LEGO EV3 Ultrasonic sensor missing from Home Edition programmer

EV3 Home edition software does not come with blocks for ultrasonic sensor, unlike Education edition. However you can still add them as explained in this guide.


Third power functions train runs backwards, why?

There are little black switches on the train remote control which you can use to invert the direction.


As this set is built on a plate-built base, it is quite possible that they are not pushed together tightly. I have ran into this numerous times when building the LEGO Modular Buildings as the second and third floors have a plate-built floor. Look through everything that has been built so far and make sure that the plates are pushed together all the way. LEGO does have some tolerance and viggle-room, but it is much less than a millimeter.


1 - Kiteman from : 70903-1: The Riddler Riddle Racer
2 -  Captain Jack Sparrow
3 -  lor037: Fili the Dwarf
4 - hp108: Draco Malfoy, Dark Green and White Quidditch Uniform
5 - This torso (Darth Maul] - Torso SW Layered Shirt, White Undershirt, Waist Sash Pattern / Black Arms / Black Hands
6 - This torso; Torso LotR Gold Ruffled Shirt, Reddish Brown Layered Pattern / Pearl Gold Arms / Light Flesh Hands
7 - 71011-1: Farmer from Collectable MinifiguresSeries 15
8 - This torso; Torso LotR Cloak with Brown Collar and Straps Pattern (Legolas) / Olive Green Arms / Light Flesh Hands. The hair is from #3 Fili the Dwarf
9 - This torso; Torso Castle Knights Kingdom Plate Armor Gold and Silver Female Pattern / Black Arms / Yellow Hands
10 - 8831-10: Jungle Boy from Collectable Minifigures Series 07
11 - This torso; Torso LotR Tank Top over Dark Green Shirt Pattern / Dark Green Arms / Light Flesh Hands , Hair /head  Legolas Greenleaf
12 - 71010-3: Monster Scientist from Collectable Minifigures Series 14
13 - 71002-3: Pretzel Girl from Collectable Minifigures Series 11
14 - sh012: Lex Luthor from 6862-2: Superman vs. Power Armor Lex
15 - This torso; Torso SW Armor Clone Trooper Pattern / White Arms / Black Hands
16 - The head is from Zolm - Hassansin Leader
17 - 71011-5: Tribal Woman from Collectable Minifigures Series 15
18 - 8827-13: Intergalactic Girl from Collectable Minifigures Series 06
19 - This torso; Pirate Captain (5002147)
20 - 71010-14: Banshee from Collectable Minifigures Series 14
21 - This torso; Torso Harry Potter Quidditch Gryffindor Ribbed Pattern / Dark Red Arms / Reddish Brown Hands
22 - hp111: Hagrid, Dark Brown Topcoat with Buttons (Light Flesh Version with Moveable Hands) (wrong hair)
23 - 71011-7: Faun from Collectable Minifigures Series 15

The skate board is this one: Minifig, Utensil Skateboard with Trolley Wheel Holders with Minifig Skull on Star and Winged Heart Pattern

With thanks to Rin Rio-Oki


Are Nanoblocks compatible with other building bricks?

It appears that the goal of the nanoblock producers is to make "the world’s smallest toy building blocks"1.  And they appear to be too small to be compatible with LEGO.  See the following video comparisons of the sizes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cobnr8fWTY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QXGP837-dU

1. http://www.mynanoblock.com/site/?page_id=2


Did these random parts come from a set? Dark grey, dark green, and black turntable

This assembly comes from the Lego Set 76008 Iron Man vs. The Mandarin: Ultimate Showdown.

The assembly can be clearly identified on steps 14, 15 and 16 of the instructions available for example on BrickInstructions.com.

Here is how I proceeded to identify the set:

Spot any less common part (brick type & color), here the Slope 18 2
x 1 x 2/3 with 4 Slots in dark green color.
Use the BrickLink parts catalogue to look for all sets where that brick is used. Results here.
For each dark green entry, look at the set inventory and try to spot additional less common parts. In this case, I was trying to find the 4x4 black turntable plate.
Increase your level of confidence by matching a couple more bricks. The unique 2x4 red brick from the inventory was a good match as well.
Confirm the identification by finding the assembly by browsing the set
instructions.


NXT Program doesn't do what it's supposed to do

You just need to make the blocks match your pseudo code. The missing part is "Stop Motor B". Adding blocks to stop motor B will help.

Also, stop motor B needs to be before starting motor A, otherwise motor A will run while motor B is running.

If Touch1 == Bumped Then
    Stop MotorB
    Rotate MotorA by 15 degrees
Else If Touch2 == Bumped Then
    Stop MotorB
    Rotate MotorA by -15 degrees
Else
    Rotate MotorB Forever


There is an alternative app called BrickController 2. It is available for both Android as well as iOS. This application is actively developed and its maintainer can be reached on Eurobricks forums. You can also report and discuss any issues there.

The application is universal compared with solution offered by LEGO since one device allows you to control more than just LEGO Power-UP electronics. The following receivers are supported, by the time of this answer:

LEGO Powered-Up HUB
LEGO Boost HUB
LEGO Technic HUB
LEGO Power Function infrared receiver (on devices having infrared emitter)
SBrick and SBrick Plus (3rd party devices)
BuWizz 1 and 2 (3rd party devices)


How do they keep the outdoor models so clean at the various Legoland parks?

I've been to Legoland Windsor (in the UK) on one of the days they were cleaning some of the boats, and it looked hard - all manual work, with a large toothbrush and plenty of elbow grease


Cheapest and Simplest way to build a LEGO Technic car?

I think your best bet is to start with 42048 Technic Race Kart and a 8293 Power Functions bundle. This gives you just one motor, but that's enough for propulsion (going back and forth).

You would need to look into a motor driver board (for example the DRV8835) for the motor, and look at schematics for a power functions cable mod to be able to drive the motor directly from the RPi - see this question for several suggestions on how to do this..

For steering you can look into a 88004 Servo Motor, or use a normal Medium motor with extremely fine control or a good set of gears to be able to make small steering adjustments.


Is there a reason why there's sometimes multiple "Bag 1" bags in particular sets?

I assume this is down to purely logistic reasons, like the available plastic bag sizes, the characteristics of the different packaging pipelines (it is known that LEGO takes extreme care when packing the bags with pieces, including multiple weighings to ensure not a single part is missing - the precision required to check for the presence a small element could preclude the range necessary for bags containing many and larger pieces), the locations of the different packaging facilities, and so on.


Bluetooth connection between an Android phone and EV3 brick?

MIT App Inventor is a popular way to make simple Android apps that can communicate with an EV3. It has special blocks just for EV3.


Are the different LEGO Xtra play mats designed to be used together?

If you mean the different designs (paved road, beach, grassy park) creating a continuous landscape that seamlessly flow into each other, no, that's not the case. However, each of the playmats is double sided with different but compatible designs. So, you could make the paved road, beach, and grassy park longer by purchasing extras of the same landscape and using both sides to create variety. (You would need two 2-packs of the same set to take advantage of all four printed sides.)

While the different landscapes don't fit seamlessly with each other, you could make it work by placing some structure or additional brick-built landscapes at the seams to hide the lack of continuity. For example, between the paved road and the beach, you can place a row of houses on top of the seams to blend the landscapes.


Will it be fun to go to Legoland with my family?

My wife and sister-in-law enjoyed our trip to LEGOLand with our sons, everyone enjoyed the models, however not everyone was as keen on the rides, you mileage without kids to share the rides with may be different.

The question then comes down to whether you feel the model world is going to justify the entrance fee, personally I found the UK park to be (comparatively) expensive compared to other theme parks in England.


How to speed up the 4x4 Crawler truck 9398?

The simplest way to get different speeds is by changing the gears. The instructions get you to build it with a 12:20 gear down in the portal axles, so the easiest way to change the speed is to flip those to get 20:12. From memory that will not work because it interferes with other parts of the model.

You can fit two 16 tooth gears in there instead, giving a slight speed increase. Or you can put an 8:24 gear down for even more torque (but even less speed). There two options are shown below.

It's important that you keep all four wheels geared the same, otherwise you will be making the front and rear motors fight each other. That's not great for the motors and gears, and it will drain your batteries very quickly.

Deeper inside the model there is another 12:20 gear pair that you can also swap for 16:16 (two sets of this, one each end).


Where can I find Lego x-pod playoff pods for the game?

These are no longer in production, so your best bet to find the sets that you are looking for is Bricklink. Here's a list of all the X-Pod sets for sale.

These are the sets that were included in the game:

4348 Aero Pod
4347 Auto Pod
4346 Robo Pod
4349 Wild Pod

For building instructions, I'd recommend the instruction scans on Peeron. Take a look at the X-Pod theme there.

Here are the instructions for the game. See this question for more information on those.


Why does Pybricks on ev3dev have slow performance compared to EV3-G?

Printing text in pybricks-micropython on ev3dev has known performance issues, so we don't recommend doing that in a loop. The trade off is that, unlike ev3-g, you can also print in other languages that don't use Latin scripts like Chinese and Russian. Most other things should run much faster.


How to use NXT device as a keyboard key for computer

Yes, this is possible.

First, you'll want to connect your NXT to the computer using Bluetooth. Make sure you can connect to it with the official LEGO Software programming environment, NXT-G, and that the computer connection will show up when you go to Bluetooth > Connections.

Next, you'll want to create a simple program in NXT-G and download it to your NXT. It should basically send a Bluetooth message to the computer, using Mailbox #1 and a number variable containing the value of the key pressed. If you need help with this part, I can provide detailed steps.

Finally, you'll want to use a program called InstantEXE 3.0 (the free version works!) to receive the Bluetooth signal and use the command "Keys" to simulate the key or key sequence that you want to be triggered when the button is pressed. You can expand this with your sensors, e.g. when touch sensor #1 is pressed send it with a value and intercept this on the computer, using InstantEXE 3.0 to convert it into a keysequence. If you need help with this part, I can provide detailed steps and/or a sample program for you to use. You could use some basic labels like the following script:

:Left

Keys "L"

:Center

Keys "C"

:Right

Keys "R"


How did the LEGO 7862 Remote Controlled Decoupling and Signal work?

