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MajorAlvega

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Everything posted by MajorAlvega

  1. MajorAlvega
    Nice job! I like the way you used spybotics for RC and friction to transmit power to the train wheels without modifying the train.
  2. MajorAlvega
    Good! You have your USB IR Tower working, you can already use some open source tools to program your RCX. But for RIS to work with Wine it is necessary to match your USB IR Tower linux handle to something that Wine can pass to RIS. If it was a COM IR Tower, the method at post #8 would work but I'm not sure if the linux driver for USB IR Tower emulates a COM port or not. Now please excuse me but I really can't help much more until I return home and also install RIS 2.0 with Wine. Since you said you don't want to use NQC, if you are in a big hurry you can try to get a COM IR Tower but you also need a COM port - my laptop doesn't so I used a USB<->COM cable adapter, Ubuntu has support for most of these type of adapters.
  3. MajorAlvega
    The permission denied is not unusual. Ubuntu and other Debian systems like to play safe so unless you create a special rule for your device it will create the handler for it with permissions just for root. You can try sudo chmod 777 /dev/usb/legousbtower0 this will give everyone permissions to the device until your next reboot (or maybe just next unplug/replug). 'sudo' is a command that allows you to run other commands as root. Since you are using Ubuntu, your user as permissions to use 'sudo' but it will ask you first for your password (not root password; yours). It will remember that password for some minutes so you don't have to insert it always. Then try this command: echo "something" > /dev/usb/legousbtower0 'echo' is a command to send "something" to a handler. You can use this command as is or write whatever you want instead of something (but keep the commas if you use spaces), it's just for testing that you can write to the device. I'm not sure but I think that if the command works you will see some blinking on the USB IR Tower.
  4. MajorAlvega
    OK, excuse for assuming you were familiar with Ubuntu. First: when you have the USB IR Tower connected, what is the output of the following command: ls /dev/usb/lego* it should show legousbtower0 or something simillar (I think mine was legousbtower1, the number at the end doesn't real matter). This his the file handler for your device, you could send it something with 'cp' command like cp "Test" > /dev/usb/legousbtower0 and read from it with 'cat' command, although none of these has practical use, it's just for testing that you have acess to the device.
  5. MajorAlvega
    Your USB IR Tower is working and the driver loaded :) Please type ls /dev/usb/lego* you should have /dev/usb/legousbtower0 or /dev/usb/legousbtower1 like I had, the number isn't important. If you do have it, that's your device, try to use it with wine as COM1, i believe this is the way: go to your home folder, there is a hidden .wine folder, that's were wine is, go to this folder: ~/.wine/dosdevices and create a link so that wine thinks com1 is your USB IR Tower: ln -s /dev/usb/legousbtower0 com1 (you can use another COM port). If the linux legousbtower talks exposes the USB IR tower as a serial device, wine will let your Mindstorms software to talk with it. If not, we'll have to investigate a bit further, next year ;) nss-myhostname is a service not related to LEGO. I have same the same messages, don't worry :)
  6. MajorAlvega
    I have Ubuntu 14.10 (64 bit). I bought the USB Tower two months ago from Bricklink and remember that it was recognized immediately after plugging it. Never tried to used with a Mindstorms, my goal at the time was using it with lirc for remote control of Power Functions (failed). Could you run "dmesg" and "lsusb" before and after you plug it and post here just the difference? The lsusb should show a device with USB id "ID 0694:0001 Lego Group Mindstorms Tower" and at the end of dmesg is expected something like this: ... usbcore: registered new interface driver legousbtower
  7. MajorAlvega
    Do you have the USB or the COM (RS232) version? Linux kernel has native support for the USB version, it's seen as a COM port. The COM version is just that, something connected to your COM port so no drivers needed (of course, your system needs to support the COM port itself but that's pretty standard, even most USB-COM adapters work). So you just need to redirect your COM port to Wine. I know that it's possible but never done that. I've both versions but I'll be out for some days so cannot help you although I'm interested in how managed to get Wine working, has been some years since i've tried [without sucess]. And you can always try VirtualBox, create a Virtual Machine with XP and redirect your COM or USB to the VM, I've done that with USB bluetooth dongle and my NXT 2.0 some years ago.
