Toastie

You mean the 2 port M/B hub with the two motors installed, right? I am always confused with these names ... Best, Thorsten

There is no space for "wasting" and "time" reading your piece, it is really a pleasure, from the beginning to the very end - but the last line. The last line should be changed. Maybe your feeling of having wasted your time in writing this piece so nicely [(tone, grammar, length - totally appropriate, as you have to tell something - I am simply enjoying this - it goes to almost physical well-feeling), thoughtfully and with deep insight - both from a historical perspective and from a philosophical (I mean that)] is less severe when you know that I read your text from the beginning to the end three times - and many individual sections more often. Well, maybe not. I almost 100% agree with you, 100% on the brick side of things. In principle also 100% on the software side, particularly when it comes to control apps and other rather discouraging things you described. There is one ... challenge though that I took on. I do not like TLGs apps. None of them. I also do not like to waste my time on the screen of a smartphone. It is a nightmare, for me. But hey, you simply need one in these times - but all the essential apps do run on my laptop as well (Whatsapp, messages, chats) and when that's not possible: too bad. This challenge is not to have the hardware (which is generally nicely designed) crippled by pulling the plug on the software side. Open source helps. The entire line of motor hardware can in principle be operated by PUp hubs. Yes, the plugs. You have to get them somewhere. But. Also when the damned Apps don't run anymore ... BLE equipped micro-controllers do. Yes, they will also fade away, sure. But maybe even then there is something else. Also, the RCX still talks to EV3s and NXTs - when you want to. It is not like brick building but it is the way to figure it out. I blame TLG just for that: Not even showing us backward compatibility anymore. That is really, really bad. They should only show it. Not actually making the apparently super expensive hardware - which are - well - mostly adapter plugs. One example: I have two working Sinclair ZX Spectrums (are these together Spectra?), one is my own, one is from eBay, both are from 1984/5. I also had the ZX IF1, which has an RS232 port. Without oscilloscope, you hardly get anywhere, as RS232 lives on its own planetary system in outer space. But found a way to travel between universes. The moment I had the ZX' back up and running, I wanted them to control one of my PF (a 4.5V train set 181 from 1972 - I am old) or RCX equipped trains. As of a week ago, it works. There is a little help from an Arduino (and Jack Daniel's) because of RS232 parity issues, but that's all. The ZX drives an IR emitter and receives IR data in an educated way (i.e. the SINCLAIR BASIC program), talks to an IR sensor equipped NXT, which knows how to make IR PF signals. EV3 could do that as well. Now with PUp: That again needs the help from an ESP32 or so BLE microcontroller (my PUp equipped Crocodile is operated by such a device, surely not by a smartphone + Croc app), which of course also understands IR signals from an RCX. So in >principle< it all works together: 1972 (4.5V) - 1998 (RCX) - 2018 (PUp) However, as far as I know TLG almost never tells us anything about that. And this is what I don't like: TLG NOT playing the compatibility game. Yes I know: Better to come up with a new plug, phase out the old one and then have so many people throw out the old stuff to get the new. Smart. But ugly. Best regards and thank you very much again for your valuable time in writing your post! Best wishes, Thorsten

Yes, just made a comment! Best Thorsten

Well then a link would suffice, I believe, doesn't it? But when you want to show that you have accomplished to successfully copy that scenery (nothing changed? I bet the setting - the space where you live, the way you have integrated/displayed that scenery - all the details - has/have changed) do it! With appropriate referencing, a little piece of text, it is sort of "reporting" - and at the same time showing all your efforts to accomplish that - and there is nothing wrong with presenting it here. Best regards, Thosten

Oh, they had - the real Mindstorms line that is The RCX/Scout/MicroScout (the latter needing a Scout to be operated with the remote) had quite the remote: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=x124#T=S&amp;C=11&amp;O={"color":11,"iconly":0} Spybotics, also part of the Mindstorns line, had their own remote: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=4232rc#T=S&amp;O={"iconly":0} And the EV3 beacon is in fact also a remote: https://www.lego.com/de-de/product/ev3-infrared-beacon-45508 So yes, I guess real Mindstorms sets had always a remote ... Best Thorsten

Well, don't let these things drive you mad! That is unhealthy. This thread is sort of turning things upside down, right? Here you can get ready to rumble - there is no unwritten rule. This is a website that tries to "unite LEGO fans around the world". Fans should always have a voice and opinion of course. As far as I understand the philosophy of this website, you can - again of course - criticize whatever you want, BUT in an educated and "polite" approach. Just blaring out complaints will get you in trouble. But when you have a point, and you bring up good reasoning, discuss it here!!! So: Don't let things drive you mad. Stay calm, make up your mind, and then lay out your criticism. Tip: before you hit "Submit Reply" reread your message three times. Or sleep over it. That is my personal experience only. Best Thorsten

