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Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:29 pm
by Firebird
Convotron wrote:And another joins the Convoy Corps! :D

Isn't Alternity Convoy Super Black awesome?


The Convoy Corps... Do we get any nifty rings?

Black Convoy is awesome indeed. Being Universe Nemesis Prime only added to his greatness also (I love that figure and all of it's shell forming goodness). I love how glassy Black Convoy's paint is, I didn't want to transform him because I knew I would get fingerprints everywhere. But I have no willpower and transformed him anyway :P

I agree that the price is pretty high for a smaller figure. I got the first 2 GT-R's back when they were originally released and really liked the transformation and the smaller scale. But all the detail and actual useful automorph really won me over on the figures.

Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:56 pm
by Convotron
Yeah, you get a secret decoder ring! No power rings, sorry, but the secret decoder ring is powered by Alternity tech so anything's possible!

I haven't been able to resist trying out Convoy Super Black, Ultimate Silver, and Megatron Blade Silver. But the great thing about the Alternity packaging is that you can return the figures to the box good as new and they're great packages for display purposes.

I plan on trying to keep up with the Alternity line. It'll take up much of my Transformers budget(not to mention that I'm collecting Alternators and some Binaltech too) but I think the quality and design of the figures make the price justifiable for me. I hope the line gets a good run of figures and that an even mix of Cybertrons and Destrons are produced.

Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:56 am
by bvzxa
I showed the guys at different booths at the local flea market the new Binaltech..err Alternity, and they want them to come to the USA as new ALternators.

Still they never even seen it, the looks on their faces were enough proof these need to be brought over by Hasbro.

And i got Alternator Skidz for $15 today. Awesome

Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:57 pm
by Convotron
Nice find on Alts Skids, bvzxa! I love that figure...though I say that about every Alternators I have, hehe.

I would definitely buy an Alternators equivalent to Alternity figures. Die cast is great but the reason why I keep my Alternity figures in their packaging, aside from space issues, is because I'd like to protect them from any chance of accidental damage. The Alternity packaging is great for display too so that helps.

One of the issues that exists in the transformation designs of Alternators/Binaltech is that there are sometimes very little space for part shifting. I know this can cause concern for plastic/paint damage unless you precisely transform the figure. The great thing about the Alternity transformation design for Convoy and Megatron is that the process is much more refined so that the transformation is pretty easy. Some have experienced clearance problems with Convoy's legs but both of mine don't have those issues. Otherwise, the really isn't any clearance issues with parts so if the die cast parts of Alternity figures were cast in plastic, I don't think there'd be any durability issues. They'd be basically super detailed Deluxe figures.

Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Sat Jun 11, 2022 4:00 pm
by -Kanrabat-
I didn't feel like creating a brand new thread when the subject already exist so...


:michaelbay: RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE! :michaelbay:


I recently bought a Binaltech Skids. I know many collectors ket their Binaltech sealed in box but be warned that those boxes did not aged well at all. The plastic windows came undone by just looking at them wrong. So I unboxed my Skids and just dumped the whole box into the recycling bin.

First impressions is that the car mode looks gorgeous with an amazing paint job plus the diecast feel heavy and nice. He does come with stickers but they looks cheap and ugly and will ruin the car for sure. So I won't be suing them. The front grill of the car is a different sculp than the Alternator and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car, like all Japanese models.

The problems appear with the transformation and the bot mode. First, the rear seats keep falling off for no reasons. The black shoulder panels barely peg in. Ball joints for ankles is a stupid design and even more so when the thing is extremely top heavy due to the diecast. This removes all poseability. Skids have :BOT: printed on both upper arms so no labels necessary. The overall look of the robot mode is completely different from the Alternator.

Image

So, if you have to choose only one, which should you get? Binaltech or Alternator Skids? I'd go with the Alternator all the way. Even if the vehicle mode look and feel way better for the Binaltech due to the diecast, that same diecast backfire for the robot mode making the transformation problematic and just standing the damn thing up a balancing act. Plus the Alternator cost between double to triple the price than the Alternator.

So for the money, the Alternator is the superior toy.

Still, as a collector, if you don't mind the Binaltech's flaws too much, having BOTH the it and the Alternator side-by-side is awesome because they looks like completely different characters. ;)^

Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 9:23 am
by Rodimus Prime
Holy necrobump, Frenchman! :lol: :lol:

I've only ever had Alternators, so I can't speak to Binaltech in hand, but they do look better in pictures. I have always displayed my Alternator figures next to my MP stuff, the Alternators filling in for the MPs I don't have yet.

I'm in the process of liquidating a large part of my collection of other lines, and when I'm done, I plan on getting more Binaltech figures.

Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 12:30 pm
by o.supreme
Toys R Russ YouTube channel recently had a video showing off his collection. I miss this line as it was pretty cool.

My rule was that I got every Alternator release, and Binaltech of rare variations such as Yellow Tracks and the Mazda ( Zoom Zoom) Etc
There may have been a couple more, I can't recall as they went with the rest of my Original collection in 2007. I think Kiss Players kind of killed it for me though.

I did keep them all MIB, so I'm guess I'm glad I sold them and the packaging issues are one thing I don't have to worry about

Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Wed Jun 15, 2022 12:42 pm
by -Kanrabat-
Lol yeah, that was quite the necromancy, but worth it.

My advice for anyone who plan to get Binaltech toys, buy them to open them (the packaging aged poorly) and get the deco you can't get with Alternators (why getting more of the same?)

So far for Binaltech, apart Skids I have Binaltech "R63" Arcee.

I'm looking for Argent Meister for a reasonable price. Meaning "leader class" priced, not "mp" priced.

Re: Metal vs Plastic, AKA Alternators vs Binaltech

PostPosted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 12:20 pm
by Till-all-R1
As an old school TF fan the metal Alternators were appealing to me over what the then current basic line was putting out. As much as I enjoyed them though the only minor drawback was they weren't classic looking bots I was into and whished they could have made a few actual G1 version of a few core characters. Prime as a Doge pickup just wasn't appealing to me.

That said I really liked a few of them like the Corvette (Tracks), Ford GT (Mirage), Viper(Dead End) unfortunately I was never able to get them, so I settled on a few others that were more readily available.
I ended up selling them off a couple years ago.