It basically forces the coupling magnets to separate via the pins pointing downwards from the magnet holders:

Here's a demo.


Are companies producing custom molded LEGO pieces legally entitled to do so?

from the german wikipedia entry (translated with my poor english-skills):

The Federal Court of germany opened the market for LEGO-like bricks on december 2nd 2004
The European Court of Justice decided in september 2010 that LEGO-Bricks can be copied as they aren't protected by patents anymore

so at least in europe there doesn't seem to be a problem in producing custom bricks and exact copies of LEGO-bricks.


It's apparently called a "Sun Disk" (named such in an old magazine) and it appeared in 5 different sets from the 1999 Adventurers: Jungle theme.

Minifig, Utensil Sun Disk Item No: x276

Also it's supposed to be gold, but I think I've seen the old chrome gold discolor like this before.


Can you identify this part? (Lego themselves couldn't)

This is most likely Scala Jewelry Plate, Modified 2 x 2 (Human Bracelet segment).

Quite easy for me to find on Bricklink's search engine. All I did was type "plate 2x2 modified." Bricklink tells it appears in four sets which look like bracelet kits, but as of now it's too late to use them as bracelets because Lego has already invented newer ones. You might as well use these as a bridge or something.


Power Functions battery box and receiver limits

The present line of battery boxes all provide 800mA of current and have overload protection to ensure that this level is not exceeded. Here's what the LEGO website has to say about powering motors:

  As a rule of thumb, you can drive 2 Power Functions XL-Motors, 3 Power Functions Train Motors or 4 Power Functions M-Motors at the same time from one Power Functions Battery Box.

That's the basic high-level view. LEGO provides more details about each motor. You can check these out on the element specs page. Here's a list providing the current consumption for each motor type under "normal conditions":

Servo - 150mA
M - 150mA
L - 225mA
XL - 300mA
Train - 225mA
Lights - Negligible ("You can generally power as many as you need in addition to the motors")

So, in order to stay within TLG's recommendations, you shouldn't be running anything totalling more than 800mA from the above list off of a single battery box. Also be aware that if you are doing things which require a lot of mechanical power, such as heavy lifting, your motors will draw additional power. A stalled XL motor will overload the battery box by itself, for example.

As far as I know, overloading the battery box doesn't cause any long term problems, so there isn't an issue with testing your configuration to see if the battery box can handle it.


Why are LEGO minifigures getting more and more expensive?

I live in the U.S. so I cannot comment on the German Lego market. That being said, the answer to your question must lie at least in part to the European market for CMFs and not in the inherent price of each mystery bag.

What I mean is the price of a CMF in the U.S. has remained at a steady $3.00 since Series 3. While distributions within boxed sets have appropriated the inherent value of the figures above or below that price, a lucky person could still theoretically get whatever figure they wanted for the standard price (if they are as crazy as I am and feel up all the bags in the Lego aisle.)

Now please correct me if I am wrong on this, but I believe the value of the Euro has depreciated in the past several years. Certain principles of microeconomics may maintain local purchasing power even through this drop, giving the illusion that funds go just as far. Increases in the amount of paper that goes in a wallet at the end of each pay period may even make it seem -- on a local level -- that a person is actually making more than they used to, when the extra amount is due to adjustments in inflation.

Now the value of a CMF as stated before has not changed, but perhaps the numerical price associated with that purchase may adjust for inflation. Could this be the reason it appears that the theme has grown more costly over time? If not, please tell me I'm just a nosy American who shouldn't be commenting on European economics. You won't hurt my feelings.

Bonus content: here are the apparent values of minifigures thanks to uneven box distributions, as well as a link to a very useful forum topic.

Hope this helps!


Where to order custom mini-figs in Europe

Your friend can get Queen Amidala at several shops based in Europe. Here are all the listings with the country of the shop: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?M=sw387. It might be also worth checking the eBay listings specific for their country.

As far as Mario, LEGO never made an official one, however this UK based store does carry some: http://www.customminifig.co.uk/super-mario-bro-custom-minifig/


Seeking HiTechnic Color Sensor V2 control block for EV3-G

Hitechnic.com now points to modernroboticsinc.com. You can find the Hitechnic EV3 color sensor block here:
https://modernroboticsinc.com/download/hitechnic-ev3-color-sensor-block/
All available downloads are available and searchable here:
https://modernroboticsinc.com/downloads/


Do any programs exist that allow you to build your own LEGO manuals?

The Lego Digital Designer is ideal for this job. Avalible for Mac and PC it allows you to build models from scatch, order them, and get them delivered. Or, if you've got the bits already it can make instructions for you. It has a range of technic items (see image below).

Importing a model will also enable you to view the part number and details which could be very useful for finding out exact pieces/parts.


How much depth does the NXT battery pack add?

It adds the same thickness as a studless beam indeed, or 8mm / 20 ldu.

(This is true for the grey 9VAC battery, but I suppose it holds for the white 10VDC one as well)


Find out the set(s) a list of parts belongs to?

I would use the rebrickable website for this:

create a custom list (type to build)
browse for the parts and add them to your custom list
go to the custom list
select Built this List
go to the Suggested sets tab.

However, this amount of effort is normally not necessary to identify a set, there is nearly always a less common element in your list and bricklink can be used to list the sets having this element, narrow down manually with the second less common element, etc...


To paraphrase an answer from @awe on a similar question,

  You can use some sugar liquid as temporary glue to make the head stuck to the torso. Wait until the sugar is sticky and then pull off the helmet. Once the helmet is loose,  put the head and torso in warm water to remove the sugar glue.

Depending on the glue attaching the hood to the head, you might need to use some other water-soluble glue in place of sugar water glue.


What is a normal range of reading of the Light Sensor using EV3 Raw Sensor block?

My FLL team wrote a light sensor myblock that converts the raw value to a number between 0 and 100. They run it on the EV3 so they can use their existing NXT light sensors. It should work on the NXT brick as well. Here is the video they posted to explain how it works.

http://youtu.be/I7Bqvk-uMLk


Why are there "unique" characters in many sets?

It seems like you understand why there are unique minifigs, but I'll point it out explicitly anyway. Unique minifigs add character to sets, and add to playability. For example, I always wanted this guy as a kid:

Without him, my pirates were just  a leaderless band, but once they have a fearless leader with a peg leg and hook, things become a lot more exciting. As you pointed out, unique figs are also a necessary part of the licensed themes. What would Star Wars be without Darth Vader?

The core of your questions seems to be why these unique figs end up in so many sets such that you have duplicates and triplicates of them. I'm sure this isn't TLG's goal, but there are some marketing reasons which cause it to happen.

First, TLG ideally wants each set to be a whole product. This generally means that the sets should be able to stand on their own, and upon seeing a set, a customer would actually want to buy it. Keep in mind that your rationality as a parent isn't always the same as others who may be buying Lego for your child, or children themselves. Here's an example of set to help me explain what I mean:

That's Gandalf Arrives (set 9469). As you can see, it is a pretty small set with Gandalf and Frodo. These are both core characters, and they each appear in several sets, but this set wouldn't be able to stand on its own without them. While this set may have less appeal to you or your child because you might already have these minifigs, the set has greater appeal to children who don't already have these minifigs. It also has greater appeal to your sister-in-law who needs to pick up a Lego set for your child's birthday party. She won't know what minifigs your child has already, and she's just looking for a nice reasonably cheap set with good playability.

Second, TLG uses unique minifigs to create desire to collect the whole product line. While there is duplication among the major characters, if you want to have all of the minor characters available, you pretty much have to buy every major set in the theme. This makes a lot of sense from a marketing point of view. For example, if you already own Helm's Deep (9474), does a small add-on really have much appeal to you? Uruk-Hai Army (9471) is a small set which attaches to the side of Helm's Deep:

This set may not have much appeal. It's just a basic castle wall with some men fighting some bad guys. However, this is the only set which contains the guy (Eomer) who brings in the cavalry and ultimately makes the battle a victorious one. This adds to this otherwise somewhat boring set, and makes it more appealing to consumers.

As an aside, many Lego fans want to get a complete set of minifigs, but can't afford all the sets, so your extra Vader's have good resale value on sites like Bricklink where they sell for about $10 used.


I'd like to build a mechanism to press buttons on a remote control. What is a good basic approach to use?

The simplest solution I can currently think of is to use a linear actuator to push the buttons down because they are compact, strong, and have a lot of pushing force.

You can either have one actuator per button or use worm gears to finely move the actuator over each button. This would have to move in both the X and Y direction however because the buttons are in a grid, which is a little more complicated but possible.


How to restart/reset a program automatically after stop block

Please note that I already have a loop encompassing the entire program if the colours are detected in the correct order.

How about creating another loop for the failure case?

Start loop 1 (correct order)
Start loop 2 (wrong order)
Initialization
Check for colours
  If correct order
    Do something
    End loop 1 (correct order)
  Else
    Do some other thing (or not)
    End loop 2 (wrong order)


At a larger scale, a similar hole that includes an indent that can accept circular connectors, preferably 3-brick long for anchoring, for a true connection. But at that size, it would be roughly 3.2 times the size of a typical laptop.

For a tiny model, just do a 2 x 1/3 x 1 brick hole, into which a no-studs plate can be slipped.

If you are going for an actual socket that can hold a stick, sorry, but the end of the road is here, barring rubber piece use. A standard A or B type USB can't fit into LEGO proportioned holes.


Spider-Man: Spider-Cycle Chase (Set 76004)

I found this by going to bricklink.com, searching for a recognizable piece, then seeing which sets that piece could be found in.


Where can I find a copy of read_binvox.cc

This software is now available here:

http://www.patrickmin.com/binvox/read_binvox.cc


How does one become a LEGO® Certified Professional?

First of all, there needs to be an opening for one, which typically means LEGO feels they need more Certified Professionals in a particular region.

The most-recent opening was last November and was presumably filled in December. For this most-recent one, LEGO had a posting on their website where people could apply, and they made a small announcement to fan communities via their ambassador program.

Assuming this is how future certified professionals get selected, basically becoming a certified professional means applying to an opening in the program, and getting accepted (I strongly suspect anything beyond the initial application is protected by an NDA).