For sure! Just purchased the instructions - nice, as the model! Now I am going to see what I need to order from BL - it is still some time until fall! Thank you very much again for sharing! Best regards, Thorsten

Hi Emanuele, as @pdw said, you can't power a device with 20A ... you can only offer it ... All these batteries/rechargeables have a certain internal resistance, limiting the maximum current you can draw, regardless of the external resistance (make that zero, not realistic, but); as the latter is always in series with the former, the internal battery resistance is also always the maximum current delimiting value. The maximum current delivered by 10440 LiPos is about 700mA. Make that 1A, but I doubt that. 6 of them in series does not change the max. current: It will be still 1A. Your deliverable power goes up of course (P=UxI, but always keep in mind P=IR^2 as well). Now, as @pdw also said, the SBrick has overload protection. With trains hauling some load, the motors attached will try to get as much current as possible (as I am familiar with your trains). I believe that there is no reason to use MT3608's to step up to 9V: The power UxI is (ideally) a constant value; otherwise we would violate the 1st and 2nd law of Thermodynamics - and these Gods are very, very conservative. The step-up voltage converter cannot hold the same current (lets say 1A) delivered by the 7.2V LiPos directly, regardless of how much you step-up the voltage. If I were you, I'd just use the LiPos "as is", feed them to the SBrick and off you go. When you want higher power, use the approach of @MikeTwo9398 (different batteries, different internal resistance). The SBrick will not burn out, regardless what your power source is. It will simply shut off its outputs. As the PF revceivers/PBricks etc. do as well. All the best, Thorsten

In principle - the little embossed letters are different though - which renders the FX version so much more valuable. As in: They are in production. Best Thorsten

(Slight bow) Thank you for that compliment Yeah: LEGO/Lego that is . Personally, I like "Hey LEGO, are you hearing me?" the best. Which is of course different from: "Hey, LEGO's, are you hearing me"; the former is addressing the Gods (maybe while sacrificing a minifig) - the latter is - well - talking to bricks and plates not aligning up - legally - of course. Best Thorsten

Oh my goodness. Very, very nice. Well - this moment I found what I needed so much: When returning to Germany 20 years ago, I needed to find a barber. My choice was a wonderful shop, the owner is from Turkey. I never ever went to another shop ... regardless of how long/wild my hair was (back then). This fall, it will be the 20th anniversary - and I wanted to give him a symbol of appreciation - for the skills, but much more so the friendliness of all his employees ... and now I found it. Would it be OK, that I rebuild your phantastic model, donate it to him/his shop/the people working there later this year? With appropriate reference of course! All the best Thorsten P.S.: Purchasing the instructions of course! But the brick build model will (maybe) be in the public domain then. The type my barber is using for the fine-tuning (uhm for whatever is still there) Best Thorsten

LEGO, LEGOs, LEGO's, Legos. Lego's ... and I bet many - if not all - people know what we are talking about ... What about TLG or TLC? Oh I know the big difference, but just for that matter: It's fine with me, as I know what we are talking about: The Gods of ABS. So when I hear or read: "Hey LEGO, I want the old Lego themes back, and build with classic LEGO's rather than all these specialized millions of Lego pieces" - I pretty much can join the discussion, as the four letters l e g o are true chameleons ... not only color wise. But that is another discussion (BTW: I just had the family members sorting my weird color pieces, which is, for a medium color-blind person a miracle. I was very positively surprised, that many of the suspected "blue with some red added" (or vice versa) pieces were actually varieties of BLUE/blue. True. And value is of different value to different people. "Just for fun" also comes to mind. At least this is what I experienced. Best Thorsten

Because he can?! Because he wants to be?! Because he is ingenious? When you follow his personal thread, you know what the answer is: Because he can. Best Thorsten

Well. Updating this thread with my stuff - sorry for that! I did not find any way to convert 8N1 to 8O1 with an Arduino Uno and any XYSoftSerial library. The Zeddy is a bit special ... timing wise. It is byte per byte with a little BASIC overhead. And the NXT/hiTechnic IR sensor is very strict on the total transmission time. Attempt 2: Arduino Mega clone. Has 4 hardware serial ports - each can be configured as you see fit. Fiddling with timing (the LEGO IR tower collects a lot of software dirt over time) - done. Adapting my very own 2 byte "IR protocol" (ID + databyte) from 2004 (which I kept for the time being because LEGO lasts forever) - done. Writing a ZX BASIC program (No labels, no IF THEN ELSE, no DO WHILE, no UNTIL, no CASE, just GOTO and GOSUB , which is considered as DA WORST in programming - but then: It is what it is ... done. Err, almost. But working: The Zeddy talks to the Mega, which simply translates serial protocol, and then drives IR. So next step: IR to RF (because the HiTechnic sensor has about 50 cm radius of action) and then that "was it" (ZX controls NXT, which controls PF devices), We'll see ... its getting closer, I guess. Best Thorsten P.S.: Will post all that programming crap here ... it will be a long read P.P.S.: This works:

No drinks? Best Thorsten Edit??? Of course. "No drinks" is no "reply". Very, very nice build. The guitar alone ... (I don't play any "instrument", pizza is not my first choice - more "German" black bread with butter, mustard and maybe some wurst ...) but I do like the look and feel so much.

