gp100

Well,

Given the recommendation from Gary and others on an IBU2 board, I spoke with Ian on what I was looking for, and how each system worked..

Today, I pulled the trigger, and bought the IBU2 Pro, with an MK1 Metal version.. And an upgraded Version 6 Channel 2.4ghz Radio & Receiver with 20 Model Memory.


He was sold out of a wiring harness I need though for the Barrel recoil I have on my Taigen Tank.. So, I sent him an e-mail asking questions on that..

Will see what happens.. I really like the setup of this board.. Dual on-board user replaceable fuses.. Nice feature to protect everything.. This is important..

Ian is extremely helpful. Very courteous, and responds quickly to e-mails with answers to help find exactly what you need.

This aided in me buying what I needed, with no issues.. Great customer service is a huge deal to me.. I don't mind spending money if I know I'll get a more reliable tank out of it in the end..

Mike.

ShadowTheULF

Just parroting what I have read/heard as I am also new to hobby-grade electronics but it seems that replacing the stock IR battle system (apple and IR LED) with the Tamiya battle system is necessary; the stock setup apparently has reduced range and some trouble registering hits. Replacing should be as simple as pulling out the stock IR LED and removing the stock IR apple mounting point/cable and replacing with the parts from the Tamiya battle system. Don't forget to house the IR LED in a small piece of tubing to properly focus the IR beam during battle. Without the tubing the IR signal can fan out.

Congrats on taking the plunge!

gp100

Hi Shadow,

Thanks. I'm not going with the IR system though. When I bought my tank, I ordered it with the airsoft version. So, I don't have to worry about that for now.. However, I'll file this away for future reference in case I ever decide to go to an IR system..Good information to have. There are no clubs at all where I'm at.. And nobody in my area even does Tanks at all.. Shame really.. But the drone craze has caught on out here hot and heavy.. Since I only have one arm and hand that works, I cannot fly a drone..

However, I can run a tank easily with no issues.. So I figure I might as well put all my energy into making it the best tank I can..

I went with the Pro version because it gave me a few more options.. I could have gotten away with the basic radio, but figured the upgraded radio might come in handy someday.. And it might keep me from having to purchase another one in the future that does a bit more..

I've seen Youtube video's of the TARR Smoke unit.. And had to have the metal one.. I honestly don't care for the standard HL/Taigen smoke unit.. They don't seem very reliable at all in my opinion.. One of the issues I have seen with them, is the little rubber piece comes off the plastic piston really easy.. A drop of crazy glue in the hole of the rubber piece does help however.. But I knew there had to be a better alternative out there somewhere.. And the TARR units seem to have a solid reputation as being more reliable..

I was impressed with the design of the IBU boards.. They seem to be made of good quality parts.. Unlike some other stuff I've seen recently, that had numerous failures due to cheap components.. I work with electronics a lot as a side gig to keep myself busy.. And I can always tell crappy work.. I've seen numerous instances in almost everything where Chinese vendors try to fop off cheaper "knock-off" parts that look good, but aren't really what the companies pay for..

And it is very evident in the RC hobbies especially.. And while these parts may work.. They are not reliable in the long run.. They might be the wrong value, and will fail quickly due to the stress placed on them.. I've seen it all in the industry..

Foxconn capacitors also known as "cans" are the worst junk you can buy, or get in a product.. If you see one of these caps in your rc product, it's only a matter of time.. I tend to replace these with good quality cans.. I've seen many computer motherboards come through to me with Foxconn caps that blow.. I replace them with better quality, and the motherboard is back in service for several years..

Foxconn might very well be the biggest distributor of caps in the world.. But it's only because they are willing to do anything to fill an order.. But quality isn't one of them..

If you need a capacitor, almost anything Japanese is excellent quality.. Caps made by Japanese manufacturers are the safest and highest-quality choice. This is also why Japanese capacitors are always preferred. However, the price is higher for these cans, and availability in great quantities can be hard to find due to their popularity.. But like anything, you get what you pay for in electronics..

Here are some of the best you can buy.. The reliability of these parts is excellent..

Rubycon, Nichicon, Sanyo/Suncon, Panasonic, Hitachi.

Things used to be a lot easier with "through hole technology".. Now, in many cases, we have SMT. (Surface Mount Technology).

And SMT parts opens a whole new can of worms.. (pardon the pun) Mainly, that you need special equipment to diagnose or replace a part.. It isn't like the old days.. But technology marches on..

I'm sure there are folks here that dabble in this stuff.. And here's a nice article on how to spot some of the fakes out there..

Hopefully, this will help some of you to not get caught with junk parts when you buy replacements..

https://www.electronicproducts.com/P...omponents.aspx

ShadowTheULF

Whoops! I forgot that Taigen has a recoiling airsoft barrel for their Tiger 1 now. My mistake!

