The WAS board wasnt built with this in mind. They could care less about what the buyer does with it. The whole point of the Equalizer board is to equalize your Tippmann to the Angels and Intiminaters out there. They will work in the Custom Pro too, but not in the 98 E-Bolt or at all in the 98.

Apparently WAS is hoping we'll stop bothering them with interest in their product.  The original Web site http://www.wickedairsports.com/ - www.wickedairsports.com is now dead.  The domain root of their new site http://www.wickedairsports.net/ - www.wickedairsports.net says there's no site there, even though if you have a specific page, like http://www.wickedairsportz.net/proddetail.php?prod=WAS-EQA5 - http://www.wickedairsportz.net/proddetail.php?prod=WAS-EQA5 , there is a site.  Sigh!

At any rate, I read through the http://www.wickedairsportz.net/manuals/a5usagemanual.pdf - A-5 Equalizer Manual , on their well hidden, new site.  I was planning to purchase the board as soon as possible, but after reading the manual, I'm not sure any more.  The board seems to lack the computer interface connector that is available on all their other Equalizers.  Its ON switch (which I assume is only needed for changing the settings, though the manual never says so) requires a tiny tool, like a small hex wrench to click it.  That's fair enough.  But then, the only other input to the board is the marker's trigger.  An Enigma-level sequence of clicks gets you to a particular function, then repeated clicks enter the desired setting, but only if they are begun within 5 seconds, otherwise it generates an error.  The only feedback from the board to the user is a single LED that can be red, orange or green, and may be solid, blink, flash, rainbow-blink or off.

Gosh.  The two dials on the stock e-grip are certainly tedious to set, and require a delicate touch and a bit of trial and error.  But the Equalizer approach sounds like programming a VCR, only it has a single button and it's not labeled.  Maybe I'm just too old and crotchety to cope with that sort of user-unfriendly interface, but it seems like the electrical engineers at WAS could have allowed a few mere mortals to do some usability testing.

Another disappointment with the manual is that it is a cut and paste job from a different product.  "For example, if the Eye Mode is set to Eye Mode 2...."  So far as I can determine, the A-5 Equalizer has no Eye Mode.  It wouldn't make sense to have one with a cyclone feeder.  But there it is in the manual.

Firing modes are:

   semi-auto

   3 shot ramping

   3 shot full auto

Gone is the response mode as well as the turbo response.

To select a programming feature while in programming mode, "pull the trigger and hold it until the LED goes out, then release the trigger."

To reset all settings to the factory default while in programming mode, "just hold down the trigger for 6 full seconds...."

Hmmmm.

I suspect that I'll wait for a few reviews before I plunk down my $99.

{I tried several times to post this on the a5og forum, but their crippled server threw it away each time.}

I don't know what came over me.  Just now, when the A5OG forum server was toast, as usual, I logged onto the new WAS site and order the A-5 Equalizer board.  I couldn't help myself.

All the WAS links now seem to be working.  I think their sales people get too far ahead of their Web developer.  Anyway, I'll post a review of the board once it arrives and I've had time to give it a workout.

It certainly sounds like they didn't try very hard on this product.

Panda Man wrote: hybrid-sniper wrote: It certainly sounds like they didn't try very hard on this product. WAS try hard??  woah... thats a oxymoron for ya.

Well, I have seen better more thought out products come from them.

That is quite disappointing. Excepting the fact that the board W.A.S. designed for tourneys. What the crap does 3 shot full auto mean? I'm guessing after the third shot it goes into full auto?

The only problem I have with that picture (minus the lack of computer connection)- where is the solenoid? I'm wondering if they modified the microswitch at all.

The programming does sound a bit clumsy, but I guess it's just something I'm not used to. I'm also confused on the dwell setting- is that dwell on the solenoid? I'm not sure how useful this would be.

I suppose the programming feature is good thing it's not there- mayhaps they're trying to eliminate cheating modes created by cheaters. I'll e-mail them and ask if there is a way (they had to program it somehow- maybe a chip reader/ writer?).

I suppose I'll have to get it- I need it to do my http://www.tippmann.com/players/forum/wwf77a/forum_posts.asp?TID=133390&PN=1&TPN=1 - Cyclone 2.0 mod.

P.S.-

The E-grip is capped at 15 bps. You couldn't shoot 19 with or without the JCS.

The Cyclone is limited more specifically at 17.4 bps. That means it'll feed 40% of the time when at 18 bps. It's reliable at 17 bps. At 19 bps, I'd imagine 5% or less feeding (meaning you may get lucky once a hopper, considering you don't break any paint). At 20 it's pretty much done.