Technic Hub (88012) compatibility with Boost/WeDo

[lego_flyer]

I am interested in getting a set that contains the Technic Hub (88012). I understand that this hub currently is supported by the Power Up app and the Control + app, but I have a young son and would like for him to be able to use the apps designed for kids (i.e. Boost/WeDo) with the Technic Hub for his own projects.

So my question is, can the Boost and/or WeDo apps be used with the Technic Hub (88012) or motors? And if not, is it on the roadmap?

[GianCann]

8 hours ago, lego_flyer said:

So my question is, can the Boost and/or WeDo apps be used with the Technic Hub (88012) or motors?

No...

8 hours ago, lego_flyer said:

nd if not, is it on the roadmap?

Who knows? (but I think no...)

[Lok24]

13 hours ago, lego_flyer said:

So my question is, can the Boost and/or WeDo apps be used with the Technic Hub (88012) or motors?

No

The two Boost Apps are for the specific sets!
And the technic hub + 3 motors + sensors  is not self-explaining.
I would strongly recommend for children around 7 years the Boost Robotic Set 17101

Its about 115 € which should be 180 CAD.
And later you switch to the Powered Up App, which is very similar, and could add hubs, motors and so on.

13 hours ago, lego_flyer said:

 And if not, is it on the roadmap?

Yes. The Powered Up App is the central app for all branches of Powered Up.
And the control+ App is set-specific as well.

 

[lego_flyer]

I did not realize the Boost Apps were for specific sets.

It would make sense for them to support it for WeDo though, right? So if anyone has a bunch of technic hubs and motors lying around they can just add it to the collection? I think the Powered Up App is designed for older kids?

[Lok24]

The Boost App for the robotic set 17101 contains the building instructions for five models and a lot of "lessons" to learn how to pogram and control these models.
And all of them need the special parts of the set.
In addition you have what they call the "white canvas" where you can write your "own" programs. And that is very,very similar to the Powered Up  App.

53 minutes ago, lego_flyer said:

It would make sense for them to support it for WeDo though, right? So if anyone has a bunch of technic hubs and motors lying around they can just add it to the collection?

Yes, you can do that. And use the powered up App.

I'm still not sure what is your intention?
Learn how to program and control? Then you should use the Boost robotic set. Or the WeDo set (but too expensive for what you get). Both are 7+ and have lessons and tutorials.

But you need the models as described in the examples. And that's what is missing when you just use a tecnic hub and any motor and any app.

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Lok24

[lego_flyer]

19 minutes ago, Lok24 said:

I'm still not sure what is your intention?
Learn how to program and control? Then you should use the Boost robotic set. Or the WeDo set. Both are 7+ and have lessons and tutorials.

But you need the models as described in the examples. And that's what is missing when you just use a tecnic hub and any motor.

 

I want a Technic set for myself and was hoping I can justify the cost by having it double as an educational tool.

My kid is actually too young for any of this anyways, but I was thinking ahead...

Quote

In addition you have what they call the "white canvas" where you can write your "own" programs. And that is very,very similar to the Powered Up  App.

The white canvas is effectively what I'm looking for, though I realize it will be harder to learn without the specific sets with the lessons/tutorials that come with the Boost/WeDo sets. My main issue was whether the Powered Up white canvas is a lot more difficult to use than the WeDo white canvas if WeDo didn't support the technic stuff.

[Lok24]

48 minutes ago, lego_flyer said:

The white canvas is effectively what I'm looking for, though I realize it will be harder to learn without the specific sets with the lessons/tutorials that come with the Boost/WeDo sets.

That's the point, because there is no documentation for that. And for a child of say 5 or 6 years it is impossible to "invent" a mechanical construction like "Vernie the Robot" from the Boost Set.
But having that, then it is very simple to move it around, I did that for years on exhibitions, and most of the visitors (5-10 years) moved the robot in less than 1 to 3 minutes.

Not by hand and a remote control, but with a programm they just created (and had never seen anything before). To a predefined destination! Without the model this is absolutely impossible.

48 minutes ago, lego_flyer said:

My main issue was whether the Powered Up white canvas is a lot more difficult to use than the WeDo white canvas if WeDo didn't support the technic stuff.

