evank

What does this have to do with the discussion topic?

Tested?

1. Yes, I administer the "Vintage Lego Robotics" folder on Archive.org. So anybody who uploads relevant documentation or software should tag that folder. (I have a lot more to add! I recently acquired many teacher's manuals/books for Control Lab. I'm in NJ, USA but a friend in Sydney, Australia is going to scan it all for me.) 2. My primary interest in Interface A, not B. Most of what I learned in those conversations (Chris Rogers is one person I talked to, but there were others) is documented on the History page of my website, www.brickhacks.com: https://www.brickhacks.com/0.php ... The entire site is overdue for an update because I have a lot more information to add. It's just a challenge of finding the time. I spend most of my free time actually building models to control with Interface A. (Interface B is for wimps < ducks >)

It would be awesome to have a single Apple II card that can control multiple Interface A devices! Then I can get back some functionality that I've had to remove from my development machine, so that I had enough 9767 cards for my most complicated projects.

I have nothing to add, other than Comal is also included in the German manual for the Lego - Commodore 64 cable.

https://archive.org/details/pc-g850vs-manual-english-v1_1

Fantastic!

@AJB2K3 check your messages.

It looks like you're using 9V motors but 9750 only outputs 4ish volts. What am I missing?

LOL - Cray. Juuuuuuuuust a bit overkill. It would be cool to see 9750 interfaced to that pocket computer! :) @Gunners TekZone in case you haven't seen it already, here is a video I made about the current 9767 options:

@Gunners TekZone here is the schematic: https://www.brickhacks.com/9767.php

You're welcome. A few weeks ago I happened to see on Facebook Marketplace that someone a couple of hours from me was selling a massive haul of Dacta sets. He wanted a substantial sum. We negotiated a deal and I drove out there. I don't need most of the sets (so I'm trying to sell them: https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/forums/topic/212437-fs-several-early-dacta-sets/) ... mostly I was willing to lay out the money because his stash of rare Lego educational manuals was overwhelming.

I recently acquired several Control Lab teacher's manuals that are not scanned anywhere. So I am rectifying this. :) It's going to take a couple of months. Michael Mulhern (known in the Apple II community) is going to do the scanning on our behalf. Then it goes here: https://archive.org/details/vintagelegorobotics

Yes. https://archive.org/details/lego_c64_manual_basic_comal/mode/2up -- starting on page 5.

Archive.org's browser emulation can not connect to physical hardware. I confirmed this with Jason Scott, who built the emulator.

I rescued a large amount of Control Lab stuff last weekend. I was digging through it and found (surprise!) 5.25 Apple II LogoWriter Robotics. LOL I think it's hysterical to find that in the wild NOW after we all just got it a few months ago.

I rescued a large amount of Control Lab sets last weekend. It included the Intelligent House disk (for Mac) so I'll see about archiving that one.

I had an idea this morning, inspired by the work of @amine who is configuring some of the Lego 8-bit software to work in Archive.org online emulators. My idea is that someone should make an online Interface A emulator (I don't possess anywhere near the technical skills to do this.) As I imagine it, you'd go to a website (I'm happy to host it via my own site, www.brickhacks.com) and you would see a virtual Interface A. You'd also see a selection of virtual 4.5V peripherals (optical sensors, touch sensors, motors, lights). You would select which computer you want to use, and based on that decision you'd select your programming environments (Lines, LOGO, BASIC, assembly, and so on.) Then you could connect peripherals to the desired Interface A ports and program it as you like. You'd also be able to activate the sensors, so that your program responds accordingly. The system should be fully usable just by going to the appropriate website, and ideally made with open-source techology. I don't want anyone to have to download, install anything, compile, or whatever. Is there anyone with the interest, skills, and time to build this? I'm cross-posting this idea to the Interface A group on Facebook.

My major goal for 2025 was to finish my large, working "Blocky Kong" game in time for Brickworld Chicago. But it was not even close around the end of May, and then I was sick (strep, bronchitis) in June, so I missed Brickworld anyway. I decided to build something simpler for the next convention, Brickfair Chantilly (DC) in August. So I spent most of July/August working on a working punch card reader. It was good enough and I displayed it at Brickfair. Then I made some improvements, calling it version 2, for the small/local Lego show in October. Finally I build version 3, with the machine being perfected. That's the version I posted here on Eurobricks recently, and on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Z6RxhnPO7SQ ... I'm going to bring it to my office soon, where it will live. (I work at a university and will demonstrate it to students in our electrical engineering and computer science departments.) So that was my 2025. For 2026, my goal is again to finish Blocky Kong in time for Brickworld Chicago. I started working on it last week after six months of hiatus. A fresh mind helps solve all sorts of technical problems. If I finish it, then I have a couple of other ideas for new models in the second half of 2026 and into 2027.

Currently in my home there are three sets (Atari, Disney Castle, and a Harry Potter one that my wife picked out) and three of my own creations. So, 50:50.

(sorry I had to delete my reply)

@markaus, thanks for your feedback. I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. It's true that I slowed the machine to a crawl: that was an intention decision, so that kids can understand what is happening. Of course in a real machine, it would read hundreds of cards per minute.

Nope. Too hard to make tape from Lego :) and the machine could never be precise enough to read real ones.

I built a working punch card reader from Lego, with an Apple //e and Lego Interface A as the middleware. https://youtu.be/Z6RxhnPO7SQ This was much fun to build :) so I hope you all enjoy it!

I don't have the PC manuals, but it is probably very similar operation, because Lego Lines etc. are similar. I'm still planning to scan and upload the Apple LWR manuals soon. When I do, I encourage you to follow their instructions on the PC version and see for yourself how they compare. :)