Answers.Body: <p>There is no significant hardware difference (*) affecting software between the RCX bricks, so 1.0 brick is compatible with all firmware and RIS versions. </p>
  
  <p>(*) Known hardware differences:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>RCX 1.0 sold with RIS 1.0 had a power adapter plug.</li>
  <li>RCX 1.0 sold with RIS 1.5 no longer had this plug.</li>
  <li>RCX 2.0 had a 76 kHz IR interface instead of 38 kHz. It remains compatible with old versions (harmonic 2) albeit with a slightly
  reduced range. New frequency allows to communicate with Spybots bricks.</li>
  </ul>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-09-15T10:51:12.193Z
Answers.Text: Doesn't the earlier RCX 1.0 brick have a power adapter plug, which has been eliminated in the RCX 1.0 brick supplied with RIS 1.5 and in the RCX 2.0 brick supplied in RIS 2.0?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Phil B.
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-09-16T08:06:11.640Z
Answers.Text: Yes it does, but doesn't matter for software. Answer edited for more details!
Answers.UserDisplayName: Philo
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-09-15T07:38:36.897Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-09-16T08:06:18.697Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2016-09-16T08:06:18.697Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Philo
Answers.Body: <p>The main differences between the versions were:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Firmware - although later versions of the firmware were backwards compatible with the earlier bricks</li>
  <li>Power Adaptors:
  
  <ol>
  <li>RIS/RCX 1.0 had a power socket on the brick as well as battery options</li>
  <li>RIS/RCX 1.5 removed the power socket from the brick</li>
  <li>RIS/RCX 2.0 Functionally equivalent to RCX 1.5</li>
  </ol></li>
  <li>IR Tower connections:
  
  <ol>
  <li>RIS 1.0 and 1.5 had a serial connection for the IR Tower</li>
  <li>RIS 2.0 had a USB connection for the IR Tower, which doesn't operate nicely with 64bit Operating Systems (ironically* the serial connection does work with a serial-USB adaptor apparently)</li>
  </ol></li>
  <li>Manuals - I <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/LEGO-Mindstorms-A-Basic-Guide-to-the-Older-RCX-sets-/10000000000766046/g.html" rel="nofollow">believe the Constructopedia was more comprehensive</a> in 1.0 than in 2.0.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p><code>*</code> I say ironically as I originally returned my 1.0 or 1.5 set as I was unable to get the serial connection to work on my PC at the time and later bought a 2.0 which worked fine then, but not any more on my more modern hardware. </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-09-15T12:04:23.557Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-09-15T12:04:23.557Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Body: <p>What is the relationship between a Lego RCX 1.0 brick and these:</p>
  
  <p>Robotics Invention System (RIS) versions</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>1.0</li>
  <li>1.5</li>
  <li>2.0</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>RCX firmware:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>firm0309.lgo: RCX firmware version 3.09</li>
  <li>firm0328.lgo: RCX firmware version 3.28</li>
  <li>firm0332.lgo: RCX firmware version 3.32</li>
  </ul>
  
Tags: <rcx>
Title: Lego RCX 1.0 brick relationship to Robotics Invention System (RIS) & RCX firmware versions
UserDisplayName: CW Holeman II
ThreadText: # Lego RCX 1.0 brick relationship to Robotics Invention System (RIS) & RCX firmware versions
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-09-14)
  
  What is the relationship between a Lego RCX 1.0 brick and these:
  
  Robotics Invention System (RIS) versions
  
  * 1.0
  * 1.5
  * 2.0
  
  RCX firmware:
  
  * firm0309.lgo: RCX firmware version 3.09
  * firm0328.lgo: RCX firmware version 3.28
  * firm0332.lgo: RCX firmware version 3.32
  
  **Tags:** rcx
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2016-09-15. Score: 2
  
  There is no significant hardware difference (\*) affecting software between the RCX bricks, so 1.0 brick is compatible with all firmware and RIS versions.
  
  (\*) Known hardware differences:
  
  * RCX 1.0 sold with RIS 1.0 had a power adapter plug.
  * RCX 1.0 sold with RIS 1.5 no longer had this plug.
  * RCX 2.0 had a 76 kHz IR interface instead of 38 kHz. It remains compatible with old versions (harmonic 2) albeit with a slightly
    reduced range. New frequency allows to communicate with Spybots bricks.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Doesn't the earlier RCX 1.0 brick have a power adapter plug, which has been eliminated in the RCX 1.0 brick supplied with RIS 1.5 and in the RCX 2.0 brick supplied in RIS 2.0?  
  > **username_1**: Yes it does, but doesn't matter for software. Answer edited for more details!  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2016-09-15. Score: 2
  
  The main differences between the versions were:
  
  1. Firmware - although later versions of the firmware were backwards compatible with the earlier bricks
  2. Power Adaptors:
     1. RIS/RCX 1.0 had a power socket on the brick as well as battery options
     2. RIS/RCX 1.5 removed the power socket from the brick
     3. RIS/RCX 2.0 Functionally equivalent to RCX 1.5
  3. IR Tower connections:
     1. RIS 1.0 and 1.5 had a serial connection for the IR Tower
     2. RIS 2.0 had a USB connection for the IR Tower, which doesn't operate nicely with 64bit Operating Systems (ironically\* the serial connection does work with a serial-USB adaptor apparently)
  4. Manuals - I [believe the Constructopedia was more comprehensive](http://www.ebay.co.uk/gds/LEGO-Mindstorms-A-Basic-Guide-to-the-Older-RCX-sets-/10000000000766046/g.html) in 1.0 than in 2.0.
  
  `*` I say ironically as I originally returned my 1.0 or 1.5 set as I was unable to get the serial connection to work on my PC at the time and later bought a 2.0 which worked fine then, but not any more on my more modern hardware.
  
  
  ---
  
  