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Jeff MacIntosh
Captain
Four Horsemen
120 Posts |
 Posted - 01/15/2010 : 01:40:56 AM
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Dartguy,
I have been in the market for an electronic dartboard I can practice with at home. What should I be looking for, do you have any suggestions?
This is a really good question because there are so many different configurations out there, and quite frankly, I'm glad you thought of it because I forgot.
The first thing you want to do is make sure you are buying a dartboard with the same size target area. The boards used in league play and tournaments have a 15.5 inch target, also known as the International Target. Anything with a smaller target area will have segments in a tighter configuration. There are several boards out there with a 13 inch target. It would be my recommendation to avoid these boards, here's why.
I have listened to the rationale that using a smaller target will result in increased accuracy. This goes back to the argument of muscle memory versus sighting. I turn that around and say, if you play on a 15 inch target, then it only makes sense to practice on a 15 inch target. You wouldn't practice with a smaller baseball or smaller basketball hoop. To me, it makes sense to imitate your real time game situations, and having the same size board makes sense to me.
The GLD Viper, 777, Solar Blast, The Arachnid Cricket Pro 800, 750, and 600 all have a 15.5 inch target. As far as I can tell, these are the only boards equipped with the International Target.
Another thing to look for is to make sure the board has a double bull. Some games hinge on hitting that elusive double bull, and it will only serve you well to make sure your board has that segment. Most non electronic boards either don't have the segment, or it is just a colored part of a one piece segment for the entire bull.
Home quality boards are lacking the same integrity the commercial boards have in regards to the accuracy of the bull segments. I have a Dartronix Eagle (now defunct), and although I love the board the center bull rotates freely when a dart hits it. If I hit the top of the double bull, the dart's weight may cause the segment to rotate around inside the single bull segment. The new commercial Arachnid boards do it too, and I have no idea why.
To me, having the segment stay put is more realistic, but figuring I have had the board without a failure for over ten years, I really can't complain. Just recently I repaired a broken solder connection to my power switch, and that has been the only problem I have had.
Nearly every electronic board out there comes equipped with some kind of solo mode that will make you shoot against the computer. The algorithms they use can sometimes be a little predictable, but they do offer a challenge to make practice more interesting. |
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Buying a dartboard
