EvilTwin

Hello I see a lot of videos on Youtube of people's train layouts including many where there is a camera mounted on the train itself. Videos like this one I am just wondering what cameras people use to do such things? I guess it's possible to just use a smartphone or something like a GoPro just sitting on top of the train but I wonder if there is a smaller solution that fits more neatly with the train itself? And reasonably priced of course Ideally I want something where I can watch the video live on a monitor as well as record the video on a SD card or whatever. I am thinking about something like these "Fredi" spy cameras for sale on Amazon but I wonder if anyone has a recommendation?

I bin (recycle) all of mine. I'm a builder not a collector Although when I see the resale values of sets I have, and compare the "with box" and "without box" prices, I do wonder whether I'm doing the right thing

Hello alican This is a cool idea and this is something that is very much in my own area of interest. Have you seen this video from a company called Jayway? Their setup uses AWS IOT and Lambda functions to control the train. Also there's an Australian company called Buddy that uses a whole Lego city including trains in their IOT demo setup- there is an article about it here although their setup is mainly for showing data gathering and how the IOT makes a "smart city" And for those people who are complaining about the IOT- you are too late. The genie is already out of the bottle

I was there on Friday. Yes there is the life size Volvo there (it's huuuuuge) with some remote-control models for kids to drive around. There didn't seem to be a very long queue but it will probably be different at the weekend. Technic on the whole was not very well represented. There are a couple of stalls selling Technic sets but only alongside other stuff. The main interest is the Mindstorms stall where the awesome Cubestormer is on display. Alongside it there is an area where people can build their own robots (from a truckload of Technic/Mindstorms parts). There are also a couple of stalls offering hands-on sessions to teach kids about robotics. EvilTwin

I find it really strange that people are saying that TBBT is not appropriate for Lego because of its "adult theme" i.e. some of the characters talk about sex and stuff, when they seem to be perfectly OK with Lego Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, both explicitly violent series of films that feature massive battles and people getting murdered, dismembered (I mean in one of the Star Wars films there's a scene where someone cuts off his son's hand!), tortured etc etc etc. It is not exclusively Lego where this happens- in some countries anything stronger than kissing is censored from films where graphic violence is left in- but I do find it a bit weird that people doing nice legal things together = bad, people doing horrific illegal things to each other = OK. It is a peculiar world we live in I don't really think there will be a Lego TBBT episode but I do suspect they will build a few references to the set into at least one episode. Maybe an episode where Sheldon obsesses about a decision about buying a Lego set like the Xbox/Playstation episode and then ends up buying the TBBT set as well... Regarding the Simpsons- I saw one of those "top 100 ever" type TV programmes once where the Simpsons was rated as the number 1 children's programmes ever. I was completely surprised at this as I have never regarded it as a children's programme... for example one of my favourite episodes, the one where Lisa tries to prevent the "snake skull-cracking day", has several fairly obvious sexual references... --- EvilTwin

So we have a Lego set of the Simpsons, on which Stephen Hawking has appeared as a guest star. And now we have a (future) Lego set of the Big Bang Theory, on which Stephen Hawking has appeared as a guest star. I'm pretty sure I've seen a MOC somewhere of Hawking himself News headline: "REVEALED: theoretical physicist is sinister controller of Lego Group set design. Brief History of Time sets rumoured" I will definitely be looking out for the TBBT set. I am hoping there will be an all-Lego episode of the series, like there was for the Simpsons --- EvilTwin

Hello Recently I bought a Mindstorms NXT programmable brick plus a rechargeable battery 9798 from someone on eBay. What the seller didn't mention is that the battery is slightly swollen. You can just about make it out in this terrible picture (sorry) : 20140918_193625 by freshfroot1, on Flickr So basically is has a slightly rounded top and bottom. I know that swelling up is normal for some batteries of this type and age (there are many cases of Apple MacBooks that have basically burst apart because of the same problem). It's not too bad yet and the battery still holds a charge. But I'd be interested to know if anyone else has experienced something similar, and if so, if it is possible to predict how long the battery will last. I know this could probably be a random number but I would be interested in others' experience anyway. Also what happens if it gets worse- does the battery split apart, just simply fail, explode dramatically? I'm not really bothered about it because the price I paid was about average for the NXT brick by itself. Also I'd expect it to be very unlikely that Lego would replace it, since it is probably several years old, is discontinued (replaced by 9693) and is probably counted as a consumable item anyway. Thanks --- EvilTwin

