Hay guys ETO has the Impact battle unit on there web site listed for out in feb at a price of $59.95 me like it .

Thanks
Jimmy

OK, maybe I missed something and someone can tell me. I have seen a lot of hype for this unit, but to me it looks exactly like Tamiya's battle unit. It acts exactly like Tamiya's battle unit. Where is is magical powers that separate the two? What does it do different?

Well what ive read so far is its a compatable version of the TBU looks the same out side with diffrent parts inside but works on the same frequence as the TBU
sorry for the spelling not what im best at .

Thanks
Jimmy

What I'm saying is if it reduces fan shots, has better accuracy or does something different then the Tamiya unit. I would look into it, but if it is the same why buy a knock off when you can have the original.

It is listed for $10-$20 less then the TBU and they advertise a tighter IR beam. I do not know how that lower advertised price will be held as they ship to Western markets but we shall see.

Price on the etoarmour sight is the US retail price, as with all prices on the sight. 99% of etoarmour shipments world wide are from the USA warehouse.
The Impact BU was field tested in the hands of actual tankers under user conditions for the last 2 months. Tests were succesful on the units as delivered. Range is of course affected by weather and sunlight, but reports seem to indicate better accuracy on the emmitter and in optimum conditions somewhat enhanced range.
As for eliminating the fan shot, the Battle Unit has nothing to do with that, either emmitter or receiver. However, the fan shot is being addressed and may well be a thing of the past by late summer.

I know that the fan shot is caused by how long the emitter is on. When I video taped the tanks in a night battle you can see the emitter and how long it is on. As for accuracy changing the length of the emitter shield wouldn't that help. So basically there is no difference between the two units other than manufacture.

The emmitter looks the same but is different internally. Hence the difference in beam dispersion. Changing the installation of the emmitter can affect range, but the emmitter itself also affects range.
As stated, long and involved testing was done, not only lab tests but end user tests for 2 months. Results were excellent.
Difference is manufacturer and price.

Selection is always good. For the DIY guy there is the DBU for $15.00 that can be plugged into any Tamiya system, for even more options.

Have not had a DBU in my hand, but for most tankers I know, diy is not too favored when involving expensive computers, which is exactly what the DMD/TO is. Get one wire wrong, or one drop of solder in the wrong place, and you got a $400 paper weight. The Impact system is a plug and play system OTB, ready to roll in minutes, and each piece is factory inspected and tested for operation with a DMD before shipping. Of course, no one is forcing anyone to buy the Impact system. The announcement was for info of availability time frame and price.

Variety brings competition, increased value and ultimately better products for the consumer. Keep them coming!

I second James' comments if it wasn't for IMPACT, you guys would still be paying $150 for premium tracks.

Bob, good to see you're bringing this out next month. From all past accounts, it sounds like the system will be a great addition to the hobby.

Absolutely true. Some guys are not interested in DIY, but for those that are, a $15 alternative is available. Again more choice is always a good thing

I agree with YHR. DIY is what a lot of modelers want. Choice on what you want and how much to spend. I was a little disappointed to find out the Impact BU is just like the TBU. I was hoping for something different. Like a better looking more concealed unit. I know the it is said that the TBU is the most efficient design, but a lot of guys on the forum have proved you can hide them and they work just as well. If you are going to make a BU try to improve it not make the same. As for the premium tracks costing $150. Last I looked Impact tracks are $140 to $190 a set. So it looks like we still are paying.

well I like the price and the less on shipping from bob at eto ordering it from over sea and paying the shipping cost more then getting it from eto with hl ill use dbu system and now the ibu from impact for tamiya electronics ive built one of davids dbu's but rather buy them built now with cables included .

Thanks
Jimmy

Thanks, Chuck. Impact is really in R&D mode now. Other items will be acomin'! Lots of them.

My personal experience with this unit is that the IR emitter seems to have a longer ranger than the Tamiya one as I was told that the emitter used has a better focus thanthat of a tamiya one. But there is a down side to this, so far what I experienced is sort of a disadvantage to users of original tamiya BU, as those using IBUs then to have a better 45 deg range than the original. That means that lets say at a fixed distance, lets say 5meters, the TBU ir may not be able to hit a target at 45deg while the IBU's ir can.

Thus what happens is that at teh same range you got no defense while the other (IBU) has. I know someone from impact is sure going to rebuke my statement but that was what happened for the lat few battles we had with a tank equipped with a IBU. I have told the owner of the tank that there is a disadvantage to the rest of the club members and hopes that there will be some changes to this, else war gaming will not be much fun in future.

Oh and I forgot this, IBU ir has more range than the TBU's ir emitter. So if youbattle in excess of 30meters, those with IBUs are at a great advantage. Aside from that, its a cheaper form of the BU that is used with a tamiya MFU, most likely impact started production of these units becoz at one point, there was a orld shortage of TBUs.

