Subject:
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4095 Record and Play
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Mon, 10 Nov 2003 21:40:02 GMT
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Viewed:
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1211 times
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I had to buy this set just to see.
Total disappointment :(
Nice idea, dreadful implementation.
The motor/battery box clearly tries to record the rotation of each of two wheels
in "record" mode, and I think it actually manages to do that part ok.
The sad bit is the designer didn't allow for the degree of motor speed control
necessary to "play back" the motion at the correct rotational speed. The result
is the motors run too fast, over shooting their required rate and angular
position and then simply stop to allow time to pass before racing ahead at full
speed to the next position. If you hang onto the wheels to reduce their speed,
you can tell it's trying to work correctly. I gave the device numerous tries
just in the case the designer had put in some kind of motor dynamics learn mode
to adjust for the motor's power/speed behaviour and the current state of the
batteries, but no luck. It works a little more smoothly on thick carpet, but
then the surface is so unpredictable, that you can barely discern that what it
is doing is related to the sequence you recorded.
The only upside is that the set has studded Technic beams and they’re green! (I
happen to like green beams.)
The other interesting thing is the two small transparent right angle gear boxes
– obviously part of the same design series as the 4094 gear boxes. The shaft
connections on the motor/batterybox unit itself also conform to this new style
of “modular” gear box mechanics. As I have speculated previously, I wonder if
this system of modular motors and gear boxes is a glimpse of the future for
TLC’s electromechanical parts. I certainly hope RIS 3.0 isn't a just a
super-programmable motor/batterybox!
Overall;
I was bummed when I bought that Spybotics set a little over a year ago. Wasn't
what I expected but at least it worked as intended. This gizmo doesn't even work
properly, at least not to my expectations of Record and Play.
A definite thumbs down unless you want some pricey green beams :(
JB
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: 4095 Record and Play
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| (...) I couldn't agree more. I was ecstatic when I saw this at the local TRU, so I bought one. Probably bought the FIRST one. The "programmable" brick did NOTHING like I had recorded it to do - time after time. Went too fast, didn't rotate to the (...) (21 years ago, 10-Nov-03, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: 4095 Record and Play
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| I agree too that the record and play unit is not up to the task, even if models look fine and colorful - this is the case of all inventor sets, the shapes and color schemes are really attractive. My expectations were not too high for the control (...) (21 years ago, 11-Nov-03, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: 4095 Record and Play
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| To add some further information, I popped the unit open last night and observed that, as I had hoped, mechanically the unit should be capable of operating correctly. Each motor channel has a mouse style slotted wheel and sensor, so the firmware (...) (21 years ago, 12-Nov-03, to lugnet.robotics)
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