Hello!

Recently i discovered that both the Mindstorms EV3 beacon and the PF IR Remote are interchangeable.

Here are some explanations:

I was very happy to know that the EV3 Retail Kit comes with a Infrared remote(beacon), which can be used as a remote control for your robots. That's pretty handy if you want to build robots that interact with humans.

By accident, i found out that the IR Beacon and PF remote are interchangeable for use with both the MS EV3 and PF systems! I tried it, and they both work with the Mindstorms EV3 IR Sensor and the Power Functions IR Receiver!

Seems that the IR signals they produce are the same ( escept for the beacon mode button on the Mindstorms remote).

The conclusion is that they can both be used to control EV3 and Power Functions models.

Some time ago i read that the RCX can be used to SEND IR signals to the PF IR Receiver. That probably takes more knowledge than i currently have.

This lead me to the following question:

Can the Mindstorms EV3 Sensor can do the same? Is it able to send IR messages to other devices?

For example, is it possible for an EV3 robot, using the Infrared Sensor, to send signals to a Power Functions IR Receiver? In this way you can expand the motor limit (4) with an external battery pack and an IR Receiver.

I hope someone has information on that matter!

(Solved! the EV3 IR sensor cannot be used to send IR signals to PF receivers and such ...)

Thank you in advance!

Edited October 31, 201311 yr by le60head

Can the Mindstorms EV3 Sensor can do the same? Is it able to send IR messages to other devices?

AFAIK no, it's not possible

I confirm that PF handset is compatible with EV3, handy if you need more than one channel.

Edited October 29, 201311 yr by Philo

Thank you for your reply!

So in order to send IR signals from Mindstorms EV3 to Power Functions,i need NXT IRlink Sensor?

I had a feeling that the EV3 Infrared Sensor can send signals as well, since it is able to send and receive Infrared light to measure distance (Proximity Mode)

Edited October 29, 201311 yr by le60head

So in order to send IR signals from Mindstorms EV3 to Power Functions,i need NXT IRlink Sensor?

I guess yes... in the future! for now, IRLink is not yet supported with EV3 blocks (neither is Mindsensors PFMate)

I had a feeling that the EV3 Infrared Sensor can send signals as well, since it is able to send and receive Infrared light to measure distance (Proximity Mode)

I hoped so too :(

Many thanks, Philo! Its great to have someone like you who knows a LOT :)

Would it be possible to get an IR remote to act as a beacon like the EV3 does?

I don't think so.

The EV3 IR Beacon has a special button ( the one at the top center) which turns beacon mode on/off. When in beacon mode, it sends a continuous signal to the Mindstorms EV3 IR Sensor.

Another difference is that the EV3 Beacon has two Infrared LEDs that are placed at an angle. This gives the Infrared signal a wider coverage i guess.

The PF remote only has one IR LED to emit the remote signal.

So no, it seems the PF IR remote has never been supposed to be used as a beacon.

Some time ago i read that the RCX can be used to SEND IR signals to the PF IR Receiver.

le60head - please link where you can read about this feature?

Bob's announcement here, get software here, bottom of page

Many thanks, Philo!

Many thanks, le60head,Philo

I've been clicking on the hitechnic irlink download page daily in anticipation :) I got one of those sensors cheap, really want to build a robot with 12 motors..

Let us know when your clicking yields a useful result

Hmm, the EV3 P-brick has a USB port on it, right? So, in theory, you'd be able to connect a WeDo hub to the brick and interface PF motors that way. Or maybe that isn't possible?

Could be possible, but u would need to write a driver for the EV3 P-brick in order to use it in your robot :P

Also that would just add 2 motors, and the point for me at least is to control 4 channels with 2 pf motors each = 8.

Does the EV3 recognise the signals from the PF speed controller (the one commonly used with train sets) at all? That would seem even more useful than just the standard PF remote, which duplicates the EV3 remote.

i also found that out when i was using it with my ev3 on, before i was scared i would need to buy a second remote, luckily there are these things

@ AndyC:

I just tried it, and no, it seems that the PF Train Remote does not work with the Mindstorms EV3.

It is not possible using PF IR remote to send EV3 IR Beacon signal, because the new beacon message binary never used in any PF IR remote.

but the Beacon signal still using LPF RC Protocol, then

i have found the new EV3 IR Beacon message binary representation as below:

Channel 1: start 0100 0000 0000 0110 stop

Channel 2: start 0101 0000 0000 0100 stop

Channel 3: start 0110 0000 0000 0010 stop

Channel 4: start 0111 0000 0000 0000 stop

i have tested those message binary, transmit LEGO EV3 IR Beacon signal using Arduino

Edited November 20, 201311 yr by TechnicRobot

That is an amazing achievement! Very well done!

It is not possible using PF IR remote to send EV3 IR Beacon signal, because the new beacon message binary never used in any PF IR remote.

but the Beacon signal still using LPF RC Protocol, then

i have found the new EV3 IR Beacon message binary representation as below:

Channel 1: start 0100 0000 0000 0110 stop

Channel 2: start 0101 0000 0000 0100 stop

Channel 3: start 0110 0000 0000 0010 stop

Channel 4: start 0111 0000 0000 0000 stop

i have tested those message binary, transmit LEGO EV3 IR Beacon signal using Arduino

Very useful stuff! Thanks for posting it here!

Let us know when your clicking yields a useful result

http://www.hitechnic.com/downloadnew.php?category=38

Woot!

Sweet!

Thanks for the update. I will be ordering the IRLink sensor very soon now!