Bitcoin Forum

I looked into this a while back and found this:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=375393.0

I wonder why they never made any?

He took preorders in December then ran away...

He took preorders in December then ran away...

If you just need one for use in an informal setting you can make one for yourself with an old smartphone and a ticker app.

30$ would hardly pay for the board and chip set let alone the screen, wi-fi technology.. custom made boot loader and software to make it all work correctly. best way i could think of do this is use the core parts of a cellphone and try developing on a android operating system.. but even then the screen would not even be big enough for you to hang it on the wall and see.. i am more the capable of developing this but 30$ would be impossible.

I thought this could maybe be made cheaply by using a small 10x5 cm LED as a screen, but for the rest, I have no idea...

You could have a hardware device which simply shows whatever it receives trough signal. Perhaps an Arduino board. They cost about $10-$15. You can upload software into it which shows a price over a signal. Your pc would broadcast the bitcoin price (trough cable or wireless), the hardware device would receive it and show. This is the cheapest solution as far as i know.  :)

Then there's the cost of other components... Too much. I was hoping somebody could do it with cheaper components. I guess we're out of luck, and an ordinary ticker would cost more than $60...

Yes, Arduino was my first idea as well, but look at the prices of it with a WiFi shield: http://store.arduino.cc/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5 XBee shield isn't cheap either: http://store.arduino.cc/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=38

Then there's the cost of other components... Too much. I was hoping somebody could do it with cheaper components. I guess we're out of luck, and an ordinary ticker would cost more than $60...

Ok, so I guess that's why it hasn't been done yet. It would cost too much, and there wouldn't be enough demand to lower that cost. A few people would buy it, but not enough for any profit.

There are other reasons.  Mobile/wearable devices get more common and you can run software on them. To make separate hardware is more expensive.

Yeah, but it's a lot nicer if you have a ticker on the wall like a digital clock of sorts... Ah well. I suppose the hardcore traders with tons of bitcoin would buy it even for 60-100$, but I wouldn't.

Ok, so I guess that's why it hasn't been done yet. It would cost too much, and there wouldn't be enough demand to lower that cost. A few people would buy it, but not enough for any profit.

As Bitcoin takes off more and more, I think that there would be enough demand. The problem is more along the lines of the up-front cost. Someone would need to front the money for thousands of them to offset the high costs, and then basically sit on them while Bitcoin rides the train north.

If the right team was assembled and it was crowd-funded, the up-front costs wouldn't be too outrageous.

I don't think we're at the right time for crowd funding something like this though... I agree that it'd be viable later on, but right now the demand is too low.

With a well-developed product that functions properly and looks good, I think $100K USD in sales in the first month isn't far fetched.
That alone would be impressive for a normal new product.  And then when you throw on top that it's a product specific to Bitcoin, that's even more impressive.

I think over 1-2 years a product like this could generate a whack ton of cash and if the demand is no more, discontinue it.

I'm not saying it's not doable... I just don't think the numbers make sense right now.

30$ would hardly pay for the board and chip set let alone the screen, wi-fi technology.. custom made boot loader and software to make it all work correctly. best way i could think of do this is use the core parts of a cellphone and try developing on a android operating system.. but even then the screen would not even be big enough for you to hang it on the wall and see.. i am more the capable of developing this but 30$ would be impossible.

so why not an easy app to alarm in your phone even you not at home?

Hi,

Could somebody who knows about electronics and programming please make a prototype bitcoin price ticker: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Bitcoin-Price-Ticker-almost-from-scratch-us/

Preferably wireless, so it can be put on a wall or wherever. Additionally, allow to set a "limit," that when the bitcoin price drops below the limit, trigger an alarm sound.

If this can be done and sold for ~30$, I bet it'd turn into profit. I'd certainly buy it. In the example above, the components alone cost $60, and that's too much...

