Toastie

True, so true. As said before: It is us. If the number representing "we" or "us" buying sets with stickers is much larger than "many people" complaining about AND not buying sets with stickers, then why should TLG's marketing folks change any strategy regarding dead cheap stickers? For the love of the customers? Heck no - not when a multi-billion dollar company is raking money at a level, TLG does. As long as "we" are buying sets with stickers - to the extent that not a single red light, not even a yellow one, lights up in TLG's marketing cockpit, they'll continue to do exactly that: Put in sticker sheets. It appears as if all lamps labelled "set w/ st." are bright green. As judged from the market analyses, TLG runs for sure over and over again. I bet if it were the other way around, stickers would disappear in no time. But it isn't. Best, Thorsten

Same experience here - that was apparently the time (around 1998/2000), when motor magnets TLG used really "fell apart" after some years - also happened to some of the 9V technic motors. What I did was just acquiring more Cybermaster units - they are comparably cheap, as you know. I guess this is the best way to go. Out of 5, I had the luck, that two units had one motor each running fine. And so I "composed" one completely working unit ... On the other hand: Although Cybermaster motors seem to fail - the rest is not. Output three always works nicely on my units, as do the inputs. NQC (Bricxcc as IDE) communicates very well with Cybermaster units on Win11 platforms, just make sure your USB2Serial adapter has a COM port address in the 1 to 8 range. Best, Thorsten

... and - the little MicroScout it is programmable! In mode "P", it carefully listens to TLG's visible light protocol (VLL) signals (http://www.elecbrick.com/vll/). TLG's CodePilot sets understand these as well, with a slightly different code set, though. This is documented in the SCOUT SDK available here: https://pbrick.info/index.html-p=184.html. Personally, I never got why TLG did not promote these very nice features much more - they were simply buried in their SDKs. It was all up-to the community. As is it/was with all their programmable/electronic stuff. As if they did not know or did not care (at all) - in the upper echelons of marketing and well-being. And all that despite all their talking and advertising regarding education and life-long learning and so on and so forth ... The developers, though, did a hell of a job! From the very beginning of TC Logo to the very end of Mindstorms. Best regards, Thorsten

Hi Ivan, I am very sorry that you had this experience. But: I'd react in exactly the same way - there is no overreaction at your end. None whatsoever. When the premium brand, constantly overpricing their products - just to rake in whatever they can - but don't get it right, regardless of selling platform - then, yes, I'd do that as well. Buying a user driven platform is one thing. Turning it into an oh so perfect Danish operation is another. Fortunately, I ran out of physical space, so LEGO sets > €10 are not reasonable anymore. And thus none of the monsters :D You did it right. And your assessment is absolutely right. It is what it is - they are a multi-billion dollar company. And what do such companies do? They are after the billions, otherwise they collapse. Best wishes - hope all is well with you and the family, Thorsten

https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2023/march/2022-annual-results They do. They do, for sure. Because of us buying their stuff - like crazy. While (revenue > than_ever_expected) { Sell boxes at >totally overpriced< retail price; //These are for the crazies wanting it all - at initial date of release. //There is quite a big number, I believe. } if (revenue == what_to_be_expected) { Sell boxes >on sale<; //Price adjusted for the less crazy. These folks will buy and feel absolutely fortunate. //And do that by the masses. } if (revenue < what_to_be_expected_in_wildest_dreams) { announce end of life; //Again, folks will go crazy } And simply loop this over and over again. It is us - not them. They learned. Best, Thorsten

Which translates to "almost" bare metal BLE communication - provided you don't refer to RSSI and related parameters in the much higher abstraction layers. Let's assume you want close to hardware info: That pretty much completely contradicts any "ease of use" functionality - it means full-blown programming efforts (been there, done that using Windows compatible BLE stacks). Which (of course) can be invoked by entering any kind of "expert mode". But at that point, there should be a very big warning popping up: Whatever you do behind this point, is up-to you. And yes, then it gets easily to: My BuWizz brick ran into oblivion - who to blame here ... I am all in for any bare metal approach - with taking on full personal responsibility, though, when things go (terribly) south. No complaints at all allowed. It was my fault. You can't have one or the other. You can have both. But then don't whine/complain/sue/heckle/..., when smoke appears ... Best, Thorsten

