Toastie

2300 > 880. Sounds better These are actually two cells, each rated 1900 mAh. right? Best, Thorsten

Well, no? Just look up here or elsewhere what I do, when I find some time. Good fraction of non-LEGO stuff present. Thank you for clarifying - but, well, in fact I did notice that. I absolutely don't come from that community, but I do play with 8051s since long, use a good number of microchip's PICs, regard my Z80/8255 board as "microcontroller" as well, use the Arduinos, the ESPs - and love TTL logic chips. The old ones ;) Yes, EOD. Hope that @CheungsLegoCreation will post on progress here!!! Best, Thorsten

Well, I don't get why you believe that I am saying that there is something wrong? I am asking a couple of things that are simply unclear to me, that's all. See, I am closely following TLGs microcontroller approach since the age of RCX and SCOUT. Then went back a bit when I had the chance to do so - Code Pilot etc. To be honest, TLG wise (and not user wise) I am seeing this: Robots that follow lines. Or detect obstacles with ultrasonic detectors and do something in reply. Dig out the Mindstorms Robotics Invention box, take the latest Mindstorms Robot Inventor box and although technology wise, capabilities are exploding with increased computing power, the "official ideas" of what to do with all that power are remaining fairly ... constant. And I am not talking about the IDEs, skins for operating the features of the microcontroller. I am leaning a more towards the close-to-hardware side. And as far as I am concerned, the RCX, pimped with the RobotC firmware is rather powerful in that regard. And that's all there is. Also: I believe to have understood that one can't make money on a system that ran on DOS on Win95. Nor that anyone should do so. That's quite clear even to me. I am just interested in what do the hardware = LEGO Moc now and what were they capable of accomplishing back then. With or without camera; Vision Command was really never ever exploited to the extent they could have. Why not? I believe because electronics moves >much< faster full forward than the ideas what to actually do with it. You see, I need to find a reason to motivate the family accepting another x hundred Euro ticket - and much more so my very own brain to become willing to actually do that. And then I am asking questions. And replies like the one from @CheungsLegoCreation give me some ideas. His/her route is not necessarily my route, but who knows: Ideas are the important thing here. And I sure hope, there is nothing wrong with that. Best Thorsten

Yeah, I believe I got that already. I am more curious about: For what? Certainly not for the sake of being able to make the connection, that is sort of trivial for those out there, who understand BLE at low level (and have the protocol at hand). With regard to "for what"? PUp devices are actuators and sensors. Now they can be connected to a RPi. Pretty bulky that setup with that HAT, isn't it? So it is less for mobile, or even autonomous creations, but more so for stationary stuff requiring motors, distance/color sensors and the like, correct? It does not make that much sense to have a mobile PUp propelled web server equipped with audio and camera features moving around, right? Or am I missing something? Best Thorsten

But that would a 4 port hub (call it Control+ hub or Technic hub) do as well, right? OK, you get the PI's computing power, but 4 motors may not require that, isn't it ?) learning curve here - gone through/still with RCX PBricks with three motor outputs/3 sensor inputs and 32k of RAM (and still don't touch any memory limits). Sure, no way to run any variant of Python, but LEGO byte code, entirely focused on the RCX hardware, is - I'd say - rather powerful. But - time goes on ... I know. Best, Thorsten

Pretty much the same here - but then it stops; no bulk orders, and BL orders were/are targeted specifically at what I need (x2 just for being safe ;) for whatever reason. I really tried to get everything printed into folders (love specific polybags glued to magazines for the less aged) - and then decided recently - to just leave it alone. Why and for whom on Earth am I doing this? Since 50+ years? For me. OK. Maybe some folks from outer space (or family descendants) will find it very appealing to dig-up all that well organized, categorized stuff. The compression forces of the decades of LEGO catalogs alone may turn them into crude oil way before this world turns into something ... different (-> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!) - who knows. Ah the BrickSet registry. In the beginning, I was crazy about literally getting every single brick registered - and without cheating! For what? To know where I am? To know what I have? I mean, everything is placed into boxes and much more so around me in this room. And my memory is - at least judged from my very own experience - not yet down the drain. So I do find stuff. Not necessarily THE piece in THAT color, but - usually close enough. And then these boxes pile up when I play ... and when I need to do other things, look at the total mess, it is typically a feeling of "What a mess - it will take you hours to unfuck this." And then, a little later: You'll never, never ever grow up. With a smile. Turn off the lights, thinking: I never ever wanted and want to grow up. The mess is what LEGO is all about. All the best, Thorsten

I am speechless. This is beyond belief. All has been said, but I am still watching the video again and again ... and each time - I cannot believe what I am seeing and hearing. This is entirely beyond (my) known universe - where no man (me) has gone before - and never will be capable doing so. This is >the< perfect combination of a beautiful engine, even the colors appeal to me (I am color-blind), the electronics inside, the smooth operation, the sound, the arrow gauge (!!!) - wow. Thank you very much for sharing! All the best, Thorsten (Just pressed "play" again ...)