It wouldn't be that hard to make using Arduino. Only thing is that the components would cost over $30 by them selves. I think $100 would be a more reasonable price.

Agreed.  I'm sure production costs would go down if someone purchased materials in a larger amount.

That's true but you need a larger amount of money to do that and I am very broke.

I agree. Personally, I'd say the limit would probably be some 1000 sales at first. But that's if the ticker was reasonably priced, 20-30$, which seems impossible.

MSP430 (https://estore.ti.com/MSP-EXP430G2-MSP430-LaunchPad-Value-Line-Development-kit-P2031.aspx) - $10
16x2 LCD (http://www.adafruit.com/products/181) - $10

Then assuming a wireless device, a wireless module which is around $20+. Maybe another 5-10$ for the rest of the components...

Maybe someone should start this Kickstarter project anyway, with the price range at 50-60$. Who knows, it might turn profitable. You wouldn't waste your own money anyway...

As for a device connected to the PC via USB or router via RJ45... I wouldn't buy it even if it was $10.

Someone on Reddit uses this:

http://imgur.com/b0eHYfK
http://www.dreamcheeky.com/led-message-board
https://github.com/MorbZ/NodeUsbLed

Though unfortunately must be connected to a computer.

Paired up with a buddy of mine that's an EE.  Going to talk about costs, labor, etc. and potentially go through with this.

Will provide updates.

Paired up with a buddy of mine that's an EE.  Going to talk about costs, labor, etc. and potentially go through with this.

Will provide updates.

Thanks for the heads-up! I'd love to hear the costs associated with it. If possible, see if he can break it down into batches as well. ie:

1000 = $50 each
15000 = $30 each
300000 = $10 each

It would help better understand where we are in terms of the cost and how many need to be sold to make it worthwhile.

I dont understand why these people are putting such a high valuation for a project like this.
It could be done with simple components for relatively cheap...

The problem is getting the data to the machine. Would BluTooth be an option? I can make an iphone/android app that will allow you to control the device. You could even have it display alt coin prices as well.

Hi,

Could somebody who knows about electronics and programming please make a prototype bitcoin price ticker: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Bitcoin-Price-Ticker-almost-from-scratch-us/

Preferably wireless, so it can be put on a wall or wherever. Additionally, allow to set a "limit," that when the bitcoin price drops below the limit, trigger an alarm sound.

If this can be done and sold for ~30$, I bet it'd turn into profit. I'd certainly buy it. In the example above, the components alone cost $60, and that's too much...

The issue is the goal is to keep it to where it doesn't need a device like a phone to handle it. It would just be a ticker that uses like your router and automatically updates or something.

Found a 60mmx60mm for $11. https://www.tindie.com/products/Nick64/60mm-x-60mm-bi-color-led-matrix-driver-module-diy-kit/. Hope this helps.

Yeah, exactly. Needing a mobile phone to control it or a computer running 24/7 to control it just isn't that useful...

Well I won't be building it, so it doesn't help me, but hopefully it'll help an engineer. A little too big for my taste, though.

It'd be great if somebody found a wireless module for $10. All I found were $40+...

There have to be cheaper wireless modules, being that you can even buy USB WiFi adapters for $10-15. Sadly, I wouldn't even know where to start with any of this stuff.

General, I mean no disrespect, but could you a picture as proof of the prototype (with you holding up a piece of paper with your name on it)? People on Bitcointalk and Bitcoiners in general are very suspicious about pre-orders. Could you also link us to the website, Facebook page, proof of LLC, and so on?

Of course.

Completely understand.

When the announcement thread is posted everything will you mentioned will be in it.

Ah, glad to hear that man! Can't wait ;D

I probably shouldn't have made that post  I'm just really excited.

Patiently await the announcement and hopefully you'll like it.

Ah, no problems man. And I think I will. Could you post the link to the announcement on here as well? That way I won't miss it.

Of course!

