SkullTroniX (tm) Support

TWProductions · Joined: 05 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

I finally got all my software issues worked out and had been working on programming the jaw to fit the audio of my routine when all of the sudden my jaw stopped moving. I unplugged it and let it sit for awhile and when I tried it again it quivered a few times, moved down a little over halfway, then froze up again. Since then I haven't been able to get it to move at all using my own routine or any of the pre programmed once we got when we bought it. I've reset the skull several times and reset my entec usb interface. I'm all out of ideas, I really really hope no servos are damaged because we still haven't used him more than a handful of times since we bought him in 2008. The time I spent programming him today was more than all the other action he's had combined. So I doubt the servo is burned out. Any troubleshooting ideas would be great!

SkullTroniX · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:01 am Post subject:

Do you have the Magic Motion system? If so, you may have not turned on the jaw in your routine.

If you don't have the MM system installed then check your version number. The template file will have a number in it. Like template42.vsa or templaterev3.vsa.

If you have rev 4.1 or earlier you will need a jaw replacement servo. GWS moved theri plant to China and most of the servos that came out of it failed after a couple of hours. We can ship replacements free - you pay shipping.

But next year you should get an upgrade to 4.2, which eliminates the GWS brand.
_________________
Jerry Jewell
Owner, SkullTroniX
916 600-2295

TWProductions · Joined: 05 Aug 2008 Posts: 4

I do have the Magic Motion system but I can't get it to work anymore since I just downloaded the software again this week. I downloaded drivers for the camera from the optitrack website and everytime I open to MM software it crashes on me. But I'm using VSA right now so it's not that big a deal right now. Something we can fix later.

I had it working perfectly while programing, I would do 2-5 words and then hit play to make sure it all synced up properly, then move on to the next couple words, and so on and so forth. All the other motions and eye lights work perfectly, but the jaw wont do anything anymore, it stopped mid routine after working perfectly all night.

I'm using Rev4 I think. So if I need to replace the servo what was the point in me paying full price for a skull that breaks after a few hours in the first place? I'm sure I'm capable of replacing the servo but our haunt is up and running and I have to wait for something to be shipped to me, due to a mistake you were aware of.

If I have to upgrade to the new skull to eliminate this problem I hope you have some form of special price in mind, because there's no way I'm paying twice to get one skull that works.

Voltorb · Joined: 30 Aug 2008 Posts: 4 Location: Maryland

For what it's worth, here's my .02

I don't think it's fair to blame Jerry for an issue with the manufacturing of the servos he used. He posted in January regarding changes to the skull, and issues he encountered with the jaw servos. My skull worked perfectly with the routines I purchased last year, and also with the Magic Motion routines I built, but I had him replace those servos so this season would also go flawlessly.

Jerry provides free updates to the programming since the new servos react differently.

I'm sure if you give him a call you can work out a resolution to get your haunt back in operation quickly.
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It's not the fast pace of life that bothers me....
... It's the sudden stop at the end!

SkullTroniX · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 6:20 pm Post subject:

The skulls we shipped with the GWS servos that failed were not known to fail before we shipped them. We had great experiences with their servos prior to the move of the factory from Taiwan to mainland China. We learned that the quality sucked the hard way when we took back (at our expense) nearly 100 of the skulls with the defective servos.

GWS really screwed us and their only reimbursement to us was replacing the bad servos with the same exact servo.

So we had to do a complete redesign of the inside of the skull to allow us to use all Hitec brand servos.

The change of the skull design requires 2 new servos and all new interior plastic. Since the plastic components are all hand-poured and hand-machined it turns out to be both time-consuming as well as expensive. We charge only our actual cost of labor and materials for the upgrade.

So, instead of thinking we screwed you, think you got screwed along with us. We're both victims here. Except it has cost us many thousands of dollars.

We have never sold knowingly defective product and never will.

We also do not warrant the servos. They have factory warranties. But we have replaced GWS servos for free many times. Why free? Because the customer/s won't pay for an upgrade and we know that the replacements are the same crap the customers already have.

So - if you want a free GWS servo just send us a postage paid box and we'll ship you a couple of them. But they aren't guaranteed by us.

Yes, it is frustrating. And expensive. Which is one reason that after 5 years of making skulls I still haven't taken home a pay check and the company is barely break even. Sad violins please.

_________________
Jerry Jewell
Owner, SkullTroniX
916 600-2295