[APP] BrickController2

[AVCampos]

There's already a first dive into the Porsche's new hub, and apparently the communications protocol is more complicated than in other PU hubs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zeW6gNV7Jo

[imurvai]

On 5/30/2024 at 4:09 PM, DI1 said:

Is there any possible way to run this on a raspberry pi?

Good question, I don't have any experience with PI so far.

On 8/1/2024 at 5:50 PM, antondecock said:

Hi, i recently bought a moc on aliexpress, and it had 3 controlling units of the mark “xp block” in it. The units are similar to buwizz 2.0 bricks, but the app control has much fewer options as brickcontroller2. I tried to couple de bricks to the brickcontroller app, bit it is not compatible. I was wondering if it is possible to make brickcontroller2 compatible the xp block so i can operate the moc with a controller.

Sorry, I don't have suck a unit and without that I can't support for it. But if someone implement it I can merge their changes into the app.

[gyenesvi]

Hi @imurvai, do you still make smaller changes to the BC2 app? For controlling Buwizz units, it desperately needs current limits, at least a default value of around 2A to stop the unit from shutting down. The BW app proves that current limits work quite okay to prevent this, but it would be great to have it in BC2 as well. Would that be doable?

[imurvai]

12 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

Hi @imurvai, do you still make smaller changes to the BC2 app? For controlling Buwizz units, it desperately needs current limits, at least a default value of around 2A to stop the unit from shutting down. The BW app proves that current limits work quite okay to prevent this, but it would be great to have it in BC2 as well. Would that be doable?

hmm, I've never heard of this feature, but I'll check it...

[gyenesvi]

33 minutes ago, imurvai said:

hmm, I've never heard of this feature, but I'll check it...

It's a relatively recent development in the BW firmware (both 2.0 and 3.0 units) to solve BW unit shutdown problems. When driving 2x Buwizz motors from a single BW unit, the two motors may take up around 5A together when doing quick forward-backward switches or when climbing steep hills with larger, heavier models. To prevent this, BW introduced current limits in the firmware, which can be set for each port. Setting the current limits to 2A for the PF ports on a BW unit can effectively prevent this shutdown while being unnoticeable for the top speed of motors, because on even moderate surfaces without quick direction switches the motors typically draw less than 2A. The only problem is that the BW firmware sets the default to 3A for each port.. Hence, in the BC2 app, it's not taking any useful effect. Resetting the limits to 2A on startup would already be a useful start. Furthermore, having a configurable current limit for each port would take this one step further, but that would take a bit more change in the app I guess (needs new UI elements).

[Zerobricks]

Please see here:

https://buwizz.com/BuWizz_3.0_API_3.22_web.pdf

Page 10, command 0x38 Set current limits.

Hope this helps

[imurvai]

1 minute ago, Zerobricks said:

Please see here:

https://buwizz.com/BuWizz_3.0_API_3.22_web.pdf

Page 10, command 0x38 Set current limits.

Hope this helps

Cool, thanks. Will check it.

[msk6003]

Hello. Thanks for great app.
Are you will include control of new all-in-one hub in future?

[AVCampos]

Only imurvai can tell for sure, but from what I've seen support for that isn't copy and paste because TLG changed slightly the protocol it uses.

[imurvai]

Yeah, without having the new hub I can't tell. I'm planning to buy it sometimes soon and then I can look into it.

[BrickTronic]

2 hours ago, imurvai said:

Yeah, without having the new hub I can't tell. I'm planning to buy it sometimes soon and then I can look into it.

Hello,

There are first findings :
Pybricks
Daniel Benedettelli
"toorisrael"

Jo

[M_longer]

4 hours ago, imurvai said:

Yeah, without having the new hub I can't tell. I'm planning to buy it sometimes soon and then I can look into it.

From a programmer's perspective - what's the point of making such changes in a toy?

