Pro2 is dead

[mike]

Hi Board,

acutally the latest Firmware of the Pro2 is very old and nothing chanced.
I suggest that raise provides updates or makes the software open source.
There are still unfixed bugs, like LAN Ethernet network connection issues.
Maybe they can be hardware related, but fiddling with settings using same as before and some restarts fix it for a while.
so raise does not help here. also no bed leveling addon is being sold, so we stick with our old pro2 lost.
thats a pity! i know raise has to raise money, but if you have exististing custoemrs, you should provide options to upgrade from old hw without total investion lost.
all vendors dont buy old used printers (or to very very low prices), so if vendor does not offer a special trade in we are lost if no updates come out anymore.
everyone waits for camera over browser etc. but the password is changing on reboot etc, so no easy hack to access this simple wish.
raise does not develop here anymore.
it would be good if raise would offer a new software for lets say 50 usd which guarantees much development of the old raisetouch etc.
so we can upgrade. or an exchange.
buying hardware new and dropping the old one is not what should be the spirit of 3d stuff.

[PrintitCharlie]

Amen to that!

[ccclarke]

Have you ever seen Raise3D release a retrofit hardware upgrade for any model? Their business model is to entice users to upgrade to a newer model.

There's no compelling reason (for Raise3D) to make their software open source. (Good idea, but they have never indicated they would go this route.)

[PrintitCharlie]

Yeah true. With no service agreement, Equipment and parts are the primary income stream.

[mike]

Yes, iam not talking about giving much out for free.
But i think many people would prefer one of these options:
- Get a really acceptable trade in offer - means at least 1k - 2k USD per old Pro 2 Printer, if buying a new version like Pro3.
So yes, you would loose much but not everything. I think 2k is for good condition which could be reselled and 1k for not very good condition.
- Option to buy bed leveling kit for Pro2 which can be easily installed. yes this kit could cost 500 USD but should be EASY and high qualitive to install.
- Option for changing Fan to a more silent version for about 50 USD
- new raisetouchpanel sw where all bugs are fixes and some new features like webinterface, webcam in browser (easyaccess) etc, then maybe a one time fee for 50 USD for sw could be ok.
- new hardware raisetouch for 300-500 EUR depends on what it provides.
- complete new moving head with all elements, so just the case with axis will stay, and most parts will change for about 2000 USD or 2500 USD if you can send in the old printer and get it completly changed and upgraded.
- or an option from another vendor if you trade in other make like car vendors do

iam not talking about free updates for years. (this would be fine, but there are not enough units out there to make this payable).

the main problem is: if you buy a 3d printer once, you will notice, that its fun but you dont really need it.
its much work much trouble and most people think they better had not bought one
but selling is much work and not that easy so you let him eat dust.
but you would prefer the newest tech instead of having garbage someday.

alternative: and easy way like rebuy to sell the printer without any effort, making pictures etc. and getting somekind of quaranted price.

[PrintitCharlie]

I like that idea. I like reducing e-waste and getting things to last longer as well. I suppose if Raise agreed to support and troubleshoot these upgrades as well, I'd be interested.

[mike]

The main benefit for Raise3D is, that they can get back many of "one-time-customers", as i bet, that most people who buy their first 3D Printer wont buy a new model, if they have to drop the old.
And so they can reactivate a dead market.

[PrintitCharlie]

I agree because that's the same boat I am in, and I am willing to pay for upgrades.

[mike]

yes, otherwise we are stuck with old equipment. but we are willing to pay for upgrades of our "old" stuff or an exchange.
otherwise, if we have to drop a working machine, we just would stay with the old machine or stop 3d printing.
for me the most important is: automatic nozzle z calibration for both nozzles, auto nozzle alignment, automatic bed leveling etc.
i dont want to fiddle around and dont want to waste time with such stuff

[ccclarke]

These are all good suggestions and most have been requested years ago. It's pretty obvious R3D isn't ever going to provide this level of legacy support, and wants users to upgrade with a newer model or move on.

This is a niche market that is begging someone to fill with aftermarket upgrades.

It is what it is.

CC

[mike]

Yes, but i doubt the market for one make is large enough, that a third party will provide this, except if some OEM vendor of raise does.
maybe raise should give out licenses to OEM etc vendors to modify/add hardware if they dont want to do it themself.

i think in most cases a trade-in program would be perfect. but if raise wont support this, vendors wont do it, as its not rentable for them.

[3DeltaD]

Market is large enough to make good money. I say it will start with us moving to another R forum and finding good developers.

[Saperusa]

These are all good suggestions and most have been requested years ago. It's pretty obvious R3D isn't ever going to provide this level of legacy support, and wants users to upgrade with a newer model or move on.

This is a niche market that is begging someone to fill with aftermarket upgrades.

It is what it is.

CC

Pro2 is about to go out of production.
If you go to see the sellers in Europe the price has fallen by about 600 euros.
Sorry for a printer that would be basically fine if it was followed by Raise.
The policy of abandoning PRO2 in my opinion is suicide for the Raise.
Imagine if a customer abandoned by Raise can decide to pass to the PRO3 after the assistance that Raise provides to their PRO2 printers.
For two years, Hotend has been required to be able to work with support and special products.
Finally came Bondtech, Slice Engineering who thought to drown the problem.
Yet many Raise users were asked to provide an upgrade for PRO2 firmware.
In the end Markus and others solved it with liquid cooling, others with front fans and conveyors now with new hotels but in the end it was still a problem that had to take charge Raise.
Ok for people who have technical training find solutions from them and use it
For the others, all that remains is to complain in the various forums and absolutely advise against buying a Raise.
The company I believe has not realized the damage they have done disinteresting in the various problems that the attempts had.
Many asked for a firmware update, a solution signed raise for hotends.
You don’t count angry users for the print gone wrong because the front fan stops turning or slows down in the middle of a print.
Yet finding a more powerful fan would have been extremely easy in order to have greater reliability.
Never done.
As like You I solved with fan change, air conveyor, heatsinks on extruder motors, eventually I found the solution and work.
Sorry what I read in the various forums, sorry about how Raise is treated.
An upgrade on the Hotends, fan and other details would have earned confidence in this brand and would have kept a slice of customers who preferred to move away from this brand.

[mike]

in past i had to decide between ultimaker and raise3d, and i have read service etc is better by former.
then i thought ok i just need best specs.
but later i noticed, that it would be better the other way round and the very small printing dimensions only work by nozzle change, which causes other troubles.
so not that easy.