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Subject: 
Guidance, Advice, etc
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Tue, 29 Oct 2002 14:20:45 GMT
Original-From: 
Brass Tilde <BRASSTILDE@INSIGHTBB.COMsaynotospam>
Viewed: 
725 times
  
I've been lurking on this list for a while now, and I'd like to ask a few
questions before I go whole hog and buy some stuff for myself for Christmas.
I am a VB programmer by trade, but I've also done a fair bit of Java work,
and some C several years ago, along with some IBM 370 Assembler *several*
years ago.  Any answers or links would be most appreciated.

1. I've seen comments about different ROMs that can be loaded to the RCX
devices.  What are the advantages and disadvantages to some of them?  I
figure the easiest way to start out is to just use what comes in the box,
then change as, and if, needed.  (Though pictures of the Legway make haring
off towards another ROM *mighty* tempting!)

2. If I've interpreted correctly, some of the different ROMs require
different languages.  I've seen references to C, Pascal and Java.  Are any
of these ROM dependent, or can they be used with the default ROM?

3. Any "gotchas" I need to be aware of?  Anything to make sure I get, or
make sure I avoid?  Anything that might be too advanced to bother with until
I get familiar with things?

4. How much electronics to I actually need to know?  I'm not strong there,
though I've read the absolute basics and have a very basic familiarity with
the concepts.  I've seen some notes go by on the list from folks who seem to
have built their own devices, and I'm probably not going to be able to do
that sort of thing.

5. I've seen some of the links on the list about where to purchase for
something less than retail cost, and I've found a link on the Lego site
which has the RIS 2.0, Vision Command and Ultimate Builders Set bundled for
$249.00 and free shipping.  On the surface, this sounds like a good deal,
but how useful are those other two items.  For those who are interested, the
link is:
http://shop.lego.com/product.asp?id=%7B4181175D%2DC4BC%2D11D6%2D8025%2D00065
BA09B53%7D&OrderBy=0&CatID=%7BBABF5D45%2D663E%2D40AF%2D8D83%2D897F51A3A6A9%7
D


This is multi-line, so some mailers may have broken it up.  Make sure you
paste them all together, otherwise the link may appear "broken".

Thanks in advance for any responses.
Brad



Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: Guidance, Advice, etc
 
In My Opinion... (...) Yes. Start with the standard software. It took me about a week to move to NQC (Not Quite C), and another year to go to BrickOS. (...) Thanks. But still... there's no need to rush. (...) NQC works with the standard firmware. (...) (22 years ago, 29-Oct-02, to lugnet.robotics)
  Re: Guidance, Advice, etc
 
(...) Acutally that are not ROMs but firmware software. When you buy your mindstorms set, you get a programming system from lego you can start with. To use it, you have to download some software, the firmware, to the RCX brick. With the original (...) (22 years ago, 29-Oct-02, to lugnet.robotics)
  Re: Guidance, Advice, etc
 
(...) I'd say go for it. Ultimate Builders set has an extra motor, a touch sensor and some pneumatics, and the projects are also nice, though only on CD. Vision Command is a web cam with studs, and there are a few nice pieces in it. In leJOS people (...) (22 years ago, 30-Oct-02, to lugnet.robotics)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Direction Finding
 
(...) (22 years ago, 29-Oct-02, to lugnet.robotics)

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