[AVCampos]

Could they have had to change the protocol to accommodate the extra outputs? If I'm not mistaken, all 6 LEDs are individually controlled.

[Toastie]

2 hours ago, AVCampos said:

Could they have had to change the protocol to accommodate the extra outputs? If I'm not mistaken, all 6 LEDs are individually controlled.

Is what they did "changes" or "additions" to the existing LWP3.0 protocol?

Best,
Thorsten

[TheQuoteMan]

On 3/26/2023 at 7:26 PM, Methes said:

Does anybody else have latency using Buwizz 3? I have 200-250ms latency between moving a joystick of PS4 Dualshock 4 controller and motors connected to Buwizz 3. I'm running BC2 on Pixel 4a. When my car goes 12km/h those 250ms can mean a lot.

I had that issue and crashed the car on a LEGO Show. 

 

Connecting gamepad through a cable helped a lot

[Quyet213]

 Xin chào mọi người, tôi là người Việt Nam mới tham gia diễn đàn hôm nay. Tôi mới được biết đến ứng dụng brickcontroler2 vì khả năng kết nối tuyệt vời của nó, nó cho phép tôi kết nối và sử dụng tay cầm chơi game để điều khiển lego nhưng tôi đang gặp 1 chút rắc rối với nó vì ứng dụng không thể tìm kiếm thiết bị nhận tín hiệu này của tôi mặc dù ứng dụng XPBlock đi kèm vẫn có thể kết nối và điều khiển bằng Bluetooth. Ai có thể giúp tôi kết nối được không? 

Edited September 23, 2024 by Quyet213
Viết sai nội dung

[AVCampos]

Hi, and welcome!

I'm not sure what's your question because of the automated translation; it's easier to understand if you write in English. From what I can understand, either you can't find the app for download, or you downloaded it but can't connect to that battery box.

In the first case, it can be downloaded from https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scn.BrickController2 (Android) or https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brickcontroller2/id1441923224 (iOS).

In the second case, the app can't connect to that kind of battery box. It's compatible only with the Power Functions IR receiver (if your phone has infrared), SBrick, BuWizz, and the official LEGO Powered Up hubs.

[Quyet213]

10 minutes ago, AVCampos said:

Xin chào và chào mừng!

Tôi không chắc câu hỏi của bạn là gì vì bản dịch tự động; sẽ dễ hiểu hơn nếu bạn viết bằng tiếng Anh. Theo tôi hiểu, hoặc là bạn không tìm thấy ứng dụng để tải xuống hoặc bạn đã tải xuống nhưng không thể kết nối với hộp pin đó.

Trong trường hợp đầu tiên, bạn có thể tải xuống từ https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scn.BrickController2 (Android) hoặc https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brickcontroller2/id1441923224 (iOS).

Trong trường hợp thứ hai, ứng dụng không thể kết nối với loại hộp pin đó. Nó chỉ tương thích với bộ thu IR Power Functions (nếu điện thoại của bạn có hồng ngoại), SBrick, BuWizz và hub LEGO Powered Up chính thức.

I mean I can't scan this device with brickcontroler2 even though the original XPBLOCK app with the same set can still connect and control it via Bluetooth via this original app

[bg3305]

I often had auto calibration failures when I created the car. So I did several tests on the Buwizz 3.0 Pro about the failure of auto calibration in the BC2 app when using the PU L motor as the steering motor. Auto calibration succeeds with the PU L motor or XL motor included in the 42100, 42099, and 42124. However, auto calibration does not work for the PU L motor included in the latest product, 42160. Based on these results, it seems that the difference in firmware on the PU motor affects the success of auto calibration. What do you think about this?

Edited September 27, 2024 by bg3305

[Aurorasaurus]

9 hours ago, bg3305 said:

I often had auto calibration failures when I created the car. So I did several tests on the Buwizz 3.0 Pro about the failure of auto calibration in the BC2 app when using the PU L motor as the steering motor. Auto calibration succeeds with the PU L motor or XL motor included in the 42100, 42099, and 42124. However, auto calibration does not work for the PU L motor included in the latest product, 42160. Based on these results, it seems that the difference in firmware on the PU motor affects the success of auto calibration. What do you think about this?