Unfortunately, I don't know what specifically was asked from potential applicants to the most-recent opening, but if you are interested in perhaps applying you should be on the lookout for future openings. In the mean time, consider joining some RLUGs or RLOCs and making some connections, to gain a reputation as a builder and perhaps be recommended to apply when there is an opening.


Are these LEGO pieces original? How can I be sure?

For the rim I would say its original.

LEGO made this part in Transparent.
It has the correct mound ID 88517
And contains the LEGO logo + copyright symbol

Only this part comes in 2 sets which doesn't contain a tire.

The tire you have looks like Motorcycle Tyre Ø 100,6. Based on photos I cannot see any visible markings on the outside of the tire. I do own a couple of these tires myself but don't have access to them at the moment. So I can't check if there are any markings on the inside of the tire.

If I check for example the Bugatti or the Harley-Davidson tire, all the id stuff that is not mentioned on the outside, is on the inside. See picture below of the small tire used in the Harley-Davidson.

So you can check the inside for any markings telling you if its an original part or not.


What was the first set produced by The LEGO Group?

Some of the earliest "LEGO brick" sets I could find were these three on BrickLink from 1954:

As other answers have noted, there were earlier sets than this, but they were referred to as "Automatic Binding bricks". It wasn't until 1953 that the bricks were officially renamed as "LEGO bricks" (i.e. "LEGO Mursten").

These sets were using precursor designs of the "modern" plastic LEGO brick without the hollow underside tube. It wasn't until 1958 that the brick design we all know and love today was created. It was officially "born" at exactly 1:58 p.m., January 28, 1958, when it was first patented.

So, if you're looking for the earliest official "LEGO bricks" using the modern stud-and-tube design, these are the sets you're looking for:


LEGO Technic #42082 - Rough Terrain Crane: Loose Feet

Everything's going according to plan.  Check out Youtuber Sariel's review on your set HERE.

At about 26mins in, he addresses your concern.  He notes the looseness of the feet when fully deployed, and says there are 4 pads stored in a compartment over the front axle. Just build on.


In this forum thread I have found the following tidbits:

"We all know that XL motors can twist axles to their breaking point" This means 40 Ncm, according to Philo.
"If you're looking to get max torsional stiffness, then stacked 2L axles + connectors would definitely be much stiffer in torsion than a single long axle."
Axles can twist without breaking in two

Besides these, I couldn't find an exact number.


Yes, from themselves, for sets from 2002 onwards.

D-N-D Bricks(archived) use to have a lot of older sets' instructions.
List of archived instructions.


EV3 Installation failure on OSX El Capitan 10.11.3

I tried several approaches. Uninstalling and installing Silverlight, uninstalling and reinstalling EV3 and none solved anything. It looks like the installer looks for Silverlight and ends in error. Furthermore, launching EV3 resulted in a crash. No matter I reinstalled version 1.0 and started to update it.

El Capitan is very rigorous with plug-ins. First, launch Microsoft Silverlight in the Applications folder. In the Application Storage tab confirm that Enable Application Storage is selected (ticked). Close Silverlight preferences. In Safari, select Safety and confirm that Enable plug-ins is selected. Press Manage Plugins Settings button (or something similar, my computer is localized in Spanish). Confirm that Silverlight plug-in is checked. In the lower right (when visiting other web sites) select Always Allow (I also selected Execute in non safe mode but I do not counsel it) and Apply.

Now launch Mindstorms EV3 and should not crash and be the latest version. Mine one is now functional:


Subassembly identification, including a hotel sign

The Hotel part is from 10182-1: Cafe Corner,

The Olive Green canoes come from 70623-1: Destiny's Shadow

The brown assemblies  on the lower right second picture are from 7662-1: Trade Federation MTT

-see step 54 on page 61 https://www.lego.com/biassets/bi/4515434.pdf

and parts from 10696-1: Medium Creative Brick Box ( crocodile)

also there is a Smurf and a Playmobil figure


Where can I find LEGO Digital Designer projects for Lego Technic MOCs?

Eurobricks forum has hundreds of official sets in LDD format here: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=41226&#entry727293


Please help identify this LEGO set that has owls and snakes?

That white snake appears in two sets, and in quantity either one or two. My best guess is that it was from a Pick-a-Brick wall at a Lego Store, or something very similar. I'm basing this on the many, many repeated pieces.


Mindstorms program - myblocks that work fine when run individually but when executed as part of a larger program, break

We've figured out what the issue was - in the line follower we had issues with a loop breaking out consistently, so had changed it to a large motor block doing x number of cycles. when it was run individually, it worked fine as the number of cycles started from 0. When it was part of the larger code, it had already run that many cycles, so it immediately quit out of the line follower.


Determining the age and value of old NIB Lego sets

I would suggest going to Bricklink and entering the set numbers in.  You will find the information on the sets you have and, if it isn't extremely rare, a price guide with information on how much the set has sold for in the past and how much it's currently selling for.

Bricklink: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/main.page

There is a lot of information on this site that you may find useful, here is a link to one of the more recent inquiries with an answer and more information.

Advice on selling a lot of Lego?


Are there LEGO plates without the word "LEGO" on the studs?

What you are seeing is actually the result of poor lighting, somewhat worn bricks, probably camera app noise reduction, and perhaps image compression, although if you look really closely you can kinda see it's a little darker where the lettering is.

As the creator, I promise that every piece in the hat is 100% genuine LEGO pieces (no knockoff brands). Unfortunately, when I took the picture the sun had set, and all I had was some weaker household lighting.

Here's another shot of the front with the face turned towards the lighting, so the lettering will catch some contrast.

The 2x2 plate in the bottom left does have more-pronounced lettering than the older 2x10 plate next to it, which is why you are able to see it better in the other picture.

To answer the question of are there plates that don't have "LEGO" stamped on the stud, no there are not to my knowledge. Even the the first LEGO plates have the stamp. Some special plates do have hollow studs though.


Why do LEGO bricks yellow at different rates?

There are several reasons for this:

There isn't just one formula for the ABS plastic that is used in
LEGO. There are actually quite a few. Depending on the color,
translucency, and function, the mix of materials will vary.

Translucent pieces are quite a bit harder and more rigid than other
Lego bricks. Mini-figure accessories tend to be quite a bit softer
than other pieces (so they don't cause internal damage if/when
swallowed).

If you pull out several types of parts and pay close attention to
the hardness, flexibility, and stiffness, you will notice that not
all LEGO is made the same.
Even for similar parts, there is variance in the chemical mixes.
When you get a set, it is highly likely that the parts weren't made
from the same batch of plastic.

Mixing plastics with minor variations can cause changes in the rates
of UV damage and discoloration. It is really hard to get perfectly
matched colors across multiple batches of plastic.

The fact that LEGO colors are so consistent is due to the fact that
they have really high standards for quality control.

Oh, and if you want to restore your set to that new pristine white color, you can treat it with retrobrite or oxyclean and hydrogen peroxide. There are plenty of articles online if you do a quick search for either.


A full list of LEGO tree parts can be found on Bricklink. I'd encourage anybody looking to identify a brick to use the part catalogue.

The two trees on the right are definitely not LEGO parts.


As documented in this First Lego League forum post, this problem can be solved by installing the NXT EDU 2.1f3 patch.

A cached direct link to the patch can be obtained here. The patch is for both Windows and OSX.


Help identifying giant blue LEGO Bionicle set

Gadunka (8922) came somewhere around 2007, and was part of the underwater themed bionicle sets. When assembled it is quite big. Maybe this is set you were looking for?


How to update item prices in a Bricklink store?

The easiest way is to download and install Brickstock (www.patrickbrans.com is the site it is located on AFAIK), pay for the upgrade to the full version ($20 via paypal) and then download your entire store inventory, do ctrl-A ctrl-G which downloads the current prices, and use the “update inventory in bricklink” option from the File menu to set the new prices.


Do LEGO sets go on sale on black friday?

Retailers adjust their pricing strategy from year to year, so what happened in previous years may not be necessarily an indication of what will happen this year.

In general, LEGO offers Double VIP Points and some sets on sale (usually stuff they want to get rid off, not sets that are popular recent releases) and throws in some freebies. Amazon does their own thing, mostly competing with Wal-Mart and not LEGO directly.

I have also noticed that in the past 2-3 years, Black Friday sales are not the best either from LEGO directly or retailers. However, the couple of weeks leading up to Black Friday can be pretty good. Again, this is not an indication of what will happen this year, it is just what I noticed in the past few years.

LEGO Technic sets, especially the large ones from the current year, rarely go on sale. So, if you can get something like Double VIP Points (basically giving you 10% off), is not bad. On Amazon, I have seen as much as 30% off before Black Friday on some of the larger LEGO Technic sets and that was considered exceptional.

Some people missed out because they thought prices will be even better during Black Friday. That did not happen. And that brings up another point. Don't be greedy with looking for the ultimate sale and risk missing out altogether. Look at the price you would be happy with, willing to pay, and is reasonable. Then, just go for it.


What is the wall thickness of a lego brick?

According to this answer, a 1x1 brick has walls 1.6mm thick - this fits in with the base unit of 0.8mm that is used throughout all LEGO elements, as per pcantin's answer on the same question.

The 1x4 brick in the image you've included shows walls of 1.2mm, while a similar drawing on bartneck's site for the 1x4 Technic Brick with Holes shows a wall thickness of 1.5mm, which is closer to the expected 1.6mm. Curiously the Stud diameter is exactly as expected at 4.8mm.


Is there a microphone that works with Mindstorms EV3?

Sadly, there isn't much info yet.

Current options for audio are:

USB Sound Card
BlueZ 4/Pulseaudio 4 (BlueZ 5/Pulseaudio 5 supports
A2DP only)

The number of devices that have been tested and documented is extremely limited, but at least one has been confirmed to work. The non-bluetooth solutions that have been tested successfully are the following.

Tested and confirmed adapter chipsets:

C-Media Electronics chipsets (Example)

Tested and confirmed microphones:

Logitech C170 webcam built-in microphone

More info in this github issue for ev3dev


This happens if the parts are under a lot of strain, usually as a result of unevenly distributed weights or improper gear assemblies.

