this cycle a million times.

Please tell me how telling people the SW cockpits were READY is not predatory - even going so far as to take shipping money also? For the KLOV members from Australia and New Zealand?

And in regard to the monitors, please go and read all the RAM threads. A KLOV user bought the remaining NOS Amplifone tubes from Hawkeye, all bought and paid for and was waiting on getting them shipped. When Dave found out about this, he phoned HAWKEYE, pretended to be the guy, and then tried to make them ship them to his address!!! OUTRAGEOUS.

It seems you guys on this forum aren't really aware of them complete scams Dave has done, and I don't know you Xiaou2, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt, but posting what you posted is just so far off the mark it is unreal.

People like you posting this just adds to the cycle of people that will get ripped off from RAM in the future (If Dan doesn't turn out to be the honest guy he says he is) I hope it works out, but I still believe Dave has very real dealings with this company and I don't believe Dan is letting us know the entire picture.

Please find out the entire 8 year history of RAM and all the scams that have taken place before posting stuff like you did above. Because you are way way WAY off the mark.

Oliver

leapinlew:

--- Quote from: Alpha1 on June 24, 2011, 08:18:16 am ---I don't know you Xiaou2, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt, but posting what you posted is just so far off the mark it is unreal.

--- End quote ---

Theres your problem right there....

Alpha1:

--- Quote from: leapinlew on June 24, 2011, 08:25:21 am ---
--- Quote from: Alpha1 on June 24, 2011, 08:18:16 am ---I don't know you Xiaou2, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt, but posting what you posted is just so far off the mark it is unreal.

--- End quote ---

Theres your problem right there....

--- End quote ---

Go through KLOV, and you will see the Tube story yourself. You will also see the victims of the chip bulk deals, sw cockpit deals, parts that were never made but sold as shipping deals, the is my tracking number a real one deals, and all the other scams that affected us, the collectors. After to speaking to Dave on the phone multiple times, I honestly believe that he actually believes the lies he says. It's pretty sad, he's a classic conman. I almost feel sorry for him in a way.

I challenge anyone that doesn't really know the full story and the 8 year train wreck to read the ENTIRE victims stories at KLOV and on many other places like the Vector List before posting an opinion. The classic opinion is the one above 'Dave just started making too many things and he fell behind and isn't it all so bad, I feel sorry for him really' when in reality it is a far far far different story.

I may have 2 posts to my name on these forums (including this one) but i've been collecting for 14 years and am well known on all the other major collecting sites and I have personall history in dealings with Dave. I am not one that is making this up, I was affected, like many others were. Hell he owed his supposed friend/investor Dan 25 THOUSAND DOLLARS. Does that honest to God not ring alarm bells for people? Really? That's why people like Frizz put the lemmings picture on here. Heed the warnings and read the real stories by collectors that have been affected by this on KLOV.

Oliver

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