Do you honestly think the typical BestBuy/Walmart shopping lowest bidder consumer is even going to consider a niche player like Outlaw? Why would they? Outlaw CAN'T compete on price and they don't have the financial resources to stay ahead of the curve with new features (or even current features in this case). I'm not optimistic about their chances.

Best,

I agree with you that the outlook for the little guy is bleak at best. The typical BestBuy/Walmart shopper is not going to find Outlaw attractive because of the costs associated with high quality equipment. The situation demands a supply chain with the lowest cost which means China or some other lower wage supplier. Unfortunately the model is flawed in that as the low cost builders of this equipment make progress, they get higher wages and aspire to buy the stuff they have been building. The more afluent they become the fewer jobs they keep as the companies move to lower cost labor. It is a global economy and we can't stop it from moving past the old models.

Many Americans (and people of other nationalities) want their stuff (especially toys that frequently get replaced or upgraded) at the lowest possible price, regardless of where those toys come from or the harmful results on their own economies.

For instance, If I want to upgrade the motherboard in my computer, which I do every few years, it is pretty hard to find one NOT made in the people's republic. My TV and audio equipment, on the other hand, has been around for years. My speakers, turntable and power amps are USA made and are from the mid '80s. When I buy someting, I buy for long term satisfaction. Digital stuff gets updated a bit more frequently than my analog stuff. When I do buy something non-USA made, I do avoid the people's republic if at all possible, but don't mind buying something from another country that is truly friendly to the USA, if a domestic alternative is not available at or near what I can afford.

My present "pre-pro", for movies, not music, is a several year old Sony receiver that I bought used. It is 5.1 channels. I would like to upgrade some day, but I am in no rush.
I don't need the latest toy. If and when I do buy something to replace the Sony with, I might buy something new or maybe used.

When I do buy something that was made in the people's republic, I am not pleased with the fact that it came from there. I do try and make this happen as little as possible, though.

Everybody has to make their own choice in regards to purchases: what, when, why and from where. Of course, if I was rolling in money, buying USA made all the time would be a lot easier. For someone making very little, even most stuff made in the people's republic is too expensive. Decisions! Decisions!!

Now that the year end (the last official targeted release date) is here, do you think we can get a new soft target for a release? Not all Outlaw followers frequent the Saloon, so it would be nice to see an official update.

We've just concluded an extensive round of testing on the latest samples and Scott is going over to China on Jan 9 to spend a week with the build team there to address several software bugs that are standing in our way. He'll be back before Chinese New Year and then we'll have a better idea of where things stand at that time.

Peter

Thanks, Peter. I'm still hoping that the 978 will be worth the wait.

Thanks from me also Peter.... I purchased the SR5005 to use for now, but still await the 978...

Thank you Peter. I'll look forward to the update.

Thanks Peter - so the week after CES you'll have an estimate on when the software (HDMI?) bugs may be worked out.

Actually Hank, we have had the factory "estimates" all along, but have not passed them on publicly. Things always go slower than optimistic engineers claim. (I think you have some experience in this area if I remember correctly) Scott will return with a "hit list" and produce his own estimate based upon what he encounters over there. We can provide a general ideas, but often those estimates are interpreted as hard commitments and then if we miss everyone gets upset, including us.

Scott's trip is an effort to help speed things up. In addition, there is often a language issue where meanings of modifications become misunderstood. Scott's mission will be prioritize the bugs in order of importance in an effort to accelerate the entire process.

This is very hard stuff and the technology companies keep moving the goal posts. Our own goal is to deliver a product that does not need constant updates over a year or more.