42099 - 4x4 X-treme Off-Roader

[Jim]

1 hour ago, rm8 said:

Wow, it looks like it was NOT just a stupid DROP DOWN! It was a drivers mistake))))

The title of the original teaser kinda gave this away. But I still don't like how TLG handled it.

[allanp]

See I knew it was driver error!

[MT09]

Thanks heaps for that kbalage.

EDIT: After updating the Bluetooth drivers on the computer, managed to get a connection to the new hub. Exciting stuff! Will be really interesting to see how easy it will be to control the motors and get data from it! Will create a new thread if I manage to find anything interesting.

Edited July 31, 2019 by MT09

[andythenorth]

I haven't got Control+ hub, but using Bricknil (raw python, no UI), it was trivial to connect and control Boost Move hub and motors.

There are multiple open source / community control apps already, to suit different people, some have UIs, some don't 

 

[henning47]

18 hours ago, kbalage said:

@MT09 The aim of the dev team is to have the Powered Up app as the central "hub" that will be able to control all components. The app is constantly evolving so it's not quite there yet, as a first step hopefully it'll be updated soon with support to the new 4 port hub and the motors.

Just to clarify, does this mean that the Powered Up app will be the only one that has programming capabilities? I had assumed Control+ will get this as well, but that was just my guess. What you are saying makes sense, since the PU already has elements from Boost and Wedo (eg the sensors), and at least the UI allows to control 4 motor ports (A-D).

 

From a marketing perspective it seems a bit weird, since PU looks like the "kid-friendly app," but the programming interface in PU is pretty sophisticated already, so I'm not complaining. To control the Liebherr (or the MOCs I have in mind :-)) in October, they need to add multi-hub control to the app, though.

 

Anyway, it's all looking pretty good to me! Looking forward to the off roader when it arrives here.

 

Henning

 

 

[aol000xw]

So what invasive permissions is the app asking for if any?

[Maaboo the Witch]

40 minutes ago, aol000xw said:

So what invasive permissions is the app asking for if any?

Location.

[Cardboy]

Do we have any ETA for when the reviews may go live? Thanks in advance

[Maaboo the Witch]

7 minutes ago, Cardboy said:

Do we have any ETA for when the reviews may go live? Thanks in advance

@Sariel's review is live at 13:00 today.

[kbalage]

3 hours ago, henning47 said:

Just to clarify, does this mean that the Powered Up app will be the only one that has programming capabilities? I had assumed Control+ will get this as well, but that was just my guess. What you are saying makes sense, since the PU already has elements from Boost and Wedo (eg the sensors), and at least the UI allows to control 4 motor ports (A-D).

As I see it the Control+ app will only get set-specific sequences or actions, like the movements for 42100 demonstrated in the Fan Media Days interview videos. Powered Up app will get the generic blocks and can be used for MOCs.

10 minutes ago, Cardboy said:

Do we have any ETA for when the reviews may go live? Thanks in advance

Reviews will be published at 13:00 CET which will be 14:00 for most of Europe since we are in CEST (Central European Summer Time) currently-.

[AVCampos]

4 minutes ago, kbalage said:

Reviews will be published at 13:00 CET which will be 14:00 for most of Europe since we are in CEST (Central European Summer Time) currently-

I thought CET was always GMT+1, so it'd be UTC+1 in the winter and UTC+2 in the summer.

<sarcasm> Oh, how I love timezones and daylight saving time, so clear and simple. </sarcasm>

[kbalage]

Just now, AVCampos said:

I thought CET was always GMT+1, so it'd be UTC+1 in the winter and UTC+2 in the summer.

It would be much easier to have the embargo date/time published in UTC :) 

[Cardboy]

I'm at BST so 12:00 Yay

[merman]

Read my review on New Elementary

 

http://www.newelementary.com/2019/08/lego-technic-review-42099-4x4-x-treme.html?m=1

[kbalage]

Here's my take on the set :

 

[Sariel]

Here's my 42099 review, including a thorough overview of the Control+ app and close examination of the many new pieces (including X-rays):

[Cardboy]

@Sariel Great review thanks

At 28.43 you say you cant read the battery level remotely, I thought from on of the Lego reveal videos the fuel gauge in the middle was meant to be the battery level?

 

Edited August 1, 2019 by Cardboy

[rm8]

Hello:) my review is a 60 minutes movie. But I tried to look at every detail, sometimes comparing to 9398. English subtitiles are in progress - my assistant work hard (5 evenings of work), but you can try autotranslated subtitiles. Hope, one day I can share English synchronous translated versions together with my native language release.

-short LEGO rc models history

- detailed review of new parts, including measured rpm and torque in comparison with PF

- mod possibilities and preview with different tires including RC

- standard uphill test, diagonal, outdoor

to day the truth I am tired of myself in this video. Hours of work....

 

 

[kbalage]

41 minutes ago, Cardboy said:

At 28.43 you say you cant read the battery level remotely, I thought from on of the Lego reveal videos the fuel gauge in the middle was meant to be the battery level?

You can actually, although the gauge is not very precise based on my experience. If your batteries are drained the hub will flash orange and you'll get a low battery warning while connecting, like this one:

The app won't even let you go further.

I also took a screenshot of ~50% battery level shown on that screen so there's some feedback.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

I used to be excited about this set. Now I just feel ambivalent about getting it :-s

[AVCampos]

4 minutes ago, Ngoc Nguyen said:

Now I just feel ambivalent about getting it :-s

The transmission gears appear to be easily swappable for less speed and more torque, and it should be possible to use the parts to build an alternate model with more ground clearance.

There's not much that can be done about the colour, though. Sariel (BTW: a Sariel video featuring a cat! What has the the world come to? ?) manages to perfectly reflect in words my feeling: "as a builder, I would prefer getting new pieces in existing colors rather than just a few pieces in a new one." This is why I never considered getting a 42039 or a 42069.

[kbalage]

59 minutes ago, AVCampos said:

The transmission gears appear to be easily swappable for less speed and more torque

It is pretty easy indeed, I made a quick video guide how to do it. I'd be also possible to change both sets of gears for even more torque but I don't think it'd improve further the abilities as the vehicle would simply tip over during climbing.

[aol000xw]

Well that explains the lack of power. it's meant to be more playful (faster) and not so much a crawler.

That also explains why the motors did stall so easily. So there is some hope for C+, but still it's not in the same league that BuWizz power wise, right?

[Ngoc Nguyen]

If I want a fast RC Technic model, I'd go for a 42095, not this half baked thing.

[kbalage]

23 minutes ago, aol000xw said:

Well that explains the lack of power. it's meant to be more playful (faster) and not so much a crawler.

That also explains why the motors did stall so easily. So there is some hope for C+, but still it's not in the same league that BuWizz power wise, right?

Since BuWizz uses a much higher voltage than what the 6-pack of AA batteries can provide it is not even intended to be in the same league. The motors are able to deliver the same perfomance as the PF counterparts, now with the added benefits of Bluetooth, interactivity, sensors etc. From a software perspective the platform still not has the same possiblities like SBrick for example, but it's evolving and I'm sure we'll see the necessary updates coming soon.