TraxCatcher status: delayed or vaporware?

[gweilo8888]

Hi all

About five weeks ago, I sent an email to info@timetraxtech.com (the email listed on TimeTrax's "Corporate Contact Info" webpage) with some questions on the TimeTrax TraxCatcher FM radio with MP3 capture, prior to placing a preorder. Disappointingly, I've not received any answer - even a "thanks for the questions, sorry we can't provide further information at this time".

About a week or two later, the TraxCatcher page - which has for the last couple of months been claiming that the device would ship in "early April 2006" - was updated to list the item as unavailable. Now, in early May, the page still says the device is coming in "early April 2006".

Does anybody know the status of the TraxCatcher? Is it still coming but delayed - and if so why and for how long? Have plans to release the product been abandoned - either through lack of interest or RIAA problems?

I understand that a Singaporean company called Sumitronics is already shipping the previous, rather less attractive version:

As far as I can tell, the design work for both this and the TraxCatcher has been done by Swedish company PopCatcher, who created the technology and have had photos of both designs on their site for some time now.

If TraxCatcher has been discontinued, or delayed indefinitely, can anybody tell me where I can purchase an alternative - either the Sumitronics SP-103, or something from any other licensee who has managed to bring a PopCatcher product to market, even if I have to have it imported from overseas?

Also, can anbody tell me for either the TraxCatcher or SP-103 designs:

* The bit rate of MP3s recorded, and are they mono or stereo
* The capacity of the included MP3 player if applicable, and if it accepts flash cards, what type?
* What the process for renaming MP3s is, and if it relies on any online service that the RIAA could have shut down?
* Whether it is possible to transfer the MP3s directly to a PC or USB hard disk, rather than to an MP3 player?

Any information would be much appreciated...

 

[dkieffer]

TimeTrax TraxCatcher Classic Update

Thanks for your post and your interest in our TimeTrax TraxCatcher Classic.

I apologize that you did not receive a response to your e-mail inquiry. I spent some time within out system looking for your request for information and I was unable to find it. If you would like to resend your message, I will make sure it gets routed to the correct person to answer any questions that you have.

The TimeTrax TraxCatcher Classic is still on track and slated for a summer delivery. It's anything but vaporware - the completed product was featured at our booth at CES in January. (One of my personal favorite pictures it attached.)

At this time, there are obviously delays in getting the first orders filled directly to consumers from our website and to our new retail partners. The issues are related to manufacturing the product overseas. Our team has recently spent a great deal of time back-and-forth between the US and Hong Kong / China to keep things moving along while ensuring the quality controls that we demand.

While we are also disappointed that the product is taking a bit longer than expected to get shipping out the door, we remain really excited about its launch and the remainder of its product family are ready to go into production once this initial batch gets cleared from the line at the factory!

I've researched the SP-103 around here that you referred to in your post and we are unaware of that product. From what I can tell they made an announcement prior to CES 2005 but never even showed a working product. All the leads I found online seemingly led to deadends.

To answer your specific questions, I've done my best:

* The bit rate of MP3s recorded, and are they mono or stereo

The files are by default recorded at 128k in stereo. The recording bitrate can be set by the user. In the future higher end members of the product family, you will have the same level of control over the recording files and formats similar to the control available in our Recast software - 7 file formats with detailed settings for each.


* The capacity of the included MP3 player if applicable, and if it accepts flash cards, what type?

The initial MP3 players that will be bundled with TraxCatcher Classic will have 256MB of storage. It is a very simple plug-n-play type device which has a popout integrated USB plug to make it as easy as possible to use the MP3 player to shuttle between the radio dock and your computer. Future versions are going to be compatible with a much wider range of players and a universal docking solution.

* What the process for renaming MP3s is, and if it relies on any online service that the RIAA could have shut down?

TimeTrax has a small utility program that will help you organize and tag your recorded files. Right now it is an XP PC based application which does use an online service as it reference for tagging purposes. That functionality will be moving onto the standalone device itself in the future. We are using 3rd parties services for this functionality and they are very well established and used across the industry. If there are any continuing legal issues it is going to effect many more users than just TimeTrax customers. We will continue be a leader in the fight for the rights of the digital consumer.

* Whether it is possible to transfer the MP3s directly to a PC or USB hard disk, rather than to an MP3 player?

The TraxCatcher Classic does not have direct connect USB functionality, although it is planned for all of the future models in design and testing.

Thanks for your interest and your questions. We're very excited to launch the product this summer. We appreciate the patience and will continue to update you with whatever details we have!

David K.
Time Trax

 

[gweilo8888]

Thanks, David - I appreciate your helpful reply.

Sounds like the current TraxCatcher might serve me as a stop-gap, but the follow-up is going to be the one I need. Hopefully it isn't too far behind!

 

[gweilo8888]

Oh, and by the way... The Sumitronics SP-103 did reach the market. Singapore's Straits Times published the following in its "Weekend Today" indicating the SP-103 was on sale in Singapore at one time. Unfortunately I can't quite make out the date on the piece, but some time in 2005 the name of the mall referred to was changed from "Funan The IT Mall" to "Funan DigitaLife Mall", so that would have to date the article to some time around then.

Sumitronics SP-103 MP3 Docking Station

A PERFECT companion to any MP3 player, Sumitronics SP-103 MP3 docking station lets you record music directly from the radio. Unlike a regular sound recorder, this clever device records music while eliminating dialogue and commercials and then encodes the songs into individual MP3 tracks. The process is fully automated with the touch of a button and is made possible by software that recognizes and differentiates between music and dialogue based on waveform characteristics. Music files can be transferred to MP3 players via a USB interface. The SP-103 is priced at $499 and can be found at Votrex Multimedia at Funan the IT Mall.

I've also found references to the Sumitronics device going on sale in Singapore from Jan 15th 2005, with plans to sell it in the USA and Europe in Q1 2005.

I can't find much out about Votrex except that they existed in that mall at some point, and are listed as an authorised Compaq reseller here:

http://www.compaq.com.sg/aboutus/authorised_resellers.asp

Sumitronics is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corp., a pretty major Japanese company - so I can't see them dropping the product once it was already listed in Singaporean newspapers as being released, with a set price.

Incidentally, $499 in Singapore is equivalent to US$318.

 

[dkieffer]

I had intended to attach this picture to my previous post. Incidentally, besides the TraxCatcher, it's one of my favorites.

D

 

[gweilo8888]

I can see why it is a favorite! If this is what TimeTrax employees look like, where do I sign up for a job?

Thanks for the picture - it gives a good idea of the size of the TraxCatcher...

 

[gweilo8888]

Just a suggestion...

We're less than 48 hours away from it being early June. Might I suggest now would be a good time to remove notes about the TraxCatcher shipping in "early April" from your website, since you've now missed that by two months?

Might be a good idea

[PIE]Mmm. Pie.[/PIE]

 

[gweilo8888]

We're less than 48 hours away from it being early June. Might I suggest now would be a good time to remove notes about the TraxCatcher shipping in "early April" from your website, since you've now missed that by two months?

Might be a good idea

[PIE]Mmm. Pie.[/PIE]

I guess that's a no, then.

No biggie to me, but to customers coming to your website and finding that you can't be bothered to update it two *months* after you've missed your projected delivery date, it is hardly going to inspire confidence.