Also make sure that the parts are being handled gently and teeth aren't being used to remove them. Since these can sometimes be hard to remove, students (especially younger ones) often try to use their teeth to grip them while pulling them out. This will almost always lead to the pegs breaking down.


EV3 Ultrasonic Sensor block is not availible in the Home Edition software

You can download the Ultrasonic sensor block (and Gyro sensor too) from the official MINDSTORMS website.
Look for "Ultrasonic Sensor Block" near the bottom of the downloads page.


What is the best option for Mindstorms EV3 remote control for motors?

As you mentioned, the IR remote has a relatively short range. You must not direct the IR beam directly in front of the IR receiver but it is working much better if you do. If you're on the back of the receiver for example it is possible that's your signal won't be received.

I'm controlling EV3 robots over WiFi. That's working very well. I'm using the EDIMAX EW-7811UN Wireless USB Adapter that is working without any modifications on the EV3 with the latest firmware (1.09E in my case).

I think that's worth a try but depends of course on what you want to achieve.


Remote control for a battery operated train

Power Functions
I understand the train you have is Winter Holiday Train (10254). Luckily, LEGO has already has thought about it and have an option to power up this train. If you still have instructions check the last pages where you can find the list of elements you need (also pictured below) as well as 11 more steps you need to follow to get them installed.
In my opinion, 8879 controller pictured here is way much better than other Power Functions controllers, simply because you only need to set the speed once and train will keep running. Unlike the other types, where you have to keep pushing control toggle to keep your train moving. All of them can be found on Bricklink.

Powered Up
Since Power Functions elements are no longer sold by LEGO you have to look for other means of acquiring them new or used. However this system has been superseded by entirely new system called Powered Up. In some way it is even better for trains since you no longer need a place for bulky IR Receiver. You would need following elements to motorize your train with Powered Up:

Train Motor (set #88011 comes with train wheels, or as an individual element #bb0896c01)

Hub (#88009 | #bb0892c01)

Remote Control (#88010 | #bb0895c01)


You know you have been LEGOing too long when

you have permanent stud prints on your fingers

(That's technically a tattoo pictured, but you get the idea)


What part can I use to get the connection

This may call for a bit of re-designing. I don't think there's a special piece for angled elevation, because you can mimic the effect with a gear.

Use a 24- or 40-toothed gear, and attach your "arm" to it. This has the advantage that you can connect it to a servo or motor using a few more gears - I assume you want to mimic the ball-throwing device in the Youtube clip.

You can connect the gear to your base in a number of ways, although personally I'd build the base from "normal" technic beams (e.g. the 16x1 types), If you insist on using your current base, you'll have to add a construction that you can put the axle through.


How to find out which set contains a higher plate percentage?

The best set from 2014 is Furry Creatures (31021) at $0.20 per plate.

Here's one possible way to do this:

Download the listing of all parts in all sets from Rebrickable.
Join this data up with pricing data (perhaps from the Brickset API) to get yourself some pricing information for each set.
Define which parts count as plates.
Write yourself a little program to count the number of plates in each set and divide by the price.

If I use the plates in the plates service pack from 1999 as my plate list, here's what I get for the best price per plate for sets containing at least 150 parts released in 2014:

 id          price_per_plate  plates           us_price
 31021-1     0.201919         99               19.99
 21020-1     0.235802         212              49.99
 31020-1     0.246438         73               17.99
 40182-1     0.249875         80               19.99
 40090-1     0.262895         38               9.99
 40183-1     0.277639         72               19.99
 21107-1     0.286803         122              34.99
 31025-1     0.302955         132              39.99
 40180-1     0.307538         65               19.99
 31024-1     0.319043         94               29.99
 10243-1     0.323866         494              159.99
 31023-1     0.336966         89               29.99
 10242-1     0.352077         284              99.99
 31026-1     0.354291         254              89.99
 60058-1     0.356964         56               19.99
 31019-1     0.356964         56               19.99
 79116-1     0.372287         188              69.99
 75038-1     0.384462         65               24.99
 21117-1     0.402241         174              69.99
 41056-1     0.403065         62               24.99

This is quite expensive if you aren't interested in the other parts as well. You'd be better off buying these on a secondary market like Bricklink or perhaps even directly from Pick-a-Brick.


How often does LEGO make colour substitutions?

In my experience, this typically means you used the other colored part by accident somewhere else in the model, for example in a place where it is used on its own, and it was difficult to determine the exact color of the piece at that time. This happens a lot with colors like dark bluish gray, light bluish gray and pearl gray. You will need to go back through the manual to find previous places where this piece was used and confirm you used the right color.


Any good Lego body decal templates or printing services

You might try and post a request on the ALPS Decal Yahoo group.  This is an e-mail group that discusses making water slide decals using the ALPS printer.  There are members of the group that do have businesses that produce decals.  I don't know how much people charge for custom decal sheets.  You'll have to ask.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alpsdecal/

Most decals that these folks produce use multiple layers of white ink under your actual artwork so that it allows the decal to be placed on a colored brick (not just white).  Your artwork also needs to be constructed using multiple layers that are lined up (registered).  Because the layers are usually printed in the "spot" printing mode, the actual layer art is black.  Think of each layer as a "mask".  When they print it, they tell the printer that where ever it sees black, to print say yellow.  Yellow is the "spot" color for this layer.  You start by printing usually 2 white layers, then spot yellow, cyan, magenta and finally black.  The unique feature of the ALPS printer is the capability of printing in overlay mode.  What this means is that you tell the printer to print a layer, but don't eject the paper.  The printer will rewind the paper back to the beginning and await your next print request.  Each print request is a separate layer printed on top of the previous layer(s).  This way, the final image is built up layer by layer.  On the last print (usually black), you tell it NOT to do overlay and when the layer is finished printing, the printer will eject the paper.  This type of printing is a lot of work and can use a lot of ink, especially white ink, which is expensive, but it gives the best results for the average hobbyist.

Like Joshua above noted, you can produce your own decals with a color laser (or inkjet) printer quite easily.  You are stuck with a big cutting job if you want to put the decal unto a colored minifig body (using white decal paper).  You can use clear decal paper if the artwork is black, because the decal shows fine on white, yellow, tan, red, green, orange, and blue parts.  Remember, if you are using inkjet decal paper, you must coat the decal with a clear finish (Krylon), prior to placing in water (to remove the backing) when applying to your minifig, otherwise, your artwork will smudge and wash off your decal.


LEGO EV3 on Chromebooks not recognizing NXT bricks

NXTs require a special USB driver, which is only available for Windows and Mac, so programming NXTs with official LEGO software will only work with those platforms. (EV3's use a generic USB HID driver.)

Furthermore, using NXTs via Bluetooth is not supported in any of the official LEGO EV3 software products.


How do people build large collections of bricks?

I keep my eye on Craigslist and Facebook Martketplace. There’s always someone selling a collection or a bucket of pieces. There’s also a subreddit /r/legomarketplace that sometimes has good deals. I’ve had success with all of these this year and have put together a great supply of parts and sets.


Which bricks warrant an extra to be included in a set?

The ones that come with extras are almost always the smallest pieces in the kit that would be easy to lose and are negligible in weight.

From gizmodo article of LEGO FAQs:

  Why did I always have pieces left over when I built my castle sets? Do they just do that to jack with kids?

  For two reasons: first, because some pieces are so small that they weigh too little to be measured by their scale, during packaging (you will see this when I publish the factory tour. J.) Second, because it's better to have too many of those pieces than have one of them missing. Since we statistically know what pieces may get lost, we include some extras when appropriate.


What prevents a 12V motor, when pushed by hand, from providing DC electric out?

The 12v train motor uses 2-pole 3-slot technology.

Because of thinner, but longer wire which results in a greater resistance and will create higher voltage, but lower current the current output isn't enough to drive on-train lights.
Since the resistance of on-train lights is constant this will drag down the generated voltage as well.


Does anyone know why Hagrid has fingers?

Since Hagrid is much larger than others, it is an opportunity to include slightly more detail without looking clumsy. The fingers might increase the illusion of being bigger.


That isn't Lego, it's Construx by Fisher-Price. I had some of those :)

http://www.thisoldtoy.com/fisher-price/dept-7-playsets/f-construx/nuts.html


Mindstorms EV3 PC application won't load

I had this problem with windows 10.  Installing the latest silverlight from here: https://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/Get-Started/Install/Default.aspx did the trick


I'm assuming all parts you have are not damaged as this is possible, but highly unlikely, event.

I've tried to connect both parts myself. And this piece

is indeed harder to push into desired location as pictured in step 1041. Unlike the same hole from the other side of the panel. I've encountered this myself quite a few times while building other models. If you check both ends of the hole on a panel you'll notice that one has outer ring, which helps centering the connector, unlike the spot in 1041 step. I find it just a little harder to center the piece, but eventually it goes in and feels like it supposed to be there.

You can use something to help you with a task, like a 3L Technic pin, which can be attached to connector to help with a task.


How many Star Wars Storm Troopers have there been?

Based on the LEGO wiki on Fandom, there have only been 7 different variants of the plain white Stormtrooper minifigure since they were introduced in 2001 (plus one Chrome-Silver variation).

If you also include Clone Troopers, Sand Troopers, Snow Troopers, Scout Troopers,  and other such armored soldiers from the Star Wars universe, that number would be much, much higher (also see 'Variations' at each of the links above).


Part Identification: Black Bionicle Foot Piece?

It's a "Sports Hockey Skate" mostly from LEGO Hockey although it has appeared in some BIONICLE sets also.


You might be thinking they have the normal holed stud on top, which would indeed be a bit smaller. But instead what is done here is that they put the parts upside down, I think. So it's the bottom opening of the standard round 1x1 brick that you see on the top there.

They likely achieved that by using a 2x2 round tile with a stud hole as base, rather than one with a normal stud. The "liquid" is then stuck with its bottom pin into the inside of the stud hole of the "glass".

At least those are my immediate impressions from looking at the picture.


Can Boost programs be transferred off the tablet / phone / PC?

This should be possible. On my Android device, the Boost files are located at Android/data/com.lego.boost.boost/files. There are subdirectories there for each model (Cat, Guitar, Vernie, etc).

