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Where to find electronic experts

fayt

Sep 4, 2012
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Can anyone help me find the best place to go to find electronic experts who can build a system? I am inventing a new DVD system and need to find someone who can do the machine building side of it.

Thanks
 

GreenGiant

Feb 9, 2012
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Can anyone help me find the best place to go to find electronic experts who can build a system? I am inventing a new DVD system and need to find someone who can do the machine building side of it.

Thanks

First off where are you located?

What do you mean "new DVD system"?

Machine building? (like machine the board?)
 

fayt

Sep 4, 2012
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Located in Charlottesville, VA.

I mean like those DVD Transfer machines, where you can put in a VHS tape and burn it to a DVD. I'd like to build a brand new one of those, completely unique than the rest to use as a prototype model.
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
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What kind of budget do you have? Because unless you have 5 or possibly 6 figures in the bank budgeted for this, you might be in for a real eye opener when you get a legit quote for a one off, custom designed build from a prototype manufacturer or product design house...
 

fayt

Sep 4, 2012
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Well I wanted to find a partner and the prototype would be the model for the market. I plan on selling hundreds of them.
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
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Well I wanted to find a partner and the prototype would be the model for the market. I plan on selling hundreds of them.

Irregardless someone has to front the money to have the prototype made... I doubt you will find many 'partners' that are going to assume all financial liability... Product design firms and prototype manufacturing companies or individuals are in the business of getting paid for a service, not financing everyone's dreams while working for free...

Point two, selling 100s is NOT a lucrative number, that firmly still puts you in a low prototype manufacturing level... You won't benefit from any price breaks or volume discounts at that level, in fact you will be subject to huge tooling and upfront production cost as it's still very much considered a small guy hobbyist prototype run... This is going to drive your out of pocket cost through the roof, all the while you are trying to recuperate lets say $50,000 in R&D into what 200 units? That is a $250 R&D tax on each unit just to break even, over and above the cost to actually build the units... To speculate that these are going to exceed $1000 per unit out of pocket cost isn't far fetched...

I have no idea what kind of market you are aiming for or think there is, but I can get a self-contained VHS to DVD dubber on Amazon.com for under $200... Or I can hook up a VHS player to my computer (most all have DVD burners nowadays., with OEM video editing software) with a USB capture device for about $7, and I'm on my way to transferring the VHS to DVD for about $7... Or I can spend $50 and get the USB capture device and a complete video editing bundle in a fancy box from Amazon.com...

IMO you are better off just using over the counter parts and assembling a 'rack' system, using a small PC and an over the counter VHS player and writing your proprieatry software that does your claimed "completely unique" things, that I highly suspect are not real unique it the end when I know what high end video editing software is capable of in the right hands...

Not trying to burst your bubble but have you ever taken a complex product from design to production at the retail level? Have you written out a good (as in honest) business plan and explored an honest marketing model?

IMO a vast majority of the VHS to digital or DVD boats sailed about 10 years ago, the market isn't there any longer...
 

fayt

Sep 4, 2012
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You do have a point and some good information. These units would be expensive and mainly only sold to video editors. What do you think about me creating a realistic 3D model of it and showing it to investors?
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
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You do have a point and some good information. These units would be expensive and mainly only sold to video editors. What do you think about me creating a realistic 3D model of it and showing it to investors?

I think any computer savvy teenager can whip up a pretty 3D model, and only an idiot investor would invest in a project based on a pretty 3D model...

As I have stated above, write up a detailed and honest business plan and marketing model plan... That is what an investor is going to asked for first, but I doubt you will find many tossing you money without a working model...

These units would be expensive and mainly only sold to video editors.

Professional video editors use dedicated computers for video editing, running Avid or Final Cut, this has been the industry standard for many years and I doubt you will sway any of them away from those extremely powerful combinations...
 

fayt

Sep 4, 2012
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This is a tape convertor, which most all video editing companies use such as converting a VHS to DVD for instance. So it's not video editing software or anything.

I am sure some investors are going to be interested having a business plan and 3D model. Not all are waiting on a 100 page script and working model, many will invest into businesses or products to create the first models. Just have to seek those kind.

Well thanks anyways.
 

GreenGiant

Feb 9, 2012
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Your idea is sound, no one is questioning that its just you are trying to reinvent the wheel here

There are HUNDREDS of video converters out there, from VHS to DVD, VHS to PC via Serial/USB/eSATA/Firewire etc, the limiting factor with them these days is the quality of the tape, other than that they are pretty much perfected, as CocaCola said you are about 10 years too late with this technology

We aren't trying to dissuade you from your hopes/dreams we just dont want you to be disappointed when it (probably) doesn't get off the ground
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
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This is a tape convertor, which most all video editing companies use such as converting a VHS to DVD for instance. So it's not video editing software or anything.

Correction, "which most all video editing companies" used 10+ years ago... Very few 'professionals' (or even amateurs) use these self contained units now, it's all done with computers now even at the DIY consumer level... The video is captured, edited down and a full featured DVD with titles, menus, chapters and other bling is authored to be burnt all on your computer that came with the DVD burner and bundled editing software, the only thing not provided was the $7 USB capture device...

Any professional in 2012 is going to want post editing software without it any transfer is going to look 'amateur' to say the least, more so like it was a bootleg dubbed by a kid in a garage in 1990, using two VCRs, hitting stop, pause, play and record...

The question you have to asked yourself is WHY are they going to purchase your device instead of one of hundreds of already existing cheap options on the market? Like the $7 USB capture device they can use with an existing computer?

You say you have features that are unique, as GG stated, the art of these transfers is already perfected I highly doubt you are bringing anythign new to the game that will make your product stand out and become the hot item in the very limited market...
 
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BobK

Jan 5, 2010
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And if you actually have a viable "value added" feature, it would be better to do this with software rather than creating a whole new hardware platform.

Bob
 

fayt

Sep 4, 2012
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GreenGiant,

I know it sounds typical but I really don't want to explain the entire thing on a public forum.
I've searched online and haven't found a system like this yet. It's a brand new concept and would have new technology.

If I decide to continue to pursue this, I will be sure to have all of my bases covered and make sure there is a market for it first.
 
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