OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Hi
I'm considering buying the Amicus Pro (or rather it's inventors version) or the TT Matic 505B
I want something that will provide as near possible to random spin, random placement and random speed. In otter words, as near to a human practice partner as it's possible to get.
Why did you guys choose the Amicus Pro over other robots?
Comments please
Abdy

The amicus can give you eight balls played in random order, and it can randomize the pre-set locations within a 16 inch circle. So you have combinations of spins, speeds and locations, but with only eight possibilities you quickly begin to recognize them.

It's still quite useful in my opinion, even with that limitation. Nothing like a human partner, no robot is that, alas.

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Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life.

Yoko Ono

Human beings don't have much more variation than 8, believe it or not. Usually within our bounds we have 3 per spin .

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"We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training" - Archilochus

I'm not sure a robot that gives random spin is anything like a human practice partner. You won't be able to pick up any queues which give a indication of the spin. A variation of direction and speed, where the spin is known seems like a better option.

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

In theory random spin might help you learn to read spin off the ball alone. In practice you are right IMO, it's not very useful. Regardless with the amicus it isn't random spin, it is a level you set for that ball. The amicus is great for programmed drills, and it is okay for random placement. If you are looking for something very much like hitting with a person then you are bound to be disappointed.

You should know that as the rate of feed increases the robot puts funky unprogrammed sidespin on the ball because the head is moving to the next placement as it throws. The sidespin can be fairly heavy, and you end up getting jammed a lot. It's excellent practice at dealing with balls at your elbow, so about my favorite part of the drill.

I posted video on my BRS blog of some random amicus drills, eight balls at the same speed and spin with random placement.

_________________
Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life.

Yoko Ono

FWIW I use the Newgy Robopong 2050. I really like it. It only has one head, and it only has one wheel, so your drill are always going to have the same type of spin, but it will vary in positioning and speed. It has a tonne of pre-programmed drills, plus you can program your own.

I know that Samson Dubina uses one, and rates it highly.

My only criticism is that the backspin it applies is very strong, and there seems to be no way to make it give you a lightly spun backspin ball, but I may be missing a trick.

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Yasaka Sweden Classic | 802 OX | C8 OX
Check out my blog - LordCope's Latest Learning Log - 10+ years of accumulate mistakes!

The spin is proportional to the speed. If you want lighter backspin you have to reduce the speed. I had a 2040 before the other two robots i had before this one.

_________________
Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life.

Yoko Ono