*RDSS Pricing*

[Ted Craven]

I have finalized an agreement with TrackMaster and Equibase for RDSS data, and decided on pricing for ongoing use of the software.

RDSS will use TrackMaster data, exclusively. TrackMaster will provide for RDSS both a Past Performance data file and a Results Chart data file. RDSS users can sign up with TrackMaster for either the PP file by itself (as currently) or for a Bundle consisting of both the PP and Results files. If you sign up for the Bundle, RDSS will download Result Charts the following day for Past Performances purchased and store them in the database for model and record keeping. For example, you can 'drill-down' from a horse’s Past Performance line to study the underlying Result Chart. In addition, if you subscribe to Results and are connected to the Internet, RDSS will fetch the Mutuel results of a race on a real-time basis, shortly after it is official. This will feed into RDSS record keeping and wager sizing tools.

You can buy Past Performance files alone, or the PP + Chart Bundle, by the single card, by the 20-pack per month, or unlimited by the month, quarter, etc. These data feeds will likely come online and be ready for testing by the end of April.

The Result Chart data is the same data currently available from TrackMaster, as described here: www.trackmaster.com/track/demos/tchsamp.htm. The new, customized-for-RDSS Past Performance data file is an enhancement of the current TMPP file used by Validator and Speculator. In addition to what we get now, we will also get the actual up-to-date Equibase Inter Track Variant (ITV) number for 3 points of call during the race. To the extent that the previous ITV number has been useful all these years to Val and Spec in effectively comparing pacelines from disparate tracks, surfaces and distances (very useful, in my opinion), the new ITV number(s) will be even more accurate and constantly updated due to never-ending track changes. Comparatively speaking, the formula used now to derive the ITV was fairly accurate in the late 1990’s, but has 'drifted' since then and in some cases badly. After the new Past Performance data file has been tested and debugged, the previous traditional TMPP file will cease to be used by RDSS. RDSS will always, however, export data from this new PP file for use by Spec and Val. (And the existing TMPP file will always be available).

There will be some administrative arrangement with TrackMaster for users with existing unlimited use balances to have unused portions applied to the new RDSS products, if they wish.

Here is the pricing for RDSS data from TrackMaster:



RDSS software will be available by annual subscription of $100, after a 30 day no-charge evaluation period. The software will require activation to continue using it after the initial 30 day period and the activation and subscription fee will be renewed annually (if you choose to continue using the software). The subscription fee covers all updates, all technical support, all bug fixes, online tutorials and examples, etc. If you purchase over $600 per year of RDSS data from TrackMaster, you get a refund of that year’s $100 subscription fee (logistics to be determined). You can activate the software on up to 3 of your own computers.

I make money on this project through a percentage of all data sales, and by the subscription fee. When I was negotiating this deal with TrackMaster, I required that there be a reasonably priced single-card option, as there is now, a mid-tier option, plus an unlimited price for PPs and Results which was reasonably competitive with bulk data vendors such as Handicapper’s Data Warehouse.

Examples of Data Usage

For example, if you use Past Performance data files only, and you purchase less than 15 race cards per month, the single-card price is the best one ($2.00 each). If you purchase between 15 and 92 cards per month, the mid-tier price of 20 cards for $30.00 plus $1.25 for extra cards is best (e.g. for 50 cards/month, the price works out to $1.35/card). If you regularly purchase more than 92 cards per month, the Unlimited pricing is best. With these pricing options, you can try RDSS for very little financial upfront investment. If the software earns its keep for you, you can then get a better deal if you use more data. Conversely, if you aren’t satisfied with RDSS after a period of time, you have not made a large investment to purchase expensive software or accumulate a large database just to get the software to be functional. If you are satisfied with the software and continue to renew it, use it and win over many years, the revenue stream will enable me to continue developing and enhancing it year after year.

The final release of RDSS will come with a database of one week of all Past Performances and Result Charts for all racetracks in North America for you to study, follow along with tutorials and test the software’s effectiveness.

The initial feature set of RDSS is still fluid, as is the initial release date, but whenever that date is (May?) and whatever features Version 1.0 finally includes, I imagine that I’ll just keep on adding things to it for a long, long time.

Speculator purchasers who are due a full or partial credit against RDSS, or those considering purchasing either the Spec160 1 year expiry for $250 or the Spec160 non-expiring version for $500, can either choose to have the annual $100 RDSS subscription fee waived until the Spec160 credit is used up, or after purchase of sufficient RDSS data from TrackMaster (and a share earned by me), I’ll issue a refund.

There is still lots of work to be done to make the software ready for its initial release, but I wanted to let everyone know the financial aspect of things. All comments and questions are welcomed!