Enjoy the IBU2!

gp100

Hi Shadow,

No problem.. It's still good information to have.. I might very well decide to put an apple on this thing someday.. And I'll know that for the future.. Otherwise, I could have an issue.. So, thanks for the heads up.. There is no such thing as to much info..

Yup. I'm just waiting for my new setup from Ian.. This is gonna be good.. I'm also thinking that I might toss a couple of those speakers he has in the tank as well, and an RVC to finish it all.. But I need to see how much room is left in the Tiger 1 with the 6 cell NiMh battery.. They are pretty bulky, and take up some real estate in the tank..

Eventually, I will go the Lipo route.. But right now the batteries are new, and I have 4 of them at $32 a piece.. Kind of hard to swallow that kind of money.. So, I'll use them until they die, then convert over..

But, if there's enough room to get a way with it, I'll do some more upgrades.. I've seen some really great tank pictures here.. And it gives me ideas for the future..

gp100

Can't wait to get my new IBU system.

Seems to be held up in NY customs for the past few days according to tracking.. So I'm still waiting on my package from Ian, filled with IBU goodness and a Tarr unit.

Never did hear from or get the replacement V2 board from Taigen as I was told. So be it.

jarndice

Mike if you glue a strip of "VELCRO" to the inside wall of the Tanks Hull and do the same to the Battery you are then able to mount the Battery on its side and you save yourself a lot of room,
I make a practice of lining the floor of every Tank Hull with "VELCRO" and I do the same to all the fittings in the hull,
It means everything, Smoker, Control Board, Battery, and receiver is held securely and yet can be removed when ever you need too
.Shaun.

gp100

Hi jarndice,

Thanks for the tip. I'll do that. I just tried it, and you are right. It will fit with no issue. Seems to have plenty of room that way.

I was concerned that the IBU2 Pro board and the TARR MK1 might cause me an issue with that 6-cell battery.. But with your advice, it will no longer be an issue.

With the Taigen smoke unit out of the way, I can slide the battery further towards the back of the Tiger 1..

On a personal note, I got the news from my doctor today.. Soon, it will be time for me to consider Hospice care.. He said my bone cancer was "metastatic"..

I asked him what the hell does that mean? He said it meant the cancer was traveling.. Time is short.. He says less than a year.. But can't tell me anything more due to every patient is different.. Some live longer than others..

I have, Congestive heart failure. kidney failure, liver damage.. And of course Diabetes Type II now.. Even with Humolog insulin and Lantus long acting insulin, my blood sugars are almost 400..

They can't get it down.. That has damaged the kidneys, and I will go into renal failure before long.. Not much can be done at this time.. It is, what it is..

Now, I'm just waiting for my package.. I'm going to enjoy this tank for all it's worth..

For the record, Ian has been great.. He answered all my questions on this project.. And helped me make an informed decision.. I thank everybody that recommended him..

Mike.

P.S. Package moved from NY, to Boston MA. Now in NASHUA NH..

maillemaker

Hi Mike,

Sorry to hear about your health problems. Enjoy your tank!

Steve

phordman

did you get a ibu2 pro or ibu2 pro unlimited? I was told the ibu2 pro was discontinued and replaced with the unlimited when I was having warranty issues and 1 of my pro's was replaced with an ultimate.

MAUS45

Mike, Sorry to hear about your health. I hope you prove the doctors wrong. Enjoy this hobby!!! Will be praying for you to be able to endure what is ahead.

gp100

Hi phordman,

I think it was just the Pro version.. Ian sent me an e-mail with 2 options for the board.. He said the Pro was more for custom tanks, and it would allow me to put the tank on/off on a switch on the remote, rather than the stick.. He gave me a link to click on if I wanted to order the different versions..

This was the link in my e-mail to click on.. Not sure what version it is.. Ultimate or just Pro..

https://www.rctankelectronics.com/st...nted_case.html

You people know more about this board than I do. So, you might know which version it is.. Perhaps it is an ultimate then? I honestly don't have a clue since I've never seen one of these boards.. But you guys on the board use these things so much, you can probably tell me what it is in your sleep.. I have just one tank.. But from what I hear, many of you have multiple tanks.

ShadowTheULF

Looks like the IBU2 Pro.

Be sure to reach out to Ian if you have any issues. I just put a pair of IBU2Us into my Taigen tanks and made several dumb mistakes that Ian quickly deduced and helped me fix.

gp100

Oh believe me, I will reach out to Ian if I have any issues.. I figure he'll know more than I do at this point about it.. I wonder if the Pro version has been brought back? I know one of you said it was discontinued?

