#4893406
Hey all!

I've got a BenofKent Props pack kit on order and I'm now looking to finally narrow down which electronics kits to use. While I may be an avionics repair tech, I'm no engineer so I'm going with an electronics kit rather than a DIY - why re-invent the wheel, right? I've done some research and have condensed it into the four main suppliers/makers/vendors that I can find.

I'll list the contents of what they offer compared to a list of "everything" one would need, the total price and try to do a bit of a pros-and-cons of each. Hopefully this summary will help others looking to do the same and offer those who own these kits already to voice their experiences. Also, if I've made any errors, I'm happy to be corrected.

GBFans.com/shop/:
-wand kit
-pack lighting
-soundboard
-ribbon cables (x2)
-speaker
-battery
Total: ~$260 USD
Pros: This is pretty much everything you need. All of the contacts seem to be screw contacts or ribbon cables which means there should be no soldering. There's also an aux line in for mp3 players or, like I'm hoping to do, a proton pistol.
Cons: Can't really see any other than the 100-day lead time on the circuit cards. I would imagine that since they're relatively rarely purchased, having them on-hand might not make sense and thus, special order would be the way to go. I just find it a bit disconcerting to have to wait nearly 3 months.

HeavyProps electronics:
I think I'll let the creator's post speak for itself. Cole's (or Cliffe) Notes though:
-pack lighting
-wand lighting
-switches, wires etc
-soundboard
Total: $160 USD (I think)
Pros: The least expensive of any kit I've found so far.
Cons: It seems to be lacking an aux line-in. Also, his sale page seems to indicate different prices for the bundle in different places. Also, speaker and battery seem sold separately.

Rabid Prototypes:
Their website pretty much speaks for itself, but...
-pack light
-wand light
-sound cards
-wires/switches
Total: $265 USD
Pros: All of the wiring seems super simple to connect. It also has a vibration device for the wand and also has a few extra music-related lighting modes that make the pack a bit more fun than just functional.
Cons: Again, battery and speaker sold separately.

Hyperdyne Labs:
Check their website for full details, but essentially...
-all-in-on control card
Cost $325
Pros: It's a small, all-in-one card which runs on 9V instead of the typical 12V.
Cons: It could be their website, but it seems unclear as to whether or not it comes with all of the additional lighting and wiring other than the wand's bar-graph. It also seems to be missing many of the "standard" features of the above kits, namely the 8 different firing sounds from GB:TVG and the theme song, along with TVG's overheat/reset feature. Like the other two, battery and speaker sold separately.

***PLEASE NOTE: Prices/features are obviously subject to change and this article likely won't reflect those changes. Also, shipping costs are not included. I'm also waiting to get some clarification from one or two of the non-GBfans suppliers.***

So to sum up:
-For one-stop-shop, GBFans is definitely the place to go if you're in the US of A. As I understand it from the battery's order page, Li-ion batteries cannot be exported from the States so shoppers from outside the States will have to source a battery more locally.
-HeavyProps seems the best bang-for-your-buck considering the kit has all the "standard" features. The only drawback for me is the potential lack of aux line-in.
-Rabid's music and party modes are kinda cool, but seem more gimmicky than useful; though I will say their vibration device is a nice touch and I appreciate the seemingly plug-and-play nature of their kit.
-Hyperdyne's offering, to me, is overpriced and without a clear, concise, "here's exactly what you get in the kit", I'm inclined to stay away.

Did I miss any major suppliers? Did I get anything wrong? What kit did you go with? What have your experiences with these kits or another kit been?
Last edited by Kingpin on May 13th, 2017, 7:42 am, edited 1 time in total.Reason: Fixed coding
Zuul7390, mike_waclo liked this
#4893451
My experience with Heavy Props has been mixed. Nothing against Crix but there doesn't seem to be a reliable set of instructions available. I ordered a set for my wife's pack and we made the decision to go with a GBfans setup instead after we couldn't get the Heavy Props set figured out. And I was working on it with an electronics engineer.
To Crix's credit, his resin pieces are beyond amazing!
Chris Brewin liked this
#4893477
I have used the GBFans kit in multiple builds and cannot recommend them enough. Super easy and feature rich. IMO, it's worth the wait time.
Chris Brewin liked this

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