The CreativeCanvas directory stores the generic programs that you have created via the canvas. These are divided into themes and activities. A single activity would be stored at Android/data/com.lego.boost.boost/files/CreativeCanvas/Theme_nnnnnnnnnn/Activity_nnnnnnnnnn. That folder then contains numbered directories containing the following file structure:

Composite Blocks

{any composite blocks created}

RecordedAudio

{any audio files}

metadata.json
palette.json
program.json
Template.json
thumbnail.png

metadata.json gives you an easy way to see what project you are looking at as it shows the name:

{
  "creationDate": "2018-07-30T13:17:13",
  "modificationDate": "2018-07-30T15:55:54",
  "name": "Ragana",
  "thumbnail": "thumbnail.png",
  "paletteLevel": 2
}

It appears that the program itself is stored in program.json. That files looks like this:

{
  "mainCanvas": {
    "positionedSequences": [
      {
        "position": {
          "x": -3.49160075,
          "y": 2.56404877
        },
        "PositionedObject": {
          "instructions": [
            {
              "operation": "Start"
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      {
        "position": {
          "x": -0.637803435,
          "y": 3.23562384
        },
        "PositionedObject": {
          "instructions": [
            {
              "operation": "PlaySound",
              "literalParams": [
                2406
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "PlaySound",
              "literalParams": [
                1110
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "EncMotorSpeedDuration",
              "literalParams": [
                100.0,
                1.0
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "DrivebaseBothSpeedTankDuration",
              "literalParams": [
                50.0,
                50.0,
                1.0
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "DrivebaseBothSpeedTankDuration",
              "literalParams": [
                -49.0,
                -50.0,
                1.0
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "DrivebaseBothSpeedTankDuration",
              "literalParams": [
                -26.0,
                -50.0,
                1.0
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "/Generic/Wait/WaitForColor",
              "literalParams": [
                9.0
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      {
        "position": {
          "x": -2.94540381,
          "y": 0.827951133
        },
        "PositionedObject": {
          "instructions": [
            {
              "operation": "/Generic/Trigger/TriggerOnColor",
              "literalParams": [
                1
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "DrivebaseBothSpeedTankDuration",
              "literalParams": [
                50.0,
                50.0,
                1.0
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "DrivebaseBothSpeedTankDuration",
              "literalParams": [
                -48.0,
                -53.0,
                1.0
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      {
        "position": {
          "x": 3.88817477,
          "y": 1.29482651
        },
        "PositionedObject": {
          "instructions": [
            {
              "operation": "/Generic/Trigger/TriggerOnOrientation",
              "literalParams": [
                2
              ]
            },
            {
              "operation": "EncMotorSpeedDuration",
              "literalParams": [
                50.0,
                1.0
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      {
        "position": {
          "x": 3.715327,
          "y": -0.0692780837
        },
        "PositionedObject": {
          "instructions": [
            {
              "operation": "/Generic/Trigger/TriggerOnOrientation",
              "literalParams": [
                0.0
              ]
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    ],
    "positionedDataBlocks": [],
    "viewState": {
      "position": {
        "x": 2.3166585,
        "y": 1.16671765
      },
      "scale": 4.0
    }
  }
}

These are simply JSON files, so you can certainly commit them to version control.

I have confirmed that copying program.json from one activity to another effectively clones the activity program. This worked for me for a basic program, but I assume you'll want the entire project structure in version control to catch more complex programs with composite blocks or other things.

There is an analogous  path on Windows with these files in it at C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Packages\TheLEGOGroup.LEGOBOOST_m36angppq0g76\LocalState\CreativeCanvas\Theme_nnnnnn\Activity_nnn\nnn.

I'm also not familiar with any tools yet to automate this sort of thing, but it seems like they could be created fairly easily.


SNIR is the abbreviation for "Studs Not In a Row" - almost self-explaining, but for more information, take a look at this small article.

[...] very useful on walls and other things. In Lego, studs (nubs, dots, etc.) are in a row, and a straight one. Using SNIR  makes studs be in zigzags or diagonal lines. [...]


As far as I can tell, recordings from the tablet are the only way to use custom sounds at the moment. I imagine that the UI for a feature like this was deemed too complex for an app designed for children under 12. However, this should be easy to add to the app in a future update if there is demand for it.
One obvious workaround for this is to play the desired sound on another device and save it using the recording interface:

These recordings are limited to about 5 seconds.


Can you remotely control Lego Education WeDo 2.0 creations using the WeDo app?

Apparently, no.
I've seen a few videos about Lego Wedo 2.0, and from what I can tell, it doesn't have it. One video shows a few of the models and some of the user's programs, but he doesn't mention even a virtual remote control and if it existed he would've because it's an obvious key feature for robotics. This was made without the official app and I bet that its creator wouldn't have bothered making it if the official app already had the option to make remote control.
Lego Boost, Control+, PoweredUp, and EV3 have virtual remote control though.
I found an intresting "remote control".


The error was caused because the file rw.txt was not uploaded to the nxt performing:

 t2n -v -put rw.txt

Solved the problem.


Star Wars 30-stud long grey triangle ship identification

Looks like the MIDI-SCALE IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER™ - 8099


Are there any LEGO elements not being produced because of mechanical problem with the mould?

I've been wondering the reasons why a number of pieces are no longer available and it appears the decision to reduce the overall amount of different pieces is simply a cost based one.

From a Q/A with someone from the Lego Company:
"...the piece count has been reduced drastically and there's a move back to roots in Lego, not only for creativity but to save money. Lego went from 12,000 different pieces to 6,800 in the last few years-a number that includes the color variations."

snippet was from here:
http://lego.gizmodo.com/5019797/everything-you-always-wanted-to-know-about-lego


How big is a LEGO torso in Microsoft Paint

The size won't matter in Paint, what will matter is the resolution of your printer.

For example, if you want to print 1 inch by 1 inch, and your printer is 800 DPI, then you need an 800x800 image.


Hidden Side Paranormal Intercept Bus, Ghost Video Game?

According to the set designer for the Paranormal Intercept Bus set, Niek van Slagmaat, the released product contains 3 references in total, which he identified in a presentation at BrickFair Virginia 2019.

You can skip ahead to the 22:43 time to hear him talk about the sticker sheet and the references it makes, which are listed below.

Rock Raiders icon
License plate number GG 4940 (Rock Raiders set 4940 The Granit Grinder)
Bionicle video game (The Legend of Mata Nui, the unreleased game which leaked online shortly before the set was being designed)

He also identifies the purple sticker in question as a radar screen.

  I decided to just pick whatever Bionicle video game I could find and this one worked quite well so we ended up putting it on the secondary screen so while she's hunting for ghosts on this computer here using the radar she's also just playing some Bionicle game off on the side.

This confirms this screen is intended to represent the world in which the set takes place, and not reference another old Lego game.


Is there any easy, documented or official way to replace pullback mechanism with Motor Set 8293

I dont't see how a standard way could exist. That would pretty much require a setup with a PF motor, gears, etc. having the same size and interface as the pullback
motor, which according to bricklink (I don't think I have any) is 6x5x3. As far as I remember the only PF motor shorter than 6 studs (there has to be room for at least one gear) is the XL, but that's 5 studs wide.

For any given set, it's quite possible that you could find a solution, and even that the same solution would work for a lot of sets.


Need help identifying these castle pieces

They're likely from King's Castle (70404):


The last part is 4289 Boat Mast 2 x 2 x 3 Inclined with Stud on Top and Two Sides:

I believe you are correct that the others are not LEGO elements.


Can anyone tell me what part or set this round Technic piece goes to?

That's not the best picture in the world, but it appears to be a Wheel 31mm D. x 15mm Technic, either dark red or reddish-brown.  The dark red variation has appeared in a half-dozen Star Wars sets and two other sets, while the reddish-brown version has appeared in just one set.


Lego Batman Figures In Picture Unknown? Please Help

First off let me apologize for fueling your future addiction to Batman LEGO minifigures.

Bricklink finds me 211 minifigures searching for "batman"

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/search.page?q=batman#T=M

Many of these are related characters and not Batman himself, but there are a lot of Batman minifigures, including some really odd ones:

I can also confirm that some of the ones shown in your picture are not Batman and are assembled incorrectly, the middle far right figure appears to be a Nightwing body with a different head and an added cape and batman cowl (original Nightwing shown below), also upper right is clearly superman wearing a bat cowl, if the picture was better you could tell it was dark blue and not black.


Which Lego Set Is This, large white and tan walls, blue base plates?

That looks like the Taj Mahal (10189):

The instructions from Lego.com are easily found on Brickset under the instructions tab. It's a beautiful set if you have all of the pieces. Good luck!


How can you make a hip holster for minifigs?

Three 1x1 plates, two 1x1 round bricks, and one 1x1 plate with clip.


What did Lego set instruction manuals look like in the past?

The earliest LEGO sets did not have any kind of instruction manuals, since they were sold as sets of building blocks, without any specific models in mind.
Exmaple: Set #7002, Automatic Binding Bricks from 1949

In 1955, the first sets have arrived that were intended to be built as some specific model, like 1237-2: Service Station

I can't find any instructions for this one, but two years later the 1306: VW Garage had four steps on the inside of the box to aid in building:

A newer example from 1965 is the 320: Airplane set, which had a four pages long instruction manual of which two pages were inspirational images of alternative builds:

Jumping another ten years ahead to 1975, we see that the instruction manual for 253-2: Helicopter and Pilot has a whopping 3 pages dedicated to the main build:

Further 10 years into the future, a representative set would be 107-2: Mail Truck, whose assembly instructions do not differ significantly, just get a bit more detailed:

By 1990 we get to the most complex style yet, with stepwise part lists and insets in insets for the Technic and the similarly complex Model Team lines, like for example the instructions for 5590: Whirl and Wheel Super Truck:

From there the style is basically unchanged, and the trend is to use fewer pieces per step, sometimes "sacrificing" a whole step just to show the model being flipped or rotated.


Why are the Lego boxes so unnecessary big?

