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(...) The FLL season is gearing up, so they're probably just stocked up for that. Team signup ends at the end of September. There are other stirrings that *something* is happening with Mindstorms, but nobody seems to know what. -Jon Gilchrist (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) Can you tell us more about those stirrings? Jürgen (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) There were two things Jake said during his speech at Brickfest. 1) Mindstorms is NOT dead. 2) The future of Mindstorms is not the 2.0 With the popularity of FLL, I find it very unlikely LEGO would stop making the RCX. However, again because of (...) (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) Pardon my ignorance, but: what's FLL? (I checked the acronym guide and it didn't know this one, either.) Thanks, - Joe (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) First LEGO League. (URL) (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) I know this is a tangent from the current conversation... Some Commodore guy said years ago that the magic price point for electronics is 300 dollars--if you get it under that, they sell like hot-cakes, thus the success of the VIC 20 and then (...) (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) I was told by the source from the company that 3.0 is scheduled for 2006. But that means nothing, I think, schedules can change any time and products get scratched. For the closer future, I'd be interested what the hell is that strange (...) (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) OK, I'll bite. What's a 4848 and a 4849? (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) Don't know. Some (probably) RC controlled mechas. We'll see next year, I hope. (20 years ago, 31-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) I'n my kids schools they don't want to know about lego because of the cost. They say picaxe is more suitable cause its cheaper and scaleable. The kids make structural components themselves in other areas of the technology curriculum like (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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(...) I just looked up PICAXE, if you're interested, here is an associated site. (URL) If the argument for the PICAXE (or the MARK III) is the price, then how about adaptability, multi-use, ease of programming, curriculum support, etc. I've had a (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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Sorry, this is a long post and I don't mean to pick on the MarkIII, its a good platform, just happens to be my example in this post of a fixed format platform. My apologies to the makers of the MarkIII. --- gypsy_fly <e_pilobello@yahoo.com> wrote: < (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) Yeah, but look at the options -- 2-axis accelerometer (capable of measuring 1 degree of tilt!) for $20. 8-channel, 12-bit analog input board for $22. A zillion different distance sensors, some with simple digital outputs. High-torque (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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In lugnet.robotics, Joe Strout wrote: .. snip snip (...) .. snip snip I think this one comment hits the nail on the head. These parts are components, not ready to go sensors. If you'd be happy to pay $1.50 for an IRPD, you can buy them from most (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) It's all about how you want to spend your time and money. Personally, I'd rather spend my time creating new robots, than drilling holes and connecting wires to the one robot that I use over and over. In the last four years, I've built and (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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(...) Quite understandable (and understood). (...) I wish they would, too -- I'd love to see it! (...) Agreed. For structural work -- especially, the sort of tinkery rapid-prototyping structural work we all love -- LEGO can't be beaten. However... (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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(...) Sure, and then (as I believe you are pointing out), I have something I can't easily use with RCX. But if I have the MarkIII's sensor board ($20) with the input expander kit ($22), then the IRPD *is* a sensor -- it will plug right in. As will (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Power Supply & v3
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What power supply does the RCX take? Can it use the LEGO train power supply (Train Speed Regulator Power Adaptor 120V 60Hz)? I know this somewhere, but I'm in the middle of a brain spasm. BTW, as far as all the 3.0 discussions and extensibility, the (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) Well, looking at some of the more "serious" robots out there, it's amazing what you can do with "just" 3 sensor ports. I currently have robots that use 6 sensors (three light, three touch), and I can easily extend that to at least one more (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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(...) It's hard to imagine how such teaching methods would get kid to learn computer programming - or about sensors or about robot navigation - or even simple stuff like gear ratios. Mindstorms is revolutionary because it can teach those things - (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Power Supply & v3
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(...) The 1.0 RCX's run nicely on the train regulator's AC cube which puts out 9+ volts AC. (You could also run DC into the RCX if you like, since there's an on-board full wave bridge rectifier). -Ted (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) [snip] (...) Joe: I, too, love Lego for the mechanical aspects of robot building. However, when it comes to the sensors and effectors, I find the RCX to be too limiting. It was a good first try, but after 5 years on the market.... (Let me (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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(...) (I note that it seems to be spelled RoboBrix by robotstore.com.) (...) That's cool. I have several suggestions for you, as a potential user: 1. Get the robotstore folks to mention the LEGO compatibility in their descriptions; the one I looked (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) The guy who sells them wanted a name that was less likely to be kicked out by the trademark examiner -- hence, RoboBRiX. (...) Good point; I'll mention it to Roger (he's the Robot Store guy.) (...) Documentation is a big problem. We need more (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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--- Joe Strout <joe@strout.net> wrote: {{ SNIP }} (...) I have to say that if you are concerned with the MPU and I/O, there is the option of using two RCX bricks, as I do. I am running three outputs just to make my robot move along the floor! The (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Power Supply & v3
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(...) I've been using the ControlLab AC Adapter. Works quite well. (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Power Supply & v3
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(...) Although the speculation is that you might burn out the rectifier if you try to draw too much current for too long. See: (URL) to what it will take, right on the RCX it lists the input as 9-12V(squiggle), where the (squiggle) is generally (...) (20 years ago, 1-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) A relatively simple way to hack together an output expander is to throw a commercially available DCC controller into a brick[1]: (2 URLs) Each one of these bricks can control two lamps and a motor. Since each of these DCC bricks is (...) (20 years ago, 2-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics, FTX)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) Although I won't argue that LEGO is probably one of the more expensive avenues into hobbyist robotics that one is liable to find, the key advantage to using LEGO for robotics is the ease with which one can prototype an idea, and take it from (...) (20 years ago, 2-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | Re: Future Mindstorm Releases?
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(...) DCC? As in (URL)? I had to do a search for that, this is the first I've heard of it. Sounds interesting. (...) That's pretty cool. How fast can you control those outputs? And how difficult is it to program? (The NMRA link to the communications (...) (20 years ago, 2-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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(...) Hey Joe, I'n not speaking for Mark, but I started using his LDCC-- (URL) I first heard about it and I love it! Right now I use it basically for my train layout, but at a few rtl dinners, the conversations went something like this-- "Have you (...) (20 years ago, 2-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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(...) Doh! Sorry about that... Yes, DCC stands for Digital Command Control and it is used by model railroaders to control multiple locomotives on a train layout by sending power and control information over the two train track rails. For RCX (...) (20 years ago, 2-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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| | DCC for the RCX
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Snippage If you haven't seen this check it out. DCC for the RCX (URL) (20 years ago, 2-Sep-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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