I know there is a lot of buzz about Chineese clones nowadays, but this is not a clonning brand and the product is very different from BuWizz, only sharing its form factor with it. I have discussed it with @Jim and he gave me permission to make this topic. Please refrain from meaningless post that you hate anything from China and that you wouldn't buy this. Thank you

I have stumbled across a very interesting piece of hardware recenty - rechargable battery with four motor outputs AND remote controller - CADA remote control. The most interesting feature is indeed dedicated controller, unlike buwizz/sbrick there is no need for smart phone. I guess video (taken by František Hajdekr) is better than words:

 

I can only say FINALLY, the need for smart phone is what makes buwizz/sbrick unusable for me, I just want plain controller, ready in 1 second and recharchable battery. The biggest question is of course what kind of hardware is inside the BB. The only info is that the battery inside is Li-ion, no info about capacity. I'm also very interested in motor controlling chip. I don't expect it will be comparable in power with BuWizz, I expect it to be better verision of LEGO Li-pol battery.

So if there is anyone here who already purchased it and is willing to open it to give us some details, I would appreciate it.

Interesting. Controlling with levers definitely feels better than on smartphone. But sbricks can use joysticks, so they won't fall for that. Pretty sure buwizz will do something like that in the future. Did some googling and couldn't find if you can get one without buying the sets, which are really cheap. So this brings to the question - whether tech characteristics of the battery itself is good enough? So many questions, so little answers.

Finally! This is exactly what I need, and always wished for being released by TLG. The perfect electric system, if it will be proven as good quality, I am sold.

I know you can use gamepad to controll model with sbrick/buwizz, but it is very cumbersome and in some cases doesn't function at all. Even the official software is not bug free (esp. buwizz, sbrick is much further because of its age). Beside that I don't want to give phone to my kids so they can run simple train. And rechargeable BB is quite necessary for it, it eats batteries for breakfast. The controller + BB is around 40$

12 hours ago, Ivan_M said:

I know there is a lot of buzz about Chineese clones nowadays, but this is not a cloning brand and the product is very different from BuWizz

Actually, it feels like a clone....of BuWizz 

This is a very interesting product. Interesting enough for me to instantly order one. It has already been shipped.

Can someone post the link to this for ordering ?

 

12 minutes ago, Jim said:

Actually, it feels like a clone....of BuWizz 

This is a very interesting product. Interesting enough for me to instantly order one. It has already been shipped.

I really wonder how is the performance, and also the range. The listing linked in the video's comments does not tell a lot about it, but another Cada product sheet with a similar unit says it has a  7.4V battery, and range "greater than 25m". Hope you'll share your findings Jim as soon as you get it :)

@Doug72 - This is the product page that was linked from the video

I wasn't planning on doing a review, but a mini-review seems like the logical thing to do 

9 minutes ago, kbalage said:

@Doug72 - This is the product page that was linked from the video

@Jim, many thanks for the link, look forward to your mini review before I decide to order & add to my Xmas list.

 

doug

Interesting product.  I would like to see how it works under load, that is where Buwizz shines.

I decided to try one as well, I like the idea of 4 channels out of a rechargeable BB using a dedicated controller. If the quality is high enough, this may be my answer to PoweredUp if it is a powered letdown. Since @Jim has already jumped the gun and volunteered a mini review, I guess I could wait and see if he has fun with it, but for $36 I thought I could be having fun with it too, so... even if it’s megabloks quality, I have spent way more on a simple rechargeable BB from TLG and this isn’t a clone of an existing TLG product so I don’t feel that bad about it. Not sure the BuWizz guy is that happy about it, though, unless it doesn’t perform well or catches fire 

It looks simple to use.  No profiles to load, no iOS or Android version compatibility issues.   I wonder if they'll do a speed controller version for trains.

This is exactly what I want, so I really hope it turns out to be worthwhile. Waiting patiently for mini review. Honestly don't understand why LEGO hasn't already done this. Maybe they think their PU system to be a better solution, time will tell. 

Will be happy to get such product with RC-like remote control, and proportional control, even sipmpified with 3-5 speed steps...

This fits exactly for what I need for my tests. I have already ordered one.

Thank you for sharing !

Edited September 26, 20186 yr by oracid

I think, Cada 2.4ghz can perfectly solve the problem that IR distance is not far enough. Cada current output is not much different from 8878

https://youtu.be/P0pfAVFmSfo

https://youtu.be/P0pfAVFmSfo

https://youtu.be/nRBXE8Cn36w

https://youtu.be/nRBXE8Cn36w

Edited September 26, 20186 yr by jaffrry

This is really cool, and honestly what Powered Up should have been from the start. And, it's quite cheap. I hope that that doesn't mean you get a potato quality and potentially explosive battery out of it.

Hopefully even if the battery pack is crap it could easily be swapped out with something else. 

16 minutes ago, Johnny1360 said:

Hopefully even if the battery pack is crap it could easily be swapped out with something else. 

Something like what ?

I think he is talking about the actual lithium battery inside the BB... if that is poor quality, we might still replace the cheap battery with a better one.

17 minutes ago, Bublehead said:

I think he is talking about the actual lithium battery inside the BB... if that is poor quality, we might still replace the cheap battery with a better one.

True, but that "better one" will most probably also come from China … they currently make the best ones available on the market ...

The chinese have become known for cheap poor quality crap because that's mostly what the rest of the world asks them to produce by being customers for it. It doesn't mean that they can't produce good quality gear when required. Where do Panasonic have their eneloops made?

okay, maybe a bad example... ;)

Personally i'd just try to pack a pair of 18650 cells into it but 18500's is probably a better fit if you don't want to machine the box.

Edited September 26, 20186 yr by bonox

3 minutes ago, bonox said:

Where do Panasonic have their eneloops made?

Most likely still in Japan.

they do both actually, but the tech in the chinese ones isn't the same. A legacy of conditions of sale of the original company where the tech and manufacturing were to remain in japan i think.

Ive been using a similar product by Hot Power which uses 2.4 ghz wifi and still retains the Lego IR

Pf set "looks" I love my Hot Power !!  

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot-Power-Machinery-Techinc-Wireless-Remote-Receiver-2-4G-8885-Building-Blocks-Bricks-Educational-Toys-Model/32839862634.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.38b14c4dv6LC2O

Edited September 26, 20186 yr by sirslayer