Would it really be such a bad thing to have some 'better' flashers available for those people who are unable or unwilling to build some themselves?
Maybe I'm missing the point here but I don't see where the extra harm to you guys (meaning: those who actually helped create the current layout) comes in when the modchip companies are copying the layouts too as we speak.
Don't get me wrong, singh007's (first) request sounded messed up to me too; but if he had designed the actual board layout himself I couldn't really see the problem. Sure, he is still using Darkstar's initial idea, cory's firmware and max's & sandungas' changes; but those have been openly and publicly posted, to be used (as is my understanding) as the base for our 'own' flashers.
Also something in me wonders if it'd be such a bad idea - considering more and more 'professionally built' flashers are being released and sold - for you guys (again meaning those who helped) to maybe take donations, at least from the 'professional' board makers, those who sell them.
I can't remember if it was in this very thread that someone called taking donations a stupid idea, I think it was, but maybe you should reconsider if mass production is really underway.
Else your ideas might get exploited (in a much bigger scale then until now) without you ever seeing a single cent for it.
1. 2 prominent distributors of Xbox mods are busy building cheap flashers, with their capabilities they will blow you out of the water in terms of price/quality/features and support.
price: do you really think so? I mean, the eBay flashers are <=30€, I can't imagine any professional modchip makers selling them for less. Also you could easily build and sell them for 20€ (or 10€ with no real profits).
quality: why? Of course the hand soldered breadboard flashers aren't the peak of quality, but etching equipment isn't that costly imho and with that you can easily make a 'hq' SMD version with those low ESR caps.
features: for example?
support: that might be a problem for a single individual but you can still just exchange broken flashers and repair them/look right here for info on what might be wrong.
Facts:
1. More than one person had troubles building and selling their flashers, so if you do not know what you are doing you will probably loose money on it.
2. I doubt the people developing this are going to like this, that way you will have to give support to "your" product, better start learning C for PIC
3. There's always someone who can make them cheaper than you.
1. No question, but 'knowing what you're doing' doesn't mean much but building functional flashers does it? The software is there, the layout and the parts are there and everything works.
2. You may very well be right on that one, but I can't help but think it had to be clear to everyone involved from the very beginning that if they build a functioning flasher and post that in public, at some point someone will (try to) commercialize it, simply because not everyone who wanted one was able to build one. Of course it's not fair to profit off other people's work, but I think you can't just ignore those people without the required soldering skills. Instead, why not profit off them like everyone else does? They don't mind, they just want their pre-built flashers.
The other thing is that I'm not sure how many more software releases there'll have to be for this particular device, everything seems to work great (if soldered together correctly) so the seller could - if he's an asshole - just continue using the old software.
3. No question.
I respect everyone involved a lot and am thankful for your work but, in short, don't see the problem when noobs get their (quality, hopefully) flashers too.
Here's the big surprise, I've been thinking about buying the rather cheap Reichelt etching equipment, not to make xbox flashers but for some other projects I'm planning.
Thing is of course that those other projects are all just in the 'idea' stages, plus I have a solid 1/2 week of EAGLE experience. So I was thinking about making some flashers too to get some of the ~600€ for the equipment back, but I'll can that idea and just buy that stuff when I have more money lying around as you guys are clearly against it.
But aren't there after all only 3 possible scenarios for how all this will play out?
1) don't take donations, don't allow flashers to be sold/discontinue development => current/old flashers with current/old software will be sold, unless you guys take the route through the lawyers; modchipmaker-flashers will be sold without profits for you guys; that's the current situation.
2) don't take donations, allow flashers to be sold => current flashers will be sold; modchipmaker-flashers will be sold without profits for you guys;
3) take donations/'license fees', allow flashers to be sold => current flashers will be sold and you guys make some money for your work and quality, features and support for pre-built flashers could be assured; modchipmaker-flashers will still be sold without profits for you guys;
I envy you if you are above the idea of money, but most are not.
And sorry for the TL;DR post.
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