When Ian sent me the e-mail. There were only 2 links for the board.. One was for the IBU2 Base, and then the IBU2 Pro.. I wanted the better board because it gave me the option to put some user sounds on a switch on the radio. And to put the startup on a switch.

Had Ian recommended the IBU3, I would have bought that one.. But he didn't include it in the links in the e-mail.. So I figured it didn't apply to my tank. I figured I had the 2 choices. And chose the best of the 2 options.

This was the radio Ian said would be the best fit for my needs and what I wanted.. So I went with it, given that Ian knows the equipment, and how it will interact with the boards.

https://www.rctankelectronics.com/st...l_Memory_.html

And of course, the TARR Smoker came in either the plastic or metal version.. I felt the metal version would be more durable, so ordered that one.

Ian set everything up for me, so all I have to do is install it, and go.. He set all the controls and everything. I thought that was very nice of him to do..

So, what do you guys think? Is there anything I need to know about these boards or radio? And any future upgrade ideas?

Also, was there a reason they discontinued the Pro version? I went on the site, and cannot find it in the lineup..

All I see is the IBU2U Base, and the IBU2U Full Option, or the IBU3..

But the one that Ian sent me a link to isn't there for some reason..

borealis

The evolution of the IBU full option boards went through the IBU2 normal/pro product line, then the IBU3, then again the IBU2 was improved using the technology developed for the IBU3, giving birth to the IBU2U family.

gp100

I was hoping to prove the doctors wrong.. But the truth is, I'm feeling it more and more as time goes on.. I did the whole Chemo and radiation thing.. And it slowed it down, but apparently didn't stop it..

I'm 50 years old.. Had a rough life.. Crappy childhood, but managed to make a decent living as a stunt man and an actor over the years.. I guess I really can't complain.. Except, I never had any kids..

Bone Cancer is a hard way to go.. The pain is horrible.. It feels like a damned mouse inside of you chewing on you.. They can give you pain drugs.. But even that just barely takes the edge off after a while.. Not much they can do at the end..

Most days now, I sleep a lot.. But do try to have some fun here and there.. Can't go out anymore.. Stuck at home.. I live most of the time in a wheelchair..

So I have a few things I enjoy. my laptop and my tank.. And of course I enjoy watching my DVD collection.. I have almost 3,000 movies. So it's not like I'm lacking for entertainment in TV.. I get by..

What really pisses me off, is I used to fly planes and helicopters.. But my right arm doesn't function anymore.. So, can't work the sticks anymore.. But a tank is easy since you can control the movements with one stick.. So at least I can still enjoy something that is RC..

can't wait till the package gets here.. Ian told me in e-mail that yes. I do have the pro version.. But that the sellers and manufacturer still support it warranty wise if anything goes wrong.. I'm not worried. He says the pro version is a good board. I am excited to have my tank upgraded.. I might as well enjoy it and get good use out of it.

Rad_Schuhart

Oh god, gp100, I dont know what to say... You are really young, so I hope you are stronger than all the ilnesses you are having, and to keep tanking for decades.

gp100

Hi Rad,

Yep. I'm young by age number.. But my body looks like a much older man.. I put my body through a lot over the years.. I became a stunt man at age 17. But didn't do my first movie until 18.. Been doing it ever since.. My first real movie was "Dances With Wolves".. I've been known for my work in the Star Trek franchise mostly..

I've been a Klingon, a Romulan, a Borg, And several other characters.. Starting in Star Trek the Next Generation.. I've been in Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and even Enterprise.. I used to be a big hit at the comic cons.. I also was in all ten seasons of Stargate SG-1.. I was a Jaffa Warrior.. And occasionally did the voice of Anubis when the original actor couldn't do it due to not being there..

I can still do the deep voice..

I've done over 180 films in my career.. I was a stunt driver in the fast and the furious franchise as well..

Now, I'm stuck in a stupid wheelchair.. How degrading... I never thought this would happen to me.. I live a pretty solitary life nowadays.. I have a caregiver that lives with me and helps take care or me because I can no longer live alone.. I won't go into a nursing home, so this was a better option.. I'm not ready for hospice yet I told them.. But know that it's only a matter of time.. my beloved wife of ten years died in 2012 of a heart attack. She was 65 when she passed.. I miss her deeply.. So, I'm okay with this I guess.. I'll be buried next to her when the time comes.. She was a damn good woman.. And it destroyed me emotionally when she died.. She put up with my job, and never complained when we had to travel all over the world.. She always worried about me getting killed on a movie set, but put up with it..

Hopefully, I have some time left to enjoy life a bit more.. But it's the quality, not the quantity.. Once the quality of life is gone, it isn't worth it anymore..

