No point in reverse engineering one- it'd be more work than to just learn how to do it from scratch. Just learn the basics of PPM radio system and build one of those. From my understanding it is almost as simple as you can get for RF. If you are trying to save money, then no need to go PCM or spread spectrum or anything like that.
http://www.omegaco.demon.co.uk/mectnpdf/mectn004.pdf

Is the radio supposed to be $35? Or is the whole rock crawler+radio supposed to be $35? Because you probably could get the radio to be $35 to produce, but I doubt you could get the whole kit to be that much.

But can you beat this one?
Hobbycity Online R/C Hobby Store : Hobby King 2.4Ghz 4Ch Tx & Rx (Mode 1) $29.99)

It's not hard to replace the MCU if you know where all the pins go- but you don't know where all the pins go and chances are you won't be able to find out on their multi-layer board without schematics even if you had the board in front of you. Also...don't forget you have to do the same thing with the receiver. You'd have to reverse engineer both. Not worth it especially since you are trying to go for cost, and those guys are usually more feature oriented. You'd have to slice through a lot of the fat to find what you want.

You don't seem to have the proper knowledge to design your own radio system, let alone reverse engineer it (which is harder and more frustrating). You're going to have to learn the material or hire someone who knows it, and in both cases once you know what's going on it would be easier to just design it from scratch.

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

I guess you are pointing out that the cost of reverse engineering would be exorbitant.


It will be impossible to even think of manufacturing the product at $35. The only way to solve this problem is that I manufacture the radio inhouse.

what about the cost of getting type approval?

Here in the UK, the cottage industry was killed off becuase of government red tape and having to meet all kinds of approval/certification.

Looking ahead, if you plan to export, again you will need to meet certain standards...

So have you considered all of this as part of your business plan?

Assuming you have one.....

Originally Posted by dknguyen

No point in reverse engineering one- it'd be more work than to just learn how to do it from scratch. Just learn the basics of PPM radio system and build one of those. From my understanding it is almost as simple as you can get for RF. If you are trying to save money, then no need to go PCM or spread spectrum or anything like that.
http://www.omegaco.demon.co.uk/mectnpdf/mectn004.pdf

Is the radio supposed to be $35? Or is the whole rock crawler+radio supposed to be $35? Because you probably could get the radio to be $35 to produce, but I doubt you could get the whole kit to be that much.

But can you beat this one?
Hobbycity Online R/C Hobby Store : Hobby King 2.4Ghz 4Ch Tx & Rx (Mode 1) $29.99)

It's not hard to replace the MCU if you know where all the pins go- but you don't know where all the pins go and chances are you won't be able to find out on their multi-layer board without schematics even if you had the board in front of you. Also...don't forget you have to do the same thing with the receiver. You'd have to reverse engineer both. Not worth it especially since you are trying to go for cost, and those guys are usually more feature oriented. You'd have to slice through a lot of the fat to find what you want.

You don't seem to have the proper knowledge to design your own radio system, let alone reverse engineer it (which is harder and more frustrating). You're going to have to learn the material or hire someone who knows it, and in both cases once you know what's going on it would be easier to just design it from scratch.

I agree to you & all others that reverse engineering a radio has no point.
Thanks for the pdf, I will go through it.

The whole rock crawler , that means rock crawler + radio = $35. I know if I have the design for the radio, then I will be able to get it manufactured very cheap & hence achieve the target price of the product.

That doesn't seem likely to me, where do you get that information from? If the discrepency is really that high then you have a chance, but the profit margins I've seen rarely exceed 40% in the most profitable of manufacturing industries.

If you know, the worlds cheapest car The TATA NANO is manufatured by the TATA group . The price for the NANO is $2000 +taxes extra. Its a four seater & the body is complete metal.

the radio I am sure I will be able to manufacture it cheap if I suceed with the design.

Originally Posted by Chippie

what about the cost of getting type approval?

Here in the UK, the cottage industry was killed off becuase of government red tape and having to meet all kinds of approval/certification.

Looking ahead, if you plan to export, again you will need to meet certain standards...

So have you considered all of this as part of your business plan?

Assuming you have one.....

Its an Important point you have noted.

Since at this point the whole picture is yet to be cleared, I cannot jump onto conclusions unless I have the process freezed. It is definately possible to keep up to the standards & give economical price if the manufacturer is ready to make a bit less profit otherwise.

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

I guess you are pointing out that the cost of reverse engineering would be exorbitant.

I wish to start my own toy manufacturing company. I want to manufacture toys that have technology & are affordable to everyone. I plan to manufacture a 2.2 RC Rock crawler which will retail for $35 here & a bit more abroad. Since I am from a manufacturing base as India & based on my industrial experience, I know it is possible.

Mostly all the RC toys that are imported here are very highly priced. The middle class people hardly think of purchasing them. I very well know that the current toy manufacturers here make huge profits & are hardly eager to put in effort to change the situation to bring a smile on the face of a less fortunate child.

People...I'm really new here. But if I see a post where someone ask where to dowload the latest Microsoft Windows or Batman movie I think banination would be fast to come...

Reverse engineering commercial product to make them cheaper in sweatshops in india all in the doubtfull but 'warm'n'fuzzy' intent to bring smile to less fortunate child (is it by the toy or by the salary from the sweatshop ?) Is not exactly legal in my book. That's even stranger since the RC field is quite old now and you can find or if you'r a little smart design by yourself an RC set.
And of course to keep it classy the poster don't forget to critic the profit made by the original manufacturer. Who by the way spend also some money on the R&D instead of trying to steal another company design.

CDMA phone for 0.5 cents... yeah... sure... It don't even cover the Qualcomm license fee...

Originally Posted by Coligny

People...I'm really new here. But if I see a post where someone ask where to dowload the latest Microsoft Windows or Batman movie I think banination would be fast to come...

Reverse engineering commercial product to make them cheaper in sweatshops in india all in the doubtfull but 'warm'n'fuzzy' intent to bring smile to less fortunate child (is it by the toy or by the salary from the sweatshop ?) Is not exactly legal in my book. That's even stranger since the RC field is quite old now and you can find or if you'r a little smart design by yourself an RC set.
And of course to keep it classy the poster don't forget to critic the profit made by the original manufacturer. Who by the way spend also some money on the R&D instead of trying to steal another company design.

CDMA phone for 0.5 cents... yeah... sure... It don't even cover the Qualcomm license fee...

I am not intending to steal other companies designs. I know its unethical & illegal.

As I stroll thu the endless shelves of toys at WalMart, most of which use technology in them somehow, I come to the remote control devices shelves. They have fully proportional remote control EVERYTHING...cars, boats, UFOs, planes, subs, tanks, spiders, helecopters...etc etc...and the most expensive one is around $29.00.
MOST average arounnd $15.00, and the none-proportional rc cars (push button to turn left) are around $6.00.
How do they do it???!!!...they sell MILLIONS of each of these WORLD WIDE.
So how exactly do you plan to beat this market?...it would seem as though inexpensive remote-control for the masses has already been covered.
Reverse-engineering the electonics seems to be the LEAST of your problems compaired to designing,engineering, prototyping, moulds, manufacturing,boxes, advertising,and most importantly DISTRIBUTING!
Not to kill off a dream....but lets get serious mate.