🔗 Link directory

Verified external resources for working with optically-controlled LEGO, grouped by purpose. Catalog and set links live in Sets & bricks index; parts to buy are in Hardware shopping list.

Protocol specifications (primary sources)

• LEGO official docs (archived in-vault) ⭐ — the USB Tower Interface Reference (vendor-request spec; documents the tower's VLL mode) + Scout SDK (LASM reference + the canonical VLL Command Set table) + a printable MicroScout VLL barcode card. See LEGO official docs — Tower Interface + Scout SDK (PDFs in Sources/).
• VLL — elecbrick (Doug Eaton) — the canonical Micro Scout / Code Pilot / Scout VLL reference → elecbrick.com/vll · elecbrick.com/lego · GitHub. See elecbrick (Doug Eaton).
• VLL Transmit for legOS — Ben Jackson → ben.com/LEGO/rcx/vll.html (RCX light-sensor LED → Code Pilot/Micro Scout; useful range ~1 inch / 3 cm).
• Teaching the RCX VLL — Barnaby Walters → waterpigs.co.uk/articles/rcx-vll.
• RCX → MicroScout VLL (community thread + write-up) → pbrick.info p=45.
• RCX Internals — Kekoa Proudfoot — RCX serial/IR protocol + opcodes → graphics.stanford.edu/~kekoa/rcx · opcode mirror mralligator.com/rcx/opcodes.html. See RCX Internals (Kekoa Proudfoot).
• LEGO Mindstorms Internals (crynwr, mirror) → arcb.csc.ncsu.edu/.../crynwr/lego-robotics.
• Power Functions RC protocol (official PDF) → philohome.com/pf/LEGO_Power_Functions_RC.pdf · context TechnicBRICKs v1.20. See Power Functions RC (IR).

Tools & libraries (software)

• Flash Force — VLL by phone torch → Flash Force.
• lego-blockly — VLL/Code Pilot/MicroScout + RCX/WeDo, FTDI-DTR emitter → live editor · github.com/BlissCA/lego-blockly. See lego-blockly.
• JorgePe / mindstorms-vll — several VLL emitters via LED (FTDI bitbang vllftdi.py = macOS/Linux via pylibftdi; EV3 port; EV3 LED via TOSlink) → github.com/JorgePe/mindstorms-vll. See FTDI DTR + LED.
• Pybricks — MicroPython on Powered Up hubs; the working hub emitter → code.pybricks.com · docs.pybricks.com. See Powered Up hub (Pybricks VLL).
• WinVLL — programs the Micro Scout P mode via the USB IR tower (+ optical tube) or a sound-card LED probe; Windows app, but the underlying tower VLL-mode recipe is now documented (see the official Tower Interface Reference above) → line.to/…/winvll. See LEGO USB IR tower (RIS 2.0).
• legousbtower — Linux USB-tower driver (raw read/write, RCX-oriented). VLL mode isn't built in, but the vendor requests that enable it are spec'd in the official Tower Interface Reference → reachable via pyusb/libusb → legousb.sourceforge.net.
• ESP Web Tools — browser ESP32 flasher (Web Serial) for the M5 / web-flasher idea → esphome.github.io/esp-web-tools.
• rcxvll.nqh — RCX→Micro Scout VLL (NQC) → rcxvll.nqh (pbrick) (zip on pbrick.info).
• adriansieber — control Code Pilot/Scout/MicroScout via Swift (Flash Force's basis) → adriansieber.com.
• NQC (Not Quite C) — RCX / CyberMaster / Scout → bricxcc.sourceforge.net/nqc · github.com/jverne/nqc. See NQC · BrickCC.
• BricxCC (Bricx Command Center) — IDE → bricxcc.sourceforge.net · github.com/BrickBot/BricxCC.
• RCX on macOS → github.com/Glitchbone/mindstorms-rcx-osx-tools.
• USB IR tower control (cross-platform) → github.com/hangrydave/InfraredBrickTower.
• Python: RCX over serial IR → github.com/BlissCA/LegoRcxPy (LegoRcxPy); Interface B → github.com/BlissCA/LegoBpy (LegoBpy).
• BrickLogo (Rust, RCX + modern) → github.com/openbrickproject/BrickLogo (BrickLogo).
• Power Functions (Arduino/IR) → lib github.com/jurriaan/Arduino-PowerFunctions · receiver github.com/matthiaszimmermann/ArduinoLegoIrReceiver · recorder github.com/aorczyk/pf-recorder.
• 76 kHz IR (Spybotics / Manas / RC) generators → github.com/JorgePe/ir-spybotics · decoding write-up O Falcão — Decoding old LEGO infrared protocol · RCX→Spybotics pbrick.info p=35. See 76 kHz IR family.
• Power Functions for micro:bit → hackster.io PF IR sender.
• Adafruit: Bluetooth remote for the Droid (Micro Scout) ⭐ — full guide + CircuitPython code: Feather M0 Bluefruit receives BLE commands → flashes an LED → VLL to the Micro Scout. A close reference design (BLE → LED → VLL) using Jorge Pereira's VLL code; notes the on-board red LED works in dim light, an external LED is better. → learn.adafruit.com/bluetooth-remote-for-lego-droid.

