Dissapointed with Speed Controller performance

[Kierna]

Honestly, it is a bit crap...

The response time is appaling.

The controls do not allways respond to inputs... so, by turning the click wheel on the speed controler to steer the servo motor, it quickly loses it's center position. I have a simple tiller for steering, but after a few steers left-right, the wheel on the controler will be at some jaunty angle, whilst the front wheel is straight.

I don't want to have to hit the red button to center the steering every time.

It does not work in the sun. At all. Why did lego choose infared over radio?

The quallity of the controller is quite low. The click wheels do not have defined notches.

I hope T.L.G. release a proper vehicle controler in the future, to do the new servo motor justice. And please, dear Lego Group, put a trim dial on it

[RohanBeckett]

I'm pretty certain, when the speed controller was developed a few years ago, it's main purpose would have been for Power Function Trains... indoor trains... that have no need for steering

if you want high performance, accurate RF remote control, for outdoors, then get a hold of the RC Buggy gear!

apart from people building truck-trial vehicles, and the odd boat... Lego is a 99% indoor toy!

Maybe if sales of the Rock Crawler go nuts, they might come out with a better PF Remote that's more suited to cars

RB

[Blakbird]

It does not work in the sun. At all. Why did lego choose infared over radio?

I too am hoping for an eventual proper proportional R/C control for vehicles. The reasons for I/R over radio have been discussed before. The likely reason is that radio frequencies are heavily regulated and the regulations vary greatly from country to country. It would be difficult for LEGO to make a toy grade radio transmitter that would be legal all over the world.

[Alasdair Ryan]

It would be difficult for LEGO to make a toy grade radio transmitter that would be legal all over the world.

South Korea springs to mind......

[Conchas]

I too am hoping for an eventual proper proportional R/C control for vehicles. The reasons for I/R over radio have been discussed before. The likely reason is that radio frequencies are heavily regulated and the regulations vary greatly from country to country. It would be difficult for LEGO to make a toy grade radio transmitter that would be legal all over the world.

More than a regulated spectrum, I think the main reason was the price point of the technology and the cost they can allocate within the models to incorporate such technologies.

They could have introduced BT remote control. But it was more expensive at the time and there are licenses to pay.

However this is something that could change anytime, as it gets cheaper and more generalized.

Also with the advent of BT 4.0, opinions may eventually change.

The proliferation of Android, IOS and WM8 phones should also change the trends quite fast. We will see...

I also acknowledge the spped remote is not the best in class for Technic models.

Although for some usecases it is relative better than the standard PF bang-bang remote.

[freakwave]

More than a regulated spectrum, I think the main reason was the price point of the technology and the cost they can allocate within the models to incorporate such technologies.

They could have introduced BT remote control. But it was more expensive at the time and there are licenses to pay.

For sure IR was chosen mainly because of the price, second thing might have been the radio regulation. The required components are quite cheap. Bluetooth on the other hand is very expensive. An average module goes for about 20+ $. A viable option on the cheaper end of the spectrum (2-3 $) would be an 868 MHz transmitter/receiver duo. This spectrum is in large parts of the world not regulated...

[Kierna]

I'm pretty certain, when the speed controller was developed a few years ago, it's main purpose would have been for Power Function Trains... indoor trains... that have no need for steering

if you want high performance, accurate RF remote control, for outdoors, then get a hold of the RC Buggy gear!

Maybe if sales of the Rock Crawler go nuts, they might come out with a better PF Remote that's more suited to cars

RB

I built a power functions motorcycle... however the all the PF parts added up to be quite heavy. I may indeed have to try the Buggy kit! I am rather determined to make a 100% lego RC bike.

RC has a much nicer sound than IC what sort of range, frequency does one get with the RC Buggy reciever unit and controller? Has anyone done a comprehensive review here on EB?

[cybermaster7]

Here is my modification, using Vex robotic rc system to control lego motors.