Haven't seen anyoen talk about this here yet, but if you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, a wireless router in your house, and a DCC system that works with JMRI (sorry MRC users), there is a new app out called WiThrottle that turns your iPhone/iPod into a wireless throttle in conjunction with JMRI. The free version allows you to select a 2 or 4 digit loco and control speed, direction, F0, and F2 to blow the horn. The paid version (all of $10) allows you to control the loco and control F0-F28. Unlike earlier attempts to make a PDA into a throttle, this actually works WELL - mainly because of the touchscreen interface. It works with any DCC system supported by JMRI. Wirelessly switch between locos - you don't have to fiddle with the computer once JMRI is running. Range - whatever your wireless router/access point can do.
I thought I already had some cool apps on my iPhone, but this is the coolest yet.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
And to think that all I do with my cell phone is make and receive phone calls.
Yeah but what happens when your cell phone rings? I have a hard enough time not hanging up on people with call waiting and taking pictures of the inside of my pocket.
Your train stops. Although the developer is considering putting in an option to turn off that behavior. My iPhone is the first phone I've had with a camera that DOESN'T take pictures of the inside of my pocket. It's pretty much impossible unless you were last using the camera feature and shove it in your pocket without locking it first. You can press and touch and slide all you want once it's asleep and it won't take a picture or call someone. ANd anticipating your next question, the throttle app keeps the phone from going into sleep mode so there's no loss of control.
Assuming I did have a DCC system, I would still need and iPhone or iPod. Two things I have no use for in this life.
My cell phone doesn't even take pictures and the text messaging is turned off at Verizon.
Sheldon
I've been wondering when an application like this would come out. I don't have an IPod or IPhone, but an application like this makes it seem more appealing.
Greg Amer
The Industrial Lead
Randy, back in the early stone-age when the PDA was the "hot" item, didn't someone come out with a throttle application that ran on a Psion or one of the other brands of market leading PDA? The PDA, now there is a device that appeared, shone brightly for a very brief time and died a death!
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
simon1966 Randy, back in the early stone-age when the PDA was the "hot" item, didn't someone come out with a throttle application that ran on a Psion or one of the other brands of market leading PDA? The PDA, now there is a device that appeared, shone brightly for a very brief time and died a death!
Digitrax had the LocoPalm throttle for Palm PDAs, it was an app plus an interface unit tha tplugged into the Palm's I/O port and had a knob for the throttle. Address selection, direction, and function control was on the Palm screen.
Problem was, every different Palm model was slightly different so there was no way to make a one size fits all device and it died. I think if you have the correct old Palm that it's actually still available. Originally it was rather expensive, about the price of a UT throttle.
blrrfanIs that the same or similar as the iPhone app TouchCab?
Similar. Except since it works via JMRI, it works with any DCC system JMRI suppports, whereas the developer of TouchCab decided to have his app work directly with the DCC systems supported, which so far is limited to those with an ethernet port on them. He posted on one of the Yahoo groups about making it work with Digitrax, and I suggested he talk to the JMRI people and make it work that way, because then it would be ONE development effort to make it work with ALL DCC systems, but he chose not to. So TouchCab is still out there, but now we have WiThrottle that works with a wide variety of DCC systems.
Since it works through JMRI, and you can 'capture' the throttle commands and use them in scripts, the possibilities are endless. Don't use sound, or otherwise have no need for all 29 functions? Use them to trigger scripts that do other things. Maybe indirect train control - the address inthe throttle is not the actual decoder address being controlled, but rather a surrogate that redirects via a script to control other things.
But can I browse the web on my Lenz Dispatcher's throttle?
Hmmmm, how do you know I'm not doing that right now?
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
There goes all my minutes!!! I wonder if I can video and control at the same time? How about voice recognition? Can you picture this? Engine 1234 to speed step 3 please. Then wait for acknowledgment from the decoder!!!
And to think I must still be in the stone age. My cell phone only makes calls and the buttons are too small to text.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
locoi1saThere goes all my minutes!!!
http://www.withrottle.com/WiThrottle/Home.html
10 bucks does seem a bargain, but you do need the PC and interface to go with the 'free' JMRI, so if you haven't already got PC connectivity to get an ipod working as throttle would still cost a few bucks more than the 10.
ATLANTIC CENTRALAssuming I did have a DCC system,
Oh, its only a matter of time. I've organized a bake sale, and our local high school cheerleading squad car wash to raise money to buy AND install the DCC system of your choice.
You will be assimilated.