LEGO Mindstorms Parts and Components

[Jim]

 LEGO MINDSTORMS PARTS AND COMPONENTS

Welcome to the Mindstorms Parts and Components topic. Here you can post information or ask questions about parts, components, sensors, etc. I will update the Index of this post when new content is available.

WiFi Dongles

Technicbricks.com - WiFi Dongle for EV3

Cables

Botbench.com - Awesome EV3 Daisy Chain cable

Sensors

Eurobricks.com - Mindstorms Index

[Jim]

Xander Soldaat posted a nice article on his Botbench Blog about an awesome USB cable for EV3 daisy chaining.

http://botbench.com/blog/2013/09/21/awesome-ev3-daisy-chain-cable/

I have ordered a bunch of cables to do some testing:

http://dx.com/p/right-90-degree-angle-usb-2-0-male-to-mini-usb-data-charging-cable-black-max-135cm-227926

http://dx.com/p/cy-u2-001-0-5m-left-90-degree-usb-male-to-mini-usb-male-extender-cable-black-0-5m-199531

http://dx.com/p/cy-u2-058-0-5m-90-degree-right-bend-usb-to-mini-usb-extension-cable-for-hdd-cell-phone-black-200168

[Jim]

Currently only one USB Wifi Dongle is compatible, which is the Netgear WNA1100.

Read more on Technicbricks Wifi Dongle or here on Eurobricks in the Mindstorms General Discussion topic.

[DrJB]

Jim, Good Initiative!

I asked a question in a different thread few days back and I think it's totally lost now ... but a thread with typical issues/questions about 'packaged/pre-built' features might be useful as well. I'm thinking of the 'Voice Acitvated' option in iPad's EV3 Controller. Very little available on-line ... unless the app itself is a gimmick and not worth much.

Edited September 23, 2013 by DrJB

[Jim]

I think your question can be easily posted in the Programming Topic. It's not programming you do yourself, but it's still a form of controlling your robot.

[Mestari]

Is this the right place to ask about what cables you use to connect PF motors to EV3 brick and how to get them? :)

[Jim]

Yeah sure  

There used to be PF to NXT/EV3 cables. Need to look up if they are still available. Will get back to you.

[BusterHaus]

@Mestari When I looked into cables for controlling PF motors with Mindstorms I came to the conclusion that it made more sense to purchase Mindstorms motors instead, and get the full servo features. Cables + shipping came out close to the price of new Mindstorms motors, this was a few years ago. 

[Mestari]

Thank you. Though sometimes size is the limiting factor, so if those are still available, it would be great to have a couple.

[Jim]

On 10/15/2018 at 8:53 AM, Mestari said:

Thank you. Though sometimes size is the limiting factor, so if those are still available, it would be great to have a couple.

You can also go for the PFMate. I have been testing it and it works nicely. 

http://www.mindsensors.com/ev3-and-nxt/123-pf-motor-controller-for-nxt-or-ev3-pfmate

From what I recall TLG made these cables. Which is confirmed by this article:

http://www.bartneck.de/2015/06/01/building-instructions-for-a-cable-that-connects-lego-power-functions-pf-with-mindstorms-nxtev3/

The cables are out of production, but you can still get them, if you want to fork out that kind of cash.

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=8528-1#T=S&O={"iconly":0}

[kieran]

Wow that cost is high now, if you are handy with a soldering iron, you could make your own

[Mestari]

That is just faaaar too expensive. It's better to have a bunch of smaller EV3 motors instead...