I doubt that - there are as many formulations for ABS (percentage of the three main components + countless additives used upon polymerization - heck, even the polymerization process can be run in multiple ways to arrive at what you "wish") - as there are dyes. Some are large molecules, some are inorganic pigments, it really accounts to countless approaches. Adding a fluorescent dye to the ABS making process - keeping its fluorescent property to the extent of "shining bright" - is quite the thing. So I guess they tried multiple - and even more - approaches to arrive at a non-fluorescent light-quenching ABS formulation and polymerization process. Which certainly may end-up in a non-glossy (that is a result of running the polymerization process in a certain way) etc. surface. Among other things, we may discover after 1+x years of aging, x ranging from a negative number to 50 and more. The latter is what some expect, I guess. Best, Thorsten

Absolutely true! But issuing speed and power to a PID algorithm, you submit two very different things: 1) a constant (speed = setpoint) and 2) a maximum value (power = a variable with a set maximum) = not a constant. The thing is, the PID algorithm calculates the power required to maintain speed. With the restriction of the max power allowed. In LWP, you submit the maximum power to be used for attaining speed, not just power - power is what the PID algorithm figures out within the constraint of max power. And with less favorable I/D settings, it will - or better - cannot perform well. Best, Thorsten

Which may translate to a size/weight issue - as there is almost no inertia acting on the motor. Controlled loops need that input ("there is no additional inertia other than the motor gears") to function correctly. Well, when wanting to have it all - superb controlled performance, fast feedback, remote control - on a LEGO model of unlimited parameter space (I guess we are not talking about a specific toy that you bought from TLG, you are maybe talking about a toy that you bought that was retrofitted with a 3rd party device, correct? Or even a toy that you designed from pieces that came from a toy) then yes, it may need a little tinkering. The alternative is going with what TLG has in stock. These devices don't really perform, as they are adjusted to simply provide average performance. Best, Thorsten

I believe so. However, if I am not misreading, the folks here want some fine-tuning on steering behavior rather than acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle (?) That means taking into account all the things @Zerobricks is listing above - and weight is only one parameter (weight affecting steering performance). Yes they do. And they do result in "sort of appropriate" performance for moving a vehicle of "average LEGO PUp size". Nothing extreme allowed here (just apply a bit of "too much" resistance to a speed adjusted LEGO tacho motor operated from a PUp hub, and it totally freaks out). Which - as far as I am concerned - points me to: For speed control, TLG either applied generic average PID parameters in their firmware, or it is no PID they are doing, as said. When it comes to fine-tuned controlled steering, though, I believe individually playing with the PID parameters is a must. Yes, generic parameters may be assumed as default, but then don't be frustrated, when they suck. Total weight may be one first approach - but I believe weight on the steering mechanism is more appropriate. Best, Thorsten

I don't get, how these two parameters could ever make a PID controlled loop working. Really? It runs a PID loop by just supplying these two parameters? Then I believe it is not PID, but rather generic PI at most? Or just plain P? Which commands in the LWP protocol are you referring to? Best, Thorsten

