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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Genuine HC12’s...
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Grogster Admin Group  Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
I thought I would start a thread about sellers of the genuine article now we know for sure that there are clones out there, as confirmed by Boppa via his contact at hc01. I bought six modules from eBay here. These ones arrived today, and are genuine ones. Thick white silkscreen, t300 crystal. Spot-on frequency when tested on channel-1 (433.600MHz) In the past, I have purchased from this store on AliExpress and they have been genuine. The ones I bought in November last year that turned out to be clones and off-spec were purchased from this trader. As a guide, go by price. They should cost you about US$4 or US$5 each. The ones for US$2.50 or so are very likely clones. I have another five coming from the first AliExpress link as they have been genuine ones when I purchased from them before, so I will update this thread with the results once those ones arrive. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Phil23 Guru  Joined: 27/03/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1664 |
Geez, It's a bit hard to pic some, but I notice a lot of Ali sellers are using these pictures & no close ups of the modules.  Also stumbled over this one, That shows a black crystal in one of the pics. Not sure it they are rigidig or not.  Phil. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
Here you are then - some close up's!    The GENUINE module is on the LEFT in these photos. The fake one is on the right. As you can see, there really is not much between them, and to the untrained eye, they are identical. That makes it harder again to spot the fake ones.  The genuine ones have a much 'Whiter' silkscreen on the bottom, and you can't really see the track under the silkscreen. The clones have a thinner silkscreen, and you can easily see one track that stands out on the back. The connections also appear to be dull looking on the clones, but bright and shiny on the genuine ones.Genuine ones have a square pad on the top for VCC, but it is ROUND on the bottom of the PCB. The clones have a square-pad on both top AND bottom for VCC. Don't put any faith in the photos that the sellers use. They are most likely taken from the genuine article, weather they are clones or not. IE: The clones will be sold with photos of the genuine ones on the listing. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
Interesting that one in Phil23's post, I tried to read the crystal markings but it really isnt clear enough- possibly t304c???, but close inspection of the pcb would seem to be a legit one with the round lower VCC connection... but then on that site, it has all the photos with the black crystal, except one where its a goldish looking one... so obviously they have a mixture of photos of different units... It sounds like building a list of sellers with ones selling known real HC01.com ones, and ones selling the clones/fakes (also handy to know those for people already locked into them in existing networks)- now with a possible third variation (real but with black crystal???- that would need to be confirmed though) |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
I have no idea on the black-crystal ones. I have never been sent any with that crystal. I fully expect those to be fakes too. You could run that past your contact at hc01 and let us know.....  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
I would call it a clone rather than a fake Grogster, it doesnt have the hco1.com badge, so it technically isnt a fake, unlike the ones that do have the hc01.com lettering but arent from them...  Its performance would be the deciding factor in whether it would be an acceptable buy, for that we would have to get one and test it I suppose... |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
Clone, fake - I keep interchanging those terms.  You're right - clone. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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MicroBlocks Guru Joined: 12/05/2012 Location: ThailandPosts: 2209 |
Thanks Grog, Just ordered a six pack. Microblocks. Build with logic. |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
In co-operation with Boppa and with his help, I have established contact with hc01.com and have ordered 50 HC12's for now, with another 50 to follow soon after that most likely. I myself use HC12's in just about everything RF now, cos they are so reliable and have such a great performance for their price. I will be selling the genuine ones on my website once I have a stock of them here. My website will make a big thing of the fact their are clones out there now(and perhaps fakes too according to Boppa?), but this means I can offer the genuine article to anyone wanting them. Special thanks to Boppa for putting me in contact with his English-speaking hc01.com representative, and for his initial translation attempts and taking it upon himself to make contact with them in the first place. Without his efforts, we would still be trying to work out which traders are selling real modules.  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
If you dont mind me borrowing your pics, I'll put up all 3 types a bit later on and with their distinguishing features marked (I got to install some security cameras first) So yes- 3 types: original -good, clone- ok,fake- bad I was also like to thank my friends friends mother Hui Yin for her invaluable help in translating all the bits on the website for me, especially as she has no idea of electronics and to her the translations were gibberish after they were translated, but they then made sense to me |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
