Wales, thanks for the kind words.
Scanman, my name is Servanne. I am the person who developed the IMSC Video Shopping course. It is a 3.5 hours course for people who, like you mentioned, could not fly cross-country for one reason or another. I think the course is pretty comprehensive and well designed. Of course.
But I also think that nothing can ever replace discussions with fellow shoppers. It is important to remember that the more we cooperate to make our industry better, the more jobs we will see in our inboxes. It is always a good thing to listen with an open-mind to what others have to say and offer.
I will honestly say that I am skeptical at this point regarding the need for a firmware programmable device, but I may be 100% mistaken. The device you described in an earlier post seemed to me like a PV500, with the exception of no immediate video feed. I personally have found it indispensable to be able to see right away whether or not my device was recording. Maybe something to work on with your new device idea?
Leslie from Clear Evaluations responded to your post, and gave you some valuable insight from a company's perspective. I believe it may be wise to re-read her post and let it sink in. She has years of experience, and truly knows what she is talking about. As do Walesmaven, LisaSTL, S2L and many other posters on this forum. I agree with ColoKate though, have at it and try your new device. What's the risk?
In your OP, you said that people were scared of the competition. I do not agree with this statement. I do not believe in competition. Never have, never will. You, like everyone else, have something of value to teach me. You, like everyone else, have a way to help me perform my jobs better, and be a better person overall. The question is, are you willing to listen to others and learn from them?
You also said the reseller may be worried of the competition. In all honesty, the main resellers of PV500 units at this point are law enforcement/private investigators suppliers. The MS industry is a teeny tiny part of their business. It would be safe to say that they don't care so much about competition.
Scanman, I would love for you to take a look at the training video I have designed, of course, but if you feel that you do not need it, then by all means, do not put your hard-earned money toward something you would approach with a negative attitude. I wish you good luck in your endeavors, and I hope to be able to meet you in person at one of the IMSC Conferences in the near future.
(The specs for the PV500 are 720dpi, 1280x960 res @ 30 fps, 1080p, from 320x240 to 1280x960, pic format jpg, video format avi)