Very cool project! Have you ever used (Cornelius Munz') Legoino (https://github.com/corneliusmunz/legoino) running on an ESP32 Dev kit board (or any other board that features a ESP32 WROOM module; these cost about $10)? All you need to do, is plugging a USB cable into your computer and the board. The Arduino IDE can be used for programming. Which means that you have all the bells and whistles of C++ including all the functions you want to use (and many, many more). You can sign up about 10 hubs of any PUp kind (2 port (City), 4 port (Technic) hubs as well as multiple PUp remotes to the ESP board. With activated notifications, each hub reports back to the control program changes of built-in or attached sensors (e.g. rotation readings from the tacho motors, key status of the remote), as you can do in PyBricks. And you can always poll such data at any time. The difference, though, is that the ESP controls everything the hubs are supposed to do, i.e., you have that control program in one place. Coordination of the hubs then works through the ESP board. The other nice thing is that you easily can hook up OLED displays via the I2C bus (using only 4 wires, including VCC and GND) as well to show some critical values. Or graphics. I mostly use the remote to set up the whole "experiment" (going to the initial positions etc.). One example is here: https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/190786-br89-90-bb-10-tlg-and-turntable-99-tlg/&amp;do=findComment&amp;comment=3531548; there are 2 City hubs (turn table and BR89) and one PUp remote for manually getting the "system" into initial position (which I automated as well, but during development it was very helpful!) I just finished another rather crazy project, including a Technic hub, PUp remote and - well 4.5V Technic Control stuff from back then - it all works. And once your program is running fine on the ESP, just unplug it from the computer, plug in any 5V USB power supply, and it will do what you designed it for - no smart device required at all. On my train layout, I am currently signing up 8 PUp City hubs - the ESP holds them together https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/188584-mulpi-a-multiple-lego-remote-protocol-interface/ All the best, Thorsten

So do I! There are some Gurus in my group though, who seem to know what they are doing As I am the oldest guy in that crowd, I usually take the freedom to only look at the final results ... maybe a nice drawing or picture. Yes, I can clearly see the reselling aspect - I don't do that, so I wrote my reply from that perspective. Have a good day as well! Best, Thorsten

Here: https://www.bluebrixx.com/de/windows-and-doors/606814/BPP6556-tan-TRAIN-WINDOW-FRAME-1X4X3-X-25-BB-Part-Packs Provided the color is "tan". 25 pieces for €4,95. You need the glass windows as well ... but ones browsing in dark side, you'll find them. Best, Thorsten

Well, some or many apparently do - I don't - and never did. I buy what I desire - provided I can (= want to) afford it. Be it a set for a piece or two (max. €10 ;) - just for the fun of it - or a set for the set. However, I simply lost interest in "modern" LEGO sets. For one, there are alternatives to the price heroes. Second, I do not look for the most shiny = no scratches 40x40 super gloss tiles packed in extra soft plastic bags, nor do I care about color nuances. All I want is playing with bricks and pieces, including electronic stuff. I don't mind studs where there should be no studs, nor do I care about odd shapes - as long as I can imagine, what these shapes are meant to represent. Reverted to "vintage" LEGO sets (that was the time when there were hardly any alternatives) - of the kind that claim you build a washing machine (#1092/#1090) and man, I can tell you, you need to turn on imagination in high gear to dream up a washing machine from that pile of bricks. On another thought: We use AI more or less frequently in our research. I believe, coming up with a "score" for the "value" (both in quotation marks, as there are many parameters (apparently) determining these two numbers) - are individually biased. In other words, a formula, be it linear or non-linear but integrable, will hardly work. An AI approach, individually tailored, may be better suited than a universal formula. Oh well, or maybe not. As said, I buy what I like to have. Best wishes, Thorsten

I know :) You wrote it - and that is so unbelievably cool! Well, my youth never ran into the C64, it was Sinclair world ... But I found one C64 with floppy drive in the storage room of my resarch group. I joined the University of Wuppertal in 2001 as chair of the Physical Chemistry group. In 2010, we merged PChem and Theoretical Chem (TC) into PTC. My predecessors joined in 1974 - 1980; and since then, it appears as if - no - things have piled up . My colleagues are all "gone" - either left Earth (2) or are retired (2). And new colleagues (not me) hired recently don't ... want to deal with 1980s - 1990s crap. That is why there are still (1) C64, (3) Ataries (1024) with three 30MByte HD drives, and "my" IBM XT ... and much more in electronic stuff, even Germanium transistors (the "AC" series and the like :D). So, I guess - I should make a ZX Spectrum fit for operating interface A - all it needs is a cable . And yes, the connectors to the backplane of the Speccy are in the basement as well. It was a small world, back then, in the 1980s. OK, I need to make a program as well. But my love for the Speccy never faded, so it will be fun to do so. How cool is that!!! Hope he replies! And - one day - there may be scans of these booklets on the Internet Archive. All the best, Thorsten