The possible reasons include:

Surface area needed for legal info, practical requirements like barcodes, information, feature descriptions and artwork
Aspect ratio of the artwork means the boxes can't be too long and thin
Leaving space between the bricks so they don't get squished up against each other
Size of the instruction manual or sticker sheet
Psychological tool to increase the perceived value of the set
Larger boxes grab the attention of the consumer better
Larger packages are harder to steal

But the exact reason is likely a combination of some of the above ones and maybe some others, most probably in a top-secret ratio known only by LEGO.


18677 IS in latest LDD update (mid march 2016), issued after announcement of LDD end of support... Just make sure to be in LDD Extended mode to find it, along with other plates.


The link in the video is broken but I could find it on the Google Play store.

It looks like it is called Mindstorms Custom Controller.


What is the purpose of the Technic Axle 6 in set 6847?

When weight is applied on the structure, the wheels are are creating a twisting motion that will eventually dissasemble the 1x6 beams.

With the extra structural part when a load is applied there is a lot of flexing but the 1x6 beams are staying in place.

Effectively, the axle is preventing the beams from rotating out of place.


What is this 2x10 part with a center console and two holes?

This is
Part # 870 : Vehicle Tractor Chassis Base 11 x 2 x 3


LEGO item number for white racing wedge with printed #3

Looks like it's Part 6153, either 6153apb01 or 6153apb05 depending on whether there are stars on the sides. Both seem to originate from different editions of the Water Jet, Set 6517-1.


How do I get unlimited color options on LDD?

To use the unlimited option of LDD, when you start the program and the little window pops up that lets you load or start building a set, click  the tab at the top of the window that says extended version and click add new!  then, you'll have unlimited brick and color selection.


What part(s) can I use to connect modules at a 90 degree angle?

Here are all possibilities I can think of (most of them already listed in your question):

Use part 10197 Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Hub with 2 Axles together with 2x 4265c Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth, one on each axle end. This will keep it snug and prevents it from moving, but the axles are, as you observed, only halfway inserted into the bricks.

Similar solution, but use 22961 Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Hub with 1 Axle combined with 4265c Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth, and place 18651 Technic, Axle Pin 3L with Friction Ridges Lengthwise and 2L Axle in the hole, together with another 4265c Technic Bush 1/2 Smooth. This combination will have one end solidly inserted (actually sticking out 1/2 a brick) and the other end is halfway in.

Exchange the "standard" Technic 1x2 brick for a 6541 Technic, Brick 1 x 1 with Hole, or even better, a 32000 Technic, Brick 1 x 2 with Holes. Then use a 44809 Technic, Pin Connector Perpendicular 2 x 2 Bent and two normal friction pins to make the connection. This should be rock solid.

The solution would look like this:

BEGIN EDIT 2016/03/04:

I recently came across this piece that would be IDEAL for your original purpose: Part 6553 Technic Pole Reverser Handle.

This piece puts the axle it can accept in the opening at a 1/2 stud distance from the brick it connects to, which would work perfectly in your original design. Combine this with any axle and you get the following solution:

This solution has the advantage that you can take it apart much easier than solution 3, which is more of a "permanent attachment" option. The axle connected to 6653 is 1.5 long, so it does stick 1/2 stud out from the back of the +-shaped Technic brick. You will need to account for this in your design.

END EDIT 2016/03/04


Why do LEGO boxes have a maximum age limit?

I believe it shows the target age range of the model - perhaps kids who've been doing all the harder Technic or more complex models - for example the VW Camper Van is rated 16+ - and might find it a bit "simplistic".

Other examples include The Super Star Destroyer, also at 16+, the Tantive IV and Republic Drop Ship at 14+, and the Death Star and others at 12+:


Lego Mindstorms EV3: programming language recommendation

In general, would you recommend switching to a normal programming language (I am quite "fluent" in languages like C/C++, Python and Java) in order to avoid having to use blocks when building more complex programs?

Yes, especially if you plan on doing image processing.

  If so, which programming language would you recommend? I feel like there is a big community for leJOS and Java which is definitely a plus, although I could imagine that considering the fact that I would like to integrate a camera a language like C/C++ that works well with MATLAB or OpenCV for line tracking algorithms might also not be bad - what do you think would be the best idea for my use case?

I'd recommend using ev3dev, as it seems more-powerful and leJOS development appears inactive.

ev3dev has a few languages you can chose from, though your choice may be limited somewhat by which languages support the image processing libraries you want to use.

  Is it possible to use a different programming language without flashing my EV3 such that I can switch back to building blocks if I wanted to?

With ev3dev, you run the software off a removable micro SD card. No need to replace the internal firmware.


It is quite common for the tires to slip and cause this type of behavior. For example, here is a similar question. The answer here is the same.

Make sure your center of gravity puts most of the weight of your bot on the drive wheels.
Make sure the tires and the surface your are driving on are free of dirt/dust.
Use sensors to help compensate for any slippage of the wheels.

If you only want your robot to go in a perfect circle and nothing else, you could fix a beam to the floor on one end an your robot on the other so that it cannot deviate from the circle.


From the post about Vertigo (the precursor to Rory's answer), TrilogyGlenIvy (the creator) stated:

  Suction cup hangers were easily located in stores. Drilling a small hole and inserting a short section of copper tubing (1/8 “ or ~3 mm diameter) along with some vinyl glue produced the feet that I used.

Basically they are usually found in DIY/Home stores as metal or plastic hooks wrapped around a transparent suction cup so you can easily affix them to tiles or windows.

There is also a picture showing three variants that were tried, with the preferred option being those in the bottom left I think:

Depending on the weight of the model you've got you may also need to invest in some additional custom air bellows:

  An internet search finally pointed to a “Climb@tron Vertibug” toy that contained two air bellows (~23 mm in diameter). I bought one of the toys, removed the air bellows, and designed a “worm gear slider” system using NXT parts to stretch and compress them. The vacuum system was then installed in Vertigo and has worked reasonably well.


Whatever happened to Architecture 21015 Eames House?

According to: http://toysnbricks.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=58&t=5288

  so apparently B and N made a mistake, and the Eames House is actually
  not going to be a set (or so Adam Reed Tucker says). He answered a
  question about it today at the Master model Builder competition in
  Chicago

So sad.


The two Bionicles on the right are for sure a mix of different parts from different sets, and, without seeing much close-up details, it will be very difficult to tell you which original sets the parts came from. The white piece on the foreground is part of an Exo Force set from 2006 called 7700 Stealth Hunter (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=7700-1).

The set on the left might largely consist of pieces from one specific Bionicle, but I have not been able to identify him yet. However, the whole idea behind the Constraction sets like Bionicle and Exo Force is that you can combine them and make your own creations, which seems like what you have here. Your grandson should have a blast playing with them, no matter if they belong to a set or not. Have fun!


I do not own this item, but observing the pictures leads to a logical inference.
The pins are in different locations.
If you look at parts, you will see that they are 5 pins wide.  One part has pins in positions 1 and 5, the other has pins in positions 2 and 3.
You then connect the parts to the motor.  With switches inside the motor, it can detect which holes have pins in.  This is similar to how the LEGO Super Mario figure knows which Power Up is attached - a simple way to test would be to attach normal pins in those locations, rather than the special parts that came with it.
This may not even be electronic, the pins may be physically changing the gear ratio inside the motor.  Which answers the last part of your question:  why do the performances appear to be reversed?
Because a high gear means lots of speed, but no torque (power), and a low gear means low speed, but lots of torque (power).  You can test this yourself on a bicycle.  On a flat path, a high gear will let you go really fast, while a low gear will mean you are slow.  But, going up a hill, a low gear will let you easily climb steeper hills, and a high gear will leave you stuck, exhausted, at the bottom!  So, the "high gear" item gives better performance on the "speed"/"racing" model, but the "low gear" item gives better performance on the "power"/"steep ramp" model


What is the model/year of a white and yellow airplane with a sticker "96" on the wing?

It is 42044-1: Display Team Jet from 2016.


When was this Lego Adventurers T-Shirt produced?

The shirt itself says 1998 on it, which coincides with the earliest known release of a set for that theme.

Here it is advertised on/in this 1999 January/February issue of Lego Mania magazine:

(https://www.flickr.com/photos/timlydy/22805063335/in/photostream/)

Given this was advertised at the very beginning of 1999, I think it is safe to assume that 1998 is the correct date for when the T-shirt and Magazine were printed. As for a model number, as Alexander O'Mara mentioned, it's listed on Bricklink as TS10.  I am not familiar with model numbers for Lego clothing, or if they even have them.  Bricklink has likely created their own format for designating a number to a particular design to simplify and clarify it's identification for buyers and sellers.


Curious Case of Polybag Sold Separately in ~2003

Air holes always seem dangerous when there's a possibility of small Lego pieces that could be forced through.
North American Lego stores used to sell these bags, but stopped in roughly 2010 due to health concerns regarding sanitizing (so I was told). They were, as yours were, just leftover bricks. I realize they don't match your description of air holes or a number, but thought they might jog someone's memory.


Based on the Trans-Yellow Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Tooth Horizontal

which appears only in three sets this is:

71264-1: The LEGO Batman Movie: Play the Complete Movie


Technic beam centering for beam with even length

Hmm...  I don't know...  I personally, wouldn't try to reinvent pin placement of Technic holes and Studs. I'm not saying being creative that way is too challenging. What I am saying is that, we should work with examples, or in this case parts that already bridge Classic stud width with Technic holes.

Placing pins where the studs belong seems akin to reinventing the wheel, when we could be building off the long work history already put into the wheel's design, and spring board off that instead.

With that said, I'd point you to a Technic 2 x 4 plate with three holes.

Replicate it, split it in half (lengthwise), and embed the top on to the top of the camera housing.  Take the split bottom half and embed that into the bottom of the camera housing.

Visually, to me, the stud width of your design looks like a Technic 2x6, but there seems to be enough room to jam a Technic 2x8 in there.

For my brain to work, I like pictures.  So, for piece inspiration, I'd go to Bricklink's database and just type "pin", "pins" or "holes" and look at the pictures of parts that have a key word in them.  Doing this expands the possibilities of what could be done to make your design solid.

Also for me, it's easier to reverse engineer things I see.  So, for ideas I would BL search these parts, look up the sets that they were in, and watch a Youtube * speed build of one of these Technic sets to see how the part was used, and maybe come across an ingenious way someone mated Classic studs with Technic pinage.