Phew - totally different game here on SciFi - this is more about BitCoin/StockMarket/Investment/MakeOrLoseMoney/big garages - but everything other than "SciFi" isn't it? There is this "By, Sell, Trade and Finds" Forum. Well, good luck on that purchase! Best Thorsten

Huh? Quiet? Wait. Quiet as judged by what? Entries/replies/second? In the Technic Forum this entry will "be gone" by tomorrow. Or maybe in a couple of days, when folks move on. Here in the Scale Modeling Forum (which I visit every single day, even when there is no new entry) the entries are envied with some - patience - and true admiration. This forum is far away from being quiet. Here are the gems. At least this is my take. Best Thorsten PS: Guidelines or not

Oh nice ... that reminds me ... "Follow me now to the vault down below - Drinking the wine as we laugh at the time - Which is passing incredibly slow" "Part of you smiles each brick I lay - (Bring me these skills in the name of the Lord) - You'll feel your mind slipping away" OK not exactly the original lyrics - but this is going to be a blast ... All the best and a toast to @JopieK! Thorsten

That is a brilliant proposal! Again, very nice, but the "six" may make "rapid posters" fuzzy ... when there are no 5 wides (never seen that) why not make in "4 wide and even smaller"? OK, that seems to be splitting hairs, but today I spent some hours programming my ZX Spectrum - that super computer wants you to be clear: You can use >6, but >=4 is way better to keep track of all the GOSUBs and GOTOs ... (and to the rest of the world: Yes, Sinclair BASIC does not have labels or the like ) Best + thank you for these very nice ideas! Thorsten

And that that society is covering about 1/7th of the world's population (as of 2020). Maybe one reason, why they are so fast: They are teaming up and are working like robots. Plus, they are as smart as the world average bimodal smart-distribution function would tell. On average there are many more smart people living in China than everywhere else. India is clocking in though. And they are living in a totally different "social world". I also believe that there are so many restrictions to live your life in China (and maybe they don't even want to, I simply don't know) - just imagine that Big Chinese Brother does not care much about ABS bricks. Best Thorsten

Well, I believe it needs a moderator to do that Actually I have no clue. But wait. Let us flag this to @JopieK - maybe he knows how to proceed. Best Thorsten

Why not here on EB? Could be a pinned thread at the top of the forum! Best Thorsten

OK. I think there needs to be a "4-wide thread" here on TrainTech. Man. This is so nice. There were recently other posts here as well. I have NO clue, how you do it, but that is irrelevant. Three things come to mind: First: You guys are ingenious. These model are so nice, so iconic, so showing! The part count is >considerably< lower as for 6 or 7/8+ wide models - I believe this is a true show-case advantage! Sure: Functionality suffers. But in the 4-wide world, it is (for me) more showing than operating. I really see a new project for me: Try to rebuild your models and then put them up on shelves on my sloped attic walls. Again: Congratulations, @Paperinik77pk: All this is beyond any of my skills. All the best Thorsten

Breathtaking. As far as I am concerned, the smaller the scale, the harder it gets. Capturing the appearance, the look and feel. EMD F7 = Santa Fe Super Chief (for me). Seeing your 4 wide rendition = Santa Fe Super Chief = EMD F7. Instantaneously. Very, very nice build, I'd like to try myself - with your permission. For personal use only! And lastly: CF1138: Another magician of the small scale! Thanks for sharing! All the best Thorsten

Wow! And another one - this is a very nice MOD of the VW camper. MOD as in Much more than a MOD! For me there are two outstanding things here: One is the "MOD" - there is now PF steering, PF driving ... the interior has entirely changed, windows can open which could not before, the color scheme is very nice, the roof ... I don't have the camper, but I bet the (Technic) frame is different ... basically everything has changed! So other than the "hood", it's a true MOC! The other thing is the electronics. I mean - not just the nice display and RGB LEDs as eye-catcher (plus all the very nice things you are showing, binary, ASCII, etc. etc.) but also the fact that that little IoT brain is running the PF motors like a charm. Ahh - and the "real" motor of course with spinning wheels!!! (Steering seems to be a little bumpy - is that due to the clutch gear? If so I'd get rid of it and let the motor sweat a little) Fan-tas-tic multiple level and discipline build! All the best Thorsten