Posted June 4, 201410 yr I was checking briklinks, and I fount these thing :) I never heard of it before... They are small, and "everything" (controller, motor, battery box, etc) is included (compared to RCX/NXT). I'm thinking to get 5-6 of these modules to play myself and with kids. Not only cars, but going try to make train, cannon, and other crazy ideas ;) Questions: 1. Does color matter? a) could blue module be controlled by red rc? b) do modules have any differences inside? 2. Do rc have any channel setting? e.g. if i have 4 RC, will they conflict? 3. Do i need only one data cable? As i understood it suite to all colors. 4. Any more modern interfaces available? usb? other RC options? 5. Could I put custom sound to speaker? 6. What are purpose for fiber wires? 7. Where to get the software?
June 4, 201410 yr The different colors are all the same unit, they just came with different sets. However, the software is now VERY old and these units cannot be used with any other software. Unless you have a computer running Windows 98 or older, you will probably not be able to get them to work. It uses a Serial interface.
June 4, 201410 yr you could get a adapter to usb Those adapters exist, but from what I have heard no one has ever successfully got one to work with Spybotics. Hopefully someone will reply who made it work. I used an old Win98 laptop for mine and it still had a serial port.
June 5, 201410 yr A lot of newer laptops with docking stations have serial ports, an some even have parallel ports available.
June 5, 201410 yr I have programmed 1.0 rcx bricks with the old serial cable with a windows XP machine that had actual serial port. I haven't tried this under Win7 emulating XP though. I have only ever seen a USB to serial adapter work when data is received from a peripheral and not sent.
June 5, 201410 yr should be no problem getting a very cheap latpop with a serial port on it running windows xp or earlier
August 13, 20177 yr Author Back then I got few modules, and kids have enough fun playing them. It is a cheap way to get some remote RC motors for cars(or duplo trains) or stationary objects (cranes, etc). Unit+RC cost about 10-15 euro on bricklink. First some answers to my original questions, if someone hit this page: 1. Does color matter? No, they are exactly same inside. 2. Do rc have any channel setting? e.g. if i have 4 RC, will they conflict? There are 4 channels and each unit/RC could be linked individually. Also it is possible to link multiple units to same RC. 3. Do i need only one data cable? As i understood it suite to all colors. Didn't managed to get one. 4,5,6,7 It was too hard to find working cable/software, so i gave up here. -------- Now more interesting things that I recently discovered :) You could fit NodeMCU (arduino like with wifi) to the box. It will need microusb hole, for uploading programs, and could run motors (on 3v) without shield. Making new board and moving components to it, could ad new live to the units. I attached image of internals. Button. Completely coupled with case and board. Could be used to detect touch with adding technics parts. ? ? ? ? Optical interface for data transfer. Button play. Button On/Off 2x motors. Speaker attached bottom of the board. ? 7 leds (3r, 3g, 1y) What i learned from internet (http://www.bricksinmypocket.org/2009/06/spybotics-internals.html), there are next components: light sensor 2x IR receivers laser LED (VLL) 4 IR transmitters Any ideas what is what?
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