Proven VLL-transmit builds (precedents)

Sending VLL from a microcontroller + LED is well established — these all work:

• Flash Force (phone torch, visible) · Adafruit Feather BLE→LED (above) · Ben Jackson legOS (RCX LED) · rcxvll.nqh (RCX + 9V light brick) · adriansieber (iPad torch) · NQC VLL libs.
• ⚠️ Most builds use a visible (red) LED — including LEGO's own USB tower, which (per the official spec) sends VLL on a red LED, not its IR channel. *VLL over infrared*** has not been demonstrated by any known build; the Micro Scout sensor's IR sensitivity is confirmed on-device, so an IR LED driven with the VLL baseband remains the untested step.

Communities, wikis & catalogs

• pbrick.info — RCXVLL, Scout SDK, Spybotics, RCX firmware → pbrick.info (pbrick.info).
• philohome.com — Philippe "Philo" Hurbain: motors/sensors/PF/connectors reference → philohome.com. See philohome (Philippe Hurbain).
• LUGNET — classic community archive (Code Pilot, robotics) → lugnet.com/robotics/codepilot.
• orionrobots — hobby robotics wiki; useful Spybotics page (full I/O incl. claimed VLL in/out, the 3 remote modes, the PC programming socket) + a YouTube series (DIY Spybotics→PC RS232 cable xtGJei70cAg, RCX↔Spybotics J1S-p5n-iAY, RCX setup w/ BricxCC+NQC RREOENgSiZA). ⚠️ VLL-on-Spybotics is single-source — see Spybotics. → orionrobots.co.uk.
• dubbekarl.dk/blog — vintage LEGO dacta / Interface A (9750/9760/Control) document & disk-image archive — instructions, C64/IBM-PC control software, restoration scans. Not VLL, but a good source for the pre-VLL optical/wired control era → dubbekarl.dk/blog.
• TechnicBRICKs — PF/Technic deep dives → technicbricks.com.
• Catalog (default): Rebrickable — use it for every set/part link (sets + parts + inventories). Catalog-specific extras, used only when they add something Rebrickable doesn't:
  • BrickLink — part variants, price guide, marketplace.
  • Technicopedia — in-depth Technic set write-ups (e.g. 8479 Code Pilot).
  • LEGO.com — official pages for current products (88005, 8884/8885).
  • BIOsector01 — Bionicle lore (8539 Manas); Wikipedia — set overviews (Spybotics).
  • Bricker — part scans/images (e.g. the 8479bar01 barcode sheet).
• Books: Extreme NXT (Gasperi & Hurbain), Extreme Mindstorms — custom sensors/internals.

⚠️ Some primary sites are vintage: elecbrick.com has an expired TLS cert (use http/Wayback), and web.archive.org blocks automated fetch (use a browser/curl).