The announcement thread will include the landing page for the website, pictures of the prototype, link to indiegogo campaign if we go that route, prices of each one, twitter, facebook, etc.

It will most definitely be posted here and advertised around forum.

Of course!

The announcement thread will include the landing page for the website, pictures of the prototype, link to indiegogo campaign if we go that route, prices of each one, twitter, facebook, etc.

It will most definitely be posted here and advertised around forum.

link to indiegogo campaign if we go that route

So you are going to fund the batches all by yourself? Why NOT go the Indiegogo/Kickstarter route and let people help you fund it? Unless you've got a lot of money to spend...

And are we talking wireless devices, or connected to router/PC with a cable?

We considered indiegogo but we are now talking to investors too.
There are pros and cons for both and hope you understand whichever route we take.

It is wireless and will connect via WiFi.

Update:

We are waiting for our Federal Tax ID number before opening necessary bank accts. for both Stripe & Coinbase accounts to process payments.
Announcement thread is looking like it will be posted around the beginning of June at this point.

We considered indiegogo but we are now talking to investors too.
There are pros and cons for both and hope you understand whichever route we take.

It is wireless and will connect via WiFi.

And just to throw some more ideas at it now, lol: Red color when price lowers a lot, orange when it lowers a little, green when it grows. Maybe 24 hour graph if it's not too complicated for the display.

However a 24 hour graph seems a bit to much right now. Maybe as an firmware update later on?

So this is a sign that you're 100% going through with this now, right? The EIN and whatnot being obtained.

Ah, okay.

Cool. WPA2/TKIP and all that? And what price range are we looking at? And what's the physical size?

It would have to get FCC approved too, right? How long does that take?

And just to throw some more ideas at it now, lol: Red color when price lowers a lot, orange when it lowers a little, green when it grows. Maybe 24 hour graph if it's not too complicated for the display.

Another idea: give me a discount for being the catalyst of this project, lol!

Quote from: ranlo on Today at 03:19:24 PM

Quote from: General on Today at 03:12:41 PM

Quote from: f3tus on Today at 02:52:53 PM

Quote from: General on Today at 02:07:16 PM

link to indiegogo campaign if we go that route

So you are going to fund the batches all by yourself? Why NOT go the Indiegogo/Kickstarter route and let people help you fund it? Unless you've got a lot of money to spend...

And are we talking wireless devices, or connected to router/PC with a cable?


We considered indiegogo but we are now talking to investors too.
There are pros and cons for both and hope you understand whichever route we take.

It is wireless and will connect via WiFi.

Update:

We are waiting for our Federal Tax ID number before opening necessary bank accts. for both Stripe & Coinbase accounts to process payments.
Announcement thread is looking like it will be posted around the beginning of June at this point.


So this is a sign that you're 100% going through with this now, right? The EIN and whatnot being obtained.


Yes we are 100% going through with this.  We think we can fill a demand and want to be first to the market.
We are going to have two options: one with and one without a touch screen.

When we first release it will have the ability to toggle between currencies and 3-5 different exchanges.

Primary drawback is they don't take bitcoin.

On Indiegogo you can set up "Flexible funding" where you're given the money even if your goal is not reached (Indiegogo takes 9% fee vs 4% when goal is reached), and you can let people know in the campaign's text that they can contribute with bitcoin as well. It's not against the rules, I know from personal experience. Not sure about Kickstarter, they might be more strict with this.

Here's a video of a ticker running on Raspberry Pi (still connected to PC though): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBOvH2jCFwM

We considered indiegogo but we are now talking to investors too.
There are pros and cons for both and hope you understand whichever route we take.

It is wireless and will connect via WiFi.

Update:

We are waiting for our Federal Tax ID number before opening necessary bank accts. for both Stripe & Coinbase accounts to process payments.
Announcement thread is looking like it will be posted around the beginning of June at this point.

Many of the kickstarters dont do anything after getting all the funds they receive.

Any updates?