(* When dealing with Youtube. Time is precious and limited, so remember we can reclaim some time by speeding up YT playback with the settings "gear".)

EDIT

Another design compatibility suggestion:

There are no pictures showing the total height of your camera rig.  I'm just imagining it inside a robot, or something, and the height of it doesn't conform to the standard bricks built around it.

Try to standardize your work, by making  sure the total height is equal to a pillar of bricks, and round the entire height to the nearest brick.


LEGO has this page which mentions World Robot Olympiad (WRO) and FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL).  There's a tag for FLL (fll) on Bricks.SE so you can see what other folks have asked about it.


Looking for instructions for Nanoblock Synthesizer (NBC_038)

I found video on YouTube for model speed build. Playing on 0.25 speed produce an acceptable result with parts being used in each step. At the second part of the video instruction sheet is also visible (image has been rotated, compared to video):


Don't fix it

I sympathize with the desire to fix it, but on closer consideration it doesn't seem easy or worth it.  Getting the hand out would probably damage the arm even if you manage to do it.

Replace it

The entire torso is available for less than $1 on BrickLink.  This is the easiest path forward.  Some similar torsos are half as much if you don't need an exact match.

There are replacement arms for many colors and color combinations on BrickLink, but not a plain blue arm like this that I could find.

If you get lucky.

Apparently you can buy just the hands as Mr. Shiny and New 安宇 pointed out.  So if you manage to get the hand out without damaging the arm you can solve your problem for a few cents plus postage.

Or re-purpose it

As with all of LEGO the possibilities are limited to your imagination:

maybe this soldier had his hand cut off and he's too poor to get a  prosthetic.
maybe this guy is holding a tray of drinks on his right arm during a battle.  I don't have an arm with a missing hand to test this, but I hope something could be attached to it.
maybe he had a tragic shaving accident and you can make a bloody scene about it.
maybe this soldier put on the wrong uniform and you can live with 2 new matching arms from BrickLink that aren't entirely blue.
maybe he's sticking his arm into a bee's nest or a hole in a dike.

So I hope you can see some way to get more value out of your "broken" torso than just tossing it.  But sometimes we've gotten all of the life out of a piece and it is time to let it go.


What's the Difference Between an Open or Hollow Stud, and Solid Stud Brick?

While the difference is most often cosmetic, an open stud can serve as a connection point for bar elements:

This type of connection is less common than simply using the stud as a stud, but if you are looking to buy elements to build a particular model, you might want to check to see if you need the open stud variety.

In addition to the obvious direct bar connection, open studs can also facilitate connections with the tubes on the underside of 1xn elements. Here's a nice picture showing the bar connection I'm referring to from New Elementary:

This can be used in combination with an open stud to allow elements to connect at a half stud offset. This technique isn't used frequently in sets, but it does sometimes come into play. For example, it is used to fix the top windows in place on the Parisian Restaurant:

The combination of bars on the underside of the 1x6 plates and open studs on the windows allow the windows to be held in place firmly despite the fact that their top stud is offset by half from the regular grid.


When was the first official use of the term 'minifigure' or 'minifig'?

I kept searching and found out for myself :). The US magazine from 1979 calls them Mini-Figures, even the version without arms.

http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/6/?id=97
http://www.peeron.com/catalogs/1979/medium/10/?id=97


About selling old LEGO, by the pound or assembled?

In general, a pound of LEGO goes $5-$10, depending on what's included and the condition of the parts.

As far as how much your minifigures are worth, you can go to BrickLink.com, find the minifigures you have in their database, and check the Price Guide. It will list all the currently available minifigs sold by shops around the world, and sales figures from the past six month. There are separate columns for new and used figures, so you will get a good idea of what minifigs in similar condition as yours are selling for. To get you started, here is the main page for all the Star Wars figures: https://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=M&catString=65&itemBrand=1000

In regards to sets, you can check the BrickLink Price Guide for those as well. Some might be worth selling assembled, while for others it doesn't matter. You can download instruction from LEGO's website here:  https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions


What's the name of the set including this piece? Red Technic and system pincer?

Looks like that's Exo-Force set 7701-1, Grand Titan.


Are limited run sets a good investment if left unopened?

The LEGO aftermarket is changing all the time and there are no defined rules on how a set will appreciate. Over at http://www.brickpicker.com you will find an entire website (plus forum) dedicated to investing in LEGO sets.

The post-EOL rise in price of a set is driven by many factors, some of which are:

Availability
If a set is only available for a limited time on store shelves (typically a year or less), it might see an increase in price after it retires. Alternatively, if a set is available for longer than a year, but frequently goes out of stock during its shelf life, it might also see an uptick in value post-EOL.

Exclusivity
Some sets are not available via all retail channels (and some are even more limited in distribution like the SDCC sets or the Employee Christmas Gifts). Typically, the more a set is limited to specific channels, the more likely it is to appreciate in value.

Desirability
Sets with broad appeal across multiple age groups, or of a subject matter that has a very loyal fan following (think Star Wars, the Beatles, anything Science related) typically do well post-retirement.

Collectibility
A lot of the post-retirement increase in price has to do with people collecting an entire theme. Often this collecting does not happen from the start of the theme, and people play catch-up to grab older sets that might have already retired. Some examples of this phenomenon are the early Modulars (Cafe Corner, Green Grocer), Series 1 Microfighters, Series 1 Speed Champions, and the early Star Wars UCS sets. A more recent example is the Elves Dragon eggs series, which had a short run and contained one set specifically which acted as the collection base of all eggs (41178 Dragon Sanctuary), which happened to have an extremely short shelf life (4 months in the US).

Rarity of parts
Finally, some sets see big post-retirement price gains because they contain rare or desirable parts. A key example of this is set 44027 Breez Flea Machine from the Hero Factory theme. This set commands a significant premium on the aftermarket purely due to the inclusion of 3 copies of part 92222 - Hero Factory Shield with Handle for Clip. 6 of these pieces are required to make the SDCC exclusive Bat Pod, which is much desired by collectors.

BUT, a big word of warning: for each of the above factors one can find sets that clearly show an increase in value but also numerous examples of sets that should have seen a sharp increase in value, but somehow didn't. Plus, with The LEGO Group's prepensity for set remakes, a set can see a climb in value, only to be followed by a plateau or even drop off following its initial increase. There are no sure-fire winners (and don't believe anyone who says they know one).


Please identify these two kinds of Lego bricks (circa 1990's)

The first two are:

Hinge Plate 2 x 4 with Articulated Joint - Male

Hinge Plate 2 x 4 with Articulated Joint - Female

They are still used in modern sets sometimes.

The last two are called "bracket" pieces. They have not appeared in any recent sets.

Bracket 2 x 3 - 1 x 3 (Train Signal Stand)

Bracket 2 x 2 - 1 x 4


The classic minifig head can be purchased on Bricklink, and it isn't terribly expensive even in large quantities:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=3626cp01&colorID=3

You can leave feedback on this issue via LEGO Customer Service.


Access WeDo on OS X from a real programming language

It is possible to drive the WeDo from Python on a Mac, without a kext.  I've only tested motors since I don't (yet) have the other sensors.  You need to access the USB HID device directly.  There are a couple of prerequisites to install:

cython-hidapi, which itself depends on
hidapi; homebrew can install that for you.
cython likewise

You'll likely want XCode and friends installed to be on the safe side.

There are a number of forks of cython-hidapi available so your mileage may vary depending on which version you use. I don't remember installation being problematic.

Once those are installed and your WeDo is plugged in you can do something, at a minimum, like:

import hid
import time

# vendor id, product id:
dev = hid.device(1684, 3)

# turn both motors on
# HID format is reportID, message type, data1, data2, ...
dev.write([0x0, 0x40, 127, 127, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0])

time.sleep(1)

# turn them both off
dev.write([0x0, 0x40, 0, 0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0])

The changes to get WeDoMore to use hidapi instead of generic usb on a Mac don't look to be too onerous.  If I manage to get something committed I'll update my answer with a link.

[Edit: I've committed a fork of WeDoMore that adds support for motors on the Mac here.  Again, I'll update if the pull request gets accepted]

Small side-note: The WeDo can also drive 9v motors with the correct converter cable.  I think it's possible to read the RCX sensors as well, but mild soldering may be required (see, e.g. here for a proof of concept).  But if the WeDo can be fooled into reading the devices then Python can be used with those other sensors.


Replacement power cable for Mindstorms RCX

The cables you point out are newer Power Function cables and are ill-suited for 9V usage such as with the original Mindstorms kits. Technically, you could daisy-chain two of them and it would work, but that's probably not the best solution.

Here is a bigger illustration of the cable, courtesy Philo:

You can clearly see that only one end of the cable has a 9V connector on the bottom.

I would advise you to check Bricklink instead, you should find plenty of seller there, possibly in your own country.


My FIRST LEGO League team likes to use them as clothing accessories, like belts, headbands, sashes, etc.

More commonly, though, they are used for conveyor belts (for example, in a great ball contraption). You can also use them for a chain drive when 3711 is not strong enough or big enough.

I also saw this recently where small carriages were attached to the links and it was used as a vertical parking system for matchbox cars.


Officially, LEGO Group doesn't recommend any adhesive on the toys. It can lead to corrosion or warping chemically, warping physically (the glue puts pressure on the pieces), and the removal of the adhesive also carries these risks. Plus, you'd be killing not only the the monetary value of the set, but the ability of those pieces to be active stimuli for creativity and motor skills.

The LEGO Movie clearly shows that using glue on the toys is what the villain does.


What is the meaning of the available color lists in Bricklink searches?

Lots for Sale - this contains colors in which current part is being listed for sale.

On Wanted list - this shows which colors Bricklink members have added to their "wanted list". It doesn't mean parts in this color have existed. Most likely this being used to add non-existing color to list of wanted items and mark for notification. In such case if wanted item ever to appear for sale (and seller pushed this notification) person with desired item would be notified.

Price Guide info - here you can see sale/price history for each color for the past 6 months as well as items currently listed for sale.

Known Colors - here you can find colors which appear in released sets. Bricks in this list are tied to set inventories produced by community of Bricklink. If there ever be an error with inventory or it has alternative selection of bricks, this is being addressed by fixing or adding an alternative inventory for the same set. Every Bricklink member is welcome to make these fixes.

