[LukeZ]

Source files for a new revision of the Scout ESC have been posted to the Downloads page. The only change is replacing the now-obsolete VNH2SP30 motor driver chips with their new versions the VNH5019. For more information see this thread.

[LukeZ]

Good news, Taigen has just released their first sound card for individual sale: TAG 120750 - PzIII/PzIV Sound Card

More should be following soon. These are small, inexpensive sound cards that are fully compatible with the TCB, after you make an adapter cable. The instructions can be found HERE.

The cable is not difficult to make if you are able to solder. In addition to the cable that is included with the Taigen sound card, you will need a standard servo cable. The TCB already includes three servo cables intended to be used with a Benedini sound card, so you can just use one of those. You have to splice the Taigen cable to the servo cable as shown in the instructions (picture attached below as well). The +5v signal from the TCB (middle pin on the servo connector) will actually need to be attached to two pins on the Taigen card. If you are familiar with soldering and splicing wires with a bit of heatshrink, the job will take you all of five minutes.

NOTE: The wire colors shown in the diagram will not match the wire colors of the cables you receive. Just be sure you connect them in the correct order and ignore the colors. The colors in the diagram are traditional colors for representing the purpose of each wire (ground, power, signal) but the colors that are used in China make no sense!

[LukeZ]

Problems with faulty hardware on TCB boards from Hobby King from 2017 seem to be resolved. We have not received reports of any issues with boards sold in 2018, and the majority of those who received faulty boards in 2017 were ultimately issued refunds if they went through the process.

[LukeZ]

February 5, 2019

Hobby King has informed us they are discontinuing the TCB as it did not sell as well as they had hoped. This means that as of now there is no way to purchase any Open Panzer product, and for the time being the project is essentially in stasis. Of course we will continue to support those who already purchased TCBs.

The TCB was for sale from roughly the summer of 2017 through November of 2018, however for most of 2017 sales were suspended due to mistakes made by the Hobby King production facility. In total we can say that product was available to purchase for a solid 12 months anyway. During that time approximately 500 TCBs were sold. This is a small number for a large company like Hobby King but for a small open-source operation, selling into one of the smallest market segments in the entire RC industry, it feels like a respectable success.

I am thankful for the enthusiasm of community members, and all the great ideas they submitted, many of which were adopted and made the TCB a much better design.

If we are able to resume production through some other means in the future, of the TCB or any of our other products, it will be announced here.

[LukeZ]

August 9, 2024

Torro, the well-known RC tank company in Germany, has taken it upon themselves to produce the TCB. You can purchase the board from their online shop, and they ship worldwide.

See the product page here: Open Panzer TCB at torro-shop.de