Victron Smart Shunt vs Unknown brand - Looks identical

[JRH]

A new nation full of clone lovers trying to save a few bucks…what ever happened to pride in ownership? It’s used to be a real thing..SMH….

 

[Hedges]

Patents provide protection, so do copyrights. The latter can apply to PCB layout and software.
But functionality and circuits, assuming not covered by a patent, I think you can clone with impunity.

If it has a protocol, maybe that can be spoofed, or maybe someone puts a security ID chip in it, rolling code, so only proprietary equipment is compatible.

 

[Madcodger]

Patents provide protection, so do copyrights. .

Only to some degree. I own a small consulting company. In our early days, we produced a fair amount of original content to help educate clients and prospective clients, as did another small company in the industry. All of it was (allegedly) protected by copyright. The owner of that other small firm and I used to stand together in the back of conferences together and count how many of our slides had been ripped off by much larger companies with little real expertise, trying to act like they knew what they were talking about so they could capture consulting business and compete with us in our respective niches. It was almost a competition to see who would get the most content plagiarized. Sure, we could have pursued them legally, but the juice would not have been worth the squeeze, and they had much larger legal budgets. And it was often more fun to just ask them difficult questions in the Q&A, and then watch them squirm. We'd sometimes have a larger line at the end of a talk than the plagiarizing presenter. Good fun...

 

[JWLV]

A new nation full of clone lovers trying to save a few bucks…what ever happened to pride in ownership? It’s used to be a real thing..SMH….

I don't know how you might feel about paying $30 for an Epson, Canon, or HP ink cartridges when an aftermarket ink cartridge for $5 works just as well. Is that pride in ownership or corporate greed? Does ink really cost that much?

HP is in trouble for disabling the scanner part of their multi-function printers when the ink is low. So even if you don't print anything and only want to use the scanner part of your multi-function printer, it will refuse to work unless you replace the ink. Associated Press article below.

HP fails to derail claims that it bricks scanners on multifunction printers when ink runs low

HP Inc. has failed to shunt aside claims in a lawsuit that it disables scanners and other functions on its multifunction printers whenever the ink runs low.

apnews.com

Pride in ownership, yes, I support that to a certain extent. Corporate greed, hell no!

 

[JWLV]

Only to some degree. I own a small consulting company. In our early days, we produced a fair amount of original content to help educate clients and prospective clients, as did another small company in the industry. All of it was (allegedly) protected by copyright. The owner of that other small firm and I used to stand together in the back of conferences together and count how many of our slides had been ripped off by much larger companies with little real expertise, trying to act like they knew what they were talking about so they could capture consulting business and compete with us in our respective niches. It was almost a competition to see who would get the most content plagiarized. Sure, we could have pursued them legally, but the juice would not have been worth the squeeze, and they had much larger legal budgets. And it was often more fun to just ask them difficult questions in the Q&A, and then watch them squirm. We'd sometimes have a larger line at the end of a talk than the plagiarizing presenter. Good fun...

True. True. It has been settled decades ago that copyrights/patents do not cover the look and feel of something.
Examples: Windows vs Mac OS vs Xerox, Visicalc vs Lotus 123, Word Perfect vs MS Word, a car with 4 wheels vs any other car with 4 wheels, etc, etc, etc.

 

[Checkthisout]

I noticed victron putting their name on a couple things so I would imagine the company that makes the shunt for victron just decided to start selling it.

I have seen other reputable companies rebrand stuff.

The benefit of getting the victron or more reputable companies stuff is the warranty but really more the software and future support.

Software Software Software

 

[BradCagle]

@BradCagle this guy!

They sure did copy the styling off Victron. But yeah, it's not compatible with any Victron communications.

If I could find time, I considered writing a Venus OS dbus driver.

 

[Tomthumb62]

I don't know how you might feel about paying $30 for an Epson, Canon, or HP ink cartridges when an aftermarket ink cartridge for $5 works just as well. Is that pride in ownership or corporate greed? Does ink really cost that much?

But the OEM ink cartridges provide little to no benefit over the cheap ones. Victron’s excellent Victron Connect app WILL work with their device, but not with the knockoff.

Now the inkjet printer companies could easily install some difficult to hack “copy protection” to prevent the cheap cartridges from working, that might work. But some smart Chinese company would come out with a better printer, for cheaper, that worked with cheap or expensive cartridges and HP and Epson would be twiddling their thumbs.

 

[robby]

It does not work with the Victron software. You'd also have to ask yourself if you want to support a company copying/stealing another's work.

Here was review of it:

The Victron software plus the better parts, Warranty and Support make it worth the extra $60.

 

[Checkthisout]

The Victron software plus the better parts, Warranty and Support make it worth the extra $60.

I'd like to think so.

Also, in a full battery solar setup, what's an extra $60.00 for an important piece of measuring equipment? I also like to spend money on Victron stuff.

