$3,000 Messaging Display?! Vestaboard Review

Vestaboard is a $3,000 smart messaging display that’s equal parts tech and modern art. We installed it and tried all the top features to see whether it’s worth the high price tag.
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[@MarioLoco03]

$95 a year for app features after paying $3k...that is crazy. Definitely a rich person toy.

[@dryamaka]

It seems like the fee is only for additional features, not the standard ones. It seems like the standard ones are included, and even those are numerous.

[@rr6620]

@@dryamakaregardless…

[@PawFromTheBroons]

So they managed to have it be both expensive upfront, and be shackled to a steep subscription service?!

[@IvanConejo.]

My first thought exactly… The future is subscriptions…

[@eholtz85]

I’m sure somebody can make this more cheaply and not have to tether us to a subscription service

[@jcarter5521]

Wait you need a subscription? I’m out

[@HouseGurke]

⁠​⁠@@jcarter5521You don't need a subscription. Vestaboard offers a free API (cloud based + local), so you can control your board with your own custom code and display whatever you want.

[@MattGarcyaDC]

Subscription on top of that price?

[@HockeyJock]

@@jcarter5521the subscription is optional. It simply unlocks more features. But you don’t NEED to buy it every year.

[@DigitalGus75]

It’s not complicated…. But oh my god the labour… 8500 individual flaps to be lettered, control of 132 stepper motors. It’s pretty heavy going

[@iameddieruiz]

A $3k dinner menu 😂

[@glennsmooth]

$3k piece of art ya gotta have in-wall power

[@zalllon]

I’m going to try and build one, starting with just a small clock I’ve seen on some print websites. Once I learn how to do that and modify the software, I’ll try and figure out how to scale it up.

[@someuser4166]

a subscription model for a 3k panel? what a scam.

[@davidedan1417]

I want one so bad, what I don’t want is paying 3k. Also, paying a subscription after already having spent that much, is absolutely ridiculous

[@palkoenergies7790]

Good advice to wait, that would suck to buy it the gen 2 comes out that has greater conectivity. Great video

[@Scott.Sandifer]

I love this... and kind of want one. But realistically, I can't imagine getting much use out of it after an hour or so. I can either text someone directly, or hope they're sitting in front of the vestaboard. Hmmm... which one?

[@july1962]

Do you wonder what happens if some of the letter blocks break, how it gets fixed and how much it will cost?

[@deanbrandon3615]

Not sure, but as I understand it, each module is independent, so you would likely replace the damaged module, not the whole board.

[@BenNuProductions]

This lady is always sceptical lol

[@JABLminifigz]

Does it include a warranty?

[@charlie1234567890]

All that money just so someone can put “live love laugh”

[@kaushalsuvarna5156]

Money can buy happiness and wisdom 😂

[@mmuffley]

At minute 3:22, second to last row, rightmost element - is this a hardware error? How can it show orange and red at the same time?

[@mbk_r]

It's not an error. Each bit has to have 2 "flaps" of the same color - otherwise it would not be possible to show a bit in a single color (like the rest on the board at that time stamp). It most likely skipped to the next position hence red bottom and yellow upper part. Was this skip intentional - I don't know, someone with vestaboard app would have to find this picture and tell us how it was supposed to look.

[@slother932]

Why not just use a cheap TV or monitor to display the same information?

[@user-fi3pj5dd3x]

i was thinking the same thing

[@kaushalsuvarna5156]

The analog part of it is the charm for some

[@patrickl.654]

Nice review - quick question about the paid subscription. Do you think is necessary ?! Meaning can you just enjoy the board and the basic features without missing anything ? Thank you

[@tgleo1]

That's what I do. It's a tremendously compelling piece of industrial art, and I love changing messages, but I don't need the subscription or any surprise coming to life of the Vestaboard.

[@satoshi36100]

I've seen this in some airports before....

[@littlerscal]

Can someone make UI and javascript and have it on samsung frametv🎉

[@shaw7598]

$300 is a buy. $3000 is rip

[@pranjalpiyush]

How do one get without the logo "Vestaboard" ??

[@ocaptainnc]

A black sharpie or some white-out depending on the color of your board should do the trick 😂

[@djrv3n423]

how soon before an app is in dev to mimic this as FREEWARE,, .

[@metzidis]

Yeah the third prong is totally optional

[@treebark9573]

I was considering this or a synth I’ve had my eye on but that subscription service made me reconsider. I got rid of most subscriptions last year, don’t plan on supporting that business model any longer.

[@philipb1889]

HAHAHAHA! 3500 USD?!??! I can't stop laughing

[@makatron]

So 3k for the thing and the on top I gotta pay extra for a subscription? Nah, I'm good.

[@1Samuel1524]

A really cool piece of technology called a "monitor" makes this obsolete.

[@George-nx8zu]

Feels like it would make really distracting noises.

[@Forgan_Mreeman]

Why does this thing exist lol. Why is it $3000? Why does it weigh over 50lbs? I have many questions 😂 cool review tho

[@peterb5794]

if the service covers mechanical costs/repairs then $95 a year is not bad!

[@Slacking02]

I’d buy at 1k with no subscriptions

[@FifteenO8]

$3k gift! Bruh I don't know no one worth $3,000!

[@NanoTLG]

So 3000 dollar and 95 dollar subscription. Sheez no cheaper alternatives?

[@mirajul20]

Not so sweet

[@bencastor9207]

You could make one for a fraction of the price.

[@Scott.Sandifer]

Do it.

[@mielnickijc]

Why won't you just be honest and say this is a stupid product and a bad idea?

[@luvbeefy]

sounds so loud lol

[@frozenmage89]

i'm pretty there is a huge market for this, gimmicky but very functional toy.

[@ms.genevievehennacy]

Some people really have too much money

[@Rixynator]

3000 for that? lmao let me call my homies in china to copy that and sell for cheap

[@hazrieqshairi7873]

not ganna happen. this item from china cost 20,000 usd. already quoted. n u wont find the similar product anywhere. this is an expensive technology from the start

[@Rixynator]

@@hazrieqshairi7873 neh split flaps are not hard to come by. They are dated tech and easy to make

[@modo203]

@@hazrieqshairi7873expensive technology? 🤣🤣

[@LukeCreates]

@@Rixynator Split flaps like this (colored, custom font, etc) are expensive to make. And they're expensive to make for the opposite of the reason you've posted here, it's because they're dated. It's a specialty pretty much only used for art installations component now.

[@junkbob6832]

@@Rixynatorthey are stupid expensive. The ones in train stations got taken down because they have around 5 *million* parts and when they break, are very expensive to fix. This isn’t some cheap display, it’s an intricate mechanical device.

[@chadp6297]

Way too loud

[@user-xx8rn5yg9g]

Seems like a noisy waste of money...the novelty will wear off like a child's x-mas toy.

[@Wombat86dkdk]

Pointless

[@NORMOkPlay]

Самая бесполезная и дорогая игрушка которую я видел, ещё и шуиная, через полгода эта прямоугольная штуковина будет висеть незадействованной.

[@teeheehaha746]

Having to pay $3k for a 55lb board that's going to use up electricity then on top of that its $95 a year for the app? Just to display MESSAGES? Hahahahahaa That's an absolute sham/ripoff.

[@pussydestroyer87]

It's like stop motion. It looks cool but who is spending the money? You can make a cheaper board with a Raspberry Pi and LED screen.

[@BartvG88]

You could also draw on a piece of paper. You're missing the point, it's interactive art with a tactile feel that led screens don't have.