I'm not familiar with WeDo (much too expensive), but for the others the PoweredUp App is more simple (the Boost App has losts of predefined icons)

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by Lok24

[Tcm0]

Regarding compatibility: the wedo 2.0 hub lacks a bit of compatibility. It was the first hub in the new system and can't be updated. That's the reason why the free programming area of the powered up app doesn't support it.

[Stux]

The Boost set is pretty cool. It teaches you how to use the Powered Up style coding approach, and when you want to incorporate other PUp components with the Boost components, you just use the Powered Up app instead of the boost app, the coding is the same, just more blocks are available, and it works just fine with all the Boost components AFAICT

[makushima]

Does anyone knows if it is possible to connect 4th motor to boost hub instead of sensor? How it will be visible in boost app? Or to control it i need to use power up app only?  

[Tcm0]

17 hours ago, makushima said:

Does anyone knows if it is possible to connect 4th motor to boost hub instead of sensor? How it will be visible in boost app? Or to control it i need to use power up app only?  

You can connect a 4th motor (tho especially control+ motors might not work) but it will only work with the powered up app because you have to tell the app which motor you want to move.

[makushima]

On 11/24/2020 at 2:59 PM, Tcm0 said:

You can connect a 4th motor (tho especially control+ motors might not work) but it will only work with the powered up app because you have to tell the app which motor you want to move.

Thanks. Another question is possible to use Powered Up hardware joypad with Boost Hub WITHOUT APP, directly?

[Tcm0]

9 hours ago, makushima said:

Thanks. Another question is possible to use Powered Up hardware joypad with Boost Hub WITHOUT APP, directly?

Theoretically: yes. It's even listed as a feature on the product page (at least here in germany... wait. I think they removed it).
Practically: there have been issues in the past which don't seem to be solved so far. It worked in the past but it doesn't now.

[makushima]

1 hour ago, Tcm0 said:

Theoretically: yes. It's even listed as a feature on the product page (at least here in germany... wait. I think they removed it).
Practically: there have been issues in the past which don't seem to be solved so far. It worked in the past but it doesn't now.

As this page says after update on 22 june 2019 Boost hub can be controlled with joypad. I hope they didnt remove this feature.

https://www.hispabrickmagazine.com/content/2019/06/03/powered-up-ii-powered-up-ii-networks/

[Tcm0]

12 hours ago, makushima said:

As this page says after update on 22 june 2019 Boost hub can be controlled with joypad. I hope they didnt remove this feature.

https://www.hispabrickmagazine.com/content/2019/06/03/powered-up-ii-powered-up-ii-networks/

Yes it was possible and I think that it should be possible but currently it doesn't work relieably.

[Lok24]

Hi, my two move hubs work as described.

Press hub + remote button (better simultaneously, but perhaps not necessary) shortly
-> both blinking white

And while blinking white
Press hub + remote button simultaneously again shortly
> both blinking white -> connected

This is just as Jetro described.
"You need to press the start button on both devices simultaneously after starting them to establish the connection"
I reloaded FW, it's still 2.0.00.0017

Do you have different FW?

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by Lok24

[Tcm0]

:O That works, thanks for the hint. I wonder why there is no documentation on that. Well, actually I don't wonder about that :D

[Lok24]

I still wonder what is the idea behind connecting the remote to the Move Hub?
You only can run the two internal motors with full speed.

That's not that useful?

[Tcm0]

1 hour ago, Lok24 said:

I still wonder what is the idea behind connecting the remote to the Move Hub?
You only can run the two internal motors with full speed.

That's not that useful?

You can control the 3rd motor if you make a half a second press on the green button on the remote if hub and remote are connected. That way you can switch between A+B and C+D.
I have to say that it is funny to drive around with a remote controlled R2D2 :D

[Lok24]

2 minutes ago, Tcm0 said:

You can control the 3rd motor if you make a half a second press on the green button on the remote if hub and remote are connected.

Ah, i missed that in the LEGO Documentation ;-)
I only have two "Vernies".

Thanks for the hint.

 

[makushima]

On 12/1/2020 at 11:01 AM, Lok24 said:

I still wonder what is the idea behind connecting the remote to the Move Hub?
You only can run the two internal motors with full speed.

That's not that useful?

In my opinion for kids it is easier and better have joypad than on screen ipad control. Yes, I agree that it would be better that joypad has variable speed control.