There could be several reasons why there are more colors for sale than on a list of known colors:

An error is an obvious thing. It is quite easy to make a mistake while listing individual part for sale if it has been produced in similar colors, or has variety in shape (with/without groove). Some shades of Blue and Pink are hard to distinguish. Shape differences aren't always so easy to notice too.
Some parts you see for sale may have been prototypes, test bricks or
produced for specific project (like life-size LEGO Bugatti has a ton of non-existing parts) which may have made their way somehow from the factory. This is not something you could request for as LEGO is trying to not let these items into the market.

One more thing to note. If you find a part in odd color and it isn't listed as HTF (Hard To Find) or Special Color, this is most likely a mistake while listing. Odd parts have quite a high value (depends on availability). Although it doesn't hurt to contact the seller to confirm the case before ordering.


I'm missing a few pieces in my XingBao set

Xingbao reproduces standard LEGO elements for their models, so it should be much easier to replace the missing parts with LEGO pieces, then trying to contact Xingbao. If you are not familiar with the LEGO equivalent of the missing parts, you can post a picture here, and the community here should be able to identify them for you.


I've read that vinegar or baking soda (but not both at the same time!) can remove scents. If I were you I'd start trying with the baking soda, since the vinegar itself has some odor.

Activated charcoal is used in industrial scale to filter and purify, you could try that too, it is less trivial to get hold of and probably stains the bricks but it can be washed off by water.

A friend of mine used to clean her LEGO bricks by sewing them tightly in a blanket and putting them in the washing machine with the appropriate amount of detergent. If you choose this method, make sure to always stay clear of the melting point of ABS (80°C or 176F), leaving a margin for security. 50°C or lower shouldn't cause any problems

The simplest solution though is probably to allow the bricks to let out their smell by exposing them to fresh air, maybe accelerated by a fan or such. Beware though, if the candy smell implicates sugar residue it can attract insects.


Is there any other way to program the Lego Mindstorms NXT other than the provided software?

The programming interface used by LEGO creates programs which make use of the standard firmware, that is, the one provided by LEGO.

If you look at alternatives (see also this answer for more information), you'll notice that quite a lot of them use the same firmware.

This means that the programs they produce use the same language which is interpreted by the standard firmware. One advantage is that you can have a mix of programs on the same NXT brick and it doesn't matter with what they've been originally written.

If you're interested to know more about the standard firmware and how to program it, you can download the Mindstorms Software Developer Kit. One of the interesting aspects of it is that you don't always need to create programs but you can send direct commands to the NXT as well - meaning you actual programming logic can sit on another connected device (PC, smartphone,...).

Others alternate languages use a different firwmare altogether, which means you can't mix languages at all. But if it uses a language you're more familiar with, it may be worth trying. (You can always revert to the standard firmware anyway.)


What is known of the capacities of the MINDSTORMS EV3 when it comes to interconnection with a network (WiFi, bluetooth)

The Mindstorms EV3 brick uses Bluetooth 2.1EDR. What protocol they use on top of that is still unknown, but will probably be released publicly by LEGO at some point. It's likely some compatibility with the NXT is possible (that is, an EV3 and a NXT bricks should be able to communicate together), but this is pure speculation and I doubt they just reuse the exact same protocol without at least expanding it.

For USB, apparently the regular USB port is 2.0, but there's also a host USB port which, according to the previous link, is only 1.1 (which seems strange to me, and the official PDF product sheet for the EV3 brick specifically mentions "USB 2.0 host enabling brick daisy chaining, wifi communication, and USB memory sticks") and can be used to daisy-chain up to 4 devices. The very fact they state a limitation hints that their software itself has this limitation, as I don't see any hardware reason to do so. This means that with an alternate firmware, you can probably do more.

WiFi is only possible using a WiFi dongle connected to the USB port, which seems to be allowed. If the host port is really 1.1, that may limit the speed to 12MBit/s. You can find  its PDF product sheet here which says:

The EV3 Wi-Fi Dongle fits with the LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 platform and uses wireless communication. It plugs into the USB host port of the EV3 Intelligent Brick and provides wireless communication with a computer. A wireless access point is required between the LEGO EV3 Intelligent Brick and any Wi-Fi -enabled computer as well as your Apple or Android device. All you need to do is set up the connection inside the software and you’re ready to go!

Also, considering the OS is linux-based (on an ARM9 processor), and considering LEGO's history of letting people hack Mindstorms in any way they can think of... there'll probably a lot of other possibilities (USB Ethernet, for example).

APIs and/or libraries aren't available yet, and probably won't be until the kit is released, but it seems there'll be at least an official iPhone & Android app to control all robots you can make with the kit.


It depends on what you're doing, but for this purpose the Mindsensors motor multliplexer is the device you are looking for - not the port splitter.

A multiplexer (in this context) allows you to independently control/communicate with multiple devices over a single port, one at a time. A motor multiplexer will also need an external power source because a single EV3/NXT motor port cannot power multiple motors simultaneously.
The Mindsensors port splitter simply joins the 6 wires from each plug to each other plug. This is generally less useful, because all connected devices simultaneously share the same power and signals. Analog sensors will behave unpredictably, I2C sensors might work (if the device supports reassigning its I2C address, and if you keep under the EV3 port's current limits). Motors will all receive power simultaneously, none of the rotation sensors will work, and you risk burning out the EV3's motor port.


What is the best-practice for circular lego staircase construction?

There's a brick-built spiral staircase in the Pet Shop:

That's definitely the most common way to do it. You just build up around a central point. This can be expanded to use longer or wider steps:

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/267772

You can also use 2x2 turntables if you need more strength and/or larger stairs:

http://www.popscreen.com/v/6UIWz/Tutorial-Lego-Spiral-Staircase


Is there a site with the (previous) monthly LEGO Store mini-build instructions?

A list of previous monthly mini models can be found on Brickset. The instructions can be found in the notes section under the sidebar on the right for each model.


I'll confess - my inspiration for that element in my answer to your 4 candles question came from set 10273 - Haunted House which uses it for exactly that purpose - instructions are here (180MB), it's on page 119:

It uses a Technic, Axle 5 with stop to hold the knob cog up, and it's inserted into a Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Angled #1 that's hanging from a beam made from Axle Connectors 2L (Smooth) and Axle 2 Notched.


Feathered Headdress from the Islander, female figure

Sometimes ignoring a problem yields its own solution - like the Cabaret Singer.


Which LEGO set did these small tan, grey and tan bricks come from?

Those are mostly fairly generic pieces, however the 4x8 in Medium Blue only appears in 7 sets, and of those only Tower Bridge has any 1x8 in Reddish Brown.

This is part of  10214-1: Tower Bridge


I have a bunch of LEGO pieces given to me already setup, any ideas to what set? Tan base with white and transparent cheese wedges?

They appear to be part of the Sydney Opera House set:

It contains that tan slope brick:

And those white hinge brick bases:

And you can see those parts in that configuration.


What are the set numbers for these Star Wars and Police sets?

The police vehicle is from  7035-1: Police HQ

based on Wedge 6 x 2 Left with Police World City Pattern

The last picture is from
7748-1: Corporate Alliance Tank Droid

based on Light Bluish Gray Dish 10 x 10 Inverted (Radar) with SW Tank Droid Pattern


Lego Boost: how can I gain access to all the programming blocks?

Based on the link provided by @RSchulz, this is my current understanding of programming blocks availability in the Lego Boost app:
There are two different types of canvas areas in which you can create projects: the Coding Canvas which you can reach by tapping on the big red toolbox that is in each robot submenu, and the Creative Canvas, which can be reached from the main menu by tapping on the open window.
The former has different blocks for each robot, and gets blocks added every time you complete one of the predefined tasks.
The latter has many advanced blocks but is missing robot-specific blocks that are in the other canvases.
There is no canvas that makes all existing blocks available.


Are there any components compatible with EV3 that are more powerful and durable?

Look at Tetrix or Matrix. Theese building systems have more porefull motors than NXT ones. Metal blocks allow you to create strong robots. Tetrix and Matrix robots can be controlled by NXT/EV3.


Stuck on "Installing rootfs" when installing leJOS on the brick

I was able to fix the problem by creating a smaller partition on the SD card. (The idea came from this forum post; it was not necessary for me to buy a different SD card, despite what many people say there.) Using Windows 10, I was able to create a 4 GB partition with the “Computer Management” utility. After that, I used the ev3sdcard.bat utility again, and the installation completed successfully.

I do not know whether some intermediate value between 4 GB and 32 GB would also work. The forum posts I read suggest that 4 GB will be plenty of space.


How can I find overlapping bricks in LeoCAD?

I'm not aware of a way to do this in LeoCAD directly, but assuming that your overlapping brick is an exact duplicate (same element, same position, same rotation, etc) it will show up as a duplicate line in the LDraw file. Something as simple as this should show you what it is:

uniq -d model.ldr

You could also use any other tool for finding duplicate lines.

If you find a duplicate, it will look something like this:

1 4 -70 -48 -40 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3005.DAT

The 3rd, 4th, and 5th items are the x,y, and z coordinates, which you can use to track down duplicate elements and remove them inside LeoCAD. Alternatively, you can remove all but one of the duplicate lines from the file directly.


Connecting an axle to a stud on the ground for railings

For the axle with stud on one side you could also use a smaller pin connector 18654.


Is there a way to program the EV3 brick with NXC?

Not right now. RobotC support is already there ( although it isn't free ).


That is Tiger, Standing (Tygurah) from 7411 set


How hard is it to convert the new(ish) RC/PF trains to 9V?

The PF train motor has the same size and shape as the previous 9V Motors, and a lot of people are happily substituting one for the other.

The Emerald Night, however, doesn't use that motor, so there your job will be much more tricky. Usually people change the tender to add two 9V motors there, but the wheel train of the engine tends to derail fairly easily if pushed that way (I strongly suggest you read RailBricks issue #7 for tips on how to make it run smoothly)


Is it possible to edit a MyBlock input parameter value?

It is possible now (since version 1.3.0) by pressing the button at the upper left corner of the block: