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Subject: 
Re: mindstorms NXT
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Fri, 6 Jan 2006 00:40:39 GMT
Viewed: 
7266 times
  
I'm embarrassingly new to Mindstorms.  My first Mindstorms system (RIS 2.0) was
purchased just two weeks ago.  I'm still very much a novice.  With that in
mind...I have a few observations/questions of my own:

1)  I'm stunned by this announcement!  After buying my RIS system and doing a
little more reading in the forums, I was utterly convinced that Lego had
abandoned the Mindstorms line.  I regarded any posts to the contrary to be
pretty much wishful thinking.  Turns out I was wrong.  Well..mostly wrong.  The
existing RIS/RCX system does appear to be abandoned, but Mindstorms lives on.

2)  In addition to the desire for multiple motors on a single port, hasn't there
been some use found in the past for multiple sensors on a single port?  For
instance, two touch sensors can be connected in parallel on RCX to create an
"OR" touch sensor.  It appears that the NXT does not allow parallel connection
of sensors in this way.  Perhaps an external multiplexer will be one of the
first things that the Mindstorms community creates, but it won't be as simple as
just plugging multiple ones in to a single port.

3)  Although I should be more upset than anyone about the obsolescence RIS 2.0
(considering that I *just* paid $200 for one two weeks ago and it is now
official obsolete), I am cool with a new version being created that is
unencumbered by an attempt to be backward compatible.  With all that being said,
I still think it would be cool to build robots that use both the RCX and the
NXT.  I mean, if you've got the RCX and all those sensors, why not use them?
But, how would the two communicate?  Since the NXT does not have IR and the RCX
does not have bluetooth...

4)  I wonder what this will do to the price/availability of the existing RIS/RCX
systems and parts?  On the one hand, prices could go up because parts will no
longer be available retail (not that they really were anyway).  On the other
hand, many people could start dumping their RIS/RCX systems and parts in
preparation for buying NXT.  Maybe I should consider dumping mine, considering
that it is "almost new" at this point.  But, I don't think I will because I've
just gotten started on it and I'd like to do a lot of things with it before I
ever get around to buying NXT.  In fact, I just might keep an eye out for cheap
RCX systems that others are dumping.

5)  I wonder if there will be Technic parts kits made available specifically for
expanding NXT?


Mike



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: mindstorms NXT
 
(...) My hope is that this is some sort of bus system which will allow someone (possible LEGO itself) to make a "hub" which you could use for this. There are three ways to do this: the hub could do the logic operations itself (perhaps with a switch (...) (19 years ago, 6-Jan-06, to lugnet.robotics, FTX)
  Re: mindstorms NXT
 
(...) Don't worry, that has nothing to do with you being new to all this - we all are! Well, all but a luckey few... (...) I doubt it will be completely abandoned. After all, the first thing I want is to kludge a way to interface a NXT with and RCX, (...) (19 years ago, 6-Jan-06, to lugnet.robotics)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: mindstorms NXT
 
OK MUP members, spill the beans :-) We know who you are :-) How do you connect multiple motors now? Also, what type of processor is it, speed, and memory?? Thanks, Ram PS: I REALLY WANT ONE! (19 years ago, 5-Jan-06, to lugnet.robotics)

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