IR emitters are sold with different dispersion beams, and if you want complete equality on the battlefield then everyone should have the same emitter. However the fact that IR emitters do indeed have different properties allows the ability for some planned difference in tanks. A Firefly with a tighter beamed emitter would have a longer range then a stock Sherman with a stock emitter. No one has gone down this road yet, but wouldn't it make sense to have different tanks with different cannon firepower. The trouble with the idea is that Tigers would become invincable out on the IR battlefield. In the real world they broke down lots and had to be destroyed by their own crews as much as they were taken out by the enemy. So now we have to add a coin flip in the game. Every tiger owner has to flip a coin every five minutes, heads his tiger keeps running, tails he has to take it out of the game.!!!!!!!!

Planedev, it's more tactics than anything else. A good shooter with either system can hit you at 20 meters or more. If the IBU has advantages over your TBS, then change your tactics, coordinate with your team mates, and don't give the advantage to the other side. To simply complain of a small advantage another tanker has in equipment is not effective in battle tactics. Evolve, find the solution. There is more than one. What if another tanker comes to the field with a really well dialed in tank, bearings in all wheels, perfect TU setup, and in general a top of the line tank. OK, if he comes, the advantage he would have is not to loose as much speed after hits as an out of the box tank. Is that not fair also?
And here's one way to make the battle systems look a little better. Before anyone screams, I am not going to get in an argument over the lowered apple. I have used them for years now, and it is just something cosmetic I do. And it's legal here. Doesn't look like the Eifel Tower sticking up from the hatch.

Nice zimmer there Robert on the KT what you use for it im thinking of trying a old gear out of a hl gear box to do it .

Thanks
Jimmy

Remember EL MOd has that realistic battle mod already and you can die with one shot or if you get hit on the right side just your right engine starts to get weaker if your hit in the turret area only the turret gets taken out! It would be really cool to get a bunch of EL MOD tanks on the field at the same time and have a battle in this mode!

The Blitz[sm=shades_smile.gif]

RCtankWars.com

I used just a piece of ordinary pocket comb. Simple and effective. I'm going to run a thread soon on zim.

I agree about the tactics needing to change, but if one has an advantage on one system, does that mean that everyone should get teh same system? If its a direct replacement or to suppliment the shortage of TBUs, why should it have better specs? Also in a officsal tamiya competition, one can still use a Impact emitter and get an advantage as one cannot distiguish the other by looking at it, thus is that even legal?

Lastly, unless the whole club is in agreement to allowing varying powered emitters, I feel that one should not chang his emitter justto get an advantage, in essence, to do anything for a win. In that case, I feel that that person is no longer having fun but is dying just to get a win. We in Singapore have a very competitive club that meets every 2 weeks for battle. We also had our 1st official tamiya competition where by somehow my buddy and me won ( I am sure my tactics are sound ).

I just feel that one should improve on skill more than rely on technological advantage to win. Of course, in future, when we get like 5 shermans is to 1 tiger on a battle fiel. I will not mind if we make it so that the tiger's emitter is more powerful than a sherman's, else war gaming will no longer be about fun, everyone will be thinking on (cheat) tactics to win.

As I said, increase your skill levels and practice always. Coordinate with your team mates, as the real tankers to. You almost never see one tank operatiing alone, but 2 or 3 in mutual support.A minor difference in equipment means nothing
As for cheating, here's a few I have seen. Scotch tape on the receiver mirror prism. "Accidental" paint overspray on the receiver behind the fins. Flat clear coat on the receiver behind the fins. Mirror prism turned 45 degrees from stock. Mirror prism removed. Talcum powder dusted on the inside of the receiver. Tanks sent thru speed inspection with the speed gain on the radio pulled all the way down to pass the speed test, then set to centre for actualt competition, ergo giving higher speed for the tank than allowed, and the coresponding higher speed after hits. Tanks registered as "heavy", to wit, 9 second shot interval, and then reset to "medium" for the competition, giving a 5 second interval when there opponent is mentally timing for 9 second. Masking tape residue "accidently" left on the receiver after painting. Modified turret rotation systems giving a lightening speed or same. Main tube elevation changed to over 45 degrees of elevation. And so on. Cheating is usually, but not always, an effort to make up for a lack of skill. Hence inspections before competitions.

Yes but with the IBU, the emitter is virtually identical to the TBU's one, so how does one tell if they are using a legal emitter for teh competition? Things like that are hard to regulate. Esp for an official tamiya competition, you will think that one needsto use only tamiya battle units?

The whole point I was trying to put across is that why put something that has an advantage in your tank in the 1st place when your man intention was fun. Its not like the said user did not have an original tamiya emitter, its just that he does not want to give up his advantage he had on others.

Anyway, I am not saying the the IBU is not good, coz it would seem that certain ppl are defending it esp when business is concerned. I am just stating my 1st hand experience fighting with such a system. When your 45 deg defense is 1 metre less than your opponent, I wonder what kind of tactics you can come up with when he plays the tango with you.