I've had friends that have asked me if I needed anything, But I always say no.. I don't want anything from anybody.. I'm doing alright.. But I admit, I'm a bit lonely at times.. There really isn't much I can do anymore.. I can't get out of the house.. And to my knowledge, there is nobody in Pocatello Idaho that does tanks.. We don't have much here.. So the internet is my window to the world.. I enjoy talking to good people on boards like this.. Gives me something to do..

Speaking about boards, my brand new IBU2 board should be here tomorrow. It's in Salt Lake City Utah right now.. So, should be delivered tomorrow!

It will be nice to have my tank upgraded the way I want it.. I'm looking forward to this..

If there is one thing I can tell you guys, it's this.. Live your life as if every day is your last.. Find the joy in your life.. Live life to the fullest and enjoy it.. Life is short.. Don't waste it my friends.. Even though you might be busy at times with other things going on, stick your head up once in a while and look around.. It's life, and you can miss it if you don't pay attention from time to time..

maillemaker

Wow, what an interesting life story you have! Pretty cool to be involved in all those shows. I always loved Star Trek.

Steve

gp100

Hey, just out of curiosity.. I have a question on the IBU2 Pro.. I was watching a youtube video of the ultimate board.. And it was talking to the person telling them to push the stick for the direction he wanted to go in, while he was programming it..

Will my pro version do that to if I need to program it for another radio or adjust the controls?

gp100

Hi maillemaker,

Thank you.. It was an okay life overall.. I had some rough times in life.. But I made a living at stunt work.. I never got rich off of it.. But I was a homeless kid who grew up living on the streets of New York City.. My parents didn't want me.. They threw me out at the age of 10.. I hitch hiked across the country as a teenager, and wound up in California.. Where I met a man who saw something in me worth saving, and decided to take me into his life and give me a second chance..

If it wasn't for him, I would have died a homeless kid.. He was a stunt man himself.. He taught me how to survive, and taught me the business of stunt work..

I've been doing it ever since..

I've been writing a book about my life. And I'm not finished with it yet.. But there has been a lot of rough spots in my life over the years.. But we all have hard times in life..

I had the most fun working on Star Trek over the years.. And the fans have always been great.. The fans are what made Star Trek so much fun to work with.. The dedication of the fans makes all the hard work and makeup worth it.. Of all the costumes I ever had to wear, the Borg costumes were the worst..

They were hot, and cumbersome.. And weighed a lot.. But it was fun.. The most enjoyable character I ever played was Klingon.. I love the Klingon costumes.. And I still have the knife I used in an episode.. I keep it as a memento..

Well, gotta run.. Just got my package from Ian.. Have to install my new IBU in my tank. Be Back Later..

MAUS45

Great to hear your enthusiasm for the R/C Tank you are working on. Hope it brings you pleasure as long as possible!!!

gp100

Well,

Got my package full of goodness today from Ian.. Ripped open the box wrapping like a kid on Christmas morning!

Ripped the guts out of the Tiger 1, and installed the IBU2 Pro and all wires to the turret and recoil system...

Everything is running EXACTLY as it should be.. One minor issue is the tank is pulling to the right a bit.. Tried to adjust the trim under the stick, but doesn't seem to help much.. I'm wondering if it's the sub trim in the menu functions?

TARR smoke unit works excellent.. I am extremely pleased with this setup.. But admit, there isn't much room for the 6-cell NiMh battery.. Might change this setup eventually to a smaller Lipo setup..

Will have to go into .ini settings to adjust the airsoft firing mechanism.. As I have to fire 2 or 3 times before the BB fires.. Setting is 500 standard.. Will try 1500-1700 and see if this fixes issue.. (it should.)

So far, I'm loving the IBU2 Pro.. This is hands down a better system than the stock electronics.. Radio and receiver are solid. No issues at all.. Nice radio the FS-i6..

Feels good in the hand.. Not bulky at all.. Fits like a molded glove.. Easy to operate..

Sound system, not bad.. Pretty darn good in my opinion.. Could be better in some ways, but not bad really.. Machine gun could be louder.. Will see if I can adjust that..

If I can only fix that stupid trim, it'll be cherry.. Doesn't do it in reverse, only forward operation..

Suggestions are appreciated guys.

IAN ROCKS!!!

First time in a year, I actually have a smile on my face.. But this did it..

maillemaker

I am going to order an IBU2U and Tarr smoker myself!

Steve

ShadowTheULF

I'm having this issue with my Tiger 1 and Jagdtiger running IBU2U boards and Taigen V2 gearboxes. They tend to be fine until I hit max throttle, after which one motor slightly outperforms the other and the trim issue arises. I adjusted subtrim on my Turnigy i6 with no success and Ian suggested playing with the max speed settings in the .ini file (not sure if the IBU2 uses such a thing) but I could not find a good balance. Hopefully you are more successful in your tinkering!

Glad to hear it!