  8. MajorAlvega
    Hi. I have not played yet with the linux drivers outside the EV3 / ev3dev, I'm not even sure if they are already mature enough. I did use with ev3dev and they worked fine (just the Power Functions LED was not recognized but there was a patch right after) so it's just a matter of days/weeks until you can use it with Raspbian or even Ubuntu. I've been playing with SBrick and last week got Raspberry Pi working with it, I have to return to the Pi to repeat it and clean up the process. So give me a few days and I'll try my Pi with WeDo again.
  9. MajorAlvega
    Hello. Not quite Technic, more a mix of Train, Power Functions, SBrick. Animation is controlled with a laptop but could be using a Mindstorms EV3 (with ev3dev). The "camels train" uses a PF Train motor with an old 9V battery box. It's driven by my beta SBrick and controlled from my laptop. It's running at small hickups with just 50% power because I'm afraid of destroying everything - the PF Train motor has to much power. The "rocking star" uses a PF servo, a PF lipo battery and a PF IR v2 receiver. It's controlled from the audio output of my laptop (just 2 IR LEDs, no amplifier) in PWM (IR speed controller) mode. Merry christmas everyone!
  10. MajorAlvega
    Not yet, at least with the Android App. But that's a nice feature you could suggest to SBrick team, please drop by SBrick forum.
  11. MajorAlvega
    [Android only] It was possible to control the 4 channels with the first versions, something happened and now my Test2 profile only has 2 slides (it had 4). Version 0.20 was pushed a few minutes ago, more one hour or two and it will be available, lets hope the 4 slides are back. You mean ? I'm using a Playstation/PC wireless gamepad (radio, not BT) connected to my laptop. I'm using the laptop as a gateway between the Gamepad and the SBrick. At the moment you can do it with anything that runs Linux and has a recent version of the BlueZ stack. Not Apple nor Windows unfortunately.You can use anything on you laptop - the keyboard, the Wii Nunchuck, a Joystick, a mouse... you just need to know how to read it (python has been great for that) and how to invoke BlueZ "gatttool" command (python has been great also but anythin that can call a command from the operating system should work). Yes, 0.0.20 Test2 profile has the 4 slides back. If you don't see the 4 slides, go to Market, delete all profiles and download them all again. Worked for me.
  12. MajorAlvega
    Short answer: no. Long answer: one day perhaps. SBrick has a microcontroller inside (not much power, i think is just a variant of the old 8051) and it is possible to upgrade the firmware, even with a custom (non-Vengit) one. So perhaps. There is always the possibility to use the phone/tablet/pc as a gateway/router/proxy/whatever. BT 4.0 has a long range (100 meter open air) so you can leave your phone/tablet/pc almost anyhwere and use just the gamepad. I believe future SBrick app versions (but not 1.0, there is no time for that) will have that feature, gamepad is much better than touch screen for precise control.
  13. MajorAlvega
    New members cannot send PM. You need some more posts to became "Vassal". I just sent a PM to Blackbird, the Technic Regulator for you.
  14. MajorAlvega
    You can test channels, switching each one on/off by tapping over each channel on the Sbrick image. The invert switches are good for inverting the default direction on each control so you don't need to change your design. v0.16 it's still alpha, very far from perfect. And some channels are wrong, so before you map a control (slide, joystick, button) to a channel test all 4 to be sure which one is which. There's a topic at SBrick forums just for Android app support, please follow it and feel free to post there. Now that the Sbricks are shipping, we need the App (well, I don't, I'm fine with my python scripts... but the app is still usefull for a quick demo/test).
  15. MajorAlvega
    That's a question for one of the forum moderators but I think this is the right place for WeDo, at least while there is not a specific WeDo Theme at this forums.
  16. MajorAlvega
    Hello. When you are editing your set, select your linked SBrick and there is a SBrick at the top with 4 buttons around for inverting the output of each channels.
