<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>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-15T10:51:12.193Z
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?
Phil B.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-16T08:06:11.640Z
Yes it does, but doesn't matter for software. Answer edited for more details!
Philo
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-15T07:38:36.897Z
2016-09-16T08:06:18.697Z
2016-09-16T08:06:18.697Z
Philo
<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>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-09-15T12:04:23.557Z
2016-09-15T12:04:23.557Z
Zhaph - Ben Duguid
<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>

<rcx>
Lego RCX 1.0 brick relationship to Robotics Invention System (RIS) & RCX firmware versions
CW Holeman II
# 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


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## 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.


---

