[Other] TOBU Ping

[TOBU Discs]

TOBU Discs

Hi Guys. There has been some great conversation and some great feedback here about our product. We appreciate the candid discussion because it helps us to get better. We wanted to take a moment and address some of the questions and concerns that you all have. First, good catch on the misspelling of "Disc". This totally should have been caught earlier. Our mistake. I guess that's what you get when you hire a graphic designer that doesn't play the sport. We're in the process of correcting this. Next, we worked closely with the PDGA while we were designing our disc. The tag and housing meet their size specifications and don't interfere with the flight pattern of the disc. We hope to have the final PDGA approval see on. Finally, we are just a couple of average disc golf players that had the same idea that everyone else has had. "I hate losing plastic. Wouldn't it be cool if there was a way to track your discs at those random times that they go off course." We were lucky enough to get connected with a few engineers and a plastic molding company to help us bring our ideas to life. We've been working on this for over 17 months now, paying for all out of pocket, and finally have a fully function prototype that flys well. The flight stats are 12/4/-1/3. We are very proud of what we have come up with because we feel that it is a great starting point. But we already have plans to add more tech into the housing and get all of it even smaller and lighter. With that being said, I'd like to ask each of you to support our grass roots effort to get our product to market. Support your local disc golf company and try out our discs so you can decide for yourself whether or not you like our discs. We'd love to hear your feedback and answer any questions that you may have. And if you have innovative ideas we're willing to try to incorporate them into our discs. Thanks for your interest and we hope to see you on the course.

 

[Halcón]

Welcome to the site, and good luck with this new and innovative disc.

 

[thatdirtykid]

Eventually I would like to see a training disc with accelerometers to track acceleration, velocity, distance, angle of attack, etc...

Training tool is what hope for as well. Imagine being able to measure the OATs!

 

[Kenny53691]

I hope this doesn't go down the same path as Hucker Magazine, lol.

I made this statement because I bought the Black Friday subscription of the Hucker Mag that earned me a free shirt. I dropped my money into Beta package for this one, so I wish the best for this company, and that I don't get burned again, lol.

 

[Kenny53691]

The flight stats are 12/4/-1/3.

Are you saying this flies like the Innova Wraith/Destroyers or is your flight guide numbers a little different?

 

[The Birdie Beast]

disc info:
http://www.tobudiscs.com/the-disc/

 

[Mocheez]

Hi Guys. There has been some great conversation and some great feedback here about our product. We appreciate the candid discussion because it helps us to get better. We wanted to take a moment and address some of the questions and concerns that you all have. First, good catch on the misspelling of "Disc". This totally should have been caught earlier. Our mistake. I guess that's what you get when you hire a graphic designer that doesn't play the sport. We're in the process of correcting this. Next, we worked closely with the PDGA while we were designing our disc. The tag and housing meet their size specifications and don't interfere with the flight pattern of the disc. We hope to have the final PDGA approval see on. Finally, we are just a couple of average disc golf players that had the same idea that everyone else has had. "I hate losing plastic. Wouldn't it be cool if there was a way to track your discs at those random times that they go off course." We were lucky enough to get connected with a few engineers and a plastic molding company to help us bring our ideas to life. We've been working on this for over 17 months now, paying for all out of pocket, and finally have a fully function prototype that flys well. The flight stats are 12/4/-1/3. We are very proud of what we have come up with because we feel that it is a great starting point. But we already have plans to add more tech into the housing and get all of it even smaller and lighter. With that being said, I'd like to ask each of you to support our grass roots effort to get our product to market. Support your local disc golf company and try out our discs so you can decide for yourself whether or not you like our discs. We'd love to hear your feedback and answer any questions that you may have. And if you have innovative ideas we're willing to try to incorporate them into our discs. Thanks for your interest and we hope to see you on the course.

Did you have any input from Barry Schultz on this project? I believe he was a plastics engineer prior to moving from Milwaukee to Charlotte.

 

[TOBU Discs]

Hi Guys. Thank you for the feedback. A trackable disc has been a dream of ours for a long time. We want to build a successful business around this product but more importantly, we just want the technology to exist in the market place. So we plan to get the discs in the hands of the Beta Testers as soon as possible. We want their feedback and will implement their suggestions for improvements. So when the disc finally hits the market for the average consumer, it will be the best it can be.
Kenny, I will personally make sure you get your disc. And yes, the number flight numbers I provided are speed/glide/turn/fade. The Ping flys very similarly to the Destroyer. However we already have plans for additional discs that have different flight patterns and even better/smaller tech.
Mocheez, we have not had contact with Barry. If you have contact information or could put us in contact with him that would be great. In the mean time I will try to touch base with him. We would love his input.
Thanks!

 

[zendragon]

If there's going to be any level of compatibility with Windows Phone, I will back as a tester, otherwise I might have to back the other option and give the disc to a friend with Android. Either way, I'm excited about the prospect, even if it once again leaves WP8 users out.

 

[mpacker5]

Anyone know if being a beta tester includes future releases?