Hah! That's what this is all about! Believe me, I got the LEGO bit. And the English language thing. The feets and foots, and good, better, even better, best, bestest. Or sheeps. Not the point: It was about what do people call their Legos ;) and that will be - of course - diverse. As in "LEGO bricks" or "Legos". Uhm the bricks of course. It is not about "why don't you folks not get it". I just googled (term is OK because I used Google and not Bing; then it would be: I binged Legos) "Legos" (don't forget the quotation marks) and selected "Pictures" ... well ... there are at least some hits. "Legos" all over the place Best Thorsten

Oh you surely should do that, Davide!!! It does not get much better than this - the model came out of a computer - played virtuously by you. Then another master - of the real bricks - made it come to life, made the real life changes required to actually get this going - this is team-work at its best!!! Mensch Holger ... was für ein wunderschönes Modell ist das denn??? (I don't like the terms prototype or MOC in this case - it is a model. As in Kraftwerk's piece of art. Designed by Davide and made to perfection by you. Wow. I can't help it - and it may be pure nostalgia - but for me this is LEGO at its best. With all the "limitations" of 12V, all the advances into 12V++. A Million thanks to both of you. And of course: Tipping hat with a nod and a slight bow, Gentlemen. All the best, Thorsten

Thank you! I didn't quote it though, I just wrote it - I don't want to get anyone in trouble but me!!! (I am currently reading 13 dissertations up for a price at my university - man. I am chemist and they go over all faculties - what do I know, I just work here. Well, 11 more to go, deadline is tomorrow. So need to do something else in between liters of coffee ...) Cross my fingers that it works out for you! Best Thorsten

That's my favorite! It could also be the "box for the colorly handicapped (BoCoHa's)" - so white, yellow, red, green, blue, black + light grey + dark gray. They wouldn't even have to care about the "bluish" bit. Best Thorsten

I believe the BW team can easily clear this up and should do so. However, @Zerobricks repeatedly stated here, that such issues are taken care of by BW tech support. Did any of you tried to contacting them directly? And if so, do you mid to share the reply from BW support? Lets think a bit about LiPos and chemistry ... I believe it is rather straight forward for BW to tell people here (or via their tech support), what is going on here. Or maybe folks who contacted them and got an answer can post their reply here. Electronics either dies or not. It may play dead, but that does not count as dead. All the best! Thorsten

So it is the ending "s", isn't it? "The Lego" is singular to you, as a type of things, whereas I am thinking of a plurality of bricks in the boxes, "the Legos". Could that be it? I really like this discussion. It tells a lot (good things)! All the best, Thorsten

What's wrong with Sheeps? One sheep. Many sheep. Gazillion sheeps ... . There is also good, better, best - and of course - The Bestest. And then: A lab course is called a Praktikum in German, as all here know, and many of such courses are "Pratika". Now, when you are in your 10th semester and haven't managed to get your BSc degree, you certainly have repeated many "Praktikas" - which is of course language nonsense. All this is certainly a language thing. It was just that @RichardGoring thought that "Legos" is an US thing (as far as I understood), but for sure it is also a well-used German "term". You are saying it sounds weird in the UK ... I love that! Now, when the average (as in not The True LEGO Company AFOL) goes into a not-LEGO store - just into an arbitrary LEGO boxes storing store: What would they ask to find the LEGO boxes section? [I am really curious. I like such things. My daughter is studying "Theoretical" German Language - and I must say: It is very compelling to me (as a physical chemist).] All the best, Thorsten

Well European here. I believe that that perception may not be entirely correct. When parents go to a toy store in my "region", without a clue what to buy for their kids, but have heard somewhere that some plastic building blocks may even be of educational value (for their kids) but they have never ever been to that section of - let's say - the department store, they'll ask at the reception desk (or cashier, or any one running around looking remotely like an official): "Haben Sie Legos"? Or: "Wo finde ich denn die Legos?" For sure. I have tons of Legos up here. Well, I refer to the whole diversity bricks as Legos. I also believe that many others - at least in this part of Europe - do that as well. The best part is, that even when other boxes with "construction elements compatible" with other brands ;) they are very often referred to as Legos. Which is - maybe - why TLG doesn't want us to call their bricks Legos, but LEGO bricks. It doesn't make any difference to many - well not so purist folks - as TLG has - by application of myriads of filed patents and prosecution of patent violations - that the term "Legos" has become a synonym for LEGO bricks. And for decades that was >more< than OK - because parents asking:"Do you have Legos?" were directed to shelves with boxes made by the LEGO group. Things have changed ... and naturally they now have to ask: "Wo bitte finde ich denn die Sets der LEGO Gruppe?". You know what: I have never ever heard somebody asking that, never. I am also pretty sure that these folks have mostly no clue what the "LEGO Gruppe", "LEGO Group", "The LEGO group" is. They know: Legos. I have a (remote) feeling that TLG built something up, which worked for decades. But - well - time goes by (so slowly, as Madonna knows). Just my two cents, what do I know, I just work here. All the best and have a nice weekend, Thorsten

