SBrick General Discussion

[pasztorl]

The color is secondary for me. Most of the cases, it will be inside the creation.

So your most liked feature is that SBrick is hideable :)

[Boulderer]

"What will be your primary LEGO theme used with SBricks?"

So far I am the only vote in the "Other" category. SBricks are ideal for displays with motorized areas, e.g. I would use it in a castle display and kids could use the controls to lower a drawbridge, have knights joust, etc

I too would really like to use the SBrick for control of displays. Though currently that would mean displays of Technic so, I just checked Technic as the main use. I like the idea of animating other themes though ... controlling the lighting on City displays could be interesting.

[CorneliusMurdock]

So your most liked feature is that SBrick is hideable :)

That is definitely a huge advantage over the PF IR Receiver. Another one is how you can run a lot at once close together without interference. That will come in handy in convention settings.

[Conchas]

This is JJZ's public comment on our kickstarter page:

"have you thought of include a movement recorder on your software? may not be interesting to drive cars, but can be very useful for certain mechanisms. could also include a small time editor-like video editors- to refine movements .. then you only will have to press a button and reproduce a complex movement."

I really like that idea. We will include this feature on the application.

This is like the return from the old Control Center!

[camaudio]

Have you performed any longevity tests with the sbrick?

for instance, using it to run a XL motor for 24 hours?

[rollermonkey]

"What will be your primary LEGO theme used with SBricks?"

So far I am the only vote in the "Other" category. SBricks are ideal for displays with motorized areas, e.g. I would use it in a castle display and kids could use the controls to lower a drawbridge, have knights joust, etc

Now that's thinking outside the box! I like it.

I also like seeing the campaign shooting past the 50% mark today.

[Moz]

most liked feature, like the fact that "64 PF devices may be controlled from one remote control".

+1. It's not especially about only having 8 outputs from IR in one model, more that it's difficult to use IR around other people. Conventions are the ultimate example where random IR control bursts can make life very exciting. More so for people operating free-moving models on tabletops, but it does annoy the train guys a lot too.

One question that does occur to me now is: can I have more than one output on a single control? My road train drive system used 4 outputs for movement because there was 144 wheels and ~10kg of Lego pushed by 4 XL motors, so a single output was not enough (and two motors were a metre away down the train, as well). Being able to set one control on the phone to operate multiple SBricks/SBrick outputs would be very useful for those models.

[Conchas]

As far as I was told it is or it will be possible to group outputs, so this is the feature you're asking for.

[SpokaneSteve]

Any chance of a smaller form factor?

[Moz]

As far as I was told it is or it will be possible to group outputs, so this is the feature you're asking for.

Yippee!

[hshah]

I have just backed this. Can't wait to get it in my F1 Racer :D

[gmshades]

Just backed this myself. I was 90% convinced, but after watching Sariel's video, I was 100% convinced it will take rc'ing to the next level.

[Hypo]

I really like the warning lights function! Do we can adjust the frequency/offset of flashing in the app? That would be nice for heavy machines, aircraft, rescue vehicles and so on...

...btw backed with 73!

Heiko

Edited July 26, 2014 by Hypo

[allanp]

I am very close to backing this. I think I will anyway at some point but I would really like to see something about creating custom profiles. Ideally you would create an application to run on your PC/Mac with a nice graphic, drag and drop interface. To create a new custom profile you would first select a work space from a list of devices, like all compatible smart phones, tablets and game pads. This is so that you can have a larger area to drag and drop a larger number of controls when using a tablet for example, and to make it easy to assign controls to a physical joystick/button on a game pad. You could also adjust the scale of the drag and drop controls to fit more on or make them easier to operate. After selecting your desired workspace then you can drag and drop controls onto it from a list of options, all of which can be opened, assigned and customised once dropped into the work area. You would be able to select your own graphics and adjust dead zones and responsiveness and so on. Controllers would include:

Vertical slider

horizontal slider

momentary button

toggle/latching button

lots and lots of gearbox layouts or even better, a custom gearbox layout designer (with each position being customisable and assignable)

giro

various dials (like -100-0-100 and 0-100)

various throttles (all kinda functionally like the vertical slider but instead of going from -100-0-100 it goes from 0-100)

Indicator/hazard/reverse/warning/beacon/etc lights (which can have their own controls or can be assigned to other controls already dropped into the work area, like the reverse light can be assigned to the reverse position of the gearbox control)

And I'm sure there are lots more I'm missing.

It would also be great if you could assign a kind of anti dead zone or live zone or whatever you want to call it. One could be made for steering operated via a servo motor to account for any mechanical slack in the steering. For example, from a middle position, you move the steering wheel on your controller 30 degrees to the left. The SBrick moves the servo 30 degrees plus a user defined amount to account for the mechanical slack in the steering. Move the steering wheel a further 30 degrees and the SBrick moves the servo a further 30 degrees without adding the extra. It will only add the extra amount when you change direction, so now if you move the steering wheel 60 degrees to the right, placing it back in the middle, the SBrick will move the servo 60 degrees plus the extra amount, effectively placing the wheels of the vehicle where they should be. Obviously the user would be able to finely tune the amount added so as to get the best results. Another one could be created for a servo moving a pneumatic valve, so that when you move a lever 10 degrees from the middle position on your smart phone, the servo moves 10 degrees plus an extra user defined amount to account for the valves dead zone. It will only account for this dead zone when the valve is in it's dead zone defined by the user, not when it changes direction. Each side of the valves position could also have it's own responsiveness setting, for example when moving a heavy boom up and down. When going down there is the most responsiveness allowing for smooth, controlled lowering of the boom. You could also assign another port to automatically come one, to power a compressor, when ever a valve is operated

Once you have finished you would then export the completed profile to your device.

Edited July 26, 2014 by allanp

[peter_m]

I just beg for SDK!

[Black-Build]

about the collor, I think transparent and light bluish grey both look good...

[djm]

I am very close to backing this. I think I will anyway at some point but I would really like to see something about creating custom profiles. Ideally you would create an application to run on your PC/Mac with a nice graphic, drag and drop interface. To create a new custom profile you would first select a work space from a list of devices, like all compatible smart phones, tablets and game pads. This is so that you can have a larger area to drag and drop a larger number of controls when using a tablet for example, and to make it easy to assign controls to a physical joystick/button on a game pad. You could also adjust the scale of the drag and drop controls to fit more on or make them easier to operate. After selecting your desired workspace then you can drag and drop controls onto it from a list of options, all of which can be opened, assigned and customised once dropped into the work area. You would be able to select your own graphics and adjust dead zones and responsiveness and so on.

...

The kickstarter page suggests some of this capability will be available but as a "stretch goal". If the funding reaches £140,000, then a profile designer goal will be reached. This is referred to under the title "Funding Milestone" about halfway down the kickstarter page.

Regards,

David

[barman]

Very interesting project. The Sbrick would do wonders for PF models. It is a vast improvement.

I made my pladge.

[rollermonkey]

I am very close to backing this. I think I will anyway at some point but I would really like to see something about creating custom profiles.

I'm sure you haven't read every post in this thread, but every suggestion or question asked concerning user created control schemes has been met with either 'it's already in there' or 'we can incorporate that now that you've suggested it' or 'we'll help you make that'.

I'm sure you can do what you're asking, or will be able to shortly.

[Phoxtane]

Looks awesome. I hope you guys make the goal! I've no idea if it is possible without completely redesigning everything, but what if the outer shell could be removed and swapped with one of a different color, much like the AAA battery box? The feeling I'm getting is that you'd end up changing the molds for the shell, and that's expensive. Perhaps as a super-stretch goal?

[allanp]

I'm sure you haven't read every post in this thread, but every suggestion or question asked concerning user created control schemes has been met with either 'it's already in there' or 'we can incorporate that now that you've suggested it' or 'we'll help you make that'.

I'm sure you can do what you're asking, or will be able to shortly.

I have read every post but I didn't find much about the custom profile designer other than there will be one . I read somewhere that these guys were into making software, I'm guessing they already have the expertise and the tools to develop a custom profile designer and I'm guessing that for them to use those tools would cost them only time. That's a lot of guessing but I reckon that if they was to show off an untested but fully featured profile designer with all the stuff that I mentioned (including the "live zones" and the gearbox layout thingy) that it would help them reach their goal. But I will be backing them for at least one anyway. Just don't tell my purist side .

Edited July 27, 2014 by allanp

[rollermonkey]

Almost to 35K...

I wish I could afford more than just two... Maybe if those prices were USD instead of GBP. :)

[Cyclotron102]

Backed

[peter_m]

It would be great if it could be controlled from EV3 - it would give so many new possibilities to those having just one EV3 brick!

[Appie]

Been on the fence a few days, but also decided to back this. It has great potential and Sariel made that potential very clear in his video too