 

[Oklahyzer]

Neat idea, but I just can't see this disc replacing any of my drivers...hardly anywhere that I need a big fat speed 12 rim. Most players can't really handle a disc that fast anyway. The other thing is that it's only water resistant, not waterproof? The main time I'd appreciate this technology is in the pond. I assume that might cut the detection range quite a bit, but that just seems like the ideal situation for a product like this. If an add-on module were possible and PDGA legal, I'd sure consider it. As long as the module weight is 20g or less it won't affect the disc much at all when mounted in the center. Good luck, though, definitely a neat idea!

 

[Pbmercil]

I think the biggest thing will be how well does the disc fly? If it can hold up in comparison to the high speed drivers of choice on the market currently, then you guys have a shot. I don't think anyone will buy a $40 disc for the convenience of being able to find it if the only reason they're looking for it is cuz the flight sucks.

 

[tu-f-o]

Hi Guys. There has been some great conversation and some great feedback here about our product. We appreciate the candid discussion because it helps us to get better. We wanted to take a moment and address some of the questions and concerns that you all have. First, good catch on the misspelling of "Disc". This totally should have been caught earlier. Our mistake. I guess that's what you get when you hire a graphic designer that doesn't play the sport. We're in the process of correcting this. Next, we worked closely with the PDGA while we were designing our disc. The tag and housing meet their size specifications and don't interfere with the flight pattern of the disc. We hope to have the final PDGA approval see on. Finally, we are just a couple of average disc golf players that had the same idea that everyone else has had. "I hate losing plastic. Wouldn't it be cool if there was a way to track your discs at those random times that they go off course." We were lucky enough to get connected with a few engineers and a plastic molding company to help us bring our ideas to life. We've been working on this for over 17 months now, paying for all out of pocket, and finally have a fully function prototype that flys well. The flight stats are 12/4/-1/3. We are very proud of what we have come up with because we feel that it is a great starting point. But we already have plans to add more tech into the housing and get all of it even smaller and lighter. With that being said, I'd like to ask each of you to support our grass roots effort to get our product to market. Support your local disc golf company and try out our discs so you can decide for yourself whether or not you like our discs. We'd love to hear your feedback and answer any questions that you may have. And if you have innovative ideas we're willing to try to incorporate them into our discs. Thanks for your interest and we hope to see you on the course.

I have a suggestion if you truly want to be successful. I say forget trying to make your own discs, there are just too many good ones out now, you will have no chance.

Better yet, sell your product by allowing current companies to use your design on their current discs.

Also you need to prove that your bulky ping item under the disc has zero effect on flight, weight, etc. No one will truly believe you, but the best way to prove it is to put this on an existing disc, say a sidewinder, and have people throw a regular sidewinder, and your "TOBU modified" sidewinder, at the same weight (accounting for your ping piece), plastic, etc.

I highly doubt this is possible but that would give you some credibility.

 

[Dan Ensor]

Can't wait for this to happen with a Ping.

 

[kyledstauffer]

I have a suggestion if you truly want to be successful. I say forget trying to make your own discs, there are just too many good ones out now, you will have no chance.

Better yet, sell your product by allowing current companies to use your design on their current discs.

Also you need to prove that your bulky ping item under the disc has zero effect on flight, weight, etc. No one will truly believe you, but the best way to prove it is to put this on an existing disc, say a sidewinder, and have people throw a regular sidewinder, and your "TOBU modified" sidewinder, at the same weight (accounting for your ping piece), plastic, etc.

I highly doubt this is possible but that would give you some credibility.

I have to second this. I think you guys are off to great start and are certainly doing it right by making sure the disc flies the same with/without the tracking device. However, the greater demand is for a tracking device that could attach to existing discs. The ping may be a great disc - but it may not be for everyone. People want to track they're favorite destroyer took years to beat into the sweet spot or the ace disc they've had forever. If you made a tracking device that attached to my discs I'd by 10 right now (preferably something smaller). If you could make a smaller device that didn't effect flight you would have a gold mine.

 

[Halcón]

On their website, Tobu mentions that they didn't want a device that could be affixed to a disc. There's too much room for error there, and the disc's flight would be compromised. This integrated system assures a true flight, which apparently took them quite a while to perfect.

 

[mpacker5]

I think you'd want the disc do be designed with the tracker in mind. Even if they slimmed it down and put it on a 165g destroyer, its not going to fly like a 175g destroyer.

For me to use it I'd want it to be part of the disc. If nothing else for constancy's sake. I spend far too long trying to figure out how to throw these things somewhat decently just to glue something to the bottom and mess it all up.

 

[in4d]

Does anyone else feel like they are speaking Chineese when you say "Tobu Ping"?

 

[tu-f-o]

Does anyone else feel like they are speaking Chineese when you say "Tobu Ping"?

99.9% the parts were made in China or from China, so get used to your new gods.

 

[Halcón]

Tobu will probably see this, so...are these made in China? Or from Chinese components?