Well, the olden TLG train days were better - simple as that But there is something else to this unbelievable creation of @Paperinik77pk and wonderful realization of @HoMa: It feels as if it were 12V++. There is more - finesse present. In my opinion only, of course. All the original 12V locos from TLG do bow to this one. I mean, the original V3201 is bulky and boxy when compared to e.g. BR line steam locomotives. However, the brick-built model seems to ingeniously use all (legal) tricks on earth to let it appear - well - as a 12V++ model. No idea, why that is, but it is to me. As others said: Simply breathtaking. Congratulations to both of you!!! All the best, Thorsten And no: No tinfoil hat on my head - all these vibes are coming out strong and clear!

Phew - not my business ... I just see bubbles: So what ever they figure out as new color: Red, yellow, green, blue, black, grey and white it is for me ;)) Best regards, Thorsten

As I don't want to propel this subject again and again and again into a brick wall and overly ambitious discussion: I believe what really helps in this regard is to replace "Most people", "all folks I know", "everyone", "the world", "many" - simply with "I believe" and then reuse all the remaining text. Just an idea. I have no clue at all what other people really think, maybe of a very selected non-representative minority. All the best, Thorsten

Aluminum hat. Don't do the tin thing - tin is unhealthy - and who knows, maybe tin is even less effective . OK - was unsure on the tin thing - I checked Wikipedia: Tin foil From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ... Not to be confused with aluminum foil. And further down: Tin foil, also spelled tinfoil, is a thin foil made of tin. Tin foil was superseded after World War II by cheaper and more durable[1] aluminum foil, which is still referred to as "tin foil" in many regions (an example of a misnomer). Now this is something you don't see every day: Tin foil is a foil made from tin, aluminum foil is a foil made from aluminum. The tin bit in tin foil is a misnomer. In other words: "In many regions", tin is aluminum, as the foils are apparently foils in all regions. Man, man, man. What a day - always learning. This could turn out to be dangerous though - according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (book), one finds: "Oh, that was easy," says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing. So you are looking for a tin foil hat made from aluminum foil and that is entirely OK, because it is a misnomer. Don't prove it though ... All the best and have fun, Thorsten

It's because RCX' are smart. Really smart. Best Thorsten

Going into "NOT LEGO" happened, when I fell in love with my wife; age 15 - A.D. 1977. It was literally over and out (and I did not even think about it, not one second). Over, as in "geblitzdingst". 1996 our first daughter was born. 1997 our second. The family moved to the US in 1998. For XMas presents, I thought looking into Duplo may be "interesting" - and it actually was for the girls. Well, 1998 was also the release of the Mindstorm RIS 1.0 "box". It happened in the Tustin/CA Target store: I swear, I was teleported back to "my age <15"; memories were "reinstalled", was teleported back to 1998 ... and my wife, not realizing what happened, but looking at me said: "Yes, why not?" (I was an assistant professor at UCI on tenure track - there was not much money around these days) - and that did not "end" my dark ages, it was more of a "grinding full stop". Since then, I (very) closely follow what TLG "does"; felt very good right after 1998 ... today does not appeal anymore to the extent it did then - but I am still on it. But things are having a bit less "luster" - and I am absolutely sure - because I am getting older. Or whatever. Very nice topic, @Lego David!!! All the best, Thorsten

I believe the term flashing is a bit unclear here. @JopieK was looking for a periodically flashing light (maybe even alternating), I believe, whereas one can also read for your post: One goes on only for one polarity, the other for the other. Is that what you meant or rather the periodically flashing light? Best Thorsten

Lalala ... (old Gallic tune) Relax, folks. It is really not worth it. Fun fact: In the 1700s there was no internet (Ha!!). Posting was tough - but >not< impossible. Another fun fact: In the 1700s chances were: Posting this way = hit by a hammer (or the like). And another one: 2021: Hammers are mostly gone in conversations and Frankie goes to Hollywood did their "Relax, don't do it ..." already decades ago! I do like to think about both "approaches", but not about the wording. All the best, and here is to feeling good: Best Thorsten

I even like the lyrics before "The Raven" rolls in ... @Actionfigure: This is one of the most inspiring MOCs I have seen for a long, a very long time. I love Alan Parsons and even more so Edgar Alan Poe. In my university office, I have a plastic raven presiding over all conversations/examinations on a high bookshelf ("there stood a raven whose shadow hung above my door ...") I believe I need to change that to another plastic material ... but I fear there is no way I can replicate what you have achieved. Thank you very much for sharing! All the best, Thorsten

To-ta-lly cool! This is really a nice place to work! Have a nice day, Thorsten