Re: Pictures - help yourself. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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CaptainBoing Guru Joined: 07/09/2016 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1985 |
well done boys and lady! Fantastic effort.  |
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bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Is Grogster the lady? I did go out once with a lady I could have called grogster. An interesting time.. Mik Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| CaptainBoing Guru Joined: 07/09/2016 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1985 |
Oh! - That was you!?? Didn't recognise you from your avatar Listen, don't knock dressing up in heels and a sleek LBD to hang out down by the docks... we've all done it. (! Oh what have I said?!) actually the lady reference was Boppa's mate's mum (sorry for any confusion Grogs  ) |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
LOL Still havent gotten around to the pics yet, I will make it a priority, real life intruded between work and going out today. Hui Yin is a real lady, we had tea together in her original from China teaset she brought over in the 1950's, and it was old then, I was almost too scared to pick up the cup, they are so beautiful. Her son was born in Australia, and he's my age, so she is quite elderly obviously, and being in her house was a step back n time to my own grans house, she still has a working stereogram, and a huge chinese record collection, very little 'modern' tech of any kind apart from the tv,so although she could read the website, very little made any sense to her, so it was a real collaborative effort to do the chinese to english translations as many words do not translate directly |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
....and you did a fine job, Boppa. I did look around on the hc01 website initially, but as it was all in Chinese, and Google Translate did not like the images with the Chinese in them(fair enough), I was kinda stuck. I was also looking for an email address, but I could not even find them! @ Mick - I'm a man. Women in our trade are hunted to extinction! (IE: They are very sought after by us men, and are snapped up very quickly as there are not THAT many women in the electronics trade. At least over here! ) I got my 'Grogster' nom-de-plume from my High-School days. I had just found out what beer was, and.....I liked it. Enough said. Was YOUR grogster into the booze to? I guess that is what you were hinting at. I don't really drink that much anymore - perhaps a couple of beers while I watch the news at night, or if a mate comes around, but that's about it. I often toy with the idea of giving up completely.Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| bigmik Guru Joined: 20/06/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2870 |
Of course.. So Sorry Hui Yin, and thank you for coming to our assistance. Also Sorry Grogster, I didn’t mean to demean your manhood.. Anyone who wrestles sheep in the mud and rain 8 days a week and 25 hrs a day cant be called girlie... Mick Mick's uMite Stuff can be found >>> HERE (Kindly hosted by Dontronics) <<< |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
You didn't. It was all in good fun. The good thing about Aussies and Kiwi's is that we can poke a bit of fun at each other, and neither one takes offence - unlike most of the rest of the world these days if something off-script is said by anyone.EDIT: On another note, I have paid for an order of 50 HC12's from hc01's contact. DHL shipping, so should be here soon, then I can put them up on the website. I don't really expect these to sell in big numbers, as many people will get on fine with the clones so long as they don't mix them with the genuine ones in a bigger network. But they will be on offer anyway, and now we have made contact with hc01, I can always order another 50 if they do sell. Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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| Boppa Guru Joined: 08/11/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 814 |
No offence taken here either I meant a real lady in the old fashioned sense of the word, very dignified, as I mentioned we had tea together on first meeting (I'm a coffee person myself, but I believe it is traditional custum) and there are a few rules to be followed during this time!!!! The cups are very small (only a couple of mouthfuls really) but are incredibly thin and delicate looking, beautifully decorated, yet the pot itself is totally unglazed with no decorations, such a stark contrast to the cups. It is considered impolite to not talk during this time, in effect talking about yourself, being quiet while drinking is rude! and you sip slowly, not just gulp it down in a couple of swallows LOL I got the basics from her son before meeting her, she wouldnt expect me to know 'the rules' but it is considered polite to do what is expected in someone elses home, and I was asking a favour of her after all, we had quite an interesting chat about the China she knew from when she left and the changes she has seen in it, it was a fascinating meeting and I enjoyed every minute of it |
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| Grogster Admin Group Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 9061 |
If it is not too bold of me, and everyone please pardon my presumptuousness if it is, but please do thank her for her help on behalf of the forums next time you are talking to her. Her and your efforts are greatly appreciated, or we would still be scratching our heads trying to work out how we can get access to the genuine ones.  Smoke makes things work. When the smoke gets out, it stops! |
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