Firstly, the way the calibration works in brickcontroller is it picks a point at 90 degrees thats closest to the middle. So your steering axle needs to be in line correctly with your steering rack centered. Failing that, it's possible you simply got a faulty motor. I have 2 42160s for the motors and parts in them, and I haven't had any issues with those motors. I hope you can get this resolved!

[bg3305]

On 9/28/2024 at 5:15 AM, Aurorasaurus said:

Firstly, the way the calibration works in brickcontroller is it picks a point at 90 degrees thats closest to the middle. So your steering axle needs to be in line correctly with your steering rack centered. Failing that, it's possible you simply got a faulty motor. I have 2 42160s for the motors and parts in them, and I haven't had any issues with those motors. I hope you can get this resolved!

I made a simple structure as shown in the following video for the center steering test.

In the case of the PU L motor included in the Lego 42160(I have 3boxs 42160 and opened 2boxs), when the auto calibration is executed in the BC2 app as in this video, it rotates left and right, but does not return to the center at the end.
However, the PU L motors included in the Lego 42099, 42100, and 42124 are centered without problems when auto calibration is executed in the BC2 app using this structure.
However, the PU L motor contained in 42160 cannot be called a defective motor, because these motors are normally set up as a center steering with the Lego Powered Up Hub.

Some of my acquaintances pointed out the possibility of poor contact with the connector of the PU L motor due to insufficient margin of metal contact in the PU socket of Buwizz 3.0 Pro.
It means that the tightness of the metal contact of the connector of the PU L motor varies by motor manufacturing lot, so it can cause problems if it is connected to Buwizz.
However, the same problem as the video above occurred continuously even when the metal contact of the Buwizz PU socket was sufficiently bent outward to eliminate the possibility of poor contact.

In the case of the Angular motor included in Lego Mindstorm 51515, the firmware is updated when connected to Hub. 
And the PU L motor also has electronic components such as IC inside the Angular motor.
So I think the PU L motor also has firmware, and I am speculating that the firmware version will vary from time to time of production of the motor.

Edited September 29, 2024 by bg3305

[pankov]

@imurvai,
are you aware of the 0xA1 Activate shelf mode command for the BuWizz 3 controller mentioned here

Is there any chance you can add an option to invoke/enable it in BrickController2?
 

[antondecock]

@imurvai, i have a built a lego excavator, and want to control the rc functions with a ps4 controller. Are there “cheaper” brands than Buwizz that are also compatible to the brickcontroller 2.0 app? I was thinking about Mouldking, but i don’t know if it wil be compatible to the app. Any suggestions?

[Aurorasaurus]

22 minutes ago, antondecock said:

@imurvai, i have a built a lego excavator, and want to control the rc functions with a ps4 controller. Are there “cheaper” brands than Buwizz that are also compatible to the brickcontroller 2.0 app? I was thinking about Mouldking, but i don’t know if it wil be compatible to the app. Any suggestions?

In a word, "no". Sorry about that. But you can use the powered up technic hub, if that helps.

Edited November 18, 2024 by Aurorasaurus
typo

[Igor1]

On 9/27/2024 at 1:59 PM, bg3305 said:

Auto calibration succeeds with the PU L motor or XL motor included in the 42100, 42099, and 42124. However, auto calibration does not work for the PU L motor included in the latest product, 42160. Based on these results, it seems that the difference in firmware on the PU motor affects the success of auto calibration. What do you think about this?

I had the same problem with BC2. The L-motor from the 42160 kit (Audi e-tron) does not pass auto-calibration in the servomotor mode. After that, correct control of the motor is impossible. The motor itself was connected to the original Control+ Hub.