Yours,

Ted

[Chazz]

Will Trackmaster still be offering PP's for Val 3 that they are now offering.
Chazz

[tompkins]

Of course they will. There are still many who use it in spite of it's KNOWN problems.

[Ted Craven]

Originally Posted by Chazz

Will Trackmaster still be offering PP's for Val 3 that they are now offering.
Chazz

Chazz,

Yes. Lots of other people also use those files besides Sartin software users.

Ted

[admin]

Hi Ted

I'm really on a roll with Val 2006 so I wish you good
skill in your program work and your bigfontophbia gets better

Ok so for me at this point in my life I am only taking maybe 20 cards a month tops. So I would be best to just go with the $20 plus overage plan
this will take me up to $1.50 per card but I also get results ?

not to bad considering if I don't have what Val2006 is giving me
I would use HDRF (Bris also has bigfontophbia) and have to hand enter
my lines and they charge $1.50 for card

Not to bad
I can deal with that


* bigfontophbia = The fear of using easy readable fonts in windows programs

[Ted Craven]

Dear Bill (just practising re the bigfontphobia thing )

Your race card file example is probably a pretty common one, so perhaps I can clarify.

The mid-tier rate is $30.00 for 20 cards/month for Past Performances only, with the 21st and subsequent cards costing $1.25 each. For Past Performances plus Result Charts (including the real-time feed), the same mid-tier rate is $40.00 for 20 cards per month, with the 21st and subsequent cards costing $1.50 each.

You were right about the effective unit price of $1.50/card for 20 cards for Past Performances only. For the combination of PPs and Result Charts, the effective unit price would be $2.00/card.

Hope that helps,

Ted

[admin]

The mid-tier rate is $30.00 for 20 cards/month for Past Performances only, with the 21st and subsequent cards costing $1.25 each. For Past Performances plus Result Charts (including the real-time feed), the same mid-tier rate is $40.00 for 20 cards per month, with the 21st and subsequent cards costing $1.50 each.

You were right about the effective unit price of $1.50/card for 20 cards for Past Performances only. For the combination of PPs and Result Charts, the effective unit price would be $2.00/card.

Ted Ok that helps me. So I will figure a budget of $30 dollars a month
for cards That $30 gets me 20 cards Than every time I take a card
after # 20 each month those cards cost me $1.25 each so I will be over budget but I will save money
and thats for a TM file that is special for RDSS only
ok lets see
Lets say I use 1 card a day for a month/30 days

 
RDSS Files                                                                       
$30 for day 1-20 Then for day 21 -30 $1.25 x 10 = 12.50          
                                                                  + 30.00
                                                                   $42.50

More questions Is the amount of over budget cards limited ?
Have you and or TM addressed the issue of "sharing"
I just want to make sure I'm not paying for cards at $1.42 a pop
and folks a ganging up and paying whatever a small cut is and being able to feed them into Rdss

[Ted Craven]

Bill, When RDSS downloads the new data files from TrackMaster, it will encode them so they can only be used on the computer which downloaded them. If you have multiple computers and multiple RDSS installations, just download the same card for each computer, e.g. scheduled overnight, or whenever - it's pretty painless and you're only charged once by TM for downloading the same card on the same day.

If you want to share a downloaded RDSS file with a buddy, RDSS will not load that shared file on the buddy's computer. If your hard drive crashes or you replace it and your Operating System, if it's still the same computer (CPU), when you reinstall and reactivate RDSS, it will recognize your old cards or your old database (if you backed them up). If you're adding (or replacing) a computer, just send a previously encoded data file and you'll be back in business.

For folks who choose to share a common TrackMaster data account instead of paying for a separate account, a) the racing gods will chastise them with lower mutuels and b) TrackMaster will do a periodic audit to identify sharing and act accordingly. IMO, a far happier approach to this wonderful game (and to life in general) is to acknowledge value (in data and software, if you find it so) then profit from the tools at the Win Window . I will always do my very best to make the software valuable to someone who takes the time to learn it and use it well.

I try to not focus my energy on negative outcomes, that way I don't contribute to creating them.

Hope that was a good answer!

yours,

Ted

[admin]

that is great news

I read something very similar in an early follow up
I am only guessing but I would say in the mid 30's
Doc talked about a heathly attitude and getting your personal
life in order and doing the right thing

I am not saying anything about what other people do
I am very happy the temptation won't be there for ME anymore

Bill

[Turbulator]

Ted, I have a question.

Right now I can download a PDF file from Trackmaster for $1.00. I can also download a file to Validator (I think) for that same $1.00 charge.

Why is the price going up to $2.00 for a single card with RDSS?

$1.00 seems reasonable, but $2.00...well...you know.