Market analyses, testing balloons (maybe several of those were seen across the US lately? Well, some were simply shot down ). Clearly ahead: $999 and then: Braking thousenic barrier, wait for the boom! Best and Happy Easter time, Thorsten

I don't want to sound smart at all here, but the difference between speed setting and power setting is: Power = apply the 0 to 100 steps of PWM (0 = off, 100 = on, in between = PWM) Speed = Ask for maintaining a certain speed, 0 to 100, which is accomplished by applying more/less power, when speed you asked for is lower/higher than what you asked for. The speed feature needs a tacho motor to function, that is a motor which has a rotation sensor, so that the hub can check for actual rpms and the correct for reaching asked-for rpms by adjusting power (= changing the PWM ratio) applied to the motor. Make sure that you have a tacho motor to set speed. The train motor cannot do that, it just accepts power settings and does what a motor without brain (=tacho) can do. All the best, Thorsten

Well, I don't think so. They are afraid of so many things, because so many people have sued them. UV lights = bad. Directly look into them and mayhem breaks loose. H2O2 = incomprehensibly bad: A dangerous chemical. OK, some use it to lighten up their hair color without knowing - but, no way. So bad x incomprehensibly bad = out of space bad. But: You can do that on your own, if you want to, as you did. Best wishes, Thorsten

Nothing more to add ... ... so incredibly nice - and very well done. It may be just me, but I like the calmness - in that harsh and barren environment. As if they live in symbiosis ... Beautiful. Best wishes, Thorsten

I am always confused with AliExpress: €23 for the entire set??? + S&H, sure, but is that it? Best, Thorsten

You know why, you know exactly why: Because it is what you want to do. Because you enjoy what you do. The whole building process - and "I'll show them what I can accomplish - and TLG cannot" - or wants not; honestly, I believe in the former. I am almost certain that no designer far up North in Billund is going through a sleepless night because she or he wants to make a MOC >perfect< - as you did! 43 seconds of pure fun translate to eternity when you stop thinking about the 44th and further seconds! The designers up North have sleepless nights because a marketing special expert with a degree in "How to get the highest profit out of LEGO" is telling them: "Yeah folks nice models here, honestly, really cool, I am proud of you - but - sorry - you have any friggin' idea how expensive they would be? You want to hold your jobs, right? So get the hell more colors in there, we need to drain a bit of surplus - and a good fraction of the people we sell to are too stupid to build a non-color-coded model. And about 50% of the parts are just redundant. Holy moly, how often do I have to teach you guys that very basic principle of TLG design?" And you did a non-color-coded MOC, you reinforced it, you made it work. 43 seconds is a long, a very long time, time is absolutely relative! So the others had some fun - sarcasm is a really easy game to play, as well mockery, making fun of others, and and and. Much harder than: "Hey, you take it seriously, huh? I wish I had such dreams >and< the drive to make them come true still in me. Any idea what went wrong? I won't be of any help, but - yeah, I wish I had such nights." Whenever frustration with a MOC, idea, or program takes over (e.g., this super simple, totally stupid C++ program I am "working" on now, as of 5 minutes ago, when I saw your post) just does not work!!! Man. And I know it is me alone, as I am too stupid to comprehend C++. And me wants that program to work! Would my wife be up here, she'd ask: Who needs it? I'd answer: I do. Nobody else? No. Well, then it's all your fault. It helps to relax, as it is absolutely true), watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation regardless of season is also a good cure. Sparky gets the "job" done. In every aspect. They even have to turn on Auxiliary Nuclear upon his success ... And be rest assured: You are not alone: I’m just a chubby 61 years old man with misplaced brand loyalty, pathetically searching for a shitty line of code to make this toy turn around 180 degrees. That toy is a LEGO Dacta set from 1986. And: There is no failure. There is learning. No failure, no "good" learning. Here is to learning And you know what? Your snowmobile made out of LEGO pieces is everything else, but a toy. It can be used as a toy, or regarded as a toy, but it is a dream that became reality in sleepless nights. No other way, I guess - sleepful nights tend to keep dreams remaining dreams. And may lead to sarcasm. Here is to your 43s accomplishment and I bet it was super cool And here is to having sleepless nights at age 50++ because of beers, adrenaline, passion, and will BTW: You should consider writing short stories or even novels, do it. I totally enjoyed every word of your story, from the beginning to the almost very end; this needs a little redaction, I believe: I'd rephrase the "If I give up this hobby" bit. All the best, Thorsten

