bdesmond said:
Doing what others do is not a good way to make a decision which should be based on budget, space, and need.
You raise a very good
point.
rgsw - the forum is full of individual comments, opinions and recommendations regarding a variety of products and manufacturers.
This info, whilst very helpful and insightful should not be used as your sole basis for making a decision. At the end of the day, you will need to pick a product that you believe best suits your needs and budget.
As you have narrowed it down to two products, I am hoping that this is because you have looked up the specs and even arranged for a demo of the boards, and not just because these were the two most common boards suggested on another thread.
My advice (to you and anyone else in the same position) would be to first of all write a list of features/functions that you want the product to be able to perform. Secondly, list any other requirements, such as dimensions, weight
etc.
Once you have these, then look at the various product lines available from a variety of manufacturers. I would print out the spec sheets (available from most) and compare them with your list. This should
enable you to narrow your choices down somewhat.
Now that you have a handful of options, start looking at additional features that may be useful to you for
current or future applications and start looking for information form other people on each. This will then
build your list of pro’s and con’s for each.
Try to get a demo of each (if possible). Once you have collected all your information on each product, look at the price (don’t forget to check with several distributors and to also see if they will give you a discount or
throw in some leads
etc).
The reason I tend to leave pricing until the end is that some products may have initially been cut form the list because they were outside my budget. However, they may now be the one that I have decided will best suit my needs and it may be in my best interest to spend a
bit more. If not, then you can always move down to the next one (within your budget).
Also remember, that if someone has had a bad experience with something they will usually be more inclined to tell you than someone who has not. This is human nature and can
bias your opinion. However, if you are repeatedly getting the same message form different people, you will need to consider what that message is. This is why a
poll is probably not going to help you.
I would strongly advise that you demo at least the top 3 on your wish list, if not more.