 

[robby]

I don't know how you might feel about paying $30 for an Epson, Canon, or HP ink cartridges when an aftermarket ink cartridge for $5 works just as well.

Oh if only that was the case. I killed a $600 HP color laser printer using cheap Generic cartridges. The dam thing leaked Toner all over the Internals and it would have been a monumental task to strip it to the bone to clean out all of the Toner. If you go on Amazon you will find Aftermarket cartridge horror stories everywhere.

 

[JRH]

I don't know how you might feel about paying $30 for an Epson, Canon, or HP ink cartridges when an aftermarket ink cartridge for $5 works just as well. Is that pride in ownership or corporate greed? Does ink really cost that much?

HP is in trouble for disabling the scanner part of their multi-function printers when the ink is low. So even if you don't print anything and only want to use the scanner part of your multi-function printer, it will refuse to work unless you replace the ink. Associated Press article below.

HP fails to derail claims that it bricks scanners on multifunction printers when ink runs low

HP Inc. has failed to shunt aside claims in a lawsuit that it disables scanners and other functions on its multifunction printers whenever the ink runs low.

apnews.com

Pride in ownership, yes, I support that to a certain extent. Corporate greed, hell no!

I really dont care about it one way or the other ..it doesn’t matter who makes what on such low level stuff …who cares.?
I just buy the ink at Walmart and move on with life…
it helps to pick one’s battles to save one’s sanity in life , and a battle over ink isn’t one of my primary concerns…nor is corporate greed… hell everyone is greedy if given the chance to be..
But I get your drift… it is duly noted…
J.

 

[Crowz]

I didn't see where anyone tried this but someone needs to plug it into the victron cable and see if it works with solar assistant using the victron protocol setting.

If it does I won't be buying anymore of the victron smart shunts

I want it strictly to work with solar assistant so there wouldn't be any point in spending more for my use if it works with solar assistant.

 

[a619]

Slightly off topic, but I have read some good things about KH140F shunt as well.

 

[justinm001]

There's design and utility patents and some are longer than others. I doubt Victron has a patent on their shunt.

This is completely different than Intellectual Property which is protected forever, at least in the US. Code used to build devices and software is Intellectual property so cannot be copied any more than someone can rewrite a Harry Potter novel and put their name as the author.

Knock off ink cartridges can be created because printer companies can't patent plastic cartridge to hold ink. Printers used to be sold under the cost to manufacture with the premise you'd buy the ink so they'd recoup and turn a profit. Many printers now have chips on the ink which knockoff companies can't duplicate (IP protected) HP started disabling knock off ink from being allowed and there's a back and forth if it's legal. Knock off ink is made as cheap as possible so many leak and are poor quality which can damage the printers.

Just because it looks like Victron doesn't mean it's anything close to it.

Also I don't know of a single product that Victron sells but doesn't manufacture. Maybe they're fuses or cables. But I'd love to see if anyone knows of them

 

[JRH]

There's design and utility patents and some are longer than others. I doubt Victron has a patent on their shunt.

This is completely different than Intellectual Property which is protected forever, at least in the US. Code used to build devices and software is Intellectual property so cannot be copied any more than someone can rewrite a Harry Potter novel and put their name as the author.

Knock off ink cartridges can be created because printer companies can't patent plastic cartridge to hold ink. Printers used to be sold under the cost to manufacture with the premise you'd buy the ink so they'd recoup and turn a profit. Many printers now have chips on the ink which knockoff companies can't duplicate (IP protected) HP started disabling knock off ink from being allowed and there's a back and forth if it's legal. Knock off ink is made as cheap as possible so many leak and are poor quality which can damage the printers.

Just because it looks like Victron doesn't mean it's anything close to it.

Also I don't know of a single product that Victron sells but doesn't manufacture. Maybe they're fuses or cables. But I'd love to see if anyone knows of them

ditto…?…..I know this won’t be a popular stance to take but personally I want to support people in the world that bring somthing great to the market that I enjoy…they had to work and invent to do it…I want to reward and Thank them….

call me crazy ,but I never downloaded and ripped off music online 20 years ago…I went out and Bought the cd from so the artist could get rewarded…why would I want to steal from Tom petty or Metallica ..?…or anyone…thats what it amounts to.
if this victron device works great ,I want to support them so as to keep them inventing stuff I need.There stuff is great….I love it……To support some group of sketchy clowns working out of a hut somewhere in some country that’s ripping off Victron or anyone’s design ,at half price holds no interest for me.. they will never invent anything ,only prey off those who do…they are leeches..Amazon and eBay are full of them..I don’t need the money thst bad to not support the winners in life that help us all.
I need and want to save as much money as most people ,but im supporting the true forward thinkers and creators .
Go Lars …
Go Victron…
screw thieves in huts..
J.

 

[Madcodger]

I know this won’t be a popular stance to take but personally I want to support people in the world that bring somthing great to the market that I enjoy…they had to work and invent to do it…I want to reward and Thank them….

Amen. The world needs more people with your attitude, approach, and actions.