Hi Evan, this is certainly not what you are looking for, but maybe you get some info you are looking for. Daniel Schmatz (from Austria) who is operating a "museum for pinball machines and LEGO sets" near Vienna/Austria ("eitle Kinderkram", this is the webpage: https://kinderkram.eitle.at/), made a YouTube video in 2021 "showing" all pages of the booklets that came along with 1455 in 1986. The video quality is really not that good, but as said, almost all pages are shown. I accidentally ran across this website when I tried to understand what 9771 is and does, as you know regarding TC, I started from scratch in late 2022. Daniel has a >very< impressive collection of LEGO sets including Technic/Dacta - and has also the Apple II and IBM PC cards. Not sure about the C64 cable only connection, though. The video is 2 years old, that may have changed, but it is nice to see how surprised he is in the video, that the BBC does not need an interface card: About 11 minutes into the video, the hardware setup is shown, and he really takes some time to comprehend the setup (fingers running across the BBC, the disk station, interface A - but no interface card, and gets excited about it. So just have a look and enjoy the nice Austrian accent of his German :D All the best, Thorsten

And that is wise. BLE, the communication protocol the above listed devices are building on, can do so much more than remote control, it is almost crazy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_Low_Energy). On the other hand, once BLE can do "all that", a BLE device not wanting to do "all that" (or not wanting to be tricked) has to provide firmware that does have to deal with "all that". So all lower level communication protocols that confine themselves to on/off, left/right, start/stop (with hard-coded ramps maybe) and a little proportional steering - will most certainly beat BLE stuff, timing wise. On the other hand: No music to be streamed in parallel - and your batteries may not run as long; BLE was designed along the line of ultra-low power consumption. Hmmm. Wait. Your RC model motors suck in much more than one amp when racing? OK. Forget about the ultra-low power thing. Just go full RC 1:1 communication. Such receivers don't even pose a 1% change in the rechargeable discharge time. As compared to 0.001% using BLE. Which translates to: 99% and 99.999%, respectively. Or 10 minutes run time vs. 10.001 minutes ... Yes, I'd use RC gear to do RC racing. All the best, Thorsten

Well. I must admit: I was looking for the EV3 than for the Spike thingies. Nowhere to be seen. Onto the 4port PUp hub - no. Ahh - there it is: Impressive, all done with the 2 port PUp hub! Must be programmed in Pybrick-Next-Generation-V. Then I looked closer - no, this in no hub: It is a dumb battery box - also not true - as this is a fantastic battery box (#8878) - and two XL motors ... and then - after some moments others call minutes - it finally made "click" up there - this is purely mechanical! Fantastic, absolutely fantastic. Everything. The dials, how they work, the mechanism, wow. Congratulations - and thank you even more so for the instructions - they are worth every 1499 cent!!! All the best, Thorsten