Mindboards

2nd 1st place? LOL, I don't think I'v heard that one before.

doc-helmut wrote:...Except John soon will implement his HTTetrixMotorMux and HTTetrixServoMux drivers...

IIRC, John said he doesn't have the hardware to test them with. I wish I had access to a set of controllers though, I love programming library functions, esp. for I2C devices (where I have to manipulate variables and arrays...).

Perhaps you should try to learn something new. Have you considered trying to write a library for some functions? Don't start by attempting to write the tetrix drivers, but you should try to do some. It isn't hard at all. I always thought it would be way too hard, but only until I put a little time into it. Now, writing libraries is one of my favorite things to do when I program. I look for things to write libraries for now.

you may purchase a Tetrix starter kit and a couple of encoders.
All that stuff is supposed to be quite cheap in Amiland :)

I really want to, and would, but I have other stuff to buy (like electronics, and lego parts). I really like the idea of using large metal parts and all that cool stuff.

The base set from LegoEdu costs $626 USD (plus shipping). $626 USD is about 442 euro. Edit: I think there may also be 6% sales tax.

In Germany it was 1000 EUR incl. tax without shipping and without encoders. :cry:

WOW , are you kidding????? That is insane! What percent is the tax? It seems it would be better to buy it from an individual in the US, and have them get it from LegoEdu, and then ship it to Germany.

it's really insane.
Probably 20% customs to switzerland plus 20% customs to Germany plus 19% tax plus the profit margin of the reseller (not much I guess).
It would be ok, if at least the motors finally could be used with the controllers and the encoders ...
Embarrassing that Hitechnic is not able to provide drivers for NXC that work (not at least some which DON'T work)...

doc-helmut wrote:Embarrassing that Hitechnic is not able to provide drivers for NXC that work (not at least some which DON'T work)...

Tetrix is an Education product. NXT-G is an Education product, ROBOTC and LabView are Education products. NXC is not. Ergo it is not supported. Really quite simple. HT does not sell these MUXes themselves, they go straight to LEGO. In fact, when I asked for one of each MUX, they couldn't give them to me because they are shipped straight from the factory to TLG.

- Xander

HT produces them and ship them to Lego without selling them?
Anyway, Lego is Lego and HT is HT and Tetrix is Tetrix and all is selled on a free market (not limited to universities or schools) - and SFW is SFW either for NXT-G or for NXC. So why have drivers for NXT-G and not for NXC?
Strange company policy. And embarrassing, too.

edit:
But HT might re-purchase a Tetrix set for purchase price and give it to John Hansen as a gift, couldn't they? Because John is doing quite a lot for distribution of HT products by his NXC.

doc-helmut wrote:HT produces them and ship them to Lego without selling them?

That is correct. HT doesn't even ship them, the factory that makes them for HT does. They are made exclusively for Lego Education.

So why have drivers for NXT-G and not for NXC?

I already explained it to you. If you don't make drivers for a particular programming environment then you don't need to support them. That saves time and money. HT does not support these Tetrix controllers, Lego Education does. If you find the support for NXC lacking then you need to take this up with Lego Education, not HT. Good luck with that, btw. It's for the same reason Lego Education does not support Lejos, nxtOSEK, nxos, etc. NXC is a community project, supported by the community.

Strange company policy. And embarrassing, too.

Not really, it's inconvenient at worst and only for people who are not part of the intended market anyway. It's simple economics.

But HT might re-purchase a Tetrix set for purchase price and give it to John Hansen as a gift, couldn't they? Because John is doing quite a lot for distribution of HT products by his NXC.

I think John and HT already have quite a good relationship. In any case, John already alluded to another project he is working on for them, which has a MUCH higher priority than the Tetrix drivers. I won't go into details as its confidential.

- Xander