JopieK

So and how about the H-bridge that is in the PF receiver: LB1836M. The datasheet says: 10.5V is the absolute max rating for the supply voltage to the motors...

I built the 4841 Hogwarts Express and noticed that the Light Bluish Gray Plate 6 x 6 plate of the care more looks like 'milky gray'. I think I will contact customer services. More people experiencing the same thing?

Well but he also clearly says: "Caution ! Though I tested motors with a 12V supply, I can't guarantee that they bear the extra load for extended time period. Use that at your own risks !" It is not wise to use higher voltage than 9V on your LEGO PF!!! The XL motors are already drawing quite some current in certain situations. Since U = I x R (Ohm's Law), it is for sure that 3 volt difference with the same resistance of the motor can already cause a current that is well beyond specifications. B.t.w. Rien, I think people would appreciate you to at least try so spell correctly or use a spell checker (you might be a dyslect, but even then).

Of course it works, but it is dangerous for your PF components so don't do this! read the philohome site about stressing the motors. b.t.w. lipo is potentially very dangerous!

Johann is of course a fabulous soldier, it must be in the name (though the Dutch version only has one 'n'). Nice review!

That is why we need to do it ... YESTERDAY :), but anyway, nice contest, our whole village is a winter village so another building will be nice to have.

Well, I would also hope that that cross point PF version will be available again. So stupid of LEGO to introduce something and then withdraw it again (I mean, what would be the reason that they will not sell that cross point anymore, I can understand them to just sell it in LEGO stores and/or at LEGO.com, but...).

Hmm that RC motor can draw up to 3.2A according to Philohome :) well that is quite something. The XL motor just up to 1.8A (but is indeed limited by itself and the IR receiver). Greetz Johan

The fixed output levels? I'm not sure what you mean. The intervals between 0V and 9V? Well... you can open the regulator, use a multimeter and reassemble it again (it is easy to do without damaging the regulator).

Well, tests at LEGOWorld in Zwolle showed that the IR beam is so directed that we very often don't even need to select different slave devices. We can just point to a signal house and then that one will work. I only hate that trains also react to non-PWM messages (at least with my receivers). My own train with Arduino IR handling only listens to the PF train controller and ignores the small remotes' messages.

But that might be larger systems and it could be very easy by having a very small microcontroller. One IO pin needed for the IR LED, one for the IR receiver.

What OS do you use? You don't give much information do you?!

But it has serious disadvantages for the AFOL as well. It is quite hard to make your own extensions and that is strange since the basics of the system have the potential. 8 different output combinations are just not that great. They should have made another knob or so to give at least 16 options (that would have been more useful than the directionality switches on the remotes.

Well, that depends. If you look up the IR PF protocol you see different messages some 'last' other messages let a motor turn only for a very short time. Also when you use e.g. the two different remotes on a train you see that the large one (with the round knobs and stop buttons) will let a train drive until you set power to zero or press stop. The small (technic PF) remote will only let the motor turn if you push or pull the remote lever.

It should be very easy to create an IR repeater however :) using... a LEGuanO (or a normal Arduino of course...).

Well, there is, I use servos to get this. I have succesfully uses this system at LEGOWorld 2010 without any derails... @skaako: thanks for the compliment, more info can be found here: PF to the limit

I also heard rumours that there will come an educational version of NXT 2.0!

Same here with me :) Also snow leopard.

I like my solution also: The only modification is hot glue (that can be peeled off again). A servo drives the points.

I don't have universe anymore, any ideas why? Using it on a Mac. I fixed it using the 'old trick' so the new installation emptied the preferences.ini file again.

He is not joking I just saw them working on it :) Very impressive that NXT factory!!! I like the minifig details very much.

well, the event is hosted by the Bouwsteen LEGO Club (the display part that is, it's a joint operation of LEGO / Libema / Intertoys and de Bouwsteen). But members of other clubs like BeLUG, 1000steine etc. are aslo encouraged to participate.

Well, it seems this is just till march so that doesn't mean they will release nice stuff after march!

Well, I'll be uploading pictures here then: http://www.brickshel...ry.cgi?f=449636 Enjoy the rest after they have been approved :)

Of course I don't mind. I quess no real new inventions exist today anymore, only new combinations of old inventions occur :) so feel free to expand on it! Hope you share your results!!!