In Sainsburys today I noticed that Simpsons minifigures are now 2 for £3. Previously they were £2.50 each. There were two boxes of them on the shelf that had hardly been touched. I suspect maybe this series wasn't quite as successful as the normal collectibles (of course, it could be that I just happened along shortly after the boxes had been put out). Also as mentioned above I noticed that Benny's spaceship is £54 on the John Lewis website too --- EvilTwin

Generally speaking, is it the case that the earlier series are more "collectible" even if the figures themselves are not as complex (in terms of printing, accessories etc) as later series? Also I think I read somewhere that series 1 was a "limited release" and not available everywhere so they generally have a higher price than others? I am thinking about this because I have about a dozen unopened series 1 figures (I haven't checked to see what figures they actually are) and I am considering selling them EvilTwin

I noticed in my local Sainsburys that some of the sets that were previously 25% off, are now 50% off. But it does not apply to all sets, even sets within the same theme. For example 75034 Death Star Troopers is 50% off (£5.99) but the Kashyyk Troopers set is still 25% off (£8.99). Sames goes for various Creator sets. I don't know when this started but usually when this happens the shelves in my local branch clear pretty quickly of the 50% off sets but there were still plenty in stock so it might be a new event.

A bit like the thread about Shell and Greenpeace, this thread seems to have jumped a Lego shark somewhere along the way But, I think it is a good thing that Eurobricks allows this kind of discussion. it is providing a valuable service to society by giving people an outlet for this kind of warped opinion, when otherwise they might be getting into trouble out in the real world somewhere

I bought a copy. Overall, I thought : "nice try for a first edition... but really, how much is there in here that I couldn't also find by reading Eurobricks and/or Brickset and/or watching The Brick Show etc etc on Youtube?" In the end the only article I really liked was the photography one, I really liked the pictures of the snowtroopers skiing and so on. I know this edition was basically a labour of love and I have noticed that they are bringing new people onboard for the future so I will keep an eye on it. It might be interesting if they introduce regular features such as building techniques or Mindstorms programming or something like that. Otherwise I will save my pennies I have put my copy in my recycling box but if anyone wants it (for free) it let me know EvilTwin p.s. one other point. Maybe I have started noticing this more because of the ongoing debate about female minifigures, etc. but the magazine does rather paint Lego as being a boy's hobby. There were a couple of comments along the lines of, "I hope my wife doesn't find out I spent all this money, ho ho", also in the "getting started" page about which set to buy, there is a choice that says "this is just a quick fling while the wife's not looking". I don't necessarily agree with the people who say Lego is divisive etc but I mean srsly?

Chocolate Lego. Main page : http://www.theinspir...ihiro-mizuuchi/ But. Eat it or play with it? Quality iooks impressive, it even has the logo on the studs EvilTwin

Well, I think she is right, that play is a child's way of learning about the world, and the more creative and social the play is, the better. I observe this even in adults. But, I think she has picked the wrong target with Lego. If all Lego made was, say, Star Wars sets, I might agree a bit, but in the end Lego stands for exactly those values (i.e. creative, social). Perhaps some of that has been lost in the publicity of licensed lines and perhaps Lego need to be a bit better at reminding people that creativity is written into the company's DNA. Maybe they should make a movie or something I also dislike the way the article has conflated this (perceived) loss of creativity with the ongoing spat with Greenpeace about Shell. I think that is an issue that Lego needs to address but the two things are not related. I am kind of surprised the article didn't mention the thing about female minifigures too... EvilTwin

It seems that the adverts for winter village sets get earlier and earlier each year... Still as long as you have your elf, that's the main thing What are those four two-high stacks of 1x2 plates at the front of the picture supposed to be? EDIT: Oh I get it, they are the parts of the back of the reindeer that can be put in place when they are not harnessed to the sleigh