  17. MajorAlvega
    You should send a message to Jetro, he is the one who posted that photo (Citizen is just il level on this forum).
  18. MajorAlvega
    You can put 2 RC motors in each port. Or 3, or 4... as long as total current on each port stays bellow or equal to 2A per port (it can go above that value, perhaps up to 3A but internal circuits start chopping at 2A effectively reducing the power you give to the motors, see here). But since you can associate (within the App) the same action to more than one port, you can put each RC motor in its own port and control them in pairs. That will allow 2A in each RC motor... 8A total. If (big IF) you can get 8A from a battery (or a pack of batteries) and if old LEGO 9V cables can withstand 2A each and if SBrick doesn't' overheat with all that power running through... you'll get a hell of a race car. You said Sbrick is expensive... your batteries will be even more expensive. And RC motors are getting expensive. With all that power you demand, the SBrick price is less of a concern. And please play safe... 8A can be to much for average Lithium batteries, if you use something without internal protection you can get very danger explosions.
  19. MajorAlvega
    Hi. You need it pure LEGO? You need original LEGO EV3 software? And you need EV3/NXT servos or just servos (like Power Functions servos)? If yes to the 3 questions, you need to connect 4 EV3 in daisy chain. If not, I see several options, show you three: a) just LEGO but PF servos are acceptable: use ev3dev and WeDo USB Hubs, each Hub can operate 2 PF servo motors b) not just LEGO: beside the MUX you can use an I2C controller for normal (RC) servors, Mindsensor has one compatible with NXT/EV3 firmware but only allows 8 servos and I don't think you can use more than one but there are others, if you are confortable with some soldering you can use Adafruit 16 channel I2C PWM/Servo driver and control it with ev3dev. c) not just LEGO: get 4 SBricks and a USB BT 4.0 dongle and use ev3dev to control 16 PF servos
  20. MajorAlvega
    Sorry, I don't work for Vengit, just beta testing SBrick. When Kickstarter campaign was ending, they asked for resellers/distributors but I am not aware of details, you may ask them. Do you mean 2 Power Functions AA boxes in serial? That would make at least 15V, it would burn the inside electronics (they strongly recommend less than 11V). But if you can arrange it in parallel it will be safe and yes, it will be possible to control 4 RC motors. Probably not the all 4 at maximum current during long runs because it could generate much heat inside the SBrick (and probably inside the AA batteries and the Power Function cable also) but that is another question (that I would love to answer but I only have 2 RC motors and a beta SBrick, not a final SBrick).
  21. MajorAlvega
    The wait is over, SBrick is being produced: Expect an official announcement very soon.
  22. MajorAlvega
    They just released 0.0.15 for Android. What's New - Bug fixes - Crash fixes - New function: Brick settings - Port settings fix - Improve BTLE connection
  23. MajorAlvega
    I doubt the original software runs on W7. Bt this page says you can use bricxcc on W7 and on Linux. You will need a serial (COM) port or a USB to serial adapter. See here for possible positive reasons. I believe the only real good reason is being Radio instead of Infrared.
  24. MajorAlvega
    Well, you can see 2 IR receivers over the tank so the same remote can be used with 2 different frequencies to control 4 channels. Drive and steering need 2 channels so the other two are probably used to simulate two touch sensors. Two inputs mean 4 combinations: 0 + 0 : no action 0 + 1: weapon 1 1 + 0: weapon 2 1 + 1: weapon 3 There's also the possibility to use a sequence of inputs, like morse code: short short short: weapon 1 short short Long: weapon 2 et cetera
  25. MajorAlvega
    We're getting out of topic, we should continue this on other topic (but I assure you it is not a SBrick problem, just a programming problem from someone who is not a programmer, just a copy&paster). Returning to the topic, I think you gonna like this video: it's an example of "Power Functions Remote Control Sensor" from the site nxtprograms.com, where they show how to mix PF IR remote with the NXT (the same applies to EV3).
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