PFO Gone

[Cavinca]

Heres orbitechs response to negative feedback on the subject.

Orbital Technologies Corporation - LED Aquarium Lighting Statement

LED AQUARIUM LIGHTING STATEMENT
February 4, 2009

Orbital Technologies Corporation, a small business with 70 employees located in Madison, Wisconsin, has recently been the target of inaccurate, negative publicity regarding its patent for a Marine LED Lighting System and Method.

As ORBITEC's president, I am an avid aquarium enthusiast. Back in 2003, the company combined my new-found passion for aquariums with our decade-long experience in LED lighting systems for plant growth, science research, underwater bioreactors and aerospace applications to create a new design for a complete LED system for marine environments. Working together with aquarium industry partners, our engineering team began developing high-quality, effective LED lighting systems for small and large marine applications, including aquariums.

ORBITEC's ability to launch its product line was delayed due to internal resource limitations and a challenge to its intellectual property. We take our intellectual property rights very seriously, and expect others to do so as well. We look forward, however, to working together with our aquarium partners to release a growing series of reliable, exciting products later this year. My excitement is most felt at home, when I experience the benefits of these units in my own aquarium systems.

We continually welcome any comments or input that you may have regarding these products and future capabilities and you are welcome to email us at aquarium.lighting@orbitec.com.

Most Sincerely,
Tom Crabb, President

We could always try spamming their email with stuff like:


Dear Mr. Crabb,

Last time we checked... Many 'aquarium enthusiast' do not like crabs in their aquarium. Many of us stay up late everynight for weeks to get that one chance to spear them. We often use any and every tactic in order erradicate these little guys.

Good luck in your future endeavours.


PS. CRaBz SUX

 

[lcstorc]

I asked him for a pic of his light on his home aquarium but got no response.

 

[Cavinca]

I asked him for a pic of his light on his home aquarium but got no response.

I bet its a solaris.

 

[lcstorc]

I'll bet it doesn't exist.
I would be shocked to find out he actually had an aquarium.

 

[Varga]

You guys dont think the economy put PFO out and NOT LED's? because I was under the impression that LED was only one of many things they sell? Couldn't they just stop selling solaris and keep selling other PFO products?

 

[lcstorc]

I don't know anything about other products but from what I understand the legal fees are what really did them in.

 

[JeepersReefers]

I don't know anything about other products but from what I understand the legal fees are what really did them in.

As a small family business owner and a PFO MH user i absolutely hate to hear this, unfortunately is is becoming more common. The bad economy, lawyers and the storm brewing in Washington are making it increasingly more difficult for a small legitimate business to make it.

Unless you have a 6 or 7 figure legal fund i doubt there is anything effective that the aquarium community can do at this point.

Best wishes to the PFO crew :cry1:

 

[BigJay]

knowing what its like to invest tons of money developing a product I definetly understand wanting to protect your investment from someone taking all your hard work and research and just sell a copy cat device.
That being said I never understood this lawsuite. I've talked to several people about it as well. I don't understand how they can claim rights on LED lighting regardless of its intended use if its to be used as lighting. Obviously if they came up with a system that would allow LED's to be used to cure a disease or something I could understand. But using LED's in thier most generic form ... I just don't get it.

 

[rmlevasseur]

I highly regret the setback to LED lighting, but PFO would not have had my business again.

I am also curious as to why this one suit had to bankrupt the whole company. Didn't they sell non-aquarium lighting and halide fixtures prior to LED anyway? And even if they couldn't manufacture LED anymore, couldn't they have continued to service the ones they did sell? And I wonder how many Solaris units they did sell knowing of this suit? I keep hearing of legal fees, but did they even contest this in court? If not, why would they bankrupt themselves on legal fees and then not even fight it?

I dunno, I think there is more to it than just this suit. Too many complaints with the Solaris. It wouldn't surprise me if the unit itself would have led to PFO's instability, assuming that this light constituted the backbone of PFO solvency.

 

[mps9506]

I highly regret the setback to LED lighting, but PFO would not have had my business again.

I am also curious as to why this one suit had to bankrupt the whole company. Didn't they sell non-aquarium lighting and halide fixtures prior to LED anyway? And even if they couldn't manufacture LED anymore, couldn't they have continued to service the ones they did sell? And I wonder how many Solaris units they did sell knowing of this suit? I keep hearing of legal fees, but did they even contest this in court? If not, why would they bankrupt themselves on legal fees and then not even fight it?

I dunno, I think there is more to it than just this suit. Too many complaints with the Solaris. It wouldn't surprise me if the unit itself would have led to PFO's instability, assuming that this light constituted the backbone of PFO solvency.

I agree with you wholeheartedly on it. PFO lost my business a long time ago over some other issues. I have been pretty outspoken on my preference for other LED units. After seeing the construction of them I was not impressed with the unit itself.
It may or may not be fair to place blame on the lawsuit for putting PFO out of business. I somehow doubt PFO will be out of the game very long. Other companies in the industry have closed shop and reopned as bigger and better (Current is one that pops to mind).
That said I do think the real issue isn't so much PFO, as much as what will Orbitech's impact on the hobby's advancement be regarding LED lighting. If manufacturers are afraid to come out with innovative new LED systems it will slow the progress of this promising technology in our hobby, at least in the states. If they can block the sale of Elos LED units and Aquaillumination units in the states it would be a major setback to the hobby in this country IMO.
I just don't like the trend this could set.

 

[Clownfish518]

I agree with you wholeheartedly on it. PFO lost my business a long time ago over some other issues. I have been pretty outspoken on my preference for other LED units. After seeing the construction of them I was not impressed with the unit itself.
It may or may not be fair to place blame on the lawsuit for putting PFO out of business. I somehow doubt PFO will be out of the game very long. Other companies in the industry have closed shop and reopned as bigger and better (Current is one that pops to mind).
That said I do think the real issue isn't so much PFO, as much as what will Orbitech's impact on the hobby's advancement be regarding LED lighting. If manufacturers are afraid to come out with innovative new LED systems it will slow the progress of this promising technology in our hobby, at least in the states. If they can block the sale of Elos LED units and Aquaillumination units in the states it would be a major setback to the hobby in this country IMO.
I just don't like the trend this could set.

I too have had issues with PFO in the past and they lost my business as well; but this is not good for the hobby. What bothers me is Orbitec does not even have a product. Not even pictures of one. If you have a patent, then build something.

 

[rmlevasseur]

I think this thread jinxed me. I came home today and one of my power supplies is shot. Soooo frustrating.