Crist=F3v=E3o Dalla Costa wrote:
> On 3/6/07, Bob Axtell <engineer@neomailbox.com> wrote:
>   =

>>     =

>>> So maybe there's a US$ 100k/year market for these things which works out
>>>       =

>> at
>>     =

>>> a mere 500 units per year and that sounds pretty easy to sell. However I
>>> can't see how you would reach that market without spending a significant
>>> portion of that revenue in advertising. Google ads might do for 50
>>> units/year, for the remaining 450 what would you do?
>>>
>>>       =

>> The market is primarily with field service engineers. These guys drag
>> around enough stuff, and want a CERTAIN,
>> RELIABLE way of upgrading products. Are you saying they would like
>> dragging around an ICD2, MPLAB, and
>> a laptop, when a 4"x2" programmer with an SD card would do perfectly?
>> Frankly, the ICD2 is too unreliable to be
>> used as a field service tool; it takes too long to get it moving in the
>> right direction, like an old steam engine locomotive.
>>     =

>
>
> Only a couple of years ago, updates consisted of replacement chips;
>   =

>> first UV PROMS, then UV uPs, now flash
>> uP's. MOST are now interfaced by some ICSP scheme. PICs are no different.
>>
>> The other application is on the production floor. The engineering
>> department releases the updated firmware for the
>> whatsit which is almost ready to be boxed up and shipped. The updated
>> firmware goes into the bottom of the
>> production programmer each morning. The programmer charged at its holder
>> all night, and its LiIon or NiMH
>> battery pack is topped off. The QC engineer notes which product needs
>> final updates, dials it in, plugs in a tiny ICSP
>> plug, and updates are done in a few seconds; NOT just the program
>> section, but ALL of it; the config bits as well.
>>     =

>
>
> You're entirely right here. BUT you still need to convince at least 200
> customers to buy 2-3 of your units. And that's HARD work .
>
> Let's look at bootloaders for a second. I've written several, how about
>   =

>> you? The customer dials up your website and
>> gets the  "latest firmware" release to be installed. He points to the
>> link, and in a few minutes, the new firmware is installed.
>> Here are the pitfalls with bootloaders:
>>
>>     =

>
> Again you're right about bootloaders. But honestly I=B4m not sure how the
> field programmer competes with them. If my customer 500 km away needs a
> firmware update do I put the programmer in the overnight mail?
>
> I think it's a neat idea and it could work. But its a niche product IMO,
> which means that for it to actually make money you'll have to be VERY cle=
ver
> about selling it to the right people without spending a ton of cash on
> advertising or becoming a full time salesman.
>   =

Yes. Some advertising will have to